It must be said, Harry Potter has a bit of a knack for drawing attention.
For once, Lockhart was strolling through the school castle without being mobbed by a gaggle of adoring fans. The students he passed greeted him politely, but then scurried off to whisper and point at Harry.
It made Harry feel absolutely rotten.
Lockhart gave him a cheerful pat on the shoulder and motioned for him to keep up.
"Exceptional people often attract envy and stares, and they have to deal with all the pointing and whispering. I've got plenty of experience in that department," he said with a grin, nodding toward Draco. "I reckon our Mr. Malfoy knows the feeling too."
Draco met Harry's astonished look with a proud little huff, tilting his head up.
"Obviously, being a Parselmouth is quite the talent. I'd wager Mr. Malfoy, like me, is a bit jealous of you," Lockhart added.
His words deflated Draco's pride a bit. The boy opened his mouth but ended up just pursing his lips in silence.
Lockhart winked at Harry, as if to say, See? Told you so.
Harry instantly felt a bit better.
The trio finally reached Lockhart's office. He ushered the two boys to sit and kept talking, his smile as bright as ever.
"The truth is, being a Parselmouth doesn't mean you're evil. People love to slap labels on others based on their abilities, full of narrow-minded stereotypes."
"But we can't change those biases, so the clever ones learn to use them to their advantage."
Draco, who'd been less than thrilled about being summoned, froze at those words. His father, Lucius, had once told him that breaking rules doesn't make you powerful—following them and bending them to your will is the mark of true intelligence.
Perhaps Professor Lockhart and his father would get along splendidly.
"What should I do, Professor?" Harry asked, hooked by Lockhart's words.
Lockhart just grinned at him. "Do? Prove you're not a dark wizard? Prove you're not evil?"
Harry nodded earnestly.
"Sometimes life's a bit sad, isn't it? We're always running ourselves ragged trying to prove who we are," Lockhart sighed. He plucked a quill from its holder and scribbled quickly on a piece of parchment, then slid it across the desk to Harry.
"There's a book in the Restricted Section of the library called The Most Ancient Charms. It lists some powerful, ancient spells, including one called the Patronus Charm."
"People who can't feel true happiness and goodness in their hearts can't cast it. See, folks love to call those people evil, just like they assume Parselmouths are bad—it's the same kind of prejudice."
He shrugged, eyeing Harry with interest. "Countless people with those biases will swear a dark wizard can't cast a Patronus. It's the simplest way to prove you're a good person, even in front of the Ministry's Wizengamot."
"But it's tough, Harry. Think you've got what it takes to learn it?"
Harry gripped the permission slip for the Restricted Section tightly, his determined expression saying it all.
"Most wizards who try that spell only manage a wisp of silver mist. Only a rare few can summon a full-fledged Patronus. Harry, I've got high hopes for you."
This kid wasn't exactly a self-starter when it came to studying, but now, with the drive to prove himself, Lockhart was eager to see a second-year wizard pull off the Patronus Charm. What a scene that would be!
And maybe, just maybe, he could write another book: My Life as a Professor, and the Untold Story of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. It'd probably rake in a fortune in royalties.
The funniest part? The original Lockhart had already started outlining the book's structure and some details after accepting Dumbledore's job offer. With a few tweaks, it'd be ready to publish.
Brilliant!
Next up was Draco Malfoy.
Lockhart was just as invested in this boy. He knew exactly how to pique his interest. Brandishing his quill, he demonstrated the wand movement for the Disarming Charm, making Draco's eyes narrow.
Draco had just suffered his greatest humiliation—being blasted off his feet by Harry's Disarming Charm in front of the whole school, landing in a heap.
"The Disarming Charm is an incredibly versatile spell," Lockhart said confidently, grabbing both boys' attention. "In the three main areas of Defense Against the Dark Arts—facing dark wizards, dueling, or dealing with dark creatures—it's a game-changer."
"Not only that, it can even work against magical creatures."
In the original story, Harry used the Disarming Charm to make an Acromantula let go of him.
"Everyone knows how important the Disarming Charm is, especially for a wizard who relies on their wand. So you need to not only master casting it but also learn its counter-charm."
"That's right—every spell, except the Unforgivable Curses, has a counter-charm."
He demonstrated the counter-charm's wand movement—simple enough, a flick of the wrist, like drawing a checkmark upward.
A quick wave, and you could block an opponent's attack.
"It's not hard. Plenty of grown wizards can cast this counter-charm silently."
"You can start by learning the basics of countering a Disarming Charm. That way, when you get to the counter-charm, it'll come naturally."
"Even if you're hit by a Disarming Charm and feel your wand slipping, this wand movement, combined with your instinct to grip your wand tightly, lets you recover quickly."
This was his reward for the two boys.
Draco's eyes lit up, listening intently. He never wanted to be humiliated by Harry Potter's Disarming Charm again.
As for Harry, when he realized his Disarming Charm wouldn't work on his rival Draco anymore, he'd be motivated to learn other spells.
Plan executed perfectly!
Lockhart could proudly claim that no one in the world understood the Disarming Charm better than he did—not even Dumbledore.
After all, Dumbledore was so powerful that hardly anyone could disarm him, so he had no need to study every nuance of the spell.
But Lockhart, with the memories of a dozen powerful wizards who'd faced countless dangers, had a wealth of experience to draw from.
Now, he was passing it all on to these two boys without holding back.
This material could fill a book of its own, detailing every possible angle of a Disarming Charm, categorized techniques for countering it, and tips for casting it.
It even included different wand-holding techniques depending on the strength of your opponent.
"Watch my grip," he said. "When facing a stronger opponent, don't hold your wand too tightly—it keeps you from being yanked along with it if it's disarmed."
"As long as you're not completely thrown off, you can whip out a spare wand and strike when your enemy thinks you're defenseless."
"Against weaker opponents, their Disarming Charm might hit you, but it won't knock you off your feet. That's when you use this stance."
"Feel familiar? Haha, it's the same move Quidditch players use to dodge on a broom while staying ready to counterattack."
"You'll notice that in this stance, a disarmed wand flies toward your chest. With a quick grab, it's like catching the Golden Snitch in Quidditch—your wand stays right in your palm."
Unbeknownst to Lockhart, a few figures had gathered at the office door.
Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape had arrived at some point, listening intently.
The most thorough, practical, and battle-ready techniques, broken down to every detail—even these three veteran wizards, who'd seen their share of magical combat, were amazed.
Snape had to admit, maybe he'd misjudged Lockhart. Was this man really the fraud he'd thought?
All his past boasts suddenly seemed like genuine self-promotion.
Of course, they didn't know that Lockhart, waving his quill dramatically, was secretly jealous of the two boys.
Blast it!
He, too, longed to wield magic.
With all that magical knowledge in his head and no ability to cast spells, it was pure torture.
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