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Chapter 56: Once the Students Listen, the Class Goes Smoothly
2022-07-14 Author: I'm Just a Pigeon
"Penelope, I have an idea. See that bag on the table?"
In a corner near the lectern, a young couple was whispering, completely unaware that the professor in the distance was watching their little movements with a smile.
"The bag?"
"Yes, the bag the professor took the items from—I suspect most of what's inside are genuine. Maybe the things out here were all counterfeited based on what's inside."
The two of them gestured cautiously toward the bag, agreeing to take something directly from it later.
"Alright, one minute remaining. Everyone decide which item you're going to choose, then wait to be scored."
The pace in the classroom immediately quickened. Amidst their hesitation, all the students quickly decided on their items and held them in their hands.
"Don't grab it, I saw it first."
"You take that one!"
…
Amidst the commotion, only ten-odd seconds remained.
A student closest to the bag quickly put down the prop he had chosen and pulled an item directly out of the bag.
Afterward, the couple William had been watching also quickly picked one item each from the bag. Only then did the others realize what had happened.
After the last of the lucky ones nearest the bag pulled out an item, a wizard crowding behind him was stopped by William before he could even reach out.
"Time's up."
William grabbed the bag with one hand. With his other, he slowly began to pick up the items from the table.
"The game is over. Everyone, line up, hand over the items you've chosen, and wait to be scored."
The last lucky one to have grabbed an item stood at the very front of the line, a proud look on his face.
"Tsk, counterfeit."
William shook his head, an expression of regret on his face.
"I'm very sorry to inform you all that in order to increase the success rate, I specially put some of the fake props aside—all of them inside the bag. So, would the students who took items from the bag along with him please come forward, hand over your items, register your House, and prepare for a points deduction."
His tone was apologetic, but every student present had a feeling that this new professor had done it on purpose.
The group of students who had been smugly thinking they'd found a shortcut now came dejectedly to the front of the line and handed over their items.
"Look, this amulet, made from a wolf's fang. An African product. African wizards don't make amulets from wolf fangs. The werewolves there have practically devolved into dog-headed men; African wolves don't even fare as well as hyenas."
William patted the student's shoulder, took the item from his hand, and placed it into a sack.
"Look at this one, a potion. Looks pretty flashy, doesn't it? I hope no one would actually taste it. It only looks this way because dragon dung was added. It won't keep for more than a few days."
"This magical prop... why would you all think I could possibly bring out a genuine magical prop? This was a giveaway question, how could you still get it wrong?"
The student William addressed lowered his head, his eyes darting about, not knowing where to look.
"Next. This one is genuine, the most valuable one in the batch. Congratulations. Which House are you from?"
A student finally earning points made the Hufflepuff students break into a cheer.
"Rare, two successes in a row? It doesn't seem like you guessed. How did you identify it?"
"Willow branches are too worthless. There's no point in making fakes out of something like this."
"A wise choice. Because even a genuine one is a useless, worthless item, no one would expend a great deal of effort to counterfeit it. There are counterfeit Galleons, but certainly no counterfeit Knuts. Five points to Ravenclaw."
……
After all the items had been appraised, only two Houses had managed to earn points. One person from Ravenclaw and two from Hufflepuff had succeeded, while everyone else failed completely.
"Alright, all the items have been appraised. What we're here to learn isn't the appraisal of magical items. Everyone, please return to your seats."
Sighing, the group of students dispersed from the lectern. Even though no wands had been used, it didn't change the fact that the class had been very interesting.
The only regret was that most of them hadn't earned any points; instead, they had been forced to lose House points.
"Hey, don't look so dejected. Although a long lecture is next, before that, we have another fun game to play."
"Next, I'll call out some names. Those students should come to the lectern to collect something."
Collect something?
Everyone looked at each other. Surely the professor wasn't planning to hand out the counterfeit goods as souvenirs?
That's going too far, Professor! Who would want a souvenir that commemorates their failure?
"Percy Weasley."
William called out the name and opened the sack again, causing the students to lose most of their interest.
They weren't children. Was he just going to give them some fake goods to play with like toys?
