bacchusnovels Chapter 115 The New Semester Begins
Chapter 115 The New Semester Begins
Chapter 115 The New Semester Begins (Part 2)
(PS: The Love Potion is not a magic potion that increases attack speed; its effect is to make the user become infatuated with the person who made the potion.)
I hope nothing will happen.
Sean thought to himself, somewhat uncertainly.
Just as he was about to secretly use magic to wipe away the traces of the love potion from the strangely shaped magical artifact,
Lucius suddenly turned around.
"What are you doing?" Lucius frowned, his tone filled with doubt and wariness.
Sean was startled and froze instantly, his heart racing, but he still tried to remain calm.
He took a deep breath, turned around to face Lucius, and forced a slightly stiff smile.
"It's nothing, Mr. Malfoy, I was just looking around..." Sean said, bowing slightly as he walked towards Lucius. "Have you finished your inspection?"
Lucius stared at him for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes.
But perhaps because he couldn't find conclusive evidence, he didn't pursue the matter further, simply giving a faint "hmm" before stepping aside to make way.
With Lucius watching intently from the side, Sean unconsciously sped up his inspection, and soon he had checked all the items.
"Mr. Malfoy, all the items have been checked and are roughly as listed. We can proceed with the transaction."
Lucius nodded slightly, his face expressionless. "Very good, you're very efficient."
Sean pulled out a bag of Galleons that he had prepared beforehand, removed a few from it under Lucius's watchful eye, and then handed it to him.
While Lucius weighed the money bag, Sean stuffed the items from the shelf one by one into another bag he had made with his seamless telescopic shaft.
After doing all this, Sean took a step back, smiled at Lucius, and said, "Mr. Malfoy, the deal is done. I look forward to our next collaboration."
Lucius simply snorted and said nothing more.
As the two left, the cellar returned to silence, except for the uniquely shaped prop, now stained with the aphrodisiac, which became blurry again in the darkness.
Tonks had a very colorful summer.
If she were also well-versed in the poetry of the ancient Eastern country, she would surely use the line "Riding a horse in the spring breeze, I can see all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day" to describe her state of mind.
Unfortunately, she was a true-blue Englishwoman.
So she used Shakespeare's line: "The night is long that never finds the..."
Day. (No matter how long the night, the day will always come.)
Yes, compared to what she experienced this summer, calling her previous days "dark night" is no exaggeration.
When she returned to the wizarding world as "Professor Hogwarts," all the previous criticisms of her and her mother seemed to vanish overnight.
Especially the wizards from those pure-blood families who used to be so arrogant, now they not only become respectful to her, but they also stop making sarcastic remarks about her and her daughter. Some of them even take the initiative to talk to her and try to get closer to her.
In the past, she had suffered and been troubled by those sarcastic remarks on countless dark nights, but now...
Everything changed. She was no longer someone who was looked down upon and ridiculed, but someone who was respected by everyone.
The feeling of this change and contrast made her feel very comfortable.
Sometimes she even felt that the thrill of being a professor far outweighed the sense of honor of being an Auror when catching criminals—especially when she returned home and saw her mother looking at her with satisfaction and admiration.
The person who brought her these so-called honors and respect, and who brought about such a dramatic change in her life, is that name.
Sean Phillips.
This name is deeply etched in her heart.
She believes she will never forget it.
Having not seen her senior, Phillips, for nearly two months, her longing for him grew wildly.
She couldn't help but start reminiscing about the time she had spent with him.
Every smile and every word of encouragement from him replayed in her mind, and she never forgot the wonderful sensation that his gentle and kind hands brought to her body.
Every time she thought of this, Tonks' face would flush red and her eyes would well up with tears.
The mist kept gathering in her eyes, vaguely resembling the image of Sean Phillips.
Tonks stared in astonishment at the scene, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Junior." Sean waved his hand in front of Tonks again. He didn't understand why Tonks was still standing blankly at the entrance of the auditorium, seemingly lost in thought, when the new semester's opening ceremony was about to begin.
After a summer break, she seemed to have become even more dull.
Tonks snapped back to reality, her eyes widening as she stared incredulously at Sean.
Today is the opening ceremony. So, is the senior Phillips in front of me really him?
She couldn't help but reach out and carefully touch Sean's sleeve; the real touch made her instantly excited.
"Senior, you...you're back?" she asked in a trembling voice.
Seeing Tonks's inexplicable excitement, Sean was somewhat puzzled.
