Chapter 93: Gilderoy Lockhart's Self-Introduction (Begging for first subscription, begging)

After everyone had entered the Great Hall, the doors were shut, and the students sat at their respective house tables, continuing the conversations that had not finished on the train.

Until Professor McGonagall pushed the doors open once more, leading in a group of nervous first-years from outside. It was obvious they were fascinated by everything around them; candlelight danced in their wide eyes, transforming into one exclamation after another.

Last year Silven had also been among the first-years, but this year he had become part of the audience, watching them walk toward the front of the Great Hall.

The Sorting Hat's song was as unpleasant as ever. Silven sat below, watching the brim of the hat open and close like a mouth, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

How lively, isn't it? I really hope it's still this energetic after it becomes a wand.

For some unknown reason, the Sorting Hat, which was in the middle of singing, felt a chill run down its back.

How strange — how could a hat feel cold? Besides, it doesn't even have a back.

The Sorting Hat didn't pay it any mind and finished singing the last few syllables.

Amid a wave of applause, the Sorting Ceremony officially began.

Professor McGonagall looked at the parchment in her hand.

"Tiks Or."

It was that little wizard who had ridden the Knight Bus to the station with Silven — he really was a first-year.

"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat shouted.

One by one the first-years stepped forward, and the applause in the Great Hall never stopped.

That little witch wearing the radish earrings, Luna Lovegood, was sorted into Ravenclaw.

Gryffindor had a first-year named Colin Creevey, who seemed to be an obsessive fan of Harry — his eyes had been fixed on him since the Sorting.

And Jin Ni — she hardly needed any introduction.

When the Sorting Hat loudly shouted "Gryffindor," Fred and George immediately stood on their benches cheering.

"I just knew it was in the bag..."

"Jin Ni was bound to be a Gryffindor!"

Percy and Ron were a little more restrained, but they were clapping hard too, clapping until their hands turned red.

Afterwards Professor McGonagall called three more names, and the Sorting came to an end. She carried the three-legged stool and the Sorting Hat out of the Great Hall.

Silven was slightly disappointed — it would have been nice if Professor McGonagall had forgotten to take the Sorting Hat away.

By now most of them were already starving, but it wasn't yet time to eat. Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts. Before the feast begins, please allow me to take up a little of your time to announce a few important matters."

"First, we have found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor." Dumbledore's gaze swept to the side, but he did not look at the staff table. "Allow me to introduce — Professor Gilderoy Lockhart!"

The moment his words fell, the Great Hall erupted in deafening applause. Although the Daily Prophet had long since reported this news, hearing Dumbledore say it in person still made Lockhart's admirers unable to contain their excitement.

Amid the applause, the side door of the staff table suddenly opened, and Gilderoy Lockhart strode in. He wore a gorgeous violet robe, and his golden curls gleamed.

He walked toward the staff table with a smile, his pearly teeth sparkling in the candlelight, nodding to students from every house along the way.

The applause grew even more thunderous, sweeping over everything like a tidal wave. The witches were nearly going mad. Silven noticed Hermione suddenly sit up straight, an excited flush rising on her face, and several older-year witches were so worked up they nearly fainted.

"Tch..." Ron seemed about to say something, but looking at the witches around him, he wisely chose to shut his mouth.

That stretch of road took Gilderoy Lockhart nearly five minutes. Only when the applause gradually faded and most people could no longer shout did he unhurriedly arrive beside Dumbledore.

"Thank you, thank you all." Gilderoy Lockhart said in his magnetic voice (so affected — Ron wore an expression like he was about to throw up).

"I must say, returning to Hogwarts feels like coming home. Although I was one of Ravenclaw's most outstanding graduates in my day, I never imagined I would one day come back as a professor."

A cheer erupted from the Ravenclaw table. Those high-achieving little wizards had never been this excited before — they had been the loudest cheerers just now.

"It is my honour as well..." Lockhart winked at the Ravenclaws. (Bleurgh...) (That was Ron again — he would rather ride the Knight Bus right now.)

"I am honoured to have been personally invited by Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of our age, to take up this post." Lockhart continued, nodding slightly to Dumbledore, who offered a polite smile.

"Some feel this post is very dangerous, but is that really the case?"

"I," he pointed at himself, "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Anti-Dark Arts League, five-time winner of the Witch Weekly Most Charming Smile Award..."

"Of course, I don't say this to show off, but to tell you that I have seen plenty of real danger and have been walking hand in hand with it. If anyone is interested, just flip open your textbooks — the contents will give you the answer."

"So I accepted the headmaster's invitation, to gather material for my upcoming new book..."

Lockhart's inauguration speech was even longer than the Sorting Ceremony had been. At first most people were still quite excited, but later the cheers grew quieter and quieter.

Everyone had been on the train all day and was utterly exhausted. Even Hermione was having trouble maintaining her upright posture, forcing herself to sit there, so hungry her eyes were going black.

Bang!

A puff of purple smoke suddenly burst out, giving everyone a fright. Only then did Silven notice that Lockhart had actually brought a Daily Prophet photographer — that short male wizard from Flourish and Blotts — who had been hiding behind the door the whole time.

Apart from the students, the professors were also startled by this sudden scene. Snape's face was dark as he stared at the plate at Lockhart's seat, his eyes restless.

During this whole time only Dumbledore had remained standing at the side, occasionally smiling, nodding, and looking thoughtful...

"A photo together? Of course, no problem."

After taking one more group photo, Dumbledore seized the moment and, getting in ahead of Lockhart, said: "Let us welcome Professor Lockhart once again. Now the feast begins — eat."

"Finally saved." Ron looked at the boiled potatoes and roast chicken drumsticks piled into a small mountain in front of him, grabbed them and stuffed them into his mouth, mumbling indistinctly: "Harry, Silven, I dare say he's definitely a narcissist, don't you think?"

Silven shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Don't say that." Hermione retorted: "He's done so many amazing things, it's perfectly normal for the introduction to take a bit longer."

"Ha..." Ron had no mood to argue with her about this right now. After taking a big gulp of pumpkin juice, he continued wrestling with the roast chicken on his plate.

(End of chapter)