Chapter 114: Forging My Own Path
Lockhart enjoyed a pleasant Christmas holiday, spent with his favorite student, Tom Riddle.
It was just that the Basilisk couldn't take it anymore, lying there half-dead like a rag, completely devoid of the fearsome aura of Slytherin's Chamber monster.
It can't handle the strain, alas.
Professor Lockhart truly knew how to unearth potential. After repeated tireless attempts, he was astonished to discover that Tom was a veritable treasure.
This was not a Pensieve storing memories; this was Voldemort's Horcrux, and the most unique of all Horcruxes.
Its value lay not just in the memories of Voldemort's 16-year-old self, but in its ability to think!
It could receive new information and think!
Tom, this young Voldemort, displayed an enviably brilliant magical talent.
He truly deserved to be called "the most powerful and dangerous Dark wizard of all time." No matter what Lockhart taught Tom, the latter could always deduce other things from one instance, his divergent thinking was vast, his problem-solving was profound, and his insights into magic were remarkably spiritual. It was truly astonishing.
During this period, Lockhart and Tom had virtually become close friends, so much so that Lockhart could be said to have taught him everything he knew.
Emmm, it's just that Tom had a bit of amnesia and often needed to start over from scratch.
He even discussed "spiritualist" magical paths like the Forest Witch with Tom, meticulously explaining to him about the Forest Witch and his own insights into nature and forest magic. And then Tom gave him a huge surprise.
Tom Riddle, based on what Lockhart told him, invented a spell!
Although little Tom was quite disdainful of this spiritualist way of magical practice, he still managed to invent a spell out of thin air. As Lockhart continuously practiced and proposed new ideas, Tom would even improve the magic based on this feedback!
Oh my god, Lockhart couldn't even imagine how heartbroken he would be when he eventually had to destroy this Horcrux.
Tom~
What will I do without you!
1
Lockhart soon abandoned Tom, setting him aside.
The Basilisk's inability to cope was one reason; he himself had a rather important matter to attend to.
His book, **Where Are the Dark Magical Creatures?**, was finally released.
Upon its release, it seemed as if the entire wizarding society was buzzing with discussions about this book.
This was partly thanks to the capable senior Rita Skeeter, and also benefited from pure-blood families like the Malfoys, but most importantly, it was due to the assistance of Minister for Magic Fudge and Undersecretary Umbridge.
Auror Kingsley was right; after Lockhart entered the Ministry of Magic's ranks, he was naturally an ally of Fudge and Umbridge. Regardless of their private relationships, Lockhart's increasing influence in the Ministry greatly benefited these two powerful Ministry officials.
Thus, Lockhart had to travel to bookstores around the globe, holding one signing event after another.
New York, Manhattan, Paris, Florence...
He was extremely busy.
This was an effort to thoroughly digest the original self's memories, and it couldn't be in vain.
Of course, this held a different meaning for the children who co-authored the book.
Especially for Crabbe, who had just finished his parents' funeral and looked particularly listless. If his friends hadn't dragged him along, he would have been all alone in the vast Crabbe Manor, and who knows what might have happened.
Snape, who was escorting the children, seemed somewhat tense. Unlike Lockhart, who was carefree and always jovial, Snape was constantly on guard against potential attacks.
Death Eaters generally looked down on the werewolf Fenrir Greyback, but that didn't mean they underestimated his abilities.
Yet, nothing seemed to happen on this journey, making his worries appear somewhat superfluous.
And so, they finally arrived at their last stop, the Ministry of Magic building in Britain.
This was specially permitted by Minister for Magic Fudge, who believed that Lockhart, as an internationally renowned author, was the pride of the British wizarding world. The Ministry had to provide sufficient support to avoid being laughed at by other countries' Ministries of Magic.
Snape finally relaxed. Fenrir Greyback, no matter how deranged, wouldn't dare attack people at the Ministry of Magic. Moreover, Dumbledore was also there at the moment, presiding over several cases as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.
It was Lockhart who became wary at this point.
He knew that the werewolf Fenrir Greyback was just a minor player; the one truly targeting him was Corban Yaxley.
This fellow was also present, smiling, but Lockhart's Boggart could sense immense hostility and a sneer from his heart.
Indeed...
Just as Professor Lockhart had his arms around Harry and Draco, surrounded by a crowd of students who had collaborated on the book, striking a laughing pose under Rita's direction, a mournful wail caught everyone's attention.
