Chapter 23: I Can Be Even More Mischievous

After finishing the book, Ivan smacked his lips, wondering which unlucky master had been unfortunate enough to have their experiences scrutinized by Lockhart. The detailed recounting was a clear sign that the person had spent quite a bit of time up close with those stinky giants. Ivan closed the book and placed it back in its spot. Even though he now knew the giants' weaknesses, preparations were still necessary. For instance, he needed to improve his potion-making skills, or perhaps learn some more powerful spells. In short, his academic points were still lacking.

The only ways to earn more points, besides regular classes, were to answer the professors' questions in each lesson. However, Ivan quickly realized that being a good student wasn't as easy as it seemed; these days, even answering questions had become competitive. No matter what class it was, as soon as a professor asked a question, Hermione Granger's hand would shoot up in the air, and with the professor's permission, she'd swiftly and accurately provide the answer.

Once Ivan joined the answering game, every class turned into a battlefield for the two of them, with both their hands constantly raised. Hermione seemed to enjoy the competition, and her studies became even more intense. She often stayed in the library with Ivan until closing time, returning to the dorm only after dark.

Ivan could only sigh in frustration. All he wanted was to earn a few academic points, but with Hermione around, his rewards had been cut in half. At his wit's end, Ivan resorted to "special" methods.

"In this lesson, we'll focus on the Disarming Charm and the Barrier Charm. These are two of the most frequently used spells you'll learn."

Professor Flitwick, the diminutive but capable instructor of Charms, stood on a stack of books to address the class, occasionally waving his wand to demonstrate the spells. Having taught Charms for many years, he was quite experienced at keeping his students engaged.

"Alright, who can tell me what the incantation for the Disarming Charm is and what it does?" Professor Flitwick asked.

Hermione's hand shot up immediately, and she even glanced at Ivan. She was always keen to keep an eye on him, her only true rival in class.

However, to Hermione's surprise, Ivan stood up right away and addressed Professor Flitwick.

"The incantation for the Disarming Charm is 'Exelliar' (Remove Your Weapon), Professor. The effect is to disarm the opponent by stripping them of their wand. It also has an additional forceful push, which depends on the caster's skill and the magical disparity between the caster and the target."

Professor Flitwick, who had been expecting Hermione to answer, was momentarily stunned by Ivan's sudden, thorough response.

"Very well, ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Flitwick quickly recovered, though his tone was a little stern. "But, Mr. Hals, I suggest that next time, you raise your hand before answering."

"Of course, Professor," Ivan nodded, satisfied with the points he'd earned, and returned to his seat.

Professor Flitwick gave a nod of approval. Ivan's response was quick and accurate, but his behavior was still a little too eager. After clearing his throat, he continued, "Now, for the next question, the Barrier Charm."

Before he could finish, Ivan shot up once again.

"The incantation for the Barrier Charm is 'Iedta' (Obstacle Everywhere). The effect is to create a magical shield that blocks attacks from a single direction. The advantage is that multiple shields can be layered for stronger defense, but the drawback is that it cannot block attacks from other directions."

"Am I correct, Professor?" Ivan asked, offering a charming smile.

Hermione stared at him, wide-eyed and unable to even raise her hand before the answer was already given.

The rest of the class, intimidated by Ivan's brilliance, shuddered at the competitive atmosphere. Was it really necessary to compete over answering questions? This was getting out of hand.

"Correct," Professor Flitwick managed to say, gesturing for Ivan to sit down. This time, no points were added.

Ivan wasn't bothered; the system's point system only required the professor's approval, and the points depended on the difficulty of the question.

"Let's move on to the next question," Professor Flitwick continued, but as he glanced at Ivan, he quickly decided to take control of the lesson again. "Never mind, I'll handle this one myself."

After learning the trick of answering questions first, Ivan's academic points increased significantly. Though Hermione was a brilliant student with a sharp mind, her shyness prevented her from pulling off the same bold moves as Ivan.

Every time they crossed paths, Hermione's cheeks would puff up in frustration. At first, she would remind Ivan that answering questions without raising a hand was wrong, and that they should compete fairly.

Ivan, of course, just shook his head firmly. What was he supposed to do? In a competition of academic excellence, was it really "cheating" to answer quickly? Besides, there were no rules at Hogwarts against it.

Perhaps the founders of Hogwarts never anticipated that someone could be so passionate about studying! Ivan imagined that even if they knew, they would surely shed tears of joy in their graves.

Hermione was left speechless, especially when Ivan reminded her of the time she had been docked five points during flying class. Now, out of guilt, she was trying to make up for it tenfold.

Despite his joy, Ivan's professors were beginning to grow weary of him. They had seen troublemakers in class before, but a student who dominated the answering was something new. Moreover, Ivan's responses were always precise and accurate, and his apologies were sincere, leaving the professors unsure of how to handle him.

Sensing his success, Ivan set his sights on his final target: Potions class. He planned to test Professor Snape's limits.

As expected, Snape, who was known for favoring Slytherins and disliking Gryffindors, wasn't about to let Ivan off easy. After class, Snape personally warned him that if he ever answered a question without permission again, he would deduct all the points Ivan had earned in other classes.

However, as soon as Snape left, the system notification chimed:

[Ding! Potions class evaluation complete. Overall rating: Satisfactory (Excellent). Evaluator: Severus Snape. Reward: 10 Academic Points.]

"Stubborn idiot," Ivan muttered under his breath, but then he paused thoughtfully. Maybe, just maybe, he could push things a little further next time.