After Christmas, the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class for the first-years arrived.
Aside from the Slytherin students, everyone else looked miserable.
Enduring the weekly Potions class was already torture, but now they had to suffer through two additional Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons under Snape.
Given Snape's current temperament, there was a good chance he would make this class just as unbearable. Even though Professor Quirrell had been ineffective—simply reading from the textbook without any explanation or practical exercises—it was still preferable to being tormented by Snape.
Bang!
The heavy wooden classroom door slammed shut with a loud thud.
There was only one professor at Hogwarts who did this.
Snape strode in, his black robes billowing as he waved his wand. Instantly, the windows slammed shut, darkening the room.
Then, he pulled down a white cloth that resembled a projector screen—something David had never seen Professor Cho Chang use before.
Snape seemed to be in an unusually good mood today. He walked with purpose, his expression almost smug. David wondered if Snape had gotten a raise.
As he reached the podium, Snape's sharp, hawk-like gaze swept across the classroom. Then, in a slow and deliberate tone, he announced:
"Turn to page 137!"
Though Snape hadn't taught much under Cho Chang, he was unwilling to start from the beginning of the curriculum—there simply wasn't enough time.
"Vice-like creatures. Who can tell me how to deal with them?"
There was a pause before Snape's cold voice rang out again.
"Potter!"
Of course, Harry was the first one called upon.
By now, he had gotten used to it.
If Snape didn't single him out at least once per class, Harry himself would start to worry that something was wrong.
"Vice-like creature killer, sir!" Harry answered quickly.
It was the only thing he knew about them.
Before Christmas, while visiting Hagrid with David, he had heard the gamekeeper complain about the fox-like creatures that had invaded his vegetable garden. Unfortunately, Hagrid's stock of creature repellant had run out.
Just as Harry started to relax, thinking he had answered correctly, Snape's next words sent him plummeting into despair.
"This is Defense Against the Dark Arts. If this were Potions, I might have given our dear Mr. Savior five extra points."
His lip curled.
"But since it's not—Gryffindor loses ten points. Sit down."
Harry sat down expressionlessly.
The Gryffindors around him weren't surprised.
Hermione didn't even bother raising her hand. She had already learned that no matter how hard she tried, Snape would never call on her.
Once, she had stood up and answered a question of her own accord. Instead of being rewarded, Gryffindor lost ten points, and she earned the mocking nickname "Miss Know-It-All."
After that, she stopped trying to win points in Snape's class. Her new goal was simply to avoid losing any.
And as for Snape's sarcastic remark about giving bonus points in Potions?
Gryffindors hadn't received a single point in Potions all year.
"Malfoy, you answer."
Draco stood up confidently.
"Professor, we use force repulsion. It works against most weak magical creatures."
After finishing his answer, he shot a smug glance at Harry.
Malfoy had seen fox-like creatures before. His family's manor had plenty of them, along with goblins and other mischievous beings. Even before he learned magic, he had watched the estate's gardener drive them away.
And sometimes, for fun, he had ordered the gardener to catch them for him.
"Good answer. Slytherin, ten points!" Snape announced.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Start writing it down!"
Snape then projected various details about the creatures onto the white cloth, launching into an in-depth explanation.
Halfway Through Class...
"Now, it's time for you to practice!"
Snape lifted a cage from behind the podium. A black cloth covered its contents.
With a dramatic motion, he pulled the cloth away.
Buzz!
Something inside the cage shot into the air, buzzing wildly. The entire cage shook.
Compared to Quirrell's useless lectures, this was an improvement.
If only Snape's personality were different.
Defense Against the Dark Arts was meant to teach students how to defend themselves—against dark magic and magical creatures.
But under Quirrell, the class had been completely useless.
Instead of explaining anything, he simply read from the book. Worse, there had been no practical lessons at all.
Now, at least, they were doing something hands-on.
The Fox Charm
Fox Charms were XXX-level creatures.
They were tiny, humanoid, with two extra arms and legs, covered in thick black fur.
Their wings, similar to beetles, were thick and curved, gleaming under the light.
Their sharp, poison-laced teeth made them dangerous in large numbers.
Even worse, they had an extraordinary reproductive ability, capable of laying 500 eggs at a time.
David had encountered them in the Forbidden Forest before.
At first, he had imagined them to be mysterious and alluring.
Reality was a crushing disappointment.
Forget being seductive beauties—they weren't even remotely cute.
Snape's Demonstration
"Release!"
A streak of fire shot from Snape's wand.
The Fox Charm collapsed, as if all its strength had been drained.
"The spell is simple."
Snape explained the technique.
"Focus. Have a clear target. Pronounce the incantation precisely..."
After listing seven or eight key points, he turned to Harry.
"Potter, come up and demonstrate for the class!"
Snape flicked his wand. A red light hit the Fox Charm.
Instantly, it sprang back to life but cowered in a corner, too afraid to move.
Even as a small-brained magical creature, it had enough intelligence to know when it was doomed.
"Yes, Professor..."
Harry sighed and stepped forward.
Harry's "Alternative" Solution
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and swung his wand hard.
Too hard.
If he had actually hit the creature, it would have been half-dead.
"Wrong pronunciation. Gryffindor loses ten points."
Snape sneered.
"You really didn't inherit any of your mother's talent, Potter."
Harry clenched his fists.
"Professor, I have another way to deal with it!"
Snape raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Then show me."
Harry grinned.
With a flick of his wrists, he pulled out two Beretta 92F pistols.
Chaos
The classroom erupted into chaos.
The Muggle-born students immediately recognized them.
The purebloods, however, stared in confusion.
David, on the other hand, was stunned.
"Harry, are you serious?!"
Snape's face turned an alarming shade of red.
"Put those away! Who gave you permission to bring Muggle firearms to Hogwarts?! Gryffindor loses fifty points!"
"But Professor, one shot would instantly—"
"Get. Down."
Snape's forehead twitched violently.
He made a mental note to inform Professor McGonagall immediately.
That pistol needed to be confiscated before Harry caused a real disaster.
The Final Straw
Snape called on a few more students.
When it was Neville's turn, the timid boy stepped up, trembling.
He closed his eyes, swung his wand—
—and Snape's legs buckled.
He collapsed onto his knees.
The entire class fell silent.
Snape's face burned with humiliation.
"Ten points from Gryffindor!" he roared.
Neville slumped in disappointment—until he noticed the admiring looks from his fellow Gryffindors.
For the first time in his life, he felt like a hero.
Snape hurriedly ended class, assigned extra homework, and stormed out, his dignity in tatters.
End of Chapter.
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