Wit Beyond Measure
written by Lizzie Scamander
Will her Ravenclaw wit keep her where she belongs? It is the year 1962 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Tom Riddle is back wanting to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. Will Professor Dippet permit this future Lord Voldemort to have the place, or will Cecelia Blackwood convince him otherwise? Little does she know that this is not just a career argument, but the beginning of a dangerous and magical adventure.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
6
Reads
750
Summonings
Chapter 1
A rather pale winter’s sun shone down upon Hogwarts castle, pushing its feeble rays through the many windows and warming the strong stone walls. A patch entered a certain Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom on the fourth floor and warmed the mahogany surface of my desk, where I sat before a class of third years scribbling down the fundamentals of defence against a hinkypunk. I pushed back a strand of my chestnut hair and smiled. Professor Dippet, the headmaster, had directly told me this morning that I was proving a good teacher. Previously I had had a little dubiety in my teaching, yet these kind words had boosted my confidence considerably.
This Christmas marked a year of teaching. A year already, I thought, pressing my fingers gently against the warm wood of the desk. It had been the same when I had been a student. First year, second year, third year, fourth year, fifth year, sixth year, and then seventh year. It had all seemed to pass so quickly. And now here I was teaching what had always been my favourite subject during my years at the magical school - Defence Against the Dark Arts.
That had always been my secret ambition. Teaching here, and I had decided that I would teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. At first I had regarded it as an unreasonable ambition, but then when I reached fifth year and enquiries into my career preferences were made, I stated honestly that I wanted to become a teacher, Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
And that has come true, I thought, relaxing my elbows down onto the desk. Here I am teaching, and I have been for almost a year now. I had never thought myself to really be much of an ambitious person, though the Sorting Hat had considered placing me in Slytherin back when I was eleven. Yet it had decided on Ravenclaw in the end. I still remembered its words, whispered into my ear.
"Hmm, let's see, you're quite a mixed one, aren't you? Mixed between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, I'd say. A bit of ambition here, I see, and a little cunning, yet there's lots of creativity too, and intelligence. But it has to be one, doesn't it? Then let's say... RAVENCLAW!" And so it had then shouted out the name of the house where I would be for the rest of my magical education at Hogwarts.
"Professor Blackwood?"
I jerked out of my thoughts abruptly and smiled at the student standing before my desk. The student, a girl with dark hair that brushed her shoulders and observant eyes handed me her work. "I've finished, Professor," she said.
I peered down at the parchment she had passed me. I smiled. "You've done very well, Miss Alice Fortescue," I said approvingly. "Full marks."
Alice grinned. "Thank you, Professor," she said. I handed her back her work and she returned to her desk. It was at that moment that there came a knock on the door.
I looked around sharply. It was rare that anyone interrupted my lessons. "Come in," I said.
The door opened, and a boy looked in. I recognised him as one of my best students, Frank Longbottom, who had ambitions of becoming an auror when he was older. I had no doubts about his ability to become so. After smiling at Alice, he walked up to my desk. "Professor Blackwood, I have a message for you from Professor Dippet," he said, producing a roll of parchment from his bag.
I was surprised, and accepted the parchment curiously. "Thank you, Mr. Longbottom," I said.
Frank nodded and left the room after giving Alice another smile. I broke the seal fastening the parchment and unrolled it.
Miss Blackwood,
Please meet me in my office at 2:00 pm sharp. I have important matters to discuss with you.
Prof. Dippet.
