Over the next few hours, William moved like a wound-up spinning top, rushing from one classroom to another, facing wave after wave of eager, nervous, or confused students as he taught five consecutive Defence Against the Dark Arts classes.
The results and the students' reactions were largely what he expected. What did surprise him, however, was that someone had actually dared to skip his very first lesson.
Back in his own school days, even though he had practically broken every school rule imaginable, he had never skipped a class outright. At most, he'd forged a sick note. After all, teachers could tell at a glance if someone was missing. Skipping class outright was no different from openly provoking the professor.
The last class of the afternoon was seventh-year Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Thanks to the O.W.L. filtering process, the originally large sixth- and seventh-year cohorts had shrunk considerably. Even with all four houses combined, the classroom didn't feel crowded.
William stood at the podium and casually scanned the room. He immediately noticed one person missing.
"Nymphadora Tonks of Hufflepuff."
After finishing the roll call, he closed the register and calmly spoke the absentee's name.
"Does anyone know where she is?"
The classroom fell silent for a moment. Then whispers spread, and a hand rose.
"Professor, Tonks went to off-campus training," a Hufflepuff boy said nervously. "Professor Sprout and Headmaster Dumbledore approved it."
"Very well."
William nodded, his expression unreadable.
"But Miss Tonks did not request leave from me, and as her instructor, I received no formal notice of her absence."
"Hufflepuff loses ten points."
A soft gasp spread through the room. The seventh-years clearly hadn't expected the seemingly gentle new professor to act so decisively—especially over something approved by Dumbledore.
Still, they understood he was technically in the right.
Ignoring the pained expressions from the Hufflepuffs, William flicked his wand.
A thick stack of parchment flew onto every desk. They were carefully selected past N.E.W.T. exam questions.
"Before we begin formal instruction, I need to assess your level."
He set the familiar hourglass on the desk and flicked his wand again.
With a puff of black smoke, a large, dignified black raven appeared out of thin air and perched on the edge of the teacher's desk, its bright eyes scanning the students.
"I'll be gone for a moment to verify the situation. During that time, this 'assistant' will supervise you," William said, gesturing to the bird. "No books. No talking."
"Trust me, its eyesight is better than mine, and it has a terrible temper. If it catches anyone cheating, it will peck your hand without hesitation."
"I hope I don't find anyone injured when I return."
After flipping the hourglass, he ignored the strange atmosphere in the room and left.
---
He headed straight to the Herbology office near the greenhouses. Luckily, Professor Sprout was free and trimming a snarling Venomous Tentacula while wearing muddy gloves.
"Oh, William? Don't you have a class right now?" she asked in surprise.
He explained Tonks's absence directly.
"Oh dear… that child."
Sprout slapped her forehead, leaving muddy fingerprints on her already dusty hat.
"Yes, Tonks is attending preliminary Auror training at the Ministry. She's determined to become an Auror. Since her grades are excellent and seventh-years have flexible schedules, Dumbledore and I agreed to let her leave the school at fixed times each week."
She looked embarrassed. "But I specifically told her to request leave from her teachers if there were conflicts. She must've forgotten in the excitement of the new term."
"She's very talented. A natural Metamorphmagus, but she's impulsive and rather clumsy. I'll make sure she apologises to you tonight."
"No problem, Pomona. I just wanted to confirm it wasn't an emergency," William replied.
---
When he returned, the hourglass had just run out. The raven was standing on a Slytherin boy's head, pecking him sharply for trying to copy a neighbour's answers, drawing snickers from the class.
William collected the papers and graded them on the spot.
The results satisfied him. As expected of students who had passed O.W.L.s, most were above the pass mark. A few like Charlie Weasley of Gryffindor and Robert Hilliard of Ravenclaw had particularly solid theory.
After a quick dinner in the Great Hall, William returned to his quarters. Though classes were over, he still had four evening Alchemy lessons to prepare.
He took out his teaching equipment from his ring and began checking it.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He glanced at the clock.
"Must be Tonks apologising."
He opened the door.
"Come in, Miss Tonks. Next time, remember—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Standing outside was not the colourful-haired witch, but a man in black robes.
Severus Snape.
The moment the door opened, Snape's gaze slid past William's shoulder and fixed on the room.
First, he saw a half-human-sized silver-grey alchemical puppet etched with glowing runes.
Then his eyes locked onto the object in its raised hand.
A metallic tube, cold and gleaming, faint runes flickering along its surface.
It looked utterly out of place at Hogwarts.
A gun.
=================
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