Stepping out of the Headmasters Office, Gilderoy exhaled a long breath.
Although he was certain the Headmaster hadn't used Legilimency on him, the man had decades of experience; a single glance could read a youngster like him from head to toe.
Fortunately, Dumbledore hadn't suspected anything, and when asked about his reasons for applying, Gilderoy had glossed over it—otherwise some things would have been hard to explain.
After realizing he had transmigrated into the world of Harry Potter as the famous "showboating adventurer" Gilderoy Lockhart, he had spent a long time in a daze.
The original owner of this body was a thorough fraud; every "glorious exploit" described in his bestsellers had been stolen from someone else, the victims then forced to forget by a Memory Charm.
One had to admit, being able to erase a precise slice of memory permanently and without side-effects was no small feat; it was only fair that the Sorting Hat had placed Lockhart in Ravenclaw.
But apart from that slick Memory Charm, Lockhart had nothing magical worth praising—aside from decent prose and a handsome face, he was worthless.
Relying on that face and those stolen "adventures," Lockhart had won thousands of Witch-fans of every age—from Hermione to Mrs. Weasley—but lacking real skill meant his year at Hogwarts would expose him completely.
If he had known how to keep a low profile, he could have coasted on image a while longer. Yet his wretched personality—putting others down to highlight his own "brilliance" though he had none—made him loathed within a month, so that when he finally lost his memory and was carried off, the whole school cheered.
The present Lockhart hadn't reached that point; what he'd inherited was only the handsome face, the inflated fame, the excellent Memory Charm, and the "huge" royalties from book sales.
After transmigrating, Lockhart had gone through confusion, but after long thought he accepted Dumbledore's invitation to teach at Hogwarts.
He knew the Defense Against the Dark Arts post was cursed, yet he decided to risk it.
He realized that if he kept masquerading, exposure was only a matter of time, so he would escape the mire of forged résumés and start doing something real to build capital for his life.
But after tallying his current abilities, he discovered there wasn't much he could actually do.
As a Wizard, the original Lockhart's spell-casting was a disaster: apart from the Memory Charm, his household spells and both Dark and Light magic were as dreadful as they had always been.
Aside from Memory Charm-related incantations, any job requiring real magic would reveal his incompetence within three days, forcing him to slink away once the halo shattered.
Clearly, with such skill he couldn't survive in the Wizarding World; he needed a buffer period to "recover" his "lost" spells, and even after recovery he might remain weaker than an average seventh-year Hogwarts graduate.
Lockhart began to ask himself—what job should he take to stay alive?
Or rather, what profession suited a know-nothing, a braggart, a man shameless beyond measure, someone who itched if he couldn't show off—someone whose only assets were looks and reputation?
…The answer wasn't hard to guess; it was obvious, wasn't it?
I damn well ought to become minister for magic!
Only politicians can push shamelessness and ruthlessness to the limit; ignorance is no hindrance—indeed, it can be an asset.
As Mark Twain said, "The more ignorant a man is, the bigger his reputation and his salary."
Having resolved to run for Minister, Lockhart finally calmed down and began mapping his career.
The minister for magic was a sweet post: head of all magical civil servants, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, elected by wizards—combining executive, legislative, and judicial power. Even that fool Fudge had awarded himself an Order of Merlin, First Class; the office was supreme.
Hence many coveted it, including great and idealistic Wizards. Lockhart's foundations were decent, but reaching the top would still be hard.
Even in the magical political arena he needed a faction, solid contacts, a voter base, plus backing from the civil service and legal circles. All he currently had was "fame" and the "professional skills" honed while climbing from junior clerk.
That was why, though he knew the Chamber of Secrets incident would erupt and put him in danger, he still accepted Hogwarts' offer.
Hogwarts was the alma mater of nearly every British Witch or Wizard; to build authority among future magical youth, he had to craft an image of "facing adversity head-on." It was only one year, after all.
If he survived that year, he could transfer to the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes as an Obliviator and officially enter politics.
As for Lord Voldemort's chaos—something unavoidable—he would stand firm on the White side of the wizarding war.
Risky, yes, but the potential rewards were enormous.
If he could hold out until the famous Harry Potter defeated Voldemort, he could use his "prophetic" edge to maneuver and succeed Rufus Scrimgeour as minister for magic.
After holding the post long enough to milk it for fame and fortune, he would hand the office to Hermione Granger and continue pulling strings from behind the scenes.
After all, Hermione was one of Lockhart's most devoted fans.
Dumbledore might or might not have seen through him, but it didn't matter.
Old Dumbledore merely wanted to shape the savior Harry Potter into what he needed before Voldemort's return. As long as Lockhart didn't obstruct that goal, the Headmaster would probably turn a blind eye to his other antics.
Therefore, his plan for the year was simple: be a competent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, build influence among students, survive any Basilisk sneak attacks, and then move safely to the Ministry.
To achieve that, he had to raise his magical strength fast—he couldn't remain a one-trick Memory Charm pony.
He also had to prepare lessons meticulously; unlike the original, he wouldn't blow his cover in a single class—he intended to keep his glorious image intact for the full year.
But before any of that, he needed to go home, reassure his mother, and prepare for the task the Headmaster had given him.
It was the first assignment Dumbledore had entrusted to him, and Lockhart had no intention of bungling it.