Chapter 137: Dementors Again
The return to Hogwarts and the festive feast were pleasant. After all, at Hogwarts, one could rest a little. At least at first, because the tasks were different, you didn't get tired the same way as usual.
So I spent the first week working with great dedication, and at the same time, I had enough strength left to spend time with my fiancées, Gabrielle, Daphne, and my other companions. But today, it seemed I had gotten used to it after all, and now I had begun getting just as tired as I was at home.
Still, right then, the conversation wasn't about my fatigue but about the unscheduled staff meeting Dumbledore had arranged, which was supposed to start at any moment. Only Pomfrey was delayed, and she was also supposed to give a brief report on the state of affairs in her domain.
"So, my dears... the first week since the beginning of the second half of the school year has passed. What can you tell me? We will begin with you, Poppy. Is there anything necessary for the hospital wing?"
"No, Headmaster..."
Pomfrey shook her head.
"Thanks to Mr. Black, we have more than enough medications."
Snape grimaced almost imperceptibly at the mention of me.
"My young assistant is not lazy and is studying, so in another year or two, she can be considered a junior Healer, and as for the sick... well, it is as usual. After the feast, there were several dozen who overate, so everything was as usual. Except that over the course of the week, a couple of children were affected by Dementors. After all, they slipped past your patrols and..."
She gave a slight, sad shrug.
"Fortunately, no one was kissed, but I will keep them with me for a week, more as a preventive measure... I will give them a couple dozen enemas so they remember once and for all that they must not act that way."
"Good. And what can our young teacher tell us?"
Dumbledore looked at me.
"Things have been quiet on my end."
I shrugged.
"The students are studying, practicing spells, and there have been no incidents in lessons. Well, except for two sprains, but Madam Pomfrey dealt with those with one wave of her wand."
"Not me, Susan. I entrust cases like that to her."
I nodded, letting her know that, in general, it didn't matter who exactly had provided the aid. What mattered was that it had been provided quickly and well.
"Except..."
I looked out the window with slight uncertainty.
"Except?"
The Headmaster looked at me with interest, encouraging me with a slight nod, as if to say I could share all my thoughts without anyone laughing.
"The Dementors... they've started behaving strangely. Maybe it's just me, but... it feels like they've moved closer to Hogwarts' defenses. That's not the only strange part, though. The odd thing is how they're doing it. They used to patrol in pairs at most, but now they're in groups of five..."
I shook my head.
"I noticed that odd behavior too, and they seem to be rushing at the defenses, testing them relentlessly."
Remus nodded.
"Hm..."
Dumbledore frowned, waved his wand, and a Patronus appeared before him.
"My friend, ask your old acquaintances and debtors what might be behind the Dementors' strange behavior."
The Patronus sped away immediately, and Dumbledore nodded to Remus.
"Since you, Remus, began this conversation, perhaps you should continue the report?"
"Of course..."
The werewolf smiled faintly.
"Overall, everything's going well in my lessons, excellently, even. The children are inspired and studying spells diligently. I even know why they're behaving this way."
"Yes?"
Dumbledore looked with interest at our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"Yes... We should thank our young champion. The students have asked me multiple times how they can achieve the same success. So, Draco, you've infected almost half the students with the desire to reach similar results."
"Well..."
I smiled, slightly embarrassed.
"That's nice to hear. However, I'm afraid this isn't anything new. In literally three weeks, most students will realize how much work it takes and will simply give up."
"But the rest will remain. They'll truly come alive with magic, and that's the most important thing."
Remus smiled at me.
I'm not arguing. I simply wish more students would fall ill from magic...
"Hah..."
Remus shook his head.
"Youthful idealism is wonderful."
"This is all very sweet, so sweet that a rainbow will appear in the Headmaster's office any moment, and unicorns will carry you off to the land of unicorns..."
There was poison in Snape's voice.
"...and you're so good, and your students are wonderful. They're simply a herd of sheep. They fail even the simplest potions, and you're singing their praises here..."
"Well..."
I shrugged.
"...you know, Mr. Snape, I've asked students about their memories of their first lesson. I can tell you that with an approach like yours, it's no wonder they don't like you or your subject."
"And what exactly is wrong with my approach? Perhaps you, Mr. Black, would like to teach a Potions lesson?"
"A lesson?"
I raised an eyebrow sarcastically.
"What you're doing can't be fixed with one lesson... it would take at least five..."
Everyone in the office looked at me grimly.
"Draco, do not..."
"Headmaster, have you ever once seen students' memories of their first lesson?"
"No... I've somehow never been interested..."
The Headmaster shook his head.
"Well, go to the little lions. I don't think they'll object to showing you their memories. That, I must admit, is a very effective speech, one that makes students' eyes light up, but immediately after the speech comes a quiz, which essentially only shows what was already clear from the beginning. Students don't open their textbooks before the start of term. With rare exceptions, they truly don't open their textbooks."
"Well... I must admit that students who are just entering Hogwarts truly don't open their textbooks. It was so in my time as a student, and when I was still just a teacher..."
Dumbledore nodded, his thoughts drifting into his memories.
