Chapter 11: Professor Anthony’s Class
"What's the name of the Muggle Studies professor?" Fred asked his brother.
They had just been released from Potions class. Snape's temper was terrible this semester. Angelina just added two ounces less moonstone powder, so he got angry and deducted ten points from Gryffindor.
Angelina might have quarreled with Snape on the spot if Fred hadn't imitated Snape's reprimanding manner so perfectly. But when Snape stood behind a Weasley who had exactly the same snarky expression as Snape, the angry professor became funny.
"Another five points from Gryffindor." Snape glanced at her deskmate who was holding back her laughter warningly, and said without looking back, "Detention, Weasley."
"But Professor, I didn't do anything!" George shouted unjustly.
The classmates behind him took a breath. Snape turned and looked grimly at George.
Fred sat down before Snape could turn around. The Slytherin Chaser glared at him, and he looked back defiantly, taking hold of the void's bat and giving him an Air Bludger.
"I meant the other Mr. Weasley," Snape hissed, "but you managed to earn yourself a detention, Weasley. Five points from Gryffindor!"
Fred and George high-fived under the desk.
…
George looked at his class schedule: "Anthony, Henry Anthony. We are already late, but he seemed to be quite talkative at the opening banquet."
"Muggle Studies." Fred shrugged, strolling down the corridors of the castle with his brother, "I mean, it's just an elective, poor Professor Henry Anthony... Weird, I don't remember seeing him before the term dinner, but his name is somewhat familiar."
"I'm thinking about that too," George said. "Let me think about it...wait a minute...Mom! He's the pen pal that Mom found for Dad!"
Fred suddenly realized. They ran wildly.
The Muggle Studies classroom was on the first floor. They jumped up the stairs two steps at a time, knocked on the classroom door, which was ajar, and stuck out their heads, panting from running: "Professor, I'm sorry, we're late."
"We were detained by Professor Snape." George looked very worried and guilty.
"Come in, Mr. Weasley." Anthony smiled as they found a seat in the back row of the classroom. "By the way, next time you sit down, remember to pretend that you haven't breathed properly yet."
Someone burst out laughing.
"Okay, Professor," Fred said generously.
"Now that everyone is here, let's continue the topic. I've already introduced myself, it's your turn." Anthony thought for a while, walked off the podium and sat on the empty seat in the first row, "Okay. , there are more people choosing this class than I thought, let's do a survey first. Why did you choose Muggle Studies?"
He looked at the freckled girl next to him encouragingly.
"I...I'm a mixed race, and I want to learn how to communicate with my grandma..." the girl said softly, her face flushed.
"Very well, the willingness to understand is the most critical step." Anthony said gently, "Where are the others?"
"I'm very interested in Muggle sports! They don't use broomsticks, but a group of people running on the ground, and I heard there is only one ball!" a tall student said.
"I don't know anything about Muggles, so I thought it might be helpful to take a class..."
"I was dragged here by him."
"I was persuaded by my friends to take the course," Angelina said.
"I think Muggle music is very interesting. My grandmother was a Muggle-born witch. When she was still alive, my family would play Muggle Christmas songs every Christmas."
"We think Muggle inventions are quite interesting -" said Fred.
"——Dad told us to choose this course——" George said.
"My roommate is a Muggle, and she invited me to her house for Christmas." A girl said, "I want to prepare for this."
…
After everyone had spoken for a while, Anthony clapped his hands and brought the students' attention back to him: "Very good, let me summarize it. Interest, persuasion from friends, and an O.W.L.s certificate, right?"
Low laughter and murmurs of agreement came from the students.
He stood up, walked back to the podium, and wrote these three reasons on the blackboard.
"What would you think if I said that your reasons have been predicted by Muggles?"
He put down his pen and looked at the students in the audience: "Our course is called Muggle Studies. Wizards study Muggles, and Muggles also study themselves. In the first class, we will use a project developed by Muggles themselves. Let's take theory as an example. After this class, I hope you will find that Muggles and wizards are not that big of a difference. This is the main point of my teaching in this class."
"This theory is a Muggle study of human behavior - students who don't know what 'human' means in a Muggle context can refer to Chapter 9 of the textbook, 'Muggle Titles' and Appendix 2 at the end of the book."
Anthony wrote in capital letters above the three reasons for taking the course: "Muggle Theory: The Theory of Planned Behavior."
"Like magical theories, Muggles have also developed various theories to explain their behavior. This theory is one of them. Just as magical theorists will tinker with magical theories, Muggles will also revise them according to the actual situation. theory, so I don't know whether this theory will be corrected to something else in the future, or whether it will be falsified, but for now..."
He wrote "Attitude, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioral Control" under "Interests, Friend Persuasion, Certificates".
"Attitude refers to your own attitude towards doing this matter. Because you are interested in Muggle studies, you have a positive attitude towards course selection, which promotes the behavior of course selection."
Several classmates began to nod.
"Subjective norms refer to how you think people who are important to you will view this matter. Your friend wants you to choose a course, and he or she is important to you, which also promotes course selection behavior - well, some students, Why are you blushing?"
"Perceived behavioral control refers to how difficult you think it is to do something. Choosing an easy course and passing the exam easily makes you feel that this thing is not difficult and you are sure that you can do it, so you promote course selection. "
"Through the superposition of these three factors, you are finally sitting here." Anthony concluded, "I welcome all of you."
Fred whispered to George, "We seem to have them all."
"We're interested." George opened his hands and counted. "Dad strongly urges us to choose course and half of the Quidditch team is here. We also think this certificate is easy to get - think of Charlie."
"Oh, Professor, this is just a decoration of Muggle clothing." Fred imitated Charlie's tone, "It's similar to cufflinks. Muggles hang out the price of clothes to show their wealth and status. "
They both buried their heads in laughter.
Anthony glanced in that direction several times, hesitating whether to establish the authority of the new professor or let go of the Weasley twins who were already much quieter than expected.
The big man who was interested in Muggle sports scratched his head and interrupted his gaze towards the corner: "But Professor, this doesn't make sense. Even if I have all three, as long as the schedule of this class conflicts with the Quidditch training plan I will definitely give up Muggle studies." Angelina gave him a hard elbow, and he reacted belatedly, "Well, they don't actually conflict, I mean I chose Class, I mean...I'm sorry."
Anthony smiled and asked him not to care: "Interests, friends and the difficulty of the exam are just examples of the three elements. Muggles are very flexible, and they will try to make their theories include as many things as possible, so that you can If you pick the wrong one, you'll get dizzy."
"For example, if the class schedule conflicts with training, this will have an impact on all three factors. For example, from a subjective norm, your teammates do not want you to choose classes, which hinders class selection behavior.
"Even if other friends are persuading you to choose a course at this time, you can still tell your friends that my teammates will kill me if I choose a course, right? These three factors are all superimposed from multiple angles."
He nodded.
Anthony gave five points to this Gryffindor who was actively thinking and speaking enthusiastically, and raised his voice: "Okay, that's the end of the theoretical part. Cheer up, boys and girls, let's do some practical exercises."