Harry walked into the Battle Classroom, pulled out his dex, the 6th year text book, notebook, and a pen, before storing his bag under his chair and sitting down next to Neville. He adjusted his glasses, flicking off the multiple projected screens that were flashing different notices and information to him (including, but not limited to: a search for news alerts concerning both anything involving Nocturne and The Pack, details on new TMs that Sid might like, and the last video he'd received from Jasmine which was just a casual 60 second clip of her at a beach that gave him no real hint what was going on with her).

Then, he raised his hands above his head and gave three quick claps, causing everyone to grow quiet, be they Gryffindor or Slytherin.

"Alright… who is ready for the new Hogwarts tradition of digging into our new Battle Professor to find out what is wrong with him and how he's going to kill us… most likely me but some of you might be collateral damage?"

Everyone looked at each other before all but Draco's group pulled their chairs around Harry's table and pulled up on their dexes the research they'd done.

"Prof. Slate didn't try and kill you," Millie pointed out. She had defected from Draco's group after Pansy had disappeared.

"Yes he did. He tried to kill me, you… all of us. And he's going to keep trying to kill us."

"…how?" Parvati asked.

It was actually Lavender who answered. "You don't gag a little when he tries to seduce someone's grandmother? That is risking us choking on our own vomit."

Theo frowned. "He isn't that-"

Neville, without saying a word, pulled out his dex and played a video of Prof. Slate rowing a rowboat with an old woman with an oxygen tank around a lake, singing horribly in Kalosian.

He clicked it off as Brock began to massage her feet.

"Point taken," Theo said with a weak whimper.

"Grandmama?" Seamus squeaked.

"Is that why he keeps trying to introduce a Senior Day at Hogwarts?" Ron asked, Hermione quietly nodding in confirmation. "Bloody hell."

"So, new professor. What do we know about him?" Harry asked.

Daphne spoke up then. "I assume you mean other than the basics?"

"I'll take the basics after Umbitch," Harry stated.

Tracey frowned. "That is a really unoriginal nickname."

"She was a rather unoriginal human being."

"That… makes no sense." Tracey quickly held up her hand. "Much like Umbridge herself, realized the insult the moment I said it. Carry on."

Daphne nodded. "Prof. Korak got his degree at Daggertooth in Kanto, since Alola doesn't have any accredited academies for higher learning. Or… any schools, for that matter. In fact I couldn't find any educational classes listed other than night school cooking classes. Did a graduate program. Focus is battle, naturally. Taught in Alola as a private instructor for a few years before he got the offer here."

"He was a pro golfer in his youth," Hermione said, taking over. "Pretty good record. Never won any major tournaments but he was always in the Top 5, usually in the Top 2."

"…and?" Harry asked.

"That's it," Hermione admitted.

Neville's brow furrowed. "How can that be it?"

"He has a lot of blank spots in his history," Dean told them. "Quit golf, did the Alolan island challenge, but disappeared before he finished. And then he's off the grid for about 10 years before popping up again with his degree."

"How interesting," Luna said, rubbing her chin. "And sinister."

Harry turned towards the blonde and frowned. "Luna… what are you doing here? This is a 6th year class."

"That's good!" Luna said, patting him condescendingly on the head. "Six comes after five!"

"…Luna, why are you in a class you're not supposed to be in?"

"Got bored, decided to make sure you guys were doing good."

Hermione sighed, pitching the bridge of her nose. "Luna, we've been over this."

"I know," Luna said sadly. "I need to stop trying to train the Weasley Ratattas to want to take over the world."

"Yes, you- no, not that."

Ron gulped. "Is that why the Ratattas were wearing little uniforms and practicing their marching?"

Neville spoke up. "And Hermione didn't mean you should go back to teaching them."

Luna frowned, tapping her chin. "Stop sucking the filling out of the donuts in the teacher's lounge?"

"Nooo…" Ron stated.

"Oh!" She said, face lighting up. "Stop drawing graphic nude pictures of you all and selling them on the internet!"

"WHAT?!" Harry screeched.

"Wait, you're 'Long Dong Silver'?" Lavender gasped. "I love your work!"

"Thanks!" Luna chirped while Harry noticed the girls all giving him a once over and licking their lips (though Tracey and Daphne were gazing hungrily at a blushing/angry Hermione).

"Class! You need to attend class!" Hermione shouted, slamming her opened hands on the table.

Luna though waved off her Bestest Best Friend Ever's concerns. "Don't worry, I have that covered!"

~MC~MC~MC~

Percy looked at his sister, arching an eyebrow. "Did you think I'd really be fooled by this?" He gestured at the seat next to Ginny, where instead of Luna Lovegood there sat a large sack of flour with a mop head taped to its top. Drawn crudely on the front of the bag was a face with mismatched eyes and a wide cartoony smile. A small nametag saying "Hi, My name is LUNA LOVEGOOD" had been stuck to the front.

