The slacker professor at Hogwarts

Chapter 364 Trash Can Insects and a Great Moment

Sirius was right to ask Lockhart for this.

When it comes to influence, Lockhart believes he is no less influential than Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

In fact, Deng Xiaoping and Grenfell's influence was more political, while Lockhart's influence was more social.

From the profit-driven network of bestselling books to the Hibiscus Ravenclaw Alumni Association, from the British Alliance Wizarding Council to the French Alliance Wizarding Council, from Rita's control of the Daily Prophet to her support in creating the Duelist Club Newspaper —

Lockhart easily spread the word.

The next morning, urgent special editions from major newspapers and magazines were quickly sent to every wizard's family and every wizarding community.

The Daily Prophet's hottest news: The Black family reappears! They claim they will wipe out all werewolves!

Special report in the Duel Club newspaper—He will bear everything.

The front page headline of The Witcher Weekly: Sirius Black claims to have successfully cured wolfsbane – is it a lie or a savior?

A Special Interview with a Prisoner of Azkaban: His Self-Redemption?

Today's Metamorphosis Studies Academic Focus—A Boon for Wolfsbane Patients, the End of a Millennial Disease!

Special Feature from "Spells of Innovation": Sirius Black will be undergoing a week-long wolfsbane treatment at Lockhart Tower in the New Age Basin!

Overwhelming.

This caused quite a stir, and soon, strangely dressed people appeared on subways and trains all over Europe, getting off at a station called "New Age Basin," which Muggles would instinctively avoid.

This was Grindelwald's firm demand to all the major newspapers, requiring them to clearly state the method of arrival at the New Age Basin, the intersection of the three major magic schools, regardless of how they reported it.

What a great publicity opportunity!

Grindelwald saw the tide of the times, vast and mighty, and they were riding on a giant ship with the wind, making rapid progress.

Dumbledore was pleased to see that the times were getting better and better, with both the middle and new generations of wizards continuing to move forward and solve one old problem after another.

While the wizarding community was rising and the wizarding life was becoming increasingly better, their focuses were still different.

Of course, not everyone is happy to see this happen.

For example, Aberforth Dumbledore with his perpetually miserable face.

This old man, who enjoys a leisurely life, had just finalized the lease of shops and hotel floors in the Lockhart Building with the building manager, Miss Cintina (the unjustly killed fairy). Before he could even recruit some bartenders and waiters, countless people flocked to the building, keeping him busy all day long.

If it weren't for the help of the young wizards from the Duel Club, he would have simply closed the doors, declared the business closed, and told everyone who had already moved in to get out.

With his fiery temper, he's capable of doing something like this.

Well, it's a bittersweet experience.

He accepts that life is entering a busy phase, which is a natural occurrence, and he should also keep busy and break away from a leisurely retirement state.

The only one who must be suffering is Voldemort.

He had just received news that Hermione Granger, the junior wizard of the Duel Club, had become ridiculously powerful, and rushed over from the Ministry of Magic. Before he could even gather information and discuss anything with his subordinates, he received news that Sirius Black could cure werewolf poison.

He sensed an extremely terrifying, vibrant life force.

The explosive advancement of a new era led by that pesky guy Gilderoy Lockhart.

Then he turned to look at the Death Eaters and new followers behind him and suddenly felt a suffocating, gloomy atmosphere that made him feel disgusted.

Voldemort even had the absurd illusion that all of this was the garbage of the times, destined to be swept into the trash can.

Do not!

It's not an illusion!

Voldemort could judge the situation of the times, and he knew that this was the truth.

Looking at these scoundrels, he felt a strange sadness. How could he possibly conduct politics while surrounded by such vermin?

He even felt a sad sense of self-awareness, as if he were a dumping ground for trash—why was the only place these scumbags had to end up under his command?

Oh~

He looked up in despair and closed his eyes with a long sigh.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Voldemort himself came to Lockhart Tower to participate in this lively werewolf treatment event. He wanted to see how Black, who was even more skilled at cursing than the dark wizards, would treat the werewolf.

His intense focus on this matter stems not only from his concern for all the major changes taking place in the new era, but also from the fact that he himself is a werewolf.

Yes, werewolves.

That despicable Gilderoy Lockhart had deeply imprinted wolfsbane into his soul, and even with the fusion of his younger self, he still couldn't remove this unique magical bloodline.

All he could do was prevent wolfsbane from manifesting in his body during the resurrection process when creating this new body.

