Lockhart was a household name among the young wizards at Hogwarts, his thrilling adventures immortalized in bestselling biographies that adorned the shelves of wizarding homes everywhere. Even Mrs. Weasley was a fervent fan.
"I heard Lockhart plans to write about my father's showdown with Lucius in the papers," Ronald grumbled, jabbing at his omelette with a silver fork until it shattered into pieces.
Harry, unsure of what to say, sat silently beside him. He hadn't forgotten being coerced into an unwanted photo-op by Lockhart, an experience that left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"He actually did make it into the papers," Hermione interjected, handing Luke the daily newspaper she was holding.
Luke scanned the article aloud, the headline jumping out from the page: "Ministry of Magic's Arthur Weasley Engages in Duel with Lucius Malfoy for Lockhart's Autograph?"
"How... how is that even possible?" Ronald spluttered, his face flushing as he hastily snatched the newspaper from Luke's hands.
After reading the incredulous report, he buried his face in his hands, stunned by the realization that Lockhart had indeed followed through on his outlandish claim.
"We've got Lockhart's class this afternoon," Harry reminded them.
Following Quirrell's demise at the hands of Luke, Lockhart had taken over as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. However, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that the position was cursed, with each professor seemingly destined for mishap or misfortune.
Lockhart, he suspected, would be no exception to this ominous pattern.
Luke appeared thoughtful as he considered the Dark Magic Defense Class.
Lockhart, adorned in a magnificent robe, greeted the young wizards with his trademark smile, waving as they approached.
Luke couldn't help but notice several young witches shrieking and covering their faces, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. It was to be expected, he supposed.
He conceded that Lockhart was undeniably handsome, and with his plethora of books, Luke might have even been a fan if he didn't know better. But those thrilling adventures were nothing more than stolen tales.
With a shake of his head, Luke couldn't help but think, "I, Gilderoy Lockhart—yes, recipient of the Merlin Medal, will be your Dark Magic Defense professor this semester." Lockhart's confident demeanor and wand tricks garnered admiration from many wizards nearby.
However, Hermione, squinting slightly, didn't seem as enamored with Lockhart's charms as some of her peers. Having heard Luke's suspicions about Lockhart and reading the reports in the daily newspapers, she harbored no fondness for him. "I'm starting to believe you; he's probably a fraud," she whispered to Luke.
"A fraud?" Ronald, who had overheard, approached them with curiosity.
"Nothing," Hermione replied, casting a disdainful glance at Ronald before pulling Luke along.
"You two are as bad as Lockhart!" Ronald exclaimed, wide-eyed, as they walked away.
"Look at them, Harry!" he exclaimed, turning to Harry for validation.
Harry sighed in resignation, realizing he had no choice but to speak up.
"Alright, looks like you've all bought my book, so let's start with a little quiz in our first class," he announced reluctantly.
As the class began, Lockhart effortlessly floated a stack of papers to distribute them to each student.
The impressive display of magic caught the attention of some of the younger students.
"I'll collect them in half an hour," Lockhart announced before the class dove into the quiz.
"What on earth is this?" Hermione exclaimed, clearly appalled. She couldn't believe they were being tested on such trivial matters.
"Question number one: What is Lockhart's favorite color? Seriously?" she muttered incredulously.
Luke glanced at the questions and immediately discarded his quill, deeming it not worth his time.
"Harry, you've made quite a few mistakes," Lockhart observed as he made his rounds, pausing by Harry's desk with a gentle reminder.
But when Lockhart reached Luke's desk, he was taken aback.
"Your name is Geralt, right? I've heard other professors mention you. A talented young wizard," Lockhart said slowly, a smile playing on his lips. "But did you deliberately leave your paper blank?"
Luke, with his pale blue eyes fixed on Lockhart, replied coolly, "Professor, I don't believe Dark Arts Defense class is meant for trivial pursuits."
Lockhart seemed momentarily surprised by Luke's boldness.
"Especially not with such childish questions," Luke added dismissively.
"Childish questions?" Lockhart chuckled in disbelief. It was rare for someone to challenge him like this.
"I have to agree," Hermione chimed in, squinting her eyes in partial agreement.
Sensing the tension, some of the students who couldn't answer the questions began to pay attention to the exchange.
Lockhart, feeling challenged, swiftly changed the topic.
"Alright then, if you want to learn about magical creatures, I've just captured some fascinating specimens," he announced, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"These creatures are cunning, dangerous, and intelligent," Lockhart continued, unveiling a cage covered in cloth. "But fear not, with me here, you're perfectly safe."
With a flourish, Lockhart revealed the creatures inside the cage, eliciting a surprised laugh from Hermione.
"Puffskeins?" she giggled, recognizing the harmless creatures with blue skin and long ears.
.....
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