"Class begins."
Kaison tapped the podium, still pure gold, untouched by any sneaky young wizard trying to pilfer it. The students below quickly opened their Alchemy textbooks, pulled out their foldable Alchemy trays, and gazed at Kaison with admiration.
Feeling a bit awkward, Kaison stepped down from the podium and picked up a student's textbook at random. "Ancient Runes…" he murmured.
[Ancient Runes…]
[Ancient Runes…]
[Ancient Runes… What the heck is that?]
He fell uncharacteristically silent, then glanced at the book again. His forehead, on the verge of sweating, miraculously dried.
Ancient Runes, as it turned out, were magical symbols, sometimes called by other names—like the Runic alphabet Odin supposedly learned in Norse mythology after sacrificing an eye. In Alchemy, they were inscribed onto materials to create magical circuits. But that blasted Flourish and Blotts book he'd bought had zero mention of Runes.
That swindling bookseller…
Kaison made a mental note to pick a dark, stormy night to stuff that guy in a sack and give him a good thrashing.
After a cursory glance, he returned the book to the student. Using symbols to imbue objects with magic? Piece of cake for him, honestly.
"Have you learned the applications of Ancient Runes?" Kaison asked.
"Yes, Professor," the students replied.
Kaison nodded. "Forgive me, I'm stepping in as your professor midstream, and your last one left abruptly. That means I'm a bit off on your progress. Bear with me.
"But you all know Runes, right? I believe Hogwarts has a professor for Ancient Runes who teaches this stuff."
Without giving the students a chance to respond, he returned to the podium. "Rune inscription, as it's called, often involves carving grooves into an object and filling them with mithril, which is already magical. I think that's crude. It's mithril's magic, not the object's own.
"So, I've developed a more advanced method for Runes. I wouldn't call it inscription—I call it enchanting."
With that, Kaison produced an obsidian base, then conjured four fist-sized, glowing diamond blocks, embedding them in the corners of the base. He tossed a blank book onto the obsidian surface, where it floated gently.
"Someone give me an object, and I'll see how this thing works," Kaison said, leaning casually against the enchanting table.
"Uh, Professor, what does it do?" a student asked.
"It directly imbues the magic of Runes onto an object, enhancing it—like making weapons stronger or tools more durable."
Kaison's explanation sent the classroom into chaos. Students exchanged glances, then scrambled like startled chickens, all eager to get their items to the podium. A minute later, when one wizard fired off a spell, the students abandoned all decorum. After a brief scuffle, the victor stood before Kaison.
"Hand it over here," he said, extending his hand.
"Uh, Professor, it's not that I don't trust you, but… you know… a wands are a wizard's most precious possession. Just to confirm…"
"It's completely safe," Kaison assured.
The wizard nodded and handed over his wand.
"Ash, unicorn hair… What's your name?"
"Cedric Diggory, sir."
"…Aren't you a third-year?" Kaison asked, stroking his chin.
"Last year's Alchemy professor thought I was progressing too quickly, so I got moved to the fourth-year class."
"Oh… nice, nice. What effect do you want?"
"You can choose effects?" Cedric asked, surprised.
"Is Alchemy some kind of clunky magic? Of course! You write the Runes for the effect in this book—or your own, that works too. The table automatically absorbs Runes within a certain range," Kaison said smugly.
"Alright, I'll write them. This book okay?" Cedric asked, pointing to the floating book.
"Whatever works." Kaison handed him a quill.
Cedric dipped it in ink and scribbled lengthy Runes across the page. Kaison didn't know Runes, but since he'd crafted the table himself, each Rune appeared in his vision with transparent hover-texts, detailing effects: reduced mana cost, increased spell power, faster spell conduction, casting speed, and even one for warming hands in winter.
"Like this?" Cedric asked, looking up after writing all the Runes he wanted.
"Mm-hm. Now, do you want to enchant your wand yourself, or should I do it?"
