New chapter! Thanks for all the support!
x
"Dudley, this is the advanced magic you mentioned?"
Hermione looked at Dudley with suspicion. At this moment, Dudley was lazily sitting in a chair, holding a book in his hands. More precisely, it was a novel.
A very familiar novel.
Author: Gilderoy Lockhart.
"Something written by Lockhart is worthy of being called advanced magic?" Hermione emphasized again.
Lockhart being useless was a consensus within the disciplinary group.
His various useless performances at Hogwarts, being defeated by Neville in a single exchange, exploiting female students. No matter how anyone tried to spin it, those stains would not wash away.
"No. Although he wrote it, the contents truly were adapted from real events. The protagonist simply was not him."
Dudley slowly put down the book and spoke seriously.
The title of that novel was Wanderings with Werewolves.
At first, the Ministry Aurors had taken him away over a moral issue: a professor exploiting female students. Unexpectedly, he had reacted too violently and attacked an Auror, earning himself another charge. Logically, even then, with his status, spending some Galleons should have been enough to settle things.
However, the Aurors soon discovered that the matter was not as simple as they had imagined.
After a round of questioning, Lockhart completely lost composure and confessed his crimes.
He had stolen the experiences of other wizards and used Memory Charms to make them forget everything.
"Lockhart attacked those wizards? Stole their achievements?!"
After hearing Dudley's explanation, Hermione gritted her teeth and said, "He really is an irredeemable bastard."
If there was anything worse than plagiarism, it was stealing the original creator's work and then silencing them.
"So he is staying in Azkaban. That is the punishment he deserves."
Dudley lightly tapped the book's cover with his knuckles.
"The events in these books belong to other wizards. They were not invented from nothing."
"The wizard in this book dealt with a werewolf, and not by using Wolfsbane Potion. He used a spell."
Dudley deliberately emphasized Wolfsbane Potion.
"My goodness," Hermione exclaimed.
Clearly, she had realized what that meant.
So far, the only method in the wizarding world that could let a werewolf recover reason and return to human form was Wolfsbane Potion. If Lockhart's description was true, that meant a spell could restore a werewolf's reason.
Not all werewolves were willing. The vast majority had been forced into becoming werewolves.
For example, through deliberate infection by other werewolves.
These werewolf wizards could not integrate into normal wizarding society. Transforming at least once a month and losing reason would make most wizards avoid them. Most of the time, their lives would force them toward Dark wizard circles. A small portion joined neither side, wandering in gray areas until they died alone.
The only remedy, Wolfsbane Potion, was also an extremely expensive potion. Its demanding brewing process and costly ingredients were the main reasons a bottle was hard to obtain.
Most importantly, werewolf wizards were generally very poor.
No werewolf wizard would be willing to buy one bottle of Wolfsbane Potion at a high price only to suppress a transformation that came once a month.
If they could find this spell, it would absolutely be a blessing for these people.
It would benefit the entire wizarding world.
"I think I should go see our former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
Dudley said this calmly. He wanted to learn that spell.
Azkaban was the highest-level prison in the magical world, used to imprison criminals. It was located on an island in the cold waters of the North Sea, far away from crowds.
It was guarded by a group of terrible creatures called Dementors, which lived by feeding on others' souls.
Compared with the clear skies over other seas, the sky above Azkaban was covered in dark clouds at all times. It looked extremely gloomy.
Dudley arrived at the island by boat.
"Mr. Dursley, we can only take you this far. Ahead is the place where Lockhart is imprisoned."
The nominal Azkaban guard spoke from the boat, looking with lingering fear at the island not far away and the black robes constantly flying in the sky.
Even a normal person would go mad after staying in Azkaban for too long.
In name, Azkaban was under the Ministry of Magic. In reality, the Dementors and the Ministry were not in a subordinate relationship, nor were they partners.
The Ministry was only responsible for throwing prisoners onto this island. The actual guarding was done by the Dementors.
Rather than saying the Ministry had hired Dementors, it was better to say the Ministry fed them.
Of course, the Ministry and the Dementors had also signed an agreement. Dementors could not leave Azkaban without reason, and they could not attack Ministry personnel.
"I know."
Dudley did not care in the slightest about the Dementors in the sky and walked straight toward the place where Lockhart was imprisoned.
Soon, he arrived before a cell. A dusty, miserable-looking man was staying inside, listless.
Lockhart.
After being imprisoned in Azkaban for a while, Lockhart was in very poor condition.
The guards said Lockhart was especially beloved by the Dementors.
It seemed to be because he had many happy experiences.
Happiness was food for Dementors.
"My dear Professor Lockhart, you look terrible. I think your new book should change from Me and Hogwarts to Me and Azkaban."
"Perhaps it would unexpectedly become popular."
Dudley's voice caught Lockhart's attention.
After seeing it was Dudley, Lockhart scrambled and crawled to the front of the cell, as though he had seen a lifeline.
"Mr. Dursley, help me!"
It could be seen that this period in Azkaban had left Lockhart with an endless aftertaste. Look how excited the child was.
"I think we should discuss a deal."
Dudley took several books from his pocket and handed them to Lockhart.
"I need you to tell me information about the wizards whose memories you erased."
Each of Lockhart's books represented one wizard whose memory he had erased. And every wizard here had proud experiences and real strength. Their experience was what Dudley valued.
There was no point expecting the Ministry to search for and treat these wizards.
Waiting for the Ministry to handle things was like waiting until the flowers withered.
"I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything. As long as you can save me, I will tell you everything."
Lockhart spoke with tears and snot all over his face.
At this point, he could no longer care about his image. He only wanted to leave this damned place.
Dementors were far too terrifying. He swore that after getting out, he would write a novel specifically about Dementors.
"Professor Lockhart, I think you have misunderstood one thing. I am not discussing this with you."
"Although it is a deal, I decide the terms."
Dudley patted Lockhart's shoulder.
"You have no room to bargain. You may refuse, if you can bear the consequences."
"Pain."
Lockhart collapsed to the ground as if electrocuted, his whole body twitching.
Dudley had merely stimulated his pain nerves.
"Surely you don't think I am kinder than the Dementors?"
x
x
x
If you're enjoying the story so far, consider supporting me on Patreon ❤️
You'll get weekly early access to chapters, along with some exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheDevotedReader