It was a creature with an incredibly vague appearance, yes, vague.
If Allen had to compare it to anything, the first thing that came to his mind would be a champion from League of Legends, Zac.
This sand creature, much like Zac, had distorted limbs. The difference was that unlike Zac's bulky frame, this one lacked any muscle definition. It was more like a constantly flowing mass of sand vaguely shaped like a human, grains occasionally falling off its body and scattering onto the floor.
"A sand golem, something I whipped up on a whim after seeing all that desert yesterday," explained the professor named Chen, patting the golem, which stood shoulder-high to him. Fine sand trickled down as he did so. "Back in the East, these little guys are assistants used by young wizards for practice, though they're usually made of wood, which is sturdier. Still, this should do for now."
"So, Professor, are we supposed to cast spells at it, like a target dummy?" a brave young wizard asked, raising their hand.
"Oh, no. If you just want a target, a solid rock would do better, and it wouldn't cost me nearly as much effort to make," Professor Chen replied, abandoning his search for a hip flask and stroking his beard instead.
"This is a tool to help you learn how to fight with magic, something that will actually be useful to you."
"Fight?" That word made the young wizards freeze in place.
"Professor, do you mean wizard dueling?"
"No. Out there in the real world, you'll realize that wizard duels, at least the formal ones, still follow rules. Magical creatures? Not so much. They won't bow politely before attacking you."
"That's why the first lesson in Defense Against the Dark Arts is, " He turned to the blackboard and chalked a single word: 'Run.'
The word sent a stir through the room, like water sizzling in hot oil. None of the house mottos included a sentiment like that.
"Yes, run. And perhaps one of you can tell me the motto of Hogwarts?"
Someone quickly responded: 'Never tickle a sleeping dragon.'
"Exactly. Don't disturb a sleeping dragon, what a wise motto. Every year, a few fools think they can solo a dragon for glory and riches, and every year, they end up as barbecue under dragonfire."
"Learning to run means developing the ability to recognize danger and knowing when to retreat to survive. I don't want you getting hit by a stray curse because you couldn't dodge fast enough."
"Enough talking, let's begin with the first student."
It didn't take long for the students to understand what "run" meant. Most spells only managed to blow off a few handfuls of sand from the golem. Only two students managed to retreat while casting clever obstacle spells that slowed the creature enough to escape into the designated safe zone. The rest? Tackled to the floor, left coated in sand.
Soon it was Allen's turn. He quietly stepped back, allowing others, who were friendly with him, to take his place in line. Though unsure of his plan, they cooperated without question. This drew a glance from the professor, who said nothing.
If not for Professor Sigma's earlier influence, the students might've complained. But now, they showed no fear, only eager anticipation. Their courage brought a look of satisfaction to the professor's face.
As time passed, fewer and fewer students remained in line. Eventually, the last one to step up was Allen.
Just before entering the arena, Allen raised his head and asked a question that caught the class off guard.
"Professor, while I understand your theory… isn't it a bit extreme? Are we always supposed to run in the face of danger?"
Yes, Professor Chen's training methods were sound, but Allen didn't fully agree with his philosophy. If what the professor said were taken literally, then the efforts of nearly half of Hogwarts' students during the war would've been meaningless. In the final battle, when all hope seemed lost and Harry was presumed dead, many students still chose to pick up their wands and fight Voldemort's forces.
That was the spirit Allen admired, the reason he'd come to love Hogwarts. And he didn't want this professor to lead the younger generation away from that spirit, which, in Allen's view, was the true foundation of Hogwarts.
"No, no, child. I'm glad you're thinking that deeply. But that's a lesson for another day. Some things… can't be measured so simply," the professor replied. He turned and wrote two large words on the board: 'Sacrifice.'
"It may be hard to grasp now, but one day you'll understand, some things are more important than life itself. A person, a cause, a belief… When you encounter it, you'll be willing to give everything to protect it."
"A very worthy question, ten points to Hufflepuff," he said. Then, with a sly smile: "But that doesn't excuse you from this challenge, nice try, though."
Satisfied with the answer, Allen strode confidently into the arena, wand in hand. He flung several tiny seeds toward the sand golem.
With a flourish of his wand, deep green vines erupted and rapidly spread across the creature's sandy body. They latched onto the constantly shifting grains, binding them tightly. As the vines grew denser, the golem began to crack from within.
Just as the professor had admitted, it was a hastily made creation, born from a fleeting whim. And now, it was easily destroyed.
The cheers erupted before the professor could even react. Even though they all knew this was just a training exercise, no one truly enjoyed getting steamrolled by a sand monster. Allen's "vengeance" was met with unanimous approval.
With his frustration vented, Allen figured he might as well enjoy the lesson like everyone else, though the golem clearly wasn't built to withstand much.
Believing that no one else should suffer just because he was annoyed, Allen gave the professor a proper, gentlemanly bow.
"As you wish, Professor."
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Author's Note: Professor Chen's character is based on an adorable panda humanoid, so I reimagined him as an Eastern adventurer-mage. My favorite line of his is: "We would all willingly lay down our lives to protect this land. This land belongs to us… to our ancestors… and to our descendants. That will never change."
It feels very much in line with the spirit of Hogwarts during its final stand.
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