Could it be that... the items from the item shop are really that effective?
To prepare for the new semester, he specially redeemed a special potion from the shop this morning before setting off—the [Charm Potion].
[Charming Potion]
[Description: Increases the user's personal charm and, in certain situations, increases the likelihood that the other party will agree to their suggestions (the probability is also affected by the other party's level of favorability)]
[Note: Miss, why don't you hear me out?]
No, he hasn't offered any suggestions yet.
We can probably remove the "seems" from our previous guesses and come to a conclusion: After a summer apart, Tonks has become even more dazed.
"Junior, it's been a long time," Sean said gently to Tonks.
As the two chatted, time slipped away.
Night slowly fell.
The last rays of sunlight faded on the horizon, the sky changed from pale blue to a deep dark blue, and the distant mountains gradually lost their clear outlines, merging into a hazy night.
Inside the auditorium, thousands of candles floating in the air above the tables illuminated the hall, and gleaming gold platters and goblets were placed on the four tables.
Sean and Tonks also sat at the faculty and staff table.
Just as Sean was about to ask Tonks about the progress of his dueling skills during the summer vacation, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.
The new students have arrived!
Sean and Tonks turned their gazes toward the door almost simultaneously.
The door slowly opened, and Professor McGonagall led a group of young wizards in.
Sean spotted Ginny and Luna among the young wizards at a glance.
This stems from the fact that both of them have very eye-catching appearances—the former has fiery red hair, while the latter exudes a light and ethereal aura.
It's hard not to notice their presence.
Next up was the classic Sorting Hat singing segment.
The song ended.
The young wizards began their sorting process.
However, the outcome of this Sorting Ceremony was far beyond Sean's expectations.
He had assumed that Ginny would be assigned to Gryffindor as in the original story, but he never expected that she would become a member of Hufflepuff.
This result not only shocked Sean, but also stunned almost all the young wizards around the Gryffindor table. They stared in disbelief at the scene, clearly astonished by the outcome.
Who is she? She is Ginny Weasley.
She must be the only member of the entire Weasley family who wasn't sorted into Gryffindor, right?
Noticing the surprised look Sean gave her, Ginny's face quickly turned bright red, like a ripe apple.
Luna's Sorting Ceremony went smoothly—she was sorted into Ravenclaw.
After the Sorting Ceremony for the two little witches that Sean cared about most ended, he stopped paying attention to the ceremony and turned his attention back to the faculty seating area.
He saw Tonks sitting next to him, glancing at him every now and then... he saw Professor McGonagall, wearing glasses and with her hair tightly tied in a small bun... he saw Hagrid, a large man with a thick beard and hair... and he also saw Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing a light green robe.
Huh?
Why didn't I see Snape, his closest wizard partner from last semester?
Where did Professor Snape go?
"Maybe he's sick!" Ron said hopefully.
"Maybe he's gone," Harry said, "because he didn't get the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher again!"
"Maybe he got fired!" Ron said excitedly. "You know, everyone hates him—" Harry and Ron stood quietly at the entrance of the Great Hall, looking at the empty seat in the faculty section and speculating excitedly.
The two of them had just missed the train to Hogwarts for various reasons, so they had to fly over in Arthur's flying car.
"Perhaps," a cold voice said behind Harry and Ron, "he's waiting to hear why you two didn't take the school bus."
The astute Sean also noticed the little incident at the entrance of the Great Hall. He watched as Snape's black robes fluttered in the cold wind. He still looked the same—thin, with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and oily black hair draped over his shoulders.
Sean also knew what had happened, but he didn't care. If he had to find a reason why he cared, it was that he wanted to see Snape's sinister face when Dumbledore refused to expel Harry.
It will definitely be very interesting.
In Sean's sight, the two little ones and Snape disappeared together at the entrance of the Great Hall in no time.
Meanwhile, the Sorting Ceremony was drawing to a close.
As the last wizard named Macalena Hoyle was sorted into Gryffindor, Dumbledore stood up.
"Welcome," he said.
"It's a new school year, and before the banquet begins, I'd like to say a few things to everyone."
"This semester, we have a new professor, Professor Lockhart."
Many young wizards had already raised their hands, ready to applaud enthusiastically, but their enthusiasm seemed to be extinguished by Dumbledore's next words.
"He will be in charge of your Defense Against the Dark Arts class for the new semester."
