Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Chapter 118 The New Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Hillen Calder

Despite Dumbledore's best efforts to suppress the news and strictly order the professors in the know to keep quiet, only announcing that Professor Oren Cass had suffered an "accidental" serious injury and was receiving treatment, rumors in the castle could never be stopped. The news of Professor Oren Cass's unconsciousness still crept up every corner of Hogwarts like vines. In the corridors, dining halls, and dormitories, students could be heard whispering among themselves everywhere.

"Another unlucky professor has fallen—as expected, the Dark Lord's curse has never failed. This position is a hot potato; whoever touches it is doomed."

"Professor Oren Cass was such a kind person. He patiently taught us how to identify traces of dark magic and taught us basic defensive techniques. How could this have happened? It's such a pity."

The students gathered in twos and threes, their faces full of dejection. No one was surprised; there was only a sense of helplessness, like "I knew it." The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was like being cursed with the most vicious curse. No matter how powerful a wizard was, once he sat in this position, he would eventually be doomed.

The next day at breakfast time, the auditorium was filled with the aroma of bread and hot cocoa, but it couldn't dispel the students' gloomy faces.

Headmaster Dumbledore remained seated in the professors' chair, his white beard hanging down his chest, his expression calm. As the noise in the Great Hall subsided slightly, he picked up his wand and gently tapped the table, the sound echoing throughout the hall and silencing all the whispers.

"Class, please be quiet." He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping across the room. "I'm sure you've all heard about Professor Oren Cass. He was seriously injured in an accident and is currently in a coma. We will do our best to help him recover, and we hope you can all pray for him."

He paused, then continued, "Therefore, during Professor Oren Kass's recovery, we are honored to have a temporary successor. Professor Hillen Kald will be the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, responsible for the upcoming lessons, and will guide everyone in learning defense techniques against the Dark Arts. Let us welcome him."

As soon as he finished speaking, a tall, thin blond man slowly stood up from his professor's seat. He was tall and straight, almost half a head taller than Professor Snape beside him. His slender build did not make him appear weak; instead, it exuded a tense restraint, as if every muscle in his body was on alert. His thin face had prominent brow ridges and cheekbones that outlined cold, hard lines, without any excess softness. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, and when they swept across the hall, the students present all restrained their expressions.

What is most striking is the row of short mustaches on his chin that fit snugly along his jawline, meticulously trimmed, evenly spaced and close to his skin, clean and neat, which is quite rare among male wizards.

After all, most of the male professors at Hogwarts were either like Snape, with a clean-shaven chin and a somewhat gloomy look, or like Hagrid, with a beard that grew wildly like a tangled ball of yarn, covering most of their faces. Professor Calder's appearance was more like that of a disciplined soldier than a carefree wizard, exuding an aura of rigor and coldness.

Puni sat at the Ravenclaw dining table, the light falling on the new professor.

He noticed that Professor Calder's lips only curled up slightly, the curve was very shallow and fleeting, barely enough to be seen as a response to everyone's gaze. There was no warmth in that smile, but rather a sense of aloofness and indifference. The first impression he gave was that of an extremely serious, rigid person, exuding an aura of restrained dogma and discipline, making people hesitant to approach him.

Sparse and uneven applause rang out in the auditorium. Some students clapped perfunctorily, while others didn't raise their hands at all, just lowered their heads and exchanged knowing glances with each other.

Whispers arose again, quietly spreading throughout the auditorium.

"Could he have offended Fudge? Otherwise, why would the Ministry of Magic send him here so quickly? Professor Oren Cass just had an accident yesterday, and he's here today. What a coincidence."

"Need I say more? He must have offended someone. He's clearly been sent here as a expendable resource. I reckon it won't be long before he follows in Professor Oren Cass's footsteps."

Several students, not wanting to miss out on the fun, even chuckled in hushed tones.

"I bet he won't last three months, two months at most, then he'll be in trouble."

"I bet a month! We'll see how ridiculous it is then."

The murmurs weren't loud, but they were loud enough for the professors in the front row to hear.

Snape remained as cold and aloof as ever, not even lifting his eyelids, as if everything around him was irrelevant.

Hagrid frowned, his face full of displeasure, and wanted to speak up to stop him, but was gently pulled back by Professor Kettleburn beside him.

