If she hadn’t witnessed Draco killing a troll with her own eyes, or flown through the skies of the Forbidden Forest on the back of a dragon, Hermione might have been impressed by Lockhart, who claimed to have left his mark on adventures around the globe.
But now, Hermione found that the experiences she shared with Draco were far more thrilling and real than anything described in books. So, if she were to admire a wizard, it definitely wouldn’t be Lockhart.
That’s why the sharp-minded Hermione easily saw that Lockhart wasn’t quite what she’d imagined.
More importantly, even she didn’t realize that, deep down, she actually favored Draco more...
“He just seems a bit flashy.”
Compared to Draco’s understated presence, Professor Lockhart—who never missed a chance to boast about his accomplishments—came off as rather showy. To put it bluntly, he was trying too hard to impress.
She first glanced at Lockhart on stage, still praising himself, then turned to Draco, who was resting his chin on one hand while idly flipping through a book with the other. Hermione’s eyes flickered thoughtfully.
Under Draco’s influence, the proud little witch seemed to be developing a broader perspective...
...
Everyone, including Draco, had expected the class to be filled with Lockhart's usual bragging and self-promotion. But to Draco’s surprise, Lockhart actually seemed prepared to teach.
Right after complimenting Hermione—who appeared to be lost in thought—Lockhart bent down behind the podium and lifted a large cage covered with a black cloth, placing it on the table for everyone to see.
In that instant, all eyes turned toward him...
“Now—be careful! My mission is to teach you how to defend against the most wicked things known in the wizarding world!”
True to form, Lockhart’s deepened voice and sudden seriousness instantly shifted the playful classroom mood to something more solemn. Even Pansy, who had been leaning on the desk whispering to Draco, sat up and looked over.
The large cage shook slightly, as if something alive was trapped inside, yet no sound came from it. The black cloth appeared to be enchanted to block any noise.
As the young witches and wizards stared, their expressions gradually tinged with fear. Noticing this, Lockhart’s tone grew even more grave...
“You’re about to face the most terrifying thing in this classroom! But remember, as long as I’m here, you won’t be harmed. All I ask is that you stay calm!”
“The most terrifying?”
Draco, who had just realized the book in his hand wasn’t exactly academic, put it down, curiosity piqued by the sudden shift in the classroom’s atmosphere. He looked over at the mysterious cage.
He had to admit—Lockhart’s dramatic words had even sparked his interest.
For Draco, aside from the endless cookies his mother baked, there really wasn’t much in the world that scared him. Oh—except since that trip to Diagon Alley, that weird ice cream had somehow claimed the top spot as the scariest thing he’d ever encountered...
...
Just as Draco drifted off, Lockhart finally moved to reveal the supposedly terrifying creature inside the cage.
But before that, he issued one more warning...
"I must ask you not to scream—doing so will only provoke them!"
As Professor Lockhart reached for the black cloth covering the cage, every young witch and wizard in the classroom held their breath, afraid that even the slightest noise might set something off.
Then, with a dramatic flourish, Lockhart yanked the cloth away!
"That's right! Inside this cage are... freshly caught Cornish Pixies!!"
"..."
"..."
The sudden light seemed to stun the pixies into stillness, making them appear far less threatening than expected.
Sitting in the front row, Seamus Finnigan couldn’t help but snicker. It was clearly a laugh, not a scream of fear. Lockhart turned to him, smile twitching at the corner of his lips.
“What’s the matter, student?”
“Well, they don’t exactly... look dangerous, do they, Professor Lockhart?”
Seamus’s remark drew laughter from the other students, especially those who were already skeptical of Lockhart.
In truth, the creatures inside the cage—about eight inches tall, with blue skin and sharp little faces—really didn’t seem that threatening. At least to these young witches and wizards, they were nowhere near as scary as trolls.
They figured even Neville could probably take them on without much trouble...
"Seriously? This is it?"
Farther back, Pansy slumped back onto her desk in disappointment. As someone from a wizarding family, there was no way she didn’t recognize what these creatures were.
While Cornish Pixies were far from tame, they were definitely not the terrifying, evil beings Lockhart had made them out to be. She couldn’t help but feel a bit deceived...
Still, Lockhart—visibly struggling to maintain his composure—clearly didn’t see it that way.
"Fine then, let’s see how you handle them!"
Annoyed by the reaction, and clearly flustered, Lockhart didn't even bother explaining how to deal with them. He simply flung open the cage and let the pixies loose.
In the next instant, the Cornish Pixies shot out like rockets, screeching and zipping around the classroom in chaos. The smug smiles froze on the students’ faces.
Then came the shriek from Neville, who was being lifted into the air, followed by the sound of glass shattering as pixies burst through the windows. Under their rampage, the classroom descended into total disorder.
And as the seconds passed, it only got worse...
“Everyone stay calm!”
“Calm down! They’re just pixies!”
Lockhart tried to rein things in, but with ink bottles spilling across the floor and shredded book pages flying everywhere, it was clear his words were having no effect—at least not on the mischievous pixies.
The only part of the room that remained untouched was Draco’s area.
It seemed even the pixies could sense the danger in approaching him...