A Certain Magical Hogwarts

Chapter 294 Dumbledore's Azkaban

"I was so stupid, really."

During Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Lockhart raised his lifeless eyes and continued.

"I only knew that Bushmills whisky was very strong and that you shouldn't drink too much at once, but I didn't know that adding wine would make you drunk so easily..."

"During the banquet, I returned to my office and was preparing lessons alone when the leader of the dwarves knocked on my door and said that his brother was missing."

I went to ask around, and sure enough, there was no such place.

I panicked and rushed out to look for him. After the banquet ended, I searched high and low until I found my bedroom, where I saw his clothes lying by the door.

The dwarfs all said, "Oh no, we've probably been attacked."

When I went back in, he was indeed lying on the bed, his clothes stripped off, tied to the bed, and his hand tightly clutching my autograph…”

Lockhart then could only sob, unable to utter a coherent sentence.

Ever since that day Lockhart drank the love potion given to him by Snape and made love with the dwarf... he has become the way he is now.

The students below listened to Lockhart's story while yawning.

At first, people would shed a few tears of sympathy.

As the number of times increased, no one wanted to hear Lockhart's stories anymore, and even Marietta, who loved him the most, found them boring.

But this did not stop Lockhart from repeatedly recounting the events and observing everyone's reactions.

A qualified writer must know which version of the story is more likely to evoke tears and interest in readers!

Lockhart wants to turn pain into strength, artistically rewriting his personal experiences and adding them to his new book.

The protagonist of the story is no longer himself, but has been transformed into Snape.

Snape became a victim of the Dryads of Blood during the attack by the Troublemaker Dwarfs!

This is Lockhart's unique way of getting revenge!

If you can't beat the evil Snape, then take a pen and... write him to death!

Wow, what a tough and resolute Englishman!

After class, Lockhart stopped William.

"What's wrong, Professor?" William asked, puzzled.

"How's my shampoo?" Lockhart asked anxiously, rubbing his hands together.

"The feedback isn't very good..." William said after a moment's thought.

There's no feedback... The shampoo is either being purified or being improved by adding various ingredients.

But we certainly can't tell Lockhart that, since William is after all trying to get something for nothing, only targeting one sheep.

Let's fleece him bald first!

"What should we do? We've already given away so many bottles!"

Lockhart panicked upon hearing this, his heart bleeding – those were all glittering Galonnais!

Over the years, he's braved wind and rain, gathering material and writing novels everywhere. He even got attacked by dwarves at Hogwarts... Is it easy for him to earn such a meager living?

"Don't be in such a hurry," William said. "This is called scarcity marketing; we're losing money to gain publicity!"

First, spread the free shampoo around. Once everyone gets used to it being free and can't live without it, we'll suddenly raise the price and fleece them!

I'm a professional!

"That makes sense..." Lockhart nodded slightly, then hesitated for a moment. "But you just said the feedback wasn't good."

"That's because the feedback wasn't good in the British Isles. The wizards on these islands are all country bumpkins who don't know their stuff. Otherwise, why are there so many bald guys?" William said, half-jokingly.

"That makes sense..." Lockhart was afraid of going bald, which is why he developed shampoo so early.

As the saying goes: "You can tell what a person will be like at three, what they will be like at seven, and what they will be like for life at twelve."

Based on Lockhart's years of experience, many of the young wizards at this school will go bald later in life.

For example, someone whose hair is always perfectly styled and shiny... Malfoy!

He was exactly twelve years old; Lockhart could never have misjudged him.

What Lockhart couldn't understand the most was Dumbledore.

Judging from the principal's hair texture, he should have gone bald in middle age, so how come in his old age... not only has his hair grown back, but it's also long and flowing?

He had never heard of a magic potion that could cure baldness, which was a terminal illness.

The principal must be wearing a wig!

William continued his deception: "British wizards don't know what's good, but let me tell you, the Russians especially love your shampoo."

They love explosions, they love excitement, the more dangerous the better.

And those wizards in Northern Europe... Do you know Karkaroff, the headmaster of Durmstrang Academy of Magic?