Dumbledore sat in the main seat, his expression calm, but a hint of thought flashed in his eyes as he looked at Professor Calder, lost in thought.

Professor Calder, the subject of the discussion, paid no attention to the glare, whispers, and perfunctory applause from the audience, as if those voices were just passing by.

He simply nodded slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire hall. Then he opened his mouth and spoke in a clear and cold voice. His voice was not loud, but it quickly suppressed all the noise in the auditorium, making the entire auditorium quiet instantly.

"Thank you for the welcome. But I hope that in my class, order and efficiency will be more appreciated than applause. Let's skip the small talk and focus on learning; that's what you should be doing."

He paused, then continued, "Starting this afternoon, Defense Against the Dark Arts classes will proceed as normal, according to the schedule. Those who are late or absent will face the consequences themselves; I will not tolerate it."

After speaking, he didn't linger. He nodded slightly and sat back down in his professor's seat, his posture still upright and his back straight. He didn't look at the students once more.

Finally, it was time for Ravenclaw's Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Puni and the other Ravenclaw students entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

As soon as the door was opened, everyone immediately noticed the difference. The tables and chairs that were usually placed randomly had been rearranged neatly, leaving a wide aisle in the middle, with the tables and chairs on both sides placed opposite each other, like the plaintiff and defendant seats in a courtroom.

Professor Calder stood behind the lectern, his back ramrod straight like a taut string. His hands were behind his back, and his sharp gaze swept over each student who entered the classroom. His eyes were devoid of any warmth, as if he were scrutinizing a group of soldiers who needed to be disciplined. Every student he saw straightened their backs, composed themselves, and dared not slacken their guard in the slightest.

After everyone had found their seats and the classroom had become completely quiet, Professor Calder didn't engage in any pleasantries, introduce himself, or ask the students about their backgrounds. He simply picked up his wand and tapped the blackboard lightly. Instantly, the words "Core Essentials of Defense Against the Dark Arts" appeared on the blackboard in neat and powerful boldface. The handwriting was sharp and to the point, getting straight to the point.

"Let's begin class."

"Defense against the Dark Arts is not child's play, nor is it a stage for you to show off your silly spells or prank your classmates. It is a precise science and an essential skill for fighting against darkness and protecting yourself."

He spoke rapidly, without the slightest pause, his gaze sweeping across the room with a sharp look. "The core lies in three points: solid knowledge, absolute discipline, and decisive, correct action. Lacking any one of these, you will all be lambs to the slaughter before true black magic, utterly powerless to resist."

His teaching style is completely different from that of Professor Oren Kass.

Professor Oren Kass is gentle and patient. He explains the principles of spells step by step and corrects students' movements one by one. Even if a student makes a mistake many times, he will only gently remind them and patiently guide them.

Professor Calder spoke so fast that the students could hardly keep up, and his demands on them were extremely strict, tolerating no mistakes whatsoever.

When asking a question, he would stare intently at the student being questioned, his eyes sharp, as if trying to see through their mind and understand their thoughts. This would instantly make the student nervous, causing them to stumble over even the knowledge points they had memorized and be unable to speak completely.

Even if a student answers a minor detail incorrectly, he won't be sarcastic or mocking like Snape. Instead, he will calmly point out the mistake and ask the student to repeat the correct answer three times on the spot, until the pronunciation and wording are accurate, leaving no room for leniency.

This approach makes students feel more ashamed than any form of sarcasm.

A first-year Ravenclaw student was made to stand in the center of the classroom and repeatedly pronounce the correct name of a dark magic spell because he misremembered its name and mispronounced it by an extra syllable. His cheeks turned bright red, his hands gripped the hem of his clothes tightly, and his head was bowed so low that he wished he could disappear into the ground.

The classroom was completely silent, except for his slightly choked voice repeating himself, each repetition sounding like he was enduring a humiliation.

Professor Calder stood behind the lectern, watching him coldly without flinching: "Ambiguity is a fatal flaw in the defensive technique; a tiny mistake can lead you to utter ruin."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, growing increasingly serious. "Perhaps this will help you remember how to grasp the key points. A mispronounced spell, a misremembered defense method, could cost you not only your grades, but also your wand, your magical abilities, or even your life."

