Chapter 1300: Dead End, Setting Sail

The efficiency of the Ministry of Magic in certain aspects is sometimes truly astonishing.

The day after Lockhart was arrested, the *Daily Prophet* published his trial time.

"...Trial location, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?!"

Hermione unfolded the newspaper and read softly, turning to look at Eileen with disbelief.

"Here? A former professor is being tried in front of the entire school? The Ministry of Magic is actually doing this?!"

"I heard—um—heard that Lockhart took the initiative to make the request."

Eileen gently stirred her spoon in her coffee cup, blowing on the white candy foam on top.

"As the most prestigious and vocal rising star in the magical world today, a secret trial would plunge the Ministry of Magic into a public opinion storm."

"The Barty Crouch affair hasn't been resolved yet...Lockhart's proposal undoubtedly hits Fudge's sweet spot, and Lockhart selectively signed some of the confession documents. In exchange, he hopes he can publicly confess in front of everyone and frankly tell the reasons for his past crimes."

As she spoke, she glanced at the newspaper in Hermione's hand and nodded towards the lower left corner of the page.

"Look, the content on the third page—the newspaper obviously got some inside information and is warming up."

"The net of heaven has large meshes, but nothing escapes it. Lockhart: A despicable hypocrite and hero hunter?"

Hermione frowned, softly reading the deliberately bolded title.

As one of the reserve Major Arcana, she naturally had the authority to inquire about Gilderoy Lockhart's past black history.

However, she originally thought that this information would be hidden forever, after all, Lockhart commanded a huge legion of "dark wizards".

"Don't look at me like that, the Hanged Man and I are on the same level—this is his own idea."

Before Hermione could ask, Eileen put down her sugar spoon, took a sip of coffee, and said softly.

"No destruction, no construction. Facing one's own dark side directly, this is the solution for the 'Hanged Man'."

"The Tarot's... upright interpretation for breaking the situation?"

Hermione's eyebrows twitched, and she subconsciously touched the pocket on her waist.

There was a thin card inside, her 【Justice】 Major Arcana card.

"I thought these were just randomly chosen by everyone. Is each Major Arcana's fate really connected to the card?"

"They are indeed a code name, but isn't that how Tarot divination works?"

Eileen lowered her head and continued to stir her coffee cup, watching the swirling vortex.

"Everyone can choose their own card, as for fate..."

"Oh, who knows?"

............

At the same time, outside Hogwarts, at the 【Academy City】 Research Institute.

Just like the Great Hall in the castle, the hall in the morning is also the leisure time for the researchers.

Magic and mystery are the researchers' favorite topics... discussed with a mentality of entertainment rather than research.

"So, Tarot cards are divination tools with real magical power?"

Alexei looked at the woman skillfully shuffling the cards across the table and shook his head with amusement.

"Your technique is too fast, it looks more like a casino dealer than a prophetic witch in a mysterious divination house."

"Oh? Because the dealer's technique is very efficient, wasting time is shameful—"

Arhipovna shrugged, gently spreading a few Tarot cards on the table, and said calmly.

"Besides, I'm more concerned about the meaning and destiny hidden behind them. Tarot cards contain wizards' generalizations of life."

"I can't tell that you, Supervisor, also have research in this area?"

"I know a little bit..."

Arhipovna said softly, "Because there happens to be a card that I really like."

"Which card do you like the most? The Sun? Or the Hierophant?"

Several researchers nearby curiously gathered around, drinking coffee and jokingly teasing her.

"Neither—"

Arhipovna gently shook her head, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes.

She picked up a Tarot card, her fingers gently stroking and flipping the edge of the card.

"...The Hanged Man."

"The Hanged Man? Sounds not so good?"

The researchers looked at each other, asking somewhat confused.

"Well, it's a bit hard, but I like it very much—"

Arhipovna said with a smile, her slender, fair fingers flipped the card, and she said with a dazed look.

"In Tarot language, the Hanged Man is an extension of justice."

"Those who truly uphold justice in reality make people feel scared, so those who are guilty try every means to frame justice."

