Chapter 54: Mr. Lockhart's Defense Against the Dark Arts Class
"Settle down, everyone! Settle down!"
"I know you're all thrilled to be in my class." A blond Lockhart walked in with a smile, winking at the lone girl sitting in the back row.
"Ngh!"
Seeing the girl lower her head shyly, Lockhart said with satisfaction, "Today's lesson will be just as satisfying as before!"
"Especially... for my fans!"
What a passionate person!
The "shy" girl lifted her head slightly, revealing a pair of blue eyes filled with envy.
Unlike me... sneaking in here just to listen... She pressed her lips together and tugged at her long red hair, which was thick enough to completely cover her ears.
That's right, the student wearing the blue-and-bronze trimmed robes was none other than Miss Lyra Hamilton.
She was currently fulfilling the glorious mission assigned to her by Professor McGonagall.
Which was to audit how other Hogwarts professors taught...
It had to be said, Lyra felt she would never learn to be as cheerful and generous as Mr. Lockhart...
He's simply amazing.
To say such things without blushing!
Don't misunderstand, Lyra wasn't being sarcastic. She genuinely blushed just speaking in front of students.
"Now, my dear fans, do you remember the homework I assigned last class?" Lockhart clasped his hands together and looked expectantly at the students.
"Read your book!" A Ravenclaw student quickly raised their hand and said happily, "Read your work, What Are Magic Formations? Ask Lockhart."
Huh?
Lyra, who had been worried she might be singled out for not doing the homework, looked at Lockhart in astonishment.
Is it really such a coincidence? Thank Merlin! That's the only book of Mr. Lockhart's I've read!
"Correct! Five points to Ravenclaw!" Lockhart nodded with immense satisfaction, scanning the faces of the young wizards.
"Now then... it's time for a pop quiz!"
Hearing "pop quiz," Lyra panicked slightly. Especially when Lockhart walked up to her, pulled out a quiz sheet, and deliberately lowered his voice.
"You're not a fourth-year student, are you?"
"Ah... I..." Lyra lowered her head awkwardly, not knowing how to explain. Didn't Professor McGonagall say she had told all the professors about her auditing?
Doesn't Mr. Lockhart know?
Lockhart indeed didn't know, because McGonagall never imagined Lyra would choose to audit Lockhart's class.
"It's fine, it's fine!" Seeing Lyra's nervousness, Lockhart was quite magnanimous. He shrugged and said, "I'm delighted that such an enthusiastic fan has come to audit my class."
"I look forward to your performance~"
No... I'm not here to... Mr. Lockhart!
Looking at Lockhart's confident smile, Lyra swallowed her words and took the paper with her head down.
Of course, to Lockhart, this behavior looked more like a young girl's shyness.
What a cute fan!
Lockhart nodded in satisfaction and clapped his hands. "Everyone..."
"Ready..."
"Begin!"
As Lockhart's voice fell, many young wizards began to write furiously.
Among them was Lyra.
What Are Magic Formations? Ask Lockhart was one of the few books of Mr. Lockhart's she had read... and Lyra had an excellent memory for books.
Especially books with such deceptive titles...
Q: Who did Gilderoy Lockhart defeat in the autumn of 1985 to obtain the legendary Magic Formation Scroll?
A: Lyle Trued.
Q: What name did Lockhart give to his favorite Smile Magic Formation Scroll?
A: Lockhart's Smile.
Q: What Magic Formation Scroll did Gilderoy Lockhart once leave in the Hogwarts Headmaster's office?
A: The Magic Formation Scroll for Maintaining World Peace, which ensures every Hogwarts Headmaster performs their duties faithfully.
Lyra's eyes scanned the questions, and her quill wrote down the answers almost instantly.
These questions are so simple... Mr. Lockhart really considers his students... Lyra sighed with admiration as she wrote.
There was no theoretical knowledge or practical principles, just simple memorization... Was Mr. Lockhart testing the students' basic skills?
I must learn from this... When I give a test, I'll ask the students whether Müller raised his right hand or his left hand the first time he answered a question.
(What? You ask for the answer? If you read the previous two chapters carefully, you'd remember he didn't raise his hand at all.)
In short, Lyra finished the quiz in no time. She even peeked at others... finding that everyone had filled their papers, she felt slightly relieved.
Then my paper shouldn't be a problem... If I got singled out for doing poorly on such a simple quiz, that would be terrible.
Lyra reckoned she might faint on the spot.
"Time's up!"
After Lyra had silently recited her Magic Formation notes again, Lockhart clapped his hands to signal the end of the exam.
He slowly collected the papers from each student, a brilliant smile on his face.
What I lack compared to Mr. Lockhart is this smile and this hands-on spirit... If it were me, I'd definitely use a spell to collect the papers, right?
Compared to Mr. Lockhart collecting them personally, it seems so impersonal... Lyra reflected on herself as she carefully handed her paper to Lockhart.
"Hamil Lyra?" Lockhart raised an eyebrow at the name. "What an interesting name."
"Ah... as expected of my fan, you answered very well..."
"Ah... um..." Lyra lowered her head awkwardly again. Not expecting to take a quiz, she had simply written the alias Dumbledore gave her in reverse.
Fortunately, Lockhart didn't know Lyra's story, so he just teased her slightly before walking back to the podium to grade the papers.
During this process, the students began reading the textbooks on their desks.
Probably Lockhart's other works.
Lyra, having no other books, could only awkwardly lower her head, holding her spatial storage book, pretending to read.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Occasionally, Lyra could hear Lockhart clicking his tongue, or tapping the table lightly with his quill.
Every sound made her a little afraid.
Did I do poorly? Or did everyone else do too well...
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Lockhart tapped the table lightly, then stood up and said, "I am very unhappy with today's quizzes..."
"It seems almost none of you have properly read my works." He gave a helpless smile.
"To think that some people wouldn't know where I obtained my favorite Magic Formation Scroll, as mentioned on page thirty-two." Lockhart sighed. "Perhaps my writing is a bit too obscure?"
Not at all, Mr. Lockhart... it's clearly very simple...
Ah... wait! He's giving the students an out! Not dampening their interest in learning, ensuring motivation and enthusiasm, increasing self-efficacy! Reducing frustration and avoiding learned helplessness!
Lyra marveled at Mr. Lockhart's understanding of education... She really hadn't wasted her time coming to this class.
"Except for one person." Lockhart paused, then suddenly said, "Only she remembered everything about me, and read the entire book!"
Who is this person? Lyra looked curiously at the students. She assumed it wasn't her, as she was actually unsure about quite a few answers...
"That is Miss Hamil Lyra!"
Who's that?
Lyra froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered.
That's me!
"Please stand up, Miss Lyra!"
Ah, no! I...
Under the gaze of the entire class, Lyra stood up tremblingly.
Then...
Thud.
"Mr. Lockhart! It's terrible! Miss Lyra has fainted!"
"Quick, take her to Madam Pomfrey!"