His words were not an exaggeration at all, which made all the students tense up. They no longer dared to be perfunctory and listened attentively to every point of knowledge, for fear of making a mistake and becoming the next person to be "punished".

Professor Calder's displayed strength instilled an indescribable sense of pressure in the students. It was an absolute control over magic, a composure and sharpness honed through real combat, something that ordinary wizards could not possess.

At dinner, several upperclassmen sat together, talking in hushed tones about the Defense Against the Dark Arts class they had attended that afternoon. One of the students was still pale, looking somewhat apprehensive.

"Professor Calder's teaching methods are simply too cruel, even more rigorous than Professor Snape's. I have never seen such a strict professor."

As soon as he finished speaking, other students chimed in, their faces showing grievance and awe.

As he spoke, more and more students gathered around. The atmosphere around the once lively dining table gradually became heavy. Many people lost their appetite as they listened, put down their knives and forks, and looked worried.

According to the senior student, when Professor Calder was demonstrating defense methods against common dangerous creatures in the afternoon, he did not use the standard response method in the textbook. He did not explain the techniques or demonstrate the actions first, but directly let the students try in groups. Only when he saw the students scrambling and almost being confused by Hinkpunk's illusions, and even nearly getting injured, did he slowly intervene.

He waved his wand, making no unnecessary movements, and a perfectly accurate freezing spell was instantly unleashed. The power was controlled just right, neither harming Hinkpunk's life nor failing to freeze him into a crystal-clear ice sculpture. Every single hair on Hinkpunk's body was clearly visible, without the slightest deviation.

At that moment, the entire classroom fell silent. All the students were stunned by the precise and powerful magic, and their initial skepticism and doubt were gradually replaced by deep awe.

Without pausing, Professor Calder slightly raised his wrist, a faint white light flashing at the tip of his wand, and fired a simple yet precise Shattering Charm. Without any fancy movements, a crisp "crack" rang out, and the crystal-clear Hinkpunk ice sculpture was easily shattered, scattering into a pile of tiny ice shards and dark red bits of flesh, which landed on the classroom floor. The ice shards reflected the light, intertwined with the blood and flesh, a horrifying sight that made one's stomach churn.

In an instant, the classroom fell completely silent; you could hear a pin drop. All the students froze in their seats, not daring to breathe. Zi Guang stared intently at the shards of ice and flesh on the ground, deeply shocked by this efficient, ruthless, and almost merciless method. The curiosity that had just filled the classroom was instantly replaced by a chilling fear. A coldness rose in everyone's heart, and they curled up.

The silence lasted only a few seconds, then a chorus of nausea filled the classroom. Some covered their mouths, their shoulders trembling as they struggled to suppress the urge to vomit. Others bent over their desks, unable to hold back their dry heaving, their faces as pale as paper. A few timid girls couldn't help but vomit, their excrement splattering on the floor, mixing with crushed ice and bits of meat, making the scene even more chaotic.

Professor Calder remained unmoved, standing behind his lectern, back straight, eyes calm, as if he had just shattered not a magical creature, but merely an insignificant block of ice. He showed no emotion whatsoever, not even sparing a glance for the vomiting students, simply stating, "This is the most direct and efficient way to deal with dangerous creatures. Pity, in the face of darkness and danger, will only become a stumbling block, only costing you your life."

That day's Defense Against the Dark Arts class ended in chaos. After class, more and more students felt unwell; some were dizzy and nauseous, some felt cold all over, and some were often awakened by nightmares at night. The school hospital was soon overcrowded, and Madam Pomfrey was extremely busy. While giving the students calming and anti-nausea medications, she couldn't help but complain that Professor Calder's teaching methods were too cruel and did not take into account the students' ability to cope.

Professor Calder's methods were indeed too ruthless. Many female students were so frightened that they were often awakened by nightmares at night, repeatedly seeing the image of Hinkpunk being frozen into an ice sculpture and then shattered. They could not sleep for several days in a row, and their faces became increasingly pale. Even worse, many students would feel nauseous at the sight of meat when eating, and even their favorite grilled steak was difficult to swallow. They could only barely eat some bread and vegetables, and their whole demeanor became listless.

In the following days, Professor Calder became the focus of discussion among the Hogwarts students.

In the corridors and restaurants, students could be seen gathered together, talking in hushed tones. Their previous contempt and mockery of the professor had vanished without a trace.

