Were people really this wary of me? That was impossible!
The thought circled through Lockhart's mind once before he pushed it aside.
Mainly because everything he did next suddenly went smoothly.
Lockhart had begun to grow suspicious, but after easily getting answers from the next two female fans, he relaxed.
Sure enough, that first fan's refusal had only been a coincidence.
Following the information his female fans had provided, Lockhart infiltrated the holding cells in the Ministry of Magic building late that night.
His fans' information proved accurate. He dodged patrol after patrol and successfully reached the door to Selwyn's cell.
Lockhart had already stolen the key to the cell when he signed in. Now all he needed to do was open the door and use memory magic on Selwyn to learn what he wanted.
—Ministry of Magic, Sirius's Office—
Inside the office, Isaac, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin marveled at the images floating in midair.
The Ministry of Magic had no surveillance cameras, but the wizarding world had its own surveillance methods.
"You did very well. Go home. We won't need you for the rest of this," Sirius told the other female employees in the office.
"Of course, Director Black. We'll be going, then." The women left one after another. Before leaving, they glanced at the floating images, regret showing on their faces.
What a shame. The celebrated author Gilderoy Lockhart would soon fall from grace.
Had Lockhart been in that office too, he would certainly have recognized them. These women were the fans he had approached that afternoon for information.
He had let his fans take plenty of liberties with him and had even spent quite a few Galleons.
Yet here they were in Sirius's Office.
That scene alone said a great deal.
The people Lockhart had approached