The slacker professor at Hogwarts

Chapter 375 The Tea Room of the Three Principals

The Quidditch Duels school team tournament was suspended due to a sudden attack.

This is a common tactic used by Grindelwald: after a major event, he lets public opinion ferment and secretly guides and promotes the accumulation of collective emotions.

These accumulated social emotions will be ignited at some point in the future, transforming into an unstoppable trend of the times.

The forced suspension of the three-way battle for supremacy is the most discussed topic.

The above analysis comes from Rita Skeeter.

She ran to Lockhart to report on these turbulent events, reminding him to be wary that Grindelwald, this big shot, might one day scheme against him as well.

"There is no path that will always be the same; you will inevitably have a disagreement one day."

Rita actually hopes that Lockhart can build some influence as soon as possible, not just the image of a holy teacher who spreads knowledge, but an influence that builds a foundation of long-term interests with more groups.

For example, we should do more things like the Malfoy family paying a huge price to establish the Hakimi cat farm for Lockhart.

She didn't bring this up for personal gain; she knew perfectly well how she got her position as editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet and how she held onto it. She had already received the reward for her loyalty.

She simply hoped Lockhart could become greater, more deeply integrated into the world, and become an unyielding pillar of strength.

Despite his current infamous and disheveled state due to the Death Eater attack, Voldemort remains a force that no one can ignore.

Because behind him still stand many pure-blood families that deeply influence the operation of wizarding society.

In this wizarding society where owls are commonly used for mail delivery, no one has a more comprehensive and multi-dimensional understanding of the entire wizarding society than these media professionals who are involved daily with the International Wizarding Federation, the Ministry of Magic, various magic schools, and major organizations.

Just look at Hogwarts' terrible Muggle Studies class to see how one-sided and superficial wizards' general understanding of the world is.

The fact that the Daily Prophet reports on things like Arthur Weasley stopping a wizard who clogs a Muggle toilet drain every few days shows how wide their sources of information are.

So a second suggestion was made.

This wasn't just Rita's idea; it was a suggestion discussed privately by a small group of people in the "Hibiscus Ravenclaw Alumni Association" who genuinely sided with Lockhart.

"You should place more emphasis on Beauxbatons School of Magic."

Rita spoke with great sincerity, "Now many people have seen the strength of the Duel Club members. There is no doubt that they are a group of people who have grown up under your guidance, and some of them have also followed you to Beauxbatons."

"But what is undeniable is that they are all deeply marked by Hogwarts, and Dumbledore still has a very strong influence on them."

Simply put, it's about looking to the future.

The pursuit of fame, the future fame, is sometimes not about how well one performs in the present, but about whether one has desperately upheld Lockhart's glory in the future.

For those seeking personal gain, a group without a strong vested interest will be a disorganized mess, unable to withstand any storms.

If Lockhart were to have different demands from Dumbledore and Grindelwald someday, would there be a group of people who would stand firmly by Lockhart's side?

Minister of Magic Fudge is a prime example.

He would naturally prefer Lockhart, but his actions are unpredictable, and he is very likely to side with Dumbledore.

From this perspective, these little wizards are actually quite similar to Fudge.

Many members of the Duel Club have deep ties to the Order of the Phoenix founded by Dumbledore, and no one can ignore the influence that family members have on certain choices.

If he doesn't plan ahead for the future, he'll only become the next Voldemort in the face of future storms.

Think about who will firmly follow you when the time comes?

Malfoy? Crabbe? Umbridge? Rita?

But if these people say that, then it's really a joke.

After Rita left, Lockhart stood silently by the French windows of the study, staring blankly at the New Age Basin outside, lost in thought.

"It seems I've entered a new phase in my life."

He had thought about these things.

But in reality, all things considered, he has only been in this world for less than three years.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye, and he has accomplished more than enough.

The past three years have been so interesting and wonderful. I went from being a tourist on a fairy tale adventure to a participant, and finally became a part of the fairy tale, a real wizard.