"Merlin's beard! Did you see how he shattered the ice sculpture that day? He seemed—really amazing, his control over magic was simply incredible!" A Ravenclaw student lowered his voice, shocked, and shrank back as he spoke, as if he could see the scene again, a chill running down his spine.

"It's impressive, but it's too strict. If you ask a question in class and get a word wrong, you have to repeat it three times on the spot. And that demonstration the other day was terrifying. I feel nauseous just thinking about Hinkpunk."

Another student frowned. "I even doubt that the requirements for working at the Ministry of Magic are this strict."

Someone couldn't help but sigh: "Do you think he's so powerful, can he break that curse? After all, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's curse has existed for so long, and many powerful wizards have tried to resist it before, but the results were—"

As you all know, no one can succeed.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding students fell silent.

Yes, that curse is too bizarre. No matter how powerful a wizard is, once they take that position, they will ultimately not escape their unfortunate fate.

After a long while, a student finally spoke up in a low voice: "I feel a bit uneasy. After all, it's a curse that's been around for a long time and is deeply rooted. How can it be broken so easily? Maybe he's just a passerby, and something bad will happen to him soon."

The topic quickly shifted back to the Ministry of Magic, and a Hufflepuff student said with a puzzled look, "Professor Oren Cass just had an accident yesterday, and the Ministry of Magic sent people here today. Why is the Ministry of Magic so proactive this time? They never reacted this quickly when other professors had accidents before. They always took several days or even weeks to make a move."

"I know him!" Just then, a Gryffindor student suddenly spoke up. "My aunt works at the Ministry of Magic, and her colleagues have mentioned this Hillen Calder. They say he specializes in dealing with dangerous magical creatures, and his methods for handling them are said to be quite radical, even cruel. Many colleagues are afraid to work with him, finding him too cold-blooded."

He paused, then added, "Later, for some reason, he was transferred to another department to handle some 'sensitive' matters, and after that, I never heard of him having any notable achievements. I never expected that the Ministry of Magic would send him to Hogwarts this time; I guess he really offended some big shot and was relegated here."

"Look!" a student suddenly exclaimed, pointing towards the professors' seats. "Professor Snape and he seem to get along well! They're talking!"

Following his gaze, everyone saw Professor Calder sitting sideways in his seat, talking quietly with Snape beside him. Snape remained as cold as ever, his black robes draped over his shoulders, his face somber, his brows slightly furrowed, without a trace of a smile. Professor Calder, too, maintained his serious and aloof expression, his face calm and expressionless. The two spoke in a very calm manner, devoid of any extra emotion.

"We're doomed! If these two are teaming up, it'll be a huge problem for the other three houses!" A Ravenclaw student frowned. "Professor Snape is already extremely harsh on non-Slytherin students, often deliberately making things difficult for us. Now, with the addition of the equally serious and ruthless Professor Calder, our lives are going to be tough, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where we're sure to be severely challenged."

Puni also looked up at the professors' seats. The light focused on the two of them. He noticed that although Professor Calder and Snape were talking, they maintained a certain distance from each other, without any intimacy. Their expressions were still cold and aloof, and they didn't seem to know each other well. They rarely even exchanged glances. Most of the time, they were talking to themselves and occasionally nodded in response.

However, it is undeniable that there seems to be a certain tacit understanding between the two professors, who are equally serious, highly capable, and somewhat aloof. They can understand each other without saying much. That tacit understanding has a cold detachment about it, which is not like closeness, but more like mutual recognition between kindred spirits.

"This is a disaster!" The student who had just exclaimed covered his head with his hands, looking utterly devastated. "I already hated Professor Snape, and now I might have to add Professor Calder to my list of hated people. Going to class from now on will be pure torture."

He sighed as he spoke.

Most of the students around agreed, their faces full of worry, complaining about their bad luck in encountering two such strict professors.

But Puni shook his head. He observed more closely than the others. Although the two were talking, there was a hint of wariness in their eyes. There was no trust. It wasn't a close tacit understanding, but rather a cold tacit understanding, a contest between two strong people who scrutinized and tested each other, as if they were measuring each other's strength and guessing each other's intentions. Neither of them was willing to reveal a weakness first, nor were they willing to be suppressed by the other.

These two professors may not be colluding as the students think.