Chapter 367: Fwooper and Hallucinations
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.