My second class with the 3rd year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins went in a similar manner to the first years.
Had a little reintroduction, something not really needed since all of them remembered me anyway and I had helped a good number of them on the past. This let me jump into lessons with relative ease.
Although I couldn't work on their physical aspects due to not having a double class with them, I was able to go through a good amount of review over their material for the last two years and get a good idea on what to work on.
Most kids could cast spells relatively well and knew some solid enough information about creatures and curses. These kids did have the two best teachers Hogwarts had for the subject in years as their openers after all. The problem came with each teachers preferences when it comes down to it. The information they have is solid, but it is limited to 1st year dark creatures and basic defense spells, then second year curses and counter-curses. This resulted in the kids having skewed knowledge about their prior years. Still better than those who learnt fuck-all under Quirrell and Lockhart, but it needs work just like pretty much all students taking my classes. Hence my goal being to consolidate their knowledge while filling the gaps as best I can for the first few months, then jumping into the newer and more interesting stuff.
Might be boring, but they need this more. Doesn't mean I won't do what I can to make it more fun though.
In the end, the kids listened well enough as I smoothly explained various pieces of information about a few creatures they hadn't had the chance to learn about last year and common methods to defeat/trap them.
I let them go after giving out a bit of homework, this time it was to choose one creature from a list I presented and devise a creative way for themselves to either kill or escape them. A bit of research and thought exercise instead of just telling them to write me a foot of parchment about so and so. Much better to get information into a child's brain this way I believe.
After class it was time for lunch.
Most teachers either had lunch in their offices to be able to grade papers, have meetings with students or have a moments peace, or they need to patrol and make sure students are following the rules. Typical set up for something like a boarding school, except that the grounds are way too large to effectively cover with the few teachers available. Especially since we have to eat too.
My thoughts were disrupted however by a small group approaching me.
"Hey Professor, how were your first classes?" A cheeky sounding Harry asked with a smile on his face.
"Yeah, I heard you made the first years dodge for their lives or something." Ron chimed in as he looked rather curious.
"But they also said your vampire lesson was brilliant." Hermione added excitedly as her eyes were basically begging to get the same lesson.
"It's good to see the wrackspurts flying away from them." The giggly Luna said as she looked around the younger kids.
"Glad to see things starting off on the right foot. And thanks for saying Professor, have to maintain the authority and all that. Also, congrats on becoming prefects Hermione and you too Harry.
As for the questions and/or comments: hasn't been bad so far, yes I made those kids dodge, fifth years will have a different lesson, and I'm quite happy my homework is getting kids excited instead of dreadful." I replied with a smile.
Dumbledore didn't have to give Ron the Prefect position this time around since he's already become very secure himself, letting Harry gain some experience in authority instead.
"Thank you Professor, but why are you doing it with dodgeballs? Dodgeball is a very muggle thing, so why are you making the first years do that?" The curious Hermione asked as she tried to wrack her brain around it.
"Better to learn to dodge with a ball than a curse. Those kids can't cast shielding charms yet, so I'll teach them the best possible defense for any attack: not being there." I proudly answered with a smirk.
"Prof's right Mione, can't hurt what you can't hit. Pretty basic lesson in the club." Ron said in agreement.
"I guess that is true." She said as she had a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Oh, before I forget. Ron, could you give a few things back to your brothers?" I asked him as I suddenly remembered something.
"Sure, what are they?" He asked in a bit of confusion.
"This canary cream they tried to put in my lunch, this dung bomb they rigged to my classroom door, this self-propelling Custard pie which tried to hit me when I was walking here, these puking pastilles they tried to drop in my drink and this ton-tongue toffee they thought I wouldn't identify after they changed its outward appearance." I listed off as I handed Ron the prank items from my expanded bag.
"They tried to prank you that many times already?!" A shocked Hermione almost squealed aloud.
"Unfortunately for the twins, they now have to deal with a slight hair situation and cannot come to pick up their products. I really appreciate your help Ron." I innocently say as I ignore the outburst, getting Luna to giggle in amusement and Harry to chuckle.
"Yeah, no problem." The redhead numbly said as he stated at the products in his hands.
"Professor, could you help me to send Christian something? It's been difficult getting through the Imblystrons the owls have caught." Luna suddenly said, getting weird looks from Hermione and Ron while Harry is just wryly smiling at the girl.
"No problem Luna. Always a pleasure to help a girl such as yourself." I answered with a warm smile as she hands me her package.
"Thank you~." She happily said before skipping away while humming.
'I still like that girl. Such a free spirit.' I thought as I returned my attention to the trio.
