Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil.

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, his gaze sharp, scrutinizing each student who entered the classroom with his lower eyelids. His eyes were devoid of any warmth, as if he were examining 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 basic knowledge. He simply picked up his wand and gently tapped the blackboard. Instantly, the words "Core Essentials of Defense Against Dark Magic" 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 magic is not child's play, nor is it a stage for you to show off your funny 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 pausing, his gaze sweeping across the room with a sharp look. "The core lies in three points: solid knowledge, absolute discipline, and decisive and correct action. Lacking any one of these, you will all be lambs to the slaughter in the face of 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 then ask the student to repeat the correct answer three times on the spot until the pronunciation and wording are accurate, leaving no room for compromise.

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 repeat 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 yielding an inch: "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 precise 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, their eyes fixed on the shards of ice and flesh on the ground. They were 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 desk with his back straight and 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 students vomiting. He simply said, "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, and will only cost 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 manage to 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 the cafeteria, 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 and felt a chill run 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 now."

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

Someone couldn't help but sigh: "Do you think he's so powerful that he can break the curse? After all, the curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has existed for so long. It's not like no powerful wizards have tried to resist it before, but as you all know, no one has succeeded."

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 it's a bit risky. 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 it won't be long before something bad happens to him."

The topic quickly shifted back to the Ministry of Magic, and a Hufflepuff student said in bewilderment, "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 would always drag it out for several days or even several weeks before making any 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 dealing with ‘dangerous’ creatures are said to be quite radical, even cruel. Many colleagues are afraid to work with him because they think he is too cold-blooded.”

He paused, then added, "Later, for some reason, he was transferred to another department to handle some 'sensitive' matters, and I haven't heard of any famous deeds since. I didn't expect the Ministry of Magic to send him to Hogwarts this time. I guess he really offended some big shot and was sent 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 working together, it'll be a huge problem for the other three houses!" A Ravenclaw student frowned. "Professor Snape is already extremely strict with non-Slytherin students, often deliberately making things difficult for us. Now, with the addition of Professor Calder, who is equally serious and ruthless, our lives are probably going to be tough, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where we'll definitely be severely challenged."

Puni also looked up at the professors' seats, his gaze fixed on the two of them. He noticed that although Professor Calder and Snape were talking, they maintained a certain distance from each other, showing no intimacy whatsoever. Their expressions remained cold and aloof, and they seemed unfamiliar with each other. They rarely even exchanged glances, mostly talking to themselves and occasionally nodding 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 was not a close tacit understanding, but more like a cold tacit understanding. It was a contest between two strong people who were scrutinizing and probing each other, as if they were measuring each other's strength and guessing each other's purpose. Neither of them was willing to show a weakness first, and neither of them was willing to be suppressed by the other.

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

Chapter 119 Devil's Web

The clear sound of the preparatory bell rang throughout the Hogwarts Conservatory, its echoes penetrating the glass dome at the top of the conservatory and dispelling the tranquility among the greenery. Professor Sprout, wand in hand, walked steadily into the teaching area, her cuffs neat and her gardening apron spotless. She raised her hand and waved her wand, two levitation spells steadily supporting two well-proportioned wooden boxes, which followed her smoothly, hovering quietly half a foot off the ground.

After all the students were seated and had tidied up their pre-class materials, Professor Sprout's gaze swept across the room, clear and gentle: "Dear students, we will now officially begin today's lesson on herbal medicine."

The two boxes suspended in mid-air have very distinct appearances and are easily distinguishable.

On the left is a log cultivation box commonly used in Hogwarts Herbology class. The wood grain is clear, and the surface of the box is clean and simple. It is a container used to hold regular magical plants on a daily basis.

The box on the right has undergone special treatment, being completely covered with a thick layer of matte black lacquer. The lacquer is thick and even, which can isolate the magical fluctuations of the plants inside. It is a specially made container for sealing dangerous magical plants.

"Please open your textbooks to the book 'A Thousand Wonderful Herbs and Mushrooms'."

Professor Sprout raised his hand to signal the students to turn to their books, glanced down at the textbook himself, and then looked up seriously to explain, "In this lesson, we will focus on a highly deceptive and dangerous vine-like magical plant called Devil's Web. This is a key area of ​​knowledge at the intersection of Black Magic Defense and Herbalism, and it is also a skill that you must master to avoid danger."

She slowed her speech and explained the plant's growth habits in detail, outlining the key points one by one: "The growth environment of the devil's web is highly targeted. It has an extreme preference for areas that are dark, humid, and full of moisture. The bottom areas of the primeval forest, the swampy depressions that never see the sun, and the miasma areas where the fog never dissipates are its main breeding and habitats. These environments can conceal their tracks to the greatest extent, making it easier for them to ambush and hunt."

