After Harry left, David walked over to the shelf near the door and picked up a camera. He had borrowed it from Colin earlier and had asked Dumbledore to place it there. Summoning the invisible beast, David had managed to capture some intriguing photographs. He carefully removed the film and held it up to the light. The shots were clear and well-composed, much to his satisfaction.
A mischievous thought crossed David's mind as he noticed Lockhart's curious gaze. The professor, ever the opportunist, couldn't resist asking, "What is that in your hands?"
"Oh, just a few photos of professors attacking students. Nothing too exciting," David replied nonchalantly, waving the film in Lockhart's direction.
Lockhart's eyes widened, and he reached out instinctively. "May I see them?"
"Sorry, no," David said firmly, pulling the film back.
At that moment, Dumbledore straightened up from his desk. He had been quietly writing on a piece of parchment since Harry's departure. "Professor Lockhart," Dumbledore began, his tone calm but firm, "while I trust you, I believe it's best to avoid any unnecessary complications. Would you kindly sign this?"
He handed the parchment to Lockhart, who glanced at it with a grimace. "You've placed a curse on it?" Lockhart asked, his voice tinged with unease.
Dumbledore nodded slightly. "Nothing too severe. It will only activate if you fail to honor our agreement."
Lockhart hesitated, his hand trembling as he reluctantly signed his name. "Is that all?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Indeed," Dumbledore replied with a warm smile. "I wish you a pleasant journey. David, let's head back."
David followed Dumbledore to his office. They had barely settled in when the door burst open. Snape stormed in, his usual composure replaced by an uncharacteristic eagerness. "Dumbledore, I heard Lockhart is leaving?" he asked, his voice brimming with barely concealed excitement.
It was the first time David had seen Snape so visibly animated. What had Lockhart done to earn such disdain from the usually stoic Potions master?
Snape's eyes flicked to David, and his expression quickly shifted back to its usual impassive mask. "Is it true? Lockhart is really leaving?" he asked, his voice now calm, though his hand gripping the edge of the table betrayed his anticipation.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, he is."
"And the Defense Against the Dark Arts position?" Snape leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with hope.
David couldn't help but shake his head. What was it about the Defense Against the Dark Arts class that made it so coveted? Did Snape really need another class to fill his already busy schedule?
Dumbledore seemed to share David's concern. "Your time, Severus... Are you sure you can manage both?"
"I'll manage," Snape replied quickly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Dumbledore sighed. "I've given it some thought, and I believe it's best to find a new professor for the position next semester. I wouldn't want to overburden you."
Snape's lips tightened, and his expression darkened. Without another word, he turned on his heel and left, pausing only to deliver a parting shot. "Scamander, don't forget your potions essay is due next week. I expect it to be... satisfactory."
David winced. He hadn't even done anything to deserve that.
Once Snape was gone, David turned to Dumbledore. "Professor Snape seems... unusually interested in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class."
Dumbledore nodded. "He's always believed it to be more important than Potions. But I'm not sure he's the right fit for it at the moment. Now, do you have any other questions?"
David gestured to the notebook on Dumbledore's desk. "What exactly is that diary?"
Dumbledore picked it up and flipped through its empty pages. "This is a piece of Voldemort's soul. He placed a fragment of it here."
A word flashed in David's mind: "Horcrux". It was as if a floodgate had opened, and memories he hadn't realized he possessed came rushing back. He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the sudden headache.
"Are you alright?" Dumbledore asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I'm fine," David replied, though his mind was racing. How could he explain the sudden influx of knowledge about Voldemort's Horcruxes?
Dumbledore didn't press further. "Rest for now. We'll have another guest arriving shortly."
He stood and retrieved the Sorting Hat from a nearby shelf. Reaching inside, he pulled out a gleaming silver sword with a ruby-encrusted hilt. "The Sword of Gryffindor," Dumbledore explained. "It can destroy Horcruxes."
