Although the school hadn't taken any drastic measures, some necessary precautions had been implemented.
For instance, students now had to move in groups between classes—and even going to the bathroom required at least a few people. While a handful of younger students grumbled about it, most found it novel and even a bit fun.
For Gryffindor and Slytherin, who could hardly stand each other but always had joint classes, this arrangement meant their walks to and from lessons were anything but quiet.
Especially with the Weasley twins...
"This method actually works. As long as we keep a close eye on certain people, they'll have no chance to pull anything."
"Exactly. I can already picture someone being carted off to Azkaban."
It was hard to believe these biting remarks were coming from the ever-grinning Weasley twins. In most people's minds, they were jokesters who brought laughter wherever they went—hardly anyone disliked them.
But the recent events had clearly changed them a bit. Their attitude toward Slytherin, in particular, had turned downright hostile. And most of that hostility seemed to be aimed squarely at Draco Malfoy, who had quietly become the unofficial figurehead of Slytherin...
"What's that supposed to mean?! Are you trying to pin false charges on Draco?!"
"The Weasleys again..."
"Is this going to turn into a fight?"
The twins hadn't named names, but the way they stared straight at Draco while speaking left little room for doubt. It was no different than pointing fingers, and everyone around could see it.
Unable to hold back, Pansy lashed out, while Goyle and Crabbe, who were already cracking their knuckles, joined in without hesitation.
Behind Draco, the rest of the Slytherin students—the little snakes—also fixed the Weasley twins with hostile glares, ready to pounce at any moment. Their tense posture made the Gryffindor students, especially the "little lions," watch the twins nervously, unsure what might happen next...
Hermione, who was sure Draco wasn't the culprit, instinctively stepped forward to defend him. But in her haste, she completely forgot what the consequences might be.
If she really stood up for Draco now, her place in Gryffindor could become... complicated.
But just as she took a step, a ghostly figure burst out from the ceiling...
"Aaah~ Look what we've got here! A bunch of little brats about to brawl! Fight! Fight!"
It was Peeves, flipping in the air while screeching with glee. The more chaos, the better, as far as he was concerned. His delighted cries, clearly hoping for a fight to break out, instantly defused the thick tension in the hallway.
"Don't worry, I'm totally on your side!"
No one knew when the water balloon appeared in his hand, but none of the students believed him—not for a second. Everyone knew Peeves never picked sides. If a fight did break out, he'd be the first to cause more trouble, not help.
Just then, Filch's furious shout echoed from around the corner...
"Peeves! Stop right there! I swear I'll catch you this time!"
"Hahaha! So fast, aren't you? Poor-as-dirt Weasley Potter's little tag-along Weasley Lying-in-the-hospital-bed Weasley~"
"..."
With a cackle, Peeves spun in midair, singing his self-made taunts before zipping into the wall and vanishing.
All that remained was Filch still yelling in frustration—and the Weasley twins, faces dark with barely contained anger.
Clearly, Peeves had hit a nerve... and enjoyed every second of it.
...
Ever since the disaster with the Cornish Pixies incident, Lockhart had stopped bringing any living creatures into his classroom.
Now, he simply read long passages from his own books aloud to the students, occasionally acting out the more dramatic scenes for extra flair.
And of course, a performance needed actors. Lockhart almost always picked Harry Potter to help reenact his "heroic" tales.
So far, Harry had played more roles than anyone could count.
The most memorable? A simple villager from Transylvania who was hit with a Bubble-Head Charm and later "healed" by Lockhart; a Himalayan yeti with a runny nose; and, most absurdly, a vampire who, after encountering Lockhart, would only eat carrots from then on.
Yeah... with one over-the-top reenactment after another, it didn't take long before everyone began treating Lockhart—who seemed to forget he was supposed to be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts—as little more than a walking farce.
"So, what's our Chosen One acting as today? A wicked witch aiming for the moon?"
"Nope, looks more like a werewolf or something."
Watching Harry get dragged up to the stage and throw his head back to howl at the ceiling, Draco's eye twitched at the ridiculous display. He gave Pansy a casual answer, not bothering to hide the disbelief in his voice.
Oddly enough, the usually reluctant Harry seemed strangely cooperative today, almost like he was going out of his way to please Lockhart...
"Well done, Harry—just perfect! And now... believe it or not, this is the moment when I pounced like this—bam! Knocked him to the ground, pinned him down with one hand, and with the other, pointed my wand right at his throat!"
As Lockhart narrated the scene to the giggling students, he didn't forget to shower Harry with exaggerated praise for his "dedication." Only when the bell finally rang did Harry get to escape the humiliating performance that had thoroughly shredded his dignity.
To be fair, he endured all of it—right under Slytherin's mocking gazes—for one reason...
"Today's homework is to write a poem about how I heroically saved Wagga Wagga! Whoever writes the best one will receive several signed copies of The Magical Me!"
Not that anyone—aside from Lockhart's diehard fans—actually cared about the so-called reward.
After Lockhart finished his announcement and the rest of the students filed out, Harry deliberately stayed behind.
A moment later, he reappeared in front of Lockhart, flanked by Ron Weasley and Hermione.
"Oh, dear Harry! Was there something you needed?"
"Well, Professor, it's like this..."
The classroom door closed behind them.
No one knew what they talked about inside.
All anyone saw was Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming out a while later, looking as pleased as if they'd just pulled off something important...