The slacker professor at Hogwarts

Chapter 377 Following in the Principal's Footsteps!

"Come, come, look here!"

It was a warm morning, and the headmaster of Beauxbatons was showing the vice-headmaster around the Potions classroom that had been specially prepared for him.

This far exceeded Voldemort's expectations.

Old Voltaire had expected to get only a small office, but Lockhart prepared an entire tall and magnificent standalone building for him.

It has to be said that when most people in the world harbored malice towards Voldemort, Lockhart's actions were truly heartwarming!

So heartwarming!

Voldemort glanced at Lockhart with a complex expression, as if looking at a ray of sunlight through a crack in a gloomy sky, before finally looking at the building.

Maintaining Beauxbatons' signature luxurious, retro, and romantic style, the building, perched on lush green hills, resembles a purple wizard's pointed hat. Bathed in sunlight, it shimmers with a mysterious silver glow.

According to Lockhart's flamboyant description, the building is even more romantic and beautiful at night—it looks like it's shrouded in a silver nebula. (Like a giant piedra.)

Beautiful!

Stepping inside, it looks more like a grand theater, with densely packed seats arranged in a trapezoidal shape, and a half-floor of seating on the second floor.

Directly in front of the podium, on the other side of the blackboard wall behind it, there is a small library and study filled with books and materials on potion science, herbalism, and magical zoology, as well as a laboratory with exquisite workbenches and storage cabinets and shelves for various potion materials.

"I convinced Professor Audrey Flamel to open the Great Hall, which the school built for the legendary wizard Nicolas Flamel, to you for use, and mobilized all the school's resources related to Potions —"

Lockhart recounted his efforts in this area, saying, "I read your manuscript on potions, and the wisdom within it astonished me. I was also impressed by your unreserved dissemination of knowledge and wisdom. I believe you deserve the best."

Voldemort silently looked at the building, quietly reaching out to touch each seat in the aisle, walking all the way to the podium, and finally turning to look at the now empty seats.

He could feel a sense of desolation in life, where all that remained of the bustling world was the tranquility of the magic school.

He could also sense a vibrant energy.

here!

This will be the starting point for everything!

He had fantasized about such a scene.

He eagerly sought out Hogwarts Headmaster Armando Dippet, hoping to volunteer as a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, but was politely declined on the grounds that he was "not old enough".

Later, when he was fully grown up, with enough life experience and his magical abilities reached their peak, it was the most energetic and powerful time of his life. He thought that no one could refuse the request of a young, newly promoted magic master, just to become the professor of a certain class.

However, the succeeding headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, still refused him.

now!

Everything seemed to be heading down the path he had envisioned in his youth—not relying on the fools and madmen of the pure-blood families, but towards a more honorable path of ambition.

On this road, Gilderoy Lockhart, who was blocking his way, was not enough to make him worry.

The path he had envisioned led him to what he considered an even more powerful Dumbledore!

Everything began.

Right in front of you!

"I like it very much," Voldemort said.

"I'm glad you like it." Lockhart smiled at him. "Your book will take a little while to be published. You know, Dumbledore needs to review some of the content; it's a necessary process."

Voldemort's expression darkened with anger, but he simply lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Dumbledore —

as always!

Everything seems to have returned to its original starting point.

Everything has changed again. He is no longer the young man who still harbors some enthusiasm. His life has long been as heavy as a silent, icy lake, enough to hold any emotion.

It's already pretty good, isn't it?

In Tom Riddle's name, let's start afresh!

Lockhart wasn't there with Voldemort reminiscing about life in the new Potions classroom when an unexpected person visited him.

Elrian Greengrass, editor of The Wizarding Weekly.

He brought two long lists: one for those on the Beauxbatons campus who were not entirely committed, and another for those in the North.

The two wizarding worlds of America and South America are searching for a list of pure-blood families and powerful factions that can provide support.

Lockhart looked at them with some confusion, then exclaimed in astonishment, "You betrayed Grindelwald?"

The information contained here was enough to drive Voldemort, who was eager to amass power, mad. It described the needs of each individual and group and the help they could offer.

Especially regarding Beauxbatons, many of these people are clearly extensions of Grindelwald's influence at the school.

"How could I possibly betray Grindelwald!" Elijah Greengrass blew on his beard, clearly annoyed. "I'm over a hundred years old, what ambition could I possibly have that would require me to do such a thing!"

so----

These were given to me by Grindelwald.