At this point, Professor Sprout suddenly became more serious, his expression turning solemn: "I must emphasize that the most terrifying thing about the Devil's Web is not its ability to bind and strangle, but its extremely strong ability to mimic and disguise itself. It can accurately imitate the appearance of harmless magical plants, confusing the eye. If you let your guard down, you are very likely to be ambushed. In your future field practice and when entering the vicinity of the Forbidden Forest, you must be especially wary of these disguised plants."

As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her wand and gently tapped the wooden cultivation box on the left. After a soft click, the lid popped open, revealing the plant inside. Inside the box grew a lush, green vine with upright roots, delicate and long branches and leaves. Countless tiny branches swayed rhythmically like articulated limbs, moving slowly and orderly, looking vibrant and without any hint of aggression.

"Everyone, please observe this plant carefully."

Professor Sprout pointed to the green plant in the box, "This is the most common crab claw vine in the magical world. It is a beginner-friendly magical plant with extremely strong vitality. It is drought-tolerant and shade-tolerant, and its daily maintenance is very easy. Even if it is not watered for a month, it can still maintain normal growth. It is also the sample we will use for comparison in this lesson."

To allow students to visually observe the plant's vitality, she took out a small amount of specially made magical nutrient solution and evenly poured it into the potting soil. The moment the water seeped into the soil, the crab claw vines swayed noticeably faster, and the tender branches stretched out and swayed gently in all directions, displaying a lively and vibrant overall appearance, full of life.

After a brief demonstration and comparison, Professor Sprout immediately abandoned his gentle demeanor, clapped his hands, and signaled all the students to step back: "Now, everyone, please retreat, maintain a safe distance, do not move forward at will, and do not release any magical interference without authorization."

She looked solemnly at the black sealed box and solemnly informed everyone: "Next, I will open the dangerous incubation box. Inside is the Devil's Web, the core subject of our lesson. Please concentrate and remember its camouflage and attack characteristics. This is a crucial lesson for your safety."

To ensure the safety of the students to the greatest extent possible and to prevent the strong light from affecting the state of the Devil's Net, Professor Sprout took the initiative to step back five meters and stand firmly in the safe area. At the same time, she raised her hand to signal all the students to gather behind her and form a unified safe position. After confirming that everyone had evacuated to their positions and no one had moved forward without permission, she waved her wand and softly recited the light-adjusting spell towards the greenhouse's light-transmitting dome.

The natural light inside the greenhouse quickly dimmed, the bright daylight slowly faded away, and the overall environment turned into the dim state of dusk, with soft and weak light, perfectly replicating the original growing environment of the Devil's Web. Just as the light stabilized, the black sealed box opened with a sound, and the heavy box lid slid smoothly to both sides.

The vines that appeared in the box were very similar to the crab claw vines from before. They were also covered in lush green leaves, with branches that stretched and swayed gracefully. The rhythm of the swaying, the shape of the leaves, and the way they grew were all exactly the same as the harmless crab claw vines. Overall, they looked docile and gentle, without any aggression, and showed no signs of danger whatsoever. They were extremely deceptive.

"What you see now is the most common disguise form of the Devil's Web." Professor Sprout's voice rang out clearly in the quiet greenhouse, extremely serious. "It deliberately imitates the state of ordinary harmless vines, weakening its own aura to make its prey lower their guard, which is also its most terrifying aspect. Next, I will use a concrete medium to demonstrate its hunting mechanism to you."

The students who had been watching the whole thing stood on tiptoe, their eyes fixed on the vines in the box. Everyone had put aside their usual relaxed attitude in class and were focused on waiting for what would happen next. You see, Professor Sprout was usually gentle and mild-mannered, and her teaching style was relaxed and pleasant. She was kind and tolerant and rarely showed a serious expression. But today, she was tense and solemn throughout the entire class, and every word and action of hers showed extreme rigor and vigilance.

The professor's demeanor subtly influenced all the students present. The previously whispering crowd fell completely silent, the entire room was deathly quiet, and everyone held their breath, not daring to make the slightest sound, for fear of interfering with the demonstration or missing crucial details.

Puni, standing in the crowd, also entered observation mode. He cleared his mind of distractions and focused on investigating the magical flow of the two vines, trying to distinguish the difference between the disguise and the real from the root. Under the vision of magical perception, the two vines with extremely similar appearances finally revealed subtle differences. The magical flow framework of the two was roughly similar, both showing the net-like magical circuit unique to vine plants. However, the magical trajectory of the Devil's Net was darker and more compact. However, its overall outline highly overlapped with the Crab Claw Vine, which was enough to perfectly deceive the naked eye.