He didn't want to live a fast-paced life like he did in his previous life; that kind of fatigue was truly exhausting.

Now, someone comes over to remind him, "Hey buddy, keep going, don't stop!"

Cintina (the wronged fairy) tilted her head and thought for a moment, then asked a very interesting question, "What do you hope your future life will be like?"

Lockhart raised an eyebrow, turned around, and smiled. "Passionate, romantic, and fun."

very nice.

He immediately had the answer.

"Actually, wizards aren't really human." Cintina handed over a cup of black tea. "At least that's how I've observed them. Wizards are more like monsters driven by emotions."

"From this perspective, wizards are actually closer to dark magic creatures, then magical creatures, and finally human Muggles."

She recounted her observations and studies over this period, stating, "Among the powerful emotional monsters of wizards, without exception, they all tend to smear the world wantonly, like a blob of ink in a water tank."

"Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Voldemort, they were all essentially doing things recklessly. The impact they had was that they harmed the interests of some people and helped the interests of others, but they didn't really care about these things. They were just doing what they thought was right and meaningful."

She smiled at Lockhart, "You really are different from them."

Lockhart sipped his tea, blinked, and said, "Different?"

Cintina nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "It's more like a Muggle's mindset, but not just any Muggle. You think about things on a larger scale, and then you might choose not to do certain things because they're too troublesome, feeling that these things will become the heaviest burden in your heart."

Lockhart smiled slightly, feeling that Cintina truly understood him.

"As I grew up, I was taught a lot about dragon-slaying techniques—" He fell into reminiscence, a pleasant smile appearing on his face. "I actually have a completely different understanding of the direction that wizarding society needs to take compared to Dumbledore and Grindelwald."

"But you're right, that's not something one person can change, and I don't want my life to be in a brutal struggle; I'm actually not good at that."

He shrugged. "I crave romantic fairy tales and look forward to a passionate life."

"After I became a wizard, I kept thinking about what I should do. I knew it was time to do something, but I always had some hesitation in my heart."

Cintina looked up into his eyes and asked, "So, you already have your answer?"

"Yes!"

Lockhart turned to look out the window in the direction of Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "That means giving up those things I think are right but are burdensome. That's not my responsibility. What I need to do is simple: make some things interesting, things that I find interesting, and that's enough!"

Thanks to Rita's reminder, he finally made up his mind.

Now that I've become a wizard, I might as well become an emotion monster.

Don't worry about things that are meaningless.

Go, paint this world according to your own preferences.

Who knows what the future holds? Maybe it will become romantic, beautiful, and interesting?

Go ahead and try it, let your mind run wild—that's the meaning of becoming powerful after time travel.

Around noon, an owl delivered the letter.

This is the greatest significance of Lockhart Tower. No one can easily bypass Lockhart's private territory to walk around freely anymore. Many kinds of magic are prohibited, and the best way to contact Lockhart is by letter or telephone.

Grindelwald obviously wouldn't make the call.

Yes, this is a letter from Grindelwald, inviting him to participate in a meeting.

There were only three participants in the meeting: the two of them and Dumbledore.

This is clearly another extremely important meeting.

The meeting place was located in the southwest corner of the New Age Basin, on a small hill near Durmstrang’s outer mountains, in a wizard’s spire building with a unique Amazonian style.

When Lockhart arrived, he found house-elves, centaurs, and giants repairing the building. A brand-new sign hung at the entrance that read: "Tea Room of the Three Headmasters."

"This will be our meeting place from now on. We can't always go to Albus's office."

Grindelwald's voice came from behind, clearly indicating that he had just arrived as well.

As they spoke, the two of them looked up at the same time and were shocked to find a huge black Pegasus spreading its enormous bat-like wings and approaching.

Thestrals, known as the mount of death, can only be seen by wizards who have witnessed death, and were Dumbledore's favorite mount.

After Old Deng dismounted from the Thestral, he looked up at the somewhat dilapidated spire and then at Grindelwald with a puzzled expression.

