Fred and George and the Toilers of Trouble (Year 1) ✔

Chapter 17:9

Behind Professor Parsimonae, the violent sketch of the Banshee dropped from the ceiling and thumped to his desk. It gradually rolled itself into a scroll, joining his leather file, top hat, and gloves.

"It all began with a wizard named Vindictus Viridian. If you have older friends or family, you may know that he authored your second year text. Fifty-odd years ago, he vanished from the castle, much like Professor Allergen's classroom. Then his replacement stepped down at the close of term, though most would say it was due to his death. The next in line was Galatea Merrythought, who retired after teaching numerous subjects for nearly fifty years. And the trend continued. Since Professor Viridian's departure, every last Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has either been fired, resigned, killed, or disappeared entirely after one year. Many who have been alive since Viridian's time believe there is a jinx on this position, and I happen to agree with them."

Parsimonae paced between the rows of desks as he carried on.

"Let us first deal with its definition — What is a jinx? A jinx is a burdensome, unbreakable magic that can be placed on an object, a person, a bloodline, or even onto something as trivial as a teaching position. It is, more often than not, permanent and harmful in nature."

"Permanent? Well, that can't be true, can it?" argued Fred. "What about counter-jinxes, anti-jinxes...?"

"The vernacular has altered drastically over time. Many of today's curses have been wrongly attributed as jinxes in order to make them sound less offensive, and more acceptable for ordinary use," he replied, thanking the interruption with a nod. "I appreciate your question, Mister Weasley. Being a twin, you might be interested to know that the twin of the Unforgivable Curse, which you will train for abundantly in your sixth year, is the Irrevocable Jinx. The reason the Irrevocable Jinx is equally as unforgivable as the curses you've heard about since childhood is because the laws within them have the power to remain until the one who cast the jinx has died.

"Now, to suspect that an Irrevocable Jinx had been placed on the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, one would assume that it aligned with the disappearance of Professor Viridian. I have it on good authority that a student had requested to take the job around that time. When he was denied the position, it angered him greatly. So greatly, in fact, that he went out into the wizarding world to retaliate with countless dreadful acts."

Fred felt ripples of goose bumps rising up his arms. For George, the hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention. The students around them winced and squirmed in their seats.

"Yes, I sense that you know the answer before I even speak it. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Professor Parsimonae came to a stop, allowing the weight of those words to resonate amongst the class. "He was a student at this school, if you were not previously aware. Professor Viridian vanished during this student's fifth year at Hogwarts. At the end of his sixth year, when the succeeding Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor had died, You-Know-Who was so confident in his abilities that he went directly to Armando Dippet, the Headmaster who presided over the school at that time, to suggest...himself...as the replacement for the vacant post. When it was denied him, in a rather laughable manner, he returned to Hogwarts, months later, a very different young man. He then chose to leave at the start of his seventh year, along with four of his closest allies, to establish the Death Eaters and to make — a name — for himself. At the time, most believed he did this to gain the attention and esteem of Grindelwald the Many, who had reached the height of his power. But this was not the case, and the staff of Hogwarts were soon regretting their part in discounting their former student's abilities...which is why Dippet stepped down in embarrassment. He was replaced by your current Headmaster. It was Dumbledore who faced You-Know-Who, when he returned to request, once more, the opportunity to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. There, on the very night when a legendary duel between Gellert Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore would take place, he was denied the position a second, and final, time. And wouldn't it be just like You-Know-Who to put an Irrevocable Jinx on a position he could never attain?"

The students sat in silent contemplation until Oscar Meaney raised his hand.

"I'm confused, Professor Parsimonae. You said that you won't be our teacher next year. But that would mean the jinx is still active..."

"Indeed. What I said is correct. Its effects remain until the one who placed the Irrevocable Jinx has perished. If I am removed from my position at the end of this term, and I do not plan on leaving willingly, you will, at last, have definitive proof."

"Proof of what, sir?" asked Cedric Diggory.

"That You-Know-Who still exists...in some form."

A deafening riot of outrage, fear, doubt, and confusion swept through the classroom.

"But he was destroyed!" said a boy from Hufflepuff.

"By Harry Potter!" a girl from Ravenclaw finished.

"The boy who lived!" agreed Patricia and Muriel in clipped unison.

The Magical Investigator raised both hands to silence them.

"As I have made clear, in magic there are indisputable absolutes. The Banshee has not visited my family since my grandfather went missing, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been unable to keep a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for more than a year since He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was a student. I will be removed at the end of next term," he boldly concluded, convincing every doubter with the resoluteness of his expression. "I can only hope that my departure will not be similar to that of Professor Allergen."