As soon as Ian stepped into the classroom, he saw Professor Lockhart sitting on the high platform, and a flash of excitement appeared in his eyes. He quickly scanned the classroom, noting the 36 desks arranged in six rows and six columns, spread throughout the room.
Ian's heart raced as he saw the table directly opposite Professor Lockhart's high platform. Without hesitation, he quickly walked forward and sat at the front, occupying the table opposite Lockhart. The other Squibs behind him felt a pang of annoyance, realizing they had missed an opportunity to make a strong first impression on Professor Lockhart.
Ian, now seated, looked at Professor Lockhart and bowed politely to greet him. Lockhart nodded slightly, motioning for Ian to sit down. The other Squibs, seeing Ian's actions, chose their seats based on their preferences.
Once everyone was seated, Lockhart waved his wand. A thick stack of test papers and a large number of quills floated in the air, distributing themselves to each Squib present. Soon, a test paper and a quill appeared on the table in front of everyone.
Lockhart's calm voice echoed through the room, "One test paper, 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, we will take a 5-minute break and then proceed to a 25-minute question and answer session. I want to emphasize that there is no score for the test paper. It is simply to gather some of your information and thoughts so that I can get to know you better and choose suitable research assistants. So, just write down your true thoughts. If there is something you don't want to write, you can leave it blank, but do not write falsehoods. Please note that the quills are enchanted. If they detect false information, they will change color. I despise deception."
The Squibs nodded seriously, their expressions stern.
"Okay, let's get started," Lockhart ordered.
The impatient Squibs picked up their quills, opened their test papers, and began to fill them out. Ian did the same, quickly scanning the questions. He found the number of questions manageable within the 20-minute time frame.
The first part asked for personal and family information. The next part dealt with their attitudes towards wizards and magic. Ian's eyes narrowed as he encountered a particularly puzzling question.
"What do you think of Muggles? How much do you know about the Muggle world?"
He moved his eyes downward, finding more seemingly unrelated questions.
"How much do you know about non-wizard races? What is your attitude towards them?"
"As a future wizard, what problems do you think exist in the wizarding world?"
Ian pondered these questions but didn't dwell too long, knowing time was limited. He quickly wrote down his thoughts.
Regarding his family, Ian calmly wrote about the death of his parents. On his attitude towards magic, he expressed his eagerness to learn from Professor Lockhart. When addressing his attitude towards wizards, Ian hesitated but then wrote solemnly:
"The wizarding community is very complex and cannot be generalized. My boss was very kind to me, and I am grateful for that. However, my attitude towards some dark wizards, who are cruel and ruthless, is naturally completely opposite. Overall, most wizards are decent. Only some dark wizards are like a cancer in the wizarding world."
Ian wrote in a general manner, avoiding deep analysis, remembering Lockhart's advice not to write falsehoods. He continued writing, reaching the questions about Muggles.
"Due to my parents' influence, I had a certain understanding of the Muggle world from a young age. Later, I read some Muggle books and gained a more comprehensive understanding. I believe we should treat Muggles more rationally, rather than disdainfully."
Ian did not delve deeply into this topic either, fearing his views might be too divergent from those of wizards and risk disqualification. As a Squib, he knew it was hard to share the same views towards Muggles as wizards did. Through Muggle books, he learned that Muggles could easily kill a Squib like him, and even wizards weren't invincible against them. Naturally, he didn't dare to underestimate Muggles.
He glanced at the time and noticed half of it had passed. He quickly sped up, writing as much as possible, leaving blank spaces where necessary.
Regarding non-wizard races, Ian admitted his limited knowledge, writing down a few names like goblins and centaurs. He also carefully considered his attitude, influenced by Lockhart's final speech yesterday, which had left a deep impression on him.
Deciding to base his responses on making wizards great again, Ian felt a rush of excitement. The phrase "Make wizards great again" stirred something within him, filling him with determination.
Amidst the rustling of quills, Lockhart closed his eyes and cast a spell to explore the spiritual talents of the Squibs. He sought to choose research assistants and cultivate his own strength. An important criterion was spiritual talent.
The new magic system emphasized spiritual talent over bloodline. A Squib with good mental talent could quickly realize the resources invested in them. Filch, for example, had average mental talent but performed well due to intensive training and resources from Lockhart.
Lockhart wanted Squibs with good mental talents to maximize the benefits of his investment. Spiritual talent was crucial, but so was character. The test papers served as questionnaires to gauge the character traits of the Squibs.
Lockhart knew Squibs wouldn't fully reveal their thoughts, but the questionnaires would help judge their maturity and rationality. He aimed to avoid pig-like teammates and nurture those who could genuinely contribute.
As the saying goes, if you are not afraid of opponents who are like gods, be afraid of teammates who are like pigs. Lockhart did not have overly high requirements for his future teammates, but he needed to exclude pig-like teammates.
With time running out, Ian finished his test paper, hoping his responses would meet Lockhart's expectations and secure his place as a research assistant.
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