bioinnovel Chapter 129 A Humble Heart
Chapter 129 A Humble Heart
Chapter 129 A Humble Heart
The first interrogation of Gilderoy Lockhart has come to a temporary end, and his candid confession has saved valuable time and effort.
The next step is to verify the authenticity of the testimonies, find the wizards who have been affected by the Oblivion Curse, try to restore their memories, and convict Lockhart of his crimes.
Then comes the Ministry of Magic's trial. Given Lockhart's fame and influence, it's likely that all the Wizengamo members will attend the trial and give him a one-way ticket to Azkaban free of charge.
To be fair, Belvina acknowledges Lockhart's talent; his works are quite good, and even without attributing other people's experiences to himself, they still achieve good sales.
Unfortunately, Gilderoy Lockhart's ever-growing vanity made him perpetually insatiable, and he misused his talents, ultimately leading him astray.
That evening, the eerie atmosphere that had permeated the students began to dissipate as Albus Dumbledore appeared in the Great Hall, sitting in the headmaster's seat in the center of the faculty section.
The gloom in the hearts of the older students turned into relief. Their headmaster had not left, Professor Dumbledore was still at the school, and the Slytherin heir certainly wouldn't dare to launch another attack.
The Ministry of Magic employees who had come all the way from London did not leave either. They dispersed and returned to their respective house tables, reminiscing about their long-lost student days.
Belvina turned her head to look at the empty seat at the end of the faculty section, which was Hagrid's seat. The hunting ground guard had not appeared at noon or in the evening.
Thinking back to that blatant miscarriage of justice fifty years ago, Hagrid must be hiding in his cabin right now, worried that the Ministry of Magic will take him away with him.
As dinner drew to a close, Dumbledore, the man of great stability, flicked his fingers together and tapped the glass in front of him, the clear sound echoing throughout the Great Hall.
The students, who were enjoying their meals with peace of mind, immediately fell silent when they heard the crisp notification sound and looked up at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore slowly rose to his feet, and the Great Hall, now quiet as ever, was so still you could hear a pin drop.
"Before you return to the common room, I have a few words to say," Dumbledore began slowly. "First, I must announce that Professor Gilderoy Lockhart is temporarily unable to return to us for personal reasons."
As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted in the Great Hall. The younger students were the first to clap, followed closely by the older students. Everyone was celebrating the news of Lockhart's departure, showing how long Hogwarts had missed him.
The Ministry of Magic employees, including Delilah and Felix, were shocked and dumbfounded, looking as if they had never seen anything like it before.
After an afternoon of interviewing students, the Ministry of Magic employees learned that the students disliked Lockhart, but they did not expect Lockhart to be so unpopular!
Everywhere you looked, no one seemed saddened by Lockhart's departure; everyone was clapping, their faces beaming with uncontrollable smiles.
Dumbledore pressed his hands down, signaling everyone to be quiet. The students were more obedient than ever before, and the tidal wave of applause vanished instantly, leaving the Great Hall completely silent once more.
Dumbledore continued, "I have another story to tell you. Long ago, a couple welcomed their youngest child, a bright and handsome boy, whom his parents loved dearly."
When the boy was very young, he showed extraordinary magical talent, which made his mother extremely happy. She doted on her smart and handsome little son without any reservations.
His mother's favoritism, coupled with the boy's awareness of his difference, fueled his vanity, which grew wildly like weeds; he craved the praise of the entire world.
Dumbledore paused, his gaze falling on Ravenclaw's table.
Even without visual guidance, most students could guess who the boy in the story was—Gidero Lockhart.
Moreover, a professor of Muggle Studies who wished to remain anonymous once told a story about a boy who was equally handsome and intelligent.
Dumbledore continued, "Later, the boy was accepted into a magic school, a school full of wizards and witches, and he was no longer the one who was different, nor was he the wisest."
Everything the boy was proud of was commonplace at this school. The huge gap shocked him, and his vanity, as rampant as weeds, began to take hold. He craved everyone's attention and praise.
However, the boy didn't use his intelligence for his studies, and until the day he left school, he was unable to realize the extraordinary magical talent he had displayed so early on.
