Chapter 562 - Quattor Academy Ⅱ

Beyond the green hills of a small city, there is a woodland with an asphalt road. Eventually the road comes across a great gleaming bronze gleaming gate with the engraved words, "Quattor Academy." The grounds are gorgeous with small gardens and large expanses of green grass.

Past the green lawn stands the impressive venerable institution with great stone pillars at the entrance with an arch. There is even statues of famous witches and wizards that do not move should the muggle boarding commission stop by for a surprise inspection. The great building not only houses a large library, but laboratories, and various other amenities such a gymnasium and more. There is even a dorm room mostly for appearance purpose, but a few students in fact will be residing there. Mostly squib children from various pureblood families, who are tentatively testing out the new initiative.

As for electricity it is a tentative subject with the school wards as such the administration building housing the computers and computer labs for the student's use are in a separate building from the main one. There was tentative electric wiring throughout the entire academy to provide light, but beyond that there were no electrical sockets. And just in case, there were hundreds upon hundreds of candles as well as gas lamps, which were a new technological in addition to the usage of electricity.

Most of the squibs, muquibs, and muggleborn professors were rather relieved at the usage of electricity lights and gas lamps. Not that candlelight was bad, but it was quite taxing on the eyesight. And as for the other witches and wizards having solely grown in the wizarding world, they were mostly fascinated by the entire situation. It was like finding themselves as children once again fascinated by the sight of magic.

Down the various halls towards the west wing is the primary school area, where a large playground is located just by the west wing exit. In the teacher's lounge is a group of various individuals, who will oversee teaching the primary children. Among this is group is a fair-haired muggle born wizard with a mellow voice, Edward Tonks known to all as Ted Tonks.

Sipping a piping hot cup of coffee, Ted Tonks glances up from the Daily Prophet to stare at his neighbor, a mousy haired, short squib with a countertenor voice. Bedford Cracknell would be teaching first year alongside with Ted, despite having recently graduated from the Uni. Everything indicated that Cracknell was a good teacher, but he seemed almost put off by the constant use of magic at times.

Trying to put the squib at ease, Ted in a friendly manner says, "And how are you this morning, Cracknell? Excited to be teaching?"

Bedford Cracknell blinks in surprise at being spoken to, before offering a tentative smile. "Yes, quiet. I enjoy working with children," Cracknell confessed with a shrug.

"Good, good," Ted said in a warm fashion. "So, how'd you hear about the job, Cracknell, if you don't mind me asking?"

Bedford's grip around his coffee mug tightens, before he warily replies, "I'm a new teacher, and not many schools were hiring recent graduates. A friend suggested that I apply, and I did. I never thought I'd get the job, but when I saw the use of magic and didn't panic, they realized I was a squib. And so, I got the job."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with using such a thing to your advantage," Ted murmured in approval, before taking a sip of his hot coffee, and smacking his lips in satisfaction. Catching himself, he muttered in embarrassment, "My wife, Dromeda doesn't like me doing that. She says it's appalling, but I just cannot help it. If the food and drink taste good, why can't I express my appreciation?"

"I suppose so," Bedford murmured, before taking a sip of his own sugar, and cream filled coffee.

Before they can continue their conversation, a muggleborn witch glances at the time and says, "It looks as though the first of the school buses are arriving. We best heading off to our classrooms." The other teachers chatting finish their conversations as the sound of chairs scraping can be heard.

Gulping down his own hot coffee, "Hot, hot!" Ted winces as he burns his tongue but continues to gush down the hot drink. Dromeda did not like him drinking coffee at him, and as such, he could only drink it outside of the house. Apparently, the smell was horrid according to his wife.

"Well, I guess I'll see you at lunch, Cracknell," Ted friendly like said, before rushing off.

Bedford waves goodbye, before sipping at his own coffee more slowly. He was certain that if he drank his coffee in five minutes, he still would be fine. His first years would probably just wait outside the door shyly, before the more intrepid children creeped into the classroom to further explore.

Sipping at his coffee, Bedford's thoughts turn to the past. He had honestly thought, he'd never see magic again nor much less come into contact with it after his parents divorced. His father and older sister had been ashamed by his mother and his lack of magic. And ever since that day, he had never seen his father nor his older sister, Dolores.

And it was not as though he could speak to his mother regarding the subject. Ellen Cracknell wanted absolutely nothing to do with magic and had even gone as far as to prohibit the word's usage in her household. If she regretted having married a wizard, it clearly now showed.

Frankly, Bedford had been young enough to move on wish his life and had never even seen so much as smidgeon of magic after that. Still, he knew that magic was real, but it all seemed so far away like a distant dream. And he had never been curious enough to find it again.

Yet here he was about to teach a group of children made up of squibs, witches, and wizards, and one or two muquibs. It was almost impossible to believe, but no matter how far he had gone, it seemed his road had once more led him back to the wizarding world. And if he was honest with himself, a part of him was glad, but another part of him was worried.

Bedford had not told his mother exactly where who he was working for. All that she knew is that he was working at a new private school that paid rather well, which was all true. Still, he would rather not risk earning his mother's ire, she had quite the fierce temper, and tended to hold petty grudges much like his sister, Dolores had.

Glancing at the time, Bedford slurps down the rest of his warm coffee, before rising and place his mug in the sink to wash. He had better head off to his classroom. He did not want the cheeky little tykes to get into magic or no magic. All children tended to be curious little brats for better or for worse. It was a well-known fact.