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History of Magic was a shared class between Slytherin and Ravenclaw, so it didn't take long after George entered the classroom for him to notice Luna, adorned with her self-made radish-shaped earrings. However, perhaps due to her eccentric behavior and unconventional way of speaking, her Ravenclaw peers—including her roommates—were unwilling to sit with her.
Similarly, George found himself sitting alone, largely because of his bold speech earlier that morning. No one wanted to risk being associated with him until it was clear whether he was as capable as he claimed, lest they become part of the ridicule.
As for his three dormmates, their swollen faces from the morning incident made it all the more unlikely for them to sit beside him.
"Don't mind what others think. Just be yourself," Luna said calmly as she moved to sit next to George, tucking her wand behind her ear.
George smiled and nodded. "Thank you."
Though he didn't need the reassurance, Luna's gesture was worthy of his gratitude.
To be honest, George found Luna's maturity, despite being a year younger than Harry and his friends, remarkable. She possessed a sense of self that was rare, even among adults. Her ability to remain unfazed by ridicule and her serene demeanor in the face of constant teasing impressed him deeply. At her age, he doubted he could have managed the same level of poise.
The bell rang, and the History of Magic professor, Ghost Binns, floated through the wall behind the blackboard and appeared at the lectern.
Binns was Hogwarts' only ghost professor. When he was alive, he had served as the History of Magic teacher. One day, he had simply stood up to teach, inadvertently leaving his body behind in an armchair by the staffroom fire. Ever since, he had continued teaching as a ghost.
"In the Middle Ages, Muggles who lacked an understanding of magic were deeply afraid of it. Occasionally, they managed to capture a true witch or wizard. Burning them was utterly ineffective, as a simple Fireproof Charm allowed wizards to enjoy the flames as though they were soothing warmth. Eccentric Wendelin the Weird was so enamored with the sensation that she allowed herself to be caught and burned forty-seven times in various disguises," Binns began without preamble, his breathy monotone voice lulling several students into a drowsy state almost immediately.
After lecturing for about half an hour, Binns paused momentarily to ask a question, as dictated by his habitual teaching routine.
"Can anyone tell me how many times Wendelin the Weird was captured by Muggles?"
Though he posed the question, he didn't expect an answer. Binns was well aware of his lectures' soporific effect. This was just a formality; if no one answered, he would move on with his lecture until the bell rang.
"Forty-seven times, Professor," came a clear voice as a student raised his hand and stood to reply.
"Correct," Binns responded, somewhat surprised, though he quickly resumed his usual demeanor and prepared to continue his lecture.
Few students ever answered his questions, the last being a Gryffindor—Grant or Grania, perhaps. It wasn't significant in the context of his thousand-year teaching tenure.
"No points for answering? I suppose just responding to questions won't suffice," George murmured to himself, raising an eyebrow.
Binns, as George knew, was the only professor who never awarded points. Not out of stinginess, but simply because he often forgot. Since becoming a ghost, his memory for anything beyond historical facts had significantly deteriorated.
"Professor, I have a question. If wizards could use magic to defend themselves from Muggle attacks, why were so many persecuted back then?" George asked, raising his hand.
"Because in those days, magic was passed down primarily through families, and many wizards hadn't mastered enough spells to protect themselves," Binns replied.
"So, one of the reasons the founders established Hogwarts was to ensure more wizards could learn protective magic, correct?"
"Correct. You seem to have some knowledge of magical history," Binns observed with a rare note of approval.
"I've recently memorized A History of Magic, Hogwarts: A History, Significant Magical Events of the 20th Century, Modern Magical History, and Insights into Medieval Events, along with over forty other books on magical history," George stated matter-of-factly.
"You've memorized all of those?" Binns' translucent face showed an uncharacteristic expression of surprise.
The other students, previously dozing off, suddenly perked up with expressions of curiosity and disbelief.
"Then I must test you," Binns said.
What followed was a barrage of questions about dates, locations, and key events from the books George mentioned. Without missing a beat, George answered each one accurately.
"Your name is George, yes? Excellent work. It's been a long time since I've seen a student so passionate about magical history. Your knowledge surpasses that of many fifth- and sixth-years," Binns said with an approving smile, his ghostly form trembling slightly with excitement.
"Magical history is an essential and valuable subject," George began confidently. "By studying it, we can learn from the experiences of our predecessors, gaining wisdom to guide us. It benefits not only our mastery of magic and the improvement of spells but also our understanding of relationships between wizards—and between wizards and Muggles. Most importantly, history offers a glimpse into the future, illuminating the path ahead."
The other students—both Slytherin and Ravenclaw—were stunned. While they didn't fully grasp everything George said, they couldn't help but feel it was profound.
Even Binns seemed moved, his ghostly figure vibrating slightly. "Well said, exceptionally well said! I must reward you. Right—points! George, you've earned fifty points for Slytherin!"
"Merlin's beard! Professor Binns gave points? I thought he never did that!"
"Merlin's pants! George just won fifty points for Slytherin in one go. Maybe he wasn't bluffing this morning after all!"
The classroom erupted into chatter, with students buzzing about the unprecedented turn of events.
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