The slacker professor at Hogwarts

Chapter 304 Let Magic Be Great Again

Chapter 304 Let Magic Be Great Again

In the wizarding world, there is an international wizarding organization with immense influence (large circle) but little real power (no voice), called the Anti-Dark Magic League.

Ms. Melis, the oldest living professor at Hogwarts, is one of them, and she established a fraternity for Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts professors within the alliance, called "We're Not Dead Yet".

However, the Anti-Dark Magic League's center is not actually located within the jurisdiction of the British Ministry of Magic.

Its headquarters are located in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.

Yes, that's right, it's the very gathering place where the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald released a gas stove that nearly burned down the entire city of Paris.

This is no coincidence. In fact, the headquarters of the Anti-Dark Magic League was established here because of the massive destruction caused by the dark wizard Grindelwald's use of dark magic here.

Of course, the wizards of the Anti-Dark Magic League didn't dare set up their headquarters here during the burning and rebuilding process. In fact, it wasn't until many years later, when Dumbledore intervened and imprisoned Grindelwald in Nurmengard, that everyone came to dance on the grave.

They shouted proudly, spiritedly, righteously, and with righteous indignation, in small, weak voices that went unnoticed.

He was all bark and no bite.

This is the spirit of the Anti-Dark Magic League.

Like a proud rooster, it still held its head high and swung its magnificent comb after being called out, but then ran away clucking happily.

the next day.

Lockhart arrived at Père Lachaise Cemetery, where the Board of Trustees, pure-blood families, and other powerful figures behind Beauxbatons were hosting a celebration for his appointment as headmaster.

This easily led him to wonder what kind of relationship these wizards, who should be the backbone of the "Alliance of Wizards," had with the "Anti-Black Magic Alliance."

After all, Lockhart met many members of the Anti-Dark Magic League here.

"Hey, Gilderoy, I heard you were involved in the operation to capture the Black Demon. I strongly object to you just imprisoning him; you should execute him!"

Ha, execution?

You don't even dare to call Voldemort by his name, yet you dare to make such a suggestion?

"Hey, Mr. Lockhart, I have a lot of suggestions I'd like to discuss with you regarding your book about the Mysterious Man—"

I know you wrote to me.

A very thick stack.

I think it should be sincere and earnest in its words.

But I don't have time to watch it.

"Your Excellency Lockhart, I have heard that you have reopened the Crabbe family's rainbow fish farm and allowed those damned werewolves to participate in the breeding? We, the Amulet Trade Association, find this perplexing. We believe that you—"

This was a very interesting experience.

Lockhart arrived at the party, and one person after another came up to greet him.

Then, as if feeling it was inappropriate to flatter, he proudly raised his neck and casually uttered a few words of opposition, as if to say, "Hey, look, I didn't grovel."

Lockhart felt very comfortable with everyone here.

He discovered that there were many familiar faces there, all members of the "Anti-Dark Magic Alliance".

Oh, he immediately figured out the true nature of these people.

Awesome.

He held his wine glass for a moment, then whispered a few words to the French Minister of Magic beside him.

The man who is about to be promoted to director of the Flying Broomstick Industry Standards and Management Office of the International Confederation of Wizards is a loyal saint of Grindelwald. His vacant ministerial position will be taken over by Mrs. Maxim, the former principal of Beauxbatons.

Given that Grindelwald had previously hinted that purging some of Beauxbatons was to clear obstacles for the young Lockhart, although everyone knew it was just an excuse, the saints felt that Lockhart was one of their own.

The minister nodded to Lohat and walked toward the podium.

"Gentlemen!"

He cast a spell on himself, making his voice loud and clear.

"Please allow me to introduce to you the most promising magic master of our time, an internationally renowned scholar, a bestselling author, and the headmaster of Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—the great Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart!"

The crowd quieted down, then cheers and applause erupted as everyone moved toward the podium.

Lockhart slowly walked onto the stage.

At this point, he no longer needed to "catch the little wizards' loud voices" or even foolishly hold his wand to his neck. His voice was transmitted to everyone's ears with a more magical effect.

"Hello everyone, I am Gilderoy Lockhart."

Applause and cheers again.

"Last night I officially signed the papers for the appointment of Beauxbatons as principal —"

Another round of applause and cheers.

As Miss Audrey said, many people are looking forward to the arrival of the great Lord Lockhart in loyal Beauxbatons.

This school represents the future of all the young students in the entire "French Alliance Wizarding Council" jurisdiction. It is both honored and trapped by classical traditions, and many people are hoping that someone can lead it to make some changes.

Next comes making a statement.

