Hogwarts Wasteland: The Witch from the Borderlands

Chapter 87 Conversation and Chaos

Outside Malfoy Castle lies a flat plain, densely dotted with shacks of all shapes and sizes.

They had no planning or architectural knowledge; they simply huddled together out of a sense of community, spreading out in a chaotic and sprawling manner, covering an area that was almost half the size of the outer city. The Broken Cauldron Bar was located in one of these areas.

Of course, it's not that historic building in London, but rather a nostalgia for bygone days.

It was located outside the city, and its owner was known as Old Tom, who was related to Hannah Abbott of the juvenile detention center, or rather, to the Abbott family. This hunchbacked, ugly old man was quite old, and his wealth was enough for him to live comfortably in Malfoy Castle, but he did not like life in the city and instead opened a tavern outside the city for those who could not afford the city tax.

Whether they are Muggles or wizards, whether they occasionally stay outside the city or live here permanently, they all like to come here in their spare time to have a glass of cheap, mixed liquor, or even just soda water with added alcohol flavoring powder, at a very low price. Grains that can be used to brew alcohol are very precious.

At this moment, Lockhart and Lily finally escaped Parkinson and his henchmen, and, with the orphans who had come down from the caravan, squeezed into the bar.

Old Tom had already heard the news and stood at the door to welcome the two professors. He scolded the onlookers to make way and then personally cleared out a long table, cleaning it several times before inviting the children to sit down.

"Thank you, old Tom. I'm afraid it would be a long time before we could sit down," Lockhart said amiably.

Old Tom just smiled and turned around to shoo away the people who had gathered around to say hello, leaving everyone with a quiet space.

Lily then had a chance to introduce the children around her: "This is my son Harry, these are their classmates who are staying with us this summer. This is Ron, Neville, and Hermione."

Lockhart shook hands with each of the children in a friendly manner. When it was Hermione's turn, he asked curiously, "I've heard your name before."

Are you the author of the paper on sapphire magic in "Postwar Studies of Spells"?

Hermione exclaimed excitedly, "I can't believe you've actually read my paper!"

Lockhart raised his other hand, and a small ball of blue light steadily spun and bloomed: "I've not just seen it; I'm very optimistic about the future of this magic. I just never expected that its creator would actually be a little girl who's not even in second grade!"

Hermione could sense that the brilliance energy in Lockhart's hand was stable and solid, clearly indicating that he had practiced diligently. His skill level was higher than that of the male wizards in the Cliffside Frontiers; even basic brilliance magic probably wouldn't be difficult for him.

Harry chimed in, unconvinced: "So what if you're in your second year? Our snake-slayer Hermione even single-handedly defeated Lucius, indirectly saving Hogwarts!"

Before he could finish speaking, Hermione covered his mouth.

Lockhart looked at the slightly shy little girl in front of him with surprise. He couldn't imagine how fierce this seemingly little girl would be when she fought, nor did he know the origin of her title "Snake Slayer".

Hermione smiled sheepishly: "It's just some exaggeration. In fact, Professor, I'm your fan. Heroes like you who fight for justice and rescue children are more worthy of respect."

Her gaze shifted to the orphans beside her, who were dressed in rags and wolfing down the muffins and water that Old Tom had brought them. When they noticed Hermione looking at them, they quickly lowered their heads.

Lily chimed in, "It's a good thing you saved the children in time, otherwise this year's enrollment numbers would probably be quite bad again."

Lockhart's expression was grave: "There's nothing to brag about. I just happened to be passing by and discovered the Basilisk's trail, which led me to the valley where they were hiding their children. While the Death Eaters were manipulating the Basilisk to go out hunting, I ambushed their guards and was able to bring the children back safely."

"If we were to face that serpent monster head-on—" He paused for a moment, "I'm afraid I wouldn't be a match for it either."

Hermione asked, "Is it the one Voldemort took from the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin? Even if it's been a thousand years, a basilisk shouldn't be a very difficult magical creature to deal with, right?"

She had read about basilisks in books; they were creatures with very obvious weaknesses, and she was an experienced ranger wizard.

It shouldn't take much effort to deal with it.

Lockhart was unaware of the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin, so Harry and the others embellished the story.

