Lockhart seemed to glow.
That was Hermione's feeling, and she suddenly understood what Eileen had described.
His face and clothes hadn't changed in any way, but he simply made it impossible to look away.
As Eileen pulled her forward, she suddenly felt her steps become uncoordinated.
"Welcome back, Mr. Hanged Man," Eileen said with a light nod.
"Good morning, Miss Fool," Lockhart said elegantly.
The two looked at each other for a moment, then smiled in unison. Eileen said, "So - shall we talk in the office?"
"Um - of course..."
The three passed through the stone guardians unimpeded, and arrived at the oak door of the Headmaster's office along the spiraling staircase.
With a melodious bird call, the door to the Headmaster's office opened automatically, and Eileen strode in as if there was no one else present.
"Well, you guys wait outside for a while... I need to tidy up the office."
Eileen pointed to the row of headmaster portraits on the wall that looked over when they heard the sound, and explained with a smile.
You know, the Headmaster's portraits in the Hogwarts Headmaster's office only unconditionally obey the decisions of the official Headmaster...
As Professor McGonagall's "Acting Headmaster" countdown began, she wouldn't allow those "opportunistic" portraits to eavesdrop on the Grand Arcana conversations.
"Ah, it's getting late... everyone should get some sleep –"
"You rude little brat!"
"Oh. Then bite me."
Hermione and Lockhart stood side by side a little further back, pretending not to hear the argument inside.
Taking advantage of the time Eileen was tidying the office, Hermione looked up and quietly sized up Lockhart next to her.
She noticed that Lockhart was wearing a ring on his left middle finger.
Not a gaudy and vulgar gemstone ring like Umbridge's, but a very delicate, minimalist men's diamond ring...
"I should get married too, right?" Lockhart said.
She looked up and found that Lockhart was looking at her.
"Oh," Hermione said in a panic, "You... you found... I don't know... Congratulations –"
"Arsipovna, you should still remember her – Miss Justice," he said.
"I remember, the head of the Hogwarts Off-Campus Research Institute, recently promoted to A-level research director, in charge of the magic network construction and magic energy controllable project."
Hermione replied without thinking, as a "reserve Justice" she didn't slack off, and every night she diligently fulfilled the official duties that Eileen had assigned her in order to become an official.
"Yeah, Bona is the wisest and most dazzling woman I've ever met... even without magical abilities, she's still like a god."
Lockhart turned his palm over and looked at the ring, and said with a gentle expression, "I got engaged to her some time ago, and we'll have the wedding after this mission is over."
"..."
Hermione was silent for a while before she finally spoke.
"Professor Umbridge has taken over your Grammar class, and the Grammar class is completely different now."
"Oh, that was my recommendation - Ministry of Magic officials are not good at other things, but they are indeed very good at picking words."
"So... Professor Lockhart, are you really not going back to Hogwarts to teach?"
"Maybe many years later –"
Lockhart shrugged, looked around at the gray castle walls, a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes, and said with a smile.
"Of course, not now... staying in the castle all the time won't help me update my adventure novels, will it?"
"Eileen said you're going to run for Minister of Magic, is this a task from the Grand Arcana Council?"
"No, this is my dream."
Lockhart grinned, revealing his bright white teeth.
"When I was still at Hogwarts, I made a lot of big promises –"
"Such as becoming the youngest Minister of Magic, leading the British Quidditch team to win the World Cup, and eradicating Voldemort's forces."
"Oh, and also eliminating evil in the world, which now sounds very funny and childish, and that non-magical people and magical people can one day..."
"—live in harmony. And sell your own line of shampoos."
Hermione glanced at the surprised Lockhart, and explained a little embarrassed, shrinking back.
"You mentioned these in *Wandering with Werewolves*, and also mentioned that you wanted a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky for your birthday."
"That's right. Five points to Gryffindor. You see - I have too many things I want to do and too many ideals, right?"
Lockhart said with a smile, lowered his head and winked at Hermione playfully, and raised his finger proudly.
"However... this year, both of the wishes in my book came true for my birthday."
"Whether it's living in harmony, or that large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky. There are many fans who are familiar with my stories –"
When Lockhart returned from the Armenian forest and saw the Russian battle-axe wife holding Ogden's Old Firewhisky, he knew that he could never escape in this life.
As Hermione asked questions, Lockhart seemed to open up and started talking about his stories with Arsipovna.
Lockhart couldn't believe he had so many stories about the Russian battle-axe wife.
Even if he deleted some of the content that was not suitable for children, he could tell as much as one of his novels.
