[center][color=fff200][h3]Professor Liam Wallox[/h3][/color]
[i]History of Magic Classroom[/i][/center]

Liam stood in the dimly lit History of Magic classroom, staring at the stubbornly locked desk with a mixture of frustration and disbelief. It was a week before the start of the new term, and while most of the castle remained quiet, Liam was already hard at work preparing for his first year as the new professor. But things weren’t going as smoothly as he had hoped. The desk, an ancient relic from a time long before even his student years, had remained unopened for over a century. Now, it held the former professor's carefully prepared syllabus hostage.

Liam ran a hand through his short, tousled brown hair, his hazel eyes narrowing at the unyielding piece of furniture. He had expected challenges—teaching at Hogwarts was no small feat—but arguing with a ghost and being thwarted by an ancient desk was not part of the plan. Of course, what plan ever survived this school, he thought with a mindful smirk and an internal laugh.

Earlier in the day, Liam had found himself in a frustrating exchange with Professor Cuthbert Binns, the ghostly former History of Magic teacher who continued lecturing long after his death. Professor Binns was less than pleased to discover that his old classroom was being taken over by someone new. Even more upsetting to him was the fact that he had somehow been replaced without notice.

"I have taught this course for centuries!" Binns had droned, floating aimlessly through the chalkboard as if to emphasize his point. "I see no reason why that should change."

Liam had tried to be diplomatic. "I understand your attachment, Professor Binns, but the Ministry of Magic has asked me to take over. I believe the students could benefit from a more... interactive approach."

Binns had grumbled, his transparent form flickering as he disappeared through the wall, muttering something about "newfangled methods" and "disrespect for history."

Now, as Liam stood before the old desk, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of doubt. If the ghost of his predecessor was so resistant to change, how would the students react? Would they accept him as their new professor, or would he always be seen as the man who replaced Binns? While every new professor was going to have their issues, none of them could be haunted by those wounded by their very arrival.

Liam knelt down beside the desk, inspecting it more closely. The wood was worn, darkened with age, and etched with the faint outlines of runes. He recognized a few of them and, through the context they gave, figured it was some sort of ancient locking spell, likely put in place to protect the belongings of the previous professor. It was no wonder his modern unlocking charms had failed—they simply weren’t designed for something this old.

He stood up and walked over to the dusty bookshelves that lined the walls of the classroom. With a single blow of air, it was clear these books hadn’t been touched since the good Professor was able to shelve them. After a few moments of searching, he found an old tome on ancient magical artifacts and their security measures. Flipping through the yellowed pages, he located what he was looking for: a passage on unlocking spells and deciphering ancient boobytraps.

Returning to the desk, Liam pulled out his wand and carefully traced the runes on the desk’s surface, muttering the incantation he had found in the book. The room seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with the weight of old magic.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a soft click, the lock disengaged. Liam exhaled in relief as the desk creaked open, revealing his syllabus neatly folded inside, along with a few old scrolls that had likely belonged to long-departed professors.

He quickly grabbed the syllabus and glanced over it to make sure everything was in order. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, the parchment began to glow faintly at the edges. Liam’s heart skipped a beat as he watched, helpless, as the glow intensified.

Before he could react, the syllabus burst into flames, the fire spreading rapidly across the parchment. Liam tried to extinguish it with a hurried flick of his wand, but it was too late. The flames consumed the syllabus in seconds, leaving behind nothing but a few ashes that floated lazily to the floor.

Liam stared at the charred remains in disbelief, his mind racing. The syllabus was gone, and with it, any hope of knowing where in history each year was ending their lessons. The realization sank in like a heavy weight on his chest. He’d have to start from scratch, piecing together the curriculum with whatever resources he could find, and with only a week before the students arrived.

Liam slumped into the nearest chair, rubbing his temples in frustration. The ancient desk, the stubborn ghost, and now this—a secret magical booby trap set long ago to protect the contents of the desk. He could almost hear Binns’ ghostly chuckle echoing in the back of his mind.

But as the initial shock wore off, determination replaced it. Liam wasn’t about to let a cursed desk and an ancient ghost get the better of him. He’d faced challenges before, and he’d face this one too.

After all, he was a history professor at Hogwarts, and if history had taught him anything, it was that resilience and perseverance always win out in the end. With a resolute nod, Liam stood, already planning his next move. The term would begin soon, and with or without a syllabus, he was going to make sure his students learned the fascinating, complex history of the wizarding world.