Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0669 Safety

"How to get yourselves out safely from particularly unfavorable environments—"

Bryan lifted himself off the edge of the desk and began pacing back and forth in front of the eager students.

"So, who can tell me what methods we can use to get from one place to another in an instant?"

The response came immediately and enthusiastically. Nearly eighty percent of the class shot their hands into the air with some waving frantically to catch his attention.

Bryan's eyes scanned the sea of raised hands before settling on the blond head at the very front of the classroom.

"Go ahead, Mr. Malfoy—" Bryan gestured with a slight nod.

Draco rose to his feet and answered. "Apparition, Portkeys, and if fireplaces count, those are the only common ones, Professor—"

"Very good, five points to Slytherin—" Bryan pressed his hands gesturing for Draco to sit down, then looked at the students below.

"Does anyone not quite understand the concepts of the methods Mr. Malfoy just mentioned?"

His gaze briefly lingered on the youngest student present, Astoria Greengrass, a young short girl which made her stand out among the older students. but Astoria came from one of the oldest pureblood families in Magical Britain and thus had extensive magical knowledge.

The rest of the students were at least in their third year, all of them having had some practical exposure to magical transportations by now. Expression of realization appeared on most faces as they recalled their personal experiences with these methods.

Harry sitting between Ron and Hermione also gave a small nod of understanding. It was the man in front of him, Professor Watson, who had first taken him Apparating.

The memory of the squeezing sensation still made him slightly nauseous. He had also used the Floo Network at the Weasleys' Burrow, accidentally ending up in Knockturn Alley due to his mispronunciation. And just last summer, he had experienced the jerking, nauseating pull of a Portkey when traveling with the Weasleys and Hermione to the Quidditch World Cup.

"Then let's have a simple discussion about the above three quick escape methods, so—" Bryan continued, clasping his hands behind his back, "If your survival depended on a quick escape, which of these methods would you eliminate first from consideration, and why?"

This time, the response was slower. Fewer hands shot into the air as students took a moment to genuinely consider the question, evaluating the pros and cons of each method in their minds. However, Hermione's hand was, as always, among the first to be raised.

"Miss Granger," Bryan said with a knowing smile, "tell us your thoughts—"

Hermione stood up quickly. She took a deep, preparatory breath which was a familiar sight to her classmates who knew she was about to deliver a thoroughly researched answer. Her voice was clear and confident as she spoke fluently.

"I would rule out fireplaces, Professor Watson, because if you want to use a fireplace, you need to have one first which is unrealistic in an emergency. Also, if the fireplace isn't connected to the Floo Network, it won't work at all."

"Assuming we're in a dangerous environment," She continued, "I don't think we'd have time to submit an application to the Ministry of Magic for network connection approval, or possibly carry a fireplace with us!"

Many students nodded in appreciation of her logical approach, some silently praising themselves for having arrived at the same conclusion. However, Bryan didn't give any praise. Instead, he just smiled cryptically and pressed on with his questioning.

"What next, Miss Granger?" he inquired, his head tilted slightly to one side. "Of the remaining two, which one would you eliminate?"

"Portkeys, Professor" Hermione responded without hesitation, clearly having anticipated the follow-up question. Her voice took on a slightly more formal tone as she quoted magical legislation.

"According to the Magical Transportation Act of 1742, section 37B, 'the unauthorized creation of Portkeys constitutes a breach of magical security and carries a minimum sentence of six months in Azkaban.' Given that creating a authorized Portkey requires Ministry approval, which involves a seventeen-page application and a waiting period of three to six weeks, it's not practical in an emergency situation."

"Sit down, Miss Granger—" Bryan said with a grin.

Behind her, George leaned forward as he cautiously poked Hermione's back with his wand. "Blimey, he didn't award Gryffindor a single point for that textbook recitation. Robbery, that is!" he whispered, just loud enough for those nearby to hear.

Fred suppressed a snicker beside him.

