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Monday afternoon and Friday morning were the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for first and second-year students. In the Great Hall, where a pin drop could be heard, all the young wizards stared intently at Hermione and Professor Bleane on the platform,
not daring to breathe. Neville even clasped his hands to his chest, adopting a posture of prayer. Amostas flicked his wand, and a stone pillar ten feet wide and as thick as a bowl rose from the ground, abruptly standing in the center of the platform.
"Now, Miss Granger—" Amostas looked at Hermione, whose fingertips trembled with nervousness, with encouraging eyes and a slight smile. "Please begin your performance!"
"Professor Bleane—" Hermione's voice carried a slight whimper. For the first time, she regretted raising her hand to answer the professor's question. She stammered, "I can't guarantee success."
"The courage to stand on this stage and show yourself to everyone, Miss Granger, that is already an unprecedented success!" Amostas continued to smile encouragingly.
Finally, after about five long minutes, Hermione, who had been breathing in gasps, finally overcame her nervousness. She shakily raised her right hand, holding her wand, and pointed it at the feather in her left palm, which was already damp with sweat.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
The slightly childish voice instantly spread throughout the silent and empty Great Hall. Accompanied by a fleeting shimmer on the surface of the pure white feather, a crisp clang made all the young wizards in the hall change color!
Hiss! All four house sections suddenly gasped collectively!
"Harry, did she tell you about this?!" Ron looked at Hermione on the platform with an incredulous gaze, as if he had just met her, his shocked eyes almost popping out of their sockets. Harry's expression was no better than Ron's.
"No, Ron!" Harry whispered. "Never heard of it once!"
"It's incredible." Neville, behind them, stared with round eyes, his excited face flushed red. "I'll never be able to do that!"
"Just a dirty Mudblood."
Most people looked at Hermione with shock, even awe. Only from the Slytherin side, mostly with sinister gazes, did a pale-faced Draco Malfoy whisper such a remark. But immediately, he was swept by Professor Bleane's gaze from thirty feet away, an expression unreadable, and instantly shut his mouth, not daring to say another word. However, the look in his grey eyes grew even darker and more uncertain.
After silencing the verbally abusive Malfoy, Amostas turned back to Hermione, whose fair cheeks were now flushed scarlet. He nodded, his voice steady. "Try to cut the stone pillar, Miss Granger."
Hermione heard this and nodded hesitantly. She looked at the stone pillar, her arm trembling slightly, as if she were holding not a wand, but a several-dozen-pound metal rod.
Whoosh! The sharp whistle emitted by the feather, its surface faintly metallic, as it cut through the air, was like an arrow leaving a fully drawn bowstring. In just a blink of an eye, the feather struck the stone pillar.
Snap! Everyone's eyes immediately turned to the stone pillar. With a crisp crack, the smooth surface of the stone pillar instantly burst open, rubble flew into the sky, then rustled back to the earth like rain. As the dust settled, the young wizards below looked closely, and one by one, disappointed expressions appeared on their faces.
"I'm sorry, Professor Bleane, I failed!" Hermione, who had seen the result before everyone else, bit her lower lip fiercely, her brown eyes glistening with tears. She looked utterly dejected, as if she had suffered a considerable blow. Amostas stepped forward to examine it closely. Hermione's feather had shattered into fine bits of feather and stone debris on the ground, while the stone pillar he had conjured only had a small pit on its surface, miles away from being broken.
"It can't be called a failure, Miss Granger," Amostas said with a slight smile, pointing at the small pit to Hermione. "To successfully cast a 'Levitation Charm,' abundant magic and control over that magic are key. And these two things are precisely what junior students lack. I believe you have grasped the essence of this spell. You just need to practice diligently. As you grow older and your magical power gradually increases, you will one day be able to cast a complete 'Levitation Charm'!"
Hermione's incomplete 'Levitation Charm' became the hottest topic on Friday. No matter where she went, people would stop her, asking for tips on the spell. At lunchtime, even Percy squeezed over, ignoring Ron's annoyed expression, and asked her with a slightly respectful tone. To be honest, this was Hermione's first taste of fame!
"Don't be arrogant, Hermione. You're still far from Professor Bleane's level!"
After dinner, walking to the library, Hermione, having dealt with two third-year Ravenclaw prefects, inwardly cautioned herself. However, the faint smile on the corner of her lips could not be hidden.
Early evening, Amostas sat in his office, fiddling with the bottle of memories in his hand. From time to time, he would look up and glance at the surveillance on the opposite wall. In fact, by now, the surveillance wall that Amostas had
'invested heavily' in and placed great hopes on could be said to be completely ineffective. Amostas was almost certain that as long as he remained at Hogwarts for one day, the Heir would not act again. The remaining solution was how to get the clues held by the 'protagonist group.'
The flame emanating from the voodoo doll candelabra behind him had already shrunk by half again. The scarlet dragon's blood had gradually faded to pink. In about a month, it would completely lose its effect. Before then, Amostas had to step down from his position as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Otherwise, he would have to endure the Dark Lord's curse directly!
On the desk lay Lockhart's ancient magic research manuscript concerning memories. Amostas had taken it and studied it for several days. Strictly speaking, Amostas's behavior was no different from theft. Normally, he certainly wouldn't do this, but after learning about Lockhart's actions, Amostas felt no psychological burden. It was just a case of "black eats black" (a Chinese idiom for criminals preying on each other); it wasn't his first time.
Knock, knock, knock! A slightly urgent knocking sound disturbed Amostas's contemplation. After hiding everything in his office that shouldn't be seen by others, he stood up and went to the door.
"Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy." Looking at Snape, whose expression was slightly complex, and Draco Malfoy, whose half-body was hidden behind Snape, Amostas raised his eyebrows. "Come in and speak, both of you."
"No need." Looking at Amostas Bleane, who had caused quite a stir in the castle these past few days, ripples appeared in Snape's dark eyes. Even when Amostas was a junior student, he was convinced that this obscure child would one day achieve astonishing feats. However, he truly hadn't expected that day to come so quickly.
An outstanding person, no matter how low-key they act, ultimately cannot conceal the dazzling brilliance they exude. Snape was almost certain that it wouldn't be long before the entire wizarding world would be shocked by this sudden genius. He even believed that surpassing Albus Dumbledore in the future was not impossible.
"This child has something to discuss with you, but he doesn't dare to see you alone." Snape, suppressing the ripples in his eyes, grabbed Malfoy from behind and pushed him towards Amostas.
Snape then turned and left directly under Amostas's surprised gaze. "I hope your future life won't be like mine, lingering in darkness, clinging to the remnant light of memory, Amostas. You should bathe in the sunlight and fully bloom with your own brilliance."
Severus Snape, walking away with large strides, silently offered his blessings.
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