"Hogwarts! I'm back!"
A shout filled with complex emotions rang out in front of the Castle gates.
Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing a brand-new set of bright yellow robes, spread his arms wide as if to embrace the entire Castle.
Only Merlin and the healers at St Mungo's knew exactly how he had spent this past week!
He had spent almost every day in the toilets of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, which reeked of disinfectant and... other unspeakable odors!
From morning till night, that damned curse's effect made him practically live in the toilet; any slight intake of food or drink, or even an emotional fluctuation, could trigger a new round of "emergency spray."
The fifth-floor lavatory at St Mungo's had practically become his permanent bed!
Whenever he remembered how he had "let it all go" without any dignity twice in public—once outside Flourish and Blotts and once in the Great Hall where the entire school's staff and students were gathered—his face would turn extremely ugly.
Reputation! His reputation had been tarnished like never before!
He had to find a way to redeem himself, to use a grand, brilliant performance that showcased his "true strength" to overwrite those memories he didn't want to look back on!
Inspiration hit him like a bolt of lightning!
Didn't the Wizarding World have a long tradition of dueling? Weren't those legends about famous duels always popular?
Yes! He was going to start a Dueling Club!
He, Gilderoy Lockhart, an Order of Merlin, Third Class recipient, would personally guide the students on how to conduct a wizard's duel elegantly and effectively!
This would not only showcase his superb skills but also rebuild his image as a brave and fearless hero!
This idea came much earlier than the timing in the original story, where it was established because of the Chamber of Secrets incident.
Lockhart didn't even have time to go back to his office to drop off his trunk before he rushed straight to the Principal's office.
"Good afternoon, Professor Lockhart. Welcome back to Hogwarts. Is there something I can help you with?" Dumbledore, sitting behind his desk, asked as he looked at Lockhart through his half-moon glasses.
"It's like this, Principal!" Lockhart took a deep breath, his face breaking into his habitual smile.
"I believe that as an Order of Merlin, Third Class recipient, an honorary member of the League Against the Dark Arts, and a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with extensive practical experience, I have a responsibility and an obligation to further improve our students' practical magic response levels.
Blah blah... relying solely on book knowledge is far from enough!"
Mixed with his habitual self-boasting, he prattled on about the necessity and great significance of founding a Dueling Club, completely immersed in his own speech.
Impressively, Dumbledore maintained a patient listening posture throughout, fingers interlaced on the desk, with no sign of impatience on his face.
It wasn't until Lockhart finally stopped to catch his breath that Dumbledore spoke slowly.
"I quite agree with your proposal, Professor Lockhart. Giving students the chance to practice dueling techniques is indeed very meaningful... however."
Dumbledore's tone shifted, and he put on a troubled expression.
"As you know, the Castle's teaching resources have always been tight. Extra club activities, venues, protective measures, the repair of potentially damaged items... all of these require Galleons. The school's budget, I'm afraid..."
As Dumbledore spoke, his eyes were fixed meaningfully on Lockhart.
Lockhart: "..."
The smile on his face froze for a moment.
He naturally caught the Principal's underlying meaning. A pang of financial pain hit him, but thinking about those two "public executions" and the urgency of reclaiming his reputation, he gritted his teeth and said decisively:
"I'll pay! As a Professor, for the sake of the students' growth, I have an obligation and must... bear this cost!"
He tried to make his voice sound generous and impassioned.
"Then there is no problem."
The troubled look on Dumbledore's face vanished instantly, and his smile became more genuine.
"I have one more small suggestion. To ensure safety and provide more comprehensive guidance, it would be best to have another experienced Professor serve as an instructor alongside you. So..."
Lockhart: Is there no end to this!
He was screaming inside, but on the outside, he could only maintain his composure.
"Of course, the Principal's consideration is thorough. I will go... convince a Professor to participate."
"And the extra teaching salary for that other Professor..." Dumbledore continued to add gently.
"I'll pay!" Lockhart blurted out, feeling his heart bleed. But things had come to this, and a little more wouldn't make much difference!
Just like that, under Professor Lockhart's "generous" sponsorship, the news that he was starting a Dueling Club spread like wildfire to every corner of Hogwarts Castle.
The time was set for this Saturday, and the location was the Great Hall.
When Lynn heard the news from Edgar, he was so shocked that he almost dropped The 36 Edo Techniques of Fishing in his hand.
"Lockhart? Starting a Dueling Club?" Lynn's expression looked as if he had swallowed a slug.
"He couldn't even handle a cage of Cornish Pixies and was chased all over the classroom! He's going to teach dueling? Is he planning to teach everyone how to escape elegantly, or how to confuse opponents with signed photos?"
"I heard there's another Professor who will be an instructor with him," Edgar added. "I wonder which 'lucky' Professor got pestered by Lockhart."
"Are you guys going this Saturday?" Lynn looked at his roommates.
Edgar immediately echoed, "Yes! Of course! How could we miss such a spectacle? Maybe we'll even see Lockhart 'accidentally' get blasted away by the other Professor!"
William pushed his glasses up. "Might as well go. I happen to want to see for myself what a formal wizard's duel is like, and I can also check how effective the magic I've learned is in actual combat."
"What about Ollie?" Lynn looked at Ollie by the window.
Ollie didn't speak, but just kept nodding.
Lynn looked at his excited roommates and shrugged.
"Alright, then we'll go together to see it."
"By the way," Lynn suddenly remembered something, "I'm going into the trunk to see Opal. Do you guys want to come?"
"Opal?" Edgar didn't react for a moment.
"It's the Antipodean Opaleye—that's the name I gave it," Lynn explained.
"Oh! Right! That dragon egg brought back from Malfoy Manor!" William remembered before Edgar could.
"Let's go, let's go see it!"
At the mention of Opal, Lynn couldn't hold back the smile on his face, his thoughts drifting back to the day he first brought the dragon egg back—
At that time, Lynn was holding the dragon egg and found Levi, who was preening its feathers.
"Master~ what is this?" Levi folded its wings and looked at the egg curiously.
Lynn put on a "sincere" smile and chuckled.
"A new partner, an Antipodean Opaleye. Well, do you want to see it sooner?"
"Of course I do!" Levi's answer was decisive.
It was indeed a bit bored in this trunk. Although the place wasn't small, the only ones it could talk to were the occasionally conscious Lumière and the occasional visitor, Old White.
Having a new member, it supported it with both wings!
"Then that's settled!" Lynn clapped his hands as if he had solved a massive problem. He pointed to the dragon egg.
"Come, sit on this egg to keep it warm. Before long, you'll be able to see this new member with your own eyes!"
Levi: "..."
Levi suddenly felt that... it wasn't so urgent to see this new member after all. Although it was boring in the trunk, at least its dignity was still intact.
In the end, under his master's "expectant" gaze and "righteous" persuasion that "it's all for the new partner," Levi still reluctantly crouched halfway over the dragon egg.
That scene was beautiful, sacred, and carried a hint of unspeakable hilarity.
Recalling this, Lynn looked at the Phoenix perched not far away in the trunk, then at the pearly-colored little dragon sleeping on the rock, and finally couldn't help but burst into a fit of chuckling.
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