Dumbledore paused again, and whispers immediately filled the Great Hall.
The students whispered among themselves as they read two nearly identical versions of the story, and Gilderoy Lockhart's image became increasingly clear in their minds.
The story of Belvina allowed students to see Lockhart's outward appearance, while the story of Dumbledore allowed them to see Lockhart's inner self.
Belvina, sitting in the faculty section, raised an eyebrow. To this day, she still remembers the scene when Lockhart graduated. The entire school breathed a sigh of relief, and they were just short of setting off firecrackers and lining up to send him off.
"After leaving school, the boy's magical talent had been completely squandered, and he became more and more ordinary and commonplace," Dumbledore continued. "This was something the boy could not accept, and he still craved attention as before."
Dumbledore sighed and continued, "In the end, he chose a shortcut, stealing other people's real experiences to complete his own work. He succeeded, gaining the fame he desired most, and his vanity was satisfied like never before."
However, a lie is a lie, and a lie can never become the truth. In the end, the boy received the punishment he deserved.
As Dumbledore finished speaking, the story he was about to tell was over. All the teachers and students in the school knew that the boy in the story was Gilderoy Lockhart, and that he was about to be tried by the Ministry of Magic.
The thunderous applause did not return; instead, the students whispered among themselves, discussing the possible punishment Lockhart might face.
Will he be sentenced to life imprisonment?
In truth, the students' discussions were largely superfluous. All wizards tried by the Ministry of Magic were destined for Azkaban; the length of their sentences was merely a number. Many prisoners in Azkaban didn't even last a week.
"Finally, I hope that after hearing the boy's story, we will all understand one thing," Dumbledore said. "Overcome your vanity and always keep a humble heart."
Applause erupted as the students applauded Dumbledore and the stories he had told.
The story ended, the applause ceased, dinner was over, and the eventful day seemed to have come to a close, with the only change being the departure of Gilderoy Lockhart.
However, is the turmoil caused by the collective petition truly over? I doubt it.
After dinner, Belvina, who had left the hall, did not return to the fifth floor, but instead pulled Bassheda out of the castle, which was unusual for her.
The white snow on the field had not yet melted, making the moonlight shine very brightly. Belvina and Bassheda walked between the moonlight and the snow, but neither of them stopped their hurried steps, nor did they praise each other for the beauty of the world.
Hagrid's cabin was located at the edge of the site, near the Forbidden Forest. The dark Forbidden Forest was menacing, and the simple cabin had only a lonely lamp, like a solitary reef in a vast ocean, or the only plank left in a shipwreck.
Belvina walked to the door of the cabin and gently knocked.
About half a minute later, Hagrid's gruff voice came from inside. He said, "Who's out there?"
"It's me, Belvina," Belvina said. "And Bassheda too, no one else."
About half a minute later, Hagrid flung open the cabin door and said gruffly, "Oh, it's you. What brings you here?"
Hagrid stepped aside to make way for the two female professors to enter the cabin. He tried to act as if nothing had happened, but the furnishings inside the cabin betrayed the hunting ground guard.
As soon as she entered, Belvina saw a crossbow on the table, an arrow on the string, and next to it was a pink umbrella.
"You're preparing a weapon, Hagrid," Belvina said softly, reaching for the crossbow bolt. "I hope your crossbow isn't for use against the Ministry of Magic."
"Ministry of Magic? How could that be!" Hagrid mumbled. "I was just trying to protect the roosters in the henhouse. Didn't you say the roosters have to be alive?"
As Hagrid spoke, he picked up the kettle from the stove, preparing to make tea.
However, Hagrid's hands trembled so badly that water spilled from the kettle, almost extinguishing the fire. Then, with trembling hands, Hagrid poured water into the large teacup, spilling water everywhere and making the cabin floor wet.
Then, Hagrid placed two steaming cups of water in front of Belvina and Bassheda, forgetting to include the tea bags.
"What brings you here? How is Professor Dumbledore?" Hagrid mumbled. "I mean—Lockhart! Has Lockhart been punished?"
Anyone who isn't blind can see how abnormal Hagrid is at this moment.