A first-year Gryffindor raised his hand and asked curiously, "Professor Harls, why are you able to summon lightning? Is this some sort of spell?"
"Well, call it my self-created charm…" Ivan said vaguely.
Hearing that it was some sort of self-invented spell, the young wizards became interested and asked if they had learned such a magical spell in class.
Of course not… Ivan thought to himself. The ability to control astronomical phenomena was so powerful that it could be said to be beyond the realm of normal magic. Other wizards would never be able to master it in their entire lives.
However, as a qualified professor, Ivan would not be so harsh with his words. He tactfully stated that if one wanted to master this spell, one would need to have a very advanced knowledge of magic. Otherwise, it would be easy to hurt oneself if one were to practice recklessly.
"If you listen carefully and work hard enough over the years, you will one day be able to perform such a powerful spell," Ivan said, looking at the crowd encouragingly.
The young wizard who had asked the question turned red in the face, as if he had fallen into a fantasy.
Ivan, on the other hand, was troubled by the endless questions of the other young wizards. Fortunately, class was about to start, so he quickly changed his mind and urged everyone to hurry to the classroom. Otherwise, they would all be late.
After the students in the Great Hall dispersed, Ivan hurriedly ate a few desserts and then took his lesson materials to class.
In an attempt to save time, Ivan lavishly used his phoenix blood to circumvent the anti-Phantom Displacement restriction and, before the bell rang, transformed into a ball of fire and descended upon the classroom, causing another round of exclamations.
When classes really started, Ivan soon found out that it wasn't all bad.
At least for today's lesson, the young wizards were all 120% enthusiastic, as if they were on steroids. He didn't even have to remind them to take notes during the lesson.
If every class could be taught with such care, Ivan had no doubt that this year's Junior Wizards of Hogwarts would be the best in the whole!
However, Ivan also knew that hard work was temporary for the average person, and that it was normal for people to return to their lazy ways after the Christmas holidays.
The only thing he could do was teach the students while they were still interested in learning.
The morning passed in the blink of an eye, and when class was about to end, Ivan suddenly remembered the after-school tasks he had given Harry and the others a few weeks ago, and began to test their non-curse-casting skills.
After a month of study, the sixth year students had begun to grasp the basics of Obscurus, although the degree of use varied.
Those who were quick learners like Harry and Malfoy were able to cast a basic spell in an instant, while Neville, Edgecombe, and the others had to repeat the spell over and over in their minds for a second or two before it could be successfully cast, making it very easy to slip up in battle.
There was still a long way to go before Ivan could cast a spell so effortlessly, but the young wizards were content.
To be able to cast magic without a spell, they had never even dared to think about it before!
Of all the students, the one who surprised Ivan the most was Hermione, who managed to master the skill of wand-less magic without anyone noticing.
After a moment of surprise, Ivan took the lead in applauding and shouting, "Miss Granger did a great job, successfully casting a wandless spell, which was an amazing improvement, thirty points more for Gryffindor!"
All of the young wizards turned to look at Hermione with envy, anticipating the day when they would be able to cast spells without their wands.
The morning classes were soon over with Ivan's comments, and by the time they left the classroom, the students were still discussing the contents of the class. Having mastered new magical techniques, everyone was looking forward to the duel lesson on Friday.
"Professor Harls…"
As Ivan gathered his schoolbooks and prepared to leave, he heard a familiar voice behind him, and when he turned around, he saw that Hermione had not left with the others.
"Don't be such a stranger after class, Hermione…or is there something Miss Granger doesn't understand that she needs from me, as a professor?" Yvonne teased.
The little witch stuck out her tongue and then said charmingly, "So how was my lesson, Professor Hales?"
"Excellent. You're a quicker learner than I am, so there's no doubt about who will win duelling class on Friday," Yvonne replied with a smile.
"Does this mean I can apply for graduation this year?" Hermione asked, not caring about Ivan's praise.
"Isn't it good to study at Hogwarts? Everyone's here…" Ivan was taken aback.
"But you're quitting next year, aren't you?" Hermione pursed her lips, looking sulky.
While she was celebrating Ivan's appointment as President of the League of Nations in the morning, after a long morning of cooling off, she suddenly realised that Ivan would not be able to hold both jobs, and would not be able to teach in school if he had to fight Grindelwald.
"Well… we haven't decided yet, but I guess so," Ivan said sheepishly.
Plans always fall short of plans. When he defeated Lord Voldemort, he thought that the wizarding world was no longer a threat and that he could relax at Hogwarts and study magic. He did not expect Grindelwald to jump in and start a war. He had to intervene.
"Then there's no need for me to stay any longer. I've seen all the sixth and seventh years, so I'm sure I can pass the N.E.W.T. without a problem," Hermione said confidently.
Over the past few years, with Ivan's help, she has progressed at a much faster pace than any other witch or wizard her age, having learnt how to cast spells without a wand from the notes Ivan had given her.
"I can fight too!" Hermione said firmly.
Yvonne felt the little witch's determination, but shook her head. "It's not enough, Hermione!"
"A real fight is not a brawl in a duelling class, nor is it over. As you will have read in the Daily Prophet, Grindelwald is not a fight that most wizards can hope to take on. The Saints are just as ruthless, and the Unforgivable Curses are as easy to use as eating and drinking."
"I don't want you to take any risks, Hermione!"
Ivan looked at the witch and said solemnly, "Your safety is always of the utmost importance!"