Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 187 No foreplay, let's get straight to the point.

When the Shattering Charm from Professor Lockhart's wand reached Neville, Neville's own Armored Charm crumbled almost instantly.

Compared to the magic of an adult wizard, the armor spell hastily constructed by a second-year student is utterly insignificant.

Fortunately, the foreshadowing laid by the Flying Spell came into effect at this moment.

A loud "boom" was heard, and it seemed as if the entire classroom shook.

The sound of the explosion filled the entire space, making the students' ears ring.

Professor Lockhart's spell struck Neville's desk squarely, the powerful magic instantly blasting it to smithereens, sending wood chips and dust flying like snowflakes.

The classroom was filled with a pungent smell of smoke and dust that lingered for a long time.

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, everyone eagerly looked ahead.

Neville was covered in dust and dirt, his hair was disheveled and stuck to his face, and his body was covered in dust and sawdust. He looked utterly wretched.

He himself looked completely bewildered, his eyes filled with deep fear and confusion, as if he hadn't yet realized what had just happened.

As for the desk in front of him that was originally used to block the Shattering Curse, it had long since turned into a pile of fine dust, quietly scattered on the ground.

The whole class was stunned by this scene.

Many people stared at Neville with their mouths agape, their eyes filled with shock and lingering fear.

The classroom was completely silent; it was as if you could hear a pin drop.

Only then did Neville finally realize what had just happened.

His legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees on the podium with a thud, his wand slipping from his grasp and falling onto the podium.

No one made fun of him.

Once the curse was actually cast on Neville, he's now covered in it everywhere, just like the desk he was sitting on earlier.

"See that? That's the Shattering Curse!"

Professor Lockhart's eyes gleamed with joy: "That's exactly the move I used to severely injure the troll!"
Despite its enormous size, it ultimately had to swallow the bitter pill of defeat when facing a wizard as skilled as myself!

After saying this, he turned around to the astonishment of the entire class, raised his chin slightly, and bowed gracefully to everyone.

At this moment, his light blue robe fluttered gently with his movements, making him appear exceptionally dashing.

More enthusiastic applause than before erupted, applause devoid of any artifice, but entirely born from the students' heartfelt shock and admiration.

"I'm sure everyone now has no doubt about the power of the Shattering Curse. Just imagine, if that curse had hit Longbottom just now..."

Neville shuddered once again upon hearing this.

He hugged himself tightly, his eyes filled with fear.

Professor Lockhart was very satisfied with Neville and the other students' performance.

"Of course, the troll's body is much sturdier than this desk. Even a dueling master like me couldn't completely knock it down with just one Shattering Charm."

To find out what happens next, please read my published works.

Okay, that concludes today's lesson—oh, right, I almost forgot something.

After saying this, he gracefully waved his wand.

The broken wooden planks and fractured table legs were quickly pieced together and repaired by an invisible hand, instantly restoring them to their original, intact state.

It was as if the shattering just now was an illusion.

His gesture immediately drew even more enthusiastic applause from the classroom.

The little witches, in particular, had their eyes sparkling with adoration, their eyes filled with wonder and adoration.

Without a doubt, Professor Lockhart, who was initially underestimated, has successfully proven his abilities through one brilliant practical teaching session after another.

When the crisp sound of the dismissal bell rang, Professor Lockhart, beaming with pride, left the classroom like a triumphant hero, surrounded by a group of little witches who treated him like a star.

The others quickly surrounded Neville.

Neville stood in the middle of the crowd, scratching his head somewhat awkwardly.

The young wizards began asking him all at once about how he felt.

Neville blushed and stammered out his honest answer.

When he got to the crucial point, he even gestured wildly, which amazed everyone.

Ron stood to the side, his brows furrowed and his expression grim.

"I don't know."

The drastic psychological changes even altered his accent.

His voice carried a hint of doubt and dissatisfaction:

“I admit, Professor Lockhart is indeed brilliant, but why does he always have to act like a clown for most of the class every time?”
Can't we skip the foreplay and just get straight to the point?

"To be honest, I don't understand either."

Seamus agreed, "If he could just get rid of all that useless stuff, he could compete for the title of Hogwarts' best professor!"

"I think this is fine."

Pavati Petit, arms crossed, straightened his back and openly opposed Simo's view:
"Professor Lockhart clearly had good intentions, wanting to make us feel more immersed in the experience."

