allendalepharm Chapter 278: Locked up again?
Chapter 278: Locked up again?
Chapter 278: Locked up again?
Lockhart had a very pleasant afternoon at Malfoy's holiday estate.
The conversation with Professor Audrey Lemaître also touched on Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she said that most of the students at Beauxbatons are fans of Lockhart.
Elegant, handsome, charming, knowledgeable, powerful, courageous in the struggle for change, and a victor against the Great Demon King, Lockhart possesses all the qualities that attract Beauxbatons students.
Speaking of this, we must mention Beauxbatons' unique student reading groups. Professor Lemaître said that there are as many as six "Lockhart Reading Groups" at the school, all of which read and promote his works and speeches in reports.
So naturally, the conversation turned to Principal Maxim's wife.
Contrary to Lucius's understanding, Professor Lemaître's faction was not in direct conflict with Principal Maxime.
"In the early days of the Wizarding Council, almost all wizards were pure-blooded, and there was no such thing as a bloodline conflict back then." Professor Lemaître talked about this topic, and even Lucius was drawn in.
"By then, the drawbacks of pure-blood marriages had become apparent, and the mainstream opinion in wizarding society was in favor of mixed-bloods."
This is an issue that even the history of magic rarely touches upon, and only experts like Professor Flamel, who study "classical wizarding culture," would be aware of it.
"The most intense controversy and disagreement in society at the time was whether the demon bloodline should be diluted."
Lockhart was stunned. "Demon bloodline?"
"This is what we now call magical bloodline. Back then, wizards generally believed that wizards' power came from demons. They believed that the convergence of demonic power from different families would allow demons to be resurrected in their bloodline, which is what people often call 'the demon will eventually take away the wizard's soul'."
Professor Lemaître pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, tucked his black hair behind his ear, and began to speak eloquently, “The reason why such remarks have become mainstream is that the magical bloodlines that are brought together by excessive marriage often give birth to some unique abilities, such as Parsleyan speech, phoenix companionship, innate mind control, innate Magus disguise, affinity with magical creatures, and other abilities that are different from ordinary people.”
"Some believe this is the path to the destruction of wizards, while others believe it is the path to their power."
"The Destructionists tend to actively dilute their bloodline abilities, thus believing that wizards should interbreed with Muggles."
"The powerful faction tends to enhance bloodline abilities, and therefore believes that wizards should hybridize with magical creatures."
"It is clear that the powerful faction ultimately prevailed."
"They spearheaded the establishment of organizations like the International Confederation of Wizards and national ministries of magic, which, based on the Statute of Secrets, forcefully separated wizards from Muggles."
"It seems that this decision has not been very effective. Wizards have not been able to create a completely new and independent race with magical creatures, and there have been many cases of wizards and Muggles mixing."
"Most terrifyingly, a brand new toxin, incurable by magic, has begun to appear among wizards—wolfsbane, a poison with endless devastation!"
This is a social secret that neither Lockhart nor Lucius knew.
The question remains: where did the "Law on Guarding State Secrets" originate?
How did wolfsbane come about?
The reason why so-called pure-blood wizards nowadays so ostracize Muggles and Muggle-born wizards, even contemptuously calling them "Mudbloods," can almost be seen as a way for losers to save face.
"After nearly three hundred years of attempts, wizards have finally found some suitable hybrid magical creatures, such as giants, Veela, and fairies."
"But times have changed. With the improvement and establishment of the modern magic system, wizards have achieved absolute dominion over magical creatures. Even the 'fire dragon,' which used to be the absolute king of the magic world, is now kept in a dragon farm."
"Social attitudes have changed. Even if there are many disputes between pure-bloods and pro-Muggle factions, the consensus is that we are all human beings."
Professor Lemaître shrugged helplessly. "The brave pioneers became cannon fodder of the times; they became outcasts in today's version of history."
When discussing these matters, we are naturally referring to Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, an enlightened and classical magic school that is actually quite tolerant of the bloodline of its headmistress, Mrs. Maxim.
This may not conform to the mainstream narrative that "wizards and Muggles are both human," but it is still one of the answers wizards have to explore the world, and no one can say that it is absolutely wrong.
A wizard and a giant hybrid, born with powerful magic resistance, is practically invincible.
A hybrid of wizard and fairy, they are born with powerful magical combat abilities.
The fact that the wizard and Veela were of mixed race meant that every one of their offspring was exceptionally good-looking.
