The flickering candlelight cast wavering shadows across Hermione's pensive features as she blinked her large, cinnamon-hued eyes thoughtfully, her brow furrowing slightly. However, she wasn't particularly surprised by the professor's words. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. Hagrid would occasionally leave Hogwarts on business, and Professor Dumbledore frequently left Hogwarts as well to handle his own affairs.
Hermione's gaze drifted towards the corner of Professor Watson's desk, where a thick, haphazard stack of unopened letters lay, their envelopes adorned with intricate wax seals and elegant calligraphy. One could guess as to the numerous academic conferences or high-end meetings to which the professor was regularly invited.
'But teaching assistants—'
Hermione's train of thought was interrupted by the sight of Neville fidgeting uneasily in his seat, his fingers twisting anxiously in his lap. Instinctively, his wide, earnest eyes sought out Hermione's, hoping to get a hint as to how to proceed, but Hermione also looked bewildered.
If it were Charms or Transfiguration class, Hermione felt confident she could handle it. In fact, she would be overjoyed, as it would represent the professor's recognition of her abilities. But Professor Watson's physical education class... Hermione was puzzled. What could she do?
In stark contrast, Luna's expression remained one of calm indifference, as though the prospect of participation or non-participation held no particular significance for her. Her large, silvery-grey eyes showed a distant, dreamy quality, as if her mind had already wandered to realms unseen by eyes.
"What's the matter, you're not happy about it?" Bryan raised an inquisitive eyebrow, though his face remained calm and wasn't particularly stern.
Hermione hesitated for a moment before nervously saying, "Professor Watson, could you tell me why you chose us? What I mean is, we're not the best students, are we? Currently, the top performer is Cedric. Oh, and Harry and Malfoy are doing well too."
"Temporary victories or losses are not my main concern," Bryan shook his head calmly, his voice resonating with a measured certainty. "Of course, I do need to explain to you. First, Mr. Longbottom—"
Bryan's gaze shifted towards Neville, taking in the sight of the young man clenching his fists nervously, his knuckles whitening with the intensity of his grip. A gentle, reassuring smile curved Bryan's lips, making his expression more mellow and gentle.
"Don't be nervous, Mr. Longbottom. Hmm, I chose you because of your outstanding talent. Talent comes in many forms. For instance, due to an intelligent mind, focused on studying, and a reverence and thirst for knowledge, Miss Granger excels academically. Similarly, Harry became the youngest Seeker in a century thanks to his sharp reflexes and physical balance.
"As for you, Mr. Longbottom, your magical talents are lacking, but in terms of physical abilities, you may even surpass Harry. It's just that certain weaknesses in your personality have overshadowed your exceptional qualities, only allowing them to be revealed under specific circumstances."
Neville blinked rapidly, his eyes widening in bewilderment, as if struggling to comprehend the implications of Professor Watson's words.
Hermione, however, understood the essence of the statement, yet remained unconvinced, her skepticism evident in the purse of her lips and the subtle narrowing of her eyes.
Professor Watson probably meant that Neville's timid personality prevented him from showcasing his courage, overshadowing his innate strengths. But so what? Those Muggle athletes, though undoubtedly possessing exceptional talents, could never hope to become outstanding wizards, their abilities rendered moot in the arcane realm of magic.
Seemingly aware of Hermione's lingering doubts, Professor Watson pursed his lips contemplatively before continuing his explanation.
"Godric Gryffindor, the founder of Gryffindor House, was himself a valiant warrior. He seamlessly integrated the ancient magical arts with the combat techniques of the Muggle knights, forging a synthesis and used them to defeat many formidable opponents of that era. Mr. Longbottom—"
Bryan paused, his penetrating gaze turning towards the somewhat startled Neville. "At least in terms of combat skills, I believe you have the innate talent to develop in that direction. Moreover, this will serve as an exercise for you to shed your reserve and reveal your true self more fully."
The significance of Professor Watson's words hung heavily in the air. If word of his belief in Neville's potential to follow the legendary Godric Gryffindor's footsteps were to spread, then poor Neville would undoubtedly face no small amount of ridicule and skepticism. But this was Professor Watson. He wouldn't joke about such things!
Hermione turned her head slowly, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and newfound wonder as she stared at Neville's round, flustered face. It was as if she were truly seeing him for the first time.
"As for you, Miss Granger, I've already mentioned your strengths," Professor Watson nodded towards Hermione. "But I missed one crucial point. Maintaining order and ensuring faithfulness to the rules is an extremely rare ability. After I leave, I can foresee some young wizards slacking off or even causing some trouble. For this reason, I need someone with an unwavering sense of discipline and authority to maintain control within the classroom. For this, I will grant you certain powers akin to those of a prefect. You will have the ability to deduct points from or assign detentions to unruly young wizards, and Argus will cooperate fully with you in enforcing these measures."