Cedric scratched his head sheepishly. "Professor, I'm kind of attached to my wand, so…"
Kaison nodded, eyes crinkling with amusement as he leaned in. "I get it, I get it. Young folks like you get possessive about your prized stuff and can't stand anyone else touching it."
Cedric scratched his head again, embarrassed. Something about Kaison saying it made it sound… off, but he admitted it anyway.
"Place your wand on the book. It'll float up. Then, put your hand on the book, channel your magic, and draw the Runes' power into the wand. It's simple—give it a try."
Cedric nodded, gently setting his wand on the book. A force caught it, lifting it into the air. Then, he channeled magic to infuse the Runes' power into the wand.
Everything went smoothly. Not a single issue.
Then, Cedric's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed like a felled log.
"…???" Kaison scratched his head, nudging Cedric with his toe.
"Hey… Hey? Diggory? Cedric!"
As Cedric lay unconscious, the class erupted into chaos. Some even claimed Cedric had overloaded his wand with too many enchantments, and Kaison, sensing his greed, had secretly hexed him to death.
"Quiet," Kaison said, studying Cedric for a moment. Realizing he'd just nearly depleted his magic, triggering a protective blackout, he sighed and barked, "Enough!"
The students kept chattering.
"Quiet!" Still no effect.
Kaison sighed, "Summoning a small golden bell in his palm. He tapped it lightly, and the chime rippled outward like water, silencing the students and jolting Cedric upright.
"Professor… I'm I okay?" Cedric asked, touching his head, shaken.
"You're fine. Your magic just couldn't handle enchanting so many effects at once. Your body shut down to protect itself—no big deal," Kaison explained.
"What? I'm that weak?" Cedric said, embarrassed.
"You're not weak—you're just young."
"Did the enchantment work?"
"…Well, at least you won't freeze your hands casting spells this winter. You only got that one effect, but it's a solid start.
"For bravely stepping up to enchant your wand, and for brawling with your classmates to reach me, Hufflepuff earns ten points."
Kaison's serious expression cracked into a grin.
"Thanks, Professor…" Cedric exhaled, reaching for his wand to return to his seat.
"Ahem. Not enchanting your wand again?" Kaison called from the podium.
"I can?" Cedric turned back, thrilled.
"Why not? First-mover privilege—latecomers won't get this chance. Want another go? Hand me the wand." Kaison held out his hand.
Before he'd even finished, Cedric's wand was in his palm. Kaison placed it on the enchanting table, and as a surge of magic infused the Runes' power into it, the ash wand shimmered with a vibrant purple glow.
"Go give it a try."
Cedric took his wand, instinctively flicking it.
Boom!
Everyone stared at the gaping hole in the classroom floor, revealing the Potions classroom below… and a furious Snape.
"Cedric Diggory?" Snape's hawk-like eyes zeroed in on the culprit, snapping, "Hufflepuff, ten points deducted!"
Kaison hurried over, summoning a dark oak plank block and patching the floor in seconds. "Ahem, let this be a lesson, folks. Test your wands on inanimate objects, not like Cedric here, swinging wildly.
"One careless flick, and there goes ten points, right?
"Lucky it's me." Kaison paused deliberately, letting Cedric think—somehow—that this professor, whom he'd met once before (no, twice now), was unusually kind and might restore his points.
"…If it were another professor, they might've let you keep those points. Too bad you got me."
Kaison said with a wicked grin.
"Oh…" The Hufflepuff students wilted like winter cabbages, while the Gryffindors chuckled at the O. Henry twist.
Slytherin and Ravenclaw, meanwhile, stayed indifferent—none of their business.
Soon, class was nearly over.
"Your homework: study this enchanting table and write a three-thousand-word essay. Bonus points if you can replicate a working version. Class dismissed."
Kaison left the enchanting table where it was and headed for the door, slowing his steps as he reached it.
"Hufflepuff, ten points."
Ohohohoh!
"Long live Professor Kaison!!!"