"What I brought from the Amazon was an abandoned building. Two local families had been fighting over it for almost two hundred years, and I put an end to that dispute for them." Grindelwald beckoned the two inside.

Lockhart's expression was strange. "They're just diverting their hatred; they're collectively targeting you."

Grindelwald chuckled. "No, at most they can only hate the local Ministry of Magic. The Ministry gave it to a pure-blood family that it owed as compensation. They can't blame that family, let alone the pure-blood family for what they gave us."

There's a reason why we've been robbed for two hundred years.

Lockhart quickly sensed a fresh and vibrant atmosphere, as if everything here was full of life. "I love it here!"

"Come more often if you like," Grindelwald said meaningfully, leading everyone to the top of the spire.

The top floor is not large, only enough to fit three single sofas and a round table. Above it is a curved, pleated spire resembling a wizard's hat with windows on three sides.

"Let's get down to business." Dumbledore said wearily as he took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and sank deeper into the sofa.

He's been incredibly busy lately: the New Era Basin planning, news from the Purifiers, the impact of Tom's attack, and numerous matters related to the Triwizard Tournament —

He was over a hundred years old, and no matter how much his soul could be revitalized, it could not conceal the aging of his physical body.

The spire was indeed peculiar; he unusually made himself appear less dignified, lounging lazily on the sofa, seemingly not wanting to say much.

"The matter to be discussed is very simple."

Grindelwald pulled out three bottles of cola from the side, tossed one to Dumbledore, and chuckled, "Muggle drink, give it a try, you'll like it."

Lockhart took it with great curiosity, and wow, it was chilled.

puff~

He skillfully pulled open the can, gulped down a mouthful, and then habitually placed it on the table. Seeing the two people looking at him curiously, he shrugged and said, "Its deliciousness comes from the first bite."

That's at least how you feel when you've had too much to drink.

"Looks like you've had your fill of this." Grindelwald was clearly curious about how fluently he used it, and at Dumbledore's prompting, he began today's topic.

"I hope we can reach a consensus and work together to make the New Age Basin more accessible by transportation, such as by opening up connections between the station and the Floo Network of the Ministry of Magic around the world."

Lockhart was taken aback. "What's there to discuss?"

Dumbledore, however, sat up straight, his gaze fixed on Grindelwald. "You know that even if I created this station, it would only affect trains in Europe!"

Grindelwald smiled and simply answered Lockhart's question, "I guess you rarely use the Floo network, but you should know that the Floo networks of different countries' Ministries of Magic are not interconnected. To use the Floo network across borders, you must apply to the Ministry of Magic, and the procedures are complicated."

Lockhart realized what was happening. "Yeah, I found out when I went to America. It's very troublesome."

"But that's understandable; the Ministry of Magic's control over traffic makes it easier to manage."

Grindelwald sneered. "This is the most foolish thing about modern wizarding society: wizards plan their territories according to the boundaries of Muggle kingdoms. I didn't think there was anything wrong with this before, until decades later when I was released from prison, and the biggest problem was so blatantly exposed to me."

"The large-scale emergence of Muggle wizards means that they naturally bear the imprint of the Muggle society and nation from which they originated. Many of them even harbor hatred towards each other because of their nationality, which is a problem that did not exist in wizarding societies before."

Lockhart dismissed it, saying, "That's normal. No one should forget where they came from, the land that gave them everything they have."

"Muggle mentality!" Grindelwald scoffed. "So every wizard nowadays inevitably carries the Muggle political mindset of the Muggle kingdom they live in."

"Wizards weren't like this before."

"What's even more frightening is that these wizards, who distinguish their groups based on their own Muggle kingdoms, are constantly reinforcing the barriers between the Ministries of Magic of different countries."

understood.

Lockhart understood; it was that same old topic again: "the magic school-centric system replacing the Ministry of Magic-centric system."

"You should not ignore this problem."

"The Muggle world is barely in a peaceful era right now," Grindelwald said with a serious expression, holding his Coke. "When Muggles break out into a global war again like they did decades ago, you'll find that the conflicts among students in schools will no longer be about pure-blooded Muggles, but rather national conflicts stemming from the conflicts between different Muggle nations."

