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Chapter Twenty-One: The Plan to Change the Plot
After everything was done and he parted ways with the team, Lockhart kept thinking: If a dragon could be taken down so cleanly with meticulous planning, couldn't Voldemort be defeated the same way?
If that was possible, then why had Voldemort left behind such a terrifying legend a decade ago? Just how powerful was Voldemort? And between him and Dumbledore—who was truly stronger?
This time, Lockhart had only spent three weeks on the Atlantis Archipelago. With nearly a month left before the Quidditch World Cup final, he finally had time to rest at home.
Once he arrived, his house-elf Jim welcomed him back, respectfully preparing a bath, a lavish meal, and sorting all the letters from his fans and friends onto the desk—while immediately disposing of anything dangerous, such as Howlers.
After briefly replying to his concerned fans and students, Lockhart sat down and began planning out his life for the coming year.
The Triwizard Tournament would be held at Hogwarts—news the staff already knew. In the original timeline, Barty Crouch Jr., disguised as Mad-Eye Moody, had delivered Harry Potter straight into Voldemort's hands, helping resurrect him.
But after being forcibly sucked into the plot twice already, Lockhart felt uneasy. Harry's victory over Voldemort had nothing to do with destiny, and everything to do with absurd coincidences:
Harry and Voldemort's wands shared a core, preventing Voldemort from killing him. When Voldemort changed wands, he couldn't wield them comfortably. And finally, he used the Elder Wand, which was still loyal to Harry.
The whole thing was practically nonsense.
Lockhart couldn't guarantee those coincidences would still happen now that he'd interfered with the story, so he decided he must actively change the plot to stop Voldemort from being resurrected at all.
He suspected Dumbledore had secretly given the so-called Saviours some kind of magic-enhancing potion; otherwise it was impossible to explain why three underage wizards could fight the way they did.
If that were true, then it would be far safer for Harry and the others to face a resurrected Voldemort only when they were older, with stronger magic.
Right. That settles it.
Since Barty Crouch Jr. wasn't going to sneak into the school disguised as Moody this time, all Lockhart needed to do was keep a close eye on things and make sure Harry never fell into Voldemort's hands. If he managed that, the year could pass in peace.
The thought alone made Lockhart's heart soar—he might finally enjoy a few peaceful years as a respected professor!
Feeling pleased, he decided to celebrate by going out, blending in with the Muggle world for a bit.
He took a sip of his homemade Felix Felicis, Apparated into central London, and set off to look for a bit of excitement—and possibly romance.
The potion's effects took hold almost immediately.
Lockhart ran into his favourite student—Hermione Granger—along with her Muggle parents.
"Miss Granger is the most hardworking student I've ever taught!" he said warmly. "She's bright, diligent, and truly beautiful—she'll grow into an exceptional witch."
Hermione watched him with shining eyes behind her parents. She was clearly delighted to have bumped into Lockhart by chance.
The Grangers, meanwhile, were instantly charmed by the handsome, elegant professor.
"Hermione talks about you all the time!" Mrs Granger said, smiling. "She says she wants to marry someone just like you when she grows up."
The Grangers—being the type who enjoyed mingling with people from all walks of life—were thrilled to befriend a wizard. Lockhart found their company surprisingly pleasant, and the four of them ended up chatting in a café for nearly the entire evening.
When they finally parted, the Grangers warmly expressed their hope to see Lockhart again. He assured them he would take good care of Hermione at school.
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