Lockhart smiled. "This signed succession document clearly outlines your rights. You have the power to appoint and impeach the principal, and you also have a certain advisory authority."

"I think it's necessary for me to follow this tradition, listen carefully to your voices, and fully respect your ideas."

The applause and cheers from the audience grew even louder.

Everyone was very satisfied with the new principal's attitude.

Many people were even eager to shout out their thoughts, as if they couldn't wait a moment longer, or rather, they couldn't resist pointing fingers and giving orders.

Although Lockhart is terrifyingly powerful, he seems rather easy to bully.

Lockhart simply smiled and looked at the people below the stage.

In fact, no one could clearly hear what these people were shouting; there were too many voices mixed together, and everyone seemed very excited.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please quiet down!"

The French Minister of Magic had to step forward again, shouting for everyone to quiet down, and pointing at a witch who was still yelling despite his rudeness, "Ms. Gilbert! If you can't quiet down, I think I'll have to ask someone to take you outside to calm down!"

"Quiet down. Let's hear what Lord Lockhart has to say first. Felicity Gilbert, please be quiet. Nobody cares about the opinion of an old witch like you, okay?"

Finally, it became quiet again.

The French Minister of Magic gestured to Lockhart, then simply stood in the corner of the podium.

Lockhart simply smiled and continued the previous topic, "This document also states my powers; in short, you appoint the principal, and I appoint the faculty and staff."

"Including professors, teachers, other staff, and a whole range of faculty and staff —"

When this topic was brought up, there was a noticeable restlessness and unease in the audience.

It is obvious that everyone has thought of what has happened in Beauxbatons recently: the conflict between students and professors, and the conflicts instigated between various interest groups.

Everyone is worried about two things.

First, Lockhart was sent by Dumbledore, and that damned Englishman Dumbledore would treat Beauxbatons as his own territory, replace all the staff there, and take over their school.

Second, Lockhart is completely disobedient to Dumbledore. This is equally worrying, as it indicates that Lockhart is more powerful than Dumbledore and is clearly unwilling to support professors at the university who do not obey him.

Western political rhetoric also contains unspoken rules similar to "a new emperor, a new court."

For example, "To the victor go the spoils" literally translates to "The winner takes the spoils." The unspoken rule is that the winning party distributes positions as spoils to its supporters.

For example, "Leroiestmort, viveleroi!" literally translates to "The king is dead, long live the king!" The unspoken rule is that the new regime takes over from the old, with a complete replacement of officials and their positions.

This is not the norm.

For example, the appointment of the previous principal, Mrs. Maxim, was the product of a compromise among various forces at the time.

Meanwhile, the professors of the same era were also the result of balance and compromise.

Some of the magic professors were simply incompetent, but Mrs. Maxim had no way to dismiss or replace them; it was all too complicated.

But clearly, if Lockhart truly doesn't care about everything behind this—

Then all the entanglements behind it can truly be treated as if they never existed!

Magic is power, and that's no joke.

"Here, I want to say that the appointment of professors concerns the future of the wizarding world, and you are welcome to offer me suggestions as well."

"I'm still quite unfamiliar with Beauxbatons, and I don't know many of the professors. I think I'd be happy to hear your suggestions."

wow~

This is wonderful!

Everyone was once again swept up in ecstasy.

The scene became chaotic again, and the French Minister of Magic had to step in once more to restore order.

After a while, the restlessness was barely calmed down.

Lockhart then continued, "Today I will only be announcing one appointment. I will be inviting a very powerful wizard to serve as the vice-principal. Please welcome—Tom Riddle!"

applause.

A round of enthusiastic applause.

Everyone was very satisfied with the principal's attitude and was happy to offer their support at this time.

As for who Tom is?

Oh, Tom, such a common name. There are so many Toms in this world, but no one in any circle has ever heard of this name. It's obviously a little perk Lockhart got for himself.

It's nothing.

Everyone is happy to make concessions on this matter.

The applause was enthusiastic.

only----

When Voldemort appeared on the stage in a ghost-like form, his gaunt and pale face was revealed, and the applause began to become sparse.

Many wizards didn't react in time and turned to look to their left and right.

"Pfft—!" someone cried out in alarm, then covered their mouth tightly, clearly terrified.

People began whispering information to those around them who were unaware of the situation, acting as if it were a secret, cautiously uttering only a few words in barely audible whispers: "Do you know who that is?" "The mysterious man," "The Black Demon" —

Occasionally, gasps of surprise could be heard from the audience.

Soon, the crowd fell completely silent.

Dead silence.

Dead silence.

The entire gathering place at Père Lachaise Cemetery was deathly silent, as if Lockhart were the only living person there. Many people didn't even dare to move, staring blankly at the scene before them with their mouths agape.

