"¡That was really well done!" Lupin exclaimed, impressed by Hermione's levitation spell. With so many students previously in panic and disarray, Hermione's performance stood out even more.
Without hesitation, he awarded Ravenclaw five points.
"Don't get nervous, face it calmly! Just like Miss Granger," Lupin applauded as he spoke loudly to the young wizards. However, it didn't have much effect.
It was like having a difficult problem and repeating over and over, "read the instructions carefully, analyze calmly," and "some students in the class have already solved it." So will the students who don't know how to do it suddenly have a moment of enlightenment? That's impossible!
So the young wizards in the class would still be defeated by the Kappa. However, it wasn't a total defeat, as some students managed to react before being knocked down. Even a Hufflepuff girl named Hannah discreetly stunned the Kappa with a clean and precise Stunning Spell.
This made Tom and Lupin feel relieved. One felt that his work from the previous year had not been in vain, while the other thought that his students were not a complete failure yet.
Soon, the young wizards entered the swamp one after another. As there was still some time left before the end of class, Lupin had the young wizards who had been defeated before line up and enter again.
This time, their performance was better. They were no longer standing there getting hit foolishly. Although they couldn't defeat the Kappa, they could face it and scare it for a while.
When the class ended, each young wizard showed a clear improvement. At least, they had strengthened their psychological resilience.
Lupin's teaching level was still very good, much better than Tom's, who was only an amateur. Lupin's teaching ability, combined with his experience in Dumbledore's army, made him equal to Tom overall.
The young wizards constantly praised Professor Lupin's classes.
"The class was amazing! Did you see how the Kappa emerged from the water? It was so agile!"
"No, I only saw you fall into the water resolutely. The splashes were small. Maybe you have a talent for diving..."
"Diving?"
"I really want to have another class with Professor Lupin. What kind of new things do you think he will do?"
"But all the classes are about magical creatures. It feels repetitive compared to Professor Newt's classes, doesn't it?"
...
The young wizards chatted animatedly, like a group of chattering sparrows.
Lupin listened to all these words, and as he saw this lively and vivacious group of young wizards, he couldn't help but wear an "auntie's smile" as he remembered his student days.
At that time, he was also lively, cheeky, and full of energy, just like these children. In fact, that was quite rare because most werewolves spent their childhood amidst discrimination and wandering. If Lupin hadn't met Dumbledore and his friends, he probably wouldn't have escaped that fate.
The seven years at Hogwarts were the happiest, most joyful, and peaceful days of his life. And in these recent times, it seemed like he had returned to his student days, enjoying carefree feasts and friendly looks.
A full stomach, no discrimination, and a worry-free life were like a dream for a werewolf.
He got a little distracted.
At that moment, he noticed that Tom Yodel had already packed his things and was preparing to leave. He remembered that he still had something important to do, so he said to Tom, "Tom, wait a moment."
Tom was about to leave when Professor Lupin called him.
"Do you have time to come to my office?" Lupin asked Tom in a negotiating tone. Hermione, standing beside Tom, changed her expression and gestured for Tom to decline Lupin's invitation.
"Of course." Tom was also intrigued by what Lupin had in mind, so he acted as if he hadn't noticed Hermione's signals and accepted immediately.
"That's great." After receiving an affirmative answer, Lupin sighed in relief. He quickly captured the Kappa in a container of water and then led Tom to his office.
Hermione, who was behind them, was stunned. Tom completely ignored the signals she was sending him, which was unexpected to her. After thinking for a moment, she finally stomped her foot on the ground and followed them silently.
Lupin led Tom into his office. Tom curiously examined the room, which wasn't much different from when he was there, except for some additional boxes. A large container of water in the corner of the room was especially conspicuous.
"I've always wanted to have a Grindylow, but for now, I have no leads." Lupin controlled the container of water in his hands and gently placed it on the floor as he spoke to Tom.
"After you've had contact with Kappas, dealing with Grindylows shouldn't be a problem for you." Lupin closed the office door as he spoke.
"Tom, today I invited you here because I have something to ask of you..."
A knock on the door interrupted the conversation. Lupin turned to the door and opened it, surprised to find Hermione standing outside, slightly out of breath.
"Miss Granger, what can I do for you?" Lupin was a little confused.
"Well... Hmm..." Hermione became a bit nervous and pulled out an essay from her backpack. "Professor Lupin, Professor Snape said this essay is very poorly written. I would like you to take a look and help me improve it."
This excuse was a bit far-fetched, but as an improvised reason, it seemed plausible.
Hermione's true purpose in approaching Lupin, of course, was to worry about Tom's safety. After the werewolf class, she began to doubt Professor Lupin's identity, especially because his absence coincided with the full moon, fueling her imagination even more.
However, Hermione still trusted Dumbledore. If Dumbledore was willing to hire Professor Lupin, it meant he was someone trustworthy. But today, Professor Lupin would be alone in a room with Tom, which worried Hermione.
Although she trusted him, she didn't want to leave Tom alone in a room with a werewolf.
Tom, of course, understood Hermione's true intention but decided to play dumb. There was no need to expose Lupin's identity. Why not play dumb together?
Lupin sighed and took the essay to examine it carefully. He also understood the reason why Hermione had come. She could write such an excellent essay, but if she couldn't see through his identity, it only meant she had copied the essay from someone else.
But what else could Lupin do? He had to take it step by step. That was his way of thinking.
While Lupin read the essay, silence filled the office. Suddenly, Tom realized something. Well, a small office with a witch, a werewolf, and a Seer; it was like a live version of the game "Les Loups-Garous de Thiercelieux" (The Werewolves of Castronegro). If he called Hagrid, they could directly form a group of three: the Seer, the Hunter, and the Werewolf...
"You've written very well, there are just a few minor issues..." Professor Lupin quickly finished reading the essay and began to provide detailed feedback to Hermione.