History of Magic was a shared class between Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Not long after entering the classroom, George spotted Luna, her signature radish-shaped earrings dangling as usual.
However, perhaps due to her eccentric behavior and unconventional way of speaking, none of her Ravenclaw peers—including her roommates—wanted to sit with her.
Similarly, thanks to his bold declaration that morning, George found himself alone as well.
Until his academic prowess was proven, no one wanted to risk associating with him and becoming a laughingstock by extension.
As for his three roommates? Their faces were still swollen from their earlier encounter. Sitting next to him was out of the question.
"We shouldn't care what others think. It's best to just be ourselves."
Noticing George sitting alone, Luna moved to his side, tucking her wand behind her ear as she spoke in her usual dreamy tone.
George smiled.
"Thanks."
He didn't need the reassurance, but her kindness deserved acknowledgment.
Truthfully, despite being a year younger than Harry and the others, Luna often displayed a maturity beyond many adults. She held firm to her beliefs, unbothered by those who dismissed her as odd. Even when teased, she remained unshaken—serene in a way George knew he couldn't have matched at her age.
The class bell rang.
Professor Binns, the only ghost instructor at Hogwarts, drifted through the blackboard and onto the podium.
In life, he had been the History of Magic professor. One day, he'd gotten up to teach—only to leave his body behind in an armchair by the staff room fireplace. Yet his ghost continued lecturing, unchanged.
"In the Middle Ages, Muggles feared magic yet understood little of it. On the rare occasion they caught a real witch or wizard, burning them was utterly pointless. A simple Flame-Freezing Charm allowed the accused to pretend agony while enjoying a pleasant tingling sensation."
His voice was a dry, wheezing monotone, devoid of introductions or enthusiasm.
"Wendelin the Weird so adored the experience that she allowed herself to be captured no fewer than forty-seven times in various disguises..."
Like a living soporific, his droning lulled half the class into drowsiness within minutes.
After thirty relentless minutes, Binns paused—more out of ritual than expectation—and posed a question:
"Can anyone tell me how many times Wendelin the Weird was captured by Muggles?"
He didn't actually wait for an answer. In a millennium of teaching, he'd learned better. This was just a formality before resuming his lecture.
"Forty-seven times, Professor."
George's hand went up, his reply cutting through the silence.
"Correct."
Binns blinked, mildly surprised. The last student who'd answered had been that Gryffindor—Granger? Grangley?
Still, in his endless tenure, even this was unremarkable.
"No points awarded?" George mused. "Seems just answering isn't enough."
He knew Binns was the only professor who never gave house points—not out of strictness, but sheer forgetfulness. Ghostly existence had eroded his memory, leaving only historical facts intact.
To earn points, mere correctness wouldn't suffice.
"Professor, I have a question. If wizards could defend against Muggles so easily, why were so many persecuted in the past?"
"Magic was largely passed down through families. Many witches and wizards knew only rudimentary spells."
"So Hogwarts' founders established this school to ensure more could learn protective magic?"
"Correct. You seem well-versed in history."
"I've recently memorized A History of Magic, Hogwarts: A History, Important Modern Magical Events, Magical History of the Twentieth Century, Medieval Wizarding Europe, and about forty other texts."
Binns froze.
"...You've memorized all those?"
Even the dozing students snapped awake at that, exchanging wide-eyed glances.
"Then I shall test you."
What followed was an impromptu interrogation—dates, locations, key events from every book George had named.
Not a single answer was wrong.
"George, was it? Remarkable. The school hasn't seen such a devoted historian in decades. Your knowledge surpasses most fifth and sixth-years."
For the first time in centuries, Binns' ghostly face cracked into something resembling a smile.
Other ghosts lingered from fear of death. He remained solely to teach. Seeing a student so passionate about his subject was… gratifying.
"I've always believed History of Magic is among the most vital disciplines," George declared, voice ringing with conviction.
"Studying it allows us to absorb our predecessors' wisdom—refining spells, improving magical theory, even guiding how wizards interact with each other and Muggles. More than that, history illuminates the future. It is the torch that lights our path forward!"
The Slytherin and Ravenclaw students gaped.
They didn't fully grasp his words, but the sheer intensity of Binns' reaction said enough. The ghost trembled, translucent form flickering with emotion.
"Brilliant! Brilliant! Such insight deserves reward—ah, yes! House points! I'd nearly forgotten. Fifty points to Slytherin!"
The classroom erupted.
"Merlin's beard! Binns actually gave points?"
"Merlin's pants! George just earned Slytherin fifty in one go. Maybe his boast this morning wasn't so empty after all..."
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Give me all your power stones
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