Kael's method was extremely effective.
After handing over the thick stack of greeting cards to those dwarves, they finally had a relatively normal morning.
Although the occasional one still popped out from some strange corner, Kael always managed to dodge them in time with the Disillusionment Charm.
As for during class... Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick both took Kael's advice and blocked the classroom doors with charms, so the dwarves couldn't get in.
And according to other years, there were two petrified dwarves in the Magic Potion Classroom, placed one on each side of the door to the dungeon, looking like a pair of extremely tasteless sculptures.
At first everyone thought there'd been another attack and panicked, but then they found out this was Snape's handiwork... The idea was to warn the remaining dwarves to stay away from him.
In the castle, as the morning's two classes went by, the dwarves started turning up more and more frequently. Clearly, they'd finished their "assignments."
By the time the last Charm Class ended, there were already three dwarves in the corridor waiting for Kael.
The situation was more or less the same for Cedric, too.
This forced them to hide out in the common room and eat lunch there.
"Someone's definitely messing with us!"
Cedric shoved a piece of toast into his mouth and frowned. "There are so many people in Hogwarts, why are they always targeting us? Something's fishy here."
"Isn't it obvious?" Kael glanced at him and pointed at the ceiling.
Cedric got it instantly, grinding his teeth, "Fred and George!"
No wonder the writing in those greeting cards felt so familiar. Now it all made sense—classic twin antics.
And to think he'd even felt a little guilty before! Turns out those two had been up to their tricks for ages. The five dwarves they'd run into near the entrance this morning? Totally their doing.
Otherwise how could it be "coincidence"—he leaves the room and boom, a greeting card appears?
"Looks like we're all on the same page." Kael shrugged.
"So, do we keep writing this afternoon?" Cedric asked.
Kael shook his head.
Three against two—it's not much of an advantage, and Fred and George love chaos, whether it's their own or someone else's. That's their ultimate weapon.
Besides, Hufflepuff third years have Defense Against the Dark Arts Class in the afternoon, and Lockhart would never agree to letting them block the classroom door.
They couldn't just use the Disillusionment Charm and the Invisibility Cloak inside the classroom...
"Forget it, let's give them a break for now."
Kael thought for a moment and finally decided not to waste effort on this pointless contest, but instead to focus all fire on Lockhart.
Plus, they even dug into their own pockets, playing the role of fanatics—anyone who wrote a greeting card to Lockhart got a knut for their trouble.
One knut per card, twenty-nine for a sickle.
The payment wasn't much, but the work was simple. By the time afternoon classes rolled around, all fifty available slots were gone.
...
Lockhart was very pleased—extremely pleased.
He'd never imagined that, after all that had happened, his fanbase at Hogwarts would only keep growing... Over a thousand greeting cards were proof of that.
Even if he barely had time to teach anymore—so what?
If he could, he'd want every day to be like this. Every single day—
That evening, Lockhart strode happily toward the auditorium. On the way, he saw a group of professors clustered at the entrance to the dungeon classrooms, doing who-knew-what.
"Wow, it's lively. Are you all comparing how many greeting cards you received?" He squeezed closer, smugly. "Why didn't anyone tell me... Oh, but I'm sure you've heard—I got over a thousand greeting cards..."
Every professor turned to glare at him.
Lockhart jumped, blurting, "Fine, if you think it's unfair to compete with me, I'll stay out of it... Wait a second, why is there still a dwarf here?"
He noticed a motionless dwarf amid the professors.
But the thing was, they were all supposed to have finished their jobs and left the school half an hour ago.
"Ah... The problem-solver has arrived," Snape said in a low voice. "As you can see, there has been another attack. Now, your chance to shine has finally come."
Lockhart stared at the petrified dwarf on the floor, and his breathing quickened.
The dwarf was lying in front of a suit of armor, completely stiff, exactly like the other victims.
"Wait... this... How's that possible!" Lockhart stammered. "Come on, Snape, don't joke around—I can tell at a glance that's just a Petrification Spell... Like the ones you put at the dungeon classroom's door..."
"Actually," Snape shot Lockhart a cold glance, "I undid their Petrification Spell three hours ago. Or you can try yourself, if you like—curse breaking shouldn't be difficult for you..."
"Of course... of course I can break curses," Lockhart said stiffly, stepping forward, waving his wand, muttering a string of completely unintelligible "spells."
Professor McGonagall's cheek twitched. In her long life, she'd seen a lot, but never heard such ridiculous incantations... They sounded completely improvised.
She suspected that if Lockhart had to repeat it, it wouldn't even be the same as the first time.
Lockhart kept up his act for almost a full minute, and sure enough, the petrified dwarf didn't budge.
"Oh, looks like even the Wagga Tribe's secret magic spell doesn't work?" Lockhart put away his wand. "I learned that from an old wizard on my travels—supposedly can break any curse."
"Oh?" Snape raised an eyebrow.
"I know what you're going to say, Professor Snape." Lockhart sighed. "I was tricked—the old guy clearly hadn't seen the world."
"It's all right, the Mandrakes are almost mature. They'll recover soon enough."
Professor Sprout said, "But Gilderoy, didn't you say on the first day that you knew exactly who the heir was?
Then go find them. That's what really matters now."
"Yeah... that's right... I know..." Lockhart was starting to panic.
If he really knew who the heir was, he would've shouted it from the rooftops long ago—why wait until now?
Isn't Dumbledore supposed to be the most powerful wizard of all? The whole break and he still hasn't solved the Chamber of Secrets?
This isn't how things were supposed to go!
Lockhart mumbled incoherently, and the other professors paid him no further attention.
Professor Flitwick took the dwarf to the Hospital Wing.
The rest of the professors got up one by one and left.
No one cared about Lockhart—as if he'd never even been there.
"Things are getting worse and worse," Professor McGonagall said, gazing at the bustling auditorium in the distance. "We need to do something before any students get hurt."
"But the question is: who?" Snape said. "We've searched the whole castle and found nothing."
"Just a bit longer,"
Professor Sprout whispered, "One more month... No, the Mandrakes are getting restless, they'll want repotting before a month is up.
The people who were petrified must have seen something. Once they wake, we'll know whether the monster is a person or something else entirely."
"You're right, Pomona," Professor McGonagall said heavily. "But a month is still too long—none of us can guarantee what might happen in that time. No matter what, I have to talk to the students."