Just as they were about to turn a corner, Lockhart suddenly felt a surge of danger. The walls trembled faintly—the basilisk was moving through the pipes nearby!
He immediately covered Hermione's eyes and pulled her to face him. "Don't look at anything."
There was no struggle as he expected. Hermione nestled obediently into his arms like a docile kitten, wrapping her arms around his waist, her face flushed.
Even at a moment like this, Lockhart felt something was… off. One arm around her, the other covering her eyes—it looked far too much like a couple.
They edged closer to the corner. The hiss of a massive serpent was already audible.
Lockhart drew his wand.
A foul gust of wind rushed toward them—the basilisk lunged out from around the corner!
Lockhart instinctively shut his eyes. "Protego!"
A tremendous force slammed into him, sending both him and Hermione flying backward.
"Keep your eyes closed!" he shouted.
"Flash!"
He cracked his eyes open slightly—just enough to see the enormous serpent writhing with its eyes shut, temporarily blinded by the flash.
His wand had been knocked away. He scrambled on the ground to retrieve it.
At that moment, a shabby house-elf appeared, picked up the wand, and handed it to him.
"Sir, please protect Harry," it said, snapping its fingers before vanishing.
Dobby?!
Of all times to show up—what about his duties at the Malfoy Manor?
Focus! Not the time for that.
This was a rare opportunity.
"Blinding Curse!"
The spell forced the basilisk's eyes shut, though it wouldn't last long.
Hermione lay on the ground, trembling—likely injured from the fall—but still obediently keeping her eyes closed. Smart girl. No screaming, no panic.
Lockhart quickly pulled out a pouch of potions.
"Diffindo! Volley!"
The pouch burst midair, scattering powder that he directed straight toward the basilisk's eyes. The moment he finished casting, he shut his eyes again—
—but the basilisk happened to open its eyes at that exact moment.
The powder went straight in.
Whatever it was—love potion, sleeping powder, who knew—it definitely wouldn't feel good in the eyes.
The basilisk roared in fury, forced to shut its eyes again. Summoned in broad daylight by the Heir of Slytherin, only to be harassed nonstop without even being able to see—it was enraged beyond reason.
It charged wildly toward the source of the sound.
By then, Lockhart had already cast a Silencing Charm on Hermione. He himself fixed his gaze on the basilisk's eyes and began unleashing attack spells.
He had to blind it completely—even if it killed him.
Attack spells required sight—and now the basilisk couldn't open its eyes.
Perfect.
"Piercing Strike!"
A relatively simple offensive spell—similar to Sectumsempra, but focused on piercing rather than slashing.
Both of the basilisk's eyes were struck.
It howled and charged toward Lockhart.
Lockhart kept casting Impedimenta, retreating as he fought. The creature's magical resistance was far too strong—killing it was impossible for him. All he could do was lure it toward the Great Hall and hope for reinforcements.
Along the way, students screamed as they saw their professor being chased by a monstrous serpent.
Lockhart cast Sonorus on himself.
"Everyone move! I can handle this!"
The basilisk burst into the Great Hall behind him.
Luckily, Professor McGonagall was there.
"Quick! That's the monster from the Chamber—help me!" Lockhart shouted, rushing toward her.
McGonagall's expression changed instantly. "All students, out of the hall!"
With a single command, the basilisk's attention shifted to her.
As Dumbledore's chosen successor, her strength was formidable. A few spells tore into the basilisk's flesh, drawing blood.
Just as she hesitated over delivering the killing blow—
Dumbledore arrived.
"Incendio."
A quiet incantation.
Lockhart felt an overwhelming surge of magical power.
The basilisk's massive body ignited instantly, burning at a visible speed. Within seconds, only a smoking skeleton remained.
Lockhart was stunned.
The same Fire-Making Spell every Hogwarts graduate knew—but in Dumbledore's hands, it was on an entirely different level.
Nothing else in the hall was burned. He hadn't even felt a wave of heat.
What kind of control is this?
If Dumbledore told me he'd cast that spell on me—and gave me a month to prepare—I still wouldn't survive.
So this is the gap between ordinary and top-tier wizards? I thought magical power levels were roughly the same…
Now wasn't the time to think.
He had to find Ginny—or rather, the diary.
Altering the plot could have unknown consequences—but under no circumstances could he let that diary escape.
"Professor Lockhart, what happened?" Dumbledore asked.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster—but there's something more urgent."
Lockhart sprinted back to the scene.
Ginny was gone. A crowd of students remained.
"Find Ginny—point the way!"
His wand rose, indicating a direction.
Of course—once she left Hogwarts' anti-Apparition boundaries, she could escape completely.
Lockhart ran at full speed. Behind him, Dumbledore and McGonagall followed.
Then—
He saw them.
Ginny… and Hermione.
"Ginny, stop! Hermione, get away from her!" Lockhart lunged forward, trying to separate them.
But the moment he pushed Hermione aside—
A wand was pointed at him.
"Let me go. No one will get hurt," Ginny said blankly.
Lockhart raised his hands.
She forced him backward, step by step, toward the Quidditch pitch.
She wanted a broom.
Once airborne and beyond Hogwarts' limits, the diary would be gone forever.
Behind them, Hermione—and the pursuing professors—could only watch as Lockhart was held hostage.
For the first time in both his lives—
He became one.
In his previous life, he had been an ordinary student. No one would target him.
As Lockhart, he had always been cautious—never standing out, never taking risks.
And yet, here he was.
Did changing the plot increase the difficulty or something? What is this?
As the Quidditch pitch drew closer, Dumbledore's expression grew increasingly grim.
Lockhart felt cold sweat running down his back.
Dumbledore was a good man.
But he had one flaw—
He assumed others were as willing to sacrifice themselves as he was.
I'm not!
(Dumbledore will never let that Horcrux escape.)
Lockhart made his decision.
Better to play the hero once.
He suddenly grabbed Ginny's wand.
"Voldemort—I'd like to see what kind of magic you can use with this body!"
Ginny's expression flickered. "You know who I am?"
"Then I'll grant your wish."
"Avada Kedavra."
How… is that possible…?
Is the Defense Against the Dark Arts position really cursed…?
That was Lockhart's final thought.
The world turned green.
Then black.