[HP] Being a problem student at Hogwarts

Tom looked at the hand and did not put his own hand on it immediately.

He thought seriously for a moment. Could this be another "joke" of Professor Lockhart's? Those who can enthusiastically use words like "turning the world upside down, making fools of the world, teasing love and hate, repeating things over and over again" to describe their own memory magic are really rare and have a bad temperament.

And then—

"What's the price?" he asked, looking up at Professor Lockhart.

Lockhart let out a dissatisfied "tsk" and withdrew his hand.

"I hate overly sensitive guys like you the most -" he fiddled with his golden curls with his fingers and said with a half-smile: "Those who control fate will eventually be controlled by fate -"

"Those who are good at swimming will drown, and those who are good at fighting will be killed. A guy like me who is good at playing with memory will be destined to have his memory drained out of his memory——"

"It's very dramatic," Lockhart burst out laughing. "It's very in line with my taste - unfortunately, although I respect fate's sense of humor, I don't intend to accept this ending calmly -"

"After all, I am not the same as those of my kind." He said.

"In my memory, most prophets are not satisfied with the arrangement of fate." Tom asked tentatively.

"Ah, are you starting to speculate recklessly on my second little secret, my dear little Gryffindor?" Lockhart mocked.

"You mentioned 'destiny' so many times, I thought you were making it clear to me." Tom said.

"I know the kind of prophet you are talking about - by chance, he can see some fragments from the future. He is confused or disturbed by this, running around and shouting, believing that this is a warning from God - I can Not that kind of fortune teller.”

"There are some wizards who are probably loved by fate, or cursed by fate - who knows - in short, they have a better vision of the future and can clearly see the thread of fate, such as me." Lockhart responded He pointed at himself.

"It doesn't sound like anything bad," Tom said.

"Really?" Lockhart raised his eyebrows, "Think about it, you already know the ending of the story when you stand at the beginning - even if you resist a certain possibility and choose another path, the direction of fate. It is still displayed so generously before your eyes - no matter how hard you struggle, no matter how hard you fight, fate clearly marks your end."

"The long river of destiny flows endlessly and never gets tired. Only you waste your courage in vain."

"In a sense, life is like a smooth road, boring, boring, and boring - because everything is destined to happen. There is no unknown, and there are no surprises. The bumps encountered on the way seem small and meaningless compared with the end point. But if Everything is trying to achieve 'ultimate meaning' - everything will lose its meaning."

"Standing among the crowd is like walking into an absurd comedy." Lockhart smiled and gestured, "You understand, right? In a house that is about to burn down and collapse, being the only one among the sleeping crowd wakes up. People who can neither wake up others nor break out of the door with their own strength - watching the disaster approaching step by step, desperately counting down the countdown - "

"So my kind often frantically stirs the threads of fate in the early stages. After they find that these struggles are meaningless, they will huddle peacefully in a corner of the world, waiting for the final moment to come."

"A bunch of cowardly lunatics," Lockhart commented, "the kind that even if you kill him in front of you, he will show you a calm and understanding smile - maybe he understands the causes and consequences better than the murderer. Woolen cloth."

"But you're not like them."

"But I'm different from them - or am I crazier than them? Or maybe it's because I have other talents..." Lockhart grinned, "I don't like the script that fate gives me. I don’t intend to accept everything honestly——”

"So in the script of fate, the protagonist is Harry?" Tom asked, suddenly seeming to understand why Lockhart always disliked Harry.

"Aha, the Boy Who Lived, the savior - the one beloved by fate. In his story, I am just a passer-by who hastily called the curtain."

"So what happened tonight is also related to this 'story'?" Tom asked, "I'm sorry, but your traces of pushing this matter are too obvious, including continuing to ask why Harry was there, why he didn't go to the dinner, etc. Wait, these are not things that 'Professor Lockhart' would care about."

Lockhart frankly admitted: "Yes, I had to read some lines that were not mine - so that fate could return to its proper course."

"What should the trajectory look like? Didn't you say that you don't intend to accept the script of fate?" Tom asked.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Lockhart shook his shoulders frivolously, "You're asking too much, my reckless little fool - you haven't agreed to be my apprentice yet."

"Your skills are very superb," ​​Tom thought for a while and said cautiously, "But it sounds more like your talent. What can I learn if I become your apprentice?"

"Yes, yes, you are right, this is more of my talent - I can't give you all the ability to control memory, but a smart kid like you can give you some insights. Improve your memory magic——" The handsome wizard showed an uninhibited smile, "Are you really willing to miss this opportunity? In this magical world with limited opportunities for hemp species?"

