Chapter 34: George the Prodigy

Chapter 34: George the Prodigy

History of Magic was a shared class between Slytherin and Ravenclaw, so shortly after entering the classroom, George spotted Luna, who was wearing her homemade radish-shaped earrings.

However, due to Luna's eccentric behavior and unique way of speaking, none of her Ravenclaw classmates, including her roommates, wanted to sit with her.

Similarly, because of George's bold declaration that morning, he was also sitting alone.

Until it was clear whether he was truly exceptional or not, no one wanted to sit with him and risk becoming a laughingstock by association.

As for his three roommates, their faces were still swollen, so they certainly weren't sitting next to him.

"Don't worry about what others think. Just be yourself."

Seeing George sitting alone, Luna got up and sat next to him, tucking her wand behind her ear and speaking in a calm, reassuring tone.

George smiled and nodded:

"Thank you."

Though he didn't need the reassurance, Luna's gesture was still worth his gratitude.

In many ways, Luna, despite being a year younger than Harry and the others, was more mature than some adults.

She had her own ideas and beliefs, and even when others thought she was eccentric, she didn't care.

She remained calm and composed, even when her classmates teased or pranked her.

Honestly, George didn't think he could have been as composed as Luna at her age.

The bell rang, and Professor Binns, the ghostly History of Magic teacher, floated through the blackboard and appeared at the podium.

He was the only ghost teacher at Hogwarts, having been the History of Magic professor when he was alive.

One day, he got up to teach a class but accidentally left his body behind in an armchair by the staff room fireplace, becoming a ghost who continued to teach History of Magic at Hogwarts.

"In the Middle Ages, non-magical people were terrified of magic but had little understanding of it.

Occasionally, they would catch a real witch or wizard, but burning them was useless.

A simple Flame-Freezing Charm would allow the witch or wizard to pretend to scream in agony while actually enjoying a pleasant, tingling sensation.

Wendelin the Weird loved being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught forty-seven times in various disguises..."

Without any introduction or preamble, Professor Binns began his lecture in his characteristic wheezy, monotonous tone the moment he appeared on the podium.

It was as if he were casting a sleeping spell, as some students began dozing off almost immediately.

After half an hour of lecturing, Professor Binns finally paused and, following his rigid teaching routine, asked a question:

"Can anyone tell me how many times Wendelin the Weird was caught by Muggles?"

Though he asked the question, he didn't actually expect anyone to answer. He knew exactly how his classes went.

This was just a necessary part of the lesson. If no one answered, he would simply continue lecturing until the end of class.

"Forty-seven times, Professor."

Just as he was about to skip the question and move on, a student raised their hand and stood up to answer.

"Very good, correct."

Professor Binns was slightly surprised but didn't dwell on it and prepared to continue the lecture.

It was rare for a student to answer his questions. The last time it had happened was with that Gryffindor student—what was her name? Granger?

But in his thousand years of teaching, this wasn't particularly noteworthy.

"No points? It seems just answering correctly isn't enough."

George raised an eyebrow when Professor Binns didn't award any points for his correct answer.

From what he knew, Professor Binns was the only teacher who never awarded points, not because he was strict, but because his memory was too poor to remember to do so.

After becoming a ghost, his memory had deteriorated in all areas except for historical knowledge.

So, to get points from him, simply answering correctly wasn't enough.

"Professor, I have a question. If wizards could use various spells to defend against Muggles, why were so many wizards persecuted by Muggles back then?"

"Because, at the time, wizards learned magic primarily through family traditions, and many wizards didn't know many spells."

"So, the four founders created Hogwarts to ensure more wizards could learn magic to protect themselves, right?"

"Yes, that was one of the reasons. It seems you have some knowledge of magical history."

"I've just finished memorizing over forty books on magical history, including A History of Magic, Hogwarts: A History, Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century, Modern Magical History, and Interpretations of Medieval Events."

"You've memorized all those books on magical history?"

Hearing George's words, even Professor Binns looked surprised.

The other drowsy students also woke up, their faces filled with curiosity.

"Then let me test you."

Professor Binns began asking George questions about various events, dates, locations, and details from the books George had mentioned.

George answered every question flawlessly, without a single mistake.

"Your name is George, right? Very impressive. It's been a long time since we've had a student so interested in magical history.

Your knowledge of magical history surpasses that of many fifth- and sixth-year students."

A rare smile appeared on Professor Binns's ghostly face.

Most ghosts became ghosts out of fear of death, but he had remained because of his dedication to teaching magical history.

So, nothing made him happier than seeing a student so talented and passionate about the subject.

"I've always believed that History of Magic is an incredibly important and valuable subject.

Studying magical history allows us to learn from the experiences of past wizards, gaining wisdom and insight.

It not only helps us learn and improve spells but also teaches us how wizards should interact with each other and with Muggles.

Moreover, it allows us to see the future through the lens of history, illuminating the path forward with wisdom!"

George spoke passionately about his views on history, leaving the Slytherin and Ravenclaw students stunned.

Though they didn't fully understand his words, they could tell he was saying something profound.

Even Professor Binns's ghostly form trembled with excitement.

"Well said, very well said! I must reward you, I must reward you.

Ah, yes, I can award house points! I almost forgot. George, you've done excellently. Fifty points to Slytherin!"

"Merlin's beard, Professor Binns actually awarded points! I thought he never gave points!"

"Merlin's pants, George just earned Slytherin fifty points in one go. It seems his bold claims this morning weren't just talk."

The students erupted into chatter upon hearing Professor Binns award points.

(End of Chapter)