Chapter 121: Seventh Year Class

Sherlock Forester's initial encounter with Lupin during a school banquet left him with an impression of an affable and likable man. By all logical deductions, had it not been for Sherlock's arrival, Lupin should have assumed the role of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the current school term. As far as Sherlock noticed, there didn't appear to be any hidden motives behind Lupin's presence at Hogwarts. Moreover, he puzzled over why such an apparently reliable man had stepped away from the role of teacher after one year, but lingering over such conjectures was fruitless at present.

Following the banquet, the first night of the promising new school year wrapped up, and the first lessons of the year officially started. Lupin's inclusion on the teaching roster eased a considerable portion, about two-thirds, of Sherlock's teaching commitments. But the demands were the highest amongst the fifth, sixth, and seventh years, especially the fifth years who were in anticipation of the Ordinary Wizarding Level examination, so by no means could he lay back and relax while Lupin did all the work.

Transitioning into the sixth year, students would find themselves facing the New Ordinary Wizarding Level examination, an experience that was, in fact, more intense and demanding than the earlier version. The redeeming factor was that the examination was not obligatory for every subject. The students could opt to take the subjects they were proficient in. As a result, the sixth and seventh years shared Defense Against the Dark Arts classes among students from all four houses.

With these combined classes and the two weekly allotted classes for the fifth year, Sherlock was required to conduct merely four classes each week for the current term. It was a definite improvement from last term, providing him a much-needed breather. Additionally, handling the senior classes was a more straightforward task this time around. The sixteen and seventeen-year-olds had better comprehension and were less troublesome to manage than the younger Hogwarts students and unlike last year they didn't need to compensate for Quirrel's lackluster teaching.

On the first day of the new term, Sherlock had a class scheduled for the seventh year – an unusually large class. Owing to his past graduates who had performed remarkably well in the Defense Against the Dark Arts New Ordinary Wizarding Level examination last term, the majority of the sixth and seventh years decided to join his class in the current school year.

When Sherlock arrived for the class, the room was already brimming with eager students. The crowd was so large that a few of them had to huddle together at the same desk. Taking in the sight, Sherlock remarked, "It seems that I'll need to ask Professor Dumbledore for a larger classroom for our next session."

There were many students who had been under Sherlock's tutelage for a year, forming a bond with him. One of them interjected, "At this rate you'll need to request to have classes in the Great Hall soon, Professor."

The classroom erupted into laughter, with Sherlock joining in with a chuckle. Afterwards, with a tap of his wand, he motioned to the board. "Alright, enough chit-chat, let's make do with what we have here since the class has technically started."

"Those of you who were in my course last year, remember to hand in the twelve sets of test papers I assigned during the summer. Percy will collect them after class for my evaluation of your progress during the break."

"For the newcomers, a roll call will be carried out after class. You will also need to take these twelve test papers. You have ample time; just ensure they are turned in before Halloween."

"Put an honest effort into this task. The questions are a compilation from the New Ordinary Wizarding Level examination of previous years."

"I've had a businessman from Diagon Alley show interest in buying the copyright of my test papers for a thousand Galleons, but I found the sum lacking. So remember, no copying and no slacking off. After Halloween, I'll allocate six classes to go through these questions."

"If you are able to master all the questions in these twelve test papers, rest assured, the theoretical portion of the Defense Against the Dark Arts in the New Ordinary Wizarding Level examination will not be a hurdle."

Every student paid keen attention. Selecting Defense Against the Dark Arts for the seventh years was an earnest commitment made towards passing the New Ordinary Wizarding Level examination. This subject had immense importance in the Wizarding World. Many professions demanded a strong understanding of the dangers of the dark arts and dangerous creatures, particularly those tied to the Ministry of Magic's Aurors, where an 'O' evaluation was a fundamental requirement. Sherlock lightly tapped his wand against the podium, transforming it into a chair and shifting it aside to create more room to maneuver.

