Hogwarts: Becoming the White Lord from Breathing

Chapter 91 Lockhart and the Joker
Harry eventually let Colin take a picture and sign his name.

"Thank you! I will cherish this forever!"

Colin left happily.

"A treasured possession for a lifetime? Harry, what did you give him?"

Lockhart's voice suddenly rang out behind them, startling Harry, who instinctively replied, "A photograph, the one he wants."

"You're already handing out autographed photos?" Lockhart looked at Harry with a subtle gaze. "It seems our savior has begun his journey to stardom. I must say, that's something to be proud of! But Harry, remember, not everyone can be like me—we celebrities have to learn how to stay low-key and humble."

"There will come a day when you'll be like me, needing to carry a stack of photos everywhere you go, but—" he chuckled softly, "I don't think you're there yet."

His words were full of the air of a "celebrity," and there was a hint of smugness in his eyes.

As he walked down the corridor, he suddenly stopped and mysteriously said to the student next to him:
"Let me tell you a little secret: Harry isn't the only one with potential. My book, 'Dancing with the Goblins,' is selling like hotcakes in bookstores, and my next book, 'My Heroes in the Wizarding World,' will open your eyes to even more."

He laughed loudly, glanced at Harry again, a cryptic glint in his eyes, and then continued walking away, as if his popularity would continue unabated.

"Why do I feel like he's acting a bit strangely?"

Ron watched Lockhart's series of antics with some doubt—although he thought Lockhart was very handsome, with Damon as a precedent, he felt that the professor seemed to be boasting a bit too much.

"What do you mean by inexplicable? If you could achieve what he once did, I bet you'd be even more arrogant and inexplicable than him."

Hermione gave Ron an unhappy look and went to the classroom early.

"I'm just saying this, and I can't even say it?"

Ron was dumbfounded.

"Actually, I agree with your idea, buddy."

Harry patted him on the shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Alright, let's go to class."

Seeing the clown perform right in front of him left Damon with mixed feelings—on the one hand, it felt like watching a reality show in a circus, which was quite novel; on the other hand, the close proximity made the realism so intense that it made him slightly uncomfortable.

Damon was unsure how long his initial attraction to Lockhart would last.

And the same scenario will likely play out repeatedly throughout this semester.
Sure enough, during the Defense Against the Dark Arts class in the afternoon, Lockhart started acting silly again as soon as the whole class was seated.

He reached out and picked up Neville Longbottom's "Walking with Trolls," holding it up to show the cover featuring a photo of himself winking.

“Me,” he said, pointing to his photograph and winking, “Giddro Lockhart, Third Class of the Order of Merlin, Honorary Member of the League Against the Dark Arts, five-time winner of the Wizarding Weekly’s Most Charming Smile Award—but I don’t wear that on my sleeve. I don’t exorcise the ghost of Warren with a smile!”

He waited for everyone to laugh. A few people smiled faintly. Harry and Ron exchanged a furtive glance, both understanding the meaning in each other's eyes—the Order of Merlin, Third Class? It doesn't seem to be as prestigious as Damon's Second Class, does it?

How could Professor Lockhart have the nerve to boast in front of the youngest recipient of the Order of the British Empire (Order of the British Empire)?

“I see that you have all bought my complete works—that’s great.”

I think we should start with a little quiz today. Don't be afraid—it's just to see how well you read and how much you've understood.

After handing out the papers, he returned to the podium and said, "You have thirty minutes. Now—begin!"

Damon picked up the test paper, his face darkening. The paper clearly stated:

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?
3. What do you think is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
And so on, filling three whole pages, with the last question being: 54. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday? What would be his ideal birthday present?
With Defense Against the Dark Arts professors at this level for two consecutive years, it's no wonder that most Hogwarts students can't even cast a complete Ironclad Charm by graduation.

"So many disasters and hardships."

Damon casually flicked his wrist, and the quill pen began to scribble haphazardly on it.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the test papers and looked through them in front of the whole class.

Lockhart's content is repetitive, almost like a pre-written code robot constantly promoting itself.

Ron and Harry's eyes were filled with distrust, but Hermione remained focused and attentive.

“But Miss Hermione Granger knows my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and to sell my own line of hair care products—good girl! In fact—” He flipped her test paper over, “a hundred points! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?”

Hermione raised a trembling hand.

"Excellent!" Lockhart said with a smile. "Very good! Ten points for Gryffindor!"

Damon couldn't help but laugh when he saw Hermione shaking with joy.

Even we, the self-proclaimed "good mothers" with our kids, sometimes blindly follow others.

Lockhart was also laughing. He picked up the next exam paper, but he didn't answer any of the questions. Instead, he used artificially added text to assemble all the characters into Lockhart's likeness—like using mosaics to create a certain shape.

"My God! This is a magnificent work of art!"

Lockhart became even more excited when he saw the signature: Damon White.

“Oh, Master White, it’s an honor.” He looked at Damon, who was sitting there listlessly. “I’ll add another twenty points to Gryffindor’s score! For your wonderful composition!”

He showed the exam paper to everyone, which caused a stir.

On the one hand, I admire this amazing technique, and on the other hand, I admire Damon's decision not to answer the questions honestly—although, given Damon's achievements, shouldn't he be able to appreciate a legendary hero like Professor Lockhart?

Harry and Ron stared wide-eyed at Damon, not quite understanding—wasn't he supposed to dislike Professor Lockhart? Why was he acting so fanatical?

But upon seeing the faint smile on Damon's lips, they quickly realized that Damon was probably just having fun.

Now, let's get back to the main topic.

Lockhart bent down and pulled a large cage covered with a cloth from behind the podium, placing it on the table.

"Now—be careful! My task is to teach you how to resist the most evil things known in the magical world! You will face the most terrifying things in this classroom."

But remember, as long as I'm here, you will not be harmed. I only ask that you remain calm.

"I must ask you not to scream, that will enrage them!"

With amusement on Damon's face, Lockhart lifted the cover—inside were Cornish elves.

These little sprites are dark blue, about eight inches tall, with small, pointed faces and very sharp, piercing voices, like a bunch of budgerigars arguing.

As soon as the cover was removed, they started chattering, jumping around, shaking the cage bars, and making all sorts of strange faces at people nearby.

The young wizards didn't take it seriously, they just found it funny—Professor Lockhart actually described this thing as so terrifying?
But their laughter vanished once Lockhart opened the cage.

(End of this chapter)