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Chapter 298 — Lockhart's End and His Female Fans!!
Almost in the blink of an eye, their report cards came out.
Darren, as always, scored brilliantly.
Harry and Ron barely scraped by, but they passed — which, to them, was already a miracle.
The day after getting their grades, they boarded the train home.
Darren sat with Harry, Ron, the twins, Ginny, and Hermione in the same compartment.
They played games, joked around, and eventually drifted to the topic everyone had avoided until now — the end-of-term chaos.
"Lockhart… they sent him to St. Mungo's," Ginny said, her voice full of disbelief. "But he hasn't improved at all. The Ministry sent people to question him, and he just cried the whole time."
She folded her arms angrily.
"And the worst part? His female fans are devastated. They swear Lockhart could never have done anything wrong — stealing other people's stories, threatening witnesses, nothing. They say he's a hero who sacrificed himself at Hogwarts and is now being slandered."
She looked outraged just remembering it.
"They're making a huge scene at the Ministry. They even want Darren to testify again… Don't go, Darren. They're just trying to use your kindness to make you say something that helps Lockhart."
Hermione made an incredulous noise.
"I still can't believe they're serious. Even with so many Hogwarts students confirming Lockhart never did any of those adventures… they refuse to believe it."
"They're completely unhinged," Ron added. "Lockhart! Having fans! Real ones! I thought they were all fake!"
"There were real ones…" Hermione muttered, cheeks turning a little pink.
She clearly remembered her own embarrassing phase of idolizing Lockhart.
Ginny ignored her and continued, agitated.
"They even demanded Dumbledore apologize! And they're insisting Hogwarts hand over the Shadow Ball Lockhart had before he collapsed. Rita Skeeter wrote that a Hogwarts ghost said he dropped it when he fell."
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"His fans think Hogwarts is hiding the truth."
Ron stared in disbelief.
"Unbelievable. Lockhart, of all people…"
"Everyone still here?" Ginny snapped. "The point is, those lunatics want Darren on the stand because they think they can guilt him into defending Lockhart!"
But Darren simply shook his head.
"No. I won't lie for him," he said quietly. "Lockhart hurt too many people. He cast Obliviate on innocent victims. He should answer for it — and compensate them."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding…]
Harry smiled helplessly.
Darren's compassion always frightened him — he feared it would be taken advantage of.
But he and Ron exchanged a mischievous look.
They both secretly held Lockhart's Shadow Ball, where they had recorded everything. Even if Darren did get dragged to court, the truth was safe.
Ginny sighed.
"I'm just saying… I was worried they'd guilt-trip you. Lockhart only has one eye moving now, and he cries every day. I thought you'd crumble the moment you saw him."
She looked at him with suspicion.
"You're soft-hearted, Darren. Don't deny it."
"No… I'm just… a little…" Darren admitted, embarrassed. "But I won't help him. I know the difference between a good person and a bad one."
"If it were just me he threatened, maybe I'd let it go. But he hurt other people. He should pay for that."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding…]
Ron laughed.
"Even if you were the one bullied, you shouldn't let him walk free!"
"Exactly. You're Harry Potter's brother!" George snickered.
"Shouldn't the famous Harry Potter's brother be a bit more proud?" Fred added.
Darren winced.
"Could all of you stop using that title? Please?"
They blinked.
Darren looked down, voice soft.
"I know my brother hates it. That title… it means our parents are gone. It reminds him of the scar Voldemort left him with for life. And the weight he carries — being forced to be a savior when he's still just a child."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding…]
Darren accepted the Father Value calmly, then turned to Harry.
"Brother… I know you don't say it out loud, but it must hurt. I'll always be here to help you."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding…]
"I…" Harry opened his mouth.
Gryffindor bravery had never included emotional eloquence.
He hadn't actually thought about any of that — not in that way.
But seeing Darren's expression, something inside him softened.
"Thank you… Darren."
It touched him more than he expected.
The idea that someone had thought this deeply for him…
No wonder Darren always bristled when Snape called him the famous Harry Potter.
Darren looked at Harry's expression and nearly burst out laughing.
Snape's version of "famous Harry Potter" was pure mockery — of course Harry hated it.
But when other people said it, it was admiration.
Harry would never actually get angry at that.
Still, Darren delivered the sad, noble explanation perfectly — because he needed Father Value.
Nicolas Flamel had already written, reminding him he'd be picked up the moment the train arrived.
He would spend his summer in France learning under Nicolas.
And Nicolas had prepared far too many books.
If Darren wanted free time this summer, he needed Father Points.
A lot of them.
He absolutely did not want to spend the entire summer buried in textbooks.
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