"We will delve into theoretical knowledge later on in the term. To commence the new school year, we will first talk about the practical exams."

"Unlike the Ordinary Wizarding Level examination where the examiner selects a moderately dangerous Dark creature for you to tackle using your magical skills, the New Ordinary Wizarding Level examination focuses on duels between wizards rather than encounters between wizards and magical creatures."

"Introducing magic creatures of higher danger rating for exams would pose serious risks, a slight misstep can serious consequences. As for who you will be matched up against in the practical exam, I think most of you have already found out in advance."

"Each year, the Ministry of Magic appoints two or three Aurors to play the role of examiners for the New Ordinary Wizarding Level examination. You'll be expected to engage them in duels."

"Keep in mind that this is real comabt, not a formal duel. The perfect conditions offered in wizarding duels are rarely found in real life confrontations. Your examination will take place in a broad field, where you are thrown into a wizarding duel with a seasoned Auror."

"In this duel, the time-honored etiquette of civilized dueling are cast aside. With the examiner's declaration of the start, you are considered to be in a combat state. In this state, you are permitted to use any means you have learned to try and best your examiner."

"Of course, practically no student stands a chance against a well-trained Auror in a practical exam. Therefore, these Auror examiners don't genuinely engage you in a duel. Instead, they evaluate your ability to react and your understanding and coordination of spells."

Since this class was a practical lesson, actual demonstrations were commonplace. However, given the number of students in his class and the limited space in the classroom, Sherlock was constrained to only pick out one student to showcase a duel with him.

"There's rarely any documentation of practical exams conducted over the years for us to glean insights," Sherlock commented regrettably.

Sherlock invited a Hufflepuff student named Wilson to stand across from him, then addressed the room saying, "However, I managed to observe a few exams during last year's examination period. Over the summer, I spoke to a few of my Auror friends who had served as examiners about the specifics of the examination. This enabled me to put together some strategies that could be beneficial during the exam."

Turning his attention towards his selected opponent, Wilson from Hufflepuff, Sherlock continued, "To start, if you're aiming for a high score in the practical exams, there's one spell you must add to your repertoire – the Shield Charm. You attended my class last term, so you should be familiar with this spell, am I correct, Wilson?"

Wilson, a spattering of freckles dotting his face and emitting a rather nervous vibe, responded with a nod following Sherlock's query. Pointing his wand at himself, he pronounced the incantation, "Protego!"

As if emanating from an invisible source, a ripple-like force field cloaked his body. Sherlock praised his efforts, saying, "Very good, the skillful use of the Shield Charm reflects your dedication towards Defense Spells."

"Like Wilson here, casting the Shield Charm to protect yourself at the outset of the exam signifies a major step towards achieving a high score."

"The Shield Charm isn't a common spell. Even within the Ministry of Magic, not all employees master it. However, it's a requisite for every Auror."

"So remember this, the first spell you use during practical exams should always be the Shield Charm. If anyone still struggles with it, meet me after class, I'll guide you through it. Since we covered it extensively in the sixth-year class last term, we won't commit class time to learn it again."

Sherlock then brandished his wand, eyeing Wilson in readiness. "If the candidate doesn't employ the Shield Charm for protection straight away, the examiner would generally use the Disarming Spell as a preliminary attack. However, if you've cast the Shield Charm, you're more likely to encounter this kind of test-"

With a soft tap of his wand, Sherlock refrained from verbalizing any incantations. Wilson was completely absorbed in Sherlock's actions, oblivious to the tendrils morphing from the chairs and stealthily inching towards him from every direction.

Taking advantage of the fact that it's not an actual spell, the advancing tendrils didn't activate the Iron Armour Spell's defense mechanism. They spread around Wilson's waist with ease. When he eventually reacted with shock, it was too late. The tendrils tightened suddenly, binding him in place!

