The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

Chapter 337 Lockhart's Attitude
Perhaps because Rita had expressed her doubts about Lockhart more clearly, or perhaps because the OWLs in June and the final exams that followed had put more pressure on students - that is, more pressure to put aside their studies and have casual conversations - people were obviously more interested in this report than in the previous one. Anthony heard them talking about Rita's report in different places throughout the morning.

"Betty, the guy who slandered Professor Lockhart in the newspaper is a Slytherin! They always lie!"

"Yes, they lie a lot, but sometimes they tell the truth!" The girl called Betty said loudly, causing the students passing by to look at her secretly, "I will not participate in that damn club activity anymore!"

"Coward! When everyone was praising Professor Lockhart, you said he was a great adventurer... and now you don't believe him just because of a reporter full of nonsense, a Slytherin with ulterior motives, and a psychopath pretending to be his admirer! I'm so ashamed of you!"

They nearly started a wizard duel in the corridor, but Anthony strode over and asked them what they were doing in a tone he had learned from Professor McGonagall, and after a long stare, nodded and told them to do what they wanted to do.

"No problem, Professor Anthony." Betty threw her bag and hair behind her back and said to her tearful friend, "You can go find Rose, Mia or Sofia who are not cowards. I don't care, but I have to go to the library because the OWLs exam is in a month, and I haven't studied hard for the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam yet!"

She stormed off.

"I feel really sorry for those who are going to take OWLs this year." A student standing nearby said to his friend bluntly, "Have you read the newspaper? About that Granger thing? I knew that only a deranged person would continue to worship Lockhart after the first class."

"Now that I think about it, I don't really understand how I got the Defense Against the Dark Arts certificate last year." The friend replied dimly, "To be honest, I don't think Quirrell or Snape are much better than Lockhart. It seems that every year's OWLs candidates are unlucky."

……

Anthony was not the only professor to have been involved in such a quarrel. He had learned from Professor Sprout that at least two or three couples in Hufflepuff had quarrelled over the matter, especially after members of Lockhart's club had tried to do something to show their support for Lockhart. As they spoke, Snape, looking livid, came over, and they learned that he had just thrown a student who was almost choking with tears to Madam Pomfrey, all because Snape had slightly - and quite reasonably, Snape pointed out - questioned the students' level of Defense Against the Dark Arts in class, politely doubting whether their professor had mentioned some necessary knowledge.

When lunch came, Anthony noticed that many people were glaring at Hermione at the Gryffindor table, while people near her seat were looking at her cautiously, as if she had suddenly grown a spinach beard. Even Harry and Ron beside her looked a little embarrassed, but they still glared back at those who were watching them until they looked away one by one and lowered their heads to eat.

Anthony was suddenly tapped on the shoulder.

"Good afternoon, Henry!" Lockhart called out, with a smile that was almost too bright. "You don't mind if I sit next to you?"

Before Anthony could answer, Lockhart pulled out a chair and sat down without saying anything. Anthony immediately felt people's eyes secretly flying towards him from all corners of the auditorium.

"Beef Wellington!" said Lockhart, beaming. "What a delight! Why, and grilled mushrooms, too. I think I might have some mushrooms, but I wouldn't touch that onion soup, Henry. I never much cared for onion soup. I always say that onions are the kind of thing that makes people cry, and I like to see people smile. Onion soup tastes like tears boiled in onions - and, by the way, how are you, Henry? Starving, I guess?" He chuckled at his own wit.

He wore a flowing wizard robe with gold-lined patterns on it. Whenever he moved, the golden patterns danced on the light blue satin like sunlight on the water waves, which matched his curly blond hair and blue eyes very well. When he reached over Anthony to get the plate of grilled mushrooms, Anthony could faintly smell a faint perfume on him.

"I'm a little hungry, but overall, everything is fine," Anthony replied.

"Great, Henry, that's great. I sometimes miss days like this... you know, ordinary days like this, without fame and the controversy that comes with it... just a passionate adventurer, his wand and endless adventures." Lockhart smiled a very beautiful, slightly melancholy smile and shook his head. "But let's not talk about this anymore. As the old saying goes, where there is gold, there are goblins. If a person has talent - real talent - he is destined to be famous. And, let me tell you, Henry, fame is a dangerous and fickle guy. You have to be very careful to live in peace with it... a bit like magical animals, isn't it?"

