Chapter 93: New Study Group

After obtaining Dumbledore's permission, Alaric began openly appearing in places other than the Defense Against the Dark Arts class during the school year. Soon, the girls also followed suit.

However, despite Gilderoy Lockhart being a charlatan, Alaric still believed that the Defense Against the Dark Arts class was a crucial subject—especially at this time. 

In the coming years, Voldemort's followers would resurrect their leader, plunging the wizarding world back into chaos.

Just in this school year, the Chamber of Secrets was opened again, the basilisk was released, and Hogwarts was terrorized by killings.

In the original story, even Hermione and Penelope got petrified. If luck hadn't been on their side, they could have been killed by the basilisk.

Now, with the unreliable Lockhart as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor during these perilous times, Alaric couldn't stand idly by and decided to take matters into his own hands.

In fact, Alaric had been thinking about teaching the girls Defense Against the Dark Arts since the previous semester. 

However, due to various studies and research occupying much of his time, coupled with being a new student at the time with not yet perfect mastery of magic, he decided against it to avoid misleading others.

But things were different now. Alaric was proficient in various combat magic after facing a dragon and confronting Quirrell/Voldemort twice in direct combat. 

Though his practical experience was limited, his opponents were not mere foot soldiers but powerful figures at the pinnacle of the wizarding world. 

He felt he had gained some insights into magical combat, enough to be a Defense against the Dark Arts professor.

After planning, Alaric sought the opinions of all three girls.

Penelope was very supportive, especially considering the help it would provide her in the upcoming N.E.W.T. exams—the ultimate wizarding exams.

Clever and diligent Hermione always wanted to learn more. Alaric's proposal aligned perfectly with her interests. 

After escaping Lockhart's class—Hermione was quite satisfied with that— and now hearing about Alaric teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts excited her.

To Alaric's surprise, even Cho Chang readily agreed. He had prepared persuasive lines to convince her, but she accepted without much effort. 

Alaric was curious why someone like her, who wasn't particularly brave, would make this decision.

She wasn't someone who would take such risks on campus and fight with magic, she yearned more for the life of an ordinary middle school girl and had no such lofty ambitions.

"Since that incident last semester, I've been thinking about learning how to fight," she said, her gaze fixed on the ground as she spoke.

"Back then, I had to watch you stand in front of everyone, bravely fighting Professor Quirrell, while I could only panic and run away, afraid of holding you back.

Every time I think about you fighting alone, honestly, I worry and feel guilty. I don't want to continue like this..."

Her voice grew softer towards the end, evidently thinking she had said too much and revealing her true feelings.

Nevertheless, she gathered courage, looked directly into Alaric's eyes, and spoke the last sentence.

"The next time danger comes; I will definitely stand by your side!"

After saying that, she left with a blushing face.

Unconsciously, even Cho Chang had developed such determination, warming Alaric's heart.

His influence on this world and the bonds he formed were deepening. 

People and events he knew were gradually diverging from the original story. Because of him, everything was changing.

The girls around him were starting to work hard.

This strengthened Alaric's determination to move forward. After all, he now had important people to protect, and he needed to become stronger for their sake.

Soon, Alaric's study group was formed, with him as the teacher and Penelope, Cho Chang, and Hermione as students. 

As they were all Ravenclaw students, coordinating the learning space was easy.

After dinner each day, Alaric would teach a series of theoretical classes in the Ravenclaw common room, covering topics from dealing with various dark creatures to textbooks like "Magical Defense Theory" and "Dark Arts: A Guide to Self-Defense." Alaric even assigned some homework.

On weekends, the classes would move to the Room of Requirement. 

There, Alaric would conduct practical lessons, focusing on spells used in combat, such as Disarming Charm, Shield Charm, Stunning Spell, and Breaking Charm.

In truth, Alaric's theoretical classes in the Ravenclaw common room were no longer exclusive to the three girls from the beginning of the semester.

His three roommates, Anthony, Terry, and Michael, were the first to start coming—being Alaric's roommates, they knew him well and trusted him the most. They were pleased to learn from Alaric.

Following them were many other Ravenclaw students, and occasionally, Marietta, Cho Chang's friend, joined. Gradually, other students from the same year as Alaric joined. 

When they discovered that Penelope, the Prefect of Ravenclaw, was also part of the class, many older Ravenclaw students put aside their pride and became students of this small classroom.

Finally, as everyone gradually understood Lockhart's incompetence, many students from other houses began to come too—compared to Lockhart, Alaric was a genuinely qualified teacher. 

However, they were often stopped by the Locking spell on the door of the Ravenclaw common room, and only a few lucky wizards could catch a glimpse of the scene inside.

All the wizards who attended Alaric's classes claimed that he was indeed qualified to be their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. 

He not only possessed extensive knowledge but also presented the material in a humorous and engaging manner. 

His teaching was insightful, far from the dry and rigid style of the standard curriculum.

So, all the students learned a lot, and some older students even declared that Alaric was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher they had ever seen. They believed he surpassed even the predecessors before Professor Quirrell.

Some young wizards even suggested having Alaric become their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

However, Alaric decisively declined.

"I haven't lived long enough!" he half-jokingly explained. 

"Hogwarts changes its Defense Against the Dark Arts professor every year, and all the new professors have accidents within a year. Obviously, this position is cursed, and I don't want to risk it."

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