Side story
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Chapter 257 — Why Is He Acting Like This?!
Hogwarts finally reopened.
Lockhart held a Duelling Club.
It was the Dean and Lockhart who demonstrated the first match.
Watching the stupid guy's worried expression and the Dean's nervous look, Kassandra was speechless.
Did the Dean really need him to worry?
The Dean treated others casually, but when it came to Lockhart, he was completely steady.
And—Kassandra wasn't sure if she imagined it—
when the stupid guy said he was worried about the Dean, the Dean's eyes flashed with pride and… indulgence.
The next moment, the look disappeared.
Maybe she imagined everything.
Then Lockhart was sent flying.
Yes—Lockhart's way of flying made her want to laugh.
Watching the stupid guy rush up anxiously to help Lockhart, she followed with interest.
Would the stupid guy finally notice that Lockhart was useless?
Hmm?
He didn't see it yet?
The stupid guy really believed Lockhart "made a mistake"?
…
This time, even the Dean seemed uncomfortable.
Lockhart flew again.
The stupid guy was truly shocked.
He ran forward to save Lockhart.
But—
Thud.
The stupid guy accidentally blasted Lockhart instead.
Looking at Lockhart's twisted expression, Kassandra felt a tiny bit of sympathy.
But then she saw the stupid guy panic, apologize repeatedly, and she instantly felt Lockhart was being dramatic.
He only got knocked over.
He didn't even fall off the stage!
And even if he did, wasn't Madam Pomfrey still here?
She thought irritably.
Then Lockhart seemed to threaten the stupid guy and insisted on dueling him.
Which brain cell of Lockhart was malfunctioning?
The stupid guy could never beat him normally.
But if threatened, the stupid guy might deliberately hold back.
Forget it—let him hold back.
If he didn't, he would feel guilty afterward anyway.
And surely no one here believed Lockhart could win fairly.
But she underestimated Lockhart.
Instead of starting quickly and taking advantage of the stupid guy going easy, he brought up the previous events—right in front of everyone.
The stupid guy's eyes slowly reddened.
Kassandra glanced sharply at Lockhart.
Just when she thought she might secretly hex him…
Lockhart actually tried a sneak attack on the stupid guy.
In the same instant, the stupid guy knocked him away with a single movement of his wand.
Lockhart fainted almost immediately.
Serves him right.
He tried a sneak attack?
Did he think the stupid guy was as weak as him?
Darren had faced Death Eaters alone—he was never afraid of ambushes.
But the stupid guy panicked.
He nearly cried and tried to drag Lockhart to the hospital wing.
He was stopped by the Dean.
The Dean was frighteningly calm.
He even threatened Lockhart's reputation.
It seemed the Dean really disliked Lockhart—just as the rumors said.
Lockhart compromised.
He stood up and insisted on everyone pairing off for duels.
But he absolutely should not have mocked the stupid guy again.
The stupid guy was only careless. It wasn't intentional.
And Lockhart conveniently ignored that he was the one who tried a sneak attack.
Kassandra volunteered to duel Lockhart.
Lockhart looked down on her because she was a girl.
So she hit him with a moss-covered curse that made him croak like a toad.
It was supposed to be a prank.
Who knew Lockhart would start yelling?
Calling Slytherins mean and shameless—
except Darren.
Kassandra instinctively looked at the stupid guy.
Would he think the same?
Even though she was angry with him, he was always so kind…
He wouldn't approve of such a prank, right?
A faint depression rose in her chest.
She looked at him again.
His expression grew more serious.
Maybe he really couldn't accept what she did…
But…
Kassandra's lips pressed together.
A sudden wave of grievance rose.
See?
She was always thinking of him, but he really wasn't the same kind of person as her.
She should understand by now, right?
They weren't the same at all.
Like her mother said—
the wolf fell in love with the sheep.
Kassandra even wanted to turn and leave.
She didn't care what Lockhart thought of Slytherin—everyone thought that anyway.
But she couldn't stop caring about the stupid guy's opinion of Slytherin.
After all…
the last people who attacked him were Slytherins.
And she herself was often too extreme.
He must find it unforgivable, right?
But then—
"Professor, I think Slytherin is friendly!"
Kassandra's entire face turned red when he grabbed her hand.
She barely heard anything else he said.
She didn't even remember what she said.
She walked back to the Slytherin lounge in a daze.
Before entering the dormitory, Pansy whispered jealously:
"Someone seems to have held hands today. Honestly, looking at someone's face—you'd think they became stupid."
"I—I was just shocked and didn't pull away!"
Yes. That's it.
She said that aloud, but the corners of her mouth quietly lifted.
"Enjoy it," Pansy snorted as she walked past.
Kassandra curled her fingers reflexively.
Only then did she remember Christmas had arrived.
The stupid guy would stay at school.
So she didn't go home either.
She told her father she needed to write something—and she still had homework.
Isn't second-year homework heavy?
Perfectly normal.
She convinced herself.
Then she saw the stupid guy walk in with Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy.
Hmm.
The stupid guy seemed different today.
So did Malfoy.
He kept stealing glances at her, as if asking her to step aside so he could talk.
Who did Malfoy think she was?
Would Miss Vole obey him?
She sat in her chair silently, listening as the boys "mocked" the stupid guy.
It was mockery in name, but everyone could hear it was concern.
Yet the stupid guy shed tears.
Kassandra frowned.
Malfoy gave her a meaningful look.
Clearly, Malfoy had sensed something off from the very beginning.
Could it be a Death Eater?
But this person behaved exactly like the stupid guy—
Was she overthinking?
Still, she felt suspicious.
So she led "him" to the dormitory.
She gripped her wand quietly.
If he couldn't enter, that meant he was an impostor—and she would catch a Death Eater.
…Huh?
He entered?
Kassandra froze.
Her wand trembled in her hand.
She couldn't understand it.
Was it really him?
She sat in confusion for a long time.
Then she heard Crabbe and Goyle talking downstairs.
Stupid clichés…
Wait.
Clichés?
Crabbe and Goyle were stupid, but even they didn't sound that stupid anymore, right?
And…
Their faces were starting to change.
Polyjuice Potion.
The realization hit her instantly.
And anger followed just as quickly.
Because the one pretending to be the stupid guy was—
Miss Know-It-All.
Too much!
That stupid guy actually gave his identity to someone else?
Did he even ask her first?
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