"We need to cast the counter-charm in tune with our emotions. That way, breaking a Memory Charm becomes much easier..."
As soon as Wyzett finished speaking, Gilderoy Lockhart found his smile frozen on his face, his mind buzzing like a hive of bees.
He hadn't even said that much—so how on earth had Wyzett managed to deduce so much, just from a few hints?
His lips twitched. He shook his head vigorously, as if trying to shake loose the persistent buzzing in his brain.
"Wyzett... these questions... perhaps you should research them on your own, eh? Ha ha! I mean... we can't just go on like this forever..."
He was rambling, words tumbling out as he scrambled to change the subject. The last thing he wanted was for Wyzett to keep digging into the secrets of the Memory Charm!
What else could he talk about to distract Wyzett?
Lockhart glanced around the room, searching the walls lined with portraits as if hoping the answer might leap out at him.
At last, his gaze landed on the table—on the freshly repotted Mandrake.
"Wyzett, did you know? There's actually a real art to fertilizing Mandrakes. Has Professor Sprout ever mentioned that to you?"
"She hasn't," Wyzett replied honestly. "Mandrakes are mostly wild, after all."
"Exactly! I once raised a Mandrake myself, just so I could brew Mandrake Restorative Draught..."
"These plants are picky eaters! Once they've tasted the good stuff, they'll never settle for anything less. And if you take away their favorite fertilizer, they'll even crawl out of the pot to protest!"
"That's something Professor Sprout never told us," Wyzett admitted.
"I know she's hoping to publish a paper in Herbology Today, so I'm more than happy to help her out..." Lockhart's eyes lit up as he pointed at the Mandrake.
"That's how I managed to get a Mandrake from Professor Sprout in the first place. I'll add some crucial details for her, and we can co-author the article!"
The wizarding world had its own array of academic journals: Transfiguration Today for Transfiguration, Charms Innovation for Charms, Practical Potioneer for Potions...
The Hogwarts professors were all regular contributors to these publications.
As far as Wyzett knew, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Flitwick had each published numerous articles in their fields.
Especially Dumbledore—in his youth, he had filled Transfiguration Today with his groundbreaking work.
Wyzett had collected all these articles, though he knew it would take ages to truly understand them all.
Still, even a basic grasp of their contents had already sharpened his Transfiguration skills considerably.
...
Lockhart rummaged through his desk and pulled out a small bag with a moving label—a dragon snorting sparks from its nose.
"What could possibly be better fertilizer than dragon dung?" he declared, tearing open the package. "You see, I have far too many adoring fans!"
"This was a gift from one of them—she absolutely adored Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests!"
Inside was a simple little trowel. He used it to scoop out the old fertilizer, scattering it carelessly onto the floor, then sprinkled the dragon dung generously over the Mandrake's soil.
The Mandrake's leaves gave a delighted twitch—twice, in fact—which made Lockhart beam. "Aha! No one understands Mandrakes better than me!"
"Look how happy it is! See those little leaves dancing? I really ought to read some of my books to it!"
"If I keep reading to it before it matures, maybe—just maybe—it'll become one of my devoted fans by osmosis!"
He seemed quite serious about the idea. He reached into his drawer and pulled out a collector's edition of Magical Me.
"Let's start with my latest masterpiece..."
Seeing this, Wyzett rose and gave a polite bow. "Professor Lockhart, I won't disturb you any longer. Thank you for your guidance this evening—I really did learn a lot."
"Well, it's only right! That's what being a professor is all about!" Lockhart replied with a self-satisfied grin.
He couldn't help but breathe a small sigh of relief. "Anytime you have questions, my door is always open."
...
As Wyzett left Lockhart's office, his mind was still turning over everything he'd learned about the Memory Charm.
It was obvious now—Lockhart was hiding more than a few secrets about Memory Charms.
Take, for instance, the way he broke the magical circuits of house-elves with his Memory Charms to control them. That must be one of his most fiercely guarded secrets.
From their brief conversation, Wyzett could tell: prying deeper secrets from Lockhart would be no easy feat.
What a peculiar professor... but I have to admit, his grasp of Memory Charms is extraordinary!
He rounded the corner—and suddenly, Fred and George appeared, blocking his path.
Their faces were twisted in over-the-top worry, as if they were visiting someone on their deathbed.
"Wyzett, what on earth were you doing in Lockhart's office for so long?" Fred asked in a grave tone.
"Tell us—did our greatest adventurer, Professor Lockhart, teach you that spell...?"
"What spell?" Wyzett's curiosity was instantly piqued.
Fred grinned. "A powerful bit of Transfiguration! The kind that gives you glorious golden curls and a quill that writes in perfect, flowery script!"
"Or maybe a magic potion?" George chimed in, still spinning that lilac, fuzzy toilet seat on his arm.
"Just a sip, and every magical creature in the castle will chase you down for an autograph—like a herd of Graphorns sniffing musk!"
Wyzett couldn't help but laugh. "He didn't give me any potions, and he didn't teach me Transfiguration either."
"Oh, thank Merlin!" George let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Good thing you made it out—if you'd been in there any longer, we'd have had to stage a rescue!"
"We were worried he'd brainwash you into becoming an adventurer, too. Next thing you know, you'd be plotting to defeat your House ghost and write a book about it!"
"Exactly!" Fred snickered. "Just imagine—every time you forget your homework, you could say you were researching ways to defeat ghosts. The perfect excuse!"
Wyzett shook his head. "I haven't been brainwashed. I just learned a Memory Charm."
"Excellent!" Fred put on a mock-relieved face. "As long as our materials consultant isn't planning to become the next Lockhart, I can sleep easy!"
George clapped Wyzett on the shoulder. "Seriously, though—if you ever want to write a book, we could help you brainstorm ideas."
"Three heads are better than one! We could launch a whole series: How to Skip Class Without Getting Caught!"
"Right! And if you don't like that title, no worries," Fred added. "We could rope Harry in too—give the series a bit of star power!"
🔥 Want to read the next 50+ chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]