Yes.

Even if it appears as a ghost.

Voldemort had that kind of power to make everyone obedient.

The entire gathering was so silent that it was as if they were the silent ghosts, which was a perfect fit for the setting of Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Lockhart laughed out loud.

Laughter echoed through the open space, stimulating everyone's senses.

"Gentlemen, please relax. Mr. Tom Riddle is a very good wizard, and he can bring a more interesting future to Beauxbatons."

With an elegant demeanor, Old Fu merely sneered at the trash below the stage, too lazy to go up and greet them.

But clearly no one minded his rudeness.

In fact, having incorporated his younger self, he once told Lockhart that he now prefers to be called Tom Riddle, which is a very good change.

Lockhart rested his hands on the stage set up by the party organizers, smiling as he looked at everyone. "Now, the new Principal Beauxbatons and Vice Principal are here. You can offer any suggestions or ideas you may have."

"So, who wants to go first?"

No one speaks.

Lockhart had to gesture to the witch who had been acting so agitated earlier. "My esteemed lady, you seemed to be about to say something. Now you may speak; no one will stop you."

Felicity Gilbert tried to calm the muscles in her face that were trembling with fear, but she just couldn't manage it; she could even feel her legs shaking.

She swallowed hard, her voice no longer sharp, but gentle and sweet, like the tenderness of young lovers. "No, Mr. Lockhart, I have no suggestions."

"I've always firmly believed that you will lead Beauxbatons to a brighter future! I support all your decisions!"

By the end, she was almost in tears.

It was as if I was moved by Lockhart's greatness.

loyalty!

well.

Lockhart smiled and nodded at her. "Thank you for your support, ma'am."

Then he looked at the crowd, and everyone shrank back, some even hiding behind others as if they were experiencing a major terror of being called on in class.

Lockhart chuckled. "I wonder if any of the parents in the audience with children attending Beauxbatons are currently considering transferring their kids to Hogwarts, Durmstrang, or Ilfamori?"

"But I don't want you to do that!"

"I hope to have your support; it's a sign of my respect for you."

"So I hope you can respect me in the same way, okay?"

it is good!

What a load of rubbish!

Many wizards in the audience were about to lose their composure. They dared not leave their children in Beauxbatons, but they also dared not suggest transferring schools.

What can they do?

Taking him home to raise will only cause him to neglect his studies?

Oh, to be realistic, even if they go through the process of withdrawing from school, it would probably be considered the disrespect Lockhart just mentioned.

It's blocked at both ends.

My mood is extremely cold.

Lockhart smiled as he observed the expressions of each person in the audience. His spiritual intuition conveyed a multitude of emotions, and he could sense the chaos in the audience.

He shook his head. "Actually, I heard all the suggestions you just made, but I want to say that you always have this or that problem, but you never seem to grasp the key point!"

Then, only one voice remained at the huge gathering.

This is Lockhart's stage.

"What's the key point?"

"The key question is, what can you gain from me after I become the principal? What can your children gain from me?"

"I'll give you the answer—it's the future!"

He was no longer the nonchalant person he had been just moments before; as he spoke, he became excited, gesturing wildly with his hands and his eyebrows dancing with enthusiasm.

"No one knows magic better than me!"

"Yes, I dare say that I can bring an unprecedented future to children!"

"I have a student, Vincent Crabbe, who comes from an ancient pure-blood family. His family faces the same problem as many pure-blood families: an uncontrollable number of dull-witted children among their descendants."

"Crawb was one of them; he was muddle-headed, dull-witted, and clueless about the future."

"I showed him the way of life."

"I say, Crabbe, you are naturally drawn to fire, but abandon your family's damned dark magic, Fiendfyre. It's not for you; it will only destroy you."

"I say, Crabbe, I have a healing spell here that manifests as fire."

"The result is wonderful!"

"He went from a feared dark wizard to a healer revered by all in an instant!"

"His life will be smooth sailing!"

"And then there's Fudge, the British Minister for Magic, who is always so troubled by the Ministry's complicated affairs and messy interpersonal relationships that his magic is performing worse and worse."

"I dare say he's not even as good as I was in my student days."

"Then I appeared."

"I said, hey, Fudge, you should study the Bubble Head Spell."

"Yes, it's a little magic that everyone overlooks, but it really suits him perfectly."

"No magic could suit him better than this."

"Fudge believed me. Yes, he has always trusted me."

"He tried it, and he was delighted to discover that the Bubble Head Charm in his hands performed better than the Ironclad Charm in the hands of many masters."

"Many people saw it back then; he used the Bubble Head Charm to deflect missiles from Muggles!"