Just as Gilderoy Lockhart was talking about his and Arsipovna's interesting experiences on vacation in Rome, a light cough suddenly came from the Headmaster's office not far away.
"Professor Lockhart, perhaps you can write a romance novel later."
Eileen looked at him with a half-smile, tapping her fingers on the mahogany headmaster's desk.
"But before that... shouldn't we talk about business first? You didn't come to Hogwarts today to spread dog food."
"Okay, you can come in now, there are no extra ears or eyes in the office now."
Eileen sat on the desk and waved to Lockhart and Hermione.
Lockhart shrugged at Hermione helplessly, and strode into the office.
Hermione followed closely behind, looking around curiously.
She didn't know what Eileen had done, but the walls of the room were empty.
The portraits of the previous headmasters that were originally hanging around had all been put away.
"Okay, Miss Reserve Justice - I hope you can temporarily serve as temporary secretary."
Eileen's expression straightened, she nodded lightly to Hermione, and then looked at Lockhart.
"Well... you should have learned about the follow-up plan in advance, right?"
"Yes, impeach the Minister of Magic and run for election, right?"
Gilderoy Lockhart put away his smile, looked at Eileen with a slightly complaining expression, and casually picked up the black tea next to him and took a sip.
"In fact, that's about all I know, no one told me the specific plan. I just suddenly received the news that the vacation was over early..."
"Yes, I think a honeymoon of nearly two months is very long," Eileen said indifferently, "As for extending the vacation, you can find Dumbledore if you can."
"If Dumbledore is determined to hide, no one in this world can find him," Lockhart said, putting down his teacup, and asked curiously, "What exactly is going on now, are we going to take over the Ministry of Magic? Continue to infiltrate or put on a stance of confrontation? I thought we were behind the scenes, and then waited for an opportunity to establish a new government?"
"The Ministry of Magic must be torn down and rebuilt, that's inevitable," Eileen said decisively, "But the two will be carried out at the same time, I don't want a centralized opposition group."
"Do you really insist that we can replace the existing magic government?"
Lockhart frowned, staring sharply at Eileen, his fingers gently stroking the edge of the teacup.
"Just based on the discussions of a few of us, re-formulate a set of rules, and use this as a new administrative system for the new era in the future?"
"That's actually not a new rule," Eileen said with a relaxed expression, "Dozens or hundreds of countries in this world have tried it."
"Non-magical government. The magic world shouldn't have had it yet, right?"
Lockhart said softly, took out a small notebook from his arms, and looked at Eileen seriously.
Different from his timidity a few months ago, after the night of the werewolves, he finally realized what a member of the Grand Arcana was.
"So what is my campaign idea and main focus? My words and deeds must be consistent with my governing direction, I can't just tell them directly that I plan to promote the integration of the magical world and the non-magical world. Well, the main attack direction is the current blood discrimination phenomenon in the magical world. Then, speak at the International Confederation of Wizards: The British magical world withdraws from the *International Statute of Secrecy*, a new era of human civilization has arrived, the original old rules no longer apply to the magical world, and any wizard forces who disagree can directly draw their wands and arrest me..."
That magical book belonging to Lockhart floated up, the pages opened as if to record something, but the expression on Lockhart's face became serious.
"Of course," he pressed his right hand on the flipping magical book and glanced at Eileen sitting on the desk, "Miss Fool's plan won't be that foolish, will it?"
"Actually..." Eileen replied sweetly, "Miss Fool's plan is just that foolish."
Lockhart stared at Eileen, and Hermione was also stunned. Fawkes the phoenix on the bird stand not far away made a melodious cry and spread its wings and flapped them.
"Do you want me to emulate Grindelwald in those years and use breaking the *International Statute of Secrecy* as the governing point?!"
Lockhart looked at Eileen in disbelief, he was just saying it casually.
"That's right," Eileen said. "You can understand it that way. Your target is the old magic world. Just like Grindelwald."
"But compared to him, this time your purpose of attack and direction will be purer. We want to raise a banner, and you are the first wizard to raise it."
"The Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards will definitely persecute you madly, such as putting you in Azkaban and torturing you with the Cruciatus Curse non-stop - or secretly executing you."
"Oh, take it easy," Eileen said seriously, "Of course there can't be any danger to life."
As Eileen mentioned Azkaban and torture, Gilderoy Lockhart's face turned pale, and he almost didn't hold his magic book steady.
"When the magic government loses trust and darkness gradually descends, there must be a spark of hope..."
"And you, Lockhart, Mr. Hanged Man - you are that spark."
"From now on, you are the third Dark Lord."
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Hooray!