"Alright then, I'll see you three for my class later. There will be a physical aspect since you have a double class, so prepare yourself mentally Hermione. And if you two need any advice on being prefects then you can always come to me." I said to the trio as I finished my lunch.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked out of curiosity.
"Gonna send this package and tease a friend a bit." I answered with a sly smile, making the teen shake his head a bit in response as I stood up and walked away.
After lunch itself, I had a free period which meant it was time for a bit of paperwork. Don't want to have to do that at home when I can be with Tory after all.
Then came time for my class with fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins.
My influence has made subtle changes everywhere in Hogwarts, and one of those would be the relationship between houses. The interactions students can get through the Exchange or the Dueling club are very helpful in that regard. So instead of the hostile relationship lions and snakes had in the canon, now it's closer to a rivalry. There's also been a sharp decrease of open harassment as a result. Can't do anything about what is discussed in private, but at least Slytherin students aren't calling people Mudblood in public anymore.
And now, I am watching them all slowly trickle into my classroom, looking rather eager. I'm guessing they are excited for me to teach since they know I am both qualified and capable. Most of these kids were present when I was basically teaching Defense instead of Lockhart, making things easier for me.
"Good to see so many familiar faces. I'm pretty sure you all remember me, but just in case you somehow got obliviated to oblivion during this summer, I am Aedan Bones, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor." I said with a lighthearted tone as I got some chuckles from students.
Before I could continue, I heard the classroom door open and then a small cough.
"Hem-hem, I am sorry if I interrupted your class." The pink abomination said as she walked in with her goddamn clipboard.
"What can I do for you Miss Umbridge? I was about to begin informing everyone on the general layout for this year. It is important for them since they will be undertaking their OWL's." I politely asked with a completely neutral face and tone.
"Oh nothing serious dear. I am just here to see how you will be teaching. And it is High Inquisitor Umbridge." She corrected with that annoying voice.
"Alright then MISS Umbridge. There are a few extra chairs to your left if you wish to sit down." I replied with an emphasis on me not giving a shit about her title. Politely of course.
That got her face to twitch in dissatisfaction as she found a seat.
"Now, like I said, everyone here knows your OWL's will be coming up at the end of the year and that they can dictate many of your options in future.
Almost all Ministry positions will require certain results from your OWL's and NEWT's, and even various professions will look at these results to determine wether you are worth hiring.
If you want to work in creature reserves, your CoMC and Herbology will be looked at heavily. Enchanters need excellent Charms and Ancient Runes grades. Healers requires Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms and this very course." I systematically explained as I tried to impart a clearer image of why these tests are important.
Teachers always talk about how important these tests are, but they forget to tell students why they will be useful.
"But even if your dream future does not strictly need DADA, I would recommend you at least study up to your OWL's seriously. There are many dark things Magic can be used for. It can curse, poison, kill, harm, cause suffering, and even damn you. There are creatures and beings who still prey on wizards and muggles alike to survive.
Without being ready for these, one can easily fall to them. But it does not take a Dark Lord or Dementor to kill you. All it could take is a single desperate person who needs to feed themselves, got threatened, is an addict, fell in with the wrong crowd, or even mistakes you for someone else. That person could even be some random muggle mugger who got a lucky stab in before you could notice.
This is why I will do my best to train you to be aware, to be knowledgeable, and to be ready for the fact that life will always have risks because that is even truer in our world." I seriously explained to all of them.
This might be a bit heavy, but it is something they need to come to terms with. The world isn't sunshine and rainbows, these kids can feel that things are changing, with a good number knowing what is actually happening. So I will lay things out for them right here, with brutal honesty and then help them improve from there.
I look at each student, and I see a new fire I many of their eyes. Harry's is burning to the extreme due to his fate, Ron is next to him with a determined look, Hermione has some hesitation in her since she truly isn't ready for real fights yet, I then look at Draco but the teen is kind of a mess due to having Voldemort living in his home and his mother leaving it, Crabbe and Goyle might be too slow to realize what just happened, but Daphne Greengrass's cold expression could not contain her burning spirit.
"Professor Bones." The stomach cleanser then interrupted, making most look back as they snapped out of the thoughts I had intentionally given them.
"I do not know why you are trying to scare these children, especially when you are so young yourself. There is nothing out there and no one coming after them. So why are you saying they need to learn to fight?" She asked, saying some of the stupidest nonsense I've heard in some time.
"What do you mean 'nothing out there'? There's plenty out there which could harm us." Harry countered before I could say anything.
'I guess she rubs him up the wrong way too. Maybe a bit too much though.' I thought as I watched on.
"Nonsense child. What could possibly want to harm children such as yourselves?" She asked with an incredulous look as she seemed to almost be taunting him, which she actually was.
"I dunno, maybe Voldemort." He then replied with a lot of snark.
