Lockhart's smile became somewhat forced after being rejected by Hermione.
Just as they were wondering how to smooth things over, Draco stepped forward half a step, shielding Hermione behind him:
" Mr. Lockhart, my girlfriend doesn't like being in the newspapers. The rumors and reports from the summer have been bothering her for a long time."
This statement was very dignified, giving Lockhart a way out.
Lockhart immediately followed up with a laugh, slapped his forehead, and looked as if he had just realized something:
"Oh—it was my oversight! I'm so sorry, I neglected Miss Granger's feelings, I'm so sorry!"
But to everyone's surprise, Draco suddenly changed the subject. "However, she can't, but I can."
As soon as he said that, a subtle silence erupted throughout the room, followed by a surge of various emotions.
The witches watching were initially taken aback, but then their eyes lit up and they began to whisper excitedly to each other.
Young Master Malfoy actually asked to take a photo with Lockhart?! This is big news!
Ginny's eyes widened, and Mrs. Weasley gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Both were stunned, wondering what Draco had done.
Ron's jaw nearly dropped. He whispered to the twins, "Is he crazy? Doesn't he hate Lockhart the most?"
George and Fred exchanged a glance, instantly understanding.
"Just you wait, Ron."
" Draco's up to no good."
Hermione was stunned for a moment, then looked at Draco with a puzzled expression.
But after seeing the look in his eyes, Hermione had a vague feeling that he didn't have good intentions.
She reached out and quietly tugged at Draco's sleeve, mouthing, "What do you want?"
Draco winked at her with a mischievous grin, offering no explanation.
Lockhart was overjoyed, instantly forgetting his earlier embarrassment. He grabbed Draco's arm, his voice rising several decibels:
"Really? That's wonderful, Draco! It would be perfect to have a photo taken with you, the heir to the Malfoy!"
"Come on, let's shoot now! I'll decide the poses! I guarantee it'll be on the front page of the Daily Prophet tomorrow!"
Draco held Lockhart's excited arm, a meaningful smile playing on his lips:
"Don't rush, Mr. Lockhart. I've heard you've personally fought Werewolf?"
Lockhart immediately straightened his back, his smile radiating confidence, and patted his chest as he loudly proclaimed:
"That's absolutely true! Absolutely! That was the most thrilling and glorious battle of my career!"
The surrounding crowd was instantly ignited with enthusiasm, and they all chimed in with their own words, filled with admiration.
"I know, I know! He single-handedly subdued a runaway Werewolf!"
"So brave! Even the Auror from the Ministry of Magic wouldn't dare to step forward so easily!"
"He even pulled out the Werewolf's fangs as souvenirs!"
At this point, Mrs. Weasley nodded with both admiration and excitement:
"That's right, that's right, it's written very clearly in the book! You faced the monster all alone, and your wand didn't even tremble!"
Ginny, her face flushed, added earnestly, "They say they used a really powerful spell that subdued the Werewolf in no time! I've memorized it!"
Lockhart was overjoyed, his chin held even higher, his curly hair seemingly Winky, looking proudly awaiting applause.
"Oh? That's impressive," Draco said jokingly. "Then, Mr. Lockhart, why don't you demonstrate the spell to subdue the Werewolf right now?"
As he spoke, he deliberately emphasized his words, offering ample "temptation":
"Just demonstrate it once, and I'll take pictures of you immediately. Take as many as you want, and publish them in whichever edition you want."
The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.
The onlookers were taken aback at first, then became excited—they were going to see Lockhart personally demonstrate his spells!
Mrs. Weasley and Ginny immediately looked over expectantly, waiting to see their idol show off his skills.
Ron, George, Fred's eyes widened instantly, their minds screaming: Here it comes! Malfoy is about to cause trouble!
Our Prefect, Percy, looked on with a serious and expectant expression, ready to diligently learn the advanced anti-wolf spell.
At this moment, only Lockhart is suffering.
His smile froze, his eyes flickered with panic, and his hand holding the wand shrank back slightly. His once fluent lips suddenly began to stammer.
"Ah, this... now, this isn't the right time... the Werewolf spell is too powerful, it might... might accidentally harm innocent people..."
He was visibly panicked.
"Please make way for Professor Lockhart, everyone, so he doesn't get hurt." Draco turned and waved to the surrounding crowd.
Upon hearing this, the onlookers immediately stepped back in a large circle, clearing a clean space, their eyes gleaming as they waited to see the performance.
Mrs. Weasley pulled Ginny back a little, the two of them looking at Lockhart expectantly.
Lockhart's face paled instantly, his grip on his wand tightened, and he frantically searched for a new excuse, his stiff smile almost crumbling:
"It's not a problem with the space! It's... it's that this spell requires the special blessing of a full moon. Casting it at this time will greatly reduce its power and make it prone to magical backlash, posing a significant risk to me personally!"
Draco raised an eyebrow, pressing on relentlessly, his innocent tone like that of a student eagerly seeking knowledge:
"Really? But I don't remember the book saying it needs to be a full moon. How about... you choose another one? Something to subdue vampires, something to banish succubi, either one is fine, I'm not picky."
A chorus of agreement erupted around him.
"Yes, Professor Lockhart, we can have someone else!"
We all want to see what you're really capable of!
Ron, George, and Fred were practically bursting with suppressed laughter; their shoulders were twitching.
Hermione stood aside, watching Lockhart's completely flustered state, and the last bit of her positive impression of him shattered completely.
She felt both embarrassed and amused, and quietly tugged at Draco's sleeve, signaling him not to go too far.
Lockhart had lost all dignity by this point; beads of sweat were forming on his forehead, his eyes were unfocused, and his voice was becoming weak.
"These are all my exclusive, top-secret spells. They cannot be easily shown to outsiders. Only in class can I formally teach them to the students of Hogwarts... Yes, in class!"
Upon hearing Lockhart's explanation, everyone's faces immediately showed complicated expressions.
Some people thought the professor made sense; after all, it was an advanced spell and shouldn't be displayed casually.
But many more people, especially the witches who had just been full of admiration, had a hint of doubt and disappointment creeping into their eyes.
Mrs. Weasley's enthusiasm waned considerably, and Ginny's lips drooped, clearly disappointed.
George and Fred exchanged a knowing look, and they almost burst out laughing.
Draco, seeing Lockhart covered in cold sweat, didn't press him further.
He knew perfectly well that taking away someone's livelihood was like killing their parents. He wasn't afraid Lockhart would resort to desperate measures, but he also didn't want to push him to the brink and make things too embarrassing.
He calmly withdrew his gaze, which was considered a way of letting him go.
Lockhart let out a huge sigh of relief, his back almost soaked with cold sweat, and looked at Draco with lingering fear in his eyes.
"Since we're not going to demonstrate, let's not leave everyone waiting for nothing. Everyone here today will receive a copy of your book," Draco said.
These words caused an instant uproar in the audience!