When did Old G become so kind? He used to frequently interfere in Beauxbatons and build influence in the North American wizarding society, and now he's actually planning to give those things away to me?

It can't be —

"Grindelwald left you a message." Elian Greengrass cleared his throat, mimicking Grindelwald's tone, and said, "Young man, don't go to extremes."

really!

Lockhart's expression turned strange.

Old Ge, such a powerful dark wizard, was actually frightened by him?

ha~

That's really interesting.

Grindelwald surely didn't think that the methods he used to deal with Voldemort would one day be used on him and Dumbledore.

Two wise figures left behind in the wizarding world?

Hmm~~~

interesting!

Lockhart nodded to Elrian Greengrass. "Tell him to rest assured. I'm a positive person; I've won the Wizarding Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award eight times."

Greengrass, the editor-in-chief of The Wizarding Weekly, couldn't keep his composure any longer and replied with a slightly comical expression, "Yes, I will relay your words to Lord Grindelwald as they are."

The list provided by Grindelwald is invaluable.

Lockhart summoned his core members from the school and initiated a leadership discussion.

Deputy Principal's Office (Vice Principal), Cintina Lockhart (the Wrongfully Killed Fairy).

Audrey Flamel, Director of School Affairs (Vice Principal), Professor of Etiquette, and Professor of Modern Mysticism.

Severus Snape, Director of the Office of Student Power Guidance (Vice Principal), Professor of Potions, and Duel Instructor at the Fairy Tale Adventure Training Grounds.

Remus Lupin is the Director (Vice Principal) of the Office of Educational Coordination for the "Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations" system and the Professor of Defense Against Dark Magic.

Including Tom Riddle, the vice-principal and professor of potions who deals with the Board of Trustees, the Ministries of Magic of various countries, and other organizations, there are a total of five vice-principals in the school, each in charge of one of Beauxbatons’ five core areas.

Okay, it should be four directions.

The things Voldemort is doing now should have been Cintina's job. She is indeed involved in these matters of communicating with external forces, but she can't replace Voldemort at the moment.

However, a clear framework has already been established.

Today, the students of Beauxbatons are clearly divided into two groups. Most of them are selected to receive basic education for the "Ordinary Wizarding Level Examination," which the students themselves privately refer to as the "Lower House" and the "Inner House."

Those who easily passed the exams and showed great potential were admitted to the Upper House to receive a higher level of education.

It will develop in three directions:

"Professions for the Ultimate Wizarding Level Exam" (such as Percy, Cedric, etc.).

"Students with special talents in a particular subject" (such as Newt and Luna).

The curriculum also includes "Life Skills" instruction, focusing on magic for practical life and work (such as more advanced cleansing and repair spells). The aim is not to train housewives, but to cultivate high-level technical personnel for various organizations.

Currently, there are very few students in these three areas at Beauxbatons.

The teaching tasks of the several vice-principals who also serve as subject professors are actually very light, more like a teaching model of mentoring a few scattered apprentices.

For example, Voldemort only had one student, Fleur Delacour.

However, some changes have occurred.

Lockhart planned to hand over all the Potions courses at the school to Voldemort, allowing him to establish a complete educational framework from beginner to master, so as to accumulate experience in master-level Potions teaching system for the school.

Just stay at school and do your job properly!

Life is so long, it's not a big deal to work a few more years or take a few more years to reflect, right?

"The prophet Gellert Grindelwald described to me and Dumbledore this vision of the future—"

Lockhart started the conversation when the house-elves served tea and pastries.

He said that with the outstanding performance of the contestants in the Triwizard Tournament, which far surpasses that of their peers, the huge influence of the competition, and the siphon effect of the New Age Basin as an important activity location in the future wizarding world, our three magic schools will usher in a very lively enrollment and transfer boom.

"Little wizards from all over the world will flock here."

"African, Antarctic, North American, South American —"

"As a result, our three schools will have to expand because of this trend."

"We need more professors, more venues, more resources, more board members who can provide resources, and even schools should be able to independently build some teaching material supply sites."

Lockhart shrugged. "For example, the most basic ingredient in potions, aconite, we'd better have a plantation for it."

"Of course, the three universities can complement each other's industries because of their different terrains and climates."

"So our students are in luck. They can apply to the school and, after passing certain assessments, participate in the school's industries after graduation."