"To be fair," Ginny said weakly, "isn't this more peaceful than dealing with the real Luna?"

Percy looked at the flour bag.

"Please professor," a Hufflepuff begged, "it's so much quieter."

"And we can make muffins afterwards!"

"…fine," Percy said with reluctant acceptance.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Luna, fetch!" Ron said, throwing a frisbee out the door.

"Woof! Woof woof woof!" Luna scampered happily out of the classroom and Neville sighed.

"Stop treating my girlfriend like a dog!" Neville complained.

"Stop letting her act like a dog!" Ron retorted.

"Woof!"

Harry sighed. "Well, ignoring THAT tradition that's suddenly been created… let's get back to learning about our professor-"

"Don't bother," Prof. Korak said as he entered the room, casually tossing his briefcase onto his desk. "You aren't going to find out anything from my wild teen years." When the students looked at him he rolled his eyes. "Kids, I was young once. You don't trust the old guy. Especially after what has been happening here at the school. Already been filled in. I'd be looking into me too if half my professors had tried to kill me." He paused, reaching up to rub his nose, which Harry only realized in that moment that, with the way it rose with a slight hump that he must have had it broken at least once. "Believe me, I get being paranoid. But even your little hacker friend isn't going to get into my records." Seeing The Pride stare at him he smirked. "I did my own research."

"And why are your records sealed?" Draco finally said; Harry wondered if it was because he couldn't stand not having everyone focused on him for more than 10 minutes.

"I did some work for the Aether Foundation."

Hermione swallowed. "Yeah… that would be too much for Ginny."

Harry nodded. Even he, with his sheltered upbringing, had heard about Aether. Originally known as a charity focused on helping abandoned and abused Pokemon it had come out several years ago that Aether had a second agenda: protecting the world from the Ultra Beasts, Pokemon-like creatures from a alternate dimension. Aether had revealed themselves as to make sure that people didn't fear the Ultra Beasts, as while they were rather alien-looking in appearance compared to Pokemon from this world they were merely innocent creatures that were confused to find themselves in a strange new world and just wanted to go home or find someone that could help them explore and learn about the new plane of existence they found themselves in.

After that revelation Aether had become far more secretive, with many different governments assisting in helping them lock down their information on alternate worlds to ensure that no evil force used their knowledge for cruelty or destruction. After the Team Galactic event there was no desire to let a crime syndicate figure out how to travel to other worlds.

'No way could Ginny bust into Aether,' Harry thought to himself as Prof. Korak set about making sure his desk was set properly and his suitcase unloaded before finally speaking.

"I've gone over your lessons from the last few years," he said, his tone not quite making it clear if he was pleased or disgusted with the education they'd gotten so far in Battle Class. "You understand how to actually battle. You know about abilities and strategy. Last year you learned how to deal with a type disadvantage. Your final year is all about defining fully your style, so that you are ready to go out into the world as the best trainers you can possibly be. All of these are important. Even with some of the worst professors I've ever seen… and believe me I've had some sh… I've had some horrible teachers in my life… you've managed to get some amazing scores on your G.R.I.M.E.R.s. But there is still one very important lesson you all need to learn and that is what I am going to focus this year on."

With that Prof. Korak grew silent.

The class shifted when it became clear that he wasn't going keep talking. Korak merely leaned against his desk, arms folded over his chest… waiting.

Waiting.

A minute passed.

Draco lounged back in his chair.

"Am I boring you, Mr…"

When the professor didn't continue Draco said, "Malfoy," with all the arrogance he could force into those six letters.

"…Malfoy?" Korak asked, showing no sign of caring at all who Draco was. "Am I boring you?"

"No," Draco replied. "I'm just-"

"Close that book and focus on me."

The room fell silent again.

"Professor?" Daphne finally said, raising her hand. "I think we're all confused-"

"We have a volunteer," Korak said with a slight smirk. "Come down, Miss-"

"Greengrass."

"Mmmhmm. Come down here Miss Greengrass. I think it's time we had our first demonstration of what we'll be focusing on in this class." He activated the standard switches and buttons on his desk, ones Harry had seen plenty of other professors use before, and with it all the lecture materials and furniture sunk away, leaving a slightly sandy bare floor as Daphne moved to join the professor.

She was dressed in the purple and blacks of the House of Arbok, though her coat was far finer than all her classmates (which was saying much considering that many Slytherins came from Old Money), with black fur-trimmed cuffs and collar, shining black buttons, and slippery interior. Her black boots went from clicking on the ground to muffled as she reached the sands and she opened her designed Pokeball box and began to examine what she had on hand.