"...excessive greed will lead to destruction." Tom said, "The gifts given by fate have been secretly marked with a price. Don't you know this best, Professor?". 7

Lockhart slapped the table and laughed out of breath: "You are right. I really like you——"

"I love it and fear it at the same time," he sighed.

"Why else would I want to take you on as an apprentice?" Lockhart said. "You are a smart and beautiful child - there are many smart and beautiful children. When it comes to memory magic, your talent is far inferior to mine; as for seeing through Destiny? You have no vision of the future."

"You are just one of the dim and ignorant people in the room - but although you are different from me, you are also different from them after all."

Lockhart looked at Tom with a strange look and said with emotion: "The thread of fate can only stick to you for a short time, and it will be torn off so easily as you move - you will Like a sleepwalker running amok in the house.”

"A person who is not involved in cause and effect, a tyrannical hand that disturbs the situation - it's really strange. Obviously a guy like you should be the helper I dream of. I should be ecstatic - but there is fear in the joy - I hate it. Destiny, but I have relied on it for too long, too long, and even my resistance is only based on its inadvertent branches, so that I am so afraid, afraid of your sword that cuts off fate. , will cut off my plan together."

"It's not me you love and fear," said Tom, "it's just the unknown."

"In other words, you are neither fond of it nor afraid of it, but you are anxious and excited when you are determined to truly control your own destiny."

"I don't know what the world is like in your eyes, and I don't know if this sentence sounds particularly ridiculous to a wizard as talented as you - but I still want to say it," Tom solemnly said to Lockhart Reach out, "Our destiny should be ours to create."

Lockhart looked at him blankly, then suddenly laughed again.

"Cunning little thing." He said arrogantly and affectionately, reaching out and patting Tom's palm gently.

"Don't worry," he said lazily, "there is one good thing about being my apprentice - no one believes that Gilderoy Lockhart has the ability to accept an apprentice, so you can just keep silent and look for someone else. It’s none of my business to be a mentor—as long as you don’t get in my way, I’m willing to teach you everything I can.”

"Why do you want to create such a personality for yourself?" Tom asked, "Is it related to your plan?"

"The character in the play that doesn't make people think no matter what strange behavior he does is of course the clown who makes people laugh. It's not easy to become the 'Gilderoy Lockhart' in people's eyes," Lockhart said proudly explain.

"Human cognition contains power. I traveled around to plunder the power of destiny, published books to gain fame and gain popularity, and distributed autobiographies everywhere to strengthen my character - just to create a 'shell'."

Tom answered thoughtfully: "Including the questionnaire during the first lesson? Is it also to strengthen the character of 'Gilderoy Lockhart' in people's memory?"

"Ha, I won't tell you the secret and magic spell right now, but I can tell you the effect-"

"The true self is hidden in the 'shell', and the 'shell' has its own confusing effect - no one knows the real Gilderoy Lockhart, what everyone sees, recognizes, and remembers is this layer 'Shell', that's the cognitive bias."

"The specious 'shell' can deflect part of the thread of fate. Any curses and prophecies directed at my soul will be refracted by the 'shell'. When necessary, I can escape from the shell -"

"Of course, this means the end of 'Gilderoy Lockhart'."

"Then you——"

"I can be anyone." Lockhart's blue eyes flashed with a cold light, "I can take away anyone's identity, or I can mercifully choose to be someone who doesn't exist in the first place - as long as the people around me have the same mind. Add a little memory to it."

“I weave my ‘shell’, I strengthen my ‘shell’, and I also look forward to breaking free from my ‘shell’.”

"The name 'Gilderoy Lockhart' makes me and binds me."

"But about the magic of names, that's the next lesson." Lockhart yawned, "Next time, remember to ask appropriately, little fool."

"You can choose to let me forget."

"Foolish temptation," Lockhart said. "I always respect my own people - although you are the only one at the moment."

He waved his hand impatiently and started to chase people away: "I think you know enough today. And now is not a good time to start classes. You will know when you need to go to class. Now, go back, you disturb my beauty sleep ”

Tom had no choice but to stand up and ask: "What about Mrs. Norris——"

"Don't mess with my plan." Lockhart warned him word for word.

Tom spread his hands and said, "Who would want to be the enemy of a wizard like you?"

Lockhart smiled again.

"No one has reached the end of their destiny this school year, so what's the point of worrying about a little bump in the middle?" Lockhart comforted him in a relaxed tone while opening the door and pushing Tom out.