It was a chapter long but it actually occurred quite quickly and since everyone is quite busy with their own tasks nobody really paid attention to the work of others, and thus failed to notice what had just occurred between the shocked professor Alric and the apathetic Viktor.
"Ahem... We will talk in my office after your class in the afternoon. You can read this in the meantime."
Professor Alric summoned another book in his hand and gave it to Viktor then walked away to continue guiding his other students. The class ended with everyone progressing through at least two or three tasks in the book earning the whole class a 'good work' praise from the professor.
Now he walked off to the next class while thinking...
'History is going to be boring right? I mean I already know what happened, or do I really? History is always written in the perspective of the winners after all and so not all events are accounted for. I guess we'll see.'
The room was not too far and students can be seen entering its antique wooden doors already. He was surprised, it was very different from what Viktor expected. The room is filled with marble vases. Literally. As in each chair is assigned with one vase. Viktor came closer and his eyebrows raised. Cloudy silver water and rune stones, don't tell me these are...
'Pensieve! There's so many!'
"Alright everyone please take a seat. I'll be taking a bit of your time. The name is Hiro Dattus, yes, I am part Japanese and no those things in front of you are not pensieves. Well they do have similar functions but, those things are are 'resievers' they are designed to project the same memory that is being used in the main 'transiever' which is here in front of me. OK let's just learn these things as we go. Let's take a dive everyone and explore the wonders of the past."
The students excitedly placed their face in the mouth of the resiever as their professor took a vial of memory from his bag and placed it on the transiever.
Inside a memory.
People wearing old European style clothing ran towards a house with torches and pitchforks. Yelling, cursing, and throwing whatever it was in their hands be it stone or fruit. Then a family of three are dragged outside their home, tied to a pole as they watch the people who were ones their neighbours burn their house claiming it to be cursed.
After the the house was burnt, it was the family's turn. Screams of pain, pleading, and anguish filled the twilight sky as the thunder clouds in the horizon screamed in tandem to the burning family as if it was grieving.
A woman's hands are tied behind her, slumped at a trapdoor of the gallows while people are throwing eggs and vegetables her way.
"Vanessa, do you confess of confiding with the devil and selling your soul in exchange for power?"
"I don't know which devil you are talking about. I healed a man who was at death's door and you accuse me of confiding with the devil? Are you out of your mind?"
The people grew quiet at her claim and began murmuring amongst themselves. Asking if what the woman called Vanessa is true.
"Firm your resolve my brethren for the devil will test your faith. Do not be blinded by the words of this..... This demon's SPAWN."
The priest quickly yelled seeing the change in the peoples behaviour. He pointed a handheld cross at Vanessa while muttering gibberish incantation which is obvious fake. Using his other hand he pulled a string connected to a contraption hidden in her clothes which is designed to drive a nail into her back.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."
Of course she screamed from the pain.
"Do you see.... Do you see how she reacts to the words and symbol of God!? Is the word of a person hated and abandoned by God something we can believe? Can you rest easy and sleep as she roam the streets eyeing your loved ones? Your wife? Your children!?"
The people grew agitated and afraid while they imagined what could happen. They screamed and hesitantly resumed throwing things towards the accused who looked like someone who lost her will as she slumped there motionless.
""""""""""""""""""Hang her!"""""""""""""""""""
""""""""""""""""""Burn her!""""""""""""""""""""
"Curse... you... all! May you and your children be damned to hell for your sons and the son of your sons will burn and die before your very eyes..."
She was hanged.... Then burnt....
Many similar scenes are shown and the students could only swallow their spit, clench their fist, gritt their teeth and some are simply thankful to not have been born in that era where wizards are hunted down by the muggles.
The scene changed.
It was like a meeting in the woods at night in front of a gigantic stone altar with strange markings.
"We must fight. We can't hide forever. Sooner or later we will be discovered and when that time comes I am not willing to burn or hanged like some sheep. We are better than this. We are blessed by the world itself. Why must we hide! Wizards! Witches! Are you willing to fight for a future for your sons? Your daughters? Your loved ones?"
Roarrrrrrrrr*
Boom*
A ball of fire swooshed and fell in front of the black haired, sharp eyed woman who looked to be the leader of the group.
"Stop this Morgana, there is a better way... We could...."
"Spare me the lecture Merlin there is no going back! We have tried your ways and lived like rats, hiding in burrows, starving, discriminated! It wouldn't work! You are dreaming when you thought that those muggles can rest in their homes knowing that there is someone in the world who could snuff their tiny little lives with a thought. It's just them or us now. Who lives will be up to fate! Now whose side are you on? Choose wisely..."
"Ha! You will fail Morgana. The four founders will not stand idle as you used your gifts for your own selfishness."
With that the man called Merlin disappeared.
"Ughh that fancy boy and his fancy school that's full of daydreamers... Come and stop us if you can... Man, to arms! They will kill every one of us! Now... We will slaughter every single one of them that we see! To WAR!!!"
