"Remember, Harry, fame is a fickle friend." Professor Lockhart said as he scribbled on paper with a feather pen, "As your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, it's necessary for me to impart some celebrity experience to you."
He looked up, seemingly with a touch of emotion: "Being a celebrity is genuinely difficult, Harry, the first thing you need to remember is that a celebrity must have the demeanor of a celebrity—you are the Savior of the Magic World, you shouldn't get too close to your fans, especially fervent ones like Mr. Creevey."
"Why, Professor?" Harry asked modestly, genuinely admitting that when it comes to being a celebrity, Professor Lockhart was indeed more skilled.
"Don't ask why, Harry." Professor Lockhart said with a chuckle: "Such fervent fans have no sense of boundaries, the key thing you need to maintain is the distance between you, this is what makes the relationship—or rather his affection for you, more enduring."
"Distance creates beauty, no matter the time." He added.
"It seems you really have a lot of experience." Harry sincerely complimented.
Professor Lockhart seemed to enjoy Harry's compliments, he chuckled and brushed his chin with the feather pen, showing a satisfied smile.
In the room, candles were flickeringly burning, illuminating the entire space, the flames dancing on numerous watching, animated faces of Lockhart.
Just as Harry counted the one hundredth envelope he had written, he suddenly heard a sound—a sound completely different from the candle's crackle or Professor Lockhart's soft whisper.
Cold, venomous, raising goosebumps, a chilling sound.
"Come… come over… let me tear you… rip you… kill you…"
Harry was startled, he felt that such a voice… seemed familiar?
As if he'd heard it somewhere before, but couldn't recall it at the moment.
"Professor, did you hear a voice?" Harry asked tentatively.
Lockhart looked at Harry, then glanced at the candle beside, shaking his head, "No, Harry—did you hear something?"
"Hmm… it should be a hallucination?" Harry shrugged.
Professor Lockhart watched Harry for a while, seemingly wanting to analyze something from his expression.
But unfortunately, he failed.
Could it be that this Mr. Potter can hear things others cannot?
Lockhart…no, Vida mused to herself, knowing that in this world, some wizards can see things others cannot, hear sounds others cannot.
Just like her mentor, who the Saints followed, Gellert Grindelwald, who was naturally gifted with the ability to foresee the future, able to see what others could not.
Could it be that this Mr. Potter is the same?
No wonder her mentor wanted her to keep an eye on this Mr. Potter, it seems…he foresaw something…
She must draw this Mr. Potter into the Saints, Vida thought to herself, on one hand to snatch away Dumbledore's golden boy and watch him jump; on the other hand, she also felt this Mr. Potter was composed and exceptionally talented, surely he would become a pillar of the Saints if mentored.
Or… become her mentor's successor?
Vida was increasingly certain of her discovery, she felt her mentor must have seen something in the river of future time, to send her to Hogwarts.
If not for her mentor being defeated by that pesky Dumbledore, willingly bound in Nimongard Castle, it might have been him coming to Hogwarts this time.
"Perhaps you're just sleepy." Professor Lockhart said in a relaxed tone, "Seems we've had a pleasant two hours, if you don't mind, you can stay a bit longer, I have some work I'd like your help with."
Speaking, Lockhart reached out his magic wand, taking several bottles of magic potion from a nearby pouch.
"This is Intelligence Enhancer, Harry." Professor Lockhart said with a chuckle: "It's a potion that might help clarify the drinker's thoughts, if you've previewed the fourth year's Magic Potion Class textbook, you'd know of its existence."
He handed the bottles to Harry: "This is your reward for helping me with the envelopes, as you have worked so hard, isn't it?"
"Thank you, Professor." Without hesitation, Harry placed the potions into his pocket.
A reward for work, that's only natural.
Harry stayed in Professor Lockhart's Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom for a while, until he saw the clock pointing to eight-thirty, when Professor Lockhart's voice sounded again.
"Harry, do you remember my ideal birthday gift?"
"What, Professor?" Harry hadn't heard clearly.
"My ideal birthday gift." Professor Lockhart repeated, an expression of regret on his face: "It's mentioned in chapter twelve of 'Weekend with Werewolves', I also talked about it in the last class."
Harry tried to recall, finally remembering the content of that class.
"Your ideal birthday gift is for all people, magical or not, to live in harmony, if I recall correctly." Harry replied.
"Good, seems you remember too." Professor Lockhart smiled again: "Yes, this ideal—hard to achieve, isn't it?"
"Yes, Professor." Harry nodded: "It's indeed a difficult thing to achieve."