Chapter 452: Exploration and Innovation

The professor nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile, "Very good, all of your viewpoints have value. The magical world is vast and requires us to constantly explore and innovate." His voice was full of encouragement and affirmation, letting the students feel the boundless charm of magic.

As the lesson progressed, the atmosphere of competition grew ever more intense. With every question, Li An and Hermione seemed to be waging a silent war, using knowledge as their weapons, trying to gain the upper hand in this contest.

Finally, it was time for the History of Magic exam. A tense atmosphere filled the classroom; the students were all bent over their papers writing furiously, with only the soft scratching of quills on parchment.

Li An was concentrating on answering the questions when he suddenly sensed something off. He slightly raised his head, his gaze drifting toward the corner of the classroom, and discovered Draco Ma Erfu sneakily fiddling with something under his desk. A flash of wariness crossed his eyes, and his mind began working rapidly.

"Hmph, this guy must be up to something." Li An thought to himself, watching Draco's every move without showing any reaction. He saw Draco quietly pull a small slip of paper from his sleeve, its surface seemingly covered in densely packed answers. Draco carefully raised his head, glanced at the surrounding students and the teacher, then swiftly placed the slip on the desk, ready to peek.

The corners of Li An's mouth curved up slightly, revealing a sly smile. He did not immediately expose Draco's cheating, but instead decided to turn the tables on him. He quietly cast a small spell, causing the writing on Draco's slip to become blurred and illegible.

Draco discovered that the writing on the slip had suddenly vanished, and was instantly thrown into a panic. His face went pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He anxiously rubbed the slip with his hands, trying to make the writing reappear, but it was all in vain.

"What's going on? This damned slip!" Draco cursed in a low voice, his tone full of anger and anxiety. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes as he kept looking around, afraid of being caught by the teacher and the other students.

Just then, the professor suddenly walked over. His sharp gaze swept across Draco's desk and immediately spotted the suspicious slip.

"Draco Ma Erfu, what are you doing?" The professor's voice was stern and icy, his eyes revealing disappointment and anger.

Draco's body stiffened abruptly, and his face grew even uglier. He stammered, "I... I... Professor, it's not what you think..." His voice trembled as he tried to defend himself.

The professor did not heed his explanation. He picked up the slip, examined it carefully, then said coldly, "Cheating on an exam is a serious violation of school rules. Come with me to the office!" His voice brooked no argument, plunging Draco into despair.

Draco lowered his head and slunk out of the classroom behind the professor. The students' gazes all turned toward him—some showing surprised expressions, others wearing looks of schadenfreude.

"Li An, you're amazing! How did you figure out he was cheating?" Harry Potter walked over, looking at Li An with admiration. His eyes were full of curiosity and praise, deeply impressed by Li An's wisdom and courage.

Li An smiled and said softly, "Just a little observation and a small trick." His voice carried a hint of modesty, but a trace of smugness flickered in his eyes..