"You know how it was... I was purely swept up by the enthusiasm of the fans. They were clamoring for to reenact that famous scene, but you know my actual level.
If I hadn't found soone familiar with and willing to cooperate, my reputation would have been in tatters. I'm truly grateful you were willing to play along."
"Here's a little token of my appreciation." Lockhart reached behind him and produced a small, heavy bag clinking with Gold Galleons.
"This is for your hard work today. And... well, there were a lot of people outside just now, so I'm apologizing to you properly now~"
When Hermione burst through the door, with Harry and Ron rushing in behind her to try and stop her, this was exactly the scene they witnessed.
Kane was lounging on the sofa while Lockhart sat beside him with a look of sincere contrition, speaking in low, humble tones and holding out a bulging bag of gold.
"..." Hermione bit her lip. She knew it. She should have known.
Harry and Ron, having spent enough ti with Kane and knowing Lockhart's true "flavor," imdiately understood the cause and effect of the situation.
Hermione, however, was caught off guard; her face flushed red then turned pale, feeling a bit like a fool for her dramatic entrance.
Kane and Lockhart both jumped at the sound of the door being forced open. Lockhart, fearing he was being "point-blank detonated" by obsessive fans, saw only the three students.
He quickly shoved the Galleons into Kane's arms, vaulted over the back of the sofa, and crouched down, pointing a trembling finger at the trio. "Kane! These must be the fanatics! Protect ! Take them out!"
Kane sighed, tucking the gold into his robes. "They're just my friends. Don't overreact. At most... they just have a bad habit of how they enter a house."
In an instant, Lockhart's embarrassnt turned into a bright, fake laugh as he stood up. "Ahaha! Your friends! Of course! I thought—well, never mind. Please, make yourselves at ho. I'll go get so snacks and drinks."
Lockhart hurried into the kitchen, leaving the four of them huddled around the coffee table.
"So... next ti there's a job like this, can you introduce ? I'm not afraid of losing face," Ron said, staring longingly at the bulge in Kane's pocket.
"Sure, shares for everyone who saw it," Kane said, pulling out the bag and letting each of them grab a handful of coins.
Initially, Ron didn't want to look like a beggar, but once he saw Harry reach in, and then even Hermione take a handful, he decided there was absolutely nothing wrong with a fistful of gold.
"Er, Kane? Could you co here for a second? Just you, please," Lockhart's voice called from the kitchen.
"I'll go check it out. Hermione, please put the hamr away?" Kane reminded her before heading in.
Inside the kitchen, Lockhart had arranged snacks and drinks on a tray, looking conflicted. "It's like this..."
"I'm listening," Kane nodded.
"Is there any way you can get those three to keep a secret? About... well, just now, and the truth about my magic?" Lockhart asked awkwardly.
"Mmm... why not?" Kane arched an eyebrow. "They're good people. If you talk to them properly, they'll agree. But don't just go in empty-handed."
Lockhart looked puzzled. "You an..."
"Your books are very expensive," Kane noted. Lockhart caught on instantly. "No problem, no problem! I'll take you all to my study later. Any book you want, take it for free."
Kane nodded. "Then thanks are in order."
Lockhart followed Kane out with the tray, setting the snacks down and negotiating gently with the other three. As Kane expected, they were easy to talk to. They agreed to keep his secrets in exchange for free books—except for Hermione.
After Professor Quirrell last year, her expectations for a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor were already low.
But a professor whose magic was weaker than a Lumos and whose only talent was brown-nosing the "Celestial Dragons" of the wizarding world?
Quirrell might have been a poor teacher, but at least he used standard textbooks that the students could study on their own. Lockhart's curriculum, however...
It's going to be another long year of self-study, Hermione thought, sighing at the bleak outlook for the new term.
While Harry and Ron followed Lockhart to the study to gather textbooks for themselves and the rest of the Weasleys, Hermione turned her gaze to Kane. She wanted to ask a question, but she was almost afraid the answer would make her want to hang Kane from a lamppost.
Kane noticed. "Just ask."
"How did this Lockhart beco a Hogwarts professor? It wouldn't happen to be because of... you, would it?"