"What are the stipulations?" she asked.

"Win," Korak stated.

"Very well then! Vanilluxe, I choose you!" the large ice type appeared, the twin faces monster appearing with a slight burst of snow.

"Pinsir, Feint Attack!"

Daphne, realizing the professor wasn't going to give her a moment to prepare for their match, quickly called out, "Iron Defense!" The Feint Attack landed but didn't do nearly as much damage as it might have thanks to Vanilluxe strengthening the snow that covered its form, turning it into highly cold and dense ice. "Iron Defense again!" she shouted.

"Strength!"

The Bug Type let out a screech and grabbed Vanilluxe and hurled it across the arena, causing the Ice Type to smash into the wall, sending bits of ice raining down onto the sands. If Daphne though was startled or frightened by the sheer ferocity of the Professor's Pokémon she didn't show it, instead pointing her finger at Kurak's Bug. "Right. Icicle Crash." Her Pokémon let out a cry and fired off several sharp blades of ice that Pinsir had to raise his forearms up to defend against, blocking the strikes though they still did some damage. "Keep it up!"

"Move in close for an X-Scissor!" Korak commanded, Pinsir suddenly leaping forward and slashing its massive pincers at Vanilluxe. But when they closed rather than cutting through Vanilluxe's icy form they instead only left small scratches. Vanilluxe flashed twin smiles and suddenly darted away, spinning around Pinsir and firing off another Icicle Crash into its back, penetrating its exoskeleton and leaving it shaking and hissing. "How did… oh, very clever."

"I don't understand," Parvati said. "Why aren't Pinsir's attacks doing damage anymore?"

"And why is Vanilluxe going so fast?" Lavender added.

Tracey, with a smug smile, called out, "Weak Armor."

"Huh?"

Hermione nodded quickly though, pulling up the information on her dex. "Weak Armor causes a Pokemon's speed to increase every time it is hit by an attack, though it loses defense. That's why Daphne kept using Iron Defense… it countered the loss of defense from Weak Armor."

"But shouldn't the attacks be doing the same amount of damage as they were at the beginning?"

Harry was the first one to realize what was going on. "Two heads… Vanilluxe has two heads so it can perform two different attacks! Only one was doing Icicle Crash while the second kept boosting Iron Defense." He leaned forward. "Clever indeed."

"Time to remove that armor. Sunny Day!"

"Pinsir can learn that?" Ron asked.

"With a Technical Machine, yeah," Neville stated as the Bug Type fired off a blast of energy in order to create a miniature sun. Vanilluxe began to shudder, the ice it had coated its body with beginning to weep as the heat grew in the arena. Drops of water were soon falling from the Pokemon and it rushing around to avoid attacks only caused it melt all the quicker. "That isn't good for Vanilluxe… though luckily Pinsir doesn't learn fire attacks-"

"But Vanilluxe does!" Daphne shouted. "Thanks for the sun, by the way! WEATHER BALL!" Vanilluxe trembled before opening both of its mouths and firing off a massive ball of burning energy that struck Pinsir dead on. The insect let out a cry of pain and fell to one knee, clearly weakened by the attack. "Last year taught us how to deal with our Pokemon's weaknesses but the Greengrass family has always understood the dangers Ice Types face. That's why we've prepared for such things!"

"Good," Korak said with a nod and a slight smile. "Very good. Guillotine."

"What?!" Daphne cried but even as the words left her lips Pinsir suddenly leapt forward and with a horrific CRACK! split her Pokemon right in half, separating the two Vanillish that formed it. Daphne stared in horror before falling to her knees, her calm and collected exterior destroyed and leaving only the real Daphne, scared and heartbroken at the sight of her Pokemon broken apart, kneeling there in the area.

Korak walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Get them to Poppy. They can be merged back together easily enough. Though you might want to consider teaching them how to handle being separated like that… it would make for an interesting surprise to suddenly have 2 against 1."

Daphne blinked before nodding weakly, gathering up her Pokemon and hurrying out of the room, Tracey rushing after her without a thought.

"…damn," Ron muttered.

"Another volunteer," Korak said casually, recalling his Pinsir.

"Uh, no," Ron said hastily. "I'm good. I'd rather not have my Pokemon die-"

"Vanilluve are two Vanillish that fuse together and operate as one. All I did was break the seam between them… it can easily be repaired. I'm not a monster. Now get down here. I have much to teach you."

"About what?!" Ron said in a near panic. "How to cope? Grief?"

Korak actually paused at that before shaking his head. "Still need more demonstrations then. Down here, Mr-"

"Weasley."

