The morning air was crisp and cold as Gilderoy and Amelia made their way across the grounds toward Hagrid's hut.
They had fallen into this routine ages ago, the daily workout before breakfast that had become as natural as breathing. When they completed their rounds, they moved through their usual drills, lunges, squats and push-ups that had become second nature.
After their workout, they made their way back to the castle for a quick shower but parted ways because both knew that if they showered together, they would not make it to class.
The Great Hall was already buzzing with activity when they arrived for breakfast. Gilderoy kept his gaze straight ahead as they walked toward the Ravenclaw table, but he could feel the weight of stares pressing against him from all sides. Students glanced at him and then looked away quickly while their whispers remained barely audible above the clatter of cutlery and dishes.
Some students deliberately shifted their seats to create distance as he passed.
Sheep.
Amelia's hand found his as her fingers laced through his. She squeezed gently, and when he glanced at her, she was watching the students who had moved away with a sharp look that made them quickly turn back to their breakfast.
"They do not matter," Gilderoy said as he smiled, unbothered by the stares.
"I know." Her grip remained firm. "But it still makes me angry."
He leaned down and stole a kiss quick from her. "The stares do not bother me because let them talk."
Amelia pulled him into a much deeper kiss. Her expression softened, though the fire in her eyes did not entirely fade. "If you say so."
They sat down at the table, and Amelia piled his plate with food before she served herself. He felt his affection for her grow and kissed her cheek, which earned him a smirk from Amelia.
As they finished breakfast and made their way toward the Transfiguration classroom, their hands found each other and their fingers intertwined as they walked.
The Transfiguration classroom was dimly lit, the only light coming from the tall front windows and the few candles that flickered on the walls. McGonagall stood at the front of the room with her posture erect while her eyes scanned the students as they settled into their seats. Gilderoy and Amelia took their usual places and turned their attention to McGonagall.
"Today," McGonagall announced, "we will be covering Conjuration."
She paused and let the word settle.
"Conjuration is one of the more advanced branches of Transfiguration. It requires not only magical ability but also a clear and precise visualisation of the object you wish to create. Unlike Vanishing or Transformation, Conjuration brings something into existence from nothing. It is a powerful skill, and it is one that many wizards never fully master."
She paced slowly in front of the class with her hands clasped behind her back.
"The spell structure for Conjuration is based on the principle of intent. You must hold the image of the object in your mind, and you must believe that it will appear. Hesitation will result in failure. Doubt will result in failure. Incomplete visualisation will result in incomplete conjuration."
McGonagall stopped walking and turned to face the class. "For today's lesson, we will be working with stone. The incantation is Creo Saxum. You will conjure a stone structure of your choice — anything from a simple cube to a small statue."
She demonstrated the spell with a smooth, deliberate wand movement. A small stone brick appeared in the air and landed on her desk with a soft thud. The class murmured in appreciation.
"Now. You will all attempt the spell. Please stand and move to the open space at the front of the room."
The students rose and shuffled forward with their wands drawn. Gilderoy and Amelia exchanged a quick glance as they found space beside each other.
Amelia seemed to mirror his thoughts and gave him a small nod.
We do not need to reveal our abilities.
The first few students attempted the spell with mixed results. Some could not conjure anything, their faces grimacing in frustration as if they were taking a shit. Some conjured small pebbles. One student managed a roughly shaped stone, but it crumbled to dust almost immediately.
McGonagall moved among them and offered corrections and encouragement. "Hold the image clearly of what you want to conjure. Do not let your mind wander. Visualise the shape, the texture, the weight."
Amelia stepped forward with her wand raised and closed her eyes for a moment before she cast.
Creo Saxum.
A stone pillar rose from the floor with a smooth, polished surface, about half her height.
McGonagall's eyebrows rose. "Excellent work, Miss Bones. Clean conjuration."
Amelia stepped back with a small smile.
Then Gilderoy took his turn. He raised his wand, held the image of a stone sphere in his mind, and cast.
Creo Saxum.
A sphere materialised about the size of a large Quaffle. It landed on the floor with a loud thud.
McGonagall stared at the sphere and then looked at Gilderoy. "Impressive, Mr. Lockhart. Most students require multiple attempts to achieve such a clean result."
He shrugged. "I've had good practice."
McGonagall studied them both for a moment.
"Well then," McGonagall said, "since you both seem to have mastered the basics, perhaps you would like to demonstrate something more advanced."
She gestured to the open space. "Show me what else you are capable of."
Amelia looked at Gilderoy. They both knew they could do far more than this — the golems they had conjured against the twins had been larger and more complex. But they also knew that revealing everything would draw questions they did not want to answer.
He raised his wand, and Amelia did the same. They conjured stone figures — small golems, about the size of a house-elf, with rough but recognisable forms.
McGonagall watched and then nodded slowly. "Elegant conjuration. Twenty points to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff."