Hermione didn't appreciate the interruption. She twisted in her seat quickly, and gave George a stern glare.

"I don't want you spreading what I'm about to say around, understand? If word gets out and the Ministry of Magic comes to me, I won't admit to it—"

Bryan's abrupt words caused a brief look of astonishment on the young wizards' faces, but afterwards, their eyes glinted with excitement.

"First, I'd like to ask," Bryan continued, resting one hand on his desk and leaning forward slightly, "what is the core of what we're discussing right now?"

The question ignited an immediate commotion. Students turned to one another, whispering. Amidst the chaos, the voice of Finley from Hufflepuff stood out, eliciting echoes of agreement.

"Escaping with your life!"

"Very good—" Bryan acknowledged this answer with an approving nod toward the Hufflepuff section. Then his gaze shifted to Hermione, whose eyebrow was now deeply furrowed as she clearly sensed the direction the lesson was taking.

"So, please tell me," Bryan continued, spreading his hands out wide, "which is more important, escaping with your life or the law?"

The previously noisy classroom fell eerily silent. Many students' expressions mirrored Hermione's thoughtful concern, their young faces were pondering over this moral dilemma that suddenly seemed far more complex than they had initially realized.

The question seemed simple on the surface, but upon deeper consideration, it presented an ethical dilemma that touched on fundamental values of self-protection versus social order.

"Alright, we're not here to discuss right and wrong in absolute terms. Let me rephrase it more simply—" Bryan began pacing again.

"Suppose you're chasing an evil dark wizard, perhaps you're an Auror, or perhaps you're simply defending against him. However, when you actually encounter this dark wizard, you realize that you're no match for his power and experience. His magic is far beyond your capabilities, and defeat is certain if you fight."

Bryan paused, allowing the tension to build. "In this situation, would you choose to violate the law to ensure your own safety? Would you use any means necessary to escape with your life?"

The answers from the class were not consistent. The vast majority of students, after considering the dreadful scenario, indicated they would choose to save their own lives, raising their hands with varying degrees of certainty.

However, there were also some—particularly a few Gryffindors and Ravenclaws—who mumbled phrases like "I'd rather die with honor than live in shame" or "I'd rather die than go to Azkaban."

Bryan ignored the young wizards' discussions. He allowed the murmuring discussions to continue for a few seconds before raising his hand for silence.

"Let me share my views on these three escape methods, First is Apparition—"

Bryan's gaze swept across the students once more and his expression became more serious.

"This is an extremely convenient way to escape, It's not subject to direct Ministry supervision in the moment of use, and generally untraceable under normal circumstances. The magical signature left behind dissipates within minutes, making tracking nearly impossible."

He leaned forward slightly, emphasizing his next point. "Only a very small number of wizards with powerful magical skill can capture your trajectory through some tiny clues—residual magical signatures, atmospheric disturbances, or trace magic left in the air—but such wizards are rare, not worth considering in most emergency situations."

"And when you're in your sixth year," he continued, his tone lightening slightly, "the Ministry will send a certified Apparition instructor to Hogwarts to teach you the secrets of this skill. At that time, I hope you will all master it—"

Bryan paused for a moment, allowing his previous points to sink in before moving to the disadvantages.

The classroom was utterly silent as every student was hanging on his words.

"Now let's talk about the disadvantages of Apparition, First, when Apparating long distances, it consumes a huge amount of magical power and energy. This cannot be ignored or underestimated."

He emphasized this point by tapping his wand against his palm. "I've seen powerful wizards collapse from exhaustion after multiple long-distance Apparitions. Your magic needs time to recover after such exertion.

Second, and most crucially, Apparition is very easily disrupted. Just a simple Anti-Disapparition Jinx can cause the spatial information of a large area to be sealed off, making the destination unmarked and unreachable. Even Headmaster Dumbledore or I cannot forcibly Apparate in this situation, unless we don't intend to live—"

Outside, the Scottish winter made its presence known. The windows trembled under the sharp cold wind that howled around the castle, causing the glass panes to clatter loudly against their frames.