At the same time, Professor Sprout raised his wand and quietly cast a spell on a blank parchment on the table. A simple transmutation spell was cast, and the flat parchment was quickly shaped and reconstructed, instantly transforming into a lifelike small sheepdog with all four limbs intact and agile in form, landing steadily on the ground.

"Move forward."

With a soft command from the professor, the transformed sheepdog moved steadily forward, slowly approaching the black box containing the devil's net.

Throughout the entire process, the Devil's Web maintained a docile and harmless demeanor, its verdant branches swaying gently without any unusual movement, creating a peaceful illusion and perfectly illustrating the ultimate calm before danger.

The students present silently estimated the distance in their minds, watching the sheepdog approach the target step by step.

Twelve feet, eleven feet, ten feet... The distance kept getting shorter, and everyone's nerves tightened, their eyes fixed on the seemingly harmless vine.

When the sheepdog stepped into a space less than a meter from the box, the peaceful scene was suddenly shattered. The originally bright and clear emerald green vines instantly turned dark and changed color, completely transforming into a heavy and deep dark green. Countless tiny branches stretched out, intertwined, and wrapped around the dog at lightning speed, instantly weaving a dense and tight giant net that suddenly shot out with great force and precisely wrapped around the entire sheepdog.

The moment the binding took shape, the vine net began to tighten inward at a steady pace. The immense binding force layered upon layer, constantly squeezing, binding, and crushing the sheepdog's body. Accompanied by subtle sounds of magic breaking, the transformed sheepdog form rapidly disintegrated, its body gradually being crushed and dissolved. In just a few seconds, it completely lost its physical form, reverting to ordinary parchment fragments scattered at the bottom of the box.

To allow the students to clearly see the magical changes and physical anomalies of the Devil's Web throughout its entire process, Professor Sprout immediately raised his wand and aimed it at the dangerous vines in the box.

"Fluorescent flash!"

A bright white light instantly enveloped the entire Devil's Web, illuminating its constantly shrinking vines, flowing dark magic, and taut branches, allowing all students to clearly and completely see the entire hunting mechanism and true form of this dangerous plant.

A bright white light, shimmering with fluorescence, remained steadily fixed at the tip of the wand. Professor Sprout precisely controlled the intensity of the magical output, stretching and extending the point light source into a wide and flat field of light.

This pure, luminous magic spread out layer by layer, forming a solid barrier of light that enveloped the wooden box, firmly suppressing the restless demonic net.

The dark green vines, which had been stretching wildly and entwining wantonly, quickly restrained their aggression under the suppression of the power of light. Their branches rapidly retracted and curled up obediently, being steadily forced back into the black sealed incubation box, no longer daring to make the slightest move.

After witnessing the entire process of the devil's net suddenly attacking and tearing the parchment to shreds, all the students present froze on the spot, their expressions filled with astonishment and shock.

Many people's pupils constricted, their bodies tensed, their minds still lingering on the image of the gentle vines suddenly transforming into deadly weapons. They were unable to calm their emotions for a moment, and the greenhouse was completely silent.

After confirming that the dangerous plant had been completely contained and the site was safe, Professor Sprout finally relaxed, her familiar cheerful smile returning to her face. This instantly dispelled the heavy and oppressive atmosphere in the classroom. She picked up a fragment of parchment from the ground, held it in her hand, and gently shook it, lightly reassuring the students: "Don't be too nervous, everyone. Today's demonstration was just a simulation. Our only 'victim' was just an ordinary piece of parchment. No one was harmed in the slightest."

Once everyone's breathing had gradually stabilized, their tense bodies had completely relaxed, and the astonishment on their faces had slowly faded, Professor Sprout cleared his throat and resumed his rigorous teaching style, continuing to advance the lesson content.

"You should all have a deep understanding of this now." She glanced across the room and solemnly reviewed the demonstration. "What I emphasized earlier was no exaggeration. The Devil's Web's mimicry ability is extremely deceptive, its nature is cunning, and its hidden destructive power should not be underestimated. It is a dangerous magical plant that poses a great threat."

After a brief pause, she added more crucial practical knowledge to enhance the students' understanding: "The strangulation and binding power of these vines is extremely strong. Even giants with strong bodies and outstanding defenses will be continuously squeezed and severely injured once they are completely entangled and wrapped around them, eventually losing their ability to move or even dying. However, its weakness is very clear, and it is also very easy to use sufficient temperature and bright light, which are the most effective means to restrain the Devil's Net, and can forcibly repel and suppress all its attacks."

"The basic fire-starting spell and various light-illuminating spells are basic magic that everyone has been exposed to in the early grades."