"Right, let's get back to today's lesson." Lockhart carefully lifted a large cloth-covered cage from behind the lectern and set it on the table with great ceremony.
He swept a mysterious glance around the classroom, then lowered his voice. "Next, I'm going to show you something wicked. But stay calm. Don't be frightened."
He carefully pulled the cloth off the cage. "These are Cornish Pixies I've just captured."
The pixies had steel-blue skin, stood about eight inches tall, and had pointed little faces. Their shrill voices sounded like a flock of budgies squabbling.
The moment the cover came off, the pixies sprang to life. They chattered, bounced up and down, rattled the bars, and pulled strange faces at anyone who came near.
"Today's lesson is how to deal with these little fellows!" With that, he opened the cage door.
As soon as the Cornish Pixies were released, the classroom erupted into chaos.
Two pixies seized Neville by the ears and lifted him bodily into the air, leaving him swaying helplessly. Several others shot straight through the windows, wrecking the back of the classroom and scattering broken glass across the floor.
The rest rampaged through the room, flinging ink at students, shredding textbooks, tearing picture frames from the walls, and overturning the bin in the corner. They even hurled students' bags and books out through the broken windows.
Everyone was screaming. Jerry, however, was having the time of his life.
One steel-blue pixie after another streaked toward him like a rocket. Each time, Jerry flicked his Wand and sent it flying with a Spell—straight at Lockhart.
Lockhart went pale with fright and dodged frantically. Just as he tried to fight back, a pixie snatched his Wand and threw it out the window.
"Stop! Stop! Mr. Green, please stop..."
"Come on, Mr.