"Ah... it seems some of you still lack a bit of understanding about me, but that's alright. We'll have plenty of time ahead of us to get to know each other."
Lockhart said as he winked at the students, causing many Young Wizards to feel a sudden urge to vomit.
Amanda watched him without any reaction, waiting for him to officially begin the lesson.
Unfortunately, Lockhart clearly had no such intention. He continued flipping through the papers, and his eyes lit up when he saw Amanda's and Hermione's tests.
"Wow!"
"Miss Amanda, Miss Granger, where are you?"
Hearing the Professor call her name, Amanda raised her hand without hesitation, her eyes staring at Lockhart with a deathly stillness.
Beside her, Hermione could only reluctantly raise her own hand as well.
Lockhart fell silent for a moment when he saw Amanda's face. He recognized this girl; she was the one who had taught the Malfoy father and son a lesson in Diagon Alley, and the one he had nearly succeeded in using to boost his own fame.
If it hadn't been for that nonsensical reporter's refusal... didn't he know how much of a performance boost that could have brought him?
He might have even been promoted because of it! Lockhart lamented the missed opportunity for a moment, then immediately flashed a wide smile.
"I'm very pleased that you've read my books so diligently. There's no doubt you must admire me greatly."
Amanda's expression remained unchanged, while Hermione's face fell even further. Admire a straw man? Merlin's scarecrow, she'd rather face the trials at the end of the last school year again!
As he spoke, his gaze locked onto Amanda's face. "Without a doubt, I will certainly teach you how to wield great power, just as I have done before, using it to help others."
Amanda met Lockhart's gaze unmoved, her eyes still possessing the deathly stillness of an inorganic object.
Lockhart felt a chill run down his spine and quickly looked away. Merlin above, this girl was a bit too odd.
He'd better stay as far away from her as possible, if she couldn't be of any use in helping him boost his fame.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," Lockhart walked slowly to the front of the podium and spread his hands. "This school year, in my class, you will witness many of the most dangerous, most wicked Dark Arts and magical creatures. I will teach you how to deal with them, just as I have done countless times myself."
Hearing his words, the Little Eagles and Little Lions gave several merciless sneers. Most dangerous? Most wicked? That would probably scare you to death.
"It seems you don't quite believe me?" Lockhart arched an eyebrow, his hand reaching for a cage covered with a black cloth on the podium desk.
"Now, let me show you an evil creature, an extremely evil creature. Please don't scream, as that will provoke them."
Lockhart's facial expressions changed richly; his "peak" acting skills actually managed to bluff some of the Young Wizards.
Even though Lockhart had no real ability, what if he really had brought some dangerous magical creature?
Hermione took a deep breath, pulled out her wand, and leaned forward, faintly shielding Amanda.
Amanda glanced indifferently at Hermione in front of her and didn't react.
Based on the size of the cage by Lockhart's hand and the degree of its shaking...
Every book she had read indicated that no creature in the Wizarding World so small and unable to break through a single cage was actually dangerous.
Furthermore, hearing the faint squeals and looking at that cage, she had already determined that the creatures inside were most likely Cornish Pixies.
They were creatures that weren't exactly dangerous but were exceptionally annoying. Once released, they would cause chaotic destruction until everything around them was a mess.
Hermione could handle such creatures, so Amanda didn't react to Hermione shielding her.
If it were a more dangerous creature, she would have pulled Hermione behind her long ago.
After all, in her personal inequality, Hermione's life was greater than her own.
Seeing that his goal was achieved, a large portion of the Young Wizards below showed nervous expressions.
Lockhart smiled triumphantly and whipped off the black cloth covering the cage. "Let me reveal to you: freshly caught Cornish Pixies!"
As the black cloth was removed, a cage full of Cornish Pixies was presented before the Little Eagles and Little Lions.
A burst of laughter suddenly erupted in the classroom. All the Young Wizards slapped their thighs, unable to stop laughing.
"They're not dangerous at all."
"Cornish Pixies, hahaha..."
Hearing the laughter and comments of the Young Wizards in the classroom, Lockhart arched an eyebrow. "Don't underestimate them; they can be quite tricky to deal with."
"Now, let's see how you handle them."
With that, he yanked open the cage, and over a dozen Cornish Pixies flew out.
"That madman!"
Hermione cried out in surprise. Clearly, she also knew the power of these mischievous pixies, and she swiftly packed her and Amanda's things into their respective bags.
Amanda made no move. In her view, as a Professor, Lockhart must be releasing the Cornish Pixies to train them in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Next, he should be teaching them the spell for this lesson and letting them use it to deal with the Cornish Pixies.
Sure enough, Lockhart pulled out his wand when he saw the Young Wizards begin to pack their things in a panic.
"Alright, alright, don't panic everyone. These pixies are easy to deal with; you just need to follow my lead."
He then waved his wand and chanted a spell that no one had ever heard of.
Unsurprisingly, it had no effect. His wand was snatched by a Cornish Pixie and thrown away.
The smile on his face stiffened for a moment, then he forced his lips into a smirk.
"Next is the challenge I've left for you: capture these Cornish Pixies and put them back."
After saying that, he "scrambled" back into his office. The Young Wizards watched his retreating back, speechless.
As expected... a total straw man.
The Cornish Pixies ran amok in the classroom, wantonly tearing up textbooks and overturning ink bottles.
They even tried to lift Neville up to hang him from the chandelier.
Seeing this, Amanda waved her wand and recited the spell Lockhart had just used. However, just like Lockhart's result, nothing happened.
Hermione cast Petrificus Totalus on another Cornish Pixie nearby and turned to look at Amanda.
"Don't bother with that madman Lockhart's spell; it's completely useless!"
She even doubted if that was even a real spell at all.