He wrote to me saying he absolutely loved this shampoo.

"You know Karkaroff?" Lockhart asked in surprise.

"We met, and we hit it off immediately, calling each other brothers. He even invited me to study at his school."

What did he say about my shampoo?

"He said that washing his chest hair makes it especially smooth, and he even wanted to invite you, the inventor, to wash it with him."

"..." Lockhart rubbed his butt, which brought back some unpleasant memories.

"Oh, right, William, I have a few boxes of shampoo left. Take them with you later!"

"That's not a good idea, Professor. I'm not that kind of person."

"We're like family, don't stand on ceremony with me."

Just then, an owl flew over.

William was taken aback; it was Rita's owl.

He apologized, walked to a corner, took the letter, and opened the envelope.

William frowned as he read the intelligence in the letter.

"What's wrong, William? Who sent it?" Lockhart asked with a smile.

William smiled and looked at Professor Lockhart meaningfully.

"It's nothing, I just suddenly realized that the professor... is very impressive, and he's really hiding his true abilities."

……

……

Principal's Office.

Dumbledore crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"Where did you get your information, William?" he asked softly.

"Hmm... well..."

"You don't have to say."

"I got it from Rita; I caught her doing something wrong," William said vaguely.

"You were talking about her at Christmas, right?"

“That’s right.” William nodded. “But now is not the time to talk about Rita, Professor. We’re talking about Hagrid!”

"Hagrid's problem isn't a major problem in the grand scheme of things," Dumbledore said calmly.

"But Lockhart reported Hagrid for opening the Chamber of Secrets, so he's going to be taken to Azkaban, and Fudge said he'd send in Aurors..."

"This should have happened six months ago," Dumbledore said.

"When the Chamber of Secrets was first opened, Fudge wrote to me to arrest Hagrid and take him to Azkaban, but I suppressed it."

"I see... So that means there's no way to salvage the situation?"

"No." Dumbledore shook his head, his gaze passing through his half-moon spectacles.

"William, you should learn more about our minister; you'll have to deal with him sooner or later."

"What do you mean?"

"I have already submitted your name as the UK youth representative for Wissengamo."

"I thought it was just a casual remark."

"Fudge was just saying it casually, but I took it seriously, and I happen to be the chief magician of Wizengamo, so I need your help!"

William didn't seem to care much. "Let's talk about this minister instead."

Dumbledore pushed up his glasses and said softly, "Folke is a politician at heart. When things happen, he likes to habitually shift the blame and push responsibility onto others."

With the attack on Hogwarts, he will definitely succumb to the pressure and take Hagrid away.

I suppressed his anger for a while, but I couldn't embarrass him too much; after all, I'm not the Minister of Magic.

He had long harbored resentment towards me, always feeling that I was trying to seize his power.

"Why didn't you become Minister of Magic... You're definitely better than him," William said, puzzled.

Dumbledore remained silent for a long time.

"William, I'm not bragging, but the position of Minister of Magic has been offered to me not just once, but many times."

But I refused them all; I knew I couldn't be given power.

Why?

"Because I did some wrong things when I was young, really bad, really desperate things... I hurt a child, a child similar to your sister Anne."

"That incident proved that power is my weakness, my temptation... I swore an oath... to be a teacher at Hogwarts for the rest of my life."

Dumbledore stared silently out the window, lost in thought for a long time.

William also stood there, lost in thought.

He suddenly realized that the man in front of him, who was in pain, was actually an old man with white hair, over a hundred years old.

People always habitually let Dumbledore stand in the front, to shield him from the wind and rain.

William couldn't help but comfort her:

"Professor, if that child could see how great you are now, he would forgive you."

"Yes," Dumbledore said, tears streaming down his face. "That child has always been so gentle; she would surely forgive me with a smile... but I cannot forgive myself!"

"I don't deserve to be forgiven either. Hogwarts... is my Azkaban."

William opened his mouth, but found himself speechless. He stood up and, across the table, patted the old man's broad shoulder reassuringly.

The scene was strange and tragic.

……

……

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(End of this chapter)