Chapter 85 It's All Fake
For the young wizards, the scene before them was an utterly novel experience, both for those from Muggle families like Hermione and for those from traditional wizarding families like Ron and Neville, who had grown up around magic.
Magic seemed to transform the area around Professor Lockhart into an entirely different world. They gazed at the lush primeval forest outside the emerald glow and then at the dark, obscure forest within the light, finding it all so peculiar.
But as they drew closer to Professor Lockhart and stepped into this uniquely rendered world, their feelings quickly turned to apprehension. The surrounding forest no longer looked vibrant; dry, dead trees seemed to writhe like demonic claws reaching for the sky.
The soft green grass on the ground had turned into brittle bones on scorched earth, crunching underfoot. As they followed Professor Lockhart forward, this eerie sensation intensified.
Within the glow, they arrived before a strange structure. From afar, it looked like a tomb fortress where a chilling wind howled. Yet, if they looked beyond the light, at the natural landscape of the primeval forest, they would see that they were now in the middle of a lake! Everyone's expression was strained.
Finally, they stopped before a grand mausoleum featuring a four-meter-tall skeletal reaper statue. Lockhart turned back, smiling, and looked at them. "Lockhart's Classroom Pop Quiz, students, tell me your thoughts?"
What a twisted sense of humor! Snape sneered from the side. Did he really need them to describe their feelings when they were clearly scared?
To his surprise, several of the young wizards immediately raised their hands. And Harry Potter, whom he had been observing, quickly spoke up before Draco could, "The forest's life is cut off, unknown skeletons, it's full of death but with no scavengers like crows, Professor. I deduce this is a threat from a Dark magical creature, and it should be related to the larger category of 'existence of life'!"
"Excellent!" Lockhart nodded with satisfaction. He then looked at Draco, who was secretly pouting, and gestured for him to share his thoughts.
Draco quickly held up a bone he had apparently just picked up from the ground. "Professor, I just tried to bite it. It seems exceptionally brittle, as if it's completely dehydrated, but in the real environment, this is a lake. So I think this Dark magical creature is not suited to this environment; it's of the 'easily dispelled' kind."
"Perfect!" Lockhart nodded in pleasant surprise, then looked at the other young wizards. "Any other additions?"
Professor Snape, standing nearby, was stunned. He looked at these children in disbelief, especially the foolish Harry he knew so well and Draco whom he had watched grow up, and felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity. He had never expected such performance from these two children before.
Oh, he remembered. The last time they went to Urquhart Castle to help with a Dark magical creature problem, Gilderoy had indeed told them that the first step when encountering magical creatures was to observe the state of their environment, as that would help distinguish the creature's condition.
So, for a moment, he suddenly felt a newfound respect for Lockhart, who was now testing the children—had he really taught the children these things? This seemed so novel to him.
As the young wizards spoke, one after another, sharing their thoughts, he surprisingly gained a rough understanding of the Dark magical creature they were about to face.
"Absolutely perfect!" Lockhart was more than pleased with the young wizards. He smiled brightly, looking at everyone. "So, what's a generally effective way to deal with Dark magical creatures of this kind? Neville, you tell us."
"The Patronus Charm, Professor, we can use the Patronus Charm!" Neville said excitedly. Once he realized this could be used to solve the problem, he was thrilled. After all, everyone had been practicing this spell recently, and he clearly understood he had the ability to resist this Dark magical creature. He wouldn't be a burden due to his clumsiness this time.
Oh, he suddenly realized. He was merely forgetful, not dumb. Remembering Professor Lockhart mentioning that this adventure required mastering the Patronus Charm, he suddenly understood—wow, the Professor already knew!
To be honest, his Patronus Charm wasn't very good yet. He had written to his great-uncle and grandmother to tell them he wouldn't be home for Christmas because he was going on an adventure with the Professor. He mentioned that his Patronus could only produce a faint silver glow, which made him quite upset.
However, his great-uncle and grandmother's replies were surprisingly delighted, reassuring him that it was already impressive for a second-year wizard to have mastered such a powerful spell to that extent.
But Neville knew that wasn't entirely true. So far, three students in the Duelling Club could already cast Patronuses with animal forms: Ron's twin brothers, George and Fred, and first-year Luna Lovegood.
Truly, nothing was more motivating than Luna, a first-year wizard who had only been at school for half a year, being able to produce a full Patronus. Even the proud Malfoy heir obediently kept his mouth shut in front of this.
"Absolutely perfect!" Lockhart's smile grew even wider as he looked at the young wizards with satisfaction, knowing full well that these were the fruits of his teaching.
He absolutely had to write a book, he had to write about this adventure! He would use this experience to fill the content of the teaching career book his original self had been conceiving, to expound on the "fairy-tale adventure" theory.
