magic wand

The following day, Ciaran entered the auditorium for dinner and happened upon Hagrid striding towards the staff table, a dead polecat in hand, a perpetual smile adorning his face.

"Hi, Hagrid, good morning," greeted Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the Gryffindor table.

"Morning to ya," Hagrid replied enthusiastically, pausing on his way to the staff table. "You lot are here for my first class after lunch! I've been up since five, got everything prepared... Ah, hoping it all goes well, it's gonna be quite the ride... My dad would've been chuffed to see this!"

Though Hagrid's words trailed off a bit, his grin remained intact.

Seeing the concern in Harry, Ron, and Hermione's expressions, Ciaran decided to intervene and halted Hagrid.

"What's the matter, Ciaran?" Hagrid asked, perplexed, polecat still in hand.

Ciaran spoke softly, "Hagrid, you haven't included any dangerous creatures in your first class, have you?"

"Oh, no, of course not, Ciaran, that fella's harmless, just mighty interesting," Hagrid assured promptly.

However, Ciaran couldn't shake the feeling that the hippogriff might still feature in Hagrid's plans.

It's not that the Hippogriff is perilous—it just might be challenging to handle. But for the first lesson, caution would be prudent, especially with students susceptible to Slytherin House's influence. Targeted teaching was essential.

"I'm no expert in Care of Magical Creatures, but as a fellow teacher, I reckon for your first class, you should err on the side of caution. Opt for a visually appealing magical creature with no offensive capabilities, perhaps," Ciaran advised.

Hagrid patted Ciaran on the shoulder, smiling. "Fret not, Ciaran, I'm all set. No hitches."

With that, Hagrid grabbed a few slices of pumpkin pie and left the auditorium, polecat in tow.

Though Ciaran felt Hagrid hadn't heeded the advice, there wasn't much more to be done. With Dumbledore present, any issues could likely be resolved.

Ciaran's first class of the semester was with fifth-year students, facing the pressure of the O.W.Ls exam. The academic workload was hefty for both students and teachers.

The O.W.Ls, or Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations, were crucial for fifth-year students. These exams determined their course choices for the following years and, consequently, their future careers.

Having lacked relevant qualifications in the past, Ciaran aspired to become a Hogwarts professor. She began teaching advanced spells and countermeasures to her students.

The students, particularly Fred and George, protested, "Professor, do you have to be so strict? Just pass us."

This particular class comprised fifth-year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students.

Observing the prevailing attitude, Ciaran's expression darkened as she addressed them sternly, "To pass the O.W.Ls next June, you must excel in your daily studies. A minimum of good grades is requisite; otherwise, I'll regretfully reject your applications for sixth year."

The young wizards begrudgingly complied, practicing obstacle and armor spells. Ciaran focused on defensive, restraining, and obstructing spells, reserving offensive spells for the next semester.

The task of teaching was arduous, leaving little time for undoing and counter-spells. Harry and the other third-year students would join combat class the following day.

Ciaran pondered acquiring magical items containing Force points within the school but had no leads yet. She nearly forgot about obtaining an old wand for Sirius.

After class, Ciaran headed to the eighth floor, pacing outside the Room of Requirement, focusing on the need for a wand. Upon entering, she found several wand-like objects, most old and unusable, but a few salvageable.

She selected a relatively intact wand, stashed it in her pocket, and departed.

"Something the matter, Ciaran?" Sirius inquired, finding her in the kitchen.

Ciaran tossed the old wand onto the floor of Fremont Manor's living room, remarking, "Perhaps this old wand isn't quite suited for you, but it'll do for now."

Sirius picked up the wand, waving it, producing a few sparks. Grinning, he said, "Thank you, Ciaran. It's been ages since I held a wand."

The two conversed briefly, primarily discussing how to confront Peter Pettigrew. Returning to her desk, Ciaran enjoyed a meal prepared by the house elves, noting Sirius's lackluster cooking skills.

In the afternoon class, the students discussed an incident in Care of Magical Creatures where a Slytherin student was injured, casting doubt on Hagrid's teaching abilities.

"Do you reckon Hagrid's got a temper? Why else would a student get hurt in the first class?"

"Maybe he wanted to make a statement?"

Before Ciaran entered the classroom, the chatter ceased.

Addressing the class, Ciaran reassured, "Hagrid isn't prone to violence. As for making a show of strength, a teacher wouldn't do that. Instead of speculating about other teachers, why not demonstrate your spell proficiency from over the summer? Let's see how well you've mastered them."

Looking around, she noticed most girls eagerly volunteered to assist Cedric Diggory, a popular student known for his charm and academic prowess.

In the upcoming Triwizard Tournament, Cedric would prove to be a formidable competitor, while Harry was thrust into the fray by Barty Crouch Jr., a Death Eater disguised as Moody.