A day at Hogwarts.

Chapter 634 Students Must Also Follow the Reform
The September nights at Hogwarts were already chilly. The fire crackled in the Gryffindor common room, its warm glow making one feel cozy.

Umbridge's new charter has spread from the professors to the students, sparking much discussion.

Fred sat in front of the fireplace, surrounded by George, Lee Jordan, and several younger students, who were giving their opinions on the new rule with a mocking tone.

He said, “Look at the alchemy class. It used to be the subject that required the most creativity. Now? It’s all about exam points and standard answers. Not even a spark of inspiration is allowed.”

George nodded in agreement, saying, "How can innovation be measured in numbers? Are we supposed to count how many new ideas a semester has? We might as well just give out a counter that goes 'ding' every time an idea pops up."

“Exactly!” Fred exclaimed, waving his arms. “Overemphasizing exams only stifles creativity.”

"Alchemy requires trying, failing, and trying again, being reborn from the ashes, not memorizing formulas to pass exams."

"Umbridge's approach is turning the most vibrant discipline into a stagnant pool."

Lee Jordan took a sip of butterbeer and added, “Her performance requirements are like trying to measure inspiration with a ruler—it’s impossible and utterly absurd.”

"Inspiration is like the wind or fire; how can it be quantified? It can only force everyone to become puppets on strings."

Harry, Ron, Neville, and the others thought what the three of them said made a lot of sense.

However, it would be more convincing if the three of them weren't covered in indelible char from the explosion of the magical game console under development.

However, to their surprise, Hermione did not join the chorus of condemnation.

She frowned slightly, her mind racing as she thought of something.

“Well, actually…” she began cautiously, her tone as calm and rational as ever, “In a sense, it’s not entirely unreasonable.”

"Clear teaching objectives and scoring criteria can reduce the error of examiners' subjective judgment and ensure fairness."

"It tells us what the examiners specifically value, allowing us to prepare more effectively."

"This is very efficient."

Ron stared at her incredulously, then cried out in horror, "Efficient?"

"Hermione! You think so too?"

"This has taken away all the fun!"

"Magic shouldn't be like this!"

His classmates, who came from wizarding families and had grown up in wizarding society, looked at Hermione with the same surprise.

"What should magic be like, Ron?" Hermione retorted, her tone sharp. "Is it about doing whatever you want, and then possibly failing an exam because of a single incorrect movement?"

"Under the current circumstances, passing the exam is the most important thing!"

"With clear goals, we can allocate our study time more effectively and ensure we get marks on key projects."

“I think it has its value.”

"Its value is turning everyone into idiots who can only take exams!" Ron muttered.

Hermione felt he was calling her an idiot, and her face flushed slightly with anger. She glared at him and said, "If that helps to clear your mind and speed up your learning, why not?" Harry sat between them, listening silently to the argument on both sides.

He always felt that there was something wrong with this policy that he couldn't quite put his finger on; sometimes he felt it made sense, and sometimes he felt it was very harmful.

Ruby's cry attracted him. Charles had returned, with a phoenix on his head and a letter in his hand, along with the "Hogwarts Student Assessment Plan" that had just been handed out at dinner. The plan contained the exam schedule, new learning objectives, and various rules and regulations.

Harry pulled Charles over to sit by the fireplace and asked eagerly, "Charles, what do you think about this?"

Charles did not answer immediately, but stared at the crackling fire, the leaping flames reflected in his thoughtful eyes.

Everyone looked at him, waiting for their opinions.

“This is a complicated matter,” Charles said in a deep voice. “It’s hard to say whether it’s good or bad.”

He glanced at the three people whose bodies had been blackened by the explosion during the experiment, and continued, "No matter how Hogwarts' teaching is structured, fundamental skills are the most important thing."

Fred and George were somewhat unconvinced, but having just blown up another game console that afternoon, they lacked the confidence to speak to Charles.

However, Lee Jordan wasn't so afraid of Charles, and said defiantly, "This kind of course will stifle our new ideas."

The twins nodded in unison.

Charles shook his head, his expression turning serious, and said earnestly, "Your thinking is wrong."

"In today's era, the development of magic is surging forward, and innovation is undoubtedly the most shining keyword. It represents breakthroughs, vitality, and even more so, the infinite possibilities for future development. Innovation is the core driving force for social progress and an important way for everyone to realize their self-worth. Without innovation, we are prone to stagnation and mediocrity."

"However, we must also be soberly aware that any passion and inspiration for innovation must ultimately be translated into tangible results. In this transformation process, solid fundamental skills play an irreplaceable and crucial role. Whether in the fields of magic research and development, artistic creation, or business practice, only by relying on profound professional accumulation, skillful magic level, and rigorous logical thinking can we transform wild ideas into feasible solutions and concrete results. Without the support of solid fundamental skills, even the most wonderful innovative ideas will be difficult to present."

"Therefore, innovation and basic skills are by no means contradictory, but rather complementary and indispensable."

Such a long discourse was still too difficult for the young wizard.

When he finished speaking, everyone around him turned their eyes around, and some even yawned, except for Hermione.

With time running out and everyone having spent a long time at Hogsmeade during the day, everyone went back to their dorms to sleep.

Charles wanted to go back to his dorm to read the letter, but Hermione grabbed his sleeve.

"What's up?" he asked, turning his head.

Hermione whispered, "We heard what you and Professor McGonagall were saying at the Three Broomsticks pub today."

Charles sat down again, took the ruby ​​off his head and placed it in the fireplace, then asked, "So what are your thoughts?"

Hermione asked, puzzled, "Don't you think it's a strange thing to have tutoring classes at Hogwarts?"

Private tutoring among students is commonplace, ranging from one-on-one to one-to-many; it can also involve friends helping each other out, or charging for homework assignments.

The kind of semi-official large-scale tutoring classes that Professor McGonagall mentioned never seemed to exist.

“It is a bit strange,” Charles nodded. “However, these past two years, I wouldn’t be surprised if even the strangest things happened.”

(End of this chapter)