For now, the Ministry officials had left.
Lockhart had narrowly escaped capture. He had dodged a bullet—but only temporarily.
As the last footsteps faded, he quickly shut his office door. The confident smile on his face vanished.
Rita Skeeter. That woman was truly something else!
Did she just accidentally discover Agnes's identity during the interview? Nonsense. She had known from the start.
But why hadn't she used it against him right away?
Lockhart couldn't understand.
For weeks, he had been on edge, constantly watching for the moment Rita would strike. But she hadn't—until now, when he had finally begun to relax.
And then, out of nowhere, she landed a devastating blow.
Thanks to Blake's advice, he had managed to avoid immediate consequences due to the lack of concrete evidence.
But this was far from over.
If Agnes had been just another witch, he wouldn't have cared.
But she wasn't.
Now, her identity was anything but ordinary.
Her public accusations meant that this was no longer a mere dispute. Either she or Lockhart had to fall.
If she was telling the truth, he was finished.
If he proved she had falsely accused him, she would be charged with perjury.
Either way, Agnes wouldn't back down. She had too much at stake.
Lockhart clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him.
"I won't lose!"
Sitting at his desk, he snatched a quill and began furiously writing his next article.
He would retaliate through The Quibbler, painting Agnes as a liar trying to ruin him.
But he carefully avoided mentioning Dean Bohan.
First, because he lacked the courage.
Second, because Bohan had only confirmed that Agnes had suffered from a Memory Charm—he hadn't directly accused Lockhart.
For the next several weeks, The Daily Prophet and The Quibbler were locked in a relentless back-and-forth.
Lockhart had started out fending off only Rita, but soon he found himself battling both Rita and Agnes.
And The Daily Prophet wasn't just reporting on the scandal—it was fueling it.
Controversy sold newspapers, and their editors had no reason to hold back.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Magic had begun its own investigation.
But there were problems.
Agnes had been attacked in the wilderness.
No witnesses.
Her mind did show traces of a Memory Charm.
But that didn't prove Lockhart was responsible.
In fact, it raised a disturbing possibility—someone else might have tampered with her memories.
This meant that even if Agnes took Veritaserum, her altered recollections wouldn't be reliable.
Lockhart, too, could not be forced to take the serum.
Without solid proof, wrongly compelling a public figure to do so could lead to legal trouble for the Ministry.
No official was willing to take responsibility.
The investigation hit a dead end.
For Lockhart, this was a temporary relief.
But Rita was relentless.
"Lockhart, if you're truly innocent, why don't you voluntarily take Veritaserum?"
"Agnes offered to! What are you so afraid of?"
"The Ministry claims Agnes's memory may have been altered, making her testimony unreliable."
"But you weren't under any Memory Charms, were you? Why are you hiding at Hogwarts?"
Her words struck a nerve with the public.
Many wizards put themselves in Lockhart's shoes.
If they were innocent, they would take the Veritaserum without hesitation.
Lockhart's refusal to do so only deepened suspicions.
Even some of his most loyal fans began to waver.
His popularity plummeted—again.
It broke his heart.
Though, for now, the situation was still barely under control.
At a secret location, Agatha slammed The Quibbler onto a table, seething with rage.
"Damn it! This didn't take Lockhart down?!"
"What does the Ministry even do? Why not just force him to take Veritaserum?"
Blake, sipping honey tea by the fireplace, smiled.
"Agatha, be patient. Lockhart's already struggling."
She scoffed. "I want him to suffer! If I had him in my hands, I'd use him for Cruciatus practice!"
Blake nodded approvingly.
"That's the right way to do revenge. A quick death would be too kind."
Agatha eyed him curiously.
"Did you plan this from the start? Was that why you told Agnes to open a beauty salon?"
Blake smirked.
"A nobody's voice can be ignored. But a successful woman? That, the Ministry has to investigate."
By making Agnes famous, her words had gained weight.
It was all part of the plan.
Blake sighed.
"If only you had held out longer, Agatha... Imagine if two high-profile women had exposed him at once."
The others in the room exchanged uneasy glances.
Blake had anticipated everything.
At such a young age, he was already this calculating...
They were all grateful they weren't his enemies.
Blake took another sip of tea, listening to his system notifications.
His plan was in motion.
He would sit back, watch, and collect his rewards.
"Alright," Agatha asked, "What's next?"
Blake pointed at her.
"Now you come forward."
She blinked. "Me?"
"I'm not famous like Agnes. Who's going to care?"
Blake grinned.
"That was true before. But now, Agnes has already cracked Lockhart's armor. Your role is to widen the wound."
Then came the rest.
Church.
Winston.
Barry.
One after another, they would come forward with their stories.
One after another, they would drag Lockhart further down.
Old Lepp, puffing his pipe, finally spoke.
"But... will this really work?"
Blake chuckled.
"You catch on fast, Old Lepp."
"Yes, everyone can keep exposing him."
"But will that alone bring him down? No."
"Because Lockhart is careful. No direct witnesses. No clear proof."
"The public will be outraged, but legally? He's untouchable."
Lepp frowned. "Then what's the point?"
Blake's grin widened.
"The goal isn't to prove his guilt."
"It's to make him panic."
Because if he panicked...
He would make mistakes.
The next day, The Daily Prophet published another victim's interview.
This time, her picture was front and center.
Lockhart's stomach twisted.
He knew her.
Agatha.
A ruthless bounty hunter.
She was dangerous.
And if she had been found, that meant more victims might be exposed soon.
For the first time, Lockhart felt real fear.
His mind raced.
Was Blake helping him—or had he set him up?
Lockhart recalled everything.
Blake had claimed to support him.
Blake had guided him.
Blake had helped him push back.
But at the same time...
Victims had started appearing one after another.
And every article mentioned that a mysterious benefactor had healed them.
A benefactor with extraordinary healing abilities.
Blake's abilities.
Lockhart's blood ran cold.
Blake had been playing him all along.
The realization left him numb.
His once steady confidence crumbled into desperation.
He had to be wrong. Blake wouldn't betray him.
Would he?
Then, his eyes landed on one name.
Ackerman Allen.
A manager at Green's Potion Store.
Lockhart froze.
Blake owned Green's Potion Store.
Heart pounding, he ran out of his office.
He needed to confront Blake.
But just as Blake had predicted—
Lockhart was already spiralling.
=============
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