At the beginning of the new term, the young wizards were still confident about surpassing the Disciplinary Squad. Each of their Houses had so many people, while the Disciplinary Squad only had a few...
However, they soon discovered they were wrong. Very wrong.
In Charms class, Miss Know-It-All Granger answered almost every question Professor Flitwick posed. Professor Flitwick couldn't have been happier, constantly chasing after her to give Miss Granger more points.
In Transfiguration class, it was still Miss Granger. She monopolized all of Professor McGonagall's questions and spellcasting demonstrations. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall wasn't like Professor Flitwick... she awarded points, but not excessively.
In Potions class, Potter and Malfoy competed with each other, stealing Professor Snape's points... This was acceptable, but when Snape deducted points from Harry, he deducted them from Gryffindor, which was a bit excessive. However, the young wizards didn't dare question Professor Snape's decisions.
In Herbology class, even Neville, the most inconspicuous member of the Disciplinary Squad, continuously earned points from Professor Sprout.
Of course, there was also a Gryffindor boy called Ron. This guy was like a master slacker who could earn a few points in every subject.
As for Mr. Dursley, he rarely volunteered answers this year, but whenever a professor called on him, he could answer their questions with perfect precision. So far, no one had seen anything he couldn't do.
Even History of Magic, which could put people to sleep after just a few sentences, had fallen... Professor Binns had almost become the Disciplinary Squad's dedicated point provider, continuously supplying them with points.
In just a few days, the Disciplinary Squad had earned points equal to the total of all four Houses combined, crushing the young wizards with an overwhelmingly dominant performance.
The Disciplinary Squad... terrifying indeed!
This made the young wizards who already had favorable impressions of the Disciplinary Squad even more eager to join.
This continued until Friday...
Friday was when Gryffindor and Slytherin had Defense Against the Dark Arts together... the first Defense class of the term.
Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Most of the garlic smell left from last term had been cleared, but if you sniffed carefully, there was still a faint trace of that scent. Who knows what brand of garlic Quirrell had used to make this lingering aroma persist for so long.
"How about another round of Wizard Cards?" a Gryffindor student suggested.
Another Gryffindor was tempted by the suggestion but still refused.
"No, no, Professor Lockhart will be here soon... there's not enough time for another game."
Wizard Cards had now replaced Wizard Chess and was showing signs of surpassing even Quidditch, becoming the young wizards' most beloved pastime. If even adults couldn't resist this joy, what about children?
Almost everyone at Hogwarts was a card enthusiast... almost everyone knew a trick or two, even Slytherin was no exception.
"I promised to earn points for Gryffindor before. Don't worry, I've memorized all of Professor Lockhart's methods for defeating enemies. This time I definitely won't let certain people steal the spotlight."
The Gryffindor spoke confidently, glancing toward where Dudley and the others sat.
Other subjects are one thing, but I absolutely won't lose in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"With such a big gap, forget it. Better to spend the time playing another round of Wizard Cards," the previous Gryffindor muttered quietly, then turned to play cards with others.
Actually, he had initially been confident too... until he was thoroughly beaten by Neville's extensive Herbology knowledge in that class... then he decisively gave up.
If I can't even compare to inconspicuous Neville, let alone the others.
Anyway, I'm just a little waste... what does it matter to me who's capable or not?
Lying flat feels so good.
"He's coming, Professor Lockhart is coming!" Someone outside shouted, and the messy students in the classroom quickly returned to their seats, waiting for their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Perhaps wanting to make a good impression on the young wizards in his first class, Lockhart's outfit today was rarely not as flamboyant as usual... well, just what he considered very modest: flashy pink-purple robes.
Lockhart entered the classroom, saw the neatly seated young wizards, nodded with satisfaction, and cleared his throat. He casually picked up a copy of Travels with Trolls and held it up, displaying the cover photo of himself winking.
"I," he pointed vigorously at his photo, showing a mouth full of brilliant white teeth: "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award... but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"
While claiming he didn't like to brag, he actually rattled off a long string of titles to the young wizards like reciting a menu.
"I see you've all bought my complete works... very good. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz."
Hearing Lockhart mention a quiz first, the Gryffindor who was determined to earn points lit up.
"Don't be afraid... just to see how well you've read them, how much you've absorbed..."
Lockhart pulled out a thick stack of papers... clearly his "little quiz" was a written test. He quickly distributed the papers, then returned to the podium, hands on the desk: "You have thirty minutes. The best answers will receive bonus points!"
This time, the points are mine... Harry Watt's.
I've completely memorized all of Professor Lockhart's combat techniques. I'm going to get a perfect score this time.
Watt confidently opened his paper and picked up his quill...
One minute later... still holding his quill in the same position.
Three minutes later... still holding his quill in the same position.
After another five minutes... he gave up thinking.
The questions on the paper were indeed about Lockhart, but not the Defense Against the Dark Arts content he'd imagined:
What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?
What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?
What do you think is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
What is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would be his ideal birthday gift?
What the hell are these questions? Do they have anything to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts?
Watt was so angry he wanted to eat the paper.
But on second thought, he wasn't that angry anymore.
'I don't believe that if I can't answer these, your Disciplinary Squad can! If you can get a perfect score, I'll eat this desk with salt!'
Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and flipped through them in front of the entire class.
"Tsk tsk... really disappointing. Almost no one remembered my favorite color... I mentioned it in Year with the Yeti..."
Lockhart seemed dissatisfied with the test results, but soon this dissatisfaction turned to delight: "What surprises me is that one paper actually got a perfect score, answering almost all the questions correctly! Let me see which young wizard is so capable."
When Lockhart saw the name on the paper, he cried out with even greater joy:
"Durs... Dudley Dursley."
I give up, I give up!
I, Watt, surrender!
From that day forward, Gryffindor lost one ambitious point-earning young wizard and gained one resigned student who spent every day playing cards to pass the time.