Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

045 Professor Watson’s First Lesson (Part 3)

The second class on Thursday morning was a Defense Against the Dark Arts class, combining students from the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. The class was still held in the Great Hall.

In this class, Bryan, as a professor, had something special to tell the senior students who were about to graduate. He addressed the students, saying, "The fundamental principle of defense techniques lies in the requirement of equal or similar strength. for example, Even if I were to share all the knowledge of dueling and defense in my mind at this very moment, it is unlikely that any of you would last more than three seconds against the formidable Headmaster Dumbledore!"!"

The senior students burst into laughter at this remark. Penelope Clearwater, Percy Weasley's girlfriend from Ravenclaw, raised her hand and curiously asked, "What about you, Professor Watson? Can you defeat Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Bryan playfully pouted and smiled, turning around and walking to the other side, saying, "Don't ask me such embarrassing questions, Miss Clearwater!" He then continued, "There is a way of dividing strength among wizards who have received traditional magic education. You can learn from it and refer to it." The Great Hall fell silent, and more than two hundred pairs of curious eyes were fixed on Professor Watson.

"As you all know, some traditional genre wizards still use one-on-one or one-on-many modes to train successors. According to ancient tradition, they call young wizards who are still receiving popular education in magic knowledge 'Wizard Apprentices.' In terms of horizontal comparison, the peak period of a wizard apprentice should be a young wizard who has obtained four or more certificates in the OWLS exam of modern magic education." The young wizards became happy upon hearing this, as most of them had reached this level. But Professor Watson's next statement dampened their spirits, "The premise is to obtain this certificate with excellent grades."

Percy, who had achieved all 12 excellent results in his OWLS certificate, felt a flush of pride and held his head up. There was no doubt that his overall level surpassed that of wizard apprentices.

"What comes after apprentice wizards, professor?" Flint asked eagerly, showing interest in the subject for the first time in class.

"The next step is, of course, an official wizard," Bryan replied straightforwardly. "But the range of vertical progression for wizards at this level is vast. Compared to modern magic education, it goes down to the level of OWLS-qualified students and up to... well," Bryan pondered for a moment, then said uncertainly, "The upper limit is probably at the level of Elite Aurors in the Ministry of Magic. Sorry, the description may not be very accurate because it's not a systematic division."

No one paid much attention to Professor Watson's apology; they were all eager to know more. Especially the young wizards who had family members working in the Ministry of Magic knew how powerful the Elite Aurors were, and they couldn't wait to pry more information from Professor Watson.

Percy, who had been proven to be an official wizard, forgot to maintain his prefect demeanor and stared helplessly at Bryan.

"The peak of an official wizard is probably the highest achievement most people studying magic can reach in their lifetime. Anything beyond that is not within the reach of ordinary individuals. In ancient times, only those who were gifted and lucky could forge their own unique magical paths and be chosen by the royal family as 'court wizards.'"

The mention of court wizards ignited a fervent buzz among the young wizards. The discussion surged to new heights, lasting for nearly ten minutes uninterrupted. Many students confidently asserted that their own family members were deserving of the revered title of court wizard, drawing upon Professor Watson's description.

"Consider Professor Snape's unparalleled skill in potion-making, Professor McGonagall's mastery of transfiguration, Professor Flitwick's expertise in modern standard spells, and Professor Sprout's vast knowledge of herbal medicine—each of them could be regarded as esteemed court wizards in ancient times!"

Professor Watson's smiling demeanor elevated the discussion in the Great Hall to a higher level, and it continued for nearly ten minutes without interruption. However, the conversation gradually took a direction that Bryan did not intend to see. Every student believed that their own family's head was a deserving court wizard, but they were skeptical about the other three heads of houses.

Severus Snape, in particular, received the most criticism. Some Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff students whispered that Snape, who only stayed in the basement brewing potions, was not worthy of the prestigious title of 'court wizard'. This angered the Slytherin students, and Flint, a tall and imposing figure, stood in front of all the Slytherins like a wall, ready to defend their honor. He glared at those who doubted Slytherin, as if he was about to pounce on them and tear them apart.

"Flint, get off the table quickly before I get angry," Bryan's calm tone instantly brought Marcus back to his senses. He obediently got off the table and sincerely apologized to Bryan.

"I'm telling you all this just to give you a basic understanding. When you encounter danger in the future, don't charge fearlessly against powerful wizards who are far beyond your own strength. It's not your duty to fight them."

The young wizards suddenly realized that, besides Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, there was another wizard who possessed the ability to remain calm. Bryan's deep eyes calmed everyone down, and he nodded in satisfaction. "Now, I think we should continue the previous topic and discuss how to deal with a werewolf that goes crazy upon seeing the full moon. It's actually very simple. You just need to..."

"Professor Watson—"

At that moment, Penelope Clearwater, who had previously asked if she could defeat Dumbledore, raised her hand again.

"Do you have any more questions, Miss Clearwater?"

Bryan strolled over to the Ravenclaw students, looking at her gently, and guessed that this Ravenclaw with a thirst for knowledge wanted to ask something.

"You haven't finished yet, Professor Watson."

In the chaos just moments ago, Penelope, who had been stepped on several times, had been rubbing her ankles under the desk while muttering. It was adorable, and Percy in Gryffindor couldn't help but melt at the sight.

"Wizard apprentices, official wizards, court wizards. What comes next, professor? Are there any more levels?"

"Oh!" Bryan pretended to remember, and with an inexplicable smile, he looked back and forth at the audience, as if intentionally teasing the young wizards. "Sorry, I forgot. There is indeed another level above court wizards."

"Limited information is available about the wizards above court wizards, as they are rare and their abilities are extraordinary," Bryan continued. "These wizards possess unparalleled mastery over their chosen field of magic and are revered as the greatest wizards of their time. They have achieved feats that are considered almost impossible by ordinary standards."

The students listened intently, their eyes shining with ambition and curiosity.

"Some examples of those wizards from history include Merlin, Morgana Le Fay, and other figures of myth and legend. Their names have echoed through the ages as paragons of magical prowess," Bryan explained.

Then hurry up and tell us what are they called!

Bryan could read this sentiment in the eyes of many.

The dismissal bell had rung, and the vibrations from hundreds of people walking on the floor could be felt on the ceiling of the Great Hall. Some quick-witted young wizards had already stood by the second-floor railing, peering down.

Hurry up, Professor! Class is already over!

The young wizards in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class were no longer satisfied with expressing their urgency through their eyes. They stood up one after another and softly urged Bryan.

The crowd on the second floor instinctively parted, creating a path as Dumbledore, having just finished his meal, emerged with a warm smile on his face.

"Grand Magus--" Bryan raised his head and nodded to Dumbledore, returning the smile.

Author's Note : At first i regarded the wizarding realm above the court wizards 'saint' but one of you readers: 'Primordial' suggested it to be 'Grand Magus, so i changed it.

If you have some similar suggestions regarding character names, power levels, spell names, etc; you can comment, i will consider and change it.