Mischief Managed | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 80

All heads turned around toward the door's direction, seeing an old wizard with a cane standing there. He was slightly hunched and his white eyebrows were so thick that his bright blue eyes were barely visible bellow them.

     Some of the Muggle borns in the classroom still seemed lost, but other students sent each other horrified glances, as though the thing inside the trunk was in fact a worrying matter.

      Peter had started biting his nails nervously out of habit once he learnt that a Boggart was inside the trunk, but Remus lowered Peter's hand so he would stop. Sirius and James quickly returned back to their seats, though they seemed to be the only ones in the room to be grinning, excited for what awaited them.

     With his cane in hand, the old wizard took slow steps toward the top of the classroom. He looked so old that Jenna assumed he had to be almost twice Dumbledore's age.

      "There's no way he's gonna last till the end of the year," Marlene whispered to Alice, who was watching the new professor worriedly.

      Professor Dumbledore had introduced him the previous night before the feast at the Great Hall, but from the close distance the wizard looked even older, his thick mustache just as white as his hair.

      "I'm Professor Moorfield and I'll be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts this year," said the wizard, smiling at the curious-looking students in the class. "This is my second time teaching at Hogwarts. I've actually taught young Albus Dumbledore, back in the days. He asked me to return this year and get back to teaching. Alas, how I missed it now that I stand here at last!"

      The big trunk behind him have another shake.

      "Not to worry, not to worry." He let out a little laughter over his thick white mustache, but he ended up coughing. "I personally do not and never have believed it theoretical lessons. How are children supposed to learn how to defend themselves with notes and reading? Hit the Banshees with their books?"

     Everyone chuckled. Sirius nudged James with his elbow, sending him a knowing grin. Practical lessons were their favorites, specifically when it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

     "Now, as it had been at my time, the main focus on third year was dark creatures," said Professor Moorfield. "Boggarts. Vampires. Werewolves. Banshees. In the last few months of the year, we will also cover defensive spells, if we have the time."

     "Practical lessons with dark creatures?" Peter muttered worriedly to Remus, but he wasn't listening. Something that Professor Moorfield mentioned had troubled his mind.

     They were going to learn about Werewolves this year. What if someone found out about his secret? Not everyone was going to be as accepting as James, Sirius, and Peter.

      "Now, my children, please get to your feet," Professor Moorfield instructed, taking out his wand.

      Once everyone had gotten up, the old wizard gave a small swish of his wand and on cue, all the desks and benches flew into the air, floating toward the class's walls so they could empty a lot of space in the middle of the room, where the students had now gathered.

     Putting his wand back into his shabby coat's pocket, Professor Moorfield placed both his hands over the head of his cane, smiling at the young faces before him.

      "A Boggart, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the dark creatures that we all might come across at least once or twice in our lifetime," the professor started to explain. "This creature hides in shadowy corners of an old room, inside dark wardrobes, underneath our beds. It is drawn toward the dark spaces, and its nature is to turn into whatever scares us the most. It feeds upon our fears. Now who can tell me what's the cure of fear?"