Liam Hale raised his head and spoke with obvious discomfort. "I think I did something wrong, and I should probably offer a sincere apology."
"That's a start!" Cassandra declared. "As a king, you can't bow your head to anyone. Even when you make a mistake, you should apologize proudly."
"Is that even an apology?" Liam asked, thoroughly speechless.
"As long as someone of high standing admits they were wrong, they've already shown enough consideration to the people beneath them. That's exactly why I don't allow you to lower your head."
"Right…"
Liam decided there was no point arguing with Cassandra about noble etiquette. It was a battle he had no chance of winning.
"Anyway, we're almost at class, aren't we?"
"Mm."
Cassandra took another sip of coffee before pulling out her wand and tapping the porcelain cup.
"Aguamenti."
A stream of clear water poured into the cup, washing away the remaining traces of coffee. She tapped it again, removing the water completely before placing the spotless cup into an elegant tea set case that had been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
Liam blinked in surprise.
"You carry your own tableware?"
"Of course I do." Cassandra looked perfectly serious. "People used to steal things after I used them and sell them. It was incredibly annoying. After that, I started carrying everything with me."
"Steal... tableware?"
That was difficult for Liam to understand.
Stealing rare magical books?
Reasonable.
Stealing valuable magical artifacts?
Understandable.
But stealing ordinary dishes and cups?
That sounded insane.
"Apparently there are collectors who enjoy that sort of thing," Cassandra said with a dismissive wave. "My father used his influence to send several of them to Azkaban."
"I really don't understand those people."
"You should be careful too."
"Hm?"
"The things you use can be stolen just as easily." Cassandra's expression became unexpectedly serious. "Items used by important people gain value. Someday, your notebooks, quills, and even your old furniture might become collectibles."
Liam's mouth twitched.
"That sounds less like collecting and more like a mental illness."
"Exactly." Cassandra nodded vigorously. "It's extremely annoying when people take your belongings without permission. So be careful."
"I'll keep that in mind."
The two continued walking and soon arrived at the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Because they had spent some time chatting in the Slytherin common room, a number of Gryffindor students had already arrived.
The moment Liam stepped inside, he noticed a strikingly handsome blond man leaning casually against the professor's desk.
The man wore an elegant cape draped dramatically over one shoulder and carried a dazzling smile that seemed carefully crafted to charm every girl in the room.
Professor Gilderoy Lockhart.
The famous adventurer.
The best-selling author.
The man whose face occupied nearly every bookshelf in Britain.
"Oh! Oh, my!" Lockhart exclaimed theatrically as soon as he spotted Liam. "Look who's here! I never imagined that I, Gilderoy Lockhart, would have the honor of teaching the young hero who exposed You-Know-Who's conspiracy!"
He spread his arms dramatically.
"Come, Liam! We absolutely must take a photograph together. I guarantee this picture will be on the front page of the Daily Prophet one day!"
Lockhart waved enthusiastically.
Liam was currently one of the hottest topics in the British wizarding world. Naturally, Lockhart had no intention of missing an opportunity to attach himself to that popularity.
"I'm not particularly interested in appearing on the front page of the Daily Prophet," Liam replied calmly. "So I'll pass on the photograph, Professor."
A faint frown appeared on his face.
The moment he entered the classroom, he had already activated his Magic Sight.
What he saw left him deeply puzzled.
Lockhart's magical power was shockingly weak.
Professor Quirrell, despite all his flaws, had possessed magical power that reached the cyan stage surrounding the heart.
Lockhart, meanwhile, barely possessed enough magical power to fill half his body with pale white light.
To put it bluntly, Cassandra currently possessed more magical power than he did.
And she was only eleven years old.
Lockhart looked to be around thirty.
The difference was absurd.
By dark wizard standards, his magical strength was barely above the bottom tier.
Liam genuinely couldn't understand how someone with this level of magical ability could have supposedly defeated trolls, battled vampires, hunted werewolves, and survived countless encounters with dangerous magical creatures.
The more he studied magic, the more he understood that magical power grew through repeated use.
A wizard who constantly cast powerful spells naturally increased their magical reserves over time.
Lockhart's magical core looked more like someone who barely practiced magic at all.
Something didn't add up.
Either every story in his books was heavily exaggerated—
—or they weren't his stories.
"Come now, don't be shy," Lockhart said cheerfully after being rejected. "A few photographs and you'll get used to it."
The professor strode directly toward him.
Liam's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Professor Lockhart, I'm not shy. I simply dislike attracting unnecessary attention."
"Isn't that the same thing?" Lockhart laughed. "No, no, no. A celebrity must understand the responsibilities of being famous. People will be taking photographs of you for the rest of your life. Better to start practicing now."
He turned toward a Gryffindor girl nearby and handed her an enchanted camera.
"Would you mind helping us? Just take a picture of Liam and me together."
The girl immediately looked excited.
Several students around the room were already whispering enthusiastically.
After all, one was the young wizard who had recently become famous throughout Britain.
The other was the legendary Gilderoy Lockhart.
It sounded like the perfect newspaper photograph.
Unfortunately, one of the participants had absolutely no interest in cooperating.
"Professor Lockhart," Liam said flatly, "I have no desire to take a photograph with you."
"Now, now—"
"If you insist," Liam continued, his tone growing colder, "then defeat me first."
The classroom suddenly fell silent.
Liam pulled out his wand.
Several students gasped.
Even Cassandra looked slightly surprised.
In Knockturn Alley, people like Lockhart would flee the moment they saw him. They wouldn't even dare exchange a few words with him.
And yet this man actually thought he could force Liam into posing for a photograph.
The very idea irritated him.
Quite frankly, Lockhart wasn't qualified to stand in the same frame as him.
....
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