From Azkaban to Hogwarts.

Ron shouted it out. Hermione was clearly telling them to spy, which was definitely something they'd get a beating for!

“So we have to be careful.” Hermione gave them a “good luck” emoji. “I have to go ask the professor. Maybe the detention will be lifted, and then I can help.”

-

"Professor William!"

William was stopped in the corridor by a dwarf, hired by Professor Lockhart.

"You've received a letter with music!" the dwarf announced, causing William's expression to change instantly.

What goes around comes around. He prepared a lot for others, and now Lockhart has actually prepared something for him.

No, not at all.

William gave a polite smile.

“Yes, Professor,” the dwarf said, looking at William and taking his violin from behind his back.

Almost instantly, William drew his wand and, with a slight tap, petrified the dwarf with a spell without attracting much attention.

'The Silent Charm is a good thing.' William used a Levitation Charm to hold the dwarf in place, then pretended nothing had happened and took the musical letter from the dwarf's hand—a musical greeting card would be fine, but this was a different story…

"The letter has been received. Thank you for delivering it." William took out a handful of candy and stuffed it into the dwarf's hand. Then, with a calm expression, he moved away from the dwarf before carefully dispelling his petrification spell and the levitation spell he used to immobilize himself.

'Let's go!' he told himself, then quickened his pace toward the other side of the corridor.

"The professor's advice was effective. If you ask me, the little dwarf Professor Lockhart hired was a bit too rude. He was only nice to the professor; he didn't listen to the students' opinions at all..."

Behind William, the students who dared not get too close began to whisper amongst themselves—they were too far away, and William had concealed his wand so well that they hadn't even noticed him casting a spell…

"I don't even know what the letter said—"

"Still asking! Do you think there aren't enough students in the professor's office?"

-

"Professor William, all the letters you asked us to deliver have been delivered."

In William's office, a new ghost tells him about the day's mail delivery.

"The students who received the letter were overjoyed—" she said happily. "Today was truly a very, very meaningful day. Eleven couples started kissing without even trying to hide it from anyone. It's so good to be alive!"

“Of course, there were also children sneaking into the bushes to talk, and there were even more,” she said with an envious look. “Although those children didn’t send or receive any letters, it still looked so heartwarming…”

……

The ghost talked on and on about the students she had seen at Hogwarts, her expression shifting between envy and blessing. William didn't interrupt and listened attentively.

“Oh! I’m sorry, Professor William,” she covered her mouth, “Good heavens, I almost forgot what you asked me to do.”

She hurriedly apologized, "Of the letters we sent out, seven, no, eight wizards instinctively avoided looking directly at the first glance—of course, this includes those who, as you said, showed signs of being uncomfortable with ghosts, which doesn't need to be excluded."

Their names are…

Lockhart?

William couldn't help but raise his voice.

"Professor Lockhart's reaction was also very strong? What would an explorer like him need to learn such advanced memory magic for?"

"Then we don't know."

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” William apologized, “please continue.”

"Are there only a few among the students?"

"Yes, Professor."

-

"Damn it, not only did I almost get beaten up, but they also completely excluded me from the list!"

"What list?"

“Ah, Professor Lockhart!” Ron greeted him warmly, pulling Harry aside to change the subject.

Read Chapter 213 carefully and study it well.

"Harry, don't you feel like something's wrong?"

After finally managing to get rid of Professor Lockhart with an excuse, Ron seemed to remember something and began to speak to Harry.

"What's wrong?"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief—Ron had tricked Lockhart into leaving by pretending the list contained the gifts and letters he had received, and Lockhart was half nervous and half shy, unable to think of anything else.

“It’s just that Professor Lockhart seems to have lost interest in you,” Ron said, staring at Harry. “He wasn’t like this before.”

"Is there?"

Harry countered with a question, then realized something was amiss—in the past, Ron's excuse would have only earned him a lecture, and it would have been impossible to persuade Professor Lockhart to leave so easily.

If Ron hadn't pointed it out, he would never have discovered it.

He was just grateful that Lockhart wasn't bothering him. That boy named Colin hadn't let him off the hook lately, and he almost got entangled with him again during the investigation today. Under these circumstances, how could he possibly suspect Lockhart, who had let him off the hook?

“That seems to be the case, but maybe he’s just gotten used to school life. After all, Professor Lockhart is an adult wizard now…” Harry tried to find an excuse for Lockhart. “Look, Professor Lockhart’s teaching is getting better and better, isn’t it?”

As if remembering something, Harry added, "Didn't you think Professor Lockhart was great back then?"

"great?"