Have you forgotten what he said? 'Only by immersing yourself in the role you play can you have a better experience.' If you don't believe me, just look at Longbottom."

"Hey, even without using this method, I think it's enough."

"Hmph, countless people dream of acting alongside Professor Lockhart. You should be content!"

"I don't think acting with him is anything to be proud of. Only you little girls would think that way!"

"Who are you calling a little girl? Don't forget, the top student in the grade is also a girl!"

Simo and Petit each held their own version of events and argued endlessly.

Some of the students standing nearby sided with Simo, nodding in agreement, while others supported Petit and cheered her on.

There are also people like Ron who thrive on chaos and relentlessly fan the flames:
"Well done, Simo!"
You've had close encounters with fairies, so pay attention!

"Pettier, your twin sister is highly trusted by Professor Lockhart in Ravenclaw, so you mustn't embarrass her!"

Seeing this, Harry shook his head and turned to Sherlock: "Sherlock, what do you think?"

For him, things weren't that complicated; when in doubt, he would just ask Sherlock.

As always, Sherlock carefully observed Professor Lockhart's entire teaching process, including the stage play performance that was considered boring at the beginning.

When Harry asked, he quickly replied while tidying up his stationery:

Lockhart spends about two-thirds to three-quarters of each class performing, and the rest of the time is actually spent teaching.

Judging from both his time allocation and his specific performance in class, it is clear that he is more enthusiastic about the former.

As for the practical content that everyone is interested in, it was more like a task to be completed for him.

"But...but that part is what we really need!"

Harry spoke for the young wizards.

If Lockhart hadn't taught them some useful information at the end of each class, they would never have cooperated with him in that silly stage play he put on to promote himself.

Of course, some little witches might have a "celebrity filter" and think Lockhart shines no matter what he does.

Hermione is specifically criticized here.

She has now become one of the girls who crowd around Professor Lockhart as he leaves after every class.

“My dear Harry, you’ve found a blind spot once again.”

Sherlock smiled slightly, "Without a doubt, our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is indeed truly skilled."

However, more than the act of teaching itself, he cared about his glamorous public image and... the hidden benefits.

Harry paused for a moment, then asked, "Interests?"

Do you remember those textbooks that were torn to shreds in an instant during the first class?
I already mentioned it to you then, Professor Lockhart seemed unusually pleased at the moment those textbooks were torn to shreds.

Although that expression flashed by, I still caught it.

Sherlock mimicked Lockhart's expression at the time, a smug smile playing on his lips.

“I remember,” Harry nodded repeatedly. “I found it strange at the time. It really didn’t make sense. What teacher would be happy to tear up a student’s textbook?”

"From the perspective of an ordinary teacher, this is certainly not logical."

Sherlock looked at Harry, intentionally guiding his friend, "But what if we see him as a businessman with a head full of business acumen?"

"Sherlock, you mean..."

Harry's face showed a thoughtful expression, followed by a look of shock and understanding in his eyes.

"For students, textbooks are essential for learning magic. If a textbook is torn up, students will have to buy a new one."

For this professor and author, each book sold represents a considerable income.

At this point, Sherlock paused, a complex look appearing in his eyes:
"As far as I know, Professor Lockhart couldn't wait to find those poor souls whose textbooks had been torn to shreds after the first class."

"What do you want with them?"

"He offered to sell them a complete set of his works at a 30% discount."

Harry looked surprised again: "What, what is this for... Ah, I get it!"

"you understood?"

“Yes! In this way, people will not only not feel that buying books is a burden, but will even be grateful to Professor Lockhart for it.”

"Bingo! That's exactly what I deduced, Harry. After spending so much time with me, you're starting to use deductive reasoning to analyze problems too."

Therefore, the conclusion is that Professor Lockhart was not interested in the course itself, and teaching us the knowledge was just a perfunctory task.

For him, the real goal was to gain fame and fortune so that his career could reach new heights.

After hearing Sherlock's words, Harry suddenly understood.

So... Professor Lockhart is this kind of person?
Sherlock glanced at Harry twice, then said nothing more.

In fact, he also discovered some other things.

However, due to insufficient evidence at present, he does not intend to voice these speculations.

Next, it's time to look for evidence.

(End of this chapter)