"Detention Mister Potter! For spouting such lies!" She then yelled out as the class murmured from the exchange.
"I believe that is quite enough Miss Umbridge. I gave you permission to observe my class, not interrupt and you certainly do not hold the authority to give any student any punishment, much less during my class." I spoke out with a tone of absolute authority as I let some of my Magic bear down onto her, making her gasp under the pressure almost immediately.
"And Harry, while I appreciate your passion and will, I am more than capable of defending myself." I then said to the teen, making him sheepishly nod as he realizes he didn't really need to 'come to my rescue'.
"You-you cannot speak to me like this, I am the High Inquisitor. And you cannot ignore the will of the Ministry." She managed to say as the pressure I exuded abated when I talked to Harry.
"And why in the world should I give a damn about what the ministry is saying as long as I am following all the rules Hogwarts has? This is an independent educational facility. The only governing body overlooking Hogwarts is the Board of Governors, which I am a member of. So why exactly should I listen to you?" I challenged as I stood before my class.
"I represent Minister Cornelius Fudge Himself! To disregard me is to disregard the will of the Ministry! Do you think a measly Professor has the right to stand against that!?" She responded as her voice changed to her barely contained fury.
"Ha! You represent the Ministry? That's the biggest joke I've ever heard!
You are a pariah in every circle, hated and avoided by every department head, the Wizengamot members finds you so hateful that even the supposed dark families distance themselves from you and I've seen the records of all the laws you've tried to introduce being shot down.
And as for myself, 'a measly Professor', I am one of the people who permitted the Ministry to send someone to observe Hogwarts because I believe we should be doing our best at every level to help children grow into their best selves.
But who do they send? Some delusional toad, thinking herself powerful when she is only a glorified secretary. Someone so completely inept that she has to lie and threaten her way into even that position." I reply with thinly veiled disgust towards her.
"How dare you! You're nothing but a half-blood child! I will have you removed from this castle!" She now shrieked at me, losing any shred of self control.
"Oh please you pink hag. I could have you removed from your post by simply showing how utterly inept you are and how you can't properly do your duties because you are simply too stupid to do so." I countered and looked at her with clear mockery in my eyes.
"You-you-you" She repeated as her face turned red from rage and embarrassment.
"Me what? Shall I prove my point? Let's go over your grades and see exactly what subject you are capable of judging when compared to the certified masters at Hogwarts.
-Charms: Exceeds Expectations
-Potions: Troll
-Transfiguration: Acceptable
-Astronomy: Poor
-History of Magic: Acceptable
-Herbology: Exceeds Expectations
-Defense Against the Dark Arts: Troll
-Ancient Runes: Acceptable
-Arithmancy: Poor
And with these OWL results you could barely get into a few NEWT level classes. Only getting three. And even then, your results were lackluster to say the least.
-Charms: Acceptable
-Herbology: Acceptable
-Ancient Runes: Poor
(All these grades were made up, but I did my best to make her be capable of actually doing what she did in canon, while having fun with the subjects she showed ineptitude in.)
Now I am done paying any more attention to you. I have a class to teach and I have actual qualifications to do it. So either you leave or I throw you out for disrupting." I said as I concluded the destruction of her reputation in the eyes of most students.
She couldn't even speak due to the utter humiliation she felt from being exposed like this. The toad left before she exploded even further or simply vomited blood in anger.
'I just love when one action can fill more than one purpose.' I thought in response to her departure.
What I meant was that I knew she would react negatively to my speech on the dangers of the world. I knew she would challenge me as soon as she walked into the room. So I baited her into a battlefield she had absolutely no hope of defeating me in. The result were humiliation, news of her 'achievements' while she was at Hogwarts spreading within the day, and a now incredibly unstable Umbitch who will have a drastically increased desire for power within Hogwarts.
Coincidentally enough, my class got very enthusiastic about my lesson after that, even when it came to the physical side of things the pureblooded Slytherins participated without complaining.
The lesson itself was similar to the Third years, a review and added information on prior years. Then organized 3-on-3 spars to get students used to teamwork, combat and on the spot decision making since they were fifth years. That resulted in the Golden trio getting a good amount of wins through Harry and Ron's superior combat skills, but they were having to do more to compensate for Hermione.
(I don't hate Hermione, just saying that before she starts getting into life and death conflicts with Death Eaters, she isn't someone suited for combat.)
Then, to the good news for everyone, it was time for dinner.
With a quick clean up and change of clothes, everyone started heading to the Great Hall for food with a lot of new gossip to share.
I simply packed my things, locked my classroom up properly (warded up the wazoo), then headed out with a smile on my face over a good first day and the thought of spending time with my wifey.