Great Expectations

As everyone knew, at Hogwarts, if a secret was known by more than one student or professor, then depending on how sensational it was, within one to three days, it would spread until even Hagrid's dog Fang knew about it.

That evening, Harry heard the startling news too. Aside from going to the toilet, he had not got off his broomstick all day, and had even relied on several beef pies Ron brought him for lunch.

"Mr. Breen is going to become our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor? Is that true, Ron?"

In the Common Room, almost everyone was discussing it. Harry limped hurriedly past several jubilant older students and headed straight for the sofa where they usually gathered to talk. Only when he got close did he realise that besides Ron and Neville, Seamus and Dean were there as well.

"Just an Assistant Professor, Harry."

Ron squeezed closer to Neville to make room for the exhausted Harry.

"The news first came from Hufflepuff. At first, I thought it was a joke, but on my way back after taking you lunch, I heard Bloomer from Ravenclaw and Turpin discussing it in the Entrance Hall. Apparently, Malfoy has already gone to Snape to confirm it."

Ron frowned, looking utterly baffled. "Honestly, I still can't figure out how this happened!"

"But isn't it a good thing?"

Neville cautiously voiced his opinion. Once he realised everyone was looking at him, he immediately hunched his shoulders, his tone turning hesitant.

"I mean, he's an Investigator. He should know more about dealing with Dark Magic than Lockhart!"

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance without saying anything. It was hard to judge teaching ability, since neither of them had seen it firsthand, but when it came to duelling, based on Lockhart's performance in last year's duelling club, no amount of bootlicking could make Lockhart a match for the first-year Mr. Breen.

At that moment, the twin brothers, who had only just come in, happily high-fived upon hearing the news, enthusiastically celebrating the imminent relaunch of their great adventure.

Neville looked confused, but Harry and Ron both knew what it meant. If Mr. Breen became an Assistant Professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts, it meant he could no longer keep an eye on his magical surveillance every night. For Fred and George, that was like seeing the moon after the clouds had parted.

Bang!

Hermione suddenly appeared and dropped several hefty books from her arms onto the coffee table, nearly crushing it. She unceremoniously squeezed in beside Harry, and Neville, who took up the most space, had no choice but to stand.

"Where have you been? We haven't seen you all day," Ron asked, frowning at Hermione, who seemed to be in quite a good mood.

"Where else, Ron? The library, of course. I've missed an entire month of classes, so I have to make up for it every second I can." Hermione rolled her eyes, apparently thinking Ron had asked a very stupid question. "Anyway, what were you talking about just now?"

"Mr. Breen becoming an Assistant Professor," Harry said carefully. "We were discussing why that would happen. Didn't he come to Hogwarts to catch Slytherin's Heir? Why has he suddenly become involved with this subject?"

"Maybe he has already dealt with that Heir in secret," Seamus guessed, his eyes wide.

That speculation did not hold up. Anyone knew that if the Investigator had truly resolved the Chamber of Secrets incident, the school would definitely have publicised it far and wide.

"Maybe he's already given up on it. Think about it: if even Headmaster Dumbledore couldn't solve it, how could some young wizard who appeared out of nowhere possibly manage it? Perhaps he wants to make some money before the Headmaster kicks him out of the school. As far as I know, professors are paid quite well."

That equally ridiculous theory came from Dean. Dumbledore was not someone easily fooled. If Amosta Breen truly had such a shameful plan, Headmaster Dumbledore would surely see through it—or at least, that was what Harry thought.

"What do you think?"

Harry was pleased to see that, at least in this group, no one still regarded him as Slytherin's Heir. Rubbing his numb hip, he hesitantly offered his guess, mainly afraid that his opinion would anger Hermione.

"I've dealt with Mr. Breen once. He's a powerful wizard. He chose to become a professor for this subject, um... could it be possible..."

Gasp.

Everyone except Hermione and Harry sucked in a sharp breath. Ron stared at Harry in horror and stammered,

"You mean Quirrell, but his abilities—oh, Harry, I remember the first time you heard that—"

"You're overestimating him, Harry!"

Dean was the first to object, speaking sharply. "I can't see him having that kind of ability!"

Other than a few die-hard fans, it was practically common knowledge among the young wizards that Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest talents were making up stories and flattering people.

Being Slytherin's Heir was no easy matter. Ron, who had always detested Lockhart, simply could not convince himself that Lockhart possessed that ability.

"...I know, it's hard to believe."

Harry was not entirely convinced by his own theory either.

"But what if it's just a disguise? Like Quirrell—he fooled everyone at first. Otherwise, I can't understand why Mr. Breen would take on such a thankless job. He was a Hogwarts student too, so there's no way he wouldn't know that professors of this subject usually don't end well. I mean, maybe he found some clues, but he didn't..."

Harry could not continue, because Hermione's heavy cough drowned out his voice.

Everyone looked at Hermione, whose cheerful expression had turned grim. Ron asked in surprise,

"Have you got some brilliant insight, Hermione?"

Hermione shot Ron a resentful glare, then arrogantly lifted her chin.

"This morning, I went to Professor Lockhart's office—"

"You went to Lockhart's office?"

Ron immediately interrupted Hermione. "Don't you already have one of his autographs? Don't tell me you wanted another one?"

Harry immediately kicked Ron, reminding him to shut up.

Whether Lockhart was suspicious did not matter, nor did why Hermione had gone to his office. What mattered was that for the next few years, the two of them would need Hermione's help with their Potions and History of Magic homework. If they thoroughly angered Hermione now, they would be done for!

Late at night, Harry lay on his soft four-poster bed with his eyes half-closed. His mind was filled with the voice that wanted to kill, his own Parseltongue, Dobby's warning, and Malfoy's claim that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened fifty years ago. He was probably the person in the school most unable to let this matter go. Unless the culprit was caught and the Chamber of Secrets incident was completely resolved, he could never truly relax.

"—But how could that be possible, Harry?"

Beside him, Ron turned over and spoke softly.

"How could a wizard like Breen be a Lockhart fan? He became his assistant just to get close to Lockhart? Oh, Hermione's idea is ridiculous. Could everything he wrote in those books actually be true? Oh, no, I absolutely refuse to believe that!"

"I don't know either, Ron."

Harry shifted to face the window as well. He stared at the brilliant river of stars, allowing the hazy drowsiness to erode his consciousness. Before sleep claimed him completely, Mr. Breen's far-too-young face flashed before his eyes. Remembering the memorable gentle smile and pale violet eyes on that handsome face, he murmured,

"But at least we can look forward to this class a little."

He still had a fever.