Lockhart's Secret Part 2

"Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Gilderoy Lockhart sarcastically remarked, "This is a cursed job; for decades, no teacher who accepted this position has been able to work for more than a year."

"Three suffered serious injuries and are spending the rest of their lives in Saint Mungo's; six became disabled; eleven have been unable to find employment after leaving this post... and one died, Quirinus- Quirrell, my prefect when I was studying in Ravenclaw, died under mysterious circumstances. Dumbledore never provided an explanation... Even if you offered me ten thousand Galleons, I wouldn't apply for this position!"

"Why then are you still our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Jon had guessed something in his heart but maintained a confused expression on his face.

"An unfortunate accident, nearly a year ago." Lockhart curled his lips and explained, "I was probably out of my mind at the time. I had this idea of writing a book about 'The History of Magic,' and I happened to stumble upon a witch who lived in Godric's Hollow, Bathilda Bagshot... You couldn't possibly dream of it. I discovered that the unkempt and shabbily dressed old witch was actually a friend of Albus Dumbledore's. And, even more unfortunately, just as I was about to use the Memory Charm on Bagshot, Dumbledore paid her a visit!"

Jon sympathetically felt sorry for Lockhart, as his experiences aligned with what he had suspected.

"I was caught by Dumbledore and all my stolen glory was taken away!" Lockhart threw his suitcase aside and slumped onto the sofa. "I thought Dumbledore would turn me in and send me to Azkaban, but he made a proposition instead!"

"He offered you the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts?" Jon suppressed his smile.

"Yes!" Lockhart weakly shook his head. "If it weren't for that, I would have accepted this damn position... I even contemplated running away, but Dumbledore's magic is beyond my imagination. He has informants all over Europe... there's nowhere for me to hide!"

"I even told Dumbledore that apart from the Memory Charm, my knowledge of other spells is subpar, and I wouldn't be able to teach his students much."

"But Dumbledore assured me that it doesn't matter. He told me that I don't need to teach the students anything at all. I just need to play the role of a buffoon, to appear as someone who knows nothing except for being famous. A useful idiot, so to speak, especially in front of Harry Potter, to incite his disgust successfully!"

As Lockhart spoke, he waved his wand, and the pictures on the wall were taken down one by one and flew into his suitcase.

"I got 7 O.W.L.s that year. How could I not handle a bunch of Cornish Pixies, not even be able to perform a simple Disarming Charm..." He seemed to be muttering to himself.

Jon now understood everything. No wonder Dumbledore chose Lockhart, the "fraud," as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. It was all part of his "Potter Development Plan."

Through negative reinforcement and personal experiences, young Harry would develop a strong aversion towards Lockhart, becoming disillusioned with his existing fame and growing quickly.

It all made sense, especially for a student like Jon, who wanted to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts after enduring this year.

However, Jon suddenly realized something else. "Professor Lockhart, Professor Dumbledore said he wouldn't send you to Azkaban. Why..."

"I've gone too far!" Gilderoy Lockhart sighed. "Many students and parents have expressed their opinions about my teaching. Due to the Chamber of Secrets incident, no one noticed me, but with the exposure of the monster in the Chamber and the increasing number of complaint letters, even protest letters, sent to the school about me..."

"The parents of Hogwarts students include wizards with significant influence... They have their own special channels and connections. There's no doubt that when the complaints started pouring in, my secret was quickly uncovered!"

"Dumbledore told me that many parents of students have already co-signed a letter to the Daily Prophet. The letter details the truth about my fraudulent exploits... In a few hours, when tomorrow's Prophet is published, all the wizards in Britain will know that I'm just a charlatan who abuses the Memory Charm. The Dementors dispatched by the Ministry of Magic to apprehend me will already be on their way to Hogwarts..."

"So... Professor Lockhart... You..." Jon looked at the former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who was hastily packing, and he seemed to understand something.

"Yes, I have to leave!" Lockhart nodded, characteristically. "Before the Ministry of Magic can react."

"Where will you go?" Jon asked curiously.

"I'll go to France temporarily. Romantic Paris, the beaches of the Seine River filled with bikini-clad beauties, it suits me quite well..." Lockhart casually remarked. "But if the Dementors continue to pursue me, I'll have to keep fleeing. Spain, Gibraltar, even Algeria... Dementors don't fare well in hot weather."

He finished packing and saluted.

"Then, farewell, Jon, my student!" Gilderoy Lockhart bid his farewell as he walked towards the door.

But then, he paused.

"As a teacher, besides signing a few autographs for students and not teaching them anything of value, I feel rather ashamed..." Lockhart rummaged in his pocket carefully until he found a thin booklet.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Lockhart tossed the booklet over.

"This may be the only magic I'm good at, though I don't know if it'll be of use to you!" Lockhart, who had walked out of the office, once again wore his frivolous smile. "But to me, it's of no use anymore, isn't it?"

With that, he disappeared into the darkness without looking back.