How can you say it's not a possibility for the future?
"In the French Ministry of Magic territories, which are heavily influenced by Beauxbatons School of Magic, werewolves generally enjoy a good living environment. People pity these offspring of failed hybrids and those infected, and are more willing to help them."
Hearing these words, Lockhart was deeply moved. "No one knows what the future holds, and this kind of help certainly preserves a certain possibility for the future."
Professor Lemaître immediately became more approachable. "Yes, Gilderoy, many of us at Beauxbatons have seen the great ideas of inclusion in your book and know that you are with us."
This exchange continued into the night.
After enjoying a fine dinner, Professor Lemaître departed in his luxurious chariot, and Lucius came over to ask Lockhart if he was going to see another person next.
"Who?" Lockhart asked, somewhat puzzled. He was actually thinking of going back to rest at this point.
Lucius's expression turned strange. "Sirius."
"Who?"
"Yes, Lord Lockhart, you heard me right, Sirius Black."
This world is truly magical.
Lockhart simply couldn't believe that Sirius, who had been on a blind date just two days ago, was now in Azkaban.
He's been locked up!
He's been locked up again?
Walter?
Lockhart was starting to lose his composure.
But yes, it's just that magical.
As he and Lucius rode in the flying car toward Azkaban prison deep in the North Sea, Lucius handed him a newspaper.
The front page headline prominently featured a magical image of Sirius Black riding a broomstick, holding a young woman in his arms, soaring into the sky from between Muggle skyscrapers.
Lucius, unable to contain himself any longer, explained, "It's the time we met Sirius in the restaurant last time, when he was chasing after that Muggle girl."
"That's not easy, because the Muggle girl was in a car, and, well, she was going pretty fast."
"In order to catch up with her, Sirius impulsively used his flying broom and chased after her relentlessly..."
"...Many Muggles saw it!"
"Yes, at the busiest intersection in London, everyone was waiting for the traffic light. Sirius, holding the Muggle girl, boarded a flying broomstick and flew between Muggle office buildings and residential buildings, circling the city a few times before taking to the sky..."
Lucius scoffed, "That idiot must think he looks really cool like this."
Lockhart laughed heartily. "Oh, Lucius, don't say that. I dare say that lady probably finds it incredibly romantic!"
Lucius shrugged and chuckled. "And then the romance spread to Azkaban?"
He seriously violated the Secret Service Act, disregarded the British Ministry of Magic headquarters just a few streets away, and caused countless troubles for the Aurors. This guy was sent to Azkaban for half a year, and even Dumbledore couldn't speak up for him.
Hey, here's the interesting part.
Dumbledore won't do, but Lucius will.
This is what Lockhart finds most magical.
……
Deep in the North Sea, in Azkaban, short-term prison cells.
Even though it's a short-term prison, the feeling here isn't much easier than the life imprisonment cell. The Dementors come less frequently, but it still can't stop the terrifying, cold, and gloomy aura from seeping into the soul from the bone.
Sirius huddled in the corner, shivering, shaking his head from time to time, trying to stop himself from instinctively casting Animagus.
He did not resist the magic; on the contrary, what he was doing was trying to control it.
The struggle between one's will and one's instincts.
It's very difficult.
Fortunately, he was already used to such hardships.
Just then, an Auror walked over, looked at him coldly through the iron bars, spat on the ground with great displeasure, and muttered, "You damned guy, you've made all of us Aurors have so much more work. Damn it, I haven't slept for two days."
And what's even more damning is...
At this moment, he had no choice but to take out his key and open the cell door.
Because someone used their power to bail out this damn guy!
Bang~
He slammed the iron gate violently, venting his dissatisfaction.
"Damn it, you can get out now."
Sirius looked up in confusion, opening his mouth to speak, but his body trembled and convulsed uncontrollably, his teeth chattering rapidly. After a while, he finally mustered the strength to ask, "Didn't they say I'd be locked up for six months?"
Auror rolled his eyes, saying sarcastically, "How could the sacred twenty-eight pure-blood families really need to be locked up for that long, right?"
Sirius was somewhat confused, but the Auror was too lazy to talk to him anymore and simply picked him up and headed outside.
When Sirius arrived at the release registration office, he finally found out who was helping him.
"Professor Lockhart, did you rescue me?"
Sirius was a little excited.
