If Lockhart's arrival had the witches swooning, then Harry Potter's appearance made every wizard in the room light up—after all, he was the Chosen One who had defeated Voldemort.
Due to the heavy protection surrounding him, very few people had ever seen Harry Potter's face up close.
In other words, this was the first time the grown-up Chosen One had truly appeared in front of the wizarding public. Just as Lockhart had whispered in Harry's ear—tomorrow's front page of the Daily Prophet would absolutely feature the two of them...
Lockhart, ever the opportunist, was quick to seize the moment and decided to make full use of the clueless young hero standing next to him.
"Ladies and gentlemen! What an extraordinary occasion! I'd like to take this wonderful moment to share a little announcement—something I've been holding back for quite a while~"
With his signature dazzling smile, Lockhart finished the sentence with a playful wink, setting off a wave of blushing and cheering from the witches in the audience. The perfectly timed pause showed just how well he handled a crowd.
Harry, who had been planning to step off the stage and return to the Weasleys, instinctively glanced at Lockhart. He was a bit surprised—and curious—at how easily the man could rile up a crowd with just a few words and gestures.
But Lockhart paid no mind to Harry's glance or his clear desire to leave. Instead, he gripped Harry's hand even tighter and continued speaking...
"Young Harry came into Flourish and Blotts today simply to purchase my autobiography. In return, I've decided to gift him my complete works—signed copies, of course—right here on the spot!"
After waiting for the applause to swell again, Lockhart gave Harry a hearty slap on the back, nearly knocking his glasses clean off.
Then, before Harry could react, Lockhart had already stuffed several signed volumes of his books into Harry's arms.
The overly friendly gesture between them only stirred the crowd into more excitement...
But Lockhart wasn't finished. After signaling for silence, he flashed an even bigger grin and dropped a bombshell that sent the entire place into a frenzy.
"But what Harry doesn't yet know is that he'll soon receive something even more valuable than my new book The Magical Me—in fact, he and his classmates will be getting the real, live... magical me!"
As Lockhart threw his hands into the air, most of the wizards in the room looked confused. They clearly didn't understand what he meant.
But Draco and Pansy, standing at the edge of the crowd, immediately knew what was coming the moment they heard those words.
"He hasn't changed."
"Not even a little."
The synchronized response made them glance at each other before breaking into laughter—one of those moments only childhood friends would get.
Just then, Lockhart's shrill voice pulled their attention back again...
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great joy and pride that I announce: starting this September, I will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
There was a brief silence—then the room erupted.
"Ooooh!"
"No way, really?"
"That's amazing!"
The crowd broke into cheers and applause. After all, in the British wizarding world, Hogwarts held a highly respected and symbolic status. Becoming a professor there was a sign of recognition—and a golden opportunity to expand one's influence. So it was no surprise that Lockhart's appointment came as both a shock and a thrill to the crowd.
Even though the Defense Against the Dark Arts post was rumored to be cursed by the Dark Lord, few wizards would turn down an offer from Dumbledore himself.
Perhaps that was exactly why Lockhart had chosen to make his announcement so publicly. And true to form, he wasn't about to share the spotlight.
Somewhere along the way, Harry Potter—who had been standing right beside him just moments ago—had quietly vanished from the stage…
…
After finally breaking free from the crowd, Harry made his way toward the wall, hugging the full set of Lockhart's books he'd just received. From there, he spotted Ginny Weasley standing alone.
"Where's Ron and the others?"
"H-H-Harry, they... they went to get some money..."
Harry's first impression of the youngest Weasley was that she was shy and didn't talk much. But what puzzled him was how, every time she spoke to him, she'd start stammering and couldn't finish a full sentence—despite seeming perfectly normal around other wizards.
Once he learned where Ron had gone, Harry, burdened by the weight of the thick Lockhart collection, seemed to have an idea. Without a word, he dumped the entire stack into the large cauldron at Ginny's feet.
"Here, these are for you. I'll just go buy another set."
"Eh? B-but…"
Harry had already heard from Ron that it wasn't just the second-years who needed Lockhart's books. Percy and the Weasley twins had to get them too. In fact, every student in their year needed the full collection.
Which meant that for the Weasleys, buying those pricey books for every child was no small burden.
No wonder Ron had such a grudge against Lockhart—he'd even hoped to use that money to replace his wand.
That's what gave Harry the idea to help in this way...
"It's fine, they were a gift anyway."
"But... but..."
Whether from embarrassment or nerves, Ginny—youngest and only daughter of the Weasley family—was so flustered that she couldn't even get a full sentence out in response to Harry's kindness.
And every time Harry's eyes met hers, her cheeks flushed redder than before...
Just then, Lucius Malfoy and Karnov Parkinson approached, with Goyle and Crabbe in tow for reasons unknown. Together, they walked toward the quiet wall where Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were standing.
The moment Draco saw this, his eyes narrowed in surprise.
There was nothing unusual about his father walking with Pansy's, but Goyle and the others tagging along? That was an odd group.
"Is this about Harry Potter?"
It was clear now—the four of them were headed straight for him...
...
[Up to 50 chapters ahead for now]
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