Hogsmeade Village truly holds a unique charm, nestled high amidst the mountains, above the perpetual snowline, where flakes drift down ceaselessly throughout the year. Upon entering the village, one finds every building blanketed in a thick, pristine layer of snow, painting a scene of endless white.
On Sunday morning, Lockhart stretched contentedly, carrying a bundle of herbs, as he arrived at his new home. In that instant, he quite fell in love with the quaint, two-and-a-half-story gabled cottage, half-buried in the drifts. He circled the little house, meticulously examining every nook and cranny, seeking out the most captivating views.
As he rounded to the main entrance, he spotted a tall, slender, red-headed older student standing by the front door, his nose a bit red from the cold as he puffed warm breaths onto his hands.
"Percy?" Lockhart exclaimed, a touch of surprise in his voice. "How on earth did you find your way here?"
Percy Weasley, upon seeing him, snapped to attention, standing stiffly and respectfully, almost a little awkwardly. He burst out with an excited, "Good morning, Professor Lockhart!" before suddenly realizing that, given the early hour, many in the village were likely still abed. He clammed up, a flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck.
"I..." Percy then remembered he was meant to answer the question, quickly lowering his voice. "I... I saw you yesterday, Professor." He turned, fumbled in the thick snow, and produced a large bag, gesturing towards it. "My father, you see, has invented some rather ingenious cleaning devices. I thought you might find them useful."
P.S.: Percy addresses Arthur as "Father," while his siblings and sister call him "Dad," which makes them all think Percy is a bit stuffy.
Well, well! A truly ambitious young man.
Lockhart smiled faintly, retrieved his key, and unlocked the door. "Come in, Percy, and warm yourself by the fire. This village is quite chilly, wouldn't you say?"
Percy didn't rush in. Instead, he took the herbs from the professor's hand, offering to carry them, before dutifully following inside. Once through the door, he eagerly seized the opportunity to help, conjuring a flame with his wand to ignite the fireplace and skillfully adding logs to the blaze. Regardless of what some of his schoolmates thought of him, Percy had always been the one in the Gryffindor common room who diligently tended the hearth for everyone, quite adept at such tasks.
Lockhart didn't stop him. Seeing his eagerness, he merely asked Percy to open the bundle of herbs he'd brought and toss them into the fireplace's flames.
It was rather amusing. Without any prompting, Percy carefully inspected the herbs, then placed them on the inner edge of the fireplace, allowing them to roast without immediately catching fire. In an instant, peculiar purplish-black smoke billowed from the fireplace, carrying an odd, pungent aroma that rapidly spread throughout the room.
"You know how to use this to banish household pests?" Lockhart inquired, a hint of curiosity in his tone. Percy's technique clearly indicated practical experience.
Percy quickly turned around, doing his utmost to conceal the triumphant glint in his eyes, revealing a bright smile. "Yes, Professor. My mother is a great admirer of yours; she has a copy of your 'Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests', and I used to pore over it quite often."
Hmm...
In truth, Mrs. Weasley would never have dreamed of letting her precious Percy, the pride of her heart, do such tiresome chores. And Percy, being the ambitious sort, would hardly have wasted time studying household pest removal. He had, in fact, crammed this knowledge the night before, pulling an all-nighter. Of course, his keen observation of daily life meant he had, over the years, unconsciously absorbed how his mother put the book's teachings into practice, which proved remarkably helpful in his current performance.
"Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests" indeed mentioned this particular herb. While the purplish-black smoke was mildly toxic, if not inhaled excessively, it could actually confer some beneficial effects upon the body. Percy remembered this detail, and so, despite feeling a bit choked and his eyes watering, he maintained the posture of someone who understood the secret of lingering in such smoke for a while.
Lockhart's expression grew somewhat peculiar, for in a past life, he had done something rather similar himself, though it was in preparation for his postgraduate exams. Back then, he knew his supervisor's approval mattered more than his grades, and being eager to change his life, he naturally felt compelled to make a grand display. Just like the young man before him now: deliberate, perhaps a little clumsy in his efforts to impress, but utterly sincere.
"Excellent work!" He smiled, patting the shoulder of the eager young man, offering both affirmation and kindness, much like the respected mentor he himself had encountered in his own youth.
The purplish-black smoke quickly took effect. All sorts of peculiar little creatures, seemingly from an empty house, scuttled out, fleeing the smoke and climbing out through the open windows and door.
Lockhart gestured for Percy to step outside and wait. He regarded the young man with renewed curiosity. After a moment's thought, he spoke. "I'm aware of your ambitions, Percy, but I must tell you, I may not be of much assistance to your future career at the Ministry of Magic."
Such blunt words immediately made the still-inexperienced young wizard's face flush crimson.
But Lockhart continued. He was no longer as gentle or subtly persuasive with Percy as he might be with younger students like Harry or Draco. With Percy, he used more direct and unflinching language. This was a mark of respect, acknowledging that Percy was beginning to shed his student mentality, affirming his burgeoning maturity. And then, with a dose of harsh reality, he told him: "My boy, welcome to the daunting world of adults."
"Truth be told, I don't foresee much advancement for you within the Ministry. Wizarding politics, you see, has always been a game played by the representatives of various factions. And you, Percy, were born into the Weasley family, a family that most of the Sacred Twenty-Eight pure-blood families disdain for 'betraying group interests.' Your path forward will be fraught with invisible barriers."
"If you truly wish to progress at the Ministry, your only real chance would be to take over your father's position. But I daresay you won't live to see that day; Arthur appears hale and hearty, capable of serving for at least several more decades."
"I could speak a word for you to Fudge, but it would have little genuine impact. Even if Fudge were inclined to help you, he wouldn't assign you to any post beyond clerical duties."
A bewildered expression crossed Percy's face, tinged with a struggling anger, then a simmering resentment, which soon gave way to sorrow and disappointment, finally settling into a bitter, forced smile.
"Is there no way forward for me?"
"There is." Lockhart smiled, offering guidance. "Becoming an Auror is one path. From Head of the Auror Office to the Wizengamot, and then to Minister for Magic—that's the most reliable route of promotion within the Ministry. When times are turbulent and strong leadership is needed at the Ministry, people naturally gravitate towards supporting pragmatic individuals like the Head of the Auror Office."
"Joining international organisations is another avenue, but this would require you to achieve extraordinary success in a particular field."
"Consider our Headmaster, Dumbledore. During his school days, he published papers in numerous academic journals, earning accolades like the Barnabas Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting, becoming the British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot, and receiving the Gold Medal for Groundbreaking Contributions at the Cairo International Alchemical Conference, among others."
"At that point, he naturally caught the eye of various organisations, gaining access to opportunities that most young wizards would never encounter."
"He soon maintained frequent correspondence with the most renowned magical masters of the time, including Nicolas Flamel, Adalbert Waffling, and Griselda Marchbanks..."
"Once you've accumulated sufficient credentials and prestige, then you might consider joining the Ministry. By then, you would have the support of international organisations, various wizarding circles, and even the International Confederation of Wizards. That, too, is a path towards becoming Minister for Magic."
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