Marvel's Hogwarts Professor

"Sorcerer Supreme, who exactly are you searching for?"

"A witch from Sokovia. She will play a profoundly important role in the days to come. I need you to locate her and begin her training."

Lockhart exited the tea room, the Sorcerer Supreme's words replaying in his mind. Although his face remained composed, his thoughts churned with intrigue and speculation.

Who could the Sorcerer Supreme be referring to? Yet how could he not know?

It was none other than the future Scarlet Witch herself—Wanda Maximoff!

As the Sorcerer Supreme had foretold, Wanda would indeed come to wield significant influence over the future.

However, if his memory served him well, Wanda's interactions with Kamar-Taj would only come after the passing of the Ancient One—or more precisely, the emergence of Doctor Strange.

But now, the Sorcerer Supreme had named him specifically, instructing him to find Wanda, who had yet to awaken as a witch.

This unexpected command left Lockhart feeling increasingly baffled and uncertain.

What are you planning, Ancient One?

A curtain of green light materialized, mirroring Lockhart's current scene.

With a slight wave of his hand, the vision faded. The Sorcerer Supreme sat back at her table, poured herself another cup of tea, savoring its warmth in comfortable silence.

After a moment's quiet, a halo of crimson flames flickered into existence. Master Wong stepped through, his expression solemn and tinged with apprehension.

On seeing the Sorcerer Supreme, he seemed to ease slightly, though his voice held steady seriousness.

"Sorcerer Supreme, I just received news from the divination and prediction sorcerers. There are signs that the Dimensional Demon God is stirring. There may be a larger-scale invasion on the horizon. What course of action should we take?"

At Wong's gravely urgent tone, the Sorcerer Supreme remained unfazed, answering only with a light question.

"If it were your decision, what would you propose we do?"

Pausing for a moment, Wong replied earnestly, "I'd suggest heightening the scope of our surveillance. In addition, I would put the three major temples on high alert and severely suppress all actions linked to dark cultists, nipping potential threats in the bud before they gain ground."

Rather than immediately rejecting Wong's proposal, the Sorcerer Supreme responded with a soft nod. "Then we'll go with your suggestion."

"Send word to Mordo to intensify his investigations."

Master Wong accepted her instructions with a firm nod, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes, gratified that his strategy had been validated.

After bowing, he opened a portal and left.

Watching him go, the Sorcerer Supreme shook her head ever so slightly.

His approach wasn't wrong, but it lacked boldness—a reluctance to take greater risks and responsibilities.

Would the future Sorcerer Supreme demonstrate the same reluctance?

Kamar-Taj was her life's labor, and she was resolute in finding someone who could embody the calm and responsibility needed to protect it.

In the mystical suitcase's interior space, the magic training room was alive with energy.

On the training center floor, a multitude of Squib wizard apprentices were gathered, listening intently to their Potions instructor.

Standing at the front, Snape waved his wand, producing potions of various shapes, each shimmering in mid-air.

He began speaking, his cold tone filling the room.

"Potion-making is the pursuit of artistry."

"The initial steps to refining magical potions require a thorough understanding of the ingredients and their properties. Now, think back to what you just observed, combined with the reading assignments I set for you previously. How many ingredients can you recall? What are their names, and what effects do they possess?"

Silence fell over the apprentices as they glanced at each other, sifting through their memories. After a pause, a young witch, no more than seventeen, raised her hand.

"Rebecca, you may answer."

"Yes, Professor," she replied eagerly. "I recall seven."

"There's bezoar, bubble stem, aconite, sun orchid…."

"Bezoar has detoxifying properties, while bubble stem extract works on stubborn blemishes…."

Rebecca listed each of the seven ingredients with precision, her earnestness drawing a small nod from Snape, who found promise in her memory and potential.

After she sat, he continued questioning the others.

"Anyone else? Seven out of twenty ingredients have been named, so thirteen remain."

One by one, other apprentices rose, each adding their knowledge, until all twenty ingredients were identified with minimal errors.

Yet Snape's approval waned with each answer, as he measured their attentiveness and saw where some fell short.

In Snape's estimation, those who had attempted an answer—no matter their talent—demonstrated a seriousness he valued over those who hesitated or stayed silent.

He proceeded to elaborate on various potions and the foundational principles behind them, the Squib apprentices bending over their notebooks with a new academic fervor.

