Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 424, Section 422: Interrogation

"A top-secret location."

Lockhart walked through the door with satisfaction.

Imagine a whole bunch of little witches starting to scream, and then he finds Mr. Green in the crowd.

Who could be the greatest wizard of the future, the wizard who surpasses Dumbledore, the greatest alchemist of the last eight hundred years...?

He maintained his most charming smile and strode forward with his head held high.

However, what awaited him was:

"Except your weapons!"

Justin shouted.

Lockhart was horrified and quickly tried to hide behind Hermione.

Hermione, however, had anticipated this and dodged away, closing the door behind her.

Lockhart's wand flew off his waist, and he frantically searched for it, finally finding it in Justin's hand.

It turned out that Justin had used Lockhart's wand to fly in.

"What is this? A little joke, right?"

He glanced at Hermione, then resumed his expected expression.
"Of course, you knocked my wand away when I wasn't looking, my fanatical worshippers. Did you think that would make me teach you some little dueling details?"

Ha, you guessed it, what I'm going to teach you now is—"

Lockhart suddenly turned around and tried to snatch Hermione's wand, but Hermione dodged him.

"Extensive combat skills, it seems..."

Before he could finish speaking, Justin shouted:
"Tarantella dance!"

Soon, he started dancing uncontrollably.

His legs flared dramatically, and his heart sank.

He couldn't understand what was going on.
What is the purpose of these young wizards?
"Hey guys! Remember me? I'm a professor!"

He said.

"Not any time soon."

Hermione's face was cold.

"What's next?"

Justin stepped out from the corner.

"Wait a minute."

Hermione sat in a chair; she was now quite eager to learn a petrification charm.

But that belongs to the category of black magic.

Unfortunately, Lockhart didn't teach them anything; even this spell was written in Sheen's notes.

"Okay, whisper it."

Justin cast a silencing spell, also known as a whispering spell, which can make a sound softer. It can also effectively counteract the effects of amplification spells.

Lockhart seemed to understand something. He looked around desperately, but no one came to his rescue.

He doesn't look handsome or dashing at all now.

His lips trembled, and his face no longer displayed its usual bright smile; instead, his chin appeared sunken, and he looked thin and haggard.

"Hey! Kids! What are you doing? Let me go now, or you'll be in big trouble!"
I'm an internationally renowned author, a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Third Class, an honorary member of the Anti-Dark Magic League, and a five-time winner of Wizarding Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award!

Lockhart said calmly.

"Your honor comes from your book."

Hermione said bluntly.

Lockhart was exhausted, his will to resist weakened, or he became distracted.

Justin then bound his hands with a binding spell—a spell so easy to dodge that they had to be careful.

She then used zombie-like movement to control Lockhart's behavior.

This is a spell she learned from the forbidden book section; it's a spell that can help people who can't walk to move.

Conversely, it means being able to temporarily control the wizard's behavior.

That way, they can force the truth serum into his mouth.

“That’s all from my own experience, guys.”

Lockhart said.

"Books can deceive, Professor, just like you."

Justin added a dancing spell as he spoke.

"This is simply alarmist!"

Lockhart danced around, unable to get close to the young wizards, but he acted very indignantly.

“My dear Miss Granger, the best wizard in the whole year, you can tell the difference between the two, can’t you?” he said insincerely, glancing silently at Hermione’s wand.

He was indeed dancing, but with his level of magic, he shouldn't be so powerless to resist as he is now.

But if these two young wizards keep staring at him and casting spells, he could indeed be in some danger.

"We have visited the people in the place you described."

Hermione said.

"Oh dear? What have you discovered, my fervent admirers?"

Lockhart then tried to distract the two men.

"Hey, professor, please stop your little tricks. Restrain yourself immediately!"

Justin suddenly said, and while he wasn't paying attention, he cast a binding spell on him, tying his hands together as well.

Hermione!

he shouted.

"Confinement quickly!"

Hermione also quickly waved her wand.

Lockhart was thus bound hand and foot and could only crawl on the ground.

Now, the two of them can finally relax.

"Hermione, come on, hurry up."

Justin seemed somewhat excited.

After Lockhart leaves, they will welcome a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"Zombie drifting."

Hermione nodded and fed Lockhart the truth serum onto his terrified, stiff face.

"What did you do?!"

Lockhart shouted.

"Alright, Professor, now please tell us the truth."

What are the real stories behind your bestselling book, and who exactly orchestrated these events?

Justin asked questions while taking out his recording tools.

Lockhart was about to lie, but the truth came out instead:

"My dear child, think about this with your common sense!"

Of course it wasn't me. But if people didn't think I was the one who did those things, the book's sales would be much worse.

Readers would not want to read about the deeds of an ugly old American wizard, even though he saved a village from the scourge of werewolves.

Putting his photo on the cover would look awful.

He has absolutely no taste in clothes. And that witch who banished the Wanlun female ghost, she has a hairy chin!
What I mean is, think about it…

"So you're taking all the things other people did and making them your own record?"

Hermione still asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Hermione, Hermione,"

Lockhart frantically covered his mouth, but the thing kept chattering away.

"It's not as simple as you make it out to be. I have a lot of work to do too. I need to track down these people and find out exactly how they did it."

Then I will cast a forgetting spell on them so that they will completely forget about it.

If I have anything to be proud of, it's my Oblivion Charm. You know, Hermione, Justin, I also had to put in a lot of hard work.

Did you know that it's not just about book signings and taking photos with celebrities? If you want to be famous, you have to be prepared for a long period of hard work.

After he finished speaking, his face turned completely ashen.

"Are they getting a new professor?"

Justin picked up the recording equipment and said with a smile.

"uh-huh."

Hermione raised her chin.

Where is Sheen?

She asked.

The two looked towards the left corner, but Sheen was not there.

This made the two of them look serious, even more uneasy than when they were facing Lockhart.

"Very well done, everyone."

Sheen's voice drifted over as he walked in from behind a large door. Behind him stood Dumbledore, who was watching with amusement.

(End of this chapter)