The schedule was quickly distributed to everyone. As Sean expected, the students wailed after seeing it for the first time.
“The first class starts at eight o’clock in the morning. Class ends at twelve o’clock in the morning?”
“It’s more than that. Look, the afternoon class starts at 13:30 and ends at 17:30.”
“They must be crazy. Not only normal class but also physical training? Aren’t we wizards?”
The common room suddenly became messy, and everyone was a little dissatisfied with the schedule.
When they were at Hogwarts, the class time for junior students was from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 and from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Special courses such as flight and astronomy lessons are held at fixed timeslots.
In Nurmengard’s curriculum, not only the length of each class has increased, but the number of lessons for each subject has also increased. In addition to this, there are additional courses such as physical training.
On the way back, Sean carefully read the class schedule. The students’ reactions were within his expectations. Nurmengard’s academic pressure is obviously greater than Hogwarts’. Of course, some people showed happy expressions, such as Percy and Hermione.
The prefects began to urge the students to go to bed quickly. It was already very late after the dinner. If the chat continued, many of them might not be able to get up tomorrow.
However, Nurmengard still did a good job in terms of things. After washing, Sean climbed onto the soft, big bed and used the Lumos spell to carefully read the dozen or so books that Grindelwald gave him under the covers.
Like he said, it was a difficult one. After just reading it once, even though Sean’s spell talent is high, the name and proficiency of the spell still do not appear on his panel.
In confusion, Sean muttered a few words, put away the book, and fell asleep. He has to go to class at eight o’clock tomorrow, and he doesn’t know what the teacher in Nurmengard is like.
—-
At seven o’clock the next morning, Sean woke up on time. To his surprise, none of his roommates were lying in bed. They usually had classes at nine o’clock and didn’t get up until half past eight.
It seemed that the punishment sent back by the student representative yesterday made everyone feel anxious. After washing up, when the Hogwarts students came to the hall in a mighty manner, the Nurmengard students had already started eating.
“It’s so early. But what are they doing?” A Hogwarts student asked beside him.
Sean followed.
The door of the hall was open, and many Nurmengard students had serious expressions. The two of them stood at the door. After waiting for a while, the line in the middle representing the Elder Wand moved.
At this time, the person pointed by the tip of the wand looked gloomily, while the person pointed at by the handle looked happy.
The two students will enter the door from both ends of the vertical line. They would sit on the right table if they were pointed by the wand tip, and sit on the left long table if they were pointed by the wand handle.
“It looks like some kind of detection method?” Hermione said, “Sean, did the professors in Nurmengard tell you this yesterday?”
“No, it’s not mentioned in the curriculum and school rules.” Sean shook his head. He didn’t know what it was either.
However, the line is the symbol of the Elder Wand in the Deathly Hallows. Based on the expressions of those students, the student pointed at by the tip of the wand is obviously not in a good mood.
A voice answered their questions.
“In Nurmengard, the students are used to competition. There is a spell cast on the door of the hall. If two students stand on both sides, the spell will activate. It shows which side’s strength is not as good as another person based on which the wand is moving. The length of time to make a judgment based on the vertical line can also determine how big the difference in strength between the two is.”
Sean looked back and saw a tall, skinny boy with an iron-gray cropped hair. He was holding a short magic wand of about eight inches in his right hand. The wand was sliding back and forth in his palm and cuff.
The boy had a rough smile, and his accent was a bit weird.
Seeing the eyes of the Hogwarts students, he smiled, “Let me introduce myself, Jackie Macbeth. A fourth-grade student at Nurmengard.”
This was the first time Sean saw such a friendly Nurmengard student. He looked around, but no one seemed to greet him, so he said, “Thank you for your explanation, Macbeth. Sean Wallup, a second grade at Hogwarts.”
He shook hands with Macbeth and found that his hand was quite strong, which did not match his size at all.
Macbeth didn’t care about it and said casually, “This is one of Nurmengard’s rules, and it corresponds to some differences in treatment. For example, the food at the table on the left is much better than the one on the right. Of course, you can also choose not to test, but then, you can only sit on the right table.”
Hearing this, Sean turned his attention to the hall. As Macbeth said, the food on the left table is obviously more varied, and the food on the right table is decent.
“You are exchange students. You don’t have to follow it. You can just go to your table,” Macbeth smiled, “Although you can try it on your own if you want.”
After speaking, he quickly approached the hall and then sat down on the long table on the left.
“Didn’t he say that he could only sit on the right side without a test? Why did he go directly to the left side?” Harry wondered.
“Maybe he has already been tested, or, without testing, he is strong enough to sit on the left without anyone questioning it.” Hermione said thoughtfully.
Sean shook his head and prepared to go straight in.
“Hey, Sean, let’s try it.” Harry grabbed him, eager to try.
“Are you sure?” Sean didn’t care, and it’s hard to say whether the detection method is reliable or not. After all, the strength of a wizard is not only measurable by academic performance. For example, Harry’s grades are not top-notch, but his actual combat level is quite good, and Hermione is bad in actual combat.
“Of course, although I know you are strong, I am not weak!” Harry looked very competitive.
“Alright, let’s go.” Sean shrugged.
The two stood on both sides of the vertical line, and the others looked over curiously.
“Is it worth comparing? Sean is definitely going to win.”
“Not necessarily. Harry’s parents are both very good wizards; you should have seen his performance on the dueling stage. The way he uses Expelliarmus is really good.”
