The courses proceeded as usual, and in the following days, Tewell followed suit, teaching the remaining third and second years separately. Soon, the young wizards from both grades became as enthusiastic as if they were injected with chicken blood, developing a fervent interest in using magic for combat.
This enthusiasm spread to other grades; although they couldn't attend Professor Tewell's classes, they could learn from the second and third-year students! Consequently, the entire castle was filled with the atmosphere of battle. After class, students would wield their wands, practicing every spell, and occasionally someone would be knocked down by a seemingly random curse flying by.
As a result, the counter-curses for the Binding and Stunning spells became the most popular incantations in the castle, and the most proficient spells among the students.
Despite repeated warnings from the prefects, they couldn't stop it until the Weasley twins hit Professor Chirro on the back of his head. It was the first time the young wizards had seen Professor Chirro so angry. Normally timid, he harshly docked fifty points from Gryffindor and gave the twins two weeks of detention.
Upon a subtle reminder from Professor McGonagall, Tewell had to reiterate, in front of all students in the Great Hall, the rule against using magic in the corridors. Violators would face punishment in the form of ten difficult exams.
Of course, the professors knew that prohibition was meaningless; practicing magic was essential for wizards. After considering it, Dumbledore allowed students to practice magic in empty classrooms on each floor, equipped with many cushions and dummies.
Only the first-year wizards remained aloof. They hadn't even mastered the basics of magic, let alone combat. Even the simple transformation of a matchstick into a needle, taught in their first class, was beyond their grasp. They had yet to learn a single spell.
In their recent spell classes, they had only learned the basics of spellcasting gestures and the application of magical power. Being able to produce some light was considered a success.
But this was not what Tewell needed to worry about; he had another important matter to attend to.
In the evening, after dinner, Tewell bid farewell to the curious young wizards and walked along the path towards Hogsmeade. Only students in the third year and above could visit Hogsmeade on specific weekends. Being a professor now, he didn't have to worry about these rules anymore.
The September sky wasn't dark yet; it was twilight, his favorite time. At this hour, darkness was approaching, and the sun was casting its last rays, creating a poignant feeling. So instead of Apparating directly, Tewell strolled along the path, rare moments of relaxation for his body.
Hogsmeade was very close to Hogwarts, and before twilight passed, he arrived in the village. It was the only wizarding village in Britain, filled with cottages and shops with thatched roofs. The triangular roofs might confuse outsiders, but the shops inside were captivating. Even on a weekday, there were many tourists wandering around, and the joyful laughter of children could be heard, which lightened the atmosphere.
If he didn't have something to do, Tewell wouldn't mind spending some time here. Walking to the end of the road, he arrived at a shop named "Devis and Bans." The door was wide open, so Tewell walked in. Inside, several customers were browsing products, and the shopkeeper was attending to them. It seemed like business was good here.
Seeing that the shopkeeper was busy, Tewell casually browsed around. It was a magical equipment store that also sold some repair tools. They offered various magical props and devices, from large magic doors to small anti-Dementor spectacles, everything you could imagine. On the shelves were some transparent orbs slightly larger than fists, seemingly filled with gas and gently moving.
Tewell read the description below one of them aloud. "Memory Sphere: Squeeze it hard. If it remains unchanged, it means you haven't forgotten anything; if it suddenly turns red and shines, it means you've forgotten something. But be careful, if you forget what you've forgotten, this Memory Sphere can't help you."
A seemingly honest-looking man with glasses appeared beside him, wearing a standard courteous smile.
"I'm Bans, the manager of this shop," he pointed to the other side where another shopkeeper stood, "that's my brother Devis. We run this shop together."
Tewell glanced back and indeed they looked quite similar in stature and appearance, but Bans wore glasses and seemed to be more refined.
"Is this your first time here?" Bans asked curiously. With wizards being scarce, and Bans having good memory, if he had ever seen someone like Tewell before, he wouldn't forget.
"Yes, it's my first time in Hogsmeade as well," Tewell nodded faintly.
"Are you here with a specific need or just browsing around? If you're browsing, I can give you some guidance," Bans' smile became warmer. Another new customer wouldn't be a bad thing for the shop.
"I would like to commission a batch of props from you," Tewell took out a badge with a simple pattern on it, "similar to this one."
Bans eagerly took the badge and examined it carefully, emitting sounds of admiration from his mouth.
"It's not made of magical materials, yet it can carry such a complete Shield Charm, and a powerful one at that. Your expertise in this area seems very profound."
Tewell's face slightly reddened. He wasn't good at alchemy, and he had only completed this badge with the help of the Weasley twins by a lucky chance.
He cleared his throat, avoiding getting lost in unrealistic praise. "Ahem, can you make badges like this? I need a continuously stable effect, preferably with the ability to recharge with magic."
Magic recharging meant that after the magical item released its stored magic, it could continue to function by being infused with magic again. It was like the difference between disposable batteries and rechargeable ones.
Bans was suddenly in a dilemma. He furrowed his brows and continued to inspect the badge, even trying out its effects. Instantly, a significant portion of the magic inside diminished. It wasn't just because Tewell had stored less magic, but also because the Shield Charm released was exceptionally powerful, consuming even more magic.
Just then, the other shopkeeper, Devis, warmly bid farewell to the remaining customers and approached his brother who was studying the badge intently.
However, he first discreetly appraised Tewell before speaking up.
This time, Tewell didn't need to speak up; Bans conveyed his needs to Devis.
Devis didn't respond immediately either; instead, he joined his brother in studying the badge as if they were alone in the room.