Exclamations and applause echoed from the students. Releasing Wilson from the spell's captive hold, Sherlock explained, "The second key to obtaining high marks is to never underestimate Transfiguration!"

"I am aware that most of you prioritize spellcasting over transfiguration. While I can't argue against such a mindset, remember to never disregard transfiguration."

"Incorporating it in a duel or promptly identifying the examiner's use of transfiguration can fetch you additional points during practical exams."

...

The class flew by swiftly. During this first lesson of the seventh year of the new term, Sherlock touched upon just the Shield Charm and Transfiguration, yet every student felt their knowledge had significantly expanded.

This teaching style, targeting the exam material directly, was refreshing and exciting. They couldn't precisely recall what Defense Against the Dark Arts looked like during the seventh year, they felt as though they never had real lessons before now.

In other subjects, professors attempted to inundate them with knowledge, hoping they could cram all the available information into their brains, of which only a fraction ended up in the actual exams.

Most students found such classes demanding, time-consuming, and filled with ambiguity. They continually questioned, during independent study, whether the content they were learning would feature in the final exam. Many students would gamble that a certain topic wouldn't be relevant to save time, but this of course didn't always work and resulted in some embarrassing blunders.

Those who secured an 'O' in numerous subjects were considered the cream of the crop. Such students retained a vast knowledge base and answered diverse questions expertly.

However, such high-achieving students were rare. Most students did not possess the cognitive capacity and tenacity to remember such extensive knowledge. They mostly relied on luck during the exams. Soon after the exams, the majority of the knowledge was forgotten, leaving only a small portion actually utilized in their future careers and personal lives.

Sherlock's teaching method, focusing on the exam-oriented education, came as a boon for these average students. Exceptional intelligence was not a must here, a mere willingness to diligently learn potentially ensured good grades.

As the class concluded, Sherlock gathered his things and asked Percy to collect the holiday assignments, to be taken directly to his office.

After arriving back at his office and organizing his material, he made his way to the Great Hall for a lunch break. When he arrived the hall was already full of students. Sherlock made his way to the teachers' table, where he enjoyed a chat with Hagrid, who was enthusiastically detailing his preparations for his first class, which would take place in the afternoon.

Suddenly, the bustling Great Hall quieted down, and every gaze turned towards one individual. A woman entered through the main doors of the Great Hall. Dressed in a black robe, different from the standard student uniform, she wore a wide-brimmed hat, revealing only the lower half of her face and a few strands of silvery hair.

The students had no recollection of seeing her in the castle before, and her commanding aura strongly contradicted that of a student. Yet, they didn't remember seeing her among the faculty either, she certainly wasn't present during yesterday's banquet.

Under the watchful eyes of the students, the woman, who unbeknownst to them was named Hilke, approached Sherlock and informed him coldly, "I've sensed something. I'm heading to Hogsmeade now."

Hearing these words, a surprised Sherlock took a moment to finish the remaining sausage on his plate and rose from his chair. Responding with a nod, he said, "Alright, lead the way."

With that, under the attentive gaze of the entire Great Hall, Sherlock and Hilke exited together. After a moment's silence, the Great Hall erupted into a heated discussion.

The primary topic under debate revolved around the identity of the mysterious witch. "Who was that woman?" Ron questioned Harry, blinking in puzzlement. Harry, despite having spent close to a month with Sherlock during the summer break, had no information on Hilke. "No clue, this is the first I've seen of her. I never heard Professor Forester mentioning such a person."

Freshly diverted from contemplating the terrible Divination class from earlier in the morning, Hermione piped in, pondering aloud, "Remember how Dumbledore said that Professor Forester would be busy attending to other matters this year? Maybe it's linked to that woman."

As they were engrossed in various hypotheses, Harry suddenly recalled a significant detail. Lowering his voice, he shared with Hermione and Ron, "I almost forgot to tell you about this, but for a short while during our trip in France Professor Forester's cursed prophecies stopped working!"