Despite the distraction, none of the students inside had their attention diverted from Professor Watson's lesson.

"—Portkeys," Bryan continued, moving to the next method, "their creation involves a magic that marks space differently from Apparition. They operate on a completely different magical principle. Because of this fundamental difference, the Anti-Disapparition Jinx doesn't work on them.

But, they're flexible and convenient to use, allowing for group travel without the risks of Apparition. Of course, as Miss Granger correctly pointed out, creating unauthorized Portkeys is against the law."

Draco let out a soft but clearly audible snort of mockery, though his eyes flashed with a thoughtful light.

"As for fireplaces," Bryan continued, transitioning smoothly to the final method, "Miss Granger is right that using them requires having one nearby..."

A sudden light flickered in Bryan's eyes. Before anyone could fully register what was happening, he had drawn his wand in one motion from within his robes. With a complex swish and flick that was too fast for most students to follow, he casted a nonverbal spell at an empty desk in the corner of the classroom.

The air around the desk seemed to twist and distort. The wood of the desk began to flow like liquid, stretching and reshaping itself. Within seconds, the desk had transformed completely into a section of stone wall with a simple but elegant fireplace embedded within it.

The transformation was so seamless that it appeared as if the fireplace had always been there, just unnoticed until now.

With another casual flick of his wand, flames ignited inside the hearth with a satisfying whoosh, bathing the nearby students in a warm orange glow. The fire was crackling merrily, as if it also had been burning for hours.

Hermione was a little dumbfounded seeing that suddenly appearing fireplace.

"—Fortunately," Bryan continued casually, as if he hadn't just performed an extraordinary feat of magic, "finding or creating a fireplace isn't a complicated matter for a wizard with decent transfiguration skills. The truly troublesome part is connecting to the Floo Network, which is heavily regulated and monitored by the Department of Magical Transportation."

His eyes twinkled mischievously. "But if you've left a marked fireplace in a safe place before—perhaps at a friend's home or a secure location—smuggling through the network without official detection isn't a challenge. The spell to temporarily connect two specific fireplaces isn't nearly as complex as the Ministry would have you believe."

He paused, adding with a note of caution, "Of course, the premise is that you're not in a place like Hogwarts that's constantly monitored by the Department of Magical Transportation—these walls have sensors and alarms that would immediately alert authorities to any unauthorized Floo connection attempt."

In his seat, Neville squirmed visibly, his face showing nervous discomfort. His fingers fidgeted as he glanced anxiously around the room. He really wished someone would realize that what Professor Watson was saying could not only land them all in Azkaban for learning illegal transportation methods, but even he himself might not escape unscathed from such blatant disregard for Ministry regulations.

But glancing left and right, Neville found everyone listening with attention to the lecture. Even Hermione, normally the first to raise concerns about rule-breaking, was listening intently, though her brow was indeed furrowed quite severely.

The moment Bryan finished speaking, Draco's hand shot into the air, his face was showing unusual eagerness. Unlike his typically bored demeanor in most classes, he now leaned forward in his seat with his eyes gleaming in interest.

"Professor Watson!" Draco called out. When Bryan nodded in his direction, Draco continued with excitement,

"We don't know—" he said in that airy tone he often used when trying to appear casual about something he desperately wanted. His eyes darted briefly to his fellow Slytherins before returning to the professor. "We don't know how to make Portkeys or mark a fireplace for.... smuggling. Will you tell us?"

Several students held their breath, equally curious but not daring enough to ask so directly for what was clearly illegal information.

Bryan's response was also immediate and theatrical. He rolled his eyes dramatically, his expression shifted to one of exaggerated exasperation that didn't quite reach his eyes, which remained amused.

"What are you thinking, Mr. Malfoy—" He reproached, spreading his hands in a gesture of innocent helplessness. "How could I possibly teach students these things? That would be breaking the law!"

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