Wolfsbane, to some extent, remained a lingering shadow in his heart.

This stems from another outrageous feat committed by that despicable guy Gilderoy Lockhart—he turned the werewolf Remus Lupin into a wolf-like voice.

No one knew better than this snake-like man how terrifying it was to possess such an ability.

Easily controlled, controlled by someone of a higher status.

No, it's not about control.

It should be called slavery!

A divine right bestowed from a higher food chain!

The mere thought of a certain possibility caused Voldemort to feel an intense surge of killing intent, and he wished he could kill Gilderoy right now!

He soon saw Gilderoy.

In the bustling first-floor conference hall, reporters frantically surrounded Sirius Black, taking photos, while even more people packed the entire venue to capacity. Gilderoy was talking to Fudge in a corner.

The Minister of Magic, who should have been under Dumbledore's command, was now holding a pile of documents, his expression extremely obsequious.

Huh~

Dumbledore should really be allowed to see this.

"Project 3, the Purifiers' collective name for their research on the Obscurus's magical influence on Squirts, is all the information we've gathered." Fudge always knew what Lockhart would like.

Lockhart raised an eyebrow in surprise, took the document, and carefully examined it. He casually asked, "This should be top secret, right? With Wissengamo involved, you probably don't have the authority to release it?"

Fudge was deeply moved.

Look, Gilderoy knows what he paid for this!

There is nothing more gratifying than this.

Of course, don't make things too emotional; only by maintaining the relationship can it last. He understands this principle.

He spoke of it casually, as if doing these things was so easy for him, and that he could easily handle the rules and procedures.

"Everything is in accordance with the procedures. These top-secret documents will be sealed. According to the classification of documents, the sealing place is the Bloodline Hall of the Department of Mysterious Affairs."

He gestured to the documents in Lockhart's hand. "Of course, even the Director of the Bloodline Hall must strictly register before accessing documents; it's a necessary procedure. But this isn't access; this is pre-entry review. Hehe, you know what I mean."

Lockhart whistled and looked at the old politician. "I'll do my due diligence, then shelv it. I won't make things difficult for you."

Fudge felt a sense of relief at finally being understood. Dumbledore had never cared about his difficulties before. His face immediately lit up with a smile. "No, no, it's my honor to serve you."

Almost none of the people who have spent most of their lives in the Ministry of Magic are fools.

Even without knowing that Grindelwald was planning a magic school-centered system to replace the International Confederation of Wizards' Ministry of Magic-centered system, Fudge and many other seasoned politicians could clearly sense the changes that were quietly taking place in this era.

The Three Kingdoms Tournament, the New Era Basin, the Werewolf Rescue—everything is converging towards a certain center, and those at the center of the power vortex can clearly feel the shift in the center of power.

Fudge couldn't change anything; facing Dumbledore and Grindelwald, either one left him feeling utterly powerless and hopeless.

He didn't intend to change anything.

Unlike Umbridge, who was determined to maintain the Ministry of Magic's authority, he simply wanted to keep up with the times, even after stepping down as Minister of Magic.

Fudge's first choice should have been Dumbledore, and they had worked together for over a decade, but he always found it difficult to rely on Dumbledore.

On the contrary, Gilderoy Lockhart, the newly crowned master of magic, has an appetite that is always for magic, not for the power to influence the world that even Fudge himself could hardly provide.

This is much easier to deal with than Dumbledore.

Sometimes when he's with Gilderoy, he smiles all the time, and it's not out of flattery, but because he genuinely feels relaxed.

The ease of being fully understood and respected.

Why would Umbridge, someone everyone hates and who is extremely selfish, claim to be an apostle of Gilderoy Lockhart? Sometimes it's because this magical master genuinely respects everyone from the bottom of his heart.

It feels wonderful to be respected by someone important.

"Go ahead and get busy. This information is really interesting; I need to take a good look at it." Lockhart quickly became engrossed in it after flipping through it for a while, but with Fudge standing right next to him, he had to force himself to pull away, gesturing towards the most bustling area of ​​the meeting room. "If I were you, I wouldn't miss this."

Fudge certainly knew, but he was more eager for Lockhart's guidance. "You know Sirius better; I don't know how I am in this matter—"

Lockhart smiled slightly and pointed out, "Sirius yearns to restore the glory of the Black family. Oh, remember, not the kind of scheming, self-serving pure-blood family, but one driven by justice and honor."

"Don't mistake him for another Lucius Malfoy, or you'll just become the most annoying character here."

