After the photo was taken, Lockhart then flamboyantly announced to everyone that he would become the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts...
"Whether it's Harry Potter or his classmates, they'll all get a real, Magical Me come September 1st when Hogwarts starts!"
The crowd immediately burst into applause and cheers.
Some middle-aged wizards, whether fans or planted shills, were so excited they burst into tears.
As if as long as Lockhart went to Hogwarts, the students there would be safe.
As long as Lockhart went... the curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class would cease to exist!
Amidst the cheers, Harry suddenly felt a weight on his arm and realized that he somehow ended up with Gilderoy Lockhart's complete works, so heavy that he was staggering a bit as he walked.
But the good news was, he no longer had to stay here.
Harry struggled out of the center of attention and headed to the wall.
Kael was there chatting with Ginny.
"These are for you... I'll go buy my own." Harry dumped the books into Ginny's new cauldron and then looked at Kael, unable to stop himself from asking, "Where did you go just now?"
"Oh, I saw you guys were having a good chat, so I went to buy some other textbooks first." Kael pointed to a stack of books on a nearby long table.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, when Lockhart called out Harry's name earlier, he took the opportunity to blend into the crowd.
Originally trying to avoid Lockhart, he inadvertently also avoided Harry's unintended betrayal...
This little rascal has gotten so sly these days.
"Did you need something from me?" Kael asked, his expression unchanged.
"No, nothing!"
Harry was now stunned by the stack of thick books, counting a total of seventeen.
Although he knew there would be two more elective classes in the third year, this seemed excessive.
"Is it necessary to buy so many books just for two more classes?" Harry asked with difficulty.
"Normally it wouldn't be, but I took quite a few courses." Kael explained. "Plus, Ancient Runes requires five books, and Defense Against the Dark Arts needs seven, just these two subjects take up two-thirds."
"Ancient Runes..." Harry silently vowed that he definitely wouldn't choose this course next year that sounded unfriendly just by its name.
After a brief chat, Kael went with his books to the counter to pay.
Because of the signing event, Flourish and Blotts had directed most of its staff to Lockhart's side, setting up a streamlined service for book selection, signing, and payment.
But this was only for Lockhart's books; other books still had to be paid for at the counter.
With fewer people and the start of the school year approaching, the store was very crowded, and Kael stood in line a long time before finally paying.
When he returned ready with his books, he saw Mr. Weasley was now confronting a middle-aged man with blonde hair.
His face looked extremely displeased, and his whole demeanor was gravely serious.
"If you're really not afraid of inspection as you say, why sneak to Knockturn Alley?"
"Talk with evidence, Weasley," Lucius Malfoy drawled. "I just brought Draco to Flourish and Blotts to buy his books for next year, never went to Knockturn Alley."
"Whereas you... with all the raids before, I'm sure they must have paid you for overtime."
Lucius Malfoy reached into Ginny's cauldron and pulled out a battered "Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration."
"I'm afraid looking at the current situation, not yet... If there's no decent reward, what's the point of being a disgrace among wizards."
Mr. Weasley's face was redder than Harry's had been on stage just now.
"It seems we have very different interpretations of 'disgrace,' Malfoy," he said.
"Clearly, we do," Lucius Malfoy said.
His eyes shifted, landing on the Grangers, who were watching anxiously,
"Look at the friends you keep... mixing with Muggles, Weasley, I thought your family had fallen to its lowest point."
There was a clang as Ginny's cauldron flew off.
Things happened so quickly that Kael didn't even catch whether Mr. Weasley threw it or Ginny did.
But it no longer mattered, that cauldron was like a spark igniting a powder keg, and chaos erupted instantly.
Though Lucius Malfoy dodged the cauldron in time, he was knocked into a bookshelf by the charging Mr. Weasley.
Dozens of thick spellbooks fell, directly stunning him.
"You dare crash into me!" Lucius got up and swung his snake-shaped wand at Mr. Weasley.
But in the next moment, a large hand caught his arm firmly.
Hagrid strode over the scattered books in a few steps and pulled him up in the blink of an eye.
Lucius Malfoy seemed unwilling to let it go, but he couldn't break free of Hagrid's grip, so he could only viciously glare at Mr. Weasley.
"This isn't over!"
"Let's go, Draco..."
Lucius shook off Hagrid and turned towards the door.
As he passed the cauldron, his eyes flashed with malice, and with his back to everyone, he tossed the tattered "Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration" he'd been holding into it.
"Here, little girl, keep your book... It's the best thing your father could give you!"
With that, he left Flourish and Blotts with Draco Malfoy.
"Lucky Kael called me over."
Hagrid reached over to smooth Mr. Weasley's robe, almost lifting him up entirely. "You shouldn't engage with him, Arthur. That family is rotten to the core, nothing worthwhile listening to."
Mr. Weasley said nothing.
Since it was Ginny who threw the cauldron, he had to act earlier to focus everyone's attention on him.
And truth be told, he'd been wanting to do it for a long time... After giving Malfoy a good thrashing, he felt incredibly refreshed.
That feeling was like drinking a steaming Butter Beer in winter, indescribably satisfying.
Hagrid straightened Mr. Weasley's robe and then led everyone out of Flourish and Blotts.
"Let's go out then!"
The store staff seemed about to stop Mr. Weasley, but the tallest among them only reached Hagrid's waist, so they didn't dare intervene.
As they walked down the street, the Grangers were shaking in fear, with Hermione comforting them.
Mrs. Weasley was still fuming about the incident just now.
"Setting a great example for the kids... fighting in public... what will Gilderoy Lockhart think..."
"He was thrilled!" Fred said. "He even asked the 'Daily Prophet' if they could include the fight in their report..."