A certain Hogwarts professor of runes

As Christmas approaches and the festive atmosphere intensifies, many young wizards' enthusiasm for learning has plummeted.

Many professors say we can't relax, but they don't put too much pressure on us, which is reflected in the amount of homework they assign.

However, this leniency does not apply to fifth and seventh graders. They are required to take the OWLs and NEWTs, respectively, in that year.

Ancient magic script, fifth grade class.

Felix reiterated the importance of the OWLs exams, "You only have six months until the regular wizarding level exams. Subtract holidays and weekends, how much time do you have left?"

"Let me do the math for you. Six months, let's say twenty-five weeks."

Amidst the bewildered expressions of the young wizards in the audience, the professor began to do the math: "Two classes a week, one long lecture lasting two hours, and one short lecture lasting one hour, so..."

"It's only seventy-five hours in total."

"Do you have that much study time outside of class? No matter how I calculate it, it's less than two hundred hours."

Seeing Professor Hyp's regretful expression, the young wizards fell silent.

However, Felix was in a good mood today, and he decided to conduct a student survey.

"Which subject do you consider to be your weakest?"

A little witch asked timidly, "Does ancient magic runes count?"

"No!"

"That's the history of magic," said the Hufflepuff girl. "Professor Binns always makes us memorize a lot of things, and I don't have a very good memory."

"He never highlights anything in class, while other professors at least give some hints," a Ravenclaw said indignantly.

Professor Binns is the type who says, "I only talk about the key points, and everything I mention in class is a test point." He is also known for his flat, monotonous language, which sounds like he is chanting a mantra.

It has an excellent hypnotic effect.

"History of Magic... very good, Miss Selton, Mr. Pardis. Anything else?"

"I'm not very good at astronomy class; I always get the planets' positions mixed up."

"The practical lessons in Herbalism are fun, but I can never remember the properties of magical plants."

"Don't you think arithmetic divination is complicated?"

"Fortune-telling classes are a nightmare!"

Someone immediately retorted, "Nonsense! Divination classes are the easiest to pass."

"Trillaun is a psychopath!"

"Professor McGonagall is very strict."

"Catahlburn's classes are always filled with dangerous magical creatures."

"Professor Snape is terrifying."

The young wizards started discussing it enthusiastically, but the discussion quickly veered off-topic. Felix quickly stopped them, asking how it had escalated into criticizing the professors of each subject.

He summarized the young wizards' views: "Therefore, you generally do not perform well in courses that are more theoretical and require a lot of memorization, such as Ancient Runes, History of Magic, and Astronomy."

Felix suddenly had an idea and decided to give it a try: "How about we play a game?"

"Please, both students... well, Miss Seldon and Mr. Pardis, I need your cooperation."

Two young wizards stepped forward curiously.

The little wizard in the classroom suddenly perked up.

"Take out your wands."

Seldon and Pardis excitedly pulled out their wands, their eyes fixed on Felix.

Professor Hyp's teaching is always full of novel and interesting methods—this is a widely circulated saying in other grades, but relatively less so in fifth and seventh grade.

"Let me think..." Felix flicked his wand, and a nine-square grid appeared in front of each of them.

Inside the grid were nine magical runes that flickered with sparks.

Above the heads of the two young wizards were two names gilded in gold—Pat Selton and Warren Pardis.

"Professor, what is this?"

Hufflepuff's Pete Selton asked curiously, and a friend pointed to the top of her head, revealing her name above her head. Strangely, there was a number "0" next to the name.

"We're going to have a spellbook knowledge competition. I'll be explaining the spellbooks, and you need to find the corresponding spellbook as quickly as possible and touch the corresponding square with your wand."

"You need to be faster than your opponent to score a point."

"The game ends when one of you reaches 100 points first."

Felix looked at the two of them. "Let's try it once."

He uttered a series of interpretations: "Light, illuminating the road ahead, also represents the brilliance of knowledge."

Pete Selton and Warren Pardis stared intently at the runes floating in mid-air before them. When Professor Hyp spoke the second short phrase, Pete's eyes lit up, and she quickly tapped the bottom left corner of the 3x3 grid with her wand.

"I know, it's Ken!"

When her wand touched the rune, the area instantly turned bright gold, and at the same time, a "+1" symbol appeared above her head, lingering for two seconds before disappearing.

Pete belatedly looked up at her head—the initial number "0" had changed to "1." She glanced at the professor. "I won?"

"In a sense," Felix said, "I think you understand the rules of the game now, right?"

Both nodded in agreement; this way of playing was really fun. Warren, standing to the other side, couldn't help but grip his wand tightly—he had been a step too slow.

Felix waved his wand, causing the first set of nine squares to disappear, and a second set of nine squares appeared in front of the two of them.

"The second word, reward, symbolizes victory and satisfaction—"

Warren swung his wand at the center of the 3x3 grid, watching the area turn a dazzling gold. His face flushed with excitement. "It's Wyn, Professor."

"Correct answer." Felix nodded, and a "+1" symbol appeared above Warren's head, making his score 1.

The competition continues, and "poverty, hardship, also represent a kind of misfortune."

Without a second thought, Warren tapped his wand on the upper left corner, but this time, the area quickly turned a bleak gray.

"Wrong answer, Mr. Warren." Felix waved his wand, and a "-1" mark appeared above his head, resetting his score to zero.

Warren clenched his fist in frustration.

By now, the young wizards had fully grasped the rules of the game: correct answers earn points, incorrect answers deduct points, and the first to reach one hundred points wins.

"Harvest, crops, or the growth cycle..."

Warren quickly waved his wand...

"Correct, add one point."

"Next……"

"Very good, Miss Pete. Our match will get even tougher from here on out."

The first dozen or so sets were all rather rudimentary magical runes, but soon, the difficulty increased at a visible rate.

The two players slowed down, having more and more time to think, and the score was narrowed to 73:71.

"To acquire skills or through random luck, to uncover hidden secrets, and to bring life into being."

Pete bit her lip, while Warren kept fidgeting with his knuckles.

"It's Peorth, Peorth." One of the young wizards watching from the sidelines couldn't help but whisper the answer.

Pete's eyes lit up, and he tapped the correct answer with his wand.

Felix remained noncommittal; he neither stopped the young wizards from offering their advice nor awarded them any points.

He simply changed to another set of nine-square grids.

Then the two understood what the professor meant: Next, you will be competing with all the young wizards in the class.

The two looked at each other, both with bitter expressions.

But the young wizards below the stage got excited. In the next dozen or so sets of nine squares, they pooled their wisdom and chattered incessantly, while the two on stage each only managed to score one point.

The bell rang, but no one moved.

The score was 99-98.

The young wizards fell silent.

Felix said quickly, "The power of the sun triumphs over demons and darkness..."

"It's Sigel." Pete's staff tip touched the center of the 3x3 grid, shimmering with golden light.

"I won! I won!"

Amid her screams, Professor Hyp waved his wand, causing dazzling fireworks to burst in the classroom.

"Thank you to both students for their excellent performances. Hufflepuff gets 10 points, and Ravenclaw gets 5 points."

"get out of class dismissed!"