Chapter 83: Be Careful When Walking at Night
Professor Oren hadn't just skipped marking the new students' assignments—he'd bypassed grading for all year levels. Overnight, this decision transformed him into Hogwarts' most beloved professor, hands down.
"He might actually break the Curse and become the first Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to return next year—almost fifty years later!" Jordan Lee, a well-known Quidditch enthusiast and second-year Gryffindor, declared openly in the Great Hall. "If someone as brilliant as Professor Oren can't break the Curse, then there's no hope for the course. Might as well cancel it."
His sentiment was quickly echoed by both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. But, naturally, where there's support, there's opposition.
Just as Jordan Lee was voicing his opinions, a sudden burst of laughter erupted from the Ravenclaw table.
"Tsk, are you really that thrilled just because you don't have to do homework?" A moderately handsome Ravenclaw student shot Jordan a disdainful look. "In my opinion, this decision is unbelievably irresponsible—a complete dereliction of duty. We've already discussed it, and we're going to file a complaint with Headmaster Dumbledore about it."
"What did you say?" The Gryffindors turned to him with expressions darkening.
After all, at Hogwarts, a professor who skips marking holiday homework is as rare as a Troll performing ballet. Now that they'd finally encountered one, not only did these Ravenclaw nerds fail to appreciate him, they were even planning to report him?
Unacceptable. Nearly growling, the Gryffindors stood, one of them calling out, "Want to repeat what you just said?"
"I know who you are—Ravenclaw's Roger Davies," Jordan said, hands in his pockets, looking down his nose at the other boy. "You're the one who mocked us in Charms class a while back... You're pretty bold. Better watch yourself walking around at night."