She didn't finish the thought, but she was really asking if Lockhart had bribed his way in through Kane's influence.
Kane didn't catch her drift entirely. If he had, he would have laughed. It wasn't Lockhart bribing him; it was the combined effort of Hogwarts, Dumbledore, and Kane "bribing" Lockhart to take the cursed position.
How else would they find a yearly sacrifice for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post?
But since she didn't specify, Kane simply nodded.
"If you want to put it that way, you're not wrong. It really is because of that Lockhart is coming to teach." Kane sighed. Lockhart had specifically requested Kane as his "adventure partner." What could he do? He was powerless.
Even though Lockhart had been nearly tricked to death by the century-old Dumbledore, and their "adventure" had just been Kane leading him through a few scripted, bizarre scenarios, the fact remained: Kane was the catalyst.
Hermione sighed deeply. She wanted to say the sky had gone dark over the wizarding world, but then she realized it had probably never been light to begin with.
If Hogwarts, the heart of their society, was playing "Gas of Thrones" and selling offices, what hope was there?
Did Muggle-borns like her have a future?
Maybe not most, but she did—simply by being friends with the "Celestial Dragon" sitting across from her. But she didn't want that life.
She didn't want to rely on Kane's influence to rise. She wanted to carve out her own path. Kane was a good person, but she had no intention of staying in this stagnant society.
The day I graduate from Hogwarts is the day I 'run' from this place, she decided.
Soon, Harry and Ron erged with piles of books, stuffing them into the "Little Pumpkin's" mouth to save their aching arms. After finishing the snacks, they prepared to leave.
Lockhart pulled Kane aside one last ti. "Kane, can we have a private word?"
"Sure." Kane stayed behind while the others headed out. Hermione, having already reached her own conclusions about "backroom deals," didn't look back.
Left alone, Lockhart nervously rubbed his hands together. "It's like this... You know my magic isn't exactly... strong. I start teaching in a few days, and honestly, I don't want to be exposed."
Kane nodded. "So you want a crash course?"
"Exactly! Can you help ?"
Kane crossed his arms. "We're friends, so of course I want to help. But I'm only going into my second year. I can only help you brush up on first-year material."
"But then again," Kane continued, "most of the Hogwarts curriculum is about fighting dark creatures rather than high-level offensive spells in the early years.
I could ask Dumbledore to provide a reading list or an outline for you. It might speed things up. If you're going to lose face, it'll likely only be in front of the sixth and seventh years. And them..."
"They're old enough that they've probably already figured out what kind of person you are anyway," Kane added with a smirk.
"Thank you, Kane! Thank you!" Lockhart looked imnsely relieved.
"Mmm-hmm. I'm heading out." Kane left the house and found the Weasleys and his friends at the ice cream parlor, crowding around Mr. Weasley.
"What happened? Mr. Weasley looks hurt," Kane asked, running over.
"Oh, Kane! It's nothing. I just had a bit of a scrap with Malfoy. I won, of course!" Mr. Weasley said excitedly.
"Impressive," Kane complinted, then asked, "So why are you so disheveled if it was a multi-on-one?"
"Outnumbering an opponent isn't what a knight does," Mr. Weasley explained. "It was a sacred wizard's duel. One-on-one."
"Ah... I see." Kane still didn't quite get why they wouldn't use their numbers to their advantage, but he chalked it up to "chivalry."
The question stayed with him until they returned to the Burrow. Everything was back to normal: the twins were inventing upstairs, Mr. Weasley was back at the Ministry, Harry and Ron were playing Wizard's Chess, and Percy was deep in his studies.
Ginny was sitting across from Kane, hiding behind a leather-bound notebook. She seed to be drawing fervently before flipping it around.
"Kane, look! I drew you. Do you like it?" Ginny smiled, showing off her work.
"It looks great," Kane praised with a smile.
Ginny left the notebook on the table and went out to play with Luna. No one noticed as the ink on the sketch of Kane's face slowly began to fade, eventually vanishing completely.
Ti passed, and finally, it was ti for Hogwarts to open its doors once again.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 200 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.
User Comments
0 comments from readers