After the resounding success of Lewis's first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, news of his temporary role as substitute professor spread throughout all of Hogwarts.
When students heard that Lewis had personally taught practical spellcasting and even prepared animated targets for hands-on practice, envy swept through the castle.
After two straight years of useless Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, every young witch and wizard suddenly realized what they had been missing.
It was like Muggle university students hearing that another school's military training involved actual firearms.
The second-years of Hufflepuff House and Slytherin House were especially jealous.
They wished they could join Ravenclaw and Gryffindor's shared classes.
They wanted to learn the Disarming Charm.
They wanted to take shots at moving targets.
So when Lewis's second Defense Against the Dark Arts class began, it came with a surprising development:
Auditors.
One glance around the room, and Lewis immediately spotted Cho Chang sitting among the spectators.
This time, Lewis had prepared something entirely different.
Rather than another combat lesson, he devoted the class to handling dangerous magical creatures.
Specifically, he chose creatures students might realistically encounter in the Forbidden Forest:
Bowtruckles and Acromantulas.
For the Bowtruckle lesson, Lewis produced a miniature potted tree.
Clinging to its branches was a genuine Bowtruckle.
The moment the students realized they would be interacting with a real magical creature, excitement swept through the classroom.
Under Lewis's guidance, they learned to use the Confundus Charm to distract the creature, then offered it woodlice to earn its trust.
Next came the Acromantula.
Naturally, bringing a gigantic man-eating spider into the classroom was out of the question.
But Lewis had another solution.
With a wave of his wand, he cast a Major Image.
A massive Acromantula appeared in the room, crawling and clicking its pincers.
The illusion looked, sounded, smelled, and even felt exactly like the real thing.
The students screamed.
Some instinctively fired the Disarming Charm they had learned the week before.
Once they realized the creature was only an illusion and posed no actual threat, the fear turned into fascination.
The illusion became a perfect teaching aid.
Students were able to study every horrifying detail up close.
Lewis even used Web spells to mimic sticky spider silk, allowing everyone to experience what it felt like to be prey in the Forbidden Forest.
The lesson was unforgettable.
And it cemented Lewis's reputation even further.
Over the next three months, Lewis's unofficial Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons became the most popular classes in Hogwarts.
Whenever students from other houses or years had a free period, they would sneak in to observe.
Although Hogwarts had no tradition of auditing classes, every lesson now attracted nearly fifty percent more students than expected.
Lewis was forced to prepare extra teaching aids every week.
With each lesson, his magical talent and teaching skill became even more widely recognized.
Everyone in Hogwarts now knew there was a second-year student whose practical ability rivaled that of the professors.
After all, most professors didn't conjure animated magical training dummies.
Nor did they create lifelike illusions to bring textbook material to life.
At last, the final Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson ended.
And with it, the school year drew to a close.
At the end-of-term feast, Albus Dumbledore announced Ravenclaw's decisive victory in the House Cup.
But he also spoke at length about the events of the year.
In a rare display of humility, Dumbledore openly criticized himself.
As Headmaster, he said, he had failed to protect his students from the threat lurking within the Chamber of Secrets.
He considered it a grave personal failure.
As a gesture of contrition, he announced that over the coming years he intended to gradually resign from many of his numerous titles and positions.
The speech sounded almost like a retirement announcement.
Students and professors alike looked deeply unsettled.
Lewis understood what few others could.
Part of Dumbledore's speech was undoubtedly an apology.
Lewis agreed that such an apology was deserved.
But there was another meaning hidden beneath the words.
Through Tom Riddle's diary, Dumbledore had finally confirmed the existence of Horcruxes.
He now knew for certain that Voldemort's return was only a matter of time.
The old wizard was already preparing for the coming war.
And more importantly, he was preparing himself for sacrifice.
Seen from that perspective, Lewis had to admit:
Dumbledore was worthy of respect.
Soon afterward, the students boarded the Hogwarts Express for the journey home.
Lewis shared a compartment with Hermione and Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon.
Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe took the neighboring compartment when no seats remained.
Penelope Clearwater, meanwhile, abandoned the prefect carriage to join them.
During the trip, Lewis noticed that Percy Weasley repeatedly passed their compartment while patrolling.
Each time, he glanced inside with obvious intent.
Lewis smirked and looked at Penelope, seated beside Ciri.
"It seems Percy Weasley is courting you."
Penelope rolled her eyes.
"Yes, and that's exactly why I'm not in the prefect compartment."
She groaned dramatically.
"He spends all day talking about the Ministry of Magic and his future career. It's unbearably dull."
Then she smiled sweetly at Lewis and Hermione.
"Honestly, it's much more entertaining here. Especially when I get to watch the subtle power struggles in your one-boy-two-girls arrangement."
"Ow!"
She shot an indignant glare at Ciri.
The witcher girl stared serenely out the window, as if she had absolutely nothing to do with the kick.
Eventually, the train slowed to a halt.
"You know," Penelope said, turning to Hermione, "your parents must be very proud after everything you accomplished this year."
She gave a wistful smile.
"Unlike mine. They keep hoping I'll move back to America with them, but instead I stayed in Britain to become a witch."
Then she turned to Ciri.
"Write to me over the summer."
Throughout this farewell, she pointedly avoided looking at Lewis.
Then, with no further ceremony, she stepped off the train and vanished into the crowd.
After saying goodbye to Cho, Lewis and the others disembarked as well.
Hermione was greeted by her parents.
According to her, the Grangers were taking a family holiday to France, which meant they likely wouldn't see much of her during the summer.
Lewis strongly suspected this vacation had been arranged specifically to keep their precious daughter from being completely stolen away.
How stingy, he thought.
What was wrong with borrowing their little cotton-padded jacket once in a while?
In the end, Lewis and Ciri returned together to their home in Ottery St Catchpole.
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