Chapter 170: One-Year Term Ends!
Voldemort paid first, and Lockhart naturally wouldn't renege on the deal.
The only problem was that another person was still confined within his fairy tale book: Madam Mary.
Though Madam Mary was ostensibly an experimental assistant and caretaker in the Bloodline Hall of the Department of Mysteries, she had always meticulously looked after Corban.
Lockhart understood Madam Mary. In his previous life, he was an orphan. Sometimes, when he thought about it, he resented his parents for abandoning him. But at other times, seeing others' families happily reunited, he would envy and long to find his own parents.
However, when he again brought the fairy tale book to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, quietly merging it into the dense fog of the Bloodline Hall, and stepped inside, he saw Madam Mary looking somewhat dejected.
"You seem a little unhappy?" Lockhart asked curiously.
Madam Mary quietly wiped away her tears, her eyes red, looking blankly at the thick fog outside the room. After a while, she turned back to Lockhart. "He always knew I was his daughter, didn't he?"
Lockhart spread his hands. "I don't know, but if you want to know the answer, I can help you."
Madam Mary's expression seemed somewhat dim. "No need. I've already given him Veritaserum."
She sniffled, then forced a sad smile. "He's a wizard from the noble Sacred Twenty-Eight pure-blood families. He absolutely didn't want anyone to know his bloodline was tainted by a half-blood wizard. People would laugh at him."
Pure-blood...
Understood.
Lockhart clicked his tongue, refraining from comment. "I can't keep Corban in my Bloodline Hall indefinitely. He's going to Azkaban soon. What are your plans?"
Madam Mary was startled. "You're willing to let me go?"
She had been imprisoned here for trying to help a prisoner escape the Ministry of Magic and had expected to be sent to Azkaban herself.
"This is the Bloodline Hall; I'm in charge here," Lockhart looked around. "I'm planning a trip, to travel around. This place will be temporarily shut down, so it's not suitable for you to stay here."
Minister for Magic Fudge had given Lockhart a great degree of freedom. There were no strict requirements regarding his professional research or work hours.
Lockhart decided to take two months off, travel around, and then decide what to do next.
And so, Madam Mary was directly released by him.
It wasn't until she stepped out of the Ministry of Magic building that Madam Mary seemed to awaken, looking deeply at him and making a solemn vow. "I will do my utmost to repay what I owe you. If you need anything, just ask."
"Understood, go on," Lockhart smiled at her, thinking about his original self's theft of her memories, considering them even.
Corban was quickly taken away by the Auror Office and imprisoned in the Ministry of Magic building's dungeon, awaiting transfer to Azkaban with several other criminals that evening.
As for how Voldemort would rescue him, that was no longer Lockhart's concern.
However, the very next day, he saw the outcome on the front page of The Daily Prophet: The Ministry of Magic Auror Office had once again been disgraced; Corban had been sprung from prison.
Voldemort's methods were, as always, simple and brutal, with no political considerations whatsoever.
Tsk...
Lockhart could imagine Scrimgeour's expression, being targeted by a top-tier magical powerhouse, it was a defeat not of his own making.
He quickly put the matter out of his mind.
He once again immersed himself in the intense final exam schedule at Hogwarts. As the sole Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for all seven years, he had an enormous amount to do every day.
Just grading written exams alone kept him overwhelmed.
Sometimes, wizarding life was like this; there weren't as many thrilling adventures, but rather a repetition of day after day.
To feel the presence of magic in such a life, one needed greater understanding and appreciation.
Finally, the time arrived: the night before Hogwarts broke for summer. After the lively farewell feast, Lockhart once again went to Dumbledore's office.
"I'll be leaving with the students' train tomorrow."
Lockhart offered his farewell. After a year of living at Hogwarts, it was time for him to properly see the magical world.
Limited by his current social circle, influenced by the pure-blood versus Muggle divide, his understanding of wizarding society was always confined within a fixed narrative.
He tried to step out, to buy a house in Hogsmeade Village, but that village was more like an extension of Hogwarts—safe and peaceful, but nothing more than peaceful.
He thought, perhaps he could visit the American wizarding society, or perhaps the ancient Egyptian regions, rumored to be the origin of magic.
Dumbledore nodded, making no effort to dissuade him. Over a hundred years of life had accustomed him to too many partings and reunions, just like his busy headmaster duties each year. He had already found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for Hogwarts.
"You've brought many changes to the school."
He looked out the window at the "Chamber of Secrets" fairytale adventure ground at the edge of the Forbidden Forest in the distance. "I fear your creation won't disappear with your departure. The professors very much like this teaching method."
Speaking of which, he smiled at Lockhart. "I found the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts, but there was nothing left there. What was the monster that attacked the students before?"
"A Basilisk," Lockhart didn't hide it from him. "I suspect Slytherin didn't just breed Basilisks as pets. It had something to do with his research into magical bloodlines—Parseltongue, you know."
Dumbledore's expression shifted. "Tom?"
Lockhart nodded. "Yes, it might be the only Basilisk in the world today. Modern wizarding society hasn't really heard of any Dark wizard breeding Basilisks."
Dumbledore stroked the strange ring on his finger, nodding. "It seems you've become very deeply involved in this matter."
"Indeed..."
Lockhart also felt a sense of emotion. Even if he left Hogwarts, he knew that in the future, Dumbledore, the Order of the Phoenix members, Harry Potter, and all these people, would eventually meet again.
After all, he had already stepped into this maelstrom.
"But this is also the most interesting magical adventure; I can't miss it," he said with a smile.
Dumbledore looked deeply at Lockhart. This was a young man he could never quite fathom, who knew so many secrets about Voldemort and many other prominent figures, who grew so rapidly, and who had already embarked on his own magical path. What his future achievements would be remained unknown.
Thinking of these things, he finally made a decision.
"I mailed your book, 'Lord Voldemort: A Pure-blood Supremacist with a Muggle Father?' to Gellert. He expressed great interest in meeting a young man like you."
"If your travels take you past Nurmengard Castle, you can go and speak with him."
Lockhart blinked, suddenly remembering the promise he had made to the Forest Witch, and his expression became somewhat peculiar. "I can go see him?"
Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "We all look forward to seeing what changes your generation can bring to the future."
Is that so...
Well, you'll probably see soon.
....
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