After the flying car incident involving Harry and Ron exploded across Hogwarts, the disaster in Defense Against the Dark Arts quickly overtook it in popularity, dominating school gossip for an entire week.
Harry and Ron found their lives much easier afterward.
Aside from Malfoy and his gang, no one bothered teasing them about Mrs. Weasley's Howler anymore. Instead, everyone turned their attention to mocking Lockhart.
But for someone who had become a celebrity author, Lockhart clearly didn't rely on plagiarism alone.
He also possessed an extraordinarily thick skin.
If it had been someone else, they might have been too ashamed to remain at Hogwarts after such an incident—perhaps even resigning on the spot and setting a new record for the shortest tenure as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
But Lockhart was different.
The very next day, he acted as if nothing had happened, still flamboyant as ever.
His shamelessness was so blatant that it actually confused the students. Some even began to doubt their own memories—had it really been Lockhart who turned the tide that day?
Of course, the incident did have some impact.
From then on, Lockhart completely abandoned practical lessons.
Instead, his classes turned into reading sessions combined with theatrical performances.
Every lesson, he would select several students to reenact scenes from his books—dramatic encounters where "he" defeated various dark creatures.
As for the effectiveness of this teaching method—
Well, surprisingly, it wasn't entirely useless.
At least, the students involved in the performances remembered the details quite clearly.
After all, the content of Lockhart's books was based on real events, and many of the techniques described were genuine.
Otherwise, someone as experienced as Ciri wouldn't have been fooled before.
Still, as a Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum—
It could only be described as barely acceptable.
The students were speechless.
If he loved acting so much, why didn't he just become an actor?
Lewis couldn't help thinking—if the wizarding world ever introduced Muggle films and television, Lockhart might actually shine in that field.
Among all the students, the one suffering the most was Harry.
Whether it was to ride the wave of fame or to prepare material for his future book My Teaching Career at Hogwarts, Lockhart treated Harry and Lewis as his prized pupils.
Every performance—
They were always called on.
Harry found it unbearable.
Worse still—
Unlike Lewis, he had no way to avoid it.
Lewis used his exceptional Transfiguration skills to handle props every time, skillfully avoiding going on stage.
Harry, however, had no such luxury.
He was repeatedly forced to play monsters, only to be dramatically defeated by Lockhart in front of the entire class.
Ironically—
Because Lewis's props were incredibly realistic, and Lockhart's scripts were quite engaging—
Many students began to feel that these theatrical lessons were actually… interesting.
The way "Lockhart" dealt with dark creatures seemed believable.
Maybe he really did have some genuine skill?
For a time, his reputation at Hogwarts even began to recover.
But soon—
The students realized the truth.
Lockhart was only a fake dark creature hunter.
The real one—
Was someone else entirely.
That afternoon, Lewis and Hermione were on their way to Charms class when they noticed a crowd gathered outside the classroom.
Students filled the corridor, none of them going inside.
"What's going on?" Hermione wondered.
They peered through the doorway.
Inside, Professor Flitwick was speaking respectfully with an elderly wizard.
Lewis's eyes narrowed.
Newt Scamander.
He recognized him immediately.
Dumbledore had introduced them during the Order of Merlin ceremony, and Scamander had praised Lewis's paper submitted to Magizoology Journal.
Could he be here because of that?
Flitwick's attitude was extremely respectful—not only because of Scamander's achievements, but also his age.
He belonged to the same generation as Dumbledore.
In fact, Dumbledore had once been his Transfiguration professor.
After leaving Hogwarts due to an incident, Scamander dedicated his life to studying magical creatures, even assisting in the fight against the first Dark Lord.
Now—
He was nearly a hundred years old.
At that moment, Scamander spotted Lewis at the door and waved enthusiastically.
Under the gaze of all the students, Lewis walked in.
"Mr. Scamander, it's an honor. What brings you here?" Lewis asked politely.
He had genuine respect for scholars like this.
"What else could it be? Your paper, of course," the old man said with a smile.
"Is it being published?" Lewis asked. "But surely that doesn't require you to come in person."
"That's only part of it," Scamander replied. "I'm here for both personal and official reasons."
"Let's start with the personal."
He looked at Lewis, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
"Ever since I began studying magical creatures, I've had one dream—to properly study a Chimera. Dead or alive, it didn't matter. But I never had the chance."
"They're too rare… and far too dangerous."
"So I must say—I envy you. You had both the luck and the ability to encounter one… and study it so thoroughly."
Lewis could tell—
That admiration was genuine.
"So," Scamander continued, "would you be willing to let an old man like me see your materials and research results? If it's inconvenient, I can accompany you to retrieve them."
Lewis smiled.
"Mr. Scamander… you're in luck."
As he spoke, he pulled out an exquisite dragon-hide wallet.
Not the one from his first year—
This was one he had crafted himself after mastering the Extension Charm.
"I have a habit of carrying important research materials with me."
"What you're looking for… is right here."
Then—
Right there in the classroom—
Lewis pulled out a complete Chimera hide.
A lion's head, a goat's body, and a dragon's tail—
Three different skins fused together in a bizarre yet seamless form.
At first glance, it looked like the crude work of an incompetent tanner.
But Scamander—
Was trembling with excitement.
"Yes… yes, this is it… the Chimera…"
The students outside erupted in shock.
Hermione immediately stepped in to explain that Lewis had personally slain the Chimera—and had received a First Class Order of Merlin for it.
The crowd exploded.
They had all heard the news over the summer.
But even with Lewis's name mentioned—
Few had truly believed that a first-year student could accomplish such a feat.
Even the Wizengamot and Order of Merlin members hadn't believed it at first—until they saw it with their own eyes.
And now—
With physical evidence before them, and both Flitwick and Scamander present—
There was no room for doubt.
Thunderous applause filled the corridor.
What was supposed to be a Charms class—
Turned into a full-fledged Magizoology lecture.
Lewis brought out more than just the hide.
Muscle samples.
Nervous tissue.
Internal organs.
Detailed experimental reports.
More and more students gathered, crowding the room.
Scamander, clearly enjoying himself, began reading the report aloud.
As he spoke, he displayed the corresponding specimens, praising Lewis's methods and conclusions.
The students listened, completely absorbed.
Flitwick could only smile helplessly.
What impressed Scamander most—
Was Lewis's bold yet logical hypotheses.
And his rigorous experimental methodology.
His work was filled with controlled variables and comparative analysis—
Something many wizard scholars failed to achieve.
Finally, Scamander sighed in admiration.
"If every wizard conducted research the way you do… the magical world would advance far faster than it has."
Lewis smiled faintly.
Of course it would.
Because everything he did—
Was built upon the experimental frameworks of Muggle biology and chemistry.
And that—
Was exactly what he intended to bring into the wizarding world.
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