Legend of Hogwarts (Harry Potter x League of Legends)

Just as Professor Sigma had said, no other professor could interfere with his teaching schedule, only Dumbledore held that authority. In fact, compared to the faux Moody, actually the Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr., who jumped straight into teaching the three Unforgivable Curses, Sigma's lessons were relatively harmless.

But while the other professors couldn't alter Sigma's methods, Sigma also couldn't stop them from subtly helping their students. After all, his first class had been a full-scale blitz targeting every student from every house, except Allen. That was something the heads of the four houses simply could not tolerate.

House pride wasn't something students upheld alone; it was fiercely defended by their Heads as well. Even someone as famously fair and impartial as Professor McGonagall had once excused the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team from Transfiguration homework before a big match.

Likewise, Allen's extra points hadn't come out of nowhere. Even the most indifferent professor would take note when, in a class that had stumped every other first-year, one of their students alone passed the test. That kind of student would naturally earn their favor.

And just as they supported their students, the professors noticed something else: Professor Sigma had significantly toned things down. After a collective protest from the staff, reports from upper-year students indicated that every one of his classes this week was focused purely on textbook material and spell theory.

For an entire lesson, Sigma had spent half the time telling adventurous stories and the other half drilling spell pronunciation and safety notes, no wands, no casting. It was, essentially, Defense Against the Dark Arts turned into History of Magic.

Thankfully, Sigma was a far more engaging speaker than the sleep-inducing Professor Binns, so the class didn't become a total bore. In fact, some older students were jokingly considering petitioning Dumbledore to move Sigma into the History of Magic post.

Some upper-years even began to envy the first-years, their version of Defense was very much a practical class. They were allowed to freely use wands and attack moving targets. That sounded way more exciting than memorizing spell incantations. As for the mysterious flying creatures involved… most students blissfully ignored that part.

Time flew by, and Friday arrived quickly. The classroom remained the same. The bats? Still there. But the students were different, this time, they were prepared. Aside from two first-years who had completely lost confidence and begged to be grouped with Allen (thus receiving an automatic pass), everyone else came in looking determined.

And rightly so. The first to pass the test were three young lions: the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan. With flawless teamwork from the twins cutting off the target's escape, Lee's perfectly timed Impediment Jinx struck one unlucky bat directly. The coordination was so spot-on that Sigma awarded Gryffindor ten points on the spot. Judging from the boys' proud yet exhausted faces, they'd clearly spent a lot of time practicing, even with mountains of homework from other classes.

Compared to the troublemaking trio, most others didn't fare as well. For many, by the time they'd finished casting the spell, the bats could've circled the classroom and stopped for dessert.

Still, there was one encouraging sign: everyone had managed to at least cast the jinx. The difference now lay in how well they could do it.

Of course, that alone wasn't enough to pass. But this is where the professors' "little helps" started to show results.

Gradually, the room was filled with a subtle mix of floral fragrance and potion aromas. Under this influence, the once-speedy bats were noticeably sluggish. Students began to hit their marks more frequently and started passing the test in groups.

As the number of successful students neared half the class, others started pulling out different tricks. One student used the Noise Jinx, the resulting disorienting racket sent the bats into erratic, drunken flights. Now completely vulnerable, they were easy prey. More students passed.

The remaining students were the ones who had only just begun to get the spell right. Most of the top performers had already passed and left the room.

As time ticked on, some students, blushing furiously, pulled out pieces of rope. With clumsy transfiguration, they transformed the rope into horribly misshapen nets, the kind that made even the caster wince. But even the ugliest net still worked: the sluggish bats got tangled midair. While they didn't fall, they were trapped in place, essentially flapping, helpless targets.

Before the bats could even launch their usual ambush, they were all neutralized.

Clap clap clap.

A burst of applause came from the doorway, Professor Sigma stepped in, clapping his hands.

The students looked away, red-faced. They all knew they'd only passed because of, well… borderline cheating. These first-years hadn't yet developed the shamelessness of seasoned Quidditch players or diehard football fans. Guilt hung heavy in the air.

"Don't look down, children," Sigma said loudly, still clapping. "You did great!"

"From the start, this class was above your year level. Under normal circumstances, it would take three full lessons for you to reliably cast that spell, and that's completely fine."

"But clearly, you went above and beyond. Not only did every one of you cast the spell, you all passed my test!"

"Of course, it's obvious that you had help," he added, eyes glinting with amusement.

The students' heads dropped again.

"Lift your heads, kids. There's nothing to be ashamed of! Nobody accomplishes everything alone."

"We come to school to learn, to solve problems. Asking others for help is a good thing, it allows you to absorb the wisdom of those who came before."

"And yes, even if you passed today's test with someone else's guidance, it was you who held the wand. And I believe that help will soon become your own knowledge, your own wisdom. That's something to celebrate."

"So now, let me formally introduce myself, my name is Sigma, and I am your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!"

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