However, when the item was pulled from the sack, Percy, whom everyone present knew, immediately flushed red. It was a wand.
"My wand!"
He frantically felt his pockets, but came up empty.
What was on the lectern was no counterfeit. In a place like Azkaban, it's difficult to learn anything good, but all too easy to learn the bad. Theft, making counterfeit goods, smuggling, dealing on the black market, fraud—all sorts of criminals were gathered there. Normally, there was no entertainment in the prison, so everyone desperately shared anything they found novel.
In the time it took William to collect the items while helping with the appraisal, and with everyone's attention drawn to the objects, he had lifted a little something from nearly every student.
"Mr. Weasley, go write a report on wizards throughout history whose wands have been stolen. Turn it in before class next week. Any objections?"
"Penelope Clearwater."
Another wand was pulled out.
The remaining students began frantically checking their belongings. But unfortunately for them, while their attention was focused on appraising the items, their own possessions had most likely disappeared.
"A report?"
"Yes, Professor."
The sack was opened time and again, and the seated students all seemed to sink half a head lower in their chairs.
But that didn't stop William from smiling as he returned an item to every student in the class.
"I trust everyone has their wands back now, and I've made sure of it."
"Actually, I've noticed that many of you are carrying your wands improperly. Don't stick your wand in your back pocket. Leaving aside the fact that you could easily blow your own backside off, from an enemy's perspective, keeping your wand there is no different from leaving it on the street."
"Although the wizarding world is very peaceful right now (William suppressed the guilt of lying), you must always remember to keep your wand in a safe yet accessible place. Even a cauldron can explode in your face—what isn't possible?"
"Alright, everyone, cheer up. Class dismissed. Apart from those reports, there's no other homework. However, I do hope that by next class, you'll all have found the most suitable place to keep your wands."
Who knows if the students were actually happy about that?
Smiling happily, William was the first to leave the classroom.
PS: I was boasting to someone that I would guarantee three chapters and aim for four—however, the third chapter ran into a small problem, and I still haven't fixed it. So for now, it's just these two chapters.
(end of chapter)
2022-07-14 Author: I'm Just a Pigeon
"Penelope, I have an idea. See that bag on the table?"
In a corner near the lectern, a young couple was whispering, completely unaware that the professor in the distance was watching their little movements with a smile.
"The bag?"
"Yes, the bag the professor took the items from—I suspect most of what's inside are genuine. Maybe the things out here were all counterfeited based on what's inside."
The two of them gestured cautiously toward the bag, agreeing to take something directly from it later.
"Alright, one minute remaining. Everyone decide which item you're going to choose, then wait to be scored."
The pace in the classroom immediately quickened. Amidst their hesitation, all the students quickly decided on their items and held them in their hands.
"Don't grab it, I saw it first."
"You take that one!"
…
Amidst the commotion, only ten-odd seconds remained.
A student closest to the bag quickly put down the prop he had chosen and pulled an item directly out of the bag.
Afterward, the couple William had been watching also quickly picked one item each from the bag. Only then did the others realize what had happened.
After the last of the lucky ones nearest the bag pulled out an item, a wizard crowding behind him was stopped by William before he could even reach out.
"Time's up."
William grabbed the bag with one hand. With his other, he slowly began to pick up the items from the table.
"The game is over. Everyone, line up, hand over the items you've chosen, and wait to be scored."
The last lucky one to have grabbed an item stood at the very front of the line, a proud look on his face.
"Tsk, counterfeit."
William shook his head, an expression of regret on his face.
"I'm very sorry to inform you all that in order to increase the success rate, I specially put some of the fake props aside—all of them inside the bag. So, would the students who took items from the bag along with him please come forward, hand over your items, register your House, and prepare for a points deduction."
His tone was apologetic, but every student present had a feeling that this new professor had done it on purpose.
The group of students who had been smugly thinking they'd found a shortcut now came dejectedly to the front of the line and handed over their items.
"Look, this amulet, made from a wolf's fang. An African product. African wizards don't make amulets from wolf fangs. The werewolves there have practically devolved into dog-headed men; African wolves don't even fare as well as hyenas."