Audrey Flamel astutely grasped the crux of the matter and asked, "Do these properties belong to the school or the board of trustees?"

Lockhart raised an eyebrow. "The school is responsible for management, but ownership is divided according to the actual situation, such as board members who provide special exclusive resources, professors who possess exclusive technologies, and persons in charge who are willing to sign long-term contracts, etc."

"But please remember that, in order to avoid impacting the fragile commercial status of contemporary wizards, the output of these industries is only supplied to schools for teaching purposes."

This is just the beginning. According to Deng Xiaoping's usual practice, these things should be done slowly.

Eventually, the Board of Trustees was gradually replaced by the Council of Elders, which brought together the world's elite wizards.

"We need to analyze each situation specifically. For example, we don't need to build a separate breeding farm for the materials that fire dragons can provide; we can simply cooperate with other fire dragon breeding farms."

Of the several vice principals, Audrey Lemaître and Severus Snape clearly had their own ideas, which Lockhart could sense.

"The above are the opinions of Dumbledore and Grindelwald."

Lockhart smiled at everyone, "But I have some different ideas."

"This idea has actually been around for a long time."

"But I've been worried about whether it's the right fit."

His gaze fell upon the fairytale-like, romantic buildings outside the school seen through the floor-to-ceiling window, and he murmured, "I think you all know that my greatest skill is not any kind of spell, but rather dark magic creature defense magic, and the even deeper field of dark magic creature breeding."

"My research has never stopped."

From the wondrous experience of casting spells to the wizard's journey of enhancing magical power —

"From the biggest difference between wizards and Muggles—the ability to have offspring with magical creatures possessing magical powers—to the fact that some pure-blooded individuals are naturally endowed with magical powers similar to those of magical creatures—"

"I proposed the fairy tale theory, and along the life state and accumulation of spellcasters, I have studied the relationship between magical life and wizarding life in the realm of magic —"

"Now I've heard another interesting theory: the extraordinary, the mysterious, the legendary. This has greatly enriched my understanding of the magical world."

"This further solidified my resolve to pursue the path of magic."

"Wizards turn to magic, and magic will naturally turn to wizards."

Lockhart turned to look at everyone, "Actually, the current system of separating the upper and lower houses in Beauxbatons is not so reasonable. Of course, many people see the benefits of doing so. Children who are not talented enough can learn basic knowledge better, so that they will not become the worst wastes in the wizarding world after graduation."

"But that doesn't actually align with my principles."

"I value talent and know its importance—talent from bloodlines, innate talent, and talent from personality. Therefore, I choose to teach children differently based on their individual circumstances, so that they can receive an education that is more suitable for them."

"But talent isn't everything; the fairy tale theory brought this unexpected turn of events."

"Magic is life, and life is magic. The magic in your hands is your life."

"The core of the fairy tale theory does not contain any mention of talent."

Lockhart turned his gaze to the vice-principals. "I think my first personally taught apprentice can attest to this. If Crabbe hadn't been influenced by me, he should be in the Lower House, receiving education for the Common Wizarding Rank exams, instead of showing his talent now."

"So I've been thinking about whether we should fully apply fairy tale theory to our school, not just as a fairy tale adventure trial ground."

"Instead, it goes deeper, incorporating a more magical wizarding life into the young wizards' school experience."

"For example, the school industry that Grindelwald and Dumbledore suggested."

"I think there must be some people who are particularly passionate about fire dragons and will participate in the cooperation project between the school and the fire dragon breeding farm, allowing them to have more contact with fire dragons, which will completely change their lives."

"And magic, perhaps, will blossom in their hands."

"I believe that the 'mastery' of magic that Dumbledore expects his students to explore will manifest here."

"Maybe it's an extinguishing spell, maybe it's a cleaning spell to deal with dragon droppings, maybe it's a cutting spell to collect dragon keratin, who knows?"

Everything has its advantages and disadvantages; a wizard only spends a short seven years studying at a magic school in his entire life.

By spending more time and energy on these matters, they will naturally spend less time and energy in the classroom.

but----

Does every wizard really need to know how to concoct Felix Felicis? Does every wizard really need to know the Transfiguration Charm? Does every wizard really need to know how to deal with ghouls?

No, some wizards may never need this in their entire lives.

In other words.

A problem was placed before Lockhart.

Is it more important to provide general education across all disciplines, or to guide wizards onto the path of magic?

Lockhart's mindset from his past life had always prevented him from making such an attempt; he knew the importance of general education.

