Chapter 14: The misunderstood Professor.
Once I reached the great hall, I activated the thumping charm on my shoes. It has become a routine now to make all students look at me. As I bellowed and thumped my way towards the professor's table, I saw Dawlish on one end looking at me. I also felt a surface probe on my mental defenses. I let him in employing the 3D's occlumency and made him see that I crave attention. Hopefully, he would consider me a flight risk for his 'stone stealing plan' and may not approach me.
'I've got nothing to do with this two-faced idiot' I thought.
While eating I glanced at the papers. It recorded the news of vault 718 and its attempted stealing. Public opinion in this world is a dangerous thing. People with quills do make and break heroes and villains. I should get to know Rita Skeeter, she would be a great ally rather than an enemy or a spectator.
While going to the next class of fifth years, I ran into Dawlish 'coincidentally'.
"P..P..Pr..Professor Quirrell. How are you today good sir." he asked.
'Well, it seems like the stutter is definitely an act concocted by Voldy himself. I have heard that Dawlish was an above-average auror. Him reduced to this state is indeed a sore sight to see'.
"Ah, Professor Dawlish. I am good thank you. I am so sorry to cut this conversation short as I have a class I am late to. See you at dinner" I cut short the conversation and walked as fast as I could leaving a dumbfounded Dawlish before he could ask whatever he wanted to ask.
'The only thing that plagues my mind is that unlike Quirrell in the canon, Dawlish is a pretty good dueler. If old Dumbles does not find out about him soon, and Harry takes on him at the end of the year, there is a high chance that he may die. Dawlish is not stupid enough to get close to the boy and touch him. He would probably kill him from a distance and then go for the stone. If that is the case, I may have to intervene' I thought as I entered the fifth year class.
The same process was repeated again. Test papers floating around and explaining what muggle weaponry could do to an unsuspecting wizard. As I turned around I felt something approach my head. I used a silent levitation charm to hold the sticky piece of parchment that was probably shot from a straw in my direction. The previous Quirrell may have been bullied like this I guess.
"It seems like some of you cannot hold your spit within your mouth". I looked and saw Marcus Flint hiding a straw under his robes. I chanted the piercing gaze spell silently. Both my wand and eyes glowed as I looked at Flint soon information about him popped up on my mind.
[Marcus Flint - Bullies people to compensate for his unappealing appearance. Absolute dunderhead.]
'Well, that is sad but informative nonetheless' I thought.
"Mr. Flint, 50 points from Slytherin for trying to spitball the Professor. I know that you are a dunderhead. But since you play quidditch, I am not inclined to give you detention. But every action has consequences. Waddiwasi" the spitball traveled smoothly and lodged on his temples. I also cast a sticking and indestructible charm on it. It looked like a small horn protruding from his temple and the other students were holding their laughter.
Marcus was furious and wanted to say something. But before he could he saw the piercing blue eyes again "Measure your next words very carefully Mr. Flint". The temperature of the classroom seems to have gone down a notch. Marcus gulped and sat down.
"Since that is settled, let's get to your Owl syllabus. It seems like you should have a good understanding of Electricity and muggle history, especially the muggle wars" I said.
"Well, electricity can be called muggle magic. Wizards derive power to do things from ambient mana in the air. Similar to mana, muggles use electricity" I took out two light bulbs. One is enclosed within a glass chamber with several runes on its sides.
"I heard that Professor Sikander who taught you muggle studies has explained what this is and its function right?"
One of the students told, "That is a light bulb sir, used to provide light".
"Good Mr. Williams, 5 points to Ravenclaw" I said and switched the bulbs on.
"But sir isn't muggle technology incompatible with magic. How did you light it?" a girl sitting in the front row asked.
"Ah, Miss. Davies, there is a muggle saying. Necessity is the mother of all inventions. The light bulb on the left is made of magical materials. A silicate crystal casing with a goblin silver filament. It is powered by runes that draw ambient mana from the surroundings and provide light. The one within the case is completely muggle in nature. The case prevents any interaction of mana with electricity. We, wizards, use torches and candles to light our homes. Tell me which method of lighting is better and why?" I asked.
"The light using runes is better than torches and candles sir. Because there is no smoke or heat."
"Excellent, Mrs. Davies 5 Points to Slytherin" I said.
"But sir then why don't we use this sir" asked John Smith another Ravenclaw.
"Good question Mr. Smith. The answer to it is fear. Fear of change and unknown. Muggles fear what they don't understand and that was the reason many witches and wizards were hunted in the past. In the same way, we magical fear that adopting muggle items may destroy our way of life. This fear is ingrained in our history. A trauma that has been inflicted on wizardkind passed down over time. Now many of you might say this is untrue. Muggles are weak and can be broken whenever wizards can. Maybe you will be able to torture and kill a run-of-the-mill family on the outskirts, but no dark lord has ever gone and started a war with officials who deal with the law or their soldiers" I said and continued.
"We have seen wizards and witches claiming to have destroyed lives of muggles. The previous dark lord, you know who was also such a person as you can see from history. But what he and his merry band has played against was nothing but civilians. Families who were minding their own business and families who had no weapons. Bullying the weak is no honorable affair" I looked at Flint and continued. "It is even sadder when you glorify it. Tell me do you boast when you defeat a chicken or a dragon? The greatest strength of the wizarding community is its anonymity. If not for the obliviators of the ministry covering for the asses of these so-called dark lords, a new era of witch hunt would have ensued" I said gravely while voices of dissension could be heard from the class.
"Assignment for the week. Find 5 muggle equipment that could be used to make a wizard's life better and how to change them to suit ambient mana" I said and ended the class.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone