I’m Only A Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor

Chapter 32: Talks In The Bar

It was Hagrid who called Sherlock. It was the first time he had met Hagrid since he had seen him in the station.

In front of Hagrid’s table, beside him, there were Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, and an old man Sherlock had never seen before. He has a round bald head, a walrus-like appearance, and a chubby body. He has a friendly smile on his face, which makes people feel like a good person at first impression.

Their seats are in front of the window, and they can see the rain falling outside through the glass. Sherlock walked over; Professor Flitwick helped him pull out the empty chair beside him and let him sit down.

Since Sherlock appeared, the old man has been staring at his face the whole time.

“It feels like…” He whispered softly, causing everyone sitting here except Sherlock to feel something.

“Horace.” Professor McGonagall frowned and called his name.

Only then did Slughorn come to his senses, and a friendly smile appeared on his face again.

“Sorry, Sherlock. I should be able to call you that; after all, we almost had a father-and-son relationship back then. Your eyes reminded me of your mother, but your father inherited your look. I’m Horace Slughorn, who used to be your mother’s teacher and close friend. You can also call me by my name directly if you want.”

Sherlock looked at him and nodded lightly without saying much. The scene fell into an awkward silence for a while, but Professor Flitwick made the first move to liven up the atmosphere.

“Listening to the students’ recent comments, you have done a very good job as a professor, Sherlock.”

“I just did my job,” Sherlock said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Hagrid laughed, “It’s a good thing to be able to do your job well in that position. The previous professor did not have such an excellent performance as you. When Harry and the others came to play with me, they talked a lot about you and that your class is fun.”

He is not only complimenting but shows a hint of envy. Among the people sitting here, he is the only one who does not hold a position as a professor. Except for Sherlock, the other three are either the former or the current head of the house.

“This reminds me of that old person, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor when I was the head of Slytherin house.” Slughorn was a talkative person and picked on Hagrid’s topic easily.

“He is one of the most serious and responsible professors I have ever seen, but he is too idealistic and always thinks that dark magic is controllable. His skills are amazing, and he did not create problems during his teaching period.”

“I know his works, and I’ve read his books; he’s really talented in teaching. He’s in the top ten among the highest-achieving teachers at Hogwarts, but his approach towards magic is something I can’t agree with.”

Professor McGonagall said solemnly, “He thinks about magic too objectively and always thinks that all magic that exists has its value to be used. This kind of thinking is passed on to his students and would create a problem.”

Flitwick reassured, “It’s not entirely his fault. In the academic world, anyone can propose constructive discussions. As for how each person views it, it’s only a matter of that person’s view how they perceive it.”

Slughorn laughed. “Are you saying that I’m like that, Minerva? After all, I used to be that person’s teacher.”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“I know you don’t mean that. It’s just a joke.” Slughorn said, turning his eyes to Sherlock.

“I heard that you are the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. What about you? What do you think about dark magic?”

Sherlock picked up the glass on the table, took a sip, and said flatly, “This question can be asked in another way. Simply enough, dark magic is a certain type of magic. As long as it is magic, the spells are only tools. The core of magic lies in the caster’s heart.”

“Dark magic uses the dark side of the human heart. Magic itself is not good or bad, but it’s different when an emotion is involved. The moment when dark magic is used, the user’s heart or emotion must be filled with malicious intent, corrupting the heart and leading it to problems. Whether or not the magic is harmful depends entirely on the caster.”

After he finished speaking, the three professors were surprised. Hagrid was dumbfounded when he heard it, but in order to avoid appearing out of place, he clapped his hands.

Flitwick exclaimed, “Wonderful theory, Sherlock. All spells are just tools, indeed. What truly embodies magic is the wizard’s heart. This sentence is enough to make all spell researchers to re-examine their research.”

“Even if you don’t come to Hogwarts as a professor, you can have a great future in the wizarding world.” Professor McGonagall said with certainty.

“With the same understanding of magic as your mother, if I were still the head of house in Hogwarts, I would definitely invite you to join my club.” Slughorn said with praise.

There was a lot of time on Saturday, and they chatted in the bar until noon. After Sherlock makes some statements on the idea of dark magic at the beginning, he begins to observe everyone on the side, especially the man named Slughorn.

This old man who looks friendly is not as consistent in his attitude towards everyone as he is now. Sherlock could clearly feel that he was deliberately ignoring Hagrid when they chatted. That attitude clearly seemed negative toward Hagrid, a wizard with no talent, knowledge, or social status.

Near noon, when Sherlock and the others had finished their third glass of drink, Slughorn smiled and said to Professor McGonagall and the others.

“It’s getting late. You should go back for lunch, Minerva. If you can, I want some personal space for Sherlock and me. I have something to say to him privately.”

Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Hagrid looked at each other. They nodded and stood up from their seats. After saying goodbye to Sherlock, they left the Three Broomsticks Inn.