Anthony said, “Maybe.”

Lockhart's smile became very bright again. "Yes, Henry, I guess the reason why I am so good at dealing with this difficult guy is because I can also be said to be a master of magical animals. So, don't worry about me--" He blinked confidently and whispered, "A good adventurer is always ready to face any sudden challenges."

From the moment he sat down until dessert, Lockhart kept talking and talking. Professor Sinistra, who sat on Anthony's other side, stared at her plate and mechanically cut a fried pork chop (the dish closest to her). Anthony tried to talk to her, but she just mumbled something about the stars and sounded like she had just had an argument with a centaur. Finally, Anthony finished his applesauce as quickly as he could and stood up.

Lockhart raised his head and showed his shining teeth. "Then it's a deal."

"what?"

"Yes, Henry, you can leave it to me with confidence," said Lockhart. "I am happy to tell students how to get along with non-magical people in Serbia... In this regard, I dare say that there is no one more professional than me in the whole of Britain. I lived with them in a small town for more than two years and helped them deal with a fire dragon that wandered there - of course you have heard this story -"

"Uh, great—"

"The people there didn't trust me at first, but we became friends. The owner of the bakery even cried when I left. I heard that they put my name in the Hall of Fame, but I don't think it's something to brag about...Treat sincere friendship with a sincere heart..."

Anthony said, "Why don't you write down this experience, Professor Lockhart? It will definitely help the students more if you write it down." At least they would only get one or a few pieces of parchment instead of having to spend the entire class listening to Lockhart's endless story.

"That makes sense," laughed Lockhart. "And—" he wiped his mouth with his napkin and patted Anthony's arm affectionately (Anthony noticed that he had also finished his lunch), "you're a very cunning fellow, Henry."

Anthony glanced quickly at the door of the auditorium, wondering how he could leave without being noticed before another wave of chatter began.

"Don't worry, I rarely turn down requests from my enthusiastic readers. But I must say that even though I've heard countless reasons for wanting me to write more about certain experiences, the reason you gave is still one of the most reasonable."

Lockhart said, standing up and holding out his hand to indicate that they could leave the hall together.

As he stood up, the eyes that had been averted were instantly directed back. In this situation, if Anthony suddenly sat down, it would probably be too deliberate, so he had to follow him and watched Lockhart give a perfect smile to several students who said to him, "We believe you." As they passed the Gryffindor table, Hermione almost spilled her pumpkin juice, but Lockhart didn't even look in her direction.

"Oh, that girl." Lockhart noticed Anthony's gaze and said after leaving the hall, "That's Miss Granger, and she is also a very loyal reader of mine. ("I know." Anthony said.) Oh, yes, you know her. Reporters often do this. When they realize that I have no shortcomings worth criticizing, they turn to criticize my lovely readers, and sometimes even make up some sensational things - Rita is one of them, and definitely not the only one. I don't like to talk about other people's faults, but she is really vicious, isn't she?"

Anthony nodded his head for the first time, genuinely assent. "That's right, Professor Lockhart."

"Even if Miss Granger does have some naive ideas, they should not be included in the reports used to accuse me!" said Lockhart, shaking a finger gracefully. "At her age, it is understandable that she makes some mistakes. Don't get me wrong, Henry, I'm not saying that I don't want to encourage her enthusiasm, but, you know, giving house-elves the same rights as wizards is completely against the customs of the wizarding world. And - what did she say?"

Anthony judged that this was another question that required no answer from him, but Lockhart did seem to think about it for a moment.

"Oh, and freedom for all enslaved house-elves," said Lockhart briskly, with an indulgent smile. "That certainly sounds right for her age. But we could also say that all house-elves who have a home should be abandoned. Anyway, I don't think the elves at Hogwarts would be happy to hear that, and I, of course, would hate to lose such a good steak Wellington and grilled mushrooms."

Just then, they heard a slightly trembling voice behind them: "What did you say, Professor Lockhart?"

Anthony turned around and saw Hermione standing at the end of the corridor, staring at Lockhart with a look of disbelief on her face.

(End of this chapter)