William patted the student's shoulder, took the item from his hand, and placed it into a sack.
"Look at this one, a potion. Looks pretty flashy, doesn't it? I hope no one would actually taste it. It only looks this way because dragon dung was added. It won't keep for more than a few days."
"This magical prop... why would you all think I could possibly bring out a genuine magical prop? This was a giveaway question, how could you still get it wrong?"
The student William addressed lowered his head, his eyes darting about, not knowing where to look.
"Next. This one is genuine, the most valuable one in the batch. Congratulations. Which House are you from?"
A student finally earning points made the Hufflepuff students break into a cheer.
"Rare, two successes in a row? It doesn't seem like you guessed. How did you identify it?"
"Willow branches are too worthless. There's no point in making fakes out of something like this."
"A wise choice. Because even a genuine one is a useless, worthless item, no one would expend a great deal of effort to counterfeit it. There are counterfeit Galleons, but certainly no counterfeit Knuts. Five points to Ravenclaw."
……
After all the items had been appraised, only two Houses had managed to earn points. One person from Ravenclaw and two from Hufflepuff had succeeded, while everyone else failed completely.
"Alright, all the items have been appraised. What we're here to learn isn't the appraisal of magical items. Everyone, please return to your seats."
Sighing, the group of students dispersed from the lectern. Even though no wands had been used, it didn't change the fact that the class had been very interesting.
The only regret was that most of them hadn't earned any points; instead, they had been forced to lose House points.
"Hey, don't look so dejected. Although a long lecture is next, before that, we have another fun game to play."
"Next, I'll call out some names. Those students should come to the lectern to collect something."
Collect something?
Everyone looked at each other. Surely the professor wasn't planning to hand out the counterfeit goods as souvenirs?
That's going too far, Professor! Who would want a souvenir that commemorates their failure?
"Percy Weasley."
William called out the name and opened the sack again, causing the students to lose most of their interest.
They weren't children. Was he just going to give them some fake goods to play with like toys?
However, when the item was pulled from the sack, Percy, whom everyone present knew, immediately flushed red. It was a wand.
"My wand!"
He frantically felt his pockets, but came up empty.
What was on the lectern was no counterfeit. In a place like Azkaban, it's difficult to learn anything good, but all too easy to learn the bad. Theft, making counterfeit goods, smuggling, dealing on the black market, fraud—all sorts of criminals were gathered there. Normally, there was no entertainment in the prison, so everyone desperately shared anything they found novel.
In the time it took William to collect the items while helping with the appraisal, and with everyone's attention drawn to the objects, he had lifted a little something from nearly every student.
"Mr. Weasley, go write a report on wizards throughout history whose wands have been stolen. Turn it in before class next week. Any objections?"
"Penelope Clearwater."
Another wand was pulled out.
The remaining students began frantically checking their belongings. But unfortunately for them, while their attention was focused on appraising the items, their own possessions had most likely disappeared.
"A report?"
"Yes, Professor."
The sack was opened time and again, and the seated students all seemed to sink half a head lower in their chairs.
But that didn't stop William from smiling as he returned an item to every student in the class.
"I trust everyone has their wands back now, and I've made sure of it."
"Actually, I've noticed that many of you are carrying your wands improperly. Don't stick your wand in your back pocket. Leaving aside the fact that you could easily blow your own backside off, from an enemy's perspective, keeping your wand there is no different from leaving it on the street."
"Although the wizarding world is very peaceful right now (William suppressed the guilt of lying), you must always remember to keep your wand in a safe yet accessible place. Even a cauldron can explode in your face—what isn't possible?"
"Alright, everyone, cheer up. Class dismissed. Apart from those reports, there's no other homework. However, I do hope that by next class, you'll all have found the most suitable place to keep your wands."
Who knows if the students were actually happy about that?
Smiling happily, William was the first to leave the classroom.
PS: I was boasting to someone that I would guarantee three chapters and aim for four—however, the third chapter ran into a small problem, and I still haven't fixed it. So for now, it's just these two chapters.
(end of chapter)
