Before the Aurors came asking for his help, Lockhart had already learned from his department head what they wanted him for.
To prove his magical prowess once again, Lockhart accessed Selwyn's memories directly.
The old werewolf's memories flashed before Lockhart like a video on fast-forward, while Lockhart's "astral body" stood in their midst.
The figure was not actually Lockhart's astral body, but a manifestation of memory magic.
Magic in "Harry Potter" was shaped by the mind, so naturally, every wizard's magic manifested differently.
Lockhart liked this theatrical form of magical manifestation. It fit his personality profile perfectly.
"Found it! This is the one!" Lockhart grinned broadly, then enlarged the memory scene he needed.
He would watch Selwyn's memories first, then go outside and "copy" this particular memory.
That posed no difficulty whatsoever for Lockhart. Though he had never done it before, he simply knew he could.
"Come on, you old dog. Let me see what secrets you've been hiding."
Selwyn annoyed Lockhart intensely, because he had sensed no respect from him.
At Obliviator Headquarters, Lockhart felt respected.
His fellow Obliviators in the office did not know Lockhart's background. All they knew was that Gilderoy Lockhart's memory magic was seriously badass.
In Muggle society, Lockhart would have been the department's technical ace.
As for the head of Obliviator Headquarters, he had a rough idea of Lockhart's situation. Precisely because he had guessed the truth, he "respected" Gilderoy Lockhart all the more.
This bloody author really was ruthless!
He had sacrificed every spell he had learned to rapidly improve his memory magic, even using everything he had to strengthen it.
And the man had actually managed to halt that almost irreversible sacrifice...
What else could the head of Obliviator Headquarters say? You want respect, Lockhart? Fine, I'll give it to you.
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