Denied Hogwarts letters at twelve and branded as non-magical, most of them had little formal schooling experience.

Now, to have this chance—especially with a professor from Hogwarts—felt invaluable, and none of them intended to waste it.

Seeing their intense focus, Snape's usually cold expression softened slightly, a faint but approving smile flickering across his face.

Truly, teachers everywhere appreciated diligent students.

With a practiced hand, he retrieved a familiar apparatus and demonstrated the creation of a basic vitality tonic, each step explained in meticulous detail.

The apprentices followed along closely, taking copious notes.

Upon completion, Snape summoned a simple set of potion tools and materials, directing each student to attempt the tonic while he supervised, ready to offer guidance.

Despite some faltering at their first attempts, the group performed remarkably well, achieving a 70-80% success rate that left Snape with a rare sense of satisfaction.

As he instructed, Lockhart watched quietly from a corner, observing Snape's teaching methods with interest.

Snape, aware of his presence, acknowledged Lockhart with a slight nod but continued his lesson.

He had weathered countless lessons and emergencies, his seasoned experience unshaken.

After dismissing the class, Snape joined Lockhart, who approached with a hint of levity.

"Snape, how do you find teaching them?"

"They're better than I expected," Snape replied earnestly. "Hardworking and well-mannered. There's some genuine talent among them. Given support, they could make excellent potioneers one day."

Lockhart's eyebrow lifted in surprise, though he smiled and replied warmly, "That's good news. Put together a list of those showing promise, and I'll ensure they receive additional resources to pursue their studies further."

Snape nodded, "Certainly."

He added, "Lockhart, I'll need more wizard-blood purification materials soon. The last batch from the sorcerer's realm is already half-used."

"No problem," Lockhart said with a grin, "I've actually brought more today. How's your progress been? Any breakthrough?"

"Some, though it's slow," Snape replied, explaining, "I've crafted a blood-purifying potion, but the costs remain prohibitive, making large-scale production nearly impossible."

Lockhart pondered briefly. "Set cost aside for now. As the saying goes, sharpening the axe doesn't hinder the woodcutting. Let's first focus on awakening your latent talents. It might even aid our potion research."

Snape's eyes brightened, and a slight smile graced his usually stoic face.

In the sky over New York, a thin white contrail traced across the blue—a sign of high-altitude flight.

Inside his armor, Tony felt as if he were on solid ground, thanks to the suit's advanced climate control.

"Jarvis, let's run diagnostics on the new armor."

"Right away, sir," Jarvis's calm voice responded. "Mark 15 has achieved supersonic speeds and is fitted with enchanted metals, enhancing its resilience against missiles and other high-powered projectiles."

". . ."

Hearing Jarvis's assessment, Tony allowed himself a smile, satisfied with the upgrades.

At that moment, Jarvis's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Sir, we've detected an intrusion. Mr. Lockhart has entered the villa. Shall I engage security?"

A mischievous glint sparkled in Tony's eyes. "Not yet, Jarvis. Let's see what he's up to."

Back at the villa, Lockhart sat leisurely in the living room, sipping tea as he addressed the AI.

"Jarvis, how long until Tony arrives?"

"Mr. Stark will be with you shortly," came Jarvis's courteous reply.

Lockhart took a contemplative sip, the gold-casting deal with Stark occupying his mind.

Magic-based machines, though effective, consumed resources too rapidly. A durable, conventional model would ensure efficiency over the long term, and he intended to seize this opportunity.

As his thoughts wandered, the steady hum of machinery pulled him from his reverie. Tony, clad in his Iron Man suit, stepped into view, removing his helmet with a smile.

"Lockhart, what brings you here?"

Lockhart's lips twitched into a smirk. "Tony, don't tell me you've used the enchanted gold I gave you to upgrade your suit?"

Tony hesitated for a split second before offering a nod. "Well, maybe."

Without missing a beat, Tony issued his challenge. "Feel like testing out the upgrades?"

Lockhart shook his head, a bemused expression crossing his face. "Not today. I've got too many responsibilities waiting."

Undeterred, Tony's voice held a touch of boyish stubbornness. "No fight, no deal."

Lockhart sighed, recognizing Tony's persistence. This one still has growth ahead. His resolve will mature when he's truly tested, he thought.

So be it.

"Alright, Tony. Lead the way."

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