In the living room, Mrs. Mason did not keep Lockhart waiting long. She soon brought a pot of tea, a jar of milk, and some cookies. She then pointed to the granulated sugar on the table, inviting Lockhart to help himself.
Lockhart didn't add anything, but instead picked up the teacup and took a sip.
"Tea from the Wuyi Mountain-Darjeeling lineage has a slight 'blood-cleansing' function when drunk in the early morning. It's also very popular in the Wizarding World. Thank you for your hospitality..."
Lockhart first offered his thanks, then got straight to the point of his visit.
"...I recently heard that there have been some changes in Master Mason's academic planning. May I know what you and your husband think about this?"
Mrs. Mason smiled sheepishly—the man was so polite and kind that she felt a bit embarrassed to refuse him.
She carefully weighed her words: "Please understand, for our family, Sam's future has been a settled fact for a long time. This certain talent of his—a talent we didn't know about before—is a complete surprise to us. While we don't know if this surprise will have a positive or negative impact on him, we simply don't want him to stray too far from his original track."
"If he truly doesn't want to go, then that deviation won't exist at all," Lockhart said.
"Yes, it won't exist," Mrs. Mason agreed wholeheartedly.
"This is undoubtedly a good thing." Lockhart followed her lead. "Parents plan the future for their children, and the children follow it step-by-step. In the end, they always achieve the expected returns. While there won't be any surprises, there won't be any accidents either. It's a guaranteed livelihood."
Mrs. Mason hadn't expected him to say that—she had thought Lockhart was here to persuade her and her husband to let their son attend Hogwarts.
Because it was so unexpected, she found herself at a loss for words.
However, Lockhart didn't stop there: "Of course, I know your husband runs a brilliant construction company, highly respected and influential. I'm sure your child has inherited his talent and will be able to take over the business quite well in the future."
Mrs. Mason was flattered by his words: "No, no, it's not quite that good. Sam isn't very fond of socializing. His father and I have always been worried that he won't have a social circle in the future."
"That sounds like a good prospect for technical research or law. I'm sure his schoolwork must be outstanding as well," Lockhart continued to praise.
Hearing Lockhart talk about her child, Mrs. Mason grew enthusiastic: "Sam's spelling and Latin are indeed quite good, but his art, math, and science aren't quite as satisfactory. Being an architect probably won't work. But if he goes to business school, we worry about the social aspect. So we want him to play to his strengths, refine his Latin, and then take the civil service exam..."
Lockhart knew exactly what she was talking about—while Latin wasn't a required course in British public schools, it was a must-teach subject in those 'high-end' private schools. Furthermore, many civil service exams were conducted in Latin. Britain's class rigidity was simple and crude, so much so that outsiders felt embarrassed to point it out.
She spoke incessantly for several minutes. Lockhart listened patiently, nodding from time to time and adding a few words to show he was paying close attention.
It wasn't until the end, when Mrs. Mason paused for breath, that he interjected: "I see... Hogwarts also has advanced studies in Latin."
"Hogwarts has Latin too?" Mrs. Mason asked curiously. "Why would a school for tricks... for magic, need to study Latin?"
Lockhart sighed. "It seems your misunderstanding of us runs deep... In fact, if one wants to master Ancient Runes, the principles of magic, or communicate with foreign Wizards, a high level of Latin is required. Many spells need to be recited in Latin, for example..."
As he spoke, he pulled out his wand and gave it a swish and a flick toward the teapot: "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Although Lockhart was out of practice with many spells and had only recovered a few after much training, the Levitation Charm was the most basic of basics. He had no trouble using it; after all, he was a Hogwarts graduate.
Seeing Mrs. Mason staring dumbfoundedly at the teapot rising into the air, the smile on Lockhart's face grew brighter.
"...As you heard, that is a typical Latin incantation. If your child is skilled in Latin, he will enjoy a massive advantage upon enrollment."
No matter how much a person hears, it's never as shocking as what they see. Mrs. Mason began to think seriously.
"If Hogwarts makes Latin a required course, that would be a good decision. But what use are these things really? Lifting a teapot?" Her tone began to shift slightly.