Amanda fell silent. A teacher couldn't be wrong, so it must be that her learning was not yet up to par.
I'm so stupid... Amanda cursed herself in her mind. Her eyes, like stagnant water, scanned the Little Eagles and Little Lions who were being made incredibly miserable by the Cornish Pixies, and she slowly raised her wand.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The emotionless incantation left her mouth, and all the Cornish Pixies in front of everyone froze at the same time.
Even the two Cornish Pixies lifting Neville were violently pulled away by a force, and he was gently placed back on the ground.
Amanda's right hand, holding the wand, continuously traced circles in the air. The Cornish Pixies were instantly swept into a circular path around the classroom ceiling.
At this moment, they were completely unable to control themselves, left to spin faster and faster in the air.
Finally, after several rotations, Amanda's wand snapped toward the cage on the podium desk.
The thoroughly dizzy Cornish Pixies were all driven back into the cage by Amanda's gesture.
Amanda even used the Levitation Charm to shut the cage door as she went.
With the Cornish Pixies locked up again, the Young Wizards in the classroom finally breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Now, whether they were Little Eagles or Little Lions, the looks they directed at Amanda were full of gratitude and admiration.
Just then, the bell rang. Hermione picked up both her and Amanda's bags with one hand and grabbed Amanda with the other.
"Let's go."
She really didn't want to stay in this classroom for another second!
Walking out of the classroom, Amanda silently took her bag back from Hermione's hand with no change in expression and whispered a thank you.
"No need to be so polite," Hermione smiled and put an arm around Amanda's shoulder.
"We're friends, and Amanda, you were really amazing just now, catching all those Cornish Pixies at once!"
"It was nothing amazing," Amanda shook her head, her tone flat.
Hearing Hermione's astonished words, she felt nothing in her heart.
She had only met the Professor's requirement; it was what she should have done.
Moreover, Amanda's eyes flickered slightly. She hadn't even managed to perform the spell the Professor "taught." She really was as stupid as her father and mother said.
After entering the Great Hall, Hermione and Amanda parted ways. Because Amanda showed no outward sign, Hermione had no idea that Amanda had been condemning and insulting herself in her mind all along the way.
It wasn't until she sat down at the Ravenclaw Table that the internal scolding finally ceased.
Leisurely eating her lunch, Amanda reviewed the material for the Transfiguration class that afternoon while she ate.
A moment later, Cho Chang and Marietta also entered the Great Hall. They naturally sat on either side of Amanda and began eating their lunch heartily.
Beside them, several second-year Little Eagles were complaining loudly to their seniors about the Defense Against the Dark Arts class they just had.
Penelope listened as the second-year Little Eagles denounced the class and Lockhart.
After swallowing a bite of steak, she frowned. "He just ran off like that? Leaving you with a room full of Cornish Pixies?"
"Yes," a second-year girl nodded, her face full of disdain.
"And he calls himself a Professor!" a second-year boy beside her added, nodding in agreement.
"In the end, it was Amanda who was reliable," the girl continued, looking at Amanda with eyes full of admiration and affection. "She caught all the Cornish Pixies by herself."
Penelope smiled and reached across Cho Chang to ruffle Amanda's hair. "Well done."
Amanda paused, looking up at Penelope who was touching her head and then at the girl who had called her name.
After confirming nothing was wrong, she lowered her head again, continuing her lunch and "reviewing" the Transfiguration knowledge for the afternoon in her mind.
"Senior Penelope," Cho Chang looked at Amanda, then leaned in close to Penelope's ear.
"Hmm? What is it?" Penelope turned to Cho Chang, wondering what she wanted to say.
"Following Lockhart... we won't learn anything at all." Cho Chang's voice was gentle, but her brow was tightly furrowed.
"That's true," Penelope nodded in agreement. She had no doubt that Lockhart could teach them nothing.
Seeing that Senior Penelope agreed with her, Cho Chang continued with some excitement, "Then why don't we study on our own?"
"Self-study?" Penelope was taken aback. After thinking about the feasibility for a moment, she raised a key question.
"Then... who would teach?"
Cho Chang blinked and gestured behind her.
"Amanda?" Penelope's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Cho Chang with hesitation.
"Amanda is indeed very talented, but she's only a second-year after all..."
She was a bit worried about whether the magic Amanda knew would be enough to teach sixth and seventh-year students.
"Her level should be more than enough," Cho Chang shook her head with a smile.
Aside from Miss Granger from Gryffindor, she dared say no one knew Amanda's learning progress better than she and Marietta did.
They had noticed the books Amanda read in the Dormitory. Just based on the difficulty of those books, Amanda would have no problem being in the sixth or seventh year right now.
She might even take first place in the year.
Marietta, who had been listening to their conversation, also leaned over and nodded in agreement with Cho Chang's words.
"It's no problem, Senior Penelope. Besides, we can also ask a few sixth and seventh-year seniors to help out."
"Amanda will be the main instructor, and everyone else can help each other. It's better than learning nothing at all from Lockhart."
Purssing her lips, Penelope made up her mind. "Alright! As long as Amanda agrees, I'll handle the location and time with Professor Flitwick."
"And I'll also ask who else wants to join."
"Okay." ×2
Cho Chang and Marietta nodded simultaneously. The three girls' thoughts were now highly consistent with Hermione's thoughts from the previous night.
Amanda, sitting between them, had naturally heard their conversation, as they had mentioned her full name more than once.
So, she had naturally pulled herself out of her "review" state until she heard them finish talking.
Only then did she speak politely, her voice as calm as a deep well. "I have no problem with that. Thank you for your trust; I will teach everyone diligently."
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the story has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 chapters in advance over on my Patreon: patreon.com/TLHimejima1
Every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and let me know.