Ron fell into deep thought. "What I said?"

"No, Harry, no!" Ron's voice rose, "Why do I have absolutely no memory of that time!"

"Because you forgot, child."

"Who?"

Ron immediately turned around, and what came into view was a pink robe.

"Good evening, Professor Lockhart." Ron put on a pitiful look, his hands behind his back becoming restless.

"Good evening, it's nice to see you again, Weasley," Lockhart greeted with a smile. "Although we just parted ways, I must say you gave me a big surprise."

“The original plan was completely disrupted... I originally planned to take action during my daytime shift, but you all know too much.” He frowned. “Once you found out, it was all over. We were originally going to wait a few more days before saying goodbye, but now this is all we can do.”

"You're dreaming, we—" all—

Ron shouted to attract attention, and Harry simultaneously drew his wand to launch a sneak attack, but Lockhart's attack was completed before Harry could finish the spell.

"Avoid your weapons."

Lockhart casually used a spell to remove Harry's wand, and easily followed up with a spell to remove Ron's wand—"I haven't had a chance to teach you this spell yet, but it's certainly useful, isn't it?"

“We can talk a little longer while no one’s around,” Lockhart said calmly, holding two wands. Then, before Harry could react, he cast a spell on Ron, “Oblivion.”

"Ron!"

“Don’t worry, child, it’s just like before, a part of his memory has been erased. He’ll be fine,” Lockhart said, pointing his wand at Harry. “Everyone will be alright, if you cooperate enough.”

How to cooperate?

Harry checked Ron's breathing, then forced himself to calm down.

“Let’s talk as we go, son.” Lockhart pointed his wand at Harry. “Don’t think about doing anything else. Losing your memory is not the same as losing your life.”

"He trusts you so much, Professor!"

“If there were true trust, there would be no such thing as a list, child.” Lockhart held his wand steadily—ever since being ambushed by that William, he had been on guard against any preemptive strikes from the wizards around him.

"Come over here, support him, yes, just like that, I promise you'll both be fine if you cooperate enough."

Lockhart's voice sounded behind Harry—he had complained countless times about how ridiculous the voice was, but now he could only hear the coldness in it, like…like those voices he had heard not long ago!

"You opened the secret room, Professor?"

“No, no, no,” Lockhart’s voice came calmly from behind. “You are very clever, but from today onwards, you are the one who will open the Chamber of Secrets—if you cooperate enough, tomorrow’s story will become Harry Potter secretly opening the Chamber of Secrets, but getting injured in a special ritual.”

'At least that way Ron will still be alive... If we cooperate, Ron can survive...'

"How can I trust you?" Harry forced himself not to turn around and punch the professor behind him.

“If you don’t live to take responsibility for what happened in the secret room, no one will believe you. Your being alive is the best proof—stop, come this way,” Lockhart whispered, then opened the secret passage.

"Petrify them all!"

The moment Harry stepped in, he was struck by the petrification spell.

Under Harry's puzzled gaze, Lockhart cast another spell on Ron and then hurriedly left.

'What's going on? What happened?'

He tried to shout, but no sound came out.

Various strange ideas surged in his mind, but were ultimately refuted one by one because of his immobile body.

In the end, he gave up on relying on himself and began to miss Hermione.

'Damn it, I can't move. Ron's passed out again. Hermione must have found out by now. She should be able to find the professor soon—'

“Sorry to keep you waiting, child.” Lockhart used his wand to control an object to float over. “Moving it was more difficult than I expected. I can’t let anyone know that her coming is related to me.”

Hermione!

“Calm down, kid,” Lockhart said, his tone even a little amused. “Your abnormality must have gone unnoticed by your companions, right? They were the only ones who could have been attacked by you.”

"How could Hermione have been ambushed by you..."

Harry was a little incredulous.

“She’s far inferior to those wizards,” Lockhart re-examined Ron, “not to mention she received a greeting card from me tonight, what a shame… I had to attack one of my loyal readers.”

“Their memories are sorted out, but unfortunately this secret passage can't be preserved afterward.” Lockhart finished the examination. “Wait a moment, see you later, Harry.”

Another petrification spell, and Harry was utterly desperate—'Now you're all I can rely on, the Weasleys!'

But the Weasley brothers did not appear until Lockhart reappeared.

“Let’s go, Harry.” Lockhart pointed his wand at Harry. “It’s just losing a memory and bearing the guilt of the Chamber of Secrets. In exchange for the lives of two friends, it’s a bargain.”

Such a threat was quite despicable, but quite effective—Harry didn't even consider running away.

He couldn't possibly gamble with his friend's life.