Ever since he had passed out in class for the first time, Lockhart had been a little too afraid to put on performances during lessons, and his image in the students' eyes had taken a serious hit.
After all, he had no way to explain why he had fainted in class. He couldn't exactly say he had been scared unconscious by a female ghost. If he had not previously bragged that such a minor injury was nothing to a battle-hardened veteran like himself, he could have blamed it on lingering effects from his old injury...
In fact, Lockhart strongly suspected that someone had set him up, but he could find no evidence and had no way to directly ask anyone else for help.
He had tentatively asked his former Head of House, Professor Flitwick, how one should deal with a female ghost. Professor Flitwick had known perfectly well what he was up to, laughed, told him he was experienced enough already, then walked away without any interest in hearing the bragging that was sure to follow.
For the first time, Lockhart understood what it felt like to drop a stone on his own foot.
"Students, in this lesson, we will..."
Lockhart looked at the students below him, and his smile was starting to falter.
"Recite my work and experience how I fought those evil creatures during my adventures."
"What kind of madness is this guy up to now?"
Bernard looked utterly baffled.
But the people around him could not give him an answer. Adam, the only one who knew what had happened, was controlling the Quick-Quotes Quill as it wrote on the Creation Card itself.
"What are you all waiting for?"
Seeing the students' puzzled, suspicious looks, Lockhart forced himself to smile and raised a hand.
"Can't decide? Then let