Just then, a low growl filled with intense fear and rage was heard.
The sound instantly shattered the tranquility of the classroom.
"No! Don't come any closer! Don't touch her!"
It's Harry's voice.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Harry sprang up from his seat.
"Squeak--",
The haste of their movements caused the wooden chair beneath them to scrape against the cold stone floor with a harsh, grating sound.
The sound was so shrill it made your eardrums tighten.
Harry's movement caused the desk in front of him to slide backward and crash heavily onto the desk of the student behind him with a dull thud.
"Ouch!" The student who was bumped behind him cried out in pain, rubbing his bruised arm with a look of displeasure.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Several students around him, who were struggling to stay awake, were startled awake by the sudden noise.
They rubbed their sleepy eyes and mumbled in confusion.
All eyes turned to the source of the sound, trying to figure out what had happened.
Draco and Hermione also turned around at the same time, following the sound.
The incident temporarily eased the suffocating tension between the two.
Harry stood ramrod straight in his seat, his thin shoulders trembling slightly, and a few strands of his dark hair were damp with cold sweat.
His signature eyes were wide open, the pupils slightly contracted, still holding traces of lingering terror.
His fear was mixed with confusion; he was not yet fully aware of where he was or what had happened.
Out of fear, Harry's hands clenched into fists involuntarily.
Professor Binns's ever-changing hum, like that of an old phonograph, finally paused noticeably for the first time.
He slowly turned towards Harry.
The movement was even slower than when it floated towards the podium earlier.
He asked slowly, " Mr Potter, is there something you need? Is it a question about the alloy ratio used in the minting of the Goblin currency, or are you unsure about the pronunciation of the middle name of Gringotts ' first Goblin banker, ' Gragnak '?"
Professor Binns ' questions were as Gnome as ever, strictly targeting the tedious details he had just discussed.
In his common sense, a student suddenly standing up could only be due to an urgent thirst for this obscure knowledge, and there would be no other reason.
Harry was then as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, completely waking him from the chaotic state of his dream and reality intertwined.
He blinked, his long eyelashes fluttering rapidly, and looked around blankly.
When he saw that almost everyone in the classroom was looking at him.
There was dissatisfaction at being woken up, curious scrutiny, suppressed laughter, and a touch of mocking amusement.
Harry's face instantly turned bright red.
Under Professor Binns's mesmerizing voice, arguably the most powerful hypnotic spell at Hogwarts, he actually fell asleep.
And I also had an incredibly terrifying nightmare.
Furthermore, due to his excessive emotional outburst, he stood up from his seat shouting, startling the entire class and the ghostly professor!
This was absolutely the most embarrassing moment he'd ever experienced since enrolling!
A strong sense of embarrassment overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.
It made him wish he could immediately cast a Digging Spell, find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and never come out again.
Faced with Professor Binns's empty gaze and the varied looks from the rest of the class.
Harry, in a moment of impulsiveness, almost blurted out:
"N-no, it's nothing, Professor Binns! I just... I just can't see the words on the blackboard clearly. Please stand up and see them!"
The excuse was so lame that Ron, sitting next to him, couldn't help but cover his face.
His shoulders trembled slightly, clearly he was trying hard to suppress a laugh.
It was a well-known fact throughout Hogwarts that the writing on Professor Binns' blackboard was illegible.
But just to see those words that were completely unnecessary to see, he suddenly stood up when everyone was dozing off, and even let out that shocking growl?
This reason is full of loopholes and cannot withstand any scrutiny.
However, Professor Binns did not show any emotional reaction after listening.
He simply said in his flat, unchanging tone, "Oh, you can't see the words. Sit down, Mr Potter. Next time, perhaps get some better glasses, or sit a little closer to the front."
After saying that, he didn't even glance at Harry again before seamlessly transitioning back to his dry, monotonous narration.
"I've finished explaining the key terms of the Goblin Rebellion; now I'll begin with the temporary alliance with the Troll tribe..."
Professor Binns reacted as if the little incident had never happened.
His obsession was probably only with teaching.
Whether in life or as a ghost after death, it has never changed.
Harry breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon.
Then he quickly plopped back into his chair, his body almost slumped in the seat.
He kept his head bowed, his gaze fixed on the blank parchment in front of him, and dared not look at anyone else.
He felt a burning sensation on his face, making him feel utterly ashamed.
He must have looked incredibly stupid just now!
Ron finally couldn't hold back any longer and leaned close to Harry, asking, " Harry, you can have nightmares about such a boring class? And you dreamt that someone was going to touch someone? 'Don't touch her'—who is 'her'?"
Ron's curiosity was completely piqued, and his eyes were full of gossip.
"Shut up, Ron!"
Harry growled in a low voice, his cheeks flushing even redder, and glared at Ron, warning him not to mention it again.