The slacker professor at Hogwarts

005 Opening Dinner and Need for Speed

Professor Sprout will never know how Lockhart handled those mandrake screams.

She was very impressed with Lockhart and looked at Professor Snape meaningfully, "Professor Lockhart clearly has exceptional insight."

Oh, to be honest, even Snape, a master of potions, had extensive experience dealing with these herbs, but he really didn't know how to so easily stop hundreds of mandrakes from screaming.

And so, whether influenced by Lockhart's enthusiastic greeting or because he already held Professor Sprout, who had taught him years before, he was pulled in by Lockhart to help deal with the mandrakes.

The three of them worked quickly and finished before sunset.

The three, covered in dirt, went back to wash up and prepare for the school's opening banquet.

Lockhart enthusiastically handed Snape a bottle of shampoo from the luxury brand he was running, saying, "Hey, this stuff is way better than the Potters' shampoo."

He shoved the shampoo into Snape's arms. "It's made from the shell of a harpy egg. You know how expensive this stuff is. Trust me, once you use it, you'll never want to lose it again."

Lockhart tossed his silky, shimmering curls, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Everyone who's used it raves about it!"

Professor Snape, who can afford luxury shampoo and has a head of messy, greasy hair, is definitely a very promising customer.

Be a refined boy!

Lockhart blinked his left eye and left, leaving Snape with a strange look on his face.

Unbeknownst to him, Snape silently watched his retreating figure, then glanced down at the shampoo in his hand—perhaps the only gift he had received in the last ten years.

……

bang~

Fireworks burst into bloom.

The new year's young wizards have started school.

Of course, there was no classic scene of Hannah Abbott being sorted into House this year, because Harry Potter was already in his second year.

only……

Lockhart looked around but didn't see Harry Potter. Of course, it's possible that the real-world Harry Potter doesn't look like the character in the movies.

After all, he himself has absolutely no connection to the character in the movie.

"Professor Snape," Lockhart turned to Snape sitting beside him, "Where is our savior?"

Snape frowned, looked around, and then looked at Dumbledore in the main seat.

After the Dark Lord reappeared at Hogwarts last school year and was confirmed to be alive, Harry Potter's disappearance is not a good thing.

Yes, Harry Potter is gone!

He disappeared during the brief period between his uncle's family, who could provide him with the protection of bloodline magic, and the safer Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!

Nothing could be more worrying than this.

Lockhart could clearly see that beneath Snape's seemingly expressionless, deadpan face, the veins on his neck were throbbing, and Professor McGonagall, sitting not far away, also looked uneasy.

Wow, what a child who receives so much attention.

Soon, a senior ran up to the stage and whispered to Professor McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor House, that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had not arrived at the school as scheduled.

Professor McGonagall nodded, dismissing him to continue maintaining order in the college, and sat down to the side, pursing her lips.

Dumbledore remained calm, turned around and nodded to Snape before stepping onto the podium adorned with an owl relief to deliver his speech.

Oh.

Lockhart remembered.

His memories were too chaotic. The online novels he had read in his previous life were so insignificant in the already chaotic memories, but he still managed to recall them.

After all, Ron also went missing at the same time.

During the summer before his second year of high school, Harry Potter should have stayed at the Weasleys' Burrow.

On the day of their first day of school, Dobby, the Malfoy elf loyal to Harry Potter, cast a spell to seal Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station, preventing Harry and Ron from catching the train to school on time.

So the two brave young men started Mr. Weasley's magic car and began their adventures.

Lockhart could imagine how devastated the Weasleys would be if they finally made it back to this side of the platform after being unable to reach their two children, given that they couldn't get across from the other side of King's Platform.

So Dumbledore was probably waiting for news from the Weasleys or other members of the Order of the Phoenix who might be operating in secret.

Dumbledore was soon waiting for it.

However, the news was not brought by members of the Order of the Phoenix.

But...

"Merlin's braids! Look!" a young wizard shouted, pointing to the sky outside the Great Hall window.

Suddenly, something completely different from anything in the magical world appeared on the horizon—a Muggle car!

And it's a Muggle car that can fly.

Braving thick smoke and flickering flames, it narrowly grazed the castle walls, flew over greenhouses and vegetable gardens, swept across the school lawn, and then rushed toward the Forbidden Forest.

Inside the car, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were screaming wildly.

Lockhart clearly saw Professor Snape breathe a sigh of relief, and a slight sneer curled at the corner of his mouth, as if he were laughing at Harry Potter's clumsy entrance.

Professor McGonagall relaxed, a smile returning to her face, and continued directing the new students to come up to the stage for their assigned colleges.

Dumbledore, however, could not be seen by his expression; he simply sat there quietly.

Soon, the professors sitting in the stands could see two unfortunate kids, tiptoeing and bending over like thieves, quietly approaching the auditorium with their luggage, peeking through the window with half their heads sticking out.

Professor Snape snorted and pushed back his chair, walking straight out.

Lockhart sat to the side, munching on a chicken leg and watching the amusement, wanting to say, "Oh, my dear senior, these two kids are from Gryffindor, while you are the Head of Slytherin. If anyone should be in charge, it should be Professor McGonagall."

Hehehe...

It is said that all desires lead to suffering, and many of life's troubles stem from caring too much.

Lockhart also has his own troubles. In order to cover up his embarrassing inability to cast spells, he cares a lot about the prestige that his reputation brings, and that means he has to bear the consequences that come with fame...

The screams of the fans.

"Aaaaaah..."

A cacophony of sounds filled the air, some of the young wizards' voices were shrill, sounding no less unpleasant than the screams of the mandrakes.

This situation is clearly not something that fertilization can solve.

Crowded.

Hermione Granger was the most excited of them all.

He was desperately squeezing into the crowd, holding a copy of "Me Who Has Magic" with a heart-shaped label, hoping to get his autograph.

I have to say, it feels pretty nice.

If only these screams wouldn't stir up those jumbled memories in my head again.

Lockhart managed to maintain his perfect, charming smile, kindly signing autographs for each of them and offering words of encouragement free of charge. Looking around, he saw that more and more young wizards were gathering around him.

A little while later, a young wizard carrying a magic camera ran over, and Lockhart, like a social media influencer, took photos with one young wizard after another.

The scene was so popular that even some professors who had finished their meals and hadn't left yet felt a little envious.