More than 3,600 contestants had gone through three rounds of elimination, leaving fewer than a hundred. Every spectator had seen how difficult the events were and how brutal the competition had been.
No one could simply dismiss those who had emerged from such a contest by saying they were lucky.
Everyone wanted to learn more about the Champions.
Lockhart had grasped this perfectly. After the competition ended, he set the reporters from the Wizard Tournament Gazette to work arranging all kinds of interviews.
Using the Magic Mirror, he set up more than a dozen interview programs to run at once, leaving the audience with more to watch than they could keep up with.
Every program was fascinating.
For instance, Lockhart hosted one himself, interviewing Hermione, Harry, Ron, Draco, Goyle, and Dudley. He guided the two groups of children into sparking off one another.
When it came to magic, Lockhart was a complete weakling. But in other areas, like steering a conversation, he was utterly in his element.
Word had it that afterward, he would review every interview program as a way of evaluating the reporters hosting them and selecting the best people to work under him.
He would also pay special attention to the more talked-about figures—the ones the audience cared most about—and arrange a solo interview with one of them every other day.
Meanwhile, everyone would get their own interview: top figures such as Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Anton; Masters in their respective fields, such as Nicolas Flamel, Professor McGonagall, and Director Lupin; and powerful figures such as Minister Fudge and Master Akingbade. Viewers could hear what these luminaries thought of the competition or listen to them comment on the contestants.
Programs such as "Champions Face-Off," "Stories of the Champions," and "Masters' Commentary" were already in full swing.
Lockhart was