The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 122 Ino's Advice

Castle Chapel.

It took Hermione about ten minutes to finish recounting the whole story.

"We're out of options right now, and I suspect Lockhart has already figured it out; he's been giving me strange looks lately," Harry said with some concern.

Seeing Harry's slight trepidation, Ino couldn't help but chuckle:

"Mr. Potter, I think your worries are unnecessary! As long as you don't go outside during this time, with Professor Dumbledore in the castle, no one can hurt you."

The name Dumbledore seemed to have a magical power; upon hearing it, Harry felt completely relaxed.

"That's right! With Professor Dumbledore around, he wouldn't dare to do anything reckless," Ron nodded in agreement.

Seeing that the three of them obediently nodded in agreement, Ino changed the subject again:

"However, this matter also needs to be resolved, otherwise you can't stay in the castle forever."

"But we have no evidence!" Hermione added promptly.

This is the root of her inner conflict. If a student exposes a professor without sufficient evidence, no one will believe it, especially a star professor like Lockhart.

"Some things don't need evidence, just clues are enough. Someone will help you find the evidence."

Ino explained something to Hermione, then turned to Harry and said in a low voice:

"Go back now and try to recall as much as possible from your notes, then copy it down in detail. If you trust me, I'll help you get in touch with Lockhart; he won't get away!"

After learning that it was Lockhart's affair, he had already figured out how to deal with it: to do the headmaster a favor while also helping Harry gain fame for the following year.

Although Harry will no longer be obsessed with fame after recognizing Lockhart, there are some things that simply cannot be done without fame, just like the 'DA Dumbledore's Army' in the story. Without Harry taking the lead, it is highly unlikely that so many people would have been organized.

"I trust you!"

After Ino finished speaking, Hermione was the first to express her opinion.

Similarly, Ron also shared his thoughts:

"I believe in you too. Although I don't like you as much, you're different from the other Slytherins. If it were someone else, they would just watch Ginny get hurt and then sit back and laugh at our family."

After seeing his two friends offer their opinions, Harry nodded decisively: "I'll go back and write it now, and I'll give it to you in its entirety by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."

……

Slytherin dormitory.

After dinner, Ino said goodbye to the three of them and went straight back to her dormitory.

Lockhart's matter was harmless; even if he didn't help, someone else would eventually. The reason he wanted to go along with it was simply a bard's occupational hazard.

You can listen to stories, tell stories, and sing stories, but you can't harm the source of the stories.

What kind of behavior is this? It's a classic case of biting the hand that feeds you. Making money off someone else's story, and then trying to erase their memory – this is worse than robbery.

"Click!" A soft sound came from the dormitory door.

Draco is back from his spree, swaggering into the dorm room with an air of indifference:

"Ino, you're in love! And with a Gryffindor at that!"

The tone was exactly the same as Harry's earlier, as if they had discovered some earth-shattering secret.

"I didn't! Don't talk nonsense!" Ino rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache. She had never expected the bored little wizard in the castle.

If he really wanted to be in a relationship, or even just had a vague crush, he would have been in fourth or fifth grade at the time; they're only a few years old now.

"I may not say it, but others will!" Draco smiled smugly.

"You didn't see the expressions on the girls' faces in our college. Tsk! It was like... like they had painstakingly saved up money to buy candy, which they usually couldn't bear to eat, and then someone else took it away with the box."

"Stop it already!" Ino couldn't stand it anymore. They were just sitting together having a chat, why all this grudges and feuds? Following this logic, if someone danced in the Goblet of Fire, wouldn't they get married on the spot?

"Oh, right, Draco! Could you write a letter for me to Uncle Lucius?"

"Write a letter to my dad?" Draco's expression turned serious. "What happened? I'll write it right now!"

"It's nothing serious, but we need to make some arrangements in advance..." After thinking for a moment, Ino decided to leave Lockhart's matter to Lucius.

Snakes have their ways, and rats have theirs. Once the stakes are clear, even someone as wise as Lucius should know what to do.

Putting Dumbledore aside for now, Lucius wouldn't refuse simply for doing the Savior a favor. After all, someone accustomed to betting on both sides wouldn't miss such an opportunity, especially since it wouldn't require too much effort.

"...That's how it is, but two things need to be guaranteed. First, Harry's contribution cannot be erased, that's crucial! Second, let's give them some kind of reward..."

After listening to Ino's retelling, Draco thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement:

"There's no harm in this! As for credit, only Scarface would dare to claim that. Lockhart hasn't been doing this for nothing all these years. Especially his novels, which have brought him fame and a lot of staunch supporters who don't distinguish between right and wrong."

"That's good! We can get started on this now," Ino said, leaning back in his chair.

Similarly, he praised Draco's wisdom.

It seems that Draco's intelligence is always online as long as Harry isn't around.

The best way to do someone a favor is to do it discreetly. Stealing Harry's credit would not only fail to do him any favor, but would also offend many Lockhart fans. No one but a fool would do that.

"I'm going to write a letter now! So my dad can prepare," Draco said as he walked toward his desk in the dorm room.

……

Defense Against the Dark Arts office.

Lockhart paced anxiously back and forth in his office, now fairly certain that his secret had been discovered.

It's obvious that now, during Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Harry's gaze towards him is no longer one of disdain and helplessness, but rather one of resentment and wariness.

Such an obvious change is obvious; anyone with eyes can see the problem.

After a while, Lockhart seemed to have gotten tired and slumped into his office chair, constantly tugging at his flowing, smooth blond hair.

"Why can't we achieve a win-win situation? Why don't you come to me? Why don't you come and discuss terms...?"

He couldn't understand what benefit Harry would gain from bringing him down if there was no direct conflict of interest. Admittedly, Harry would gain some fame, but he would also make many enemies.

The best approach was to negotiate terms, and he made concessions, after all, the value of a renowned Lockhart was immeasurable.

But Harry's eyes, and the fact that he had been waiting all this time without the other party showing up, seemed to say a lot.

"Gryffindor! Why don't you think about it! Three people... it has to be done all at once..."

Lockhart looked at the wand on the table and murmured softly.

A few minutes later, the Defense Against the Dark Arts office fell silent again, with only the occasional faint chirping of birds coming from the landscape paintings hanging on the wall.

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(End of this chapter)