In Magic World as Magic Teacher

Chapter 19: Unfortunate Harry and Ron

At this moment, Harry and Ron were far from enjoying the festivities of the day.

They had no idea whether the entire Hogwarts student body admired them. However, when Snape caught sight of them, he expressed his "admiration" in his usual gloomy manner.

"So it's Harry Potter, so capable, and Ron Weasley, who can't give his family a break. Do you think you can escape punishment for this?" Snape sneered.

Harry and Ron looked absolutely miserable.

Their clothes were torn to shreds, almost in tatters.

Ron's wand was snapped in two, with only a few remaining strands of wood. His arm was bent at an irregular angle, and the pain from the fracture drained the color from his face. His lips trembled uncontrollably, and soft moans escaped him.

Harry, supporting Ron, wasn't faring much better.

Blood was dripping from a head injury, and his face was covered in it. It looked far worse than Ron's injury.

The car had lost control as it neared Hogwarts, crashing into the Whomping Willow behind the castle.

The tree seemed to sense a threat to its life and went berserk, attacking Harry and Ron as they sat in the car.

Although they narrowly escaped with their lives, the aftermath left them in their current sorry state.

Harry felt dizzy and nauseous, his head throbbing from the crash. The injury wasn't from the tree itself, but from the impact when the car hit it, slamming Harry's head into the front windshield.

Weakly, he tried to speak.

"Professor, I think we..."

"Shut up!" Snape cut him off coldly.

"Stay here! Don't go anywhere!"

He shoved them into a small cubicle next to the auditorium and hurried off. Before Harry and Ron could process what had just happened, Snape returned, holding two potion bottles.

"Drink this," Snape commanded, placing the bottles in front of them.

Harry instinctively hesitated, doubting the contents, but seeing Snape's expression—one that clearly indicated he would force the potion down their throats if necessary—Harry overcame his hesitation.

Closing his eyes, he took the potion in one swift gulp.

The effect was almost immediate. His lips, once pale, flushed with color, and the dizziness in his head faded. The pain from his wounds dulled.

Seeing that Harry had taken the potion, Ron, still trembling from his injury, reached out with his uninjured arm to drink his portion.

Soon, the pain in his body subsided, though his broken arm remained as it was. Still, he felt much better than before.

As Harry and Ron realized that Snape had actually helped them, a rare sense of gratitude toward him began to stir.

However, their gratitude was short-lived when Snape spoke again, his words making them feel like they had been struck dumb.

"Coming to Hogwarts in an illegally modified car, seen by Muggles on the road and reported in the papers, and damaging a very valuable Whomping Willow here at school. Well done, Potter!"

"Too bad you're not in my house, so I don't have the authority to expel you. But I'll find someone who does. Wait here for me!"

With that, Snape left the cubicle, a satisfied smile playing on his lips, leaving Harry and Ron to exchange looks of disbelief.

"That tree was insane! It actually tried to kill us!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry, wiping blood from his face with a cloth, muttered, "It wasn't trying to kill us. It thought we were trying to kill it."

"How are we so unlucky today? First, the platform was broken, then the car malfunctioned, and now we're almost killed by a tree!"

"You forgot one thing—now we're probably going to be expelled from Hogwarts," Ron added glumly.

The two fell silent. Deep down, they both feared that this time, they had crossed a line. Even Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore would have a hard time forgiving them.

Of course, Dumbledore wouldn't expel them.

When he learned what had happened from their own words, he handed over the responsibility for their punishment to Professor McGonagall.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore took Snape aside and returned to the opening dinner, which was still ongoing.

In the hall, students had already filled their stomachs, and Sherlock had finished his conversation with Professor Flitwick.

What had been intended as a short chat had turned into a long-winded lecture from Professor Flitwick, who rambled on about dealing with the "skinny children" at Hogwarts. Sherlock simply nodded and listened, offering polite agreement.

"I know you're all tired by now and probably want nothing more than to retreat to your warm common rooms and get some rest, but allow this annoying old man to speak a few more words," Dumbledore said, standing up. His voice echoed across the hall.

"We're delighted to have a new teacher join our staff this year. Professor Forrest has kindly agreed to fill the Defense Against the Dark Arts position and will be teaching you starting tomorrow."

The applause was polite but not enthusiastic.

Sherlock's handsome appearance, however, caught the attention of many girls in the room, making a strong first impression.

Dumbledore, who wasn't known for long speeches, kept it brief, emphasizing the usual points and ending the dinner with a smile.

The students left the hall and made their way to their respective common rooms. Meanwhile, Sherlock was led by Filch, the castle caretaker, to his future residence and office at Hogwarts.

"Professor Forrest, I remember you well. When you graduated, I thought you were the most promising student. It's good to see you back as a professor now," Filch said, his voice full of flattery.

Sherlock, maintaining his usual calm demeanor, replied coolly, "I said I would return to this castle when I graduated. I'm just keeping my promise."

Then, as if casually asking, he added, "Are you still patrolling the castle tonight?"

Filch, who usually displayed his authority only in front of students, became polite in Sherlock's presence. "On the first night of school, some students tend to misbehave. After I show you to your quarters, I'll do a quick patrol."

Sherlock nodded slightly and, without much fanfare, said, "I'll join you for a walk. It's been three years since I left here. I'd like to reacquaint myself with the castle."