The next morning, Wade went straight to Professor McGonagall's office to retrieve his beloved Time-Turner.
"I've heard all about it," Professor McGonagall said with an approving and encouraging smile, her voice gentle. "Welcome back, Wade."
"Thank you, Professor." Wade put the golden Time-Turner back around his neck and tucked it under his clothes, smiling. "And I also want to thank you for excusing me from last week's essay."
"I believe all the knowledge about transforming inanimate objects into living beings is already in your mind. There's no need to write it down."
Professor McGonagall looked at Wade and asked, "Wade, I presume you've already received your new timetable?"
"Yes," Wade replied. "It's basically the same as last term's schedule."
"Oh, that's because the Magic Quill wrote it out, and it can't handle overly complex problems. For example, some students' schedules need to be adjusted appropriately to be more efficient."
Professor McGonagall pulled her Wand from her sleeve and lightly tapped the parchment on the desk. Lines of text miraculously appeared.
"I know most third-year courses aren't very meaningful to you. This is my teaching schedule and times for other years this term, Wade. You can choose the appropriate times to attend the classes you need."
Wade took it with surprise, looking at the schedule detailed down to the minute, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Professor McGonagall said no more. After checking the time, she said, "Alright, the first class is about to begin. You should go to class now—remember, even with a Time-Turner, don't abuse time."
…
The first classes of the morning were still the three elective courses with overlapping times, but for Wade, the content wasn't very difficult.
Professor Trelawney's Divination Class, if you ignored her self-aggrandizing commentary, only required flipping through a book.
Wade had a knack for this subject. Even without consulting the accumulated knowledge in the books, his divination results were far more accurate than those of his classmates.
Muggle Studies was even less of a challenge. He had extensive Muggle experience; in fact, Professor Burbage, who taught the class, should have been learning from him. Wade heard her make at least five mistakes in one class alone.
Of course, compared to other Wizards, Professor Burbage was already a rare expert in Muggle studies who was proficient and sympathetic to non-magical people.
Arithmancy was also a breeze. Wade's mathematical skills were enough to crush everyone at Hogwarts. This course, which gave most people a terrible headache, was simply a relaxing number game for him.
It was as if the professors had discussed it beforehand. Except for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions Class, the professors of the other core subjects made an exception, allowing Wade to skip classes where he had already mastered all the knowledge, so he could spend his time on more meaningful things.
When he encountered Snape in the corridor, even though Snape was scowling, he patiently explained why he couldn't grant Wade the privilege of skipping class:
"Potions is a subject of great depth and rigor, allowing no room for carelessness."
"It requires the brewer to be extremely precise, diligent, and skilled. Every detail is crucial—details are the key to a Potion's success."
"Even if you've brewed the same Potion a thousand times, when you brew it for the thousand and first time, you still need to be fully focused, maintaining the same concentration and reverence as the first time."
"Therefore, I absolutely will not allow any student to miss class without cause," Snape concluded coldly, his gaze as sharp as a knife. "You are no exception, Wade."
Wade: "…Understood, Professor."
Well, he wasn't entirely surprised… though Wade hadn't planned on skipping Professor Snape's class anyway.
While the content most professors taught could be found in books, and they occasionally made small mistakes, Professor Snape never did.
He demanded rigor from his students, and he himself was more rigorous than anyone. He would meticulously write every step of brewing Potions on the blackboard, occasionally sharing little tricks he'd accumulated over the years, like tiny diamonds hidden within a dull curriculum.
However, apart from students like Hermione, who wanted to write down every punctuation mark, most of Wade's classmates would dive in after just reading the beginning.
They'd fudge things here and there, and just correcting their various small errors would already be a huge headache, let alone bothering to listen to any more of the professor's caustic remarks. In the end, they'd turn in something that was vague and might or might not be acceptable.
During the first class, the other students were somewhat surprised to see Wade enter, but they quickly returned to normal, greeting him and beginning to listen.
Most people didn't know his story, and given Wade's usual "keep-your-distance" demeanor, no one was tactless enough to inquire about his "family matters."
At lunchtime, Wade briefly explained to Harry, the Weasley Twins, and a few others who were in the know. They didn't overthink it, just relieved he was back safe.
"The Alliance seems much better than the Death Eaters my parents talk about," Fred said earnestly on the way to the Great Hall for lunch. "At least they don't keep minors locked up doing odd jobs."
George agreed: "What's the difference between a villain without magnanimity and a common thug?"
"What about a villain with magnanimity?" Harry asked.
George made a gesture of smoking a cigar, then lowered his head slightly, mimicking a raspy voice: "You can call me 'FATHER'."
The boys remembered a Muggle movie they had recently watched and burst into laughter.
"Mr. Weasley."
Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly came from behind them, startling George into nearly jumping.
"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall," they all greeted her.
Professor McGonagall nodded sternly, looking at the Weasley Twins. "Movies may give some characters an illusory charm, but I hope you know that violence and crime are wrong. True strength comes from wisdom, courage, and upholding justice."
"Yes, Professor," the Weasley Twins answered obediently, bowing their heads.
Once Professor McGonagall headed towards the teachers' table, the two started pushing each other, complaining that the other hadn't paid attention to their surroundings when speaking.
"Hi, kids!" Just then, Hagrid, having finished his meal, deliberately circled over and whispered, "Which afternoon are you free, tomorrow or the day after?"
He thought his voice was low, but almost all the surrounding students heard him and couldn't help but look curious.
"Wednesday, I only have Charms Class in the afternoon," Harry asked the others. "What about you?"
Wade nodded. "Same here."
Although he had originally planned to attend a sixth-year Transfiguration Class that afternoon, he could easily move that plan to Thursday.
