"Did a dung beetle fly into your head before?" Just as Malfoy was pretending to listen intently to Lockhart's speech, a somewhat ethereal voice reached his ears.
"Miss Lovegood, I think we should respect the hero who eliminated the Basilisk for us. He is now giving a speech on the stage. This is basic courtesy." Malfoy turned around and saw that the owner of the voice was the mad girl in everyone's mouth—Luna. Her voice was still ethereal with a hint of uncertainty, but it was quite pleasant to listen to, able to make people unconsciously lower their guard.
It seemed that no one around had noticed a Ravenclaw student arriving in Slytherin territory.
"Hmm…" Luna heard the words, glanced at the eloquent Lockhart on the stage, sized up Malfoy a few times, then curled her lips and said, "I think he's the one whose brain is occupied by dung beetles."
Malfoy didn't know what expression to use to face this girl with amazing intuition.
"Luna! Why did you run over here?" A female student in higher year hurried to their side. She had long brown curly hair and delicate features. Of course, the most attractive aspect was her temperament, intellectual and elegant. This was the Ravenclaw prefect—Penelope Clearwater.
She pulled Luna away, keeping her at a distance from Malfoy, then shielded her behind her and softly apologized: "I'm sorry, Luna disturbed you. I'll take her back to where she should be right away. I hope you can overlook her transgression."
Then she quickly dragged the unwilling Luna away. Penelope felt she had the responsibility and obligation to care for her fellow student.
"There are no dung beetles in his head. He's a good person." Luna said somewhat angrily, muttering to herself. She felt that if she chatted with Malfoy for a few more words, she might be able to get more useful information through intuition.
Penelope could only shake her head, supporting her forehead with one hand, looking at Luna with a somewhat pitying gaze.
To be honest, she couldn't understand why the Sorting Hat would sort this girl into Ravenclaw. The Ravenclaw House was a symbol of erudition and wisdom, but the girl in front of her didn't seem to have any connection with it.
Even though she was somewhat accustomed to Luna's eccentric behavior, she still couldn't let her fellow student stand so close to such a dangerous person, even if he wasn't very old.
"Not even as good as his two younger brothers." Penelope seemed to have thought of something, and a blush spread from the corners of her ears to her face. A lady in love always unconsciously associates everything with her beloved.
"Why is your face red?" Luna asked.
"Is it?" Penelope hurriedly touched her face with her hand and then quickly put it down. Then she said to Luna with a serious face: "Don't change the subject. Stay away from that person in the future. Heaven knows what strange creatures he will bring out next time. If you leave a deep impression on him, you might be the first to suffer next time."
"But if what you said is true, then it's too late."
"What do you mean?" Penelope had a faint premonition in her heart.
"I sat with him on the train when school started this year. He also taught me many interesting games." Luna fiddled with her radish earrings, saying nonchalantly.
"What?"
Penelope felt that she should replace her heart now, because this one that was running might explode at any time because of the little girl in front of her.
"In short, stay away from him in the future, otherwise even if I am the Ravenclaw prefect, I will deduct points from my own House." Penelope tried to calm herself down, but the bomb just now had temporarily deprived her of her ability to think, so she had the following counterattack.
"Prefects don't have the right to deduct points."
Luna stared at Penelope and said. She could always get straight to the point.
This time, it was the prefect's turn to be speechless.
However, at this moment, a burst of enthusiastic applause ended the awkward atmosphere between the two.
Lockhart's unique and charming voice came from not far away: "I will always remember this experience at Hogwarts. Being a teacher here will be a significant and rewarding chapter in my life."
"It's finally over." Malfoy sighed with relief. He had always hated these long, stinky, and uninformative group meetings, and in his opinion, Lockhart's speech was uninspiring.
Of course, he was probably the only one who was uninterested and disdainful. The other students were listening with relish, staring intently at the stage, afraid of missing a single detail.
Just as Malfoy was about to get up and clap perfunctorily to "send off" this fake hero, those few words that could have served as the end of the speech began to extend again.
"I know everyone must want to know more details about my time teaching at Hogwarts, and a more detailed account of my battle with the Basilisk. After all, time is limited today, so I have written these experiences into my latest book!" After speaking, he conjured a brand new book from his arms as if by magic. Malfoy, sitting under the stage, vaguely saw Lockhart on the cover teaching a course on the stage, then flashing his perfect smile at the camera. It seemed that special magic had been applied to the cover, making it shimmer faintly and catch the eye.
Lockhart cleared his throat and continued: "The title of the book is 'Lockhart: Those Days Teaching at Hogwarts'. In fact, this book has not yet been published, but I know everyone must be very eager for it, so I, as the author, used a little privilege to get a few samples in advance to give to everyone. Now, those who get the book will not only be able to know more details and secrets in advance, but also get my autograph on the title page of the book."
"I'm really starting to regret saving you, you incompetent professor." Malfoy could only helplessly sit back in his seat, complaining inwardly, while silently enduring this sales conference that he didn't know how much longer it would last.
"First of all, Miss Hermione should be the first reader of my book, because during the battle, she successfully attracted the Basilisk's attention for me, so that I had the opportunity to successfully cast the spell." Lockhart said to himself, and then naturally pulled Hermione to his front, to accept the eyes of everyone.
Hermione only felt uncomfortable. The last time she received recognition, at least she had a few peers with her, but now she was really just a lone wolf. Moreover, this time she only felt a mess in her heart, the headmaster's previous suggestive reminders, her own feelings, and her inexplicable disgust for Lockhart, all made her feel embarrassed on the stage.
But she still could only smile at everyone and Lockhart, showing her happy side.
Then she heard a faint cough on the stage.
She was sure that Lockhart should have heard it too, because he suddenly trembled. Hermione stole a few glances with her peripheral vision and found that Lockhart's gaze was now directed at Professor Dumbledore.
Dumbledore still maintained a smiling expression, as if nothing had happened.
"There is an old saying in the ancient East, called 'All good things must come to an end'." Lockhart changed the subject again and began to truly bid farewell.
Grateful with a hint of awe, this should be Lockhart's current state of mind towards Dumbledore.
A cough was enough for him to understand.
Lockhart would not believe that this old man, who often smiled on his face, was as simple as he looked, as Dumbledore had all his dark secrets in his hands.
It was better to stop while he was ahead. Lockhart examined himself and realized that he seemed to have gotten a little carried away.
"Students who didn't get my autographed book don't need to be disappointed. You will soon be able to see it placed in the most conspicuous position in Flourish and Blotts. Now, I think I should hand this position back to Professor Dumbledore and let him put a perfect end to this semester."
"Cough cough." Dumbledore coughed a few times and took over the conversation.
Malfoy thought that Dumbledore would just say a few polite words and be done with it.
The facts proved that he was naive. Professor Dumbledore collected those various howler letters, but did not destroy them. He was waiting for this opportunity to use them all at once. He also knew why the Weasley brothers had compromised before.
The auditorium was then like a deep-sea bomb had been thrown in, and the howls of various animals were unbearable to listen to. Those who didn't know would have thought that the animals from the Muggle zoo had run out.
And Dumbledore's explanation was: "I hope these howler letters will never be used again in the future. Today, let's just treat it as a farewell performance."
Malfoy could only roll his eyes at this old man with an "immature heart."
Soon, after enduring this round of torture on the ears, the ceremony finally ended. The students all boarded the Hogwarts Express and returned to their homes to spend a pleasant or exciting
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