"Of course it's not just little tricks like lifting things. Our people have to work and live too!" With a casual wave, Lockhart set the teapot down. "Actually, I've prepared a gift for your son for this visit."
Lockhart tapped his wand at a point in the air, summoning a pre-stored small Potion bottle out of thin air.
The bottle was a square made of crystal with simple decorations. Inside was an emerald-like clear liquid that looked quite dazzling.
"This is a small bottle of pepperup potion. Just a few drops can significantly improve one's thinking and memory, making study and work more efficient, and it has no side effects. A small bottle like this sells for 5 Galleons—that is, gold coins."
Seeing Mrs. Mason's confusion, Lockhart added another explanation.
"Is it really that miraculous?" Mrs. Mason asked, staring intently at the small bottle.
If she hadn't seen the car that could drive itself and the teapot that just flew out of thin air, Mrs. Mason might have been skeptical, but now she was half-believing.
"Of course. This is one of several side-effect-free Potions recognized by the Extraordinary Potioneers Association. Potions is also a required course at Hogwarts. Some students make a living from it after graduation and earn a handsome income," Lockhart encouraged. "Besides that, they occasionally make things like Beautifying Potions that can eliminate wrinkles..."
"Eliminate what?" Mrs. Mason's voice suddenly rose, sounding a bit urgent.
"Wrinkles," Lockhart repeated. "Wrinkles and white hair are the great enemies of ladies. Witches don't like them either, and such Potions on the market are usually very popular."
He casually summoned a bottle of pink ointment from the air. "This is it. With just one use, you won't see any wrinkles on your body for about a week. Madam Rosmerta, the mistress of the Three Broomsticks, highly recommends this. She's run a pub for many years, but Merlin bless her, when I went there yesterday, I found she still looks like a seventeen-year-old girl—in every respect."
Mrs. Mason simply couldn't take her eyes off that bottle of pink ointment.
"This... how much does it cost?"
"It's cheaper than the Wit-Sharpening Potion, only 1 Galleon and 15 sickles... Oh, I hope you know, I'm not a Potion peddler, but a Professor." Lockhart forcibly pulled the topic back.
Only then did Mrs. Mason realize she had been impolite: "...You're right."
"I was just showing you one of the many possibilities for school graduates. Of course, things like going to Romania to raise dragons or to Egypt to be a Curse-Breaker might be too far from your life, but you've already met people from the Ministry of Magic, haven't you?"
Our Ministry of Magic has a direct line to the British Prime Minister's office, and some matters are reported directly to the Prime Minister. In addition, there's Gringotts Bank, The Daily Prophet office, Wizarding Radio, St Mungos Hospital, the courts, and even magical travel transportation... In short, we have many jobs too."
Mrs. Mason nodded, indicating she understood.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Lockhart finally began his final push.
"Of course, I'm not saying all this to prove anything. I'm simply presenting such a 'possibility' to you and your child."
"Possibility?" Mrs. Mason repeated.
Her mind was filled with too many things Lockhart had fed her; she needed to think it through.
"Yes, possibility," Lockhart repeated. "To be sure, your arrangement for your child's future can be said to be perfect, but that is only one of the countless possibilities for his future. Whether this path is the 'optimal solution' for your child, no one knows."
But just like Latin, magic is one of the many talents your child possesses, and it is an extraordinary, extremely rare talent. If you force your child to give up such a 'possibility' that could bring him glory without knowing anything about it, I find it hard to say that is a correct decision."
After speaking, Lockhart took a sip of tea, letting Mrs. Mason think for herself.
Mrs. Mason thought quietly for about a minute before slowly speaking again.
"So... besides Potion Class and Latin, what else does Hogwarts teach?"
Seeing her relent, Lockhart didn't miss the opportunity to add: "Too much. Latin is a branch of Ancient Runes. Besides that, there are Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Astronomy, Flying, Defense, Care of Magical Creatures, and so on... Believe me, these studies are by no means easy. Like Eton College, our Hogwarts practices elite education."
