Chapter 88: This is an Opportunity

Chapter 88: This is an Opportunity

This was, without a doubt, the most absurd encounter.

Lockhart had no chance to exchange information with Hermione before the werewolf hoisted him out, pushed Hermione into the cell, and dragged him away.

He tried to cast a spell, but the magic in his body was too unfamiliar; it simply wouldn't respond to his call, and his wand was nowhere to be found.

He had to make one last desperate attempt, shouting to the werewolf, "No, no, don't lock my daughter in there! Let me stay instead!"

He just needed some time to get used to his magic, but he could see that Hermione seemed to have lost all her magic.

This was clearly the "Sack Creature's" ability: to subtly obscure a wizard's perception of magic, thereby easily absorbing and consuming the wizards it enveloped.

He didn't know if this would put Hermione in immediate danger. He struggled and pleaded with the werewolf like an ordinary man, a father begging for his daughter's safety.

But the werewolf ignored him completely. Perhaps his acting was too exaggerated, or something, but Hermione actually chuckled from inside the cell.

This made the werewolf stop and look back at her in confusion.

The girl merely looked at the man in the werewolf's grasp and called out affectionately, "Dad, it's okay, I'll be fine in here! You go back to town!"

Was that a hint? Lockhart's expression shifted. He suddenly realized that Hermione wouldn't have come to face this monster for no reason, to take the place of a "father" she didn't know.

Ugh! The werewolf soon threw him out of the castle, onto the snow, and the heavy gates slammed shut. This was an absolutely terrible experience.

He stood up, annoyed, brushing the snow off his clothes. He pursed his lips, looking at the castle built in the desolate wilderness.

Just give me some time! Once I get used to the magic in my body, I'll kill you, you deformed werewolf!

Then he shivered from the cold, realizing he was wearing only a linen shirt and thin linen trousers, and had only one boot on his foot.

"Go back to town?" He pondered Hermione's words, suddenly realizing: Could the others be in town too? But how was he supposed to get back?

Just then, the quick patter of hooves approached. A white horse with flowing mane galloped up and stopped in front of him, letting out joyful "hiccuping" sounds. 

This was... his Patronus! Its current state looked so real, no different from a horse. The horse was affectionate toward him, yet also a little confused, seemingly sensing that Lockhart had become somewhat unfamiliar, but this didn't stop it from trying to be close to Lockhart.

"Good boy~" Lockhart gently stroked its head, then swung himself onto its back.

"Horse, you've been given a role too, haven't you? Can you take me to town?" The horse excitedly pawed its front hooves and then quickly galloped down the road ahead.

The cold wind howled. Snow fell across the vast expanse. The world was a blanket of white.

To be honest, Lockhart had never ridden a horse before, at least not in his previous life. Any riding skill he possessed was from his original self's memories.

The original Lockhart, that flamboyant peacock, had thoroughly researched many ways to appear handsome and elegant while riding. Lockhart couldn't help but feel a little grateful for this. Otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to get back to town.

The town looked prosperous. Even at night, many lights were on, and faint singing drifted from a larger building, along with some boisterous cheers. As the saying goes, an old horse knows the way. The white horse soon brought Lockhart to a delicate two-story building with exquisite tiles.

Then he saw two familiar figures. Ron, dressed in lavish, gaudy clothes, was currently lying sideways on the steps in front of the building, clutching an ornate flask, clearly drunk. And Draco, dressed in blacksmith's attire, stood nearby, arms crossed, sneering. They both appeared a few years older.

Draco's eyes lit up when he saw Lockhart. He quickly strode forward, helping Lockhart dismount from the white horse, excitedly calling out, "This is great, Professor Lockhart, you're finally here!"

Lockhart quickly asked, "Where are the others?"

Draco chuckled. "George and Fred are performing in a circus, but we got separated. I heard Ron say—" He mimicked Ron's slightly dull tone, "'I don't believe it, they're afraid of being ignored. Shouldn't that be my inner desire?'"

Lockhart raised an eyebrow. "It seems you have a certain understanding of how the Dark magical creature's mechanism works."

Draco immediately looked a bit smug. "Ron and I analyzed it together, otherwise he certainly wouldn't understand."

Lockhart chuckled. "You actually analyzed it with him?"

"Yeah, I actually analyzed it with him," Draco sighed. "Besides Ron and Hermione, and George and Fred who I saw from afar, I haven't met anyone else."

Understood. Lockhart nodded, then looked at Ron, who was lying on the ground, face flushed from drink, eyes glazed, feeling a bit confused. "What's wrong with him?"

At the mention of this, Draco's expression became a little strange. He glanced at Ron, then lowered his voice and whispered, "Hermione's 'father' is a somewhat wealthy but very greedy man who set his sights on the town's richest magnate, hoping to marry his daughter to the magnate's precious only son..."

As he spoke, he gestured towards Ron. Then he struggled to suppress a laugh. "Apparently, Hermione ran away overnight, and young master Ron is drowning his sorrows. He was even comforting Hermione earlier, saying it was just acting. Ha, now everyone knows, who knows how much he was secretly hoping for it then."

Lockhart also looked like he was trying hard not to laugh; this was too amusing. But the wealthy young master Ron, the only son of the richest family in town, and Draco the young blacksmith... Heh, this made Lockhart even more certain that the Dark magical creature secretly influencing everything was the "Sack Creature."

"Let's go inside and talk." Lockhart picked up Ron and suddenly realized his strength had increased significantly; he didn't feel any strain at all.

He searched inside the house and found a thick pair of boots and a warm coat, finally no longer shivering in the cold wind. Turning around, he saw that Draco had already skillfully lit a fire in the fireplace.

Seeing Lockhart looking at him, Draco said somewhat helplessly, "I have no wand and no magic. If I don't master lighting fires, the old blacksmith will just beat me."

The old blacksmith in this world wasn't as kind to him as his father; he would beat Draco whenever he was displeased, and sometimes, if he was drunk and someone said something about his son, he'd drag Draco out and give him a thrashing. Draco, therefore, quickly mastered lighting fires, boiling water, cooking porridge, hammering iron, and other chores in a very short time.

"I don't know why this is happening," he sighed.

Lockhart pulled a blanket over Ron, smiling as he came to Draco's side. "This is our trial."

"When you have no magic, you can feel your mind more clearly."

"Many spells, especially the Patronus Charm, draw their power from our minds. When you are temporarily unable to change your current situation, you should think about how to make yourself stronger."

"For instance..."

"Find a way to make your mind strong enough to trigger the Patronus Charm you already possess, and let it counter the effects the Dark magical creature is having on you."

As he spoke, Lockhart suddenly had a realization of his own. That's right! This is a great opportunity to truly feel the connection between mind and magic!

Of course, he had magic now, and didn't need to try this like the young wizards. He wasn't so rigid as to avoid using his abilities. What he thought of was the beginning of the so-called fairy-tale adventure he had mentioned to Snape: an old father's entrustment.

And there was more than one. Lyall Lupin! That poor old father was also hoping he could help research a cure for werewolves. And now, there was no better state for him to be in to carefully examine what werewolf magic felt like! He had it now!

....

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