The new teacher

[HOGWARTS – DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT]

Aurelius couldn't forget the look on Mavis's face that day.

It wasn't just anger — it was pain. An old pain, hidden behind the courage of someone who had always had to defend herself. Seeing four Slytherins cornering her, insulting her blood, taking her wand, while no one did anything... it left a mark on Aurelius.

Not a mark of fear — but of outrage.

He had heard, of course, about the prejudice plaguing the wizarding world.

But seeing it with his own eyes — the subtle and blatant violence being ignored even by the professors — felt like a punch to the gut.

Dumbledore and the professors, however, remained silent about the event, perhaps out of shame for the Slytherins, not wanting to admit what had happened. No words about the prejudice. No real action.

To Aurelius, that felt like betrayal.

This was not the world his grandfather believed in. It wasn't for this that he trained every day — sword in hand, magic in his blood, and responsibility in his heart.

So, without needing to say anything, he started walking alongside Mavis. He walked with her down the corridors, sat near her in the Library, and included her in conversations others avoided.

She didn't thank him — Mavis wasn't the type to ask for help. But Aurelius noticed: she no longer walked with her fists clenched.

Lucian was the most unexpected piece.

Being a Slytherin, he could've easily ignored everything. He could've laughed.

He could've pretended nothing happened.

But no. He stood up to his own housemates, challenged Marcus Flint in the middle of the corridor, and got a smal cut on his face for it. Arurelius was grateful for that, nothing a healing spell couldn't fix — but the social scars, those would remain. And arurelius was grateful for that

Since then, Lucian had been seen as a traitor within Slytherin. The looks changed. The whispers increased. The communal table felt colder, even with torches blazing around it.

But he didn't back down either.

He began sitting with Aurelius and Mavis during breaks, talking about advanced spells, about dueling, about the absurdities of the school system.

Slowly, the three of them formed something rare at Hogwarts: a friendship that crossed house lines, traditions, and prejudices.

It was strange to others. A Gryffindor with ancestral lineage, a Muggle-born with a warrior's spirit, and a Slytherin who defied his own house.

But to them... it made sense.

[ASTRONOMY TOWER – NIGHT]

That night, as the wind howled over the ledges of the Astronomy Tower,

Aurelius watched them in silence.

Mavis was laughing, full of sarcasm, telling how she'd broken Flint's nose.

Lucian leaned against the wall, arms crossed, with that subtle smile of someone who listens more than he speaks. And Aurelius, with his wand resting on his knee, felt something growing — something bigger than themselves.

"You know you're making enemies," he said, turning to Lucian.

The Slytherin just shrugged. "They were never friends."

"Welcome to our world," Mavis muttered, tossing a crumpled bit of parchment into the air.

Aurelius smiled. But inside, he felt something else: resolve.

The world needed to change. And maybe it started right there.

Not with epic battles or grand spells, but with small acts of courage.

With three students willing not to bow.

[HOGWARTS – DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASSROOM – THE NEXT DAY]

The hallway chatter ceased as soon as the classroom door opened.

The first-year class walked in, loosely organized, some still rubbing sleep from their eyes, others carrying books they barely knew how to hold.

Aurelius entered in silence, eyes scanning the room. It was a classroom like many others at Hogwarts — cold stone, tall windows, floating torches. But something felt... different.

The figure at the center of the room explained why.

With her back to the students, a woman calmly observed a taxidermied creature inside a magical dome.

Shoulder-length dark hair swayed slightly in the enchanted breeze that circulated the room. Her skin was fair, but with a golden tan that recalled summer sunlight. When she turned around, silence fell.

Ana Silva.

That was her name. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. A former student of Castelobruxo, the hidden magical school deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. And, it seemed, a storm about to shake up the pace of that subject.

"Good morning, class," she said, with a firm but warm smile.

Many students were slow to respond — some still admiring the professor's beauty.

Mavis raised an eyebrow, amused. Lucian crossed his arms, curious.

Even Aurelius found himself staring for a second at her confident posture.

"My name is Ana Silva. I'm Brazilian. I graduated from Castelobruxo — the oldest magical school in South America, surrounded by ancient magic and even older dangers."

Her voice was firm and melodic, with a light, rhythmic accent.

"And here I am, ready to teach you not just how to defend yourselves... but how to survive."

Glances were exchanged between students. Survive ?

"Today we're not starting with dark wizards," she continued, walking the room like someone used to predators. "We'll start with something equally dangerous — magical creatures."

She snapped her fingers, and the blackboard filled with magical drawings of three creatures: the Curupira, the Iara, and the Caipora.

"Today we'll begin with some from my own country, but we'll soon study local ones."

"These creatures aren't evil. But they're dangerous when disrespected. Learning to defend against them means learning to respect magical nature and its guardians."