The class murmured in surprise. McGonagall rarely awarded points so generously.
"Since you both have such a firm grasp of the material," she continued, "I believe you can be of assistance to your classmates. You will act as my teaching assistants for the remainder of the lesson."
Gilderoy blinked. "Us?"
"You. Miss Bones." McGonagall's tone brooked no argument. "You will circulate among the students and offer guidance. I trust you are capable of that."
"We are, Professor."
The next hour passed quickly. Gilderoy and Amelia moved among the students and offered corrections and encouragement. They helped students visualise their objects more clearly. They demonstrated the spell again and broke it down into simpler steps.
Gilderoy found himself stopping beside Alex Summers, who was staring at his wand with an expression of intense concentration. The Hufflepuff's face was pale, and a thin sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead despite the cool temperature of the classroom. His hand trembled slightly as he raised his wand.
"Alex," Gilderoy said quietly, "you have been in United since the beginning. I remember seeing you at the first session."
Alex looked up, startled, as if he had not noticed Gilderoy approaching. "Oh. Yeah. I was there." He gave a weak smile. "I try to come to every session, but sometimes I just cannot make it."
Gilderoy studied him for a moment. Alex looked worse up close. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his skin had a paler tone than normal that suggested he had not been sleeping well.
"Are you alright?" Gilderoy asked. "You look like you have not been sleeping."
Alex shrugged and looked away. "I am fine. It is just that I have been sweating more nowadays. It is nothing. I am not sick or anything."
Gilderoy frowned. Something about the name Summers nagged at the back of his mind. He tried to remember if he had heard it before in his previous life, but nothing came to him. He let it go, thinking it was probably nothing.
"Alright," Gilderoy said. "Let us work on the spell. Watch me."
He raised his wand and demonstrated the spell slowly, breaking down the motion into simple stages. "The wand movement is not the most important part. The key is visualisation. You need to see the object clearly in your mind before you cast. The wand is just a tool to shape your magic. The real work happens here." He tapped his temple.
Alex nodded and raised his wand again. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, and a bead of sweat rolled down his cheek.
"Focus on what you want to create," Gilderoy said gently. "Do not think about the wand or the movement. Just see the object in your mind. Hold it there. Then cast."
Alex took a breath and cast. A small, irregularly shaped stone materialised in the air and dropped to the floor with a soft thud. It was not perfect, but it was solid.
"Good," Gilderoy said. "That is a good start. Try again."
Alex smiled. "Thanks, Lockhart."
"Call me Gileroy," Gilderoy said as he clapped him on the shoulder. "We have been in United for months. We might as well be friends."
Alex's smile widened. "Alright. Gilderoy."
Gilderoy watched him try the spell again. This time, the stone was smoother and more evenly shaped.
"You are improving," Gilderoy said. "Keep practicing. You will get there."
Alex nodded, and for a moment, the weariness in his face seemed to lift. "I will."
The lesson continued as students took turns attempting the spell, their progress measured in small victories and occasional setbacks.
Gradually, the students began to improve. Small stones appeared, followed by larger ones, and a few students managed to conjure simple shapes like cubes and spheres. One student even produced a rough pyramid that was nearly symmetrical.
The lesson continued as students took turns attempting the spell, their progress measured in small victories and occasional setbacks.
McGonagall observed from the front of the room. When the class ended, she addressed them all.
"Excellent progress. Twenty points each to Mr. Lockhart and Miss Bones for their assistance."
The students filed out, and Gilderoy and Amelia lingered for a moment to gather their things.
"Well done, Mr. Lockhart. Miss Bones."
"Thank you, Professor."
They returned to the Great Hall for dinner, and the hostile gazes were still there, though less intense than breakfast. Students still glanced at him and looked away, but fewer of them shifted their seats.
Pandora appeared at his side as he approached the Ravenclaw table and hugged his arm, pressing it against her chest while she smiled up at him.
"Did you have a good day in class?" she asked.
"Interesting," he said.
Xenophilius was already seated. "I have been thinking," he said as he looked up at Gilderoy. "You know during the previous summer, I set up a printing press."
Gilderoy raised an eyebrow. "You have a printing press?"
"It was a project of mine because I wanted to publish a newspaper that I believed might be useful for disseminating information that the Daily Prophet would not publish." He paused. "I think we should do an interview to clear your name."
Gilderoy looked at him, surprised. "You want to interview me?"
"I want to publish your story and the truth," Xenophilius said as his eyes remained sharp. "Let people hear what actually happened."
Gilderoy considered for only a moment. "Let's do it."
___
Sorry for the chapter delay. I was sick for a few days, so I stayed away from screens. I'm feeling a little better now, so here's this week's chapter.
📖 Advanced Chapters on Patreon- Patreon readers are getting the equivalent of 11+ advanced chapters!
https://patreon.com/A_Peverel