"Are you going to destroy the diary now?" David asked.
"Indeed. It's not wise to keep such a thing around. Do you have any objections?"
David hesitated. "I was just wondering... does summoning a basilisk require a specific spell?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Fortunately, that's no longer a concern."
With that, he plunged the sword into the diary. A piercing scream filled the room, and black, ink-like substance oozed from the pages. The scream faded, leaving only a dark stain on the desk.
"Disgusting," Dumbledore muttered, waving his hand to clean the mess. "But necessary."
David shrugged. "One less problem to worry about."
Soon after, there was a knock on the door. Lucius Malfoy entered, his expression cold and haughty. He glanced at David with disdain before addressing Dumbledore. "What do you want?"
"I received some letters from the school governors," Dumbledore began calmly. "They mentioned you've been pressuring them to remove me as headmaster."
Lucius smirked. "With attacks happening at the school, it's only natural to question your leadership. The safety of the students is at stake."
"I've already identified the culprit," Dumbledore replied, his tone unwavering.
"Really? Or are you just pinning it on someone convenient?" Lucius retorted.
Dumbledore held up the damaged diary. "The culprit is the same as last time. You should know, Lucius. This time, he used a diary to carry out his plans."
Lucius's eyes flickered briefly, but his composure remained intact. "Congratulations," he said dryly. "You can continue playing headmaster."
At that moment, Dobby the house-elf appeared with a loud "crack". He cowered in the corner, his large eyes darting nervously between Lucius and Dumbledore.
"What are you doing here?" Lucius snarled, his anger flaring.
Dumbledore intervened. "This is a family matter, Lucius. Let's resolve our issue first."
He handed the diary to David. "Would you mind returning this to Mr. Malfoy?"
David took the diary and noticed a small bulge inside. Opening it, he found a sky-blue sock—the one he had given to Dumbledore earlier. He shot Dumbledore a questioning look.
"A reward for Dobby," Dumbledore explained with a twinkle in his eye.
David nodded and hurried after Lucius, catching him halfway down the corridor. "Mr. Malfoy, you forgot this."
Lucius took the diary, his expression darkening. He tossed it to Dobby. "Open it."
Dobby obeyed, his eyes widening as he pulled out the sock. "Master has given Dobby clothes! Dobby is free!"
Lucius's face contorted with rage. "You!" he spat, turning on David. "You've cost me my servant!"
He reached for his wand, but Dobby intervened, snapping his fingers and sending Lucius flying. "Dobby won't let you hurt Mr. Scamander!" the elf declared.
Lucius scrambled to his feet, glaring at David and Dobby before storming off.
"Thank you, Mr. Scamander," Dobby said, tears in his eyes. "You've freed Dobby, just like Harry Potter."
David smiled. "You're welcome, Dobby. Take care of yourself."
With a final "crack", Dobby disappeared, leaving David alone in the corridor. He felt a strange surge of magic and realized he had gained a new ability—house-elf apparition.
Excited, David tested his newfound power, teleporting to Hagrid's cabin and back to the castle gates. The ability was exhilarating, and he couldn't wait to explore its potential.
As he made his way to the Great Hall for dinner, David reflected on the day's events. The Defense Against the Dark Arts class might be gone for now, but the intrigue surrounding it was far from over. And with Dobby's freedom secured, David felt a sense of accomplishment.
He joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the Gryffindor table, where they bombarded him with questions about Lockhart's departure and the future of their favorite class.
"So, no more Defense Against the Dark Arts this term?" Hermione asked, her voice tinged with disappointment.
"Not for now," David replied. "But Dumbledore promised to find a better professor next semester."
Ron groaned. "All that studying for nothing!"
Harry, on the other hand, looked relieved. "At least we don't have to deal with Lockhart anymore."
David chuckled, enjoying the lively banter. Despite the chaos, life at Hogwarts was never dull. And with new abilities and mysteries to unravel, he knew there was much more to come.