Lockhart gazed intently at everyone in the audience, and everyone could feel his aura of "sincerity."

"I don't like you!"

"Yes, I've made that very clear, and I'm not worried that you'll hate me for it."

"You always want too much, but because you crave too much, you end up with too little, and often face failure."

"I am a very straightforward person. There was only one reason why I invited Tom Riddle to Beauxbatons to be the vice principal."

He gestured with his hands to indicate the name.

Behind them, streaks of eerie green flames burned and floated in the air, converging into several words in mid-air.

Let magic be great again!

"Yes, let magic be great again!"

"Gentlemen!"

"You want too much. I can't help you, and I don't care. I only care about one thing!"

"That's magic!"

"Magic unique to wizards!"

"I hope you can give me your greatest support, your greatest tolerance, and your greatest understanding, and then look forward to a more wonderful future."

"Then, under the great magic, you may desire everything you desire."

"Because I told you, magic can solve everything!"

He lowered his hands, resting them on the platform, as if looking down at the faces before him. "Now, if you are still afraid of Mr. Tom Riddle's presence here, I will only laugh at you and think that you should shut your mouths and obediently follow my orders!"

"I think you should look forward to the arrival of the equally powerful Mr. Tom Riddle with anticipation and longing. Then, inspired by this, shout out with ambition—Mr. Lockhart, I have a suggestion—and at that point, I will listen very carefully to your thoughts."

"Now!"

"Does anyone have any good suggestions or questions they'd like to ask?"

The crowd was no longer deathly silent; many people were eager to move. Finally, an ancient pure-blood family that had produced both Saints and Death Eaters raised its hand. When Lohart nodded, the family representative, Mr. Rozier, asked a question with some enthusiasm.

"Your Excellency Lockhart, I look forward to your guidance of young wizards and the wonderful future you will bring to the wizarding world. I am filled with optimism. However, you will be very busy as headmaster, as everyone knows you will be focusing your energy on some great undertakings."

"Though it may be presumptuous, I still want to ask, you probably don't have time to guide and personally teach every young wizard, do you?"

Lockhart laughed. "Great question!"

He prefers this kind of exchange, where the conversation is substantive, rather than starting with aggressive, didactic remarks. "Rest assured, I will invite the top masters from all fields across society to teach the students."

"It's not a class-based teaching relationship, but a one-on-one mentor-apprentice relationship."

"I will assign professors who are suitable for each student based on their individual characteristics."

"This is the biggest change I can bring to Beauxbatons: the talents of all the gifted children will not be wasted, and they will embark on their own magical paths."

Next, he began to explain his ideas.

Lower grades receive general education, while upper grades are divided into specialized classes, and a mentorship system is introduced at the same time.

Interestingly, this change is actually more in line with the classical traditions followed by Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The early form of shamanic succession was this master-apprentice system.

"I hope you will support my educational reforms."

"Revise the standards for those outdated and foolish general wizarding level exams, so that children without much talent can escape the torment of general education."

"They shouldn't waste their precious school years here just because they can't successfully cast the Extinguishing Flame Spell and therefore can't defeat the fire dragon."

"They simply don't have the talent for combat. They should be focusing their time on simpler, yet centuries-old and incredibly promising family magic," to drive change and evolution in wizarding life!

"I also hope that all organizations in society will revise their recruitment systems to accommodate more outstanding graduates."

"Like Crabbe I just mentioned, his healing spells are superb; he can even heal to a certain extent the pain caused by the Cruciatus Curse. But his herbalism is terrible; he only knows which herbs taste a little sweet and which don't. His potions are even worse, but he can easily cure ailments that your rigorously recruited healers can't."

"I also know that from Beauxbatons to Ilfamoni, from Western Europe to America, a whole system of certification has firmly bound the entire social advancement system. I hope you will adjust it to suit this more wonderful new era!"

Yes!

Just like Grindelwald did.

The standard for magic is established, and then the laws, social systems, wizarding life, and all major organizations of various countries' magic ministries will revolve around it and change accordingly.

Lockhart is doing just that right now!

But perhaps the biggest difference between him and Grindelwald lies in the words burning in mid-air behind him: "Make magic great again!"

And then there's his smug statement, "Nobody knows magic better than me!"

This is not a change driven by the idea that "magic is power," but a change driven by a fanaticism for magic.

Many people present truly felt that perhaps a new era has really arrived, and everything will undergo drastic changes!

And they were standing right there on the dock, where an unprecedentedly large ship was slowly approaching.

Then the great Mr. Lockhart stood on the deck and called out, "Hey, buddy, wanna get on board?"

on!

We must go!

Please take me with you, to the distant and bright future, on our voyage!

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