[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-learning-panel":3,"chapter-hogwarts-learning-panel-hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-425":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Hogwarts Learning Panel",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2250663,4210,"Chapter 425: Lockhart","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-425",425,"\u003Cp>“It seems someone among us took a nasty fall?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore walked in smiling from the doorway, blocking the bright corridor light, plunging the Room of Requirement back into the dim glow of torches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right! I shouldn’t have come here at all—I thought this was a golden chance to boost my fame: Harry Potter, the famed wizard the whole magical world is searching for, hiding right here in Hogwarts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lockhart, under the influence of Veritaserum, chattered incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clutched his mouth in terror, but the thing kept mumbling anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Gilderoy, your lying mouth can’t lie anymore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore said, his long silver beard trembling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wanted to lie. A fanatical admirer with ill intent committed terrible acts—or perhaps a student who learned several Dark Arts, which aren’t allowed at Hogwarts… I had so many reasons, yet now I can’t say anything… mmmph…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lockhart looked as if he wanted to tear his own mouth off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your true colors are exposed, Gilderoy. Save your clever excuses for the Ministry of Magic—or the Dementors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore treated it like disposing of something trivial; with a flick of his finger, Lockhart was bound tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up, and Hagrid appeared in his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hagrid first winked at Wizard Sean, then dragged Lockhart away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Professor Dumbledore, I’ll take him straight to the Aurors outside Hogwarts Castle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hagrid rumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seized Lockhart and turned to leave, as if hauling a baby chick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ministry of Magic overturned Hagrid’s sentence—wasn’t easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore smiled at them, looking in excellent spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hagrid’s sentence was overturned?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione gasped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overturning an old case always seemed like a thankless, exhausting task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione knew this was fantasy in both the magical and non-magical worlds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Miss Granger. You’ll soon receive another piece of good news.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But for now, allow me to keep it a secret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Again with this… Adults always think hiding everything from us is for our own good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione whispered to Wizard Sean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin, who had just been deep in thought, immediately nodded in agreement upon hearing Hermione’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wizard Sean remained unexpectedly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore noticed their small gestures but pretended not to, striding to the door and opening it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, you may rest in bed—and perhaps drink a large mug of steaming hot chocolate. I’ve always found it helps lift my spirits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, bending down to wink at them kindly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I, meanwhile, will write a letter to Azkaban—Lockhart the professor belongs where he belongs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And I must draft a job advertisement to publish in the Daily Prophet,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he mused,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need a new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Good heavens, how quickly these positions change hands, don’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young wizards nodded vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was exactly what they wanted to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Headmaster Dumbledore, may I ask what a Dementor is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin was still pondering what Dumbledore had inadvertently revealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A Dementor,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore paused,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“is perhaps the most evil and terrifying thing in the magical world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and left immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione hadn’t yet processed Justin’s question when Dumbledore’s words stunned her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pressed her lips tightly and shifted slightly toward Wizard Sean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wizard Sean, do you know what a Dementor is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin, clearly surprised by the answer, looked stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The guards of Azkaban—a Dark Arts creature that feeds on wizards’ happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dementors may be the only known beings capable of rendering a wizard unable to perform magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They cannot be killed physically, only temporarily driven away…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean explained simply but profoundly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cannot be killed…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Room of Requirement was completely sealed, Hermione felt as if icy winds were blowing over her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do we drive them away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin asked cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Patronus Charm is the preferred defense. Sometimes, eating chocolate is also used as first aid after a Dementor attack.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chocolate?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin instinctively trusted Wizard Sean but still found it surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eating some chocolate, or drinking a large mug of steaming hot chocolate, greatly improves a wizard’s mood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re really…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione seemed to recall something and turned to Justin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just now, Headmaster Dumbledore said those exact words… Did you notice? Wizard Sean has always resembled someone—Headmaster Dumbledore. Now he resembles him even more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justin nodded in slight shock, and they quickly left the Room of Requirement together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far off, they could see flames flickering in the Forbidden Forest, then vanishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if a fire dragon had been causing trouble inside, only to be dragged away by its keeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean gazed at the spot from afar, then vanished from where he stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione and Justin didn’t even get to say goodbye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s becoming more like him every day…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione frowned as she studied the corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The way he appears and disappears…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wizard Sean arrived at the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid was staring blankly at Wilkins the butler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is my cabin, sir,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hagrid growled—he looked as if he’d just escorted Lockhart away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t hard to imagine that tomorrow’s headlines would explode with news of Lockhart’s arrest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Hermione and Justin had already rushed to contact Luna and Rita—they’d asked Wizard Sean for their contact details before the plan began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every student at Hogwarts, every wizard in the magical world, would learn Lockhart was a fraud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wizard Sean didn’t care about any of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wil also didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one is allowed inside until the honorable Lord Green arrives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wil raised his bow, looking ready to shoot at the slightest provocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The archery skills of the Puckies were exceptional. William, Wil’s most admired Puckie, had once shot dead a descendant of Slytherin and saved Lady Isolde Ser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I’m the owner here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hagrid fumed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m the butler here too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wil refused to budge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wizard Sean didn’t tell you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hagrid’s tone softened—he was curious about the magical creature before him, but he wanted even more to return to his cabin.\u003C\u002Fp>",977,"2026-06-19T10:00:42.198Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3efed5e1802539b5e6d8191bd90822fd13f3e3e0c333ecd6e4171433b2b9c4b0","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-426","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-424",526,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-learning-panel-cover.jpg"]