It's a full blown war between the muggles and the wizards. Those who didn't wish to be implicated moved out or hid in secret places. Those who have been longing to shed some blood for revenge came out to kill.
Magical plague which only targeted the muggles cast by a wizard reaped many lives of man, women, and child irregardless of their sins. Collateral damage? No such thing! Death is normal in war as they say. There's only the strong in war, the smart, the capable, and the weak will cease to exist.
Muggles in retaliation became more fierce and killed everything that was remotely related to magic. Because they are on the weaker side, they used wave tactics to take down wizards using arrows and bows. They have, to some extent achieved quite the success albeit after paying many lives of their brethren.
Wizards are quite rare at the time, as it still is considering the population. No systematic education is implemented to train wizards, most of them are happy to seal their abilities and live normal lives with the muggles making most of the magical ones in this era quite weak and unable to fight to defend themselves. The only magic they know are accidentally produced.
War makes geniuses rise for both sides.
Amongst the magical ones, some who lived in seclusion to dedicate themselves with magical research joined Morgana's cause after seeing the damage done to their kind.
A genius named Kamma Tayane, became entitled as 'the creator of plagues'. Ironically, he was initially studying ways of medicine in the area of combating plagues and diseases to improve the life of the people, but when the people he wanted to save came to his door wanting to hang him for being suspected as a wizard, he killed them all in great sorrow.
"Well you have made a correct guess and a bad enemy."
Men trembled in fear at the mention of his name. His hands stained with so much blood and mounds of burning corpses are left in his wake.
Witch hunters are now a thing among muggles.
Killing a witch became some sort of sport that can fetch a hefty sum of coins. These men used advanced technology and clever tactics in combating the magical kind are very successful.
They specialise in laying traps and ambushes on traveling wizards or witches while avoiding direct confrontations where they are at a disadvantage.
Muggles banded together to crucify and kill the magicals.
The magicals congregated and burned muggles and their homes.
The hate continued.
Battles are fought.
Losing.
Winning.
It didn't really matter.
The war lasted for a long time and both the magicals and non-magicals suffered great losses in the hands of one another.
The scenes inside the memory changed once again showing a group of magical ones riding their broomsticks.
Morgana at the head of the group and Kamma beside her. One of his eyes is covered and his body is littered with injuries with varying degrees but his remaining right eye is still sharp and menacing.
They are battle ready.
One of the witch groups discovered what could possibly the main hideout of the hunters in the region the day before by letting an injured newb hunter 'escape' who then unknowingly led the group of witches to their hideout.
The coven acted fast and summoned all its allies from their lairs to participate in this one decisive battle that could very well decide the fate of the magicals and the non-magicals.
"Leave none alive!!!"
"Attack!!!!"
Spells flew through the air which killed many by surprise but alerted the other hunters. Repeating crossbows rained poisoned arrows on the flying witches killing a few with each volley.
Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar*
Boom*
"This has gone too far!!!"
Merlin appeared in the middle of battle. He looked visibly much older, his sideburns are now grayish white and his eyes deep, but the magic around him swirls like a hurricane.
"By the authority granted to the guardian of the world gates, proven by this ring, I Merlin Ambrosius banish thee who took part in the execution of magicals and non-magicals. Using war and hate to gain personal benifits. Causing unnecessary chaos and death in the realm. Begone! Begone from this realm and never return."
His words are filled with power, his magic drained rapidly while the fighting stopped watching their bodies vanish like fog touched by sunlight.
"Noooooooo..... Merlin you have no right to do this to us!!!!! I will be back!!!!!"
Morgana howled before she completely disappeared.
"I will live my life dedicate it to my kin. Let the muggle eyes be blind, their senses dulled, for magic as my kind will live far from the realms of muggle men may we be unknown for the years to come."
Merlin dedicated his life into gathering and instructing the magicals with secrecy from the muggles as his central stance marking an era where the world is split into two where the muggles lived not believing in anything magic related things.
The war is nigh.
Blood need not be shed.
Wives widowed.
Children orphaned.
It was a golden period for both sides.
"Alright class shows over I will see you again, if you have questions do not hesitate to go to the school library and read the book about the history of wizardkind. Questions addressed to me will be answered in our next meeting. Good bye."
The student are still dazed after what they saw. They didn't just read or watch history. They became a part of it by being there in person as it all happened taking them into a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Being there inside that memory is something no books could ever replace, no teacher could ever explain, and no tale could ever tell. It was meaningful learning. Some sort of inclusion.
The class ended with students thinking....
'Is this how Durmstrang operate? What the hell..... What more can we expect?'
"That was amazing! I think history is now my favourite class."
"Yeah that was..."
"Right? Who knew this..."
"Wait till I write about..."
The students declared loudly to their friends while they walked towards the dining hall for lunch. They who have not even seen a television is very vulnerable to this new type of attraction.
Viktor on the other hand walked absentmindedly as he looked at his right hand. Questions. Tons of questions filled his head.