His original self had published over a dozen best-selling books in nine years after graduation, not by writing one and then promoting it before writing another. The material needed to be constantly accumulated, minute by minute, like this.
It was absolutely perfect.
Lockhart caressed his wand, smiling at everyone. "Neville's judgment is correct. Students, remember, use the Patronus Charm! It will help you fight against the Dark magic's invasion of your minds!"
With that, he pointed his wand at the mausoleum behind him. "I think I need to clearly explain what's going to happen next."
"What you're currently experiencing is not a real scene, but a manifestation of the 'phenomenon' characteristics of a 'non-existent' Dark magical creature. I am using magic to reveal it."
"And the current situation is that we are entering its phenomenon through mental contact."
As he spoke, he gave his wand a flick, and the emerald magical light rapidly collapsed, the scene of the grim forest quickly fading.
Soon, everyone was surprised to find that they were truly in the middle of the lake. And strangely, after a moment of panic, no one felt any sensation of suffocation or falling into the water.
"Look!"
Hermione excitedly pointed in the direction they had come from. Everyone looked up together and gasped. At the edge of the large lake, in front of the forest, Professor Lockhart was holding his wand, with everyone standing beside him, and Professor Snape stood guard, looking alert.
But they were clearly in the lake. This feeling of watching themselves from afar was simply too magical.
"It's an extension of the mind. Our perceptions connect through communication with the Dark magical creature, allowing us to enter its phenomenon."
Old Dumbledore's trick was simply too useful, especially when dealing with Dark Arts defense.
Professor Lockhart continued to explain, pulling everyone's attention back. "Next, we need to confront this Dark magical creature directly with our minds. Please remember this: when Dark magic invades the mind, your Patronus will protect your soul!"
"So, everyone, prepare yourselves."
"This will be an adventure on a mental level. We will gather each person's mental strength to fight it, to resolve it!"
He smiled mysteriously. "This is a test of your mental fortitude."
He waved his wand.
"Mind Communication!"
Boom!
Everyone present began to feel the entire world rapidly collapsing. Their vision flickered with chaotic colors, and they suddenly seemed to lose the concepts of space and time.
"Relax~" Everyone's mind had an innate defensive power. Not to mention, the young wizards had all learned the Patronus Charm that protected their souls. Lockhart's mastery of Dumbledore's spell couldn't yet be called perfect; he couldn't forcibly control them, only soothe them and ask for their cooperation.
"Accept the call to adventure, and you will follow me in."
"Likewise, if you resist the call to adventure, no matter what you encounter next, you will be pulled out of it, so this will not bring you any danger."
Such reassurance worked. Especially for Snape, whose vigilance was at max. His expression remained complex for a while, but finally, looking at the young wizards, he sighed and closed his eyes, choosing to follow everyone into what Lockhart called an adventure.
He would resist such an idea, but he couldn't abandon these young wizards.
Soon, the entire world seemed to rapidly reconfigure. Everyone again felt solid ground beneath their feet, and the bustling din of a city rushed over them.
"Got it!"
Lockhart's voice reached their ears, seemingly from far away, then gradually faded.
Snape quickly opened his eyes at this sensation, startled to find himself in the bustling street of an unfamiliar city. He seemed to be sitting in a bookstore, surrounded by excited people waving books, shouting at him, "Severus Snape! Please sign this for me!"
He gazed intently, and the book cover clearly read: "Severus's Potions Class by Potions Master Severus Snape."
Below it was an even more prominent line in large letters: "Strongly Recommended by Master Wizard Lily Evans!"
!!!
He stared at the scene in disbelief, his breathing quickening. Trembling, he snatched a book offered by a fan and stared blankly at the words on the cover.
Master Wizard Lily Evans wasn't Lily Potter...
No!
No!
This is all fake! Fake!
He pursed his lips, his face strained, his eyes filled with sorrow. He trembled as he opened the book, reading the preface written for him by Master Wizard Lily Evans, where Lily, as a good friend, introduced his great achievements in potions—
"Master Snape, please sign for me!" the fan looked at him excitedly.
Snape, however, merely extended a hand sorrowfully, trembling, but not daring to touch the name on the page.
Smack!
Heaven knew what willpower he used to close the book again, carefully place it on the table, and finally draw his wand.
No matter what the problem here was, no matter what was happening before him.
No matter—
whether Lily would truly appear here, he had to do this anyway—break through this hateful illusion. He had a group of students waiting for him to protect!
I'm sorry, Lily, I have a responsibility I must bear.
He looked back at Lily's printed signature on the book, full of longing, so reluctant to leave it. Finally, he pushed past the people in front of him with all his might and strode towards the bookstore exit.
Gilderoy Lockhart!
You bloody fool, you better be telling the truth!
The Patronus Charm better actually work!
He forcefully waved his wand, chanting the incantation sorrowfully towards the sky, "Expecto Patronum!"