"Down here now." His tone brokered no argument and Ron walked down like a man condemned to death making his way along the Green Mile.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Mr. Jingles!" Luna called out in the hallway, though she didn't know exactly why. She looked up at Hagrid and wagged the Frisbee, which he shrugged and tossed for her to get.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Alright, Beartic is out after that match… Pig is out as well as I don't trust this guy… hmmm." Suddenly Ron grinned and pulled out a green ball with red/orange teardrops and a yellow dot on it. "Good ol' Friend Ball. Let's make dad proud! Go Ursaring!"

The large bear Pokémon appeared, scratching the yellow ring on his tummy before letting out a roar.

"Viv-"

"Fire Punch!" Ron called out even as Korak's Vikavolt popped out, the Electric/Bug type getting a burning paw right in its face, causing it to chitter before flying away. "

"Bug Buzz into an Electroweb! Pin him down!" The Vikavolt rushed forward, beatings its wings rapidly to create a piercing screech that hurt everyone's ears while at the same time firing off a net of electricity that wrapped around Ursaring, forcing his arms against his sides. "Now move in for an Air Slash-"

"SMACK DOWN!" Ron bellowed and Ursaring, to the shock of everyone, easily leapt into the air, his belly ring flashing. For a brief second it appeared that his stomach was pure stone before he came down hard, smashing into Vikavolt and sending the two of them right into the ground. "Now that he's down… Earthquake!"

"Fly!" Korak commanded, never losing his cool but speeding up the clip he gave his command. The Earthquake did strike Vikavolt but the electric bug was able to leap into the air to avoid much of the attack. Still, it was clear that Ron was wearing it down. "Thunderwave, Thunderbolt, Flash Cannon!" Korak called out in rapid succession. His Pokémon spread its wings, which flashed and became steel-like just as it fired off a Thunder Wave that struck true just as Ursaring managed to rip the Electroweb into shreds. As a result Ursaring trembled as he became Paralyzed, opening him up for the Thunderbolt that also struck Vikavolt and allowed the metallic wings to gather the energy and bounce it back as a Flash Cannon blast that drove Ursaring halfway across the arena floor.

Ron… smirked.

"Façade."

Ursaring trembled before managing to leap forward and slam both paws into Vikavolt, knocking it out with a single hit.

"How… how did that happen?!" Draco exclaimed. "How did Weasley's pathetic Pokémon win?"

Ron turned towards Draco and chuckled mockingly. "Easy. Façade is a Normal Type Move. It also doubles in strength if a Pokemon has a status issue. And Ursaring has the ability Guts, which doubles its attack if it has a status as well. Double, double, double. Rather-"

"Wormadam. Fissure."

Ron whipped around just in time for the Sandy Cloak Bug Type to slam down into the area floor, creating a crack that struck Ursaring with such force that it was instantly knocked out.

"How does he keep doing this?" Hermione exclaimed. "He shouldn't be able to hit One Hit KO attacks with such ease-"

"I do so because my Pokemon are at a much higher level on the League Grading Scale than the ones being sent out, Miss-"

"Granger."

"-Granger. Thanks for volunteering for the next-"

"I'm done," Harry said, standing up and glaring at the professor. "And I think everyone else is done too."

Korak arched an eyebrow at that. "Excuse me, Mr-"

"Potter. Harry Potter. And I'm done watching you brutally beat down Pokemon for your own sick enjoyment. I'm contacting Dumbledore-"

"He knows about my lessons and has signed off on them," Korak interrupted. "He knows why I am doing this and approves."

"Of you getting your jollies off by beating up kids? By trying to kill Pokémon?"

"I haven't killed a single Pokemon. I'd never do that."

"Bullshit," Harry fired back even as Neville tugged on his sleeve. Harry stopped, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, calming himself before finally snapping his eyes open and glaring, with a bit less heat, at their Battle Instructor. "You keep saying you want to teach us something. You also keep bringing up the bad teachers we had. Well… at least Quirell didn't get sick pleasure out of brutalizing students. I don't know what you are trying to teach us… maybe actually try telling us instead of happily making us lose time and time-"

Harry stopped.

He blinked.

Korak flashed a smile. An honest, approving smile.

"Was wondering who'd figure it out first."

"You… you are going to teach us to lose?"

"I'm going to teach you that life isn't fair," Korak stated. "That you don't win every match. You don't get what you want. That sometimes you can do everything right and still come out of things a failure. Because this is a cruel world and when you accept that… then you can begin learning how to deal with it." He looked about the entire class, from Ron who was giving his Ursaring a Revive crystal to the SLytherins to the Gryffindors to Harry himself. "How you deal with loss shows how you'll deal with victory.

"THAT is what I'm going to teach you."

Harry… sat down.