As evening settled over Hogwarts, casting long shadows across the ancient stone walls, Gilderoy Lockhart sat in his dimly lit office, deep in thought. The encounter with Severus Snape had left him uneasy. The potions master was perceptive—too perceptive. Snape was the kind of man who thrived on suspicion, and once he had his sights on something, he rarely let go.
Lockhart couldn't afford to let his guard down now. He had gone too far in his last lesson, showing artifacts from other dimensions that weren't supposed to exist in this world. Even though they were mere projections, Snape's icy words still echoed in his mind.
"There's something… unnatural about your magic."
The thought gnawed at him, and for the first time in a long while, Gilderoy felt a flicker of doubt. Could he keep up the façade? Could he control the power of the Kaleidoscope, or would it eventually betray him?
Shaking his head, he stood up from his desk and began pacing. The office, usually filled with comforting memorabilia and trophies from his supposed adventures, felt stifling tonight. The portraits on the walls—mostly of himself—seemed to mock him, their frozen smiles a reminder of the lies he had built his life on.
But there was one truth Gilderoy held onto: the spell he had crafted wasn't mere showmanship. It was real—dangerously real. And it was rooted in knowledge from across the multiverse.
He moved toward a hidden drawer beneath his desk, tapping it with his wand. The drawer slid open with a soft click, revealing a small, ancient-looking book. Its cover was cracked and faded, the title barely visible: On the Nature of Kaleidoscopic Magic. It was a book he wrote on his foundings about dimensional travels, back when he first discovered the true nature of the spell he now wielded.
Lockhart hesitated, running his fingers over the book's worn cover. This tome was unlike anything in the Hogwarts library—its knowledge was dangerous, its theories almost impossible to comprehend. But it was also the key to unlocking even greater power.
As he flipped through its yellowed pages, his thoughts returned to his most recent lesson. The projections of The Fool tarot card and Kylo Ren's lightsaber had been crude copies, far less powerful than the originals. But the students had been terrified, and that had been the point. Fear was a tool—one that could bend people's minds, make them pliable. He needed to keep them in awe, distracted from the deeper secrets he carried.
But Dumbledore was right about one thing: Hogwarts wasn't the place to reveal all the truths he held. Not yet. If his lesson had stirred enough concern to warrant a visit from Snape, then he would have to tone it down—at least for now.
Suddenly, a faint knock echoed through the quiet room. Lockhart snapped the book shut, returning it to its hidden drawer with a flick of his wand. Straightening his robes, he composed himself before calling out.
"Come in."
The door creaked open to reveal none other than Hermione Granger, looking both eager and nervous as she stepped into the office. In her hands, she clutched several books, her brown eyes wide with curiosity.
"Professor Lockhart," she began, her voice hesitant, "I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about today's lesson. Some of the artifacts you showed us—well, I've been doing some research, but I couldn't find anything in the library."
Lockhart felt a momentary pang of unease. Of course, Hermione Granger would be the one to dig deeper. The girl was far too intelligent for her own good.
Smiling brightly, he gestured for her to sit. "Ah, Miss Granger! Always eager to learn, aren't you? Please, take a seat. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have."
Hermione sat down, placing her books on the desk in front of her. "Well, it's just that… the tarot card you showed us, The Fool, it's not mentioned anywhere in any of the magical artifact books. I've read about the regular tarot cards used in Divination, but none of them seem to have the kind of power you described."
Lockhart leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. He had expected this—the girl was relentless in her pursuit of knowledge. He would have to choose his words carefully.
"Ah, yes," he said smoothly, "that's because The Fool isn't a commonly known artifact in the wizarding world. It's something I encountered during my more… unconventional adventures. You see, there are forms of magic that exist outside our typical understanding, Miss Granger. Ancient, forgotten magic. It doesn't always make it into the pages of books."
Hermione frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the vague answer. "But you said it was created by an Unspeakable. Wouldn't that mean there's some record of it in the Department of Mysteries?"
Lockhart chuckled, a light and carefree sound. "Ah, the Department of Mysteries. Well, that's the tricky part, isn't it? Much of what goes on there is, by its very nature, unrecorded—deliberately so. The Unspeakables guard their secrets carefully. The things I've encountered are known only to a few, and I've had the fortune—or misfortune, depending on how you look at it—to witness them firsthand."
Hermione's brow furrowed. "And what about the lightsaber you showed us? You called it a weapon used by a dark wizard, but it looked more like… Muggle technology."
Lockhart raised an eyebrow, impressed by her sharp observation. "Ah, Kylo Ren's lightsaber. Yes, it may resemble Muggle technology, but you see, Miss Granger, even Muggles sometimes stumble upon forces they don't fully understand. What you saw was a weapon infused with a kind of magic they don't even realize they're wielding. Kylo Ren called it the Force—a telekinetic magic of sorts. Powerful enough to disarm even the strongest wizard."
Hermione was silent for a moment, processing his explanation. Lockhart watched her carefully, waiting to see if she would press further. The truth was, he had deliberately left out many details. Kylo Ren wasn't a wizard at all, of course—he was from a different universe entirely, where the rules of magic as wizards knew them didn't apply. But explaining that to Hermione would only open more doors, doors that were better left closed.
Finally, she spoke again, her voice quieter this time. "I see. It's just… it's hard to wrap my head around. These artifacts, these powers—they seem so different from what we're used to."
Lockhart leaned forward slightly, his tone softening. "And that's precisely why I showed them to you, Miss Granger. The magical world is vast, much larger than any of us can fully comprehend. What you learn here at Hogwarts is only the beginning. There are forces out there—powers—that defy our understanding. And if you want to truly master magic, you must be prepared to face the unknown."
Hermione looked at him, her expression a mixture of awe and confusion. She nodded slowly. "I suppose you're right, Professor. Thank you for your time."
With that, she stood, gathering her books and offering a polite smile before turning to leave. As the door closed behind her, Lockhart let out a long breath, sinking back into his chair.
Hermione was sharp, sharper than most. And if she kept digging, she might stumble onto something far more dangerous than she realized.
Lockhart glanced at the hidden drawer where the ancient tome lay concealed. There were so many secrets he carried, secrets that could unravel the delicate balance of power he had constructed. Dumbledore, Snape, Hermione—they were all watching now. He would have to be even more careful from here on out.
But beneath the caution, Gilderoy felt a stirring of excitement. The game had begun, and it was only a matter of time before the real battle for control would unfold.