The students discussed excitedly in a low voice. In Hogwarts, there has never been such a direct competition. It is rare to put such a difference in strength to other students.
Only Daisy twisted her fingers in the crowd. One was a boy she admired, and the other was a brother she respected. She was confused about whom she should support.
Soon, the Elder Wand gave the answer.
The line didn’t wait momentarily like the previous pair of wizards. When Sean and Harry stood still, the line fell directly towards Harry without any hesitation.
“Oooooohhhhh” The Hogwarts student’s voice echoed.
“That’s so fast!” Harry was dumbfounded. He didn’t expect that the gap between himself and Sean was so big.
“It looks like I’m lucky today.” Sean smiled and put his arm around Harry’s shoulder.
George and Fred leaned forward.
“Sean, that’s really cheeky, not going to lie.”
“Man, you’re going to be looking pretty nasty from now on, eh?”
Harry gave the two of them an annoyed look and said dejectedly, “Don’t pay attention to them, Sean.”
Sean spread his hands, “Did someone talk to us just now?”
“Oh,” George said angrily, “Our little genius Wallup is very talented in hurting people.”
Fred cooperated with him, “Hogwarts once-in-a-century genius! He is excellent, but sadly he’s blind.”
“Thank you for the compliment, I guess?”
“Of course, you’re welcome!” The two pushed Sean and Harry into the hall.
“Our turn!” Fred and George also stood on either side of the line.
This time, the line hesitated for a long time. Finally, after the people behind got impatient, the line fell to Fred.
“What kind of joke is this?” Fred sounds dissatisfied.
George smiled, “It’s the first time I like Nurmengard so much. Fred, remember to call me the brother from now on.”
“No way, you bastard. This thing is not accurate at all, and I will always be born half a minute before you.”
“Isn’t the gap in strength enough to even out for half a minute?”
Looking at the twins who were arguing, Sean shook his head. These two are always like this.
Many Hogwarts students also tried it in pairs. Obviously, after the test, some were happy and some were sad. Many students ate two more grilled sausages for breakfast, while some students ate a few mouthfuls of sandwiches in frustration.
As the number one in her grade, no one wants to compare themselves with Hermione. She frowned while drinking pumpkin juice and said, “Isn’t Nurmengard too…”
She seemed to be looking for a word, but she couldn’t find it.
Sean continued, “Too utilitarian? It seems that the students are divided into two categories?”
“Yes, that’s what I mean…” Hermione muttered, “We’re just a student, you know?”
“The teaching philosophy is different.” Sean took a sip of Nepalese milk tea. After trying it last night, he fell in love with this drink, “Nurmengard advocates strength, and the atmosphere here is more inclined to competition than cooperation.”
“I know they are really strong. But this kind of atmosphere is too utilitarian. I don’t like it very much.” Hermione whispered.
“I thought first graders would prefer this kind of thing?” Sean quipped.
Hermione gave him an annoyed look, “I just don’t like falling behind in studies. But I don’t like dividing people into ranks and grades.”
“Okay, we don’t need to worry about Nurmengard’s affairs. Let’s just think about the new class.”
“Ah, yes! I still haven’t memorized two things!” Hermione exclaimed and quickly spread out a book on the long table.
Sean shrugged and continued to enjoy his breakfast.
After breakfast was over, they went to the Transfiguration Class on the second floor. This was the first lesson of the day. Just like at Hogwarts, they attended the class together.
The students from the two schools sat quietly in their seats. At 7:59, a figure walked straight into the classroom. It was Nurmengard’s Vice-Principal Vinda Rosier.
Professor Rosier looks pretty much the same as Professor McGonagall, but she looks colder than Professor McGonagall.
“Turn the book to page one hundred and twenty-three.” She started the class without calling names.
At the beginning of the class, Sean immediately felt the difference. Professor Rosier obviously taught more content at one time, and Nurmengard’s learning progress was much higher than Hogwarts’.
For example, the class is learning to turn a bunny into a hat plush.
Professor Rozier’s requirements are stricter than Professor McGonagall’s. Not only does she require that everyone’s plush hats not be the same color as the rabbit’s, but the material of the plush hat must not be similar to the rabbit’s own fur.
At the same time, the characteristics of the rabbit are not allowed to appear on the plush hat. When transforming, some people will make out something like keeping the short tail of the rabbit. After all, it is reasonable to have a small fur ball on the plush hat.
But Professor Rosier does not allow this.
Although they are all furs, the difficulty of this transformation is hard. The Hogwarts students struggled to transform into slippers, let alone do this kind of Transfiguration.
The Nurmengard students were obviously much better than the Hogwarts students, and it didn’t take long for quite a few rabbits to become plush hats that met the requirements.
However, Professor Rosier’s voice sounded when several students looked over proudly and wanted to show off.
“Amazing. Well done, Mr. Wallup, twenty points for you.”
The original brown rabbit on Sean’s table is missing. The gray plush hat is quietly placed on the table, with a Christmas tree on the top of the hat, and white snowflakes are falling quietly.
Hermione also did a good job. Although she couldn’t make snowflakes fall like Sean, she was already doing better than everyone else present, and she got five points.
Nurmengard’s points are different from Hogwarts. They don’t have a House Cup, but personal and individual points.
You can always break the school rules if you are good in class. But few people do because personal points can be redeemed for rewards during the holidays, such as professors giving you tutoring or a book that was definitely in the Restricted Section at Hogwarts.
Sean was very satisfied with today’s performance. Only a few Nurmengard students muttered sourly.