Chapter 16

He liked the new DADA Professor; he was an ex-Auror who had had to retire in his early thirties due to a permanent injury to his leg that left him unfit for duty but not for teaching. When Hu Yetao had heard about his background, he had expected a bitter man who resented the idea of teaching a bunch of teenagers instead of being an Auror, but he'd been proven wrong within the first few minutes of his first class. Professor Chao was intelligent and friendly and fairly shone with enthusiasm for the position.

"Alright eighth years," Professor Chao began with a clap of the hands to garner their attention. "Today we shall be doing some practical work."

Hu Yetao blinked and would have brightened if he'd had the energy; he loved it when they got to perform the spells and curses rather than just learning the theoretical side of things. He withdrew his wand and idly played with it between his hands as he stared up at the Professor, wondering if he could secretly cast some sort of wake-up spell over himself without anyone noticing.

"If you don't stop that Hu Yetao, I shall be forced to do unthinkable things to you," Oscar murmured out the side of his mouth.

Hu Yetao glanced down at his hands with a confused frown and suddenly realized that he'd been stroking his wand in quite a lewd manner without realizing it. "Get your head out of the gutter Oscar," he shot back loftily but quit his fidgeting nevertheless.

Oscar smirked, eyes still locked on their Professor.

"Today we shall be learning a very valuable smokescreen spell that is quite convenient for escaping sticky situations," Professor Chao continued, looking around with a smile. "Let's pair up and clear these tables to the side."

Hu Yetao looked to his mate with a grin.

"I can't be your dueling partner," Oscar said instantly.

Hu Yetao frowned as they both stood to Banish their table to the vast sides of the classroom. "What? Why not?"

"Because it goes against my Alpha instincts as your mate," he replied agitatedly, pale fingers clenching around his wand in one hand.

"Huh…" Hu Yetao replied with interest as he covered a yawn with one hand. "I don't seem to have any such reservations."

"Because you're supposed to be able to force me away if you think I present a danger to you or our children," Oscar replied matter-of-factly.

"Oscar, would you like to be partners?"

Hu Yetao and Oscar looked over to see Jing Long standing before them, Zhang Xinyao at his side, as he smiled tentatively at Oscar. He was fully aware of the situation already or had overheard their brief exchange.

Hu Yetao looked to Oscar to see how he would handle it. He was relieved when Oscar merely nodded and thanked him for the offer. He supposed if he was expected to befriend Oscar's parents then Oscar would also be expected to befriend Zhang Xinyao and Jing-Long. Probably just as intimidating an undertaking for him as it was for Hu Yetao.

"I guess you're with me Hu Yetao," Xinyao said with a grin.

Hu Yetao began to smile back but ended up yawning instead.

"Gather round, gather round," Professor Chao commanded from the center of the cleared area as he withdrew his wand. All the eighth-year students formed a semi-circle around him, wands at the ready, expressions eager. "The incantation for the smoke-screen spell is 'Fumos.' Try it together."

"Fumos," Hu Yetao enunciated clearly along with everyone else.

"Excellent," Professor Chao beamed before raising his gleaming, chestnut brown wand. "Now I shall demonstrate the wand movement…"

Hu Yetao gave his head a shake and tried to concentrate on the graceful swooping movements of Professor Chao's wrist and wand. The man always made everything look so easy. Luckily this spell had a fairly simple movement, obviously designed for a quick escape.

Hu Yetao joined in with everyone else to practice the precise action and felt confident, despite his fatigue, that he'd managed to replicate the Professor's movements, with perhaps just a little less finesse.

"Miss Zheng, less jerky if you please," the Professor corrected as he wandered amongst them. "Begin with your wand raised a little higher Mr. Fu. Alright good, let's pair up and find a space on the floor."

Hu Yetao followed Xinyao to a spot near the front of the room and stood opposite him, wand up and at the ready.

Professor Chao hopped neatly onto the surface of his desk at the front of the room as though it were a raised platform. "I'd like everyone to try the spell first. On the count of three please: one-two-three!"

"Fumos!" Hu Yetao cast and was pleased to see a great purple cloud erupt from the end of his wand and fill the space between himself and Xinyao like an impenetrable wall of thick, colored fog.

Professor Chao cast a complicated spell to remove the mass of purple clouds, but it took a few minutes to dissipate enough for the class to see each other again. "Now, I'd like you to face your partner and choose one of you to attack with a Stinging Hex - only mild mind you - then shield the hex and cast the smoke screen spell. Practicing spells in succession is a much more realistic scenario and a valuable skill to have for anyone. Decide between the two of you who does what and begin when you're ready. Just do it once and then wait for me to clear the air before you switch. At your pace everyone - proceed!"

"You want to do the smoke screen first?" Hu Yetao asked Xinyao as he turned to face him.

"Sure, but first I want to watch Jing Long and Oscar."

Hu Yetao looked over his shoulder just in time to catch Jing-Long throwing a Stinging Hex Oscar's way. The blond deflected it then smoothly cast the Lumos spell. Hu Yetao turned back to Xinyao who was grinning. He rolled his eyes and quickly threw out his Stinging Hex, trying to catch Xinyao off-guard.

Zhang Xinyao deflected it in time with a shielding spell then cast Fumos, filling the space between them with thick purple smoke.

"Nice job!" Hu Yetao called out to him, coughing a little on the thick haze.

The room was getting a little warm with all the conjured clouds and body heat and Hu Yetao could feel his energy waning even further. He covered another yawn and blinked slowly as he waited for Professor Chao to clear the air with a wave of his wand.

Hu Yetao barely resisted the urge to sit on the floor while he waited, then suddenly the Professor was calling for them to swap roles. He turned to face Xinyao and took up his dueling stance.

He suddenly remembered it would be Oscar's turn to cast at Jing Long and he began to turn to watch when he vaguely heard Xinyao cast the Stinging Hex. His sluggish reaction time was not up to the task of shielding the surprise attack in time and he was hit with the full force of the Stinging Hex in his side. He crumpled to the ground with a startled cry of pain.

Hu Yetao curled up on his side and breathed through the Stinging Hex as it slowly began to fade. It hadn't been that strong a cast but the shock of it had taken his breath away.

"Hu Yetao!"