Chapter 10: Lockhart's First Class
"I believe many young wizards just beginning to learn magic will discover a secret: the louder you shout, the better the magic works."
As he spoke, Lockhart glanced around. Seeing some children who excelled in charms nodding in agreement, he couldn't help but grin.
"Of course, when you reach the upper years, with more and more experience in casting, you will find that the true essence of magic is a firm will."
Murmurs began to spread through the hall. Some young wizards started whispering to those beside them, discussing how they had indeed done this and how well it had worked.
Harry Potter, for example, seemed to have a revelation. He turned to Ron and told him that he did indeed cast spells very loudly, so it seemed he was right.
Across the aisle, Malfoy from Slytherin sneered and turned his head. Just as he was about to mock the other's foolish reliance on shouting to cast spells, he suddenly saw Hermione Granger looking at Professor Lockhart on the stage with a lovesick expression.
Oh.
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He had recently seen many classmates infatuated with Lockhart, which he found quite disgusting.
Fortunately, the discussion didn't last long. The prefects from each house began to maintain order in the class. They took the glorious task entrusted to them by Professor Lockhart very seriously.
"I know..."
Lockhart paced back and forth on the stage, speaking eloquently, "Some students will disagree with this statement."
"They will feel that the true essence of magic is not a firm will, but a rich imagination, or rather, the ability to construct mental images."
He brandished his wand, which to him was no different from a fire poker, making a gesture. It was a most standard basic Transfiguration movement, and the handsome pose once again elicited screams from some young wizards.
The prefects had to busy themselves again.
Lockhart just smiled and nodded at the prefects who were trying to curry favor, before continuing his lecture.
"Many wizards will find that when we have a good expectation of the outcome after casting a spell, preferably with a clear image in our minds, our casting will become wonderful and effortless."
"For example, the Repairing Charm, 'Reparo'..."
"For example, Transfiguration and its corresponding counter-charm, 'Reparifarge'..."
Lockhart gave many examples of this application. Each time he gave an example, he would strike a pose and perform the most standard gesture, a casting movement that even the extremely proficient Transfiguration experts Dumbledore and McGonagall couldn't fault.
In this way, he quickly summarized as many as seven points, each with detailed arguments.
"A firm will, a wonderful imagination, intense emotions..." He walked slowly across the stage, the golden wizard's robe swaying and reflecting the lights of the Great Hall, making him shine so brightly.
He asked, "But even though we have summarized so many secrets to casting spells, we also find that none of them can be applied to all areas of magic. So, what is the true essence of magic?"
His gaze swept over every student, even looking at the professors in the corner. Noticing that they were also thinking, he raised an eyebrow slightly.
Next, he randomly selected a few outstanding students to try and answer this question.
Of course, being a cunning boy, he naturally chose students who were excellent, eager to perform, and his fans.
Their excellence would create a stereotype among the Hogwarts students: look, Professor Lockhart's fans are all high-quality fans. You can't go wrong by liking him.
Lockhart received many answers, but even the top professors at Hogwarts might not be able to give a convincing answer to such a question.
In fact, there was no absolute answer to such a question in the first place.
Since it was destined to be questioned, as long as what he said was substantive, being questioned became a discussion rather than a rebuttal, and the established impressiveness would be more grounded.
Lockhart smiled and looked at everyone, "My answer is—romance."
"Yes, romance, the true essence of magic." His eyes, full of wise light, held contemplation as he spoke slowly and firmly, "If I were to add a modifier to romance, I think it would be fairy tale-like, the romance of fairy tales."
He looked at the young wizards below so earnestly, "Many young wizards will think that life is very long, that the time of childhood can be wasted at will, so they don't put their energy into learning. But when you leave the magic school, you will find that your greatest achievements in your life may be this time in Hogwarts during your childhood."
"If you are like me, graduating at 17 or 18 and then embarking on a round-the-world trip, seeing so many people and things, you will discover a phenomenon—many wizards' most creative peak moments in magic throughout their lives are in their childhood."
"Many of the spells you learn or have seen, if you carefully look through the records, you will find that almost all of them were invented by those powerful wizards during their childhood."
Such examples were numerous.
Take Professor Snape in front of him, for example. He invented so many spells as a child, but how many more spells did he invent after graduation?
"Why is this?"
Lockhart looked at the young wizards who had suddenly fallen silent, "I think it's because they start facing the cruel reality of life and begin to lose romance."
"And it's the romance of fairy tales."
"Our romantic fantasies about the effects of magic, our firm belief in the effects of magic, the way we so easily place our emotions on magic... that kind of romance is lost."
"Adult wizards find it difficult to live in a fairy tale-like romance again..."
"The natural romance of young wizards' childhood is the best soil for magic. Cherish these seven years of school life. It brings you endless possibilities."
The knowledgeable Professor Lockhart smiled and looked at everyone below the stage. He could clearly see Snape in the corner, his face gloomy. He obviously seemed very touched by what he had said.
"So, to be more specific?"
"Perhaps the Sorting Hat has already pointed out the direction for you early on."
"Gryffindor, maybe it's adventure? Defeating the great demon king?"
"Slytherin, maybe it's plotting a subversive conspiracy?"
"Ravenclaw, maybe it's outstanding achievements in a profession? Is it renowned?"
"..."
He smiled and shook his head, "No, it cannot be defined. Everyone must have their own romantic fairy tale magical life."
"This requires you to find it."
"So, let's move on to real-world scenario exercises to show you how remarkable the effect of 'fairy tale romance' is on the outcome of casting magic."
"I think I need to invite two assistants to the stage..."
"To perform a fairy tale-like show."
He looked around the crowd, murmuring, "I need a brave person who wants to defeat the great demon king, and a wise person who firmly believes in their own beliefs and thinks they are right."
Oh, he quickly selected his targets.
Even though many young wizards were actively raising their hands, he still looked towards two young wizards in the crowd who were trying their best to hide behind their classmates.
"Harry Potter..."
"Draco Malfoy..."
"Would you please come up to the stage?"
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