Typically, it was not until their fifth year at Hogwarts that outstanding students, possessing both academic excellence and exemplary character, were selected to serve as prefects – a position granting them a measure of professorial authority. Hermione had never heard of a professor giving such significant power to a third-year student!
With great power, however, came an equal measure of responsibility.
In an instant, Hermione's mind raced, envisioning which students might be tempted to slack off or cause disruptions during the training sessions. Would she truly be capable of exerting control over them, of enforcing the rules with an iron fist?
Even as Hermione grappled with this weighty question, another doubt crept into the forefront of her mind.
'Why, pray tell, had Professor Watson recruited Luna for this?'
Luna was a second-year student, 'specially recruited' by Professor Watson alongside Ginny for the physical education class. While Ginny's inclusion was understandable, as she ranked among the top performers in the current PE class, Luna's performance had been utterly lackluster, her ranking always near the very bottom of the students.
In fact, whenever Luna took to the field for training sessions, her focus seemed to wander. Before she could even attempt to dodge the first few projectiles, her gaze would inexplicably drift, her eyes taking on that familiar, dreamy look as she stared into the air, oblivious to the relentless barrage of Dungbombs that would inevitably bombard her body, knocking her senseless and forcing her to withdraw.
"As for Miss Lovegood—" Bryan's gaze settled upon the seemingly daydreaming Luna, his expression uncharacteristically hesitant, "You still insist you can see those... those, er, strange little creatures?"
As if roused from a trance, Luna snapped to attention, swatting at her ears as if fending off an invisible swarm of buzzing flies. "They're everywhere!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with a mixture of wonder and exasperation.
Hermione and Neville had been dealing with Luna's eccentricities for quite some time and were all too familiar with her occasional bouts of oddity. Hermione quickly shot a furtive glance towards Professor Watson before turning back to the stubborn-looking Luna seated beside her.
"Don't be silly, Luna," Hermione said, her tone stern yet laced with a hint of resigned exasperation. "No one has ever heard of Wrackspurts or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. I specifically checked the library thoroughly, and there's not a shred of evidence to suggest—"
"They do exist!" Luna interrupted, her eyes flashing with uncharacteristic anger as her delicate features knotted into a stubborn expression. She gestured wildly with her hands, as if swatting at unseen forces. "There are numerous eyewitness reports from credible sources. Just because you can't see them yourself, you think they don't exist!"
As Luna got into a heated argument with the ever-rational Hermione right before his eyes, a contemplative look flickered across Bryan's face. His right hand moved subtly behind his back, the calloused pad of his middle finger pressing firmly against the tip of his thumb.
Snap!
The sudden, sharp sound reverberated through the room, catching Hermione – in the midst of her valiant efforts to convince Luna to abandon her fanciful beliefs – off guard. She subconsciously turned her head towards Professor Watson, her eyes widening in surprise. But at that precise moment, a fierce gust of wind suddenly whipped through the steady drizzle outside, the powerful, inexplicable blast sweeping past the classroom windows and causing the glass panes to rattle discordantly in their frames!
"Whoa!"
While Hermione and Neville remained dazed, their senses momentarily overwhelmed, Luna reacted as if she had seen something incredible. In a flurry of motion, she leapt up onto the sofa, as her eyes widened in an expression of mingled fear and exhilaration.
Facing the bewildered gazes of her confused classmates, Luna raised a trembling finger, pointing it towards the window as her voice rang out, laced with equal parts of nervousness and breathless excitement. "Heliopath! A group of Heliopaths just ran by!"
"Wh—What's that?" Neville stammered, his shoulders instinctively hunching inward as if bracing for an unseen impact, his unease palpable.
"Massive, fire-breathing creatures that race across the land, burning everything in their path to ashes," Luna stated matter-of-factly, her tone that of a seasoned magizoologist lecturing on the habits of a particularly fearsome species. "But I didn't expect them to fly!"
Hermione's lips were pursed into a thin, pale line, her expression comical in its inability to conceal her utter skepticism at Luna's latest fantastical claim.
'Just as I thought—' Bryan nodded inwardly, a look of understanding dawning upon his features.
Luna Lovegood—this young girl's keen perception of magic had reached the point of being able to 'manifest' it. For many years, she was the first witch Bryan had encountered whose sensitivity to magic was higher than his own.
"I have something here—"
Professor Watson strode back towards his desk, pulling open a drawer to retrieve a brand-new notebook. He then returned to the sofa and handed the notebook to Luna.
"It teaches how to 'see' Wrackspurts, among other creatures."
As Luna's wide, silvery eyes met his, shining with a close sense of wonder and recognition, Professor Watson's smile broadened slightly.
"If you're interested, you can study it first, Miss Lovegood."
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