Lockhart, mid-chatter, froze at the sound of Tom's voice, glanced up, and scrambled to his feet. "M-Master..."
"The Master wishes to speak with you," Harry interjected smoothly. "Could you spare a moment?"
"Of course, right away!" Lockhart agreed instantly, then turned to the Muggle youth beside him. "Jim, I'll be back shortly."
Jim, the aforementioned Muggle youth, was eyeing Tom's group with undisguised curiosity, Hagrid in particular. He wandered over and nudged Hagrid's elbow with familiar ease. "Hey, mate! You're a giant! Taller than me by a mile! Do you play basketball?"
"Uh... basketball?" Hagrid seemed distinctly uncomfortable.
"No? That's a pity." Jim's disappointment was fleeting as he peppered Hagrid with more questions.
"Hagrid, we'll be right back," Tom said, ignoring Hagrid's silently pleading gaze. He led Lockhart out of the tavern, leaving Hagrid behind to wrangle the loquacious young man. Harry and the others trailed after Tom.
...
Once outside, the group found a secluded spot. Lockhart, sensing their curiosity, launched into an explanation.
He'd met Jim, the Muggle youth, in the village recently. Their meeting was somewhat unusual, as Jim was a fan of Lockhart's books. Lockhart had been selling his books to Muggles, adapting them into the "science fiction" genre. Thanks to Lockhart's flair for writing and the novelty of a "wizard's first-person perspective," his books were surprisingly popular among Muggles. Jim was one of his avid readers and had stumbled upon Lockhart during a graduation trip to this remote town. Lockhart, being affable to his fans, struck up a conversation with him, and then they were interrupted by Tom and company.
"You..." Tom smiled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "What prompted you to sell your books to Muggles?"
"I thought that should you ever need it, sir..." Remembering Harry's earlier prompting, Lockhart corrected himself, "It would be beneficial to increase my influence amongst Muggles." While it might not be particularly useful, it was a gesture of goodwill.
Tom, however, was more interested in another matter. "Why are you here?"
"Actually, I came seeking inspiration." Lockhart explained that he had learned of a Muggle town nearby, where a church was rumored to imprison a "demon." Previous expeditions into the church had resulted in fatalities, leading to its abandonment. Lockhart was there to investigate the forsaken church. Having sworn off "borrowing" other people's adventures, he had decided to seek out his own stories. "We should be able to reach the town where the church is located with a short drive," Lockhart added.
Lockhart paused, noticing the peculiar expressions on Harry's and the others' faces. "What's wrong?"
Cassandra spoke for Tom, "Have you relearned your spells yet?" After Lockhart's departure from Hogwarts, Tom had arranged for a senior Death Eater to tutor him. Two years had passed; surely he had learned something. Otherwise, relying solely on his maxed-out Forgetfulness Charm might leave him vulnerable to this "demon."
"Of course!" Lockhart smirked. "Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus), Summoning Charm (Accio), Armor Charm (Protego), Blasting Charm... I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I've mastered the basics." Lockhart shuddered inwardly as he recalled the Death Eater's rigorous lessons. Thankfully, that ordeal was over.
"Mr. Lockhart!" A voice startled Lockhart from behind: Jim. "What are you all chatting about here? I thought about grabbing a drink, want to join me?" Jim seemed unnervingly enthusiastic, unafraid of strangers.
Hagrid, standing behind him, simply shrugged helplessly. The kid was too impulsive.
...
Back inside the tavern, Jim was animatedly discussing his love for Lockhart's books. Harry, Malfoy, and Cassandra exchanged awkward glances. The books Jim was praising were their textbooks from two years ago!
Jim, oblivious to their discomfort, assumed Tom and the others were Lockhart fans, too, particularly after spotting their robes, which only reinforced his belief.
He even draped an arm around Tom's shoulders. "Hey, mate! You're handsome, but you look more like a nobleman than a wizard. You'd look much better with a wizard's hat on. I just happen to have an extra one; how about I give you one?"
!!!
Lockhart nearly fainted. Was this Muggle youth truly that fearless?
He was about to intervene when Tom waved him off, seemingly unconcerned, and answered Jim's offer. "A wizard's hat? I have one. I simply choose not to wear it."
Tom didn't take Jim's actions as offensive. He sensed the other's genuine enthusiasm and goodwill and saw no reason to lash out – unless Jim possessed something that Tom wanted.
"Is that so?" Jim wasn't disappointed. "Alright then, feel free to contact me anytime if you need anything, you know that."
He returned to Lockhart's side. "Mr. Lockhart, what are you planning to write about in your new book? I have some suggestions; would you like to hear them? I think... Mr. Lockhart?"
Jim noticed that Lockhart's expression was strained.
At that moment, Lockhart's mind was replaying the last few seconds...
Was that sweat?
Wait, it was "psssh."
How embarrassing. No wonder I broke out in a sweat...
He had relaxed after the initial shock and accidentally...
His pants weren't soaked, but he was definitely warm.
"Ahem... I think I need to be excused." Lockhart tried to maintain an air of composure as he stood up.
Jim, however, stopped him with concern. "Mr. Lockhart, do you need assistance? Please don't hesitate to ask."
"..."
This is all your fault, you brat! Let go of me!
---
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