The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 366 Seaside City, Teacher Hans

Far from England, in the vast blue ocean, lies a rocky island that seems to have been forgotten by time.

The island is not large, but its sky is always overcast, never seeing the sun.

The gloomy sky was filled with leaden-gray clouds, which blocked out all the light, leaving this already desolate island devoid of any light or warmth.

Azkaban! This prison, which wizards fear to even speak of, stands on the island.

In the light punishment section, Lockhart huddled in a corner of the cell, numbly staring at the gloomy sky.

He has been here for a full year and 175 days.

From initially fantasizing about being rescued by fans, to gradually realizing the situation, and now to numbness... he has experienced too many changes.

Feeling the biting sea breeze blowing from afar, and hearing the sound of waves crashing against the rocks.

Loneliness is the eternal theme of Azkaban.

Lockhart leaned alone against the cold wall, and for the first time, he felt regret—regret for his past fame, glory, even the camera flashes…

The things I once cared about most now seem incredibly blurry... On the contrary, my school days, my campus life in the Ravenclaw Tower, are still vivid in my memory.

Every lesson, every moment, even the arguments and quarrels with Rita back then, are so vividly clear.

After silently calculating the time and feeling that the Dementors would not visit again, Lockhart activated his memory mode once more.

The scene was recreated, as if we had returned to Hogwarts once again.

Today, he returned to a spells class from his second year...

From a third-person perspective, he could clearly see Professor Flitwick on the podium demonstrating the Freezing Charm, and he, like the little wizards in the audience, was imitating him bit by bit...

He didn't know how many times this had happened, but being in Azkaban, he could only attend classes again and again, review the material again and again, and relive the ordinary and warm moments he had once taken for granted...

"The ground is frozen and the weather is freezing!"

The already cold and silent cell suddenly grew even colder, and the source of this chill was the opposite wall that Lockhart was pointing at.

As the incantation ended, a two-foot-sized patch of frost suddenly appeared on the opposite wall.

Spellcasting without a staff!

In the past, he would have definitely shown it to everyone at the right opportunity.

But now, all he wants is to find a stable job after his sentence is served, and to enjoy the ordinary life he once took for granted...

If possible, he also needs to apologize to Rita, a belated apology.

……

Tap! Tap tap~

At that moment, the sudden sound of footsteps broke the silence of Azkaban.

Sensing the footsteps heading in his direction, Lockhart slightly raised his head. His once flowing blond hair was now matted and stuck together, but his eyes were bright and alert.

"Gierod Lockhart! Your good news has arrived."

The guard, who was on duty, spoke up from a distance.

……

Accompanied by two batters, Lockhart looked back at Azkaban behind him, a sight that seemed to transport him to another world.

"Stop daydreaming! Do this well, and the minister might reduce your sentence!"

The striker standing nearby offered words of comfort; he had seen this scene many times before, and everyone who left Azkaban had the same expression.

"Just to make two Muggles forget about their daughter?"

Although Lockhart already knew his mission, he confirmed it again.

"It's not just forgetting, it's temporary forgetting! And there can't be any damage; it also has to be able to fully recover in the future."

The striker reiterated the instructions, emphasizing the suffix conditions. He was well aware of the importance of this mission; messing it up would hurt everyone.

"I understand!" Lockhart nodded silently after receiving an affirmative reply.

After a year and a half in prison, the Curse of Oblivion was etched into his soul.

……

Time flies like water.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Under Mrs. Pince's hesitant expression, Ino borrowed several books about the Blood Pact.

These past two days, he has been staying almost entirely in his former hospital room, leading a secluded life.

He called the suitcase in the dormitory, as well as Fide and Keribe who were wandering outside, to his side.

In a 10-square-meter hospital room.

After tidying everything up, Ino picked up his suitcase again, one red and one blue, with two phoenixes perched on his shoulders.

"I have to go now. Lockhart has taken care of things with your parents, so don't worry! There won't be any damage."

"Don't I need to come along?" Hermione asked slowly in mid-air.

"That's what I thought too, but the truth is you really can't go right now."

Ino shook his head slightly. Although Hermione had become a ghost, he wasn't sure if the Sanctuary would recognize it; otherwise, Voldemort's Horcruxes would be an example.

Of course, if Crabbe also became a ghost, that would be perfect for the experiment. But unfortunately, perhaps because he was the murderer, the castle did not accept Crabbe.

As for the other innocent ghosts, he really couldn't bring them into the experiment.

"Trust me! It will be soon," Ino promised.

In the world of stories and the world of magic, time always flows by in the blink of an eye.

"Yes! I believe you." Hermione nodded seriously.

After a brief farewell, under Hermione's watchful eye, Ino pulled out the irregular die and then crushed it forcefully.

……

Bathed in the morning sun, on the seashore.

At this moment, fishermen are busy moving about on the dock, dressed in linen clothes and wearing straw hats, either mending fishing nets or tidying up boats...

Although they were simply dressed, everyone had a satisfied smile on their face.

Looking past the fishermen at the dock, behind them stretched an endless city wall.

The ancient stone city wall, though weathered by sea winds and its surface mottled and covered with moss, still stands firm, like the most loyal guardian.

This is a coastal city.

Ino stood still, quietly looking around.

He placed the two phoenixes and Hermione's coffin in his suitcase.

After a brief moment of adjustment, Ino looked at a bitter tree not far away, under which sat a barefoot, blond middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man was wearing a large, plain-colored robe and was holding a winged harp about two feet in size.

At this moment, the other person is leaning against a tree trunk, strumming the strings of their harp while slowly gazing at the vast and magnificent sea.

Although the middle-aged man looked quite ordinary, his clear, bright eyes, coupled with a slightly melancholic air, always made him unforgettable.

Perhaps sensing something, the middle-aged man slowly turned his head when Ino looked at him.

"You've grown taller! How have you been these past few years?"

When the calm tone, like a gentle breeze, rang out again, Ino felt a long-lost peace.

"Not so good! But I'm so happy to see you again, Professor Hans."

(End of this chapter)