Lockhart's Teaching Methods (Part 1)

February arrived. With the spring breeze, the withered trees of the Forbidden Forest sprouted fresh buds in great numbers, while the young wizards in the castle were about to welcome Valentine's Day of 1993 amid the life-filled air of spring.

For first- and second-year students still at an innocent age, Valentine's Day was merely a holiday of unclear significance. But for upper-year students, the importance of this day went without saying.

On the morning of the first day of February's first week, Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff, egged on by his dormmates, stopped a pretty Chinese girl outside Ravenclaw's common room and gave her a hand-crafted little Cupid card that could sing.

Even Percy, the model student, could not bear the loneliness. During Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class, while no one was paying attention, he transformed a fire salamander into Penelope's likeness and grinned foolishly at it for several minutes.

Headmaster Dumbledore rarely displayed his gentlemanly side. He ordered a bouquet of flowers from Hogsmeade for every female staff member at Hogwarts. Influenced by his actions, Lockhart happily announced to all the professors over lunch that he intended to write an ode for every person in the school. He also mysteriously claimed that he had come up with a brilliant way to present the odes to everyone on Valentine's Day.

"Amosta, is there any chance you could get rid of this idiot before that day arrives?"

After hearing Lockhart's words, Snape asked in a low, icy voice, his face dark.

"I'll do my best, Professor!"

Amosta said with a mixture of amusement and helplessness as he chewed on a piece of smoked bacon. "But why don't you brew some poison yourself? You're the Potions Class professor—and a Potions Master, at that. I'm sure you're good at that sort of thing!"

After lunch, Amosta used the lunch break to review the surveillance footage from the previous night, only to find nothing once again.

On Monday afternoon, the sixth-year Gryffindor and Slytherin students had two joint Defence Against the Dark Arts classes. This was Amosta's first time teaching alongside Lockhart. To show respect, he changed into a brand-new black Wizard Robe and arrived in the classroom before anyone else.

With ten minutes left until two o'clock, the sixth-years gradually arrived. Though word had already spread, the young wizards still showed surprise and excitement when they discovered that the Investigator really had appeared in their classroom.

Professor Lockhart had not arrived yet. Amosta stood alone at the front of the room, smiling at the noisy Gryffindor and Slytherin students, whose seating arrangement was sharply divided.

Everyone here had attended Hogwarts with Amosta, but aside from a handful of people, he had no impression of most of them.

"Flint, I heard you're the Slytherin team captain now?"

The moment Amosta spoke, the classroom seemed to hit pause. Every gaze focused on Marcus and Amosta.

"Yes, sir—oh, I mean, Professor Breen."

Tall and strongly built, with a face resembling a Troll's, Flint rose to his feet instinctively. Facing a professor felt very different from facing a professor who was also an Investigator. Flint, usually rough and aggressive on the Quidditch pitch, looked extremely nervous, and his tone was rather restrained.

"That only happened last year—"

After all, it was his own House's team. Amosta felt he ought to offer some support, so he nodded approvingly.

"Then work hard, Flint. I hope the Slytherin team achieves something under your leadership."

The moment Amosta said that, the Gryffindors, who had been so curious about him, immediately turned cold. Some die-hard Quidditch fans even looked at him with hatred.

After exchanging a glance, Oliver and Percy, seated among the crowd, both lowered their heads and pretended to read the already-open Travels with Trolls on their desks.

Amosta's encouragement made the Slytherin students smug. They instinctively assumed that Professor Breen was similar in style to Professor Snape and took especially good care of "his own people." Marcus, the first to be called on, was so pleased with himself that after giving the head-bowed Oliver an arrogant glance, he flashed a sly smile and said loudly,

"Thank you for your support, Professor Breen. We—all of Slytherin—are excited about your appointment as an assistant instructor, Professor. We believe you'll certainly be the best Defence Against the Dark Arts professor in years. So, what are you planning to teach us?"

Oliver Wood, whose head was practically buried beneath the desk, secretly pulled a retching face. Even Percy, the model student, did not look particularly pleased.

"Hehe, thank you for your support as well, Flint."

Amosta did not pursue Marcus Flint's little scheme. He nodded and smiled. "As you said, Flint, I'm only an assistant instructor. As for your lesson plan, Professor Lockhart will have the final say."

At that moment, Lockhart strode briskly into the classroom. Today, he wore a deep navy-blue robe. Amosta realized that, in all the times he had met Professor Lockhart, he did not think he had ever seen him wear the same color twice.

Was writing books really that profitable?

As Amosta went forward to greet him, the thought flashed through his mind.

"Looks like you've already introduced yourself, haven't you, Professor Breen?"

Lockhart's smile was dazzling as he gave Amosta's shoulder a heavy pat, speaking as though to a junior he thought highly of.

"Just a simple greeting, Professor Lockhart—"

Without drawing attention to it, Amosta shifted his shoulder away and smiled amicably. "Like the young wizards, I'm looking forward to your wonderful lesson!"

"Oh, no. Looks like they're cut from the same cloth!"

Someone in the Gryffindor group muttered softly.

Amosta's expression twitched. He was certain Lockhart had heard it too, because for an instant, Lockhart's expression froze. But he immediately returned to normal.

"So."

Amosta, entirely unaware of what was about to happen, stared in confusion at the classroom, which had suddenly become deathly silent.

"Where should we begin, Professor Lockhart?"

"Oh, no need to worry, Breen. The little ones already know the drill!"

Over the next two hours, Amosta finally witnessed Lockhart's distinctive "teaching methods." He called on students one by one, demanding that they recite lengthy passages from the storybooks he had written, and required the young wizards to do so with full emotion.

Lockhart stood at the front of the classroom, pretending not to see the pained expressions on the young wizards' faces, looking thoroughly delighted. Of course, if their recitations were not emotional enough, Lockhart would personally demonstrate for everyone. He would even deliberately perform exaggerated, comical gestures in an attempt to liven up the class, but the result was that no one paid him any attention.

And the only thing Amosta could do was help Lockhart maintain classroom discipline.

"Have you always taught them like this?"

Taking advantage of the moment when Lockhart paused for breath after reading a long passage describing how to subdue a Troll, Amosta casually drifted over to him and asked in an extremely tactful tone.

"Aha, eager to show yourself off, are you!"

Lockhart tapped his own nose, his eyes looking terribly "clever." Ignoring Amosta's explanation, he directly stopped Percy, who was reading the textbook in a stiff, lifeless voice. "The chance for fame is right before you, Breen. It all depends on whether you can seize it!"

He forcibly stuffed the textbook into Amosta's hands, then announced brightly and loudly to everyone,

"Let me show you how a true devoted fan expresses his lofty admiration for Professor Lockhart with a voice brimming with passion!"

Snicker, snicker—

Seeing the Investigator standing beside the podium with Lockhart, looking utterly at a loss, Wood burst out laughing.