As the writer who cares most about Great Britain, I would like to present my new book "Dancing with Vampires at the Eiffel Tower" to my lovely British wizard friends."
Lockhart's words caused a burst of exclamations, and the crowd dispersed, revealing Lockhart's confident, yet exaggerated posture.
He had intentionally chosen a violet wizard's robe for the occasion, with its hem flowing all the way to the ground, making a dramatic appearance. But the flamboyant attire was the least of his worries; his sharp eyes pierced through the crowd, focusing on the slightly uneasy British wizards, his gaze hiding the secret of blood-red memories in his depths.
The entire night had been spent writing the new book, draining his body of energy. Yet, despite his exhaustion, a fire of excitement lit up his face.
"I know what you're thinking," he said, lifting his chin in his signature, overconfident manner. "You wonder why they get my gifts and you don't? Yes, not only do they get free copies of my new book, but also my autographed photos!"
A chorus of screams erupted from a group of witches, and Lockhart beamed back at them with his dazzling smile. Then, turning to the surrounding French wizards, he said, "It's because I feel the malice here!"
The crowd stirred, some murmuring in surprise as they realized where this was going.
"I thought this was a free country! Here, in France, in Paris, men can communicate with women freely! And when two men stand before a woman, she should have the right to choose, not be rudely taken by one of them!"
The crowd gasped, murmuring among themselves. Wizards who had read Lockhart's new book were already familiar with the story, a tale that revolved around his romantic entanglement with a beautiful silver-haired girl in Paris.
Lockhart had named her "Baby Rodin."
She was captivated by the charming and humorous wizard, and they began dating. But during a trip to the Eiffel Tower, disaster struck. While Lockhart wasn't looking, a vampire named Quinlan attacked and drained Baby Rodin of her blood.
When Lockhart returned, he found her lifeless body and, enraged, he killed Quinlan in a furious battle. During their confrontation, Lockhart's uncontrolled magic froze the Eiffel Tower.
In retaliation, Lockhart single-handedly raided Quinlan's mansion, killing 36 vampires, including the head of the Quinlan family, Duke Quinlan, avenging his fallen lover.
The scene of the battle became widely known, as did the tragic image of Lockhart dancing alone on the frozen Eiffel Tower with Baby Rodin's lifeless body in his arms.
When a black-haired boy in the vampire community heard the rumors, he was furious.
"This is a complete lie!" he shouted. "Lockhart is a fraud! It wasn't him who killed Quinlan; it was Slytherin's Moriarty! And the Quinlan vampires never forced women into anything!"
He stormed off, but before he could make his point, a pair of hands seized his shoulders and forced him to the ground.
"Stay quiet, Master." The voice came from behind him, deep and dangerous, sending a chill down his spine. The black-haired boy trembled but dared to ask, "When will we show ourselves to the world with dignity?"
The voice responded calmly, "Soon, soon."
As the vampires in hiding waited, they remained silent and restrained by higher forces.
Meanwhile, a Paris Times reporter waved his magical camera and eagerly approached Lockhart. "Dear Mr. Lockhart, we've all heard of your new book. Can you tell us more about it? Wizards all over France are waiting for our exclusive story. May I ask you a few questions?"
Lockhart, ever the performer, knew this moment was crucial. If he could win the trust of the French wizards with this interview, it would be the first step in securing the support of the French Ministry of Magic.
He approached the chair prepared for him and nodded at the reporter. "Sure, go ahead, my friend."
The reporter raised his camera and asked, "Before we get to the interview, can you confirm if the events in your new book are true?"
The question hit hard, clearly designed to discredit Lockhart. The reporter, under orders from his superiors, aimed to challenge him publicly.
Lockhart responded with a smile, his voice smooth and self-assured: "Your question is like someone closing their eyes and refusing to see the dawn," he said, causing the crowd to laugh. "If anyone can find even a single lie in my books, I'll gladly hand over all my savings!"
The audience erupted into laughter, and Lockhart's reputation was firmly intact. His self-confidence was unshakeable, and the image he had cultivated over time was too solid to be easily shaken.
"I know that French wizards may not be fully familiar with me yet," Lockhart continued with false modesty, "but that's my fault. I haven't properly introduced myself."
With a dramatic glance at the witches in the crowd, Lockhart flashed a knowing smile and brushed a lock of his signature golden hair aside. The witches screamed in delight.
Lockhart leaned forward, his tone growing more intimate, "In my battles with werewolves and banshees, after defeating the Vampire Archduke in hand-to-hand combat, my smile had faded from the weight of it all… I hope you like it."
The crowd cheered. They didn't find Lockhart's smile ugly at all; if anything, it made him even more captivating, despite all his dangerous encounters.
The reporter, momentarily stunned by Lockhart's charm, quickly regained his composure and asked, "Mr. Lockhart, I must ask: this morning, Minister Feng Wei of the French Ministry of Magic announced charges against the British Ministry of Magic and Moriarty Slytherin. Your book launch and your statements today about vampire chaos—do you think this is the right moment for all this?"
At this, many French wizards applauded, eager to see how Lockhart would respond.
Lockhart, undeterred, cast a spell on himself to amplify his voice and stood with an air of defiance. "I don't know what Minister Feng Wei is thinking," he began, his voice ringing out. "The reason I'm here is simple: it's my own will. I had no idea I would encounter such trouble in Paris. I didn't expect a vampire to attack an innocent woman, even if she is a Muggle!"
He let out a casual shrug. "I think Minister Feng Wei should focus on solving the vampire problem rather than casting suspicion on me."
Lockhart leaned back in his chair, continuing, "A year ago, I declared that the magical world is entering a new era of revival. I lit the fire of that movement across Europe!"
With a stern expression, he continued, "In England, vampires will not be allowed to run rampant. I'll be the one to deal with them! Our pure-blood patriarch, Lucius Malfoy, was killed by a vampire. I couldn't let that go unanswered."
The crowd was silent as Lockhart stood up abruptly, holding the chair with an almost predatory grip.
"I killed that vampire, just like this—" Lockhart muttered, focusing his magic.
He raised his left hand, whispering the incantation for "Touch of Anger," and with a snap of his fingers, the chair before him cracked into ice, frost spreading quickly across the ground until it encased the reporter's feet.
The crowd gasped, watching in awe as Lockhart controlled the magic with precision.
"I made a mistake," Lockhart admitted, though his eyes were burning with anger. "After killing the vampire, the magic spread to the Eiffel Tower, freezing it completely."
The fans cheered, comforting him: "It's not your fault, Mr. Lockhart! It was the vampires who caused this!"
Lockhart's tone grew more impassioned as he continued, "I avenged the innocent—baby Rodin, Lucius, Muggles, wizards, elves… all the innocent lives lost. For them, I did what needed to be done!"
The crowd cheered louder, even some French wizards nodding in approval.
The reporter, however, still pressed for an answer. "But, Mr. Lockhart, do you truly have no connection to the British Ministry of Magic or Moriarty Slytherin?"
Lockhart laughed, the sound booming through the crowd, "Oh, that's rich! Last I heard, the British Ministry of Magic planned to give me a Merlin 3rd Class Award. Funny, though, I haven't seen it yet."
He gave the reporter a playful wink, adding, "As for Moriarty? I haven't seen him since my last book launch. Who knows, maybe he'll show up at my next one."
Lockhart then turned to leave, waving his hand as the crowd erupted into cheers. "For those who want my autograph, follow me!"
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ 120+ CHAPTERS BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE.
Patreon.com/HACKDWORLD