Fudge was startled. He had actually intended to use the same methods he used on Malfoy to win over Black. Luckily, he had asked!

"besides!"

Lockhart then gestured to Lupin next to Sirius, "As you know, the werewolf community is now managed by Remus Lupin, and he deserves to be rewarded for his contributions once all the werewolves have been healed."

Fudge reacted so quickly, "Of course, the Order of Merlin is an honor, and the werewolf returning to society to help the Chief of Staff is a practical benefit."

Lockhart paused for a moment, "The Werewolf Reintegration into Society Help Office?"

"Fudge smiled and nodded. "Yes, think about it. Even if all the werewolves were to turn back into humans, their complicated past experiences would make it difficult for them to easily return to normal wizarding society. They would need a transition and some help."

"I think Sirius Black and Remus Lupin would be interested in this."

Good guy.

Lockhart stared at the man in front of him in amazement. "You just came up with this?"

Fudge simply said modestly, "This is a necessary reaction from politicians, to expand their influence in the Ministry of Magic whenever possible. You know, when social hotspots explode, that's often the best time. All dissenting voices will be drowned out, and it's very easy to push forward."

He narrowed his eyes, rubbing his fingers together. "When wolfsbane becomes curable, hehe, then people won't be so fixated on classifying werewolves under the jurisdiction of the Department of Magical Creatures Control."

"I believe it should be classified under the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters."

""

Each of the seven Secretaries of the Ministry of Magic has its own authority and wields immense influence.

In the daily lives of wizarding societies, the influence of the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters is even greater than that of the Aurors.

Fudge knew this best.

Before becoming Minister of Magic, he was the Deputy Director of the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters, a position with real power.

Seeing that Lockhart seemed to be unfamiliar with some of the inner workings of the Ministry of Magic, he explained in a low voice.

"Magic is always a dangerous thing; all sorts of accidents and disasters can happen. The department is specifically responsible for handling these matters."

Lockhart was taken aback. "Wasn't it the Aurors who were supposed to handle it?"

Fudge shook his head. "They're different. The Aurors are an organization established to uphold the Statute of Secrets; they deal with criminals. The 'Reversal of Accidents' team within the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters deals with incidents."

"For example, detecting a young wizard performing spells off-campus in violation of regulations."

"If it's an act that violates the secrecy laws, like casting spells in front of Muggles, then it's the Aurors who are involved."

"But if it's because of their poor spellcasting skills that an irreparable situation is caused, such as blowing up their own relatives or a Muggle into a balloon and floating into the sky, then the incident team will be dispatched."

Although many departments can get involved when a violation occurs, such as the Office for the Prevention of Misuse of Magic, led by Arthur Weasley, can also get involved.

In most cases, however, incidents like young wizards accidentally casting spells in front of a few Muggles do not alert the Aurors or other offices, but rather prompt an incident team to handle the situation.

"Therefore, in the daily lives of wizards, this is the department that ordinary wizards come into contact with the most."

In addition to the incident task force, this company also includes the "Memory Deletion Command" (which includes the "Memory Deletion Training Department") and the "Muggle Problem Mediation Committee," among others.

Lockhart's expression shifted. "You intend to push for Lupin's involvement in this department? And leverage the Black family's influence?"

Fudge leaned closer and whispered, "Yes, Remus Lupin is a half-blood like us, and he's one of yours! Plus, he's from the Order of the Phoenix, so he'll have Dumbledore's support. I assessed his abilities when he was leading the rebuilding of the werewolf community; he's a very steady person, good at balancing the interests of all parties, and easily earns the respect of others."

Oh~

This politician thinks about these things all day long.

Lockhart had to point out, "You must understand one thing: Lupin's most important job right now is not leading the werewolf community, but being a professor at Beauxbatons, a position he holds very important."

The so-called "dean of the inner court"

"Of course, that might be his most important identity, isn't it?" Fudge said with a knowing look, indicating that he wasn't completely unaware of the changing times. "It might not have been appropriate before, since Beauxbatons was far away in France, but now that Dumbledore has brought all three schools together, it's suddenly much closer."

Therefore, the essence of this matter is not even about winning over a potential talent and supporting them to take the position.

Rather, it was a move to attach themselves to and integrate into Lockhart's power.

Lockhart thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

You must seek their opinions.

Fudge smiled mysteriously and loosened his tie. "I'll convince them. This is something I'm good at."