She started with the Curupira, explaining how it lures travelers in the forest, leading them in circles with its backward feet and killing the hunters. Then, the Iara — half woman, half fish, whose songs could hypnotize even the most skilled wizards. And finally, the Caipora — small, agile, invisible when it wanted, master of ambushes and stealing from careless wanderers.

Then she stopped in the center of the room and smiled.

"But too much theory makes you sleepy, doesn't it ? Stand up."

The students hesitated, looking at each other, before cautiously standing.

"Don't worry about the desks."

She raised her hand gently, fingers spread in a fluid gesture.

And then... shhhfff! — all the desks and chairs vanished with a soft gust of wind, as if sucked into an invisible space. No wand was used.

The room was completely clear.

A chorus of gasps rippled through the group. Even students from traditional wizarding families looked stunned.

Aurelius felt a chill. Wandless magic. Raw. Natural. Instinctive.

He knew the theory. He knew it was possible — but seeing it done with such elegance was another thing.

For a moment, he tightened his grip around his own wand.

As powerful as he was, at that moment, he felt... limited.

'I need to learn that,' he thought, eyes locked on the professor.

"Don't be alarmed," Ana Silva said with a chuckle, noticing the stares. "In my country, the forest doesn't wait for you to find your wand. You react with what you have... or you don't come back to tell the story."

The students swallowed hard.

Aurelius smiled.

He liked her.

The room remained empty, the stone floor wide and open like a training field.

Professor Ana Silva walked among the students with firm steps and watchful eyes. Every gesture seemed rehearsed by nature itself — fluid, strong, and calm.

She stopped at the center.

"Alright," she said, hands on her hips. "We'll start with something basic, but essential. Something that could save your life."

A murmur of surprise spread through the room.

Aurelius raised an eyebrow. Wandless magic again ?

"Today's spell is Expelliarmus," Ana continued. "Also known as the Disarming Charm. And though many think it's only used to disarm wands... nothing could be further from the truth."

She raised a finger, as if challenging an old belief.

"Expelliarmus can disarm anything threatening — a knife, a weapon, a staff, a bat — if you're fast enough."

Her tone wasn't arrogant, but that of someone speaking from experience.

"And when used right, it can throw your opponent off balance, create distance, or even knock them down. It's a defense that attacks. And today... you'll learn that."

She walked to the corner of the room and, with a flick of her hand, conjured pairs of magical circles on the floor — bright-lined spaces meant for duels.

"Pairs. Now. Quickly."

The movement was immediate.

Aurelius looked around, already knowing who would approach.

"You want to get beaten now or later ?" Mavis asked with a crooked grin, already raising her wand.

"You're awfully confident for someone who fights with her fists," he replied, taking position across from her.

Lucian, meanwhile, paired with a Ravenclaw girl who looked worried about facing the Slytherin.

Ana Silva walked among the pairs, correcting stances with subtle touches and quick comments.

"Don't treat this like a game. Think of the person in front of you as a dark wizard — or worse, someone who wants to hurt your family."

She stopped beside Aurelius and Mavis for a moment, her sharp gaze resting on them.

"And remember: intent is everything. A spell cast without conviction... is a useless spell."

"Got it, professor," said Mavis, her eyes already gleaming with competitiveness.

"Positions. Breathe. Three, two, one... begin !"

And then, like silent lightning, spells began flying.

[Expelliarmus!] 20x

The sound of the word echoed through the room like muffled thunder.

Red sparks crossed the air. Some wands flew from clumsy hands. Others merely buzzed with no effect. It was clear who had trained before... and who was just hoping to pass.

Aurelius cast his first spell. Not with force, but trying to capture the spell's essence to later improve. Still, it nudged Mavis's wand two fingers to the side.

She laughed.

"How sweet, Gryffindor. Want to throw me flowers next ?"

"Just testing something, grumpy," he said with a grin.

[Expelliarmus!]

This time, the impact sent her wand flying, and she staggered a step before smiling in surprise.

"Better."

All around, the professor watched with arms crossed, nodding at good attempts and correcting slips with just a flick of her wand — or not even that.

When it was Lucian's turn, he disarmed his partner with frightening precision. No shouting. No showing off. Just focus. Ana paused to watch him for a moment, then jotted something down discreetly on a floating parchment.

At the end of class, the desks reappeared with a simple snap of the professor's fingers — once again, no wand. Another collective gasp rippled through the room.

Even Aurelius had to admit: it was impressive. And irritatingly inspiring.

Ana Silva gave the students one final look before smiling.

"Defense isn't about reacting with fear. It's about standing your ground. Protecting what matters. Practice that. Outside this classroom too."

And with that, the first lesson ended.

As he left, Aurelius ran a hand through his hair and looked at his fingers, slick with sweat. In his chest, a fire of determination burned. His gaze was steady, full of purpose.

Until he got slapped on the back of the head, pulling him back into the corridor.

"Hurry up, I'm starving," Lucian said as he passed by, followed by Mavis, who was chuckling softly.

The scene brought a faint smile to his face, and without a word, he followed them.