Lockhart smiled at him and shook his head. Although Lucius had brought him along hoping to earn this favor, he felt it was unnecessary. Pointing to Lucius, who was talking to Scrimgeour, the Auror's chief of staff, in the distance, he said, "It was Mr. Malfoy who helped you."
Sirius Black paused for a moment, then sneered, "Playing the good guy!"
Lockhart smiled and brushed the grass clippings off his shoulder. "We can't forbid him from trying to be a good person, can we?"
Besides, does using privileges make someone a good person?
Lucius quickly came over and handed over a parchment filled with instructions for his release from prison, as well as a large bag containing Sirius Black's wand, flying broom, and some other odds and ends.
"According to the rules, our sacred twenty-eight clans can act as guarantors to bail you out."
"According to the same rules, if you commit the same mistake again, not only will your guarantor be implicated, but Sirius, the remaining six months of your sentence this time will be doubled to a full year next time."
"By the way, the wallet you used to carry these items has been confiscated according to regulations for illegally using the Seamless Stretch Charm."
"Also, I paid 10,000 Galleons for this, which your sister Narcissa asked me to pay for you."
Sirius was silent for a while, then took the thing from Lucius's hand. "Why are you helping me?"
Lucius shrugged. "First, this is for Professor Lockhart's sake, and I hope you remember that."
"Secondly, in certain matters, purebloods must unconditionally help purebloods, even if they are enemies. This is a principle that has been agreed upon by everyone for hundreds of years."
As he spoke, he gazed at Sirius Black, "If you truly wish to shoulder the honor of the Black family, you have a long road ahead of you. I simply want you to know that the Blacks have always been the architects and upholders of the Pureblood Agreement, and it is often the Blacks who handle matters like this."
"Whether you want Blake to continue being our 'mediator' is your business. No one will force you to do it. You decide for yourself."
Lucius had low expectations for the "Black's return" topic that everyone was discussing in private; he didn't think Sirius would be a good Black.
Pure-blood marriages are not a simple matter; they have involved extremely complex mechanisms over the centuries, and the coordinator played by Black requires a great deal of wisdom.
For example, why did Arthur Weasley, from the Weasley family, known as the "pure-blood traitors," choose to marry Molly Prewitt of the Prewitt family, one of the Twenty-Eight Holy Families? There are just too many subtle things involved.
Sirius didn't say anything.
But perhaps in Lucius's eyes, this silence was already a very good answer.
In what is now known as the "Second Golden Age of Dumbledore," the pure-blood families need to find a development path more suitable for the times and seek Dumbledore's acceptance of them. Sirius Black is actually the most valued mediator.
No one understood Sirius's importance better than Lucius.
Of course, it wasn't that urgent, after all, they were already getting closer to Gilderoy Lockhart.
On the way back, Sirius and Lucius remained silent, an awkward silence hanging over everyone.
Lockhart first took Mr. Malfoy back to Malfoy Manor, and then took Sirius Black to Grimmauld Place.
"Would you like to come in and have a seat?"
As they were getting ready to get off the bus, Sirius suddenly asked a question.
Lockhart shook his head and gestured out the car window. "Actually, I can only see buildings 11 and 13 right now. I can't see your house, so I can't go in."
The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is not a place that Sirius Black can invite anyone he wants to enter.
The wizard can only enter if Dumbledore, the Keeper of the Secret, reveals the address.
"Is that so..."
Sirius looked back out the window at the house where he had lived since childhood, and he could vaguely hear his father's roar.
He remained silent for a long time, his voice dry and hoarse, "Gidero, I feel like I'm bound by invisible shackles."
Lockhart smiled. "If you feel the call of adventure..."
Sirius was taken aback, then blurted out, "So, bravely embark on an adventure? I remember, Gilderoy, you explained this principle in your Voldemort biography."
Lockhart burst into laughter. "Looks like my book can still help quite a few people!"
proud!
Sirius smiled too, muttering, "Bravely embark on the adventure... bravely embark on the adventure..."
He seemed to have gained power, and the dazed look in his eyes seemed to have been dispelled. "Harry and I discussed the topic of 'sociality' that you taught, and he believed that the difference between wizards and Muggles lies in the relationships between people, which are influenced by magical power."
Lockhart enjoyed these discussions, as they always made him feel that he wasn't alone on his magical journey.
"When you walked out of the prison, I sensed a strong ominous aura emanating from you."