"So this basilisk has such a background. It has been rampaging for many years, and no one knew where Voldemort got it from before." Lockhart's eyes were filled with deep hatred. He shook his head: "But that one is different. Heaven knows how many bodies Voldemort has fed it over the years and secretly modified it with dark magic. The common weaknesses of basilisks have no effect on it."

Hermione frowned as well. Judging from the damaged stone walls of Malfoy Castle, she estimated that the basilisk was more than 10 meters wide. The widest part of the Hogwarts sewer pipes was only four or five meters. It was easy to imagine how much the basilisk had grown over the years.

Lily also put on a serious expression: "With so many children lost this time, the Green Flame Party will definitely intensify their efforts. We'll be very busy next week."

Hermione then remembered that school was about to start, and it was that time of year again when the professors had to compete with the Death Eaters for students.

She remembered Harry saying that her parents often got injured in the past, and a worried look appeared on her face.

Lockhart said in a deep voice, "I will not let Voldemort succeed again! That basilisk! I will destroy it!"

"With Professor Lockhart around this year, the Death Eaters are going to have a headache!" Hermione chimed in.

It wasn't because of his strength; to be honest, with the full supply of Brilliantstone, Hermione felt she could at least fight him to a standstill. But Lockhart's travels over the years and the many books he had written made him a "cultured man," a quality that Hermione admired even more.

She is able to integrate knowledge into stories in a way that is both simple and engaging, which is much better than dry academic papers or textbooks. At least she herself cannot write such interesting articles. She prefers to be straightforward and use concise language to explain her points, but that makes them less readable.

Moreover, Lockhart is undoubtedly a master in terms of knowledge about wilderness survival and dealing with various dangers. His knowledge and experience are exactly what novice wizards need most.

"To be honest, I didn't expect Dumbledore to be able to invite you. The last time I heard about you was in Northern Europe, wasn't it?" Lily exclaimed. Dumbledore's influence was really useful; even Lockhart, who was always traveling, was willing to stop and come to the school to teach students.

He smiled wryly and said, "I never expected that I would actually agree to Dumbledore's request. To be honest, even if I were to become the professor of Defense, I would not want to be the head of Slytherin, much less represent the nobles of Malfoy Castle. But Dumbledore said that I was the most suitable candidate."

Lily scoffed, "Those nobles are still arguing to this day. They've nominated several so-called 'wizards capable of teaching Defense of the Lands,' but they can't even break the traps Dumbledore casually set."

"It is said that Barty Crouch's son is quite capable. He graduated from Hogwarts with twelve zeros and was an outstanding student. However, all the other families voted against it. They could not tolerate the Crouch family becoming the new Malfoy."

Lockhart shook his head: "The world is already so broken, yet people are still fighting for power."

He sighed: "Actually, I was planning to go to the Arctic this year. A group of wizards and Muggles were going there to seek refuge, and I was going to escort them across the sea."

Lily exclaimed in surprise, "The Arctic? Is there any place there where we can take refuge? Dumbledore sent Lupin and the others there recently, was it because of this?"

“It’s Greenland,” Lockhart explained. “At some point, a rumor started circulating that somewhere in Greenland, there’s a lush, untouched paradise, unaffected by the nuclear explosion and the winter curse. People call it ‘The Ideal Land.’ It’s said that a powerful wizard established a home there, treating Muggles and wizards equally, where everyone can find refuge and start a new life.”

Lily frowned. "Sounds like a new cult? Hasn't it been exposed yet?"

Lockhart shook his head.

"A powerful wizard who treats Muggles and wizards equally—isn't that Dumbledore? Why go to such lengths and risk dying at sea?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

Lockhart explained, "Because Dumbledore did not change the landscape of the continent, and his ideals have never been realized over the years."

He sighed regretfully: "People admire him, but they do not regard him as a savior who can truly deliver on the promised future."

"Instead of believing what's right in front of you, you chase after legends whose truth is unknown." Hermione pouted, then looked at Lockhart: "And what about you, Professor? Do you believe in Dumbledore or the ideal world of Greenland?"

Lockhart smiled wryly. "Haven't I already become a professor at Hogwarts?"

Everyone laughed, but just then, unusual shouts and commotion came from outside the tavern.

"What's happening?" Lockhart frowned as he saw the table trembling slightly.

"I'll go check it out, you guys stay here." He immediately got up and went out, and many busybodies followed him out of the tavern.