HP: Professor From Azkaban

While Professor McGonagall's classroom descended into chaos, William was immersed in Hogwarts' library.

Not long after class ended, he had gathered his books and the stack of test papers and made his way there.

Although everything at Hogwarts had gone smoothly so far; including managing the notoriously difficult fifth-years, where he had successfully established his authority in just one lesson, William was acutely aware of his limitations.

Setting aside the eclectic wizarding knowledge he had accumulated through unconventional teaching methods, his understanding of the magical world was largely confined to what he had read since his release from Azkaban.

Beyond a handful of everyday spells, he had never dedicated time to learning intriguing forms of magic. Instead, he had focused all his efforts on mastering spells related to attack and defense. Even then, his proficiency in combat magic relied heavily on his slightly above-average magical reserves and self-devised techniques of questionable efficacy.

To date, William still hadn't mastered silent casting, let alone the more advanced wandless magic, which was more often bragged about by Azkaban inmates than actually demonstrated.

Though William's knowledge from Azkaban and his years of test-driven education gave him enough confidence to teach, that didn't mean he lacked the desire to improve himself.

Even as he graded test papers, he greedily absorbed any unfamiliar content, committing it to memory. However, this wasn't the same as direct learning. Compared to Hogwarts' thousand-year-old library, the books he'd encountered were mere trickles from a stream. Now that he had secured his authority among the fifth-year students, he decided to reward himself with two class periods to dive into the library's treasures.

"Good morning, Madam Pince," William greeted warmly.

"Good morning, Professor William. Are you here to borrow books?"

The thin witch glanced at the paper bag he was carrying. After some hesitation, she added, "Professor, food is not permitted in the library."

"It's not food; just student test papers," William replied with a polite smile. He opened the bag to show her its contents, not feeling the least bit offended by her concern over the library's regulations.

"Ah, test papers. My apologies, Professor," Madam Pince said quickly. "Are you looking for specific references? The Restricted Section is over there. Students aren't allowed nearby, so the tables there are quite quiet. If you're looking for a particular book, feel free to ask me. I'm familiar with most of the library's collection."

As she spoke the last sentence, her demeanor grew visibly more confident, as though she had physically straightened up by several inches. Clearly, she took great pride in her knowledge of the library.

"I'm looking for books on the theory of silent casting. They're hard to find in the general market, so I thought I'd try my luck here."

"Of course, we have those. Let me think... Oh, yes. The Restricted Section has a book that touches on dark magic. On the seventh row, fourth bookshelf, the third shelf has several theory books on silent casting. The fourth shelf focuses more on practical applications. On the same row, the fifth bookshelf, bottom shelf, there are a few books discussing curses."

To William's surprise, the librarian seemed to have every book's location committed to memory, rattling off the information with impressive ease.

"Would you like me to help you find them, Professor?"

"No, thank you. I appreciate it. The sheer size of Hogwarts' library is far beyond anything I could have imagined."

"Of course. This is Hogwarts," Madam Pince replied matter-of-factly.

William found the answer entirely reasonable, nodded in agreement, and waved goodbye before heading to the indicated shelves.

Fortunately, most of the books he wanted hadn't been borrowed. This put him in an excellent mood.

Carrying a stack of over a dozen books, he made his way to a nearby table in the Restricted Section. The table's spaciousness and the sunlight streaming in through the windows immediately caught his attention, making it a perfect spot to delve into his studies.

This place is amazing. If it weren't right next to the Restricted Section, it would probably be swarmed by students, wouldn't it?

William glanced at the "Students Forbidden to Enter" sign posted beside the bookshelves and allowed himself a moment of smug satisfaction.

Shaking off the sense of pride, he refocused his attention and began carefully flipping through the books in front of him.

***

Within half an hour, William slapped the table in excitement; a motion that immediately reminded him of where he was.

Fortunately, there were no students nearby, and Madam Pince didn't seem inclined to scold him for the minor disturbance. This spared him the humiliation of being kicked out of the library mere minutes after discovering his breakthrough.

He slipped a bookmark into the book and flipped back to its opening pages.

The Hogwarts library seal stood prominently on the first page. Following it were the names and dates of the book's donors. There were no edition numbers, no printing details. This was undoubtedly a privately made, non-commercial copy, likely a personal manuscript donated by someone.

Even if it's cursed, getting into Hogwarts' collection is still quite an honor; William mused, shaking his head as he turned back to the original page he had been reading.

He had known during his time in Azkaban that many prisoners took pride in their unique dark curses or black magic, hoarding their secrets and refusing to share even a word with others.

From his Azkaban perspective, the magical world seemed full of hoarded knowledge. And here was Hogwarts, with its vast collection of rare books and Restricted Section tomes. It made him wonder how extraordinary the private libraries of pure-blood families must be.

As a professor, he not only had unrestricted access to these treasures; books that only Hogwarts staff and students could see, but also the privilege of delving into the entirety of the Restricted Section without anyone's approval. He could even borrow them freely.

To William, this privilege was more valuable than his salary.

One rare book alone had effortlessly solved a month-long problem he had been struggling with regarding silent casting. And that wasn't even counting the other reference books stacked beneath it or the additional volumes he had pulled from the Restricted Section.

With his difficult problem resolved, William's spirits soared. He pulled out parchment and a quill, diligently copying down the most useful insights as he continued reading. If these weren't library books, he would have jotted all his thoughts directly into the margins.

What a treasure trove!

As several consecutive problems unraveled before him, William couldn't help exclaiming in delight.

Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, who had finally managed to calm her students, glanced at her lesson plans. For the first time, a sense of doubt crept into her mind.

"Is teaching the Vanishing Spell as the first spell for fifth-years too challenging? Am I discouraging them too much?"

***

Note: Restricted Section books theoretically require a signed note from a professor for access. While Hermione claimed to have browsed the Restricted Section books in her sixth year, she obtained notes far too easily; Professor Slughorn favored her greatly.

If upper-year students were allowed to freely browse the Restricted Section, its restrictions would lose all meaning. Younger students could simply find numerous ways to acquire books from older peers, making the effort to forge signatures entirely unnecessary.

..

//Bonus Chapter upon reaching 250 Power Stones mark!

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