Mrs. Mason hesitated: "It sounds like only Latin, Herbology, and Astronomy can be used as'specialties' to apply to a university?"
"Things like horsemanship would have to be self-taught." Lockhart felt amused. "Latin is a required language for the civil service exam, while identifying plants and studying Astronomy are also aristocratic hobbies. Of course they can be used to apply to university."
"If I remember correctly, Hogwarts only teaches them until they are 17?" Mrs. Mason asked again.
"Yes, it connects perfectly with your universities. Using the Wit-Sharpening Potion to cram six months of secondary school curriculum, your child would be equivalent to a normal child studying for six years."
"If that's the case, I'll wait for my husband to return and discuss it with him." Mrs. Mason was finally swayed. "Also, you're sure you'll be teaching at Hogwarts too, right?"
"Yes," Lockhart answered without hesitation.
"That's great. I want to wait for Sam to come back and ask for his opinion. In fact, Sam was very unhappy when he heard we had hidden the Hogwarts letter..." Mrs. Mason said with a wry smile.
"Understandable." Lockhart thought to himself, 'As expected.'
He's just a kid. When they hear they can learn magic, who would think about learning quadratic equations?
"Then it's settled. If you have any more doubts, you can talk more with Mr. Dursley. They have a nephew named Harry Potter who is also currently attending Hogwarts and should be starting his second year this year," Lockhart added.
"Dursley?" Mrs. Mason remembered something. "That Vernon Dursley who sells drills?"
"Yes." Lockhart confirmed her guess.
"I didn't know they had a nephew!" Mrs. Mason said exaggeratedly. "That guy pesters my husband every day trying to sell him his drills, and even invited us to his house at the end of this month. I had no idea they were from there too!"
"Uh, they're not... Forget it, you can find out for yourself." Lockhart felt it was better to say less on that topic.
"I understand your point. If there are responsible teachers like you teaching at the school, I can feel more at ease about Hogwarts."
Although Mrs. Mason didn't say it explicitly, her implication was already leaning toward it, which Lockhart naturally picked up on.
"Then I shall wait for the good news... After you've made your decision, you can borrow that Harry Potter's Owl to send a letter to Hogwarts. I will visit again in mid-August to take your child to buy the textbooks and other materials needed for the new term... The list is all in the letter. If you buy the minimum configuration, it's about 60 Galleons, which is 300 pounds. If you need to prepare more robes, Potions, books, or pocket money for the child, it's best to prepare 1,000 pounds."
Hearing this number, Mrs. Mason didn't even blink: "It's not expensive. That's about how much I spend on clothes for the whole family every weekend."
Lockhart smiled: "In that case, I'll leave one more book... It's called 'Magical Me,' my autobiography. I come from a half-blood family myself and grew up in a Muggle environment before going to Hogwarts. I've done fairly well for myself since then. I hope it helps you understand wizarding society."
With that, he stood up and took his leave.
If nothing unexpected happened, this child should be firmly secured. He didn't want to continue wasting time flirting with a respectable housewife.
The next person he was going to see was another Muggle-born student—Colin Creevey.
This milkman's son could have stayed out of it, but in his sixth year, he chose to bravely stand up and eventually sacrificed himself on the front line against Lord Voldemort. All he left behind were the many magical photos he had once taken. He was one of the most heartbreaking characters in the whole book, and Lockhart couldn't help but pay attention.
It wasn't until after he left that Mrs. Mason realized he had left the two bottles of Potion and the book on the table.
She hesitated for a moment, then carefully picked up the pink ointment—maybe she should try it?
...A day later, Harry Potter, who had been sulking because he hadn't received any letters from his friends during the holidays, was sitting bored in his cupboard reading a book when he suddenly heard Uncle Vernon let out a roar.
"Harry Potter! Get down here right now!"
He was startled and hurriedly ran down the stairs.
But to his surprise, when he appeared before his uncle, he found that Uncle Vernon didn't look very angry.
"Sit down," he said to Harry. "Now tell me, that school of tricks of yours... what exactly is it?"
Harry could hardly believe his ears—what kind of wrong medicine had this guy taken today?