## Battlefield Meat Grinder
Hermione eagerly raised her hand to answer, "A stone axe, Professor."
She paused, then added, "Primitive people used it for hunting and cutting food, starting around two million years ago."
"Exactly," Professor Abigail said. "Back then, Muggle wielders of this weapon viewed Wizards, who possessed magic, as gods. They knelt, begging for the Wizards' protection, offering them their best food, clothing, jewels, and even their own children."
"Then, their weapons evolved into these —"
Spears, iron knives, and bows and arrows floated in the air, rotating slowly. Professor Abigail picked up a bow and arrow, drew the string, and shot it effortlessly.
The arrow thudded into a distant tree trunk.
From behind the trees, faint rustling sounds emerged, leaves parted, and dry twigs on the ground snapped.
Students with good eyesight could make out parts of Centaur figures in the shadows between the trees.
Two young Centaurs, clutching bows and arrows, hid at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, watching the teacher and students during class.
"These are bows and arrows. Centaurs still use these weapons today. With bows and arrows, Muggles could hunt from a safe distance, greatly reducing the risk of facing wild beasts."
Professor Abigail continued, "They could also use these weapons to ambush Wizards. No one can maintain an Shield Charm at all times. I can't, let alone you Young Wizards who can't even use an Shield Charm."
"By that time, Muggles no longer held Wizards in such awe. Even the legendary Wizard Merlin was merely King Arthur's close friend and mentor. Muggles stopped revering Wizards as gods; they even learned how to exploit the Wizards' power."
"But gradually, Wizards were no longer seen as prophets and companions. People began to believe that all disasters were brought about by Wizards. They thought Wizards possessed magical power because they were possessed by evil spirits."
Then, more weapons were displayed.
Cannons, which appeared in the 13th century; Matchlock Guns, invented in the 15th century; and Flintlock Guns, which emerged in the 17th century.
A gunshot echoed, and a puff of white smoke rose, startling the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest. Someone seemed about to rush out but was pulled back by a companion.
Professor Abigail stated, "So, starting in the 15th century, the Witch Hunt began."
She pointed to a target riddled with bullet holes not far away, asking the students, "Tell me, if a few, or even dozens, of these weapons were aimed at you and fired, how many of you would survive?"
Silence lingered for a moment.
Ron mumbled, "Not even dozens... even one, and I might already be dead."
Professor Abigail said, "Your textbooks tell you that during the Witch Hunt, most of those killed were actually Muggles who had been framed... and that's true."
"Your textbooks also tell you how some powerful Wizards tricked Muggles, like Wendelin, the Witch who was burned forty-seven times."
"But many of you may not realize that the Freezing Fire Charm is a very advanced spell, and only a handful of Wizards have mastered it."
"And countless Young Wizards your age were killed—because they were neither able to escape Muggle pursuit nor avoid harm from fire or firearms!"
"Imagine, if you were tied to an Execution Stake, could you mock the Muggles' foolishness like Wendelin? Could you walk away from it alive?"
The students' laughter completely vanished. They looked at the professor, imagining the cruel scene from that time, their faces pale, their eyes filled with unease and fear.
"And back then, children, Muggle weapons were still very crude, but they never stopped researching how to kill their own kind."
"Compared to them, most Wizards become powerless if they lose their Wand."
"For example, Nearly Headless Nick from Gryffindor House. After he was captured by Muggles and had his Wand taken away, he couldn't escape from the Muggle dungeon and was eventually hacked over forty times in the neck with a blunt axe."
Previously, when students heard this story, they found Nick to be both unlucky and humorous. Only now did they truly grasp its horror.
Just then, they heard a wronged voice:
"Why use me as an example? That's so rude, Professor!"
Nick floated away sadly, and several ghosts quickly followed to comfort him.
Only then did everyone realize that the school ghosts, including Peeves, had come to audit the class. Peeves, uncharacteristically, hadn't caused any trouble, to the point where everyone had overlooked his presence.
Professor Abigail paused briefly, then ignored these minor interruptions and patted the device beside her that resembled a telescope.
She said, "This is a Maxim Gun, an old antique invented about a hundred years ago. Who wants to come up and experience its power?"
The students hadn't yet recovered from their earlier imaginations. Hearing this, they thought Professor Abigail wanted them to face the machine gun's bullets directly. They all recoiled in fear, afraid that the professor had a mistaken understanding of their abilities.
And so, Wade, who had stepped forward, stood out. Everyone looked at him with the gaze reserved for a martyr.
"Professor, I want to try," Wade said, raising his hand.
He had never encountered a Battlefield Meat Grinder like this before and had only seen its appearance in a military museum.
"Excellent."
Professor Abigail motioned for Wade to come forward, teaching him how to load the canvas belt of ammunition and adjust the barrel.
Then, the professor waved her Wand. On the distant lawn, rows upon rows of targets stood up, like a crowd of people standing dumbly.
"You may fire," she said.
Wade complied.
*Da-da-da-da...*
Like a string of exploding firecrackers, the ammunition belt moved rapidly, and metal casings clinked as they hit the ground.
Wade's arm also vibrated quickly. He tried to steady his aim to prevent the bullets from flying wildly.
The distant targets fell swiftly, like wheat being mown down.
Seeing Wade not sacrifice any students, the students who had just gathered around him now fearfully recoiled, keeping their distance. One Hufflepuff student even tripped while retreating, landing on their backside.
The long belt of ammunition was fully expended in less than a minute. When Wade stood up, he could feel the muscles in his arms trembling uncontrollably.
Then they heard Professor Abigail's cold voice: "This is a reaper of lives. On the battlefield, it once killed over sixty thousand people in a single day."
"...Sixty thousand?" someone mumbled, wondering if they had misheard.
"That's right," Professor Abigail said. "This type of machine gun can theoretically fire six hundred rounds per minute."
She moved the Maxim Gun aside and said, "Now, let's look at the others."
Special note: During the first war, Voldemort did not curse his own name. The curse was only put in place in the seventh book, causing anyone who spoke his name to be found by Death Eaters.
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