"Justice is hung upside down and becomes the Hanged Man, just like Christ in the Bible. Although he is tied up, it doesn't seem to bother him."

"He can use this time to reflect on the fact that the world up to this moment is indeed very strange. After being upside down, the Hanged Man can look at the world again. He understands that struggling is of no use—in fact, it will only exhaust him before he regains his freedom."

"His best way is to meditate, go with the flow, so that he can understand more deeply who he is and what he should do."

"..."

The researchers looked at each other, becoming more and more confused.

However, this is not uncommon in the research institute. The more top scholars are, the more likely they are to say things that they don't understand.

You know, this is the intersection of magical civilization and technological civilization.

Any magical knowledge integrated into scientific thinking has the potential to bloom into a new world.

And Arhipovna, who is sitting in front of them, is the chief person in charge of the controllable magic energy and magic mainframe project.

"So... Supervisor, can these Tarot cards be derived into new projects?"

"Scientifically, it's useless for the time being—"

Arhipovna flicked her fingers and put away the Tarot cards again.

"However, it can help us build confidence and give us some simple spiritual guidance."

"For example, 【The Hanged Man】 represents that you are preparing to give up what you have, so that you can do what you should really do in your life."

"Isn't that... us?"

She stood up, re-flattened the newspaper on her knees, and walked to the corner of the hall to put it on the magazine rack.

On the cover of that newspaper, a smiling curly-haired wizard was smiling gently.

And above that big photo was a bolded title in black:

【Next Peter Pettigrew? Focus on Lockhart's Public Trial!】

............

Lockhart's public trial was scheduled for next Saturday, in the center of the Quidditch pitch.

Except for Wood's slight comments, most of the young wizards were as excited as ferrets in a melon field all week long.

The *Daily Prophet*, *Witch Weekly*, and other magazines also showed their special abilities, continuously releasing various news.

Gilderoy Lockhart's series of novels were repeatedly interpreted by wizards from all parties, using magnifying glasses to analyze and discuss the problems word by word, whether it was the exaggeration of literary rhetoric, or the nonsense that violated reality, or the actual situation of various places, and what the prototypes of the characters and events were...

Some of the content was confirmed to be adapted. Although a lot of it was "authorized" adaptation after investigation, it still caused an uproar in society.

More importantly, the secret agreement between Lockhart and Cornelius Fudge unknowingly spread from the backwater tabloids.

Lockhart agreed to fully accept all the Ministry of Magic's accusations against him, but in exchange, he demanded a public trial at Hogwarts.

According to Lockhart, as a former teacher, he wanted to use himself as an example to teach one last lesson.

............

Ministry of Magic, Minister's office.

"One last lesson? He really likes to put on a show—"

Cornelius Fudge put down the newspaper and snorted with a fake smile.

The accidental leak of information made Fudge furious, but Lockhart's proposal was not bad for him.

All confessions and evidence were fully prepared by the Wizengamot Court—authentication and physical evidence were all available.

This time, even if Lockhart had ten mouths, he would not be able to escape prison, let alone continue to compete for the Minister of Magic.

"This is also good, just let the students and people from all walks of life see what kind of end a boastful liar will have."

............

"Equipment debugging is complete, *Voice of Magic* is in place."

"Wizard Radio station's approval has been passed, the image crystal channels are normal."

"*Magic Frontline*'s recording location is also available, they are expected to arrive early tomorrow morning."

"The seats for the reporters from various families have been arranged, and the sound and photography effects are excellent."

"Magic loudspeakers are working normally..."

At the same time, Hogwarts Quidditch pitch.

Eileen sat on the high stands, listening to the on-site feedback from the house elves and the wizards.

As the "actual" headmaster, she was fully responsible for the on-site scheduling and arrangement of tomorrow's public trial.

And just as she promised Professor McGonagall, the magical world would watch and record this moment in its entirety.

This...

The moment when a certain wizard comes to a dead end, and the new world is opened with a bang.

————

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Tick-tock~