Just a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor

"Mr. Longbottom? Is there anything else at this time?"

Sherlock looked at the boy who came in and asked softly.

The sky outside had already darkened, and although the curfew had not yet begun, it was obviously not too late for Filch to arrest him.

Neville didn't seem to have recovered from the cold, his face was unusually pale, and he looked sick.

"Teach, professor..."

He hesitantly said.

"Can I, can I ask you for a spell?"

Hearing his words, Sherlock frowned slightly, and he felt that Neville was not only physically, but even his mental state seemed a little abnormal.

"Of course, but what spell do you have to ask me in a hurry?"

"Yes, it's a flame spell. When I use it, I always can't use it. I feel that the way of waving the staff is not right. But, I can't find the feeling that the book says."

Neville's voice was very small, not much louder than the sound of mosquitoes, but he clearly described the reason why he couldn't use the spell, obviously as if he had studied the fire spell carefully.

Sherlock didn't answer his question directly, but asked calmly.

"The flame spell doesn't seem to be a spell that second graders need to master, right?"

Neville wanted to appear calm, but his juvenile acting made Sherlock catch his dodging eyes.

"Most, the weather is getting colder and colder recently, and the fireplace in the lounge keeps going out, so I want to learn the fire spell, so that when the fireplace goes out again, we don't have to ask the seniors for help."

His reasons seem plausible, but are actually quite far-fetched.

Even if Sherlock hadn't seen Neville's previous anomalous behavior, he could tell at this time that it wasn't his truth at all.

Gryffindor Neville is an outlier. He always seems to be the most timid among a group of lion cubs, and he never seems to be in front of others.

So what he said just now is not something that his character can do at all.

"Is this the truth? Mr. Longbottom." Sherlock stared into Neville's eyes, not letting his dodging eyes escape from his own.

Hearing his questioning, Neville seemed to grit his teeth, under some pressure, and finally said.

"Yes, Professor, I'm just interested in the Fire Charm and want to raise the fireplace."

Sherlock met his gaze quietly, and Neville insisted that he didn't dodge this time, and there was an indelible firmness in his weakness.

After a long silence, Sherlock finally shook his head slightly.

"Okay, show me the fire spell you practiced normally."

Neville looked at Sherlock gratefully, and in front of Sherlock, he quickly used the fire spell casting gesture he had been practicing, asking him to help correct his movements.

"This swing can't be lifted too high, and at the same time, the hand must be kept steady without any tremors, so that the released flame spell can be stable, and there will be no flames that burn to you."

Sherlock has studied these common spells for so long, of course, professionally.

It's easy to point out the flaws in Neville's spellcasting gestures and correct his pronunciation.

Neville looked a little clumsy, but he took it seriously, more seriously than he ever seemed.

Under the guidance of Sherlock little by little, he finally mastered the flame spell before the curfew began.

Looking at the flames spewing from the tip of the wand, Neville bowed slightly to Sherlock.

"Thank you, Professor Forrest, thank you very much."

Sherlock was just looking at him and said meaningfully.

"If there's something you feel you can't handle,

Come to me, Neville, you're only twelve now, I'm your Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and there are things you can't deal with, but I can. "

Hearing his words, Neville pursed his lips tightly, as if hesitating and struggling, but insisted.

"I don't have anything I can't solve, Professor, if there is, I will definitely come to ask for your help."

Neville leaves Sherlock's office.

Looking at the door that was carefully closed, Sherlock did not continue to organize the clues.

Neville's abnormal state clearly aroused his suspicion.

He had already begun to recall when Hogwarts first started, when he met Neville for the first time in the castle corridor, the crescent mark on his arm, and there was an incomparably clear burning sensation.

Although that feeling was only fleeting, the mark had only reacted three times, and he remembered each time clearly.

Neville's appearance must be hiding something.

He was determined not to say it, and Sherlock had no way to force him.

The magic that can spy on people's minds - Dementionism is not something that can be learned easily.

At least Sherlock hasn't mastered it yet.

However, this does not mean that he should give up the investigation of Neville. If his anomaly is related to the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, then something must be seen from his trajectory in Hogwarts.

Sherlock took out the Marauder's map confiscated from the Weasley brothers, and marked the little black dot representing Neville as the focus of attention. In the days to come, he would observe Neville's actions at any time. .

The promise that George Fred and the others would return the Marauder's Map to them at Christmas was expected to be delayed slightly.

Now he not only uses the Marauder's map to monitor Neville's movements, but also studies how to remove his mark from the Marauder's map.

After all, even if they were to return this thing to the twins, they would not be able to monitor themselves through this map.

When he finishes these two things, he will keep his promise and return it to the original owner.

Neville, who returned to the dormitory, still looked listless as usual.

In the dormitory, Harry and Ron went to bed early today, which is rare today. Seamus was still making up the homework for tomorrow's Potions class, and he asked Neville curiously when he saw Neville come in.

"Where have you been, Neville? Didn't see you in the lounge just now."

"I went to the library to return the book." Neville's voice was still weak, and Seamus didn't hear anything wrong.

Then the night gradually deepened, and at midnight, everyone else had fallen asleep, and a figure suddenly sat up on the four-poster bed with a drapery.

He swayed and pulled something out from under his bed, and then carefully walked out of the bedroom and came to the dark common room.

Touching the darkness, the figure came to the fireplace in the lounge, threw the things in his hand into the fireplace, and then waved his wand.

"Burning flames!"

The sudden burst of flames filled the fireplace, and the orange flames danced in the dark lounge, illuminating Neville's pale face.