He pointed out, "I think you may have fallen into a misconception. 'Ominous' can bring about the erosion of dark magic power, but 'ominous' full of vitality and life can bring powerful positive magic power."
"I even think that's the real omen of bad luck."
He wasn't just spouting nonsense.
I have the insight to have participated in and witnessed the event of "the dark wizard creating the Dementors" in the long river of time.
Even more so, there's the magical knowledge that Sirius's cousin, Bella, who is currently simulating a "fairytale adventure" in his fairy tale book, is helping him verify.
"Your free spirit is precisely what I think is best suited to blend into an ominous state." Lockhart held a relatively positive view of Sirius's future magical path. "Sometimes we try to control our lives, only to find that life is ultimately beyond our control."
Yes, Sirius Black could totally understand that.
"Perhaps from another perspective, life is not something we should actually control?" Lockhart offered his conjecture.
"Shouldn't we have control?"
"Yes, it's like an unstoppable river. Whether it flows downstream for miles or swims upstream in a wild and unruly manner, perhaps that's what we should control, because it represents our own will."
Sirius looked at Lockhart, "And you, what would you choose?"
Lockhart laughed heartily. "Sometimes you go with the flow, sometimes you go against the current, because..."
He gave himself a thumbs-up and said, "I think so!"
Because I want to!
If I want to!
It's that simple.
Sirius got out of the car and respectfully gave a standard wizard's salute. "Thank you for your guidance."
Lockhart reached out of the car window and waved, and the flying car soared into the sky.
The wind howled and the clouds swirled, and in an instant, the flying car had completely disappeared into the sky.
Sirius Black walked towards the ancestral home, straightening his collar and sleeves as he went. A hearty smile returned to his face as he shouted, "Kreacher, Kreacher, you damned bastard, your master is back! Get over here now!"
"Hahaha, Master, Master, you're finally back! I knew it! Mr. Malfoy would definitely go and do his bidding. He would definitely ask Mr. Lockhart for help."
The door opened, and Kreacher ran out excitedly, his steps faltering on the somewhat dilapidated cobblestones of the street before he came to Sirius's side with a clattering sound.
Sirius laughed and helped the old man up, asking, "What do you want from Malfoy's help?"
"He should do it; it's the rule of purebloods," Kreacher said.
Sirius asked again, "If it's a pure-blood rule, why did Malfoy go to Gilderoy for help?"
Kreacher rolled his eyes, looking quite disgusted. "My foolish master, who rebelled and left home at a young age, has never received a proper upbringing and doesn't even know something like this..."
Before it could finish speaking, Sirius gave it a light kick. "You damned bastard, answer my question."
Kreacher was kicked, but instead of laughing, he laughed.
Perhaps it's because Sirius used to genuinely want to kick him to death, but now Sirius just touches him gently in an affectionate way, not knowing how to express it.
Perhaps it's because this foolish and rebellious owner has finally started to care about such issues.
It was so excited; this was a great opportunity to train Blake. It quickly said, "Of course, we need the permission and protection of a powerful figure. Without Professor Lockhart's approval, Mr. Malfoy wouldn't dare to bail you out."
"He's terrified of Dumbledore right now and doesn't want to do anything that might offend Dumbledore in the slightest."
"As you know, Dumbledore absolutely hates privilege."
"Dumbledore's father was imprisoned in Azkaban and eventually died there. Nobody dares to bet on his true stance on the matter."
Sirius nodded, squatted down, and looked at Kreacher intently. "I have two good news for you. First, I'm planning to marry Miss Philip, so you'll have a mistress."
Kreacher became agitated and knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
Sirius looked at its appearance and felt a pang of sadness. He sighed softly, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to pat its thin, frail shoulder. "Alright, alright, don't cry. You should be happy and smile more."
Kreacher looked up at Sirius, wiped away his tears, nodded earnestly, and tried his best to smile, though it looked rather awkward. "Yes, we should be happy."
Then, somewhat puzzled, it asked, "You just said you had two pieces of good news?"
"Yes, the second piece of good news is..."
Sirius Black looked at the old man with a sly smile. "I'm planning to ask Gilderoy to help you find a mate at the Ministry of Magic's 'House-Elf Resettlement Office,' Kreacher. You'll have a wife soon!"
"Huh?" Kreacher's expression froze.
"Laugh, Kreacher," Sirius said smugly. "You should be happy."
Kreacher's smile became even uglier.
(End of this chapter)