Because the professor changed every year, the classroom for Defence Against the Dark Arts also changed each time. Last year, Lockhart had chosen a large, sunny classroom to display his numerous self-portraits on the walls. Professor Lupin, however, had no such self-portraits—barely any photos of himself at all—so he simply chose an ordinary, empty classroom.
When they arrived, only a few students were already there, chatting amongst themselves. They sat down and waited a bit longer until Professor Lupin finally entered, carrying a faint smile and placing a battered old suitcase on the lectern. He looked notably healthier than he had on the train, possibly from a good meal, and his clean new robes made him look like a different person.
"Good morning," he said cheerfully. "Please put your textbooks away. Today is a practical class, and you'll only need your wands."
The students put their books away, exchanging a few curious glances. They vaguely recalled someone saying the same thing back in their first year. Oren. He had told them to put away their textbooks and focus on practicals, too.
Some of them began to feel a spark of excitement. Although Oren had turned out to be a Dark Wizard, it was undeniable that Defence Against the Dark Arts during first year had been the most engaging. Besides, he really put effort into each lesson—unlike certain other professors who seemed to just go through the motions. Those two had both clearly been unsavory types, but their dedication was as different as night and day... which was probably why Oren had managed to slip away in the end.
"All right," said Professor Lupin, noting that everyone was ready. He pulled out a large cage covered with a curtain. "I've got a little surprise for you."
Everyone's expressions grew even more curious. This was just like their first lesson, when Oren had taken out a cage with Billywigs and promised them a surprise. If you ignored the contents, his and Lupin's actions—even the opening remarks—were almost identical.
There's no way they're related…
Father and son? The ages didn't match.
Brothers? But they looked nothing alike!
Unaware of their musings, Professor Lupin removed the cloth from the cage, revealing a bird with brilliant, colorful feathers. Its head was covered in a tuft of downy plumage, and its talons were small and shaped like upside-down teardrops.
"I've been informed by the professors that Defence Against the Dark Arts has barely advanced over the past two years, so you…" His gaze lingered on Kyle for a moment. "…most of you have a weak foundation."
"We've also taken down a Werewolf," whispered a Ravenclaw, "and in Lockhart's little play, there was a Troll, a Vampire…"
Everyone around them understood the joke, and a ripple of laughter spread through the room.
"Alright, but that's not your true skill level," Professor Lupin responded, not laughing himself, though he allowed the corners of his mouth to twitch slightly before he continued. "Now, I've asked Professor Hagrid to retrieve this from the Forbidden Forest as a little test to see how much you really know."
"First question: does anyone know what kind of creature this is?"
Kyle raised his hand. "Fwooper."
"Correct, it's a Fwooper. Five points to Hufflepuff," said Professor Lupin. "And what unique abilities does it have?"
Cho raised her hand even faster this time. "The Fwooper's song can drive people mad and cause them to act very strangely."
"Exactly right. Five points to Ravenclaw," Professor Lupin nodded. "When you encounter a Fwooper, the best thing to do is cover your ears right away… But don't worry, this Fwooper here has just had a big glass of Brandy and is still a bit drunk, so at worst, its song might make you a little dizzy."
"The charm used against Fwoopers is simple as well. You just need to get them to stop singing.
"For now, let's practice the incantation without wands. Repeat after me… Silencio!"
"Silencio!" the class echoed together.
"Very good," Professor Lupin said, gesturing for everyone to stand up as he pushed the tables and chairs to the sides of the room. "But just knowing the spell isn't enough. Now, let's all form a neat line. Kyle, why don't you go first?"
Kyle nodded and stepped forward.
Professor Lupin opened the cage.
The Fwooper, however, appeared to have had one too many drinks. It stood still, eyes closed, and Kyle could even hear its soft, heavy breathing.
"Are you ready?" Professor Lupin asked.
Kyle nodded, and Professor Lupin took out an old-fashioned record player. Once he received Kyle's confirmation, he placed the needle on the record.
The upbeat sound of drums filled the classroom.
It was A Hot Frying Pan by The Weird Sisters, one of the most popular dance tracks from ten years ago.
As the music started, the Fwooper's feathers visibly quivered. It opened its eyes and, in sync with the rhythm, began to sing along cheerfully.
Some students instinctively covered their ears, while others chose to trust Professor Lupin's assurance. They were surprised to find that the Fwooper's song wasn't unpleasant or grating but rather a clear, melodious tune, like raindrops pattering on leaves or flowers slowly unfurling… Strange, why would flowers make any sound at all?
They only snapped out of their trance when they heard a round of applause.
The Fwooper at the front was still singing, but no sound was coming out of its open beak.
"How did it feel?" Professor Lupin asked with a smile.
"It was amazing!" an excited Ravenclaw girl replied. "I heard all kinds of sounds, and it felt like I could see the Forbidden Forest filled with flowers."
"It seems the Fwooper had quite a good drink. Maybe I should have given it a bit more," mused Professor Lupin, then added with a grin, "But I suppose it worked out well this way."
He turned to address the class. "As you've seen, this is the effect of a Fwooper's song—it makes people hear or see things that aren't there… like right now." He gestured around the classroom. Those who hadn't covered their ears earlier were now slightly out of focus, standing just a few steps away from the rest, gazing as if into some unseen world.
"Under normal circumstances, they would already be wandering off, perhaps imagining themselves deep in the Forbidden Forest, and you'd soon see a series of strange and ridiculous actions."
A few students looked disappointed; they'd actually been hoping for some entertaining mishaps.
Professor Lupin continued, "This brings me to the second thing I wanted to teach you. Although Fwoopers might not sound particularly hostile, their song can lull people into illusions without them even noticing. So, stay alert no matter what."
"From now on, I'll break the charm on the Fwooper at any time, and you must be able to cast the spell immediately upon hearing it sing. Got it?"
"Yes, Professor!" everyone chorused.
"Good. Next up."
Kyle stepped aside, and Ryan immediately stepped forward, watching the Fwooper intently. Some students covered their ears again, while others chose not to, clearly curious to see if they, too, could experience visions of a blooming Forbidden Forest. For these few, the incantation to stop the Fwooper seemed less important than the experience itself.
Professor Lupin didn't interfere, simply observing with interest. By the end of the class, however, perhaps as the effects of the Brandy wore off, the Fwooper's song suddenly climbed to a much higher pitch.
A few students who'd been letting the song wash over them became dazed, some of them beginning to stretch their arms and legs as if climbing an invisible mountain, while others lay on the ground, kicking their legs in the air like fish floundering in the Black Lake. The rest of the class erupted into laughter.
Ryan clutched his stomach, running over to mimic Mikel, who, rather than covering his ears, was bending his neck in a valiant attempt to bite his own heel.
Professor Lupin chuckled as well, though he stayed alert, reaching out to pull back a student standing on the windowsill, poised for a "high dive."
"I think they now have a good sense of just how dangerous a Fwooper's song can be," he remarked with a wry smile.
The laughter grew even louder, but by the time the class wrapped up, everyone had mostly come back to their senses.
As soon as the bell rang, the students rushed out of the classroom, eager to escape the lingering effects of the lesson. Behind them, the classroom was left in a complete mess.