Taking apart a Horcrux could not be rushed. Since this year's Chamber of Secrets incident would no longer occur, Canopus had a whole year to chip away at the Horcrux bit by bit.
There was nothing new about the second-year curriculum. Every professor still diligently taught, instructed, and answered questions—except Lockhart.
He was like a peacock spreading its tail, constantly emphasizing his past glories.
"I, Gilderoy Lockhart, recipient of the Third Class Order of Merlin, honorary member of the Dark Force Defence League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award—but I don't go on about that. I didn't get rid of the female ghost with my smile!"
"I see that you have all bought my complete works. Let's have a little quiz and see how much you have absorbed."
Canopus opened Lockhart's quiz paper. It was full of questions about Lockhart himself—his aspirations, his favourite colour, and the like. Three full pages of them.
It felt like the entry questions for some celebrity fan group chat.
Lockhart walked down from the podium with light steps, watching the young wizards scratch their heads over the test.
Although most of the students had put book covers on their books, hiding the handsome magical photograph of him on the front, Lockhart was still pleased to see that every student in the class had bought his books.
What he did not know was that behind him, all the young wizards with covered books were exchanging knowing looks.
The pirated books Canopus had printed had completely blank covers.
When would Lockhart discover that he had been had? Perhaps only when the publisher wrote to him would he finally understand?
Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and began grading them in front of the students.
"Oh, very few students knew that lilac