Showing Off Feels Great

Professor Sprout quickly bandaged the Whomping Willow, leaving several damaged branches hanging from the bandages, looking somewhat comical, like a person with a broken arm in a cast and sling.

However, Albert's focus was more on the cave hidden under the Whomping Willow, the passage leading to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade.

If Professor Sprout hadn't been there, he really would have liked to go in and take a look.

That said, when Sirius Black broke into Hogwarts, why didn't anyone think that he might have bypassed Hogwarts ' Protective Magic from there?

Professor Sprout clearly could not have failed to discover the cave under the tree.

Forgotten? Indeed, some things shouldn't be investigated too deeply; once you do, you'll find a bunch of loopholes. Perhaps this place was checked before, but Black had already left.

After all, who would pay special attention to a dog if no one pointed it out? Albert stopped thinking about these questions because someone was coming this way—it was Gilderoy Lockhart.

This guy appeared at just the right time, because Professor Sprout was almost finished treating the Whomping Willow.

"Good morning, Professor Sprout and Mr. Anderson." Lockhart greeted the two men with a beaming smile. "Last night, I heard that the Whomping Willow was badly injured, so I came to see if I could help heal it. I've also encountered many amazing plants during my travels."

"I'm almost done treating the Whomping Willow, so you don't need to bother anymore," Professor Sprout said dryly, clearly a little impatient with Lockhart's appearance.

"No, no need for that. I'm also very good at healing magical plants." Lockhart had already drawn his wand and cut off a broken branch from the tree.

"Watch out, duck!"

A hurried voice suddenly rang in everyone's ears. The trunk of the Whomping Willow had Cleansweep across the sky. Lockhart, who was pruning the Whomping Willow with his wand, was caught off guard and hit by the branch. He was thrown away and crashed heavily to the ground.

The next moment, more branches came crashing down on Lockhart, who could only roll awkwardly to the left to avoid the heavy blows.

Just as Whomping Willow's entire body tilted to one side, preparing to smash Lockhart into a pulp with its thick branches, the ferocious attack suddenly subsided, and a crisis was averted out of nowhere.

"Oh my goodness, are you alright, Professor Lockhart?" Albert asked with a worried expression.

Professor Sprout looked at his work, which had just been destroyed, and then at Lockhart, who was in a sorry state. His anger subsided somewhat.

"Excellent, Mr. Anderson, you brought the Whomping Willow under control in time. Ten points in Gryffindor." Professor Sprout said to Albert with a smile, "Please take Gilderoy to the School Hospital."

"Yes, Professor." Albert understood Professor Sprout's implication, waved his wand to summon a stretcher, moved Professor Lockhart was lying on the ground groaning, onto the stretcher, and secured him to the stretcher with a belt. Just as he was about to carry him to the School Hospital, he heard Professor Sprout's voice behind him again.

"Very good magic, Mr. Anderson, Gryffindor gets another ten points." Professor Sprout was clearly pleased with Lockhart's performance.

There is no doubt that Lockhart was really unpopular with the professor.

"Then I'll be going now!" Albert followed the floating stretcher back to the castle.

"Could you put me down, Mr. Anderson?" Lockhart struggled, seemingly trying to get off the stretcher; he didn't want the other students to see him in such a disheveled state.

"Professor Lockhart, I suggest you don't move around. The Whomping Willow hit you pretty hard just now; you might have broken a few bones." Albert's gentle voice rang in Lockhart's ear. "Given that Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor are always cursed, I think you should have Madam Pomfrey examine you, just in case there are any undiscovered injuries that could lead to your sudden, unexpected death."

"If it were someone else, this situation might not occur, but the cursed Defence Against the Dark Arts is too bizarre. I suggest you do not do anything dangerous to avoid accidents."

Lockhart's expression suddenly froze; Albert's whispers sent chills down his spine like the work of a demon.

Yes, he remembered that he was the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor.

So, was the sudden attack by the Whomping Willow of the Defence Against the Dark Arts the Dark Arts course? Did I make a wrong decision?

At that moment, Lockhart regretted taking on the position.

On the way to the School Hospital, several students cast curious glances in their direction, Albert was confident that the news would soon spread throughout the school.

After Albert carried Lockhart into the School Hospital, Madam Pomfrey looked at Lockhart on the stretcher with a strange expression, examining him while listening to Albert's account, muttering something under her breath.

Albert vaguely heard something like two bones were broken, but thankfully no internal organs were damaged, and the treatment was handled well, which made Lockhart's face turn even paler.

After that, there was nothing more for Albert to do. When he arrived in the hall, he heard many girls talking about Lockhart being injured and carried into the School Hospital.

As soon as Albert sat down next to George, a group of girls surrounded him, asking him all at once what was going on.

When Lockhart demonstrated to Professor Sprout how to treat the Whomping Willow's wounds, only to be severely injured by the tree himself, the surrounding boys were stunned into silence.

"Don't look at me like that, that's just how it is." Albert shrugged helplessly and said, "I guess this is the curse of the Defence Against the Dark Arts course!"

Of course, Albert wouldn't say that it was he who secretly loosened the scab, causing Whomping Willow to attack Lockhart.

"The curse is terrible. I didn't expect it to take effect on the first day of school," Lee Jordan said in an exaggerated tone, sounding somewhat gloating.

Just then, they all fell silent, because Professor McGonagall, as she was handing out timetables along the Gryffindor table, asked about Lockhart when she reached their side.

After hearing Albert's story, Professor McGonagall actually gave Albert an extra five points.

"It seems Professor McGonagall doesn't like Lockhart either," Fred muttered to himself, watching Professor McGonagall's departing figure. George and Lee Jordan nodded in agreement; otherwise, why would they have given Albert extra points? Just as everyone was discussing Lockhart's misfortune, a loud noise filled the entire Great Hall.

"... If they fire you for stealing the car, I wouldn't be surprised at all..."

Albert turned his head to look at Fred and George with a strange expression; the voice sounded like Mrs. Weasley's.

Even after the roaring stopped, he could still feel a buzzing in his ears.

All the students in the hall turned to look at the Gryffindor table, wanting to see who had received the Howler.

"Ron received the Howler," Fred muttered. "I've never seen Mom this angry."

"Me too," George said, still shaken.

As they spoke, the two looked in Ron's direction and saw their younger brother burying his head in his plate in shame.

This is the price of failing to show off!