But as he explored magic himself, he came to believe that embarking on the path of magic was more important than anything else.

The school can help with this, and that's enough. The young wizards can learn the rest on their own. Interest will be the best teacher, and magic will guide them into the future.

This is a wizard's way of thinking.

Lockhart has now made his choice!

Give it a try!

This is his school, this is his fairytale adventure, this is everything he can bring to more people!

Instead of following Dumbledore's old path, which led to a decline in the quality of students at the magic school.

Just as you led Crabbe to magic, lead more people to magic, and they will naturally seek their own way out.

"How about involving students in these industries?" Audrey Lemaître pondered the possibility.

"Yes, it's a shift in teaching methods, from learning from books to professors leading hands-on practice that integrates into daily life," Lockhart explained.

Audrey made a connection, "This sounds more like old-fashioned apprenticeship, right? The kind of hands-on teaching that ancient wizards did."

"It's different. What we're pursuing is the romance of fairytale adventure; that's our goal," Lockhart said with a smile. "It's not about canceling regular classroom education. I think the unique student power of Beauxbatons provides the most solid foundation for such a change."

"It will exist as an extracurricular activity."

Audrey understood. "When I was in school, I wished I had more time to study alchemy instead of wasting time learning divination and astronomy, which were meaningless to me."

Snape and Lupin clearly felt the same way.

"I had to seek help from the young masters of pure-blood families. They could provide me with spaces where I could brew potions for longer periods without interruption. You know, many complex potions require at least several months to brew."

Snape spoke of these things with great emotion, saying, "If the school had been willing to provide some support back then, everything would have been different."

""

At least he could produce remarkable results in potions during his most creative period, proving to the world that he wasn't just a villain who liked dark magic.

If Hagrid and Newt had been supported in having their own magical creature enclosure established somewhere in the Forbidden Forest while they were studying, perhaps they could have stayed at the academy and improved even more.

There are too many cases like this, including the Weasley twins.

"I have something to add."

Lupin, who had always been quiet, also had his own views. Compared to Audrey, a scholar who came from the Academy and stayed there all her life, and Snape, whose life was largely composed of the Academy and war, Lupin's life was more intertwined with wizarding society.

"I've met many wizards, and I've made a strange discovery."

Lupin rarely expresses his opinions casually, which makes his words always take others seriously.

"Many wizards who are not particularly powerful have had the experience of casting spells without a spell. This is not because they have mastered the art of silent spells, but because they are particularly familiar with one or two spells."

"These one or two spells weren't specifically practiced, but rather they appeared in their lives all along. After going through a long life phase, they naturally didn't need to chant spells anymore, and some could even perform them without a wand."

"I don't know if any of you have been to Egypt, or Africa?"

"In some tribes far from the city-states, many old shamans can cast the Water Spring Spell without incantation, or even spells without a staff."

"Because of that arid land, this magic has become an indispensable part of their lives for decades."

Lupin smiled slightly. "I think this is the best interpretation of what Professor Lockhart meant when he said, 'The magic in your hands is your life.'"

"I agree with Lockhart's hands-on, step-by-step approach to learning and teaching, which is conducive to a magical life. With the guidance of professors, young wizards will probably find it easier to complete this process and cast spells without wands or sound."

"It also makes it easier to understand from this spell what control is," and what "magic is life, and life is magic" means, thus gaining a clearer understanding of one's own magical path."

Lockhart looked at the group of people. He had expected his proposal to be opposed, but to his surprise, everyone agreed with it.

This made him burst into laughter.

"good!"

"That's what we'll do!"

"To hell with exam-oriented education! We at Beauxbatons are going for an education system that guides wizards onto the path of magic!"

"I want every one of our students to find their own direction in life, just like Crabbe did!"

"Gentlemen!"

Lockhart looked at everyone with great enthusiasm, "This is an adventure. In the future, Beauxbatons might become the worst school because its students might struggle to obtain the fundamentals required for rigorous certifications like Auror Healer. But Beauxbatons might also become the greatest school because we will produce the most outstanding wizards in the wizarding world, even the greatest magic masters!"

"You will either be remembered in history alongside me, or you will be infamous for eternity!"

Audrey Flamel stood up with a serious expression, as if suppressing her excitement. "Follow the headmaster's lead!"

Snape, Lupin, and Cintina also stood up, "Following in the Headmaster's footsteps!"

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