Autumn 1992, Hogsmeade residential area.
Hogsmeade is the only village in the UK inhabited solely by wizards, not Muggles, making it an ideal place for most wizards to settle. In a house in the residential area, sunlight streams through the window of the top-floor study, filling the entire room. At the same time, the cool autumn breeze sneaks in through the window, dispelling the stuffy heat.
In the center of the study, there is a brown wooden desk. Opposite it sits a handsome wizard with long, silky golden hair, leaning back in his chair. Surprisingly, with the wizard as the center, three magic books float in mid-air, aligned with his line of sight. Directly opposite him, a burgundy magic book floats half-open, its pages turning automatically as the wizard flicks his wand.
The cover of the book clearly states, "Detailed Explanation of Wizard's Combat Spells." In the innermost part of the study, there is a large collection of small magical animal specimens, resembling trophies. The bookcase on the left wall holds a vast number of magic books; some are slightly moving, some are somewhat transparent, and some are enveloped by a thin grey mist, lending a mysterious aura to the whole study.
At this time, the man, Gilderoy Lockhart, reads the contents of the book, a flicker of thought in his eyes as he murmurs to himself, "Exploding emotions. It turns out that the core of the wandless Protego spell lies in the instantaneous explosion of emotions." Experimenting, Lockhart sets his wand beside the desk, adjusts the magic frequency, makes a strange gesture with his right hand, and shouts, "Protego!"
Instantly, a yellow light appears around his body and vanishes just as quickly, accompanied by a crisp sound. It is clear that under the fluctuation of magic power, cracks appear on the chair Lockhart is sitting on. Seeing this, Lockhart frowns slightly, retrieves his wand, stands up, points at the chair, and quickly says, "Reparo!" As if rewinding time, the cracks on the chair gradually disappear, which he finds quite peculiar.
Satisfied, Lockhart nods and sighs with emotion, "Although it has been almost a month since I came to this world, I must praise the magic and the convenience of it." Then, with a flick of his wand, the books floating in the air arrange themselves neatly, automatically entering the bookcase and returning to their proper places.
Lockhart sits back in his chair, places his wand on the desk, and watches silently, his eyes revealing deep thought and exploration. To say that the original body is useless would be incorrect. With his skilful Obliviate spell, he deceived the entire wizarding world, making all wizards believe he was an adventurer with strong fighting capabilities and rich experience.
However, when he recalled the magic spells Lockhart had mastered, a look of helplessness crossed his face. He knows little about attack spells, but he is quite proficient in daily life spells, even far beyond ordinary people's imagination. For example, Lockhart created his own magic: [Lockhart's Shine]. The effect is very simple—it uses magic power to brighten his face and make his teeth whiter. In the dark, it becomes bright and soft, giving people a sense of intimacy.
There are also spells that can automatically sign his signature, and even spells that can add background music to his presence—all created by Lockhart himself. He must admit, he is a genius, but he was too eager for quick success. As expected of a student from Hogwarts' Ravenclaw House.
But his talent in attacking or combat magic is really lacking. He struggles even with the most basic Protego spell and was once defeated by a second-year wizard. When he thinks of this, Lockhart's eyes flash with helplessness.
He is very fortunate to live a magical life and have access to the mysterious and extraordinary power of magic. What made him even more surprised was that he actually got isekai-ed into the familiar world of Harry Potter.
But as soon as he remembers his current identity, Lockhart gently touches the center of his brow, as if trying to dispel the helplessness on his face. Over the month of being stuck in the Harry Potter world, he sorted out the memories in his mind.
His current identity is Gilderoy Lockhart, a well-known writer in the wizarding world, a celebrated adventurer, and the future Hogwarts professor. However, when he thinks of the adventurer identity, Lockhart's eyes flash with distress. The so-called adventures were all fabricated by the original Lockhart, who stole the memories of other wizards through the Obliviate Spell and then bragged about them as his own to gain fame.
What's even more troublesome is that this time he was invited by Dumbledore to enter Hogwarts as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. He must be cautious around Dumbledore.
As for the secret chambers, basilisks, etc., that Hogwarts will encounter this year, Lockhart isn't concerned. A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. The source of the crisis is known, and it can be solved with a little preparation, so there is nothing to worry about.
The only thing he is worried about is Dumbledore. The White Devil of the wizarding world, known for his cunning, giving Lockhart the position of a teacher so suddenly. What plan does the headmaster have for him?
Lockhart is not stupid, although there are rumours in the wizarding world that the position of Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts is cursed by a mysterious person. But the reason why the rumours are just rumours is that many teaching wizards do leave every year, but most of them suffer some minor injuries, and fatal risks are very rare.
Otherwise, how could the original Lockhart have the courage to take over the professor's position and vow to let the "Daily Prophet" publicize it? All he wants is to make a fortune, make himself famous, and make his resume more glorious. Once he achieves his goal, he will leave.
To be honest, if Lockhart hadn't accepted Dumbledore's invitation before he got isekai-ed into Gilderoy Lockhart, he would absolutely refuse the old man's offer.
But when he thinks of the library inside Hogwarts, a hint of fanaticism rises in Lockhart's eyes. During this month, although he purchased a large number of magic books, he increasingly felt that the wizarding world was narrow, backward, and sectarian.
The profound magic spells are almost impossible to see on the market. The books on the market are all ordinary magic books, and at most, they only provide a more in-depth discussion of a single spell. If he wants to come into contact with powerful, strange, or even mysterious spells, then Hogwarts is the best place.
Whether it's daily life spells, combat spells, or even black magic, maybe even weirder taboo wizard knowledge might be there. More importantly, there are very few or almost no restrictions on the professors.
This realization made Lockhart, who was somewhat obsessed with magic, feel itchy in his heart and even become envious. The more he comes into contact with magic, the more he feels its wonder and mystery. Especially when he feels the magic power flowing slowly through his body, he can easily resonate with the elements, detonate flames, gather sand into stone, and even reconstruct objects and reverse life.
It made him more and more fanatical toward magic. In his previous life, he was a mortal who lived less than a hundred years and was still a university professor who only had the power to tie a chicken. How lucky he is to encounter magic in this life. With the wonder of magic, not to mention extending his lifespan, it alone can give him powerful strength, which is enough for him to indulge in it.
Not to mention, as a university professor and researcher, the pursuit of truth is engraved in his bones. Interpreting the entire world from a magical perspective lets him feel joy, obsession, and fanaticism from the bottom of his heart.
As for the risks he may face in the future, now that he has made a choice, he will bear the corresponding responsibilities. Moreover, it's not like he doesn't have a way to break the situation.
When he thought of this, Lockhart whispered in his heart, "System!!!"