"These conflicts will eventually burn like flames toward the Ministry of Magic, the International Confederation of Wizards, and ultimately the Muggle world."

""

Dumbledore frowned in thought, and finally asked, "What are your thoughts?"

"To promote the integration of wizards and prevent the Muggle wizards from becoming too numerous and dragging Muggle warriors into the warrior ranks, which would lead to chaos in the world." Grindelwald clearly knew how to persuade Dumbledore.

"To change the way of life that is based on the national ministries of magic, so that everyone on the planet can travel directly to the New Age Basin from their fireplace, whether it's the Land of Light or Antarctica!"

Lockhart clicked his tongue. "And then, when the New Age Basin descends into chaos, we're forced to establish a governing body to maintain order? Even to put the Auror teams responsible for the Triwizard Tournament directly under management, ultimately draining the Auror organizations of each nation's Ministry of Magic?"

Grindelwald looked Lockhart up and down with obvious surprise. "I didn't expect you to be so talented!"

As he spoke, he shrugged nonchalantly, "If you all feel this is necessary, we can start discussing some regulations in advance to avoid being caught off guard by the chaos that follows the opening of the New Era Basin to the world."

Oh my god~

How did you manage to subtly and directly make the entire world revolve around the three-way competition?

Lockhart was truly impressed.

Let me guess~

He looked at the two bigwigs in front of him, "After this top three competition, there will be people from Baduo eager to enter our school, right? After all, with the opening of international transportation, people from Baduo can directly witness the excellence of the competitors, and then our school can start expanding its enrollment?"

In wizarding society, not every young wizard has the opportunity to attend a magic school.

Although Hogwarts students may have the misconception that they will receive an acceptance letter delivered by an owl when they reach a certain age, this is actually only something that Hogwarts can influence.

For example, there are no magic schools in Haiti.

The wizards who come from there are all taught by someone who is similar to a tribal priest. In the past, it was Mrs. Mary who was in charge of teaching them. She called the Haitian wizards "Mother Mary".

Lockhart had looked into this issue. The wizard currently in charge of teaching the young Haitian wizards was a male wizard, Mary's former apprentice, who was said to have some achievements in Legilimency magic.

There are many, many places like Haiti.

It's important to know that in the entire wizarding world, there are only 11 schools that are officially registered with the International Wizarding Federation.

Among these 11 schools, it is common for schools like Ilfamoni Magical School and the Magical Congress of the United States to have close ties.

One can imagine the negative impact some students in the U.S. Magical Congressional District might experience at school.

Recruiting students from all over the world would have a huge impact.

All of this will bring about tremendous changes, starting with the school board, which is responsible for providing school resources and is expected to undergo significant transformations.

They had no choice, after all, the principals of the three major schools were all magic masters, and magic was power; this was the new generation.

"I told you," Grindelwald said, raising his can of cola. "This three-way championship is destined to be the beginning of everything."

interesting!

Lockhart, always eager for excitement, found this amusing and, along with me, picked up a Coke and joined in.

So the two of them looked at Dumbledore.

Old Deng lowered his head in deep thought, clearly making some choices. Finally, under the expectant gazes of the two, he popped open the can of cola and raised it up.

"Cheers~"

"We don't need to announce it to the world. We just need to contact the local Ministries of Magic separately to grant them access to the Floo Network. They can't refuse this. It's all for the convenience of everyone watching the game."

Grindelwald described the difficulties of implementing this plan, "Then we can expect them to bring back The Witcher Weekly,

They brought back to them the Daily Prophet, the Duel Club newspaper, and other similar publications.

The next step is to assign tasks.

Even the simplest tasks still require someone to do them, and a slacker like Lockhart is already thinking about who he can get to do them for him.

Well, let the children have more opportunities to try and grow.

I believe Hermione, Draco, Percy, Cedric, and others would be very enthusiastic about this.

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