Since several professors had excused him from his essay assignments, Wade's schedule this term was much more flexible than before.
Michael and the others nodded in agreement. Wade and Hermione were the busiest among them, while everyone else had far fewer classes.
"I have to write an essay," Hermione said, annoyed. "And I still have a three-hundred-and-twenty-five-page book to read!"
"We never have any free time," George said helplessly. "Even though Fred and I don't think O.W.L.s are anything to get too stressed about, the professors clearly don't agree."
Fred's eyes lit up. He looked at Hagrid hopefully and tentatively said, "But Hagrid, if you could just let us off the hook for our essays too, then..."
"Dream on, that's not happening," Hagrid said, waving him off decisively. "Last time I asked you two how to tell the difference between a hedgehog and a prickle-bug, you actually said to use their hair to make Alchemy products, and the ones that failed were hedgehogs—does that even make sense? Who would use such a complicated method?"
The twins stuck out their tongues but showed no sign of shame.
They actually knew the correct way to differentiate them, but at the time, they were experimenting with a new idea that involved using prickle-bug hair. It turned out the shady merchant had sold them counterfeit goods, which was why they'd blurted out that answer.
Prickle-bug hair has magical properties, while ordinary hedgehogs don't, which is also a way to tell them apart. Hagrid had been stunned for a while, unsure whether to mark their answer correct, and almost forgot how to continue the lesson.
Now, the Care of Fantastic Beasts professor waved his hand dismissively and said, "You two had better study hard! As for the rest of you... come to my hut the day after tomorrow at four o'clock in the afternoon. Don't forget."
Hagrid blinked his deep brown eyes, looking as if he had a secret he couldn't share yet, and left in high spirits.
The few of them looked at each other. Michael asked, "Harry, do you know what this is about?"
"I don't know. But I think..." Harry thought for a moment and said, "We'd better bring some food that day, right? Unless you want to eat Hagrid's special rock cakes for dinner."
After arranging the time and place to meet, they continued their back-to-back classes that afternoon.
Even though Wade was allowed to skip some classes, it didn't mean he didn't have to study. In fact, his self-arranged schedule was even fuller than his original timetable.
It had only been a day since he returned to school, and he felt like he'd already forgotten what a leisurely holiday felt like.
Wade also met the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Ryan Trocar, again.
He was dressed much more formally than he had been in Diagon Alley, looking as if he could attend someone's funeral at any moment. His expression was as serious as Professor McGonagall's, making him seem unapproachable.
In class, the students were very quiet. Professor Trocar was teaching about Boggarts, which was exactly what Abigail had been preparing to teach.
There was also a battered wooden box in the classroom, from which came thumping and banging sounds, as if it contained a dozen lively rabbits.
"There's a Boggart in here."
Professor Trocar said calmly, "I heard you've already learned some related content, so I'll keep it brief."
"Note down the key points I'm about to make."
"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces. They have no fixed shape but will transform into whatever people fear most. When facing a Boggart, the most important thing is a sense of humor."
The sound of rustling pens filled the classroom.
Professor Trocar paused for a moment, then continued, "You need to imagine a silly image for it and then use the Riddikulus Spell. If you can make yourself laugh instead of scream, the Boggart will be thrown off balance."
"Of course, fake laughter won't fool it—though most people can't laugh when they first see a Boggart."
"Now, take out your Wands and learn the Spell with me again—Riddikulus!"
"Riddikulus!" the students practiced in unison.
"Very good." Professor Trocar seemed to want to show a satisfied smile, but in the end, his mouth only twitched.
He casually waved his Wand, moving the desks and chairs to the sides of the classroom, clearing a large space in the middle. Then he told the students to step back.
"Move further back, so as not to disturb the Boggart. It gets confused by multiple people and won't know what to turn into."
Professor Trocar cleared his throat and said, "I need a student to demonstrate first..."
His gaze slowly swept across the classroom. Some students were eager to try, while others quickly lowered their heads to avoid his eyes.
"Hmm... Miss Greengrass, please come to the front," Professor Trocar said.
Daphne Greengrass swallowed, clutched her Wand, and cautiously walked forward.
"Are you ready?" Professor Trocar asked.
Daphne's whole body screamed, "No!" But the professor's sternness was intimidating, so she nervously nodded.
"Then let's begin!"
Professor Trocar also stepped back. With a distant wave of his Wand, the wooden box lid instantly sprang open.
A pale, bloated hand "thumped" as it gripped the edge of the box.
After a brief silence, a woman in a blood-stained white dress slowly crawled out of the box. Her long black hair hung down wetly like a mop, obscuring her face, and her limbs bent at strange angles as she crawled step by step towards Daphne.
Daphne was terrified, and the entire classroom was so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Wade covered his forehead, unable to watch.
Clearly, while the Streaming Mirror had enriched the lives of Wizards and broadened their horizons, it had also exposed this isolated community to the extremes of human imagination regarding terror.
"Riddikulus, Miss Greengrass."
Seeing her hesitate, Professor Trocar reminded her.
Daphne shivered. Instead of casting the Spell, she threw her Wand at the crawling "ghost" and shrieked, turning to run!
The "ghost" was now directly facing Pansy Parkinson.
The Boggart tilted its head slightly, staring at Pansy, seemingly still deciding what to turn into, when Pansy also let out a piercing scream. Retreating, she pushed Blaise Zabini forward.
With a "thump," the "ghost's" lower half transformed into a giant centipede-like form, instantly appearing even more terrifying. It even seemed to crawl a bit faster.
It paused for a moment, then quickly crawled towards the crowd. The entire classroom instantly dissolved into a sea of screams.
Regardless of what the students had been most afraid of before, now, they seemed to share a common object of fear.
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