Everyone looked over in unison and saw a group of Aurors, wands raised, controlling a werewolf floating in mid-air, entering from the main door.
This was the Aurors' unique way of transporting criminals, using the Levitation Charm.
Such a powerful display was enough to deter many ill-intentioned individuals, creating an impression of well-trained authority.
The only problem was the weeping old woman following behind them. Upon seeing so many newspaper reporters in the Ministry of Magic Atrium, she immediately cried even louder, wailing, "My husband is not a criminal! He's been framed! He caught lycanthropy; it's not his fault! Every full moon, he locks himself in the cellar and never comes out. He's never hurt anyone!"
Upon seeing this, Minister for Magic Fudge's face darkened.
He hadn't had an easy time lately. A group of werewolves and Dark wizards had attacked the school's students, and the Aurors had been slow to catch the culprits. He had once again been blamed for "incompetence."
He had originally planned to use Lockhart's book signing, with its large crowd and numerous reporters, as an opportunity to have the Aurors escort the werewolf through, creating the illusion that the matter had been resolved.
If he was vague enough, the issue would pass in public opinion.
After all, wasn't there a saying—are Aurors there to protect people? No! They're there to make people feel protected.
He never expected such a simple matter to become so messy.
"Who is that old woman?!" Fudge sternly looked at Scrimgeour, the head Auror responsible for maintaining order, and Corban Yaxley, the head of the Office for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts, standing nearby.
Scrimgeour coolly watched the scene, faintly sensing a conspiracy, but said nothing as the reporters watched. He merely shook his head slightly, indicating he didn't know what was going on.
Corban Yaxley, however, reacted promptly. "I'll have someone calm that lady down and remove her from the scene immediately."
But before Fudge could say anything, the reporters excitedly rushed towards the Aurors and the old woman. The scene quickly descended into chaos. By the time he changed his expression and strode forward, he already saw the reporters chattering away with questions that gave him a headache.
"Are you saying the Aurors couldn't catch the real criminals, so they arrested your husband as a scapegoat?"
This was a direct accusation against the Ministry's internal system.
"The Ministry of Magic is too wicked! Your husband is clearly a victim of werewolves, yet now he has to pay the price for werewolf criminals!"
This was designed to stir emotions and tell a story.
"I've read Lockhart's book; he has a spell that can save werewolves, Madam. You can ask him for help. That way, your husband can explain the situation in front of everyone, and we'll help you!"
This was someone who loved drama and didn't mind making a big fuss.
Perhaps they even wanted to seize the opportunity to let the media's power infringe upon the Ministry's authority.
Every reporter present had their own agenda, each wanting to create a sensation.
The old woman was clearly inspired. She quickly scanned the crowd, her eyes lighting up as she spotted Lockhart on a small platform. She excitedly pushed her way through the fan crowd, shouting, "Lockhart! Gilderoy Lockhart! Please, help me!"
The reporters, feigning righteousness, helped her push away the people blocking her path, leading her directly to Lockhart.
The old woman cried heartbrokenly, begging Lockhart for help as if he were her savior.
Her appearance instantly put Lockhart on the spot.
The surrounding fans were also moved, feeling thrilled to see their idol become the hope for salvation.
Someone shouted, "Gilderoy Lockhart!"
At first, only a few followed suit, but the emotion quickly spread to everyone around them. Soon, everyone was shouting in unison, "Gilderoy Lockhart! Gilderoy Lockhart! Gilderoy Lockhart!"
Good heavens!
Lockhart glanced at Corban Yaxley, who stood outside the crowd, watching the scene with a cold sneer. The tricks played by such old politicians were truly elaborate. Unlike the terrifying threats of other Death Eaters, this strike aimed directly at the vital point.
It was important to remember that in the original story, Lockhart taught a few classes at Hogwarts and quickly destroyed his own reputation among the students, making everyone believe he was nothing but a fraud.
So, how could no one among the adults in society, especially the seasoned bureaucrats in the Ministry of Magic who spent their days scrutinizing people, have failed to see through him?
Yes, Lockhart did indeed describe his methods for dealing with werewolves—the Homomorphus Charm—in his bestseller, Wandering with Werewolves.
This spell was clearly not something an average wizard could cast. While people might believe Dumbledore could cast it, when it came to a flamboyant peacock like the original Lockhart, it raised a huge question mark.
Compared to the absurd notion of "stealing others' experiences and writing them into books," those who were skeptical were actually more willing to believe that the content of Lockhart's books was fabricated.
....
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