"Exactly, but Mr. Snape isn't satisfied with that approach. His teaching is quite strict, and it immediately dampens the students' interest in potion-making. And then the next mistake... Two years ago, I would have said it lies in the lack of safety techniques, which he doesn't explain at all. But now... now I understand that during the first lesson, that can be omitted, and safety techniques can be assigned as homework. BUT!"
I raised a finger.
"Mr. Snape has the students brew a simple potion, and that's his second mistake. The mistake isn't making them brew a potion; it's the choice of potion itself. There are potions that are completely useless in practice but very spectacular at every stage."
I shook my head.
"One can choose a potion that will naturally encourage students to follow every stage of brewing with delight."
"And what is the point?"
"The point, colleague..."
Flitwick decided to support me.
"...is that they shouldn't be afraid of you in lessons, that they should enjoy attending your classes, as they do Minerva's. I'd like to point out that discipline in her lessons is ironclad, but she planned a wonderful first lesson with a demonstration of Animagus transformation..."
McGonagall smiled almost imperceptibly.
"And the students' first classes are shaped by that initial impression. Yes, many lose interest later, but..."
Flitwick raised a finger to emphasize his point.
"...even after their enthusiasm for Transfiguration fades, they still respect Minerva and don't start fearing her, even though she's never once gone easy in class."
"Tch... Very well, suppose I try leading a week of introductory classes for the first-years, picking useless but spectacular potions for them, but I'm quite sure nothing will come of it."
"You can at least..."
An unknown Patronus approached Dumbledore, and Flitwick broke off.
"Albus, forgive me, I got caught up and forgot to inform you. All the artifacts controlling the Dementors have been destroyed. Fudge has locked himself in his office, refusing to believe what happened, but the Ministry is in chaos right now. So... as of now, Dementors pose a threat to everyone."
Silence fell over the office.
"Fuck..."
I was the first to break the silence; I couldn't stand it.
"Mr. Black..."
McGonagall's voice sounded dry and disapproving.
"...Of course, I understand the situation isn't pleasant, but I'd still ask you to watch your language."
"My apologies..."
As I spoke, I drew my wand and waved it.
"Yellow threat level. Dementors are no longer under Ministry control. If a Dementor approaches the Quarter, open fire to destroy it. Deliver weapon sets with enchanted bullets to Hogwarts for all teachers, and maintain a rapid response team on standby..."
I sighed, and the Patronus rushed off into the distance.
"Draco?"
Flitwick looked at me in surprise.
"What?"
"What kind of weapons are supposed to be delivered to us?"
"Pistols with enchanted rounds, as well as automatic rifles with enchanted rounds. Five or six shots will certainly destroy a Dementor."
"Mr. Black, I do not think..."
"Headmaster..."
I interrupted Dumbledore.
"...no one is asking you to walk around with this weapon everywhere, though the pistol will come with a concealed-carry holster, but when the choice is between Fiendfyre and a weapon..."
I tilted my head to the side.
"Ahem... yes, in that case, having the weapon on hand will be better."
Silence descended over the office again.
"I suppose it is my turn to report?"
Sprout looked at us thoughtfully.
"I can say everything is calm in my greenhouses. Food is also being grown, so by the end of this year, we will become self-sufficient in vegetables."
"That is good..."
Dumbledore sighed.
"...and..."
"And with the students, everything is good as always. Of course, not everyone is interested in my subject, but all the students diligently follow my recommendations. So..."
Sprout smiled.
...the students are mastering the program quite successfully.
"Good. Minerva?"
"What about me? Filius said everything correctly. Things are quiet and calm on my end. There are, of course, a couple of students who are falling behind. For example, Mr. Ronald Weasley greatly disappoints me. I had hoped that, like his brothers, even if he wouldn't be interested in my subject, he would at least master the material without falling behind... But for the third year now, he's been eroding my faith in him."
"Quite the untalented one..."
Severus commented, emphasizing that Weasley didn't shine in his subject either.
"I, however, would like to single him out..."
Sprout said this with a warm smile.
"He is a hardworking boy... he simply needs everything explained to him in great detail."
The entire teaching staff looked at Pomona with great surprise.
"What?"
"Ahem..."
Remus looked embarrassed.
"Ronald is, of course, a... not bad boy... probably... but as a student, he's extremely lazy, and to hear from someone that he's a hardworking boy... that's very unexpected."
At that moment, Bella's Patronus ran into the room, rushed up to me, and immediately spoke.
"Everything is understood. The Quarter's security has been reinforced, and as for the weapons, in twenty minutes, weapons and a small squad will arrive. We'll handle the supplies ourselves, and the squad will operate on Hogwarts grounds in shifts for a month, after which we'll replace them. I think this is more reliable than having a group wait in the Quarter."
"Headmaster, will we find somewhere to place the squad?"
"We will find it..."
Dumbledore sighed.
"...we will find it..."
"By the way, how are the Founders? I didn't see them during the tournament for some reason..."
"Ah..."
Dumbledore waved it off.
...they locked themselves in the Room of Requirement and were working something out in there. They said not to disturb them without good reason...
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