Building bridges and paving roads is a common political maneuver. Sometimes it's actually quite simple. When someone is eager to achieve something, there are ways to build a platform for them. Even the most selfish and terrible Umbridge would obediently do things for him.

As they did more and sought opportunities for mutual benefit, they quickly and naturally formed an alliance of political interests.

He's really good at it, especially with the magic master Gilderoy Lockhart endorsing it. If he didn't do a good job, he wouldn't be serving as Minister of Magic.

He bowed to Lockhart and strode toward Sirius and Lupin.

Fudge didn't notice that Dumbledore and Grindelwald were watching him from behind.

"A restless fellow," Grindelwald muttered.

Dumbledore shook his head. "It seems that as the influence of the Triwizard Tournament spreads, it has finally alarmed the old powers, and everyone is seeking a way to survive."

"That's a good thing," Grindelwald said, a smile playing on his lips. "Whether he goes to you or Gilderoy, it's a good thing!"

When the Minister of Magic's power is threatened, he doesn't turn to the Aurors or the pure-blood families that have deep influence over the Ministry of Magic, but instead goes to a magic school principal. He'd be more than happy to see this happen.

Dumbledore withdrew his self-light and warned him, "I wish to promote the development of society in a more moderate way. You should know my bottom line!"

Grindelwald, hands behind his back, smiled as he watched a werewolf nervously being pushed onto the stage by reporters to face Sirius Black. "Of course, I see the future."

For example—

He turned to look at Lockhart.

The sight of Lockhart so intently looking down at the documents in his hands, in his prophetic vision, was a mad dash forward propulsion of the future.

interesting!

What will Giddens glean from this document?

Could this really cause the future to change again?

This young man's every move is related to the future.

In comparison —

Grindelwald glanced at Voldemort in the corner, clicked his tongue, and looked disgusted.

The most dangerous dark wizard in history? What use are you?

"I remember Tom promised Gilderoy he'd write a book on potions?" Grindelwald said to Dumbledore. "Should we have Gilderoy go and remind him about it sometime?"

"Shouldn't Tom at least prove his worth?"

too slow!

He so eagerly awaited the arrival of the future.

Dumbledore didn't care whether Voldemort was valuable or not, but he cared just as much about this book on potions.

He hoped to glean some insights into Voldemort's thought processes in order to understand his resurrection techniques and perhaps find out where Voldemort's original body was located.

The future of wizards is sure to be bright.

Dumbledore firmly believed this.

Why must such a bright future have a demon who could bring war at any moment due to ambition and an uncontrollable inner malice?

The future can exist without Tom and Voldemort!

Dumbledore never gave up on killing this villain; he just didn't want to show it. No one knew how much he had secretly investigated the possible locations where Tom's body might have been after Tom reappeared.

Soon, a commotion broke out ahead, drawing everyone's attention once again, and even Lockhart looked up in that direction.

"I----"

"I don't have wolfsbane anymore?"

The wizard, who had suffered greatly from wolfsbane, was almost in tears. He asked Sirius again and again, as if in disbelief, hoping to confirm the news, something he had never dared to even imagine.

The stage was ablaze with flashbulbs, and newspapers and magazines from all over were recording this momentous occasion.

The werewolf, who profoundly influenced wizarding history, is about to officially exit the stage of the new era.

Of course, perhaps one day Sirius will no longer face the light, and he himself will be consumed by the ominousness he carries. These wolf venoms may also reappear in these people.

But Lockhart, Lupin, Dumbledore, and others who knew Sirius were not worried that such a situation would occur.

From a certain perspective, Sirius Black is still quite reliable.

For a period of time afterward, the entire New Age Basin became exceptionally lively, as if wizards from the entire wizarding world were flocking here.

No werewolf or their family member wanted to give up this hope, especially those who didn't get along with Sirius. Their only hope was the opportunity for Sirius to receive public treatment.

It was at this time that many people were surprised to discover that there were far more werewolves in the wizarding world than they had imagined.

For example, Hannah Abbot, a member of the Duel Club, has a younger brother who was secretly hidden by the family and had been living on a manor in Africa.

Even Hannah didn't know until this day that she actually had a younger brother.

Lupin clearly empathized with this situation.

If Dumbledore hadn't taken him from his home and brought him to Hogwarts, he would still be hidden away by his parents and living a lonely life to this day.

"Oh~"

Even Ms. Melissa, with her profound life experience, exclaimed with deep emotion, "Sirius is doing something great!"

Lockhart smiled broadly. "Yes!"