章節 134: Chapter 134: The Downfall of Lockhart
By mid-December, temperatures in the Scottish Highlands had plummeted below freezing. Hogwarts experienced its first real snowfall of the academic year.
The entire castle was draped in a pure white veil of snow, the sky a deep, dark blue that seemed reminiscent of a winter in Narnia. Countless snowflakes drifted leisurely from the sky, covering the grounds in a thick blanket of snow. The lawns, once green, were now home to snowmen who greeted passersby.
Of course, anyone wanting to see these charming snowmen needed to be cautious. Due to someone's prank, a few mischievous snowmen were hidden among them, ready to throw enchanted snowballs silently at unsuspecting students.
While this might have been entertaining, today, the grounds were eerily empty. All the students were inside, gathered together, discussing the significant event that had occurred just two hours earlier.
The Head of the Auror Office, Gadvin Robards, had personally led a team into the Great Hall to arrest Professor Gilderoy Lockhart during lunch, accompanied by reporters from the Daily Prophet.
It had been many years since such an event had transpired—a professor being arrested at Hogwarts.
…
In the Slytherin common room, even two or three hours after the event, the atmosphere remained lively, even chaotic.
Draco Malfoy entered the common room, holding a special edition of the Daily Prophet. Ignoring the bustling scene around him, he headed straight to the dormitory.
With a loud bang, the door shut, cutting off the noise from outside.
"Ino! Check out the latest news," Draco said, waving the newspaper.
"Potter's famous again, along with his Weasley sidekick. I can't believe how efficient the Ministry was this time—Lockhart's already been convicted."
"Convicted in three hours?" Ino was astonished as he took the newspaper. The headlines screamed: "Shocking Scam! The Trial of Lockhart," "Harry Potter's Role in the Case," "The Scandal Between the Celebrity Professor and Student"…
Clearly, the Daily Prophet knew what its readers wanted. These headlines alone made one eager to read on.
In what could have been conveyed in a single article, the Daily Prophet stretched it to a full page. It detailed Lockhart's crimes, included some salacious gossip, and featured random student interviews from the castle.
Finally, Ino reached the pertinent information: Lockhart was convicted of fraud and intentional harm, sentenced to three years in Azkaban, with all his assets confiscated. The Ministry would handle his assets to compensate the injured wizards.
Money talks. The Ministry's swift action was likely due not only to Professor McGonagall's influence but also to the considerable fortune of the famous author.
It was a shrewd move. With irrefutable evidence, they acted decisively in arresting and sentencing him. The compensation for the injured wizards? That would be up to the Ministry's discretion.
"No more toad-themed love poems for Valentine's Day…" Ino sighed, tossing the newspaper onto the table.
"Valentine's Day?" Draco's curiosity was piqued. He leaned in with a look of keen interest. "Are you really in a relationship? Tell me everything!"
"Don't be so nosy. Shouldn't you be more concerned about how Potter's going to handle the aftermath? Lockhart's fans aren't going to be easy to deal with."
Ino knew that the only way to deflect a curious wizard was with an even more intriguing topic; otherwise, he'd face endless pestering.
…
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