Lockhart rose gracefully, expecting to be greeted by deafening applause and countless cheers, but instead... he was met with utter silence.
The young wizards below the stage looked at each other, seemingly digesting this new information.
Finally, a young wizard from Hufflepuff raised his hand shakily and asked the question that everyone wanted to ask at that moment.
"Headmaster Dumbledore...and what about Professor Sean?" This question was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples.
The students below the stage began to whisper among themselves, their voices rising and falling like a giant beehive that had been punctured, with countless bees swarming out and buzzing.
Normally, there is always a leader in a sheepfold, and there is always a leader among the birds flying in the sky... and it only takes a small spark to ignite a powder keg.
"What happened to Professor Sean? Why isn't he teaching us anymore?"
"I know Professor Lockhart is a good person, but don't rush."
"Professor Sean, don't leave us!" The chubby boy who was unusually active in Sean's class shouted loudly, his cheeks flushed, tears welling up in his eyes, looking like he might cry at any moment.
As Lockhart stood on the stage facing this scene, the smile on his face gradually froze.
He never expected that his debut would encounter such an embarrassing situation.
These unexpected encounters were like sharp needles, piercing his self-esteem and pride.
He felt as if his existence had become superfluous, even somewhat awkward.
He tried to find the right words to soothe the students' emotions, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't speak for a moment.
The students in the audience seemed oblivious to Lockhart's presence, continuing to be immersed in their longing and reluctance to part with Professor Sean.
Lockhart stood there, feeling like an outsider, an unwanted bystander.
This feeling of embarrassment and disappointment spread through him, making his face grow increasingly pale.
"Quiet down!" Sean's voice was loud and firm, instantly silencing the noise from the audience. He walked to the front of the stage, shook hands with the stiff Lockhart, and then turned to the students.
"Classmates, I know you are sad to see me go, and I am deeply sorry for that," Sean said sincerely. "However, due to some personal reasons, I have to temporarily leave the Defense Against the Dark Arts course."
He paused, looked around to make sure every student was listening attentively.
"However, I haven't truly left Hogwarts." Sean paused, then smiled and revealed a surprising piece of news, "Starting today, I will be a professor of Muggle Studies."
These words caused another uproar in the room.
Dumbledore waited a moment, until the murmurs subsided slightly, before slowly summarizing the news: "I understand everyone's affection and reluctance to part with Professor Sean. But life is always full of changes, and we need to learn to adapt, don't we?"
He blinked and continued, "Professor Lockhart is also a very experienced professor, and I believe he will lead everyone to continue exploring the mysteries of Defense Against the Dark Arts."
When Dumbledore finished speaking, the long-awaited applause rang out once again.
Clearly, the young wizards were very satisfied with the outcome—they had a professor on par with Professor Sean as their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and most importantly, Professor Sean didn't have to leave; if they wanted to see him again, they could simply enroll in his elective course.
After Sean and Lockhart returned to their seats, the part Sean had been most looking forward to at the entire opening banquet was about to begin.
As a Hufflepuff, he always had a great interest in food. Whenever he thought of the sumptuous dishes carefully prepared by the house-elves of Hogwarts, the corners of his mouth would involuntarily turn up in a smile.
The bell rang to signal the start of the banquet, and dishes began to be served one after another.
First up is the golden-brown roasted chicken, with its crispy skin and tender, juicy meat, emitting an enticing aroma; next are platters of honey-glazed ham, each slice brushed with honey and shimmering with an irresistible sheen; and of course, there's the seafood broth, magically prepared, where every sip delivers the freshness of the sea.
Sean's eyes were almost too busy to take it all in, and his nose was completely absorbed in the aroma of the delicious food.
He eagerly picked up his knife and fork and began to savor the mouthwatering food. Every bite brought him immense satisfaction and happiness, as if all his worries had vanished in that instant.
He savored the crispy skin and tender meat of the roast chicken, felt the sweet and savory flavors of the honey-glazed ham intertwine in his mouth, and enjoyed the freshness and delicacy of the seafood soup, as if he were in a culinary paradise.
After the whirlwind of food, Sean's gaze inadvertently fell on Tonks, who had already finished eating and was standing there in a daze.
A thought struck him, as if he had remembered something. He leaned down slightly and whispered in her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear, "After the banquet, come to my place. There are some things I'd like to discuss with you alone."
"By the way, let me also see if you've been training seriously during the summer vacation, or if you've regressed a bit...:"