During lunch, Cho leaned toward Alexander with a thoughtful look.
"Professor Lockhart doesn't seem like a good professor," she said quietly.
Alexander looked up from his plate.
"Oh?"
Cho nodded.
"After writing all those books, I thought he would be a very experienced wizard."
She frowned slightly.
"But he lacks some common knowledge."
Alexander chuckled.
"Well… there are some rumors about him going around in the higher magical community."
Cho immediately hugged his arm and looked at him with her eyes shining with curiosity.
"Tell me! Tell me!"
Alexander laughed and gave her a quick kiss.
"Okay."
He paused and tilted his head.
"Wait… you're not embarrassed?"
Cho rolled her eyes.
"Knowledge beats embarrassment."
"Now tell me."
Alexander leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.
"The rumors say he's a fake."
Cho blinked.
"A fake?"
Alexander nodded.
"They say the stories in his books are made up."
"He only writes them for fame and money."
He shrugged.
"As a wizard… he's probably worse than a seventh-year student."
Cho's eyes widened in shock.
"Really?"
Alexander smiled.
"That's just what the rumors say."
"Don't take my word for it."
He pointed subtly toward the staff table where Lockhart was dramatically talking to students.
"Just observe."
"You'll be able to tell easily."
Cho slowly nodded.
"Okay."
They continued eating while casually discussing homework and class.
Just before lunch ended, two familiar figures appeared beside their table.
Fred Weasley and George Weasley.
"Can we start?" Fred asked excitedly.
"Yeah," George added. "We saw the wall and everything. Students are scared."
Alexander laughed.
"If they are scared… We'll make them sacred."
"If they're afraid… We'll give them laughter."
The twins immediately understood.
They grinned and ran off.
Alexander turned to Cho.
"Time for the Halloween pranks to begin."
He casually tapped his wand twice against the table.
At first, nothing happened.
The candles floating above the Great Hall began to slowly shake.
Around the hall, the enchanted pumpkins that had been placed as decorations began to whisper.
Soft murmurs spread across the Great Hall.
Students started looking around in confusion.
Then suddenly—
One candle started to float above Snape and began glowing green.
The whispering pumpkins carried a message across the hall.
"If Snape smiles… You will get an O for Potions."
"Make Snape smile… No more potion essays."
More whispers spread through the hall.
Students began laughing quietly.
Snape's face instantly darkened.
With an irritated flick of his wand, he destroyed the floating candle above his head.
But it didn't help.
Wherever he walked in the Great Hall, the candles above him glowed green.
The whispering pumpkins continued spreading gossip everywhere.
Alexander watched the scene with amusement.
But there was one person he kept watching.
Lockhart.
Alexander had personally adjusted the rumors for the pumpkins near the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
As Lockhart walked through the hall, the pumpkins around him began whispering loudly.
"He is a liar."
"Memories…"
"Give me back my memories…"
"Your stories are lies."
"Thief."
"Thief."
"Thief."
"Liar."
Lockhart froze.
His confident smile slowly disappeared.
His face turned pale.
Students began looking at him strangely.
The whispers followed him wherever he moved.
Lockhart's hands trembled slightly.
Then suddenly—
He hurried out of the Great Hall.
Alexander burst out laughing.
"Professor, you can run, but you can't hide."
He leaned back in his chair.
"They're everywhere."
Cho laughed but quickly nudged him.
"Stop laughing like that."
She lowered her voice.
"It makes you sound like a dark wizard."
Alexander immediately stopped laughing.
Then he straightened his robes.
"I'm a star student."
He gave Cho a confident smile.
"Why would I want to hide in the shadows like a dark wizard?"