The Marauders: Year Six #Wattys2017

For the Greater Good

Gaunt looked up at the projected image, "Wendelin the Weird is remembered for having purposely allowed herself to get caught just to enjoy the sensation that being burned alive would give once she'd cast herself a charm that made the fire tickle rather than burn her, and she'd simply disapparate away when the time was right and the muggles would believe they had sent her back to Hell, where they believed she came from. Where they believe we all come from..."

The wheel of the projector spun to a new slide.

"The trials of the middle age are what led to the creation of the statute of secrecy, the beginning of the wizarding community going into hiding..." Gaunt continued. He paused, seeing a hand go up in the room. "Yes Mr.... Lupin?"

"Mr. Gaunt... Sir," Remus started, turning 'round toward the back of the room, where Gaunt stood with the projector, "I can't help but wonder if this isn't the sort of lesson that Professor Binns ought to tech? Seeing as you're talking more about the history here than the muggles themselves?"

"History as it pertains to muggle-wizard relations, Mr. Lupin," Professor Gaunt replied. "An important history in the understanding of muggles and wizards and how we interact." He turned back to the projection on the screen. "The wizarding community was forced to hide their -- Mr. Lupin?"

Peter looked over at Remus.

"Sir, I'm sorry. It's just that, traditionally, Muggle Studies class is meant to... to be used to learn more about... about the muggles themselves. About objects and inventions and fitting in with them in today's culture. History of muggle-wizard relations is typically taught in the seventh year History of Magic class as we get into the current century in the --"

"Mr. Lupin," Professor Gaunt interrupted him, "Are you a teacher?"

"No, sir."

"Did you help write the curriculum for the courses taught at Hogwarts?" Professor Gaunt asked.

"No, sir, of course not, I'm just saying that in other years I've heard --"

"Then I would recommend, Mr. Lupin, that you learn your lessons, instead of questioning why they are being taught." Professor Gaunt said pointedly. He stared at Remus with a sort of a challenge in his eyes.

A silence swept through the room. The sort of uncomfortable silence that was accompanied by a good deal of squirming bodies and glances from other students as they looked 'round to see how Remus was reacting.

"Yes sir," Remus murmured and he turned back around to face his parchment, his face hot from all of the attention he was getting from the other students in the classroom. Peter reached over and patted his hand reassuringly.

Professor Gaunt began again, "The attacks the muggles were making again the wizarding community led to the creation of the first obscurial. It was because of the suppression of our magic that the powers within us would become uncontrollable forces that would attack - especially children, whose powers are already so uncontrollable and strong - and many serious breaches of the statute of secrecy occurred, many mass obliviations performed, in the name of attempting to keep the wizarding community hidden from the muggles... There were several views on how the wizarding world ought to proceed at this time, and it was not a unanimous vote that brought about the continuation of the statute's laws - nearly half the wizards and witches that served for the greater good at the time voted against hiding. Suggestions were put forth to ----" Gaunt stopped. He stared coldly across the room. "Mr. Lupin?"

"For the greater good?" Remus echoed, staring back, "Grindelwald's terms, yeah?"

Professor Gaunt's eyes searched Remus for a moment. "Ten points from Gryffindor."