Not Voldemort!
And definitely not the Death Eaters!
Silver light shimmered.
The icy cold and despairing atmosphere in the air was significantly dispelled. A warm and powerful force emerged, a magic that opens its doors only to those who can appreciate beauty—the Patronus Charm.
"A Saint, perhaps..."
Ian's stiff hand remained suspended mid-air, his eyes fixed on Gilderoy Lockhart's magic wand, from which threads of silver brilliance constantly emerged, wafting like mist.
An elegant silver animal slowly took shape, yet was deliberately obscured by the caster with silver fog. Ian could only catch a glimpse of its proud posture and powerful aura.
The Dementors in the cage emitted piercing screams—Ian could feel the Dementors' panic, but the selfish adult wizard made no attempt to use a Patronus to fend them off.
The Patronus, deliberately concealed by the silver mist, merely hovered around the confirmed fake Gilderoy Lockhart, concentrating all its might around him.
Let's call him that for now.
After all, he wears the same face.
"The Patronus Charm isn't an overly advanced magic, the incantation is just as I recited it, and the key is simply to focus your mind on recalling your happiest memories."
"Some say it's the manifestation of the beauty within your heart, and you can certainly think of it that way. But personally, I am more inclined to believe that we are merely achieving a response with beautiful memories." Gilderoy Lockhart's wand continuously emitted silver light; his expression had returned to one of natural composure.
And at this moment.
"Soul Stealing!"
Ian seized the moment of eye contact with Gilderoy Lockhart to cast a spell he learned from a senior sister, a strange purplish light flashing through his eyes.
The magic was successfully cast.
But... Ian failed to penetrate Gilderoy Lockhart's mind. Let alone altering or viewing memories, even the emotions that were once plainly visible when Gilderoy Lockhart first entered the classroom had become completely undetectable at some point.
"Ancient magic, you've learned quite a bit," Gilderoy Lockhart raised an eyebrow, taking a step back to reveal to the confused Ian why he had resisted Ian's sneak attack.
See for yourself.
Where Gilderoy Lockhart had just stood, it seemed as if he had shed a layer of a crystalline shell; when he retreated, the wax-like substance remained in place.
Clearly.
It was this shell, imbued with unknown magic, that thwarted Ian's attack.
"During our interactions, you could launch a sneak attack at any time, and I can use this to see what else you've got," Gilderoy Lockhart was not angry at all.
He chuckled leisurely, gently flicking the wax-like shell in front of him; it shattered on impact, and upon falling to the ground, quickly dispersed into the air.
"Hm?"
Ian even sensed that the restraint controlling him had vanished.
Clearly, the other party had opened up to him. Weighing the situation in his mind, Ian decided not to attempt another attack, his inner certainty growing.
"Professor, what kind of response were you talking about?"
Ian moved his arm, pretending to ask nonchalantly.
Gilderoy Lockhart smiled slightly.
"Every soul has a companion, child. Scorned dark magic won't abandon us. Only the loss of self and soul makes it impossible to find you again."
Gilderoy Lockhart acted as if the earlier sneak attack hadn't occurred at all, reaching into the mist to gently stroke his Patronus. His tone was lighthearted, though his words were quite shocking, contradicting the mainstream Patronus theories in the current Wizarding World.
Heretic!
"Do you have evidence?" Ian tried to let the glow on his wand illuminate all the little wizards; in fact, after Gilderoy Lockhart's Patronus appeared, the unconscious little wizards were out of danger.
Now, the air only felt a bit like the onset of a harsh winter.
"You've asked the right person; this is a question not even Dumbledore could likely answer for you. He's always entangled in various matters, unable to have as much time for learning as I do." The suspected imposter or an apostle of that person disguised as Gilderoy Lockhart showed no impatience.
He chuckled, appearing quite willing to address Ian's time-delaying queries, "You might know that Azkaban was built by a Dark Wizard named Exter in the fifteenth century, who lured many Muggle sailors to that island to torture and kill."
"When the Ministry of Magic discovered the island, it was filled with Dementors. Some say the Dementors were creations of biological alchemy by Exter using the Muggles on the island."
"This once made everyone fearful and worried about biological alchemy... Hah, fools have always been this way, easily deceived by equally foolish explanations."
"Anyone with enough understanding of alchemy knows how ridiculous such an explanation is. Creating an entirely new species out of thin air is a domain exclusive to deities."