"Now, everyone, be careful!" Lockhart boomed, striking a dramatic pose. "I am your Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, and it is my sworn duty to arm you against the foulest things that crawl, slither, and creep in the darkest corners of our world! You are about to witness some of the most terrifying creatures known to wizardkind. But do not be afraid! For I am here. You will not be harmed. I require only that you remain calm and observe how a true master handles such... evil."
He gestured grandly to a large cage on his desk, which was covered by a heavy velvet cloth. He leaned in conspiratorially, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. "I must ask you not to scream. It will only provoke them. So please, absolute quiet. Now, allow me to introduce you to... Cornish Pixies!"
As Lockhart whipped the cloth away with a flourish, a wave of audible snickers rippled through the classroom, so loud and clear that not even he could mistake them for shrieks of terror.
"Do not underestimate them!" he insisted, trying to regain control of his audience. "They may be small, but they are tricky, terrifying little agents of chaos! Like demons, I tell you, demons!"
Sean peered into the cage. The creatures were indeed unsettling—a swarm of electric-blue beings with sharp, cruel faces and pointed ears. Their yellow, vertically slitted pupils darted about madly as they emitted a series of high-pitched, chattering screams. They do look a bit like demons, he mused, a flicker of genuine curiosity stirring within him. I wonder if there's a connection. And what skills would a duel with them yield?
His silent speculation was cut short as Lockhart, with a fool's bravado, unlatched the cage door.
Chaos erupted.
The pixies burst from their confinement like a swarm of angry blue hornets. They shrieked with delight as they wreaked havoc, tearing pages from books, snatching quills and inkpots, and flinging them at the students. Two of them seized Neville Longbottom by the ears, lifted him into the air with surprising strength, and unceremoniously hung him from the large iron chandelier overhead.
Lockhart raised his wand, a look of comical panic on his face, clearly about to make a fool of himself. But Sean had no intention of letting him. In his eyes, every one of these screeching blue menaces was an opportunity, a target to be harvested for skills and experience.
"Multicorfors!"
With a sharp, decisive wave of his wand, Sean brought the chaos to an end. The inkpots, books, and quills that littered the room flew into the air, twisting and reforming in mid-flight. They became a flock of hawk-like creatures, each the size of his palm, their newly formed talons sharp as razors. They dove upon the pixies with predatory fury.
The Multicorfors spell, which animated inanimate objects into attacking creatures, was brutally effective. The transfigured hawks were relentless, snatching pixies from the air and slamming them into the stone floor, knocking them unconscious. The more unfortunate ones were caught by two or more hawks at once and were simply torn apart, their limbs and tiny splatters of blue blood raining down onto the desks below.
In a matter of seconds, it was over. The classroom was silent save for the flapping of the hawks' wings and Neville's whimpers from the chandelier. Sean calmly left his seat, waved his wand to levitate Neville safely to the ground, and then began stuffing the living pixies back into their cage. A simple Cleaning Charm vanished the remains of the dead.
He latched the cage and turned to the stunned and bewildered Gilderoy Lockhart. Resisting the urge to check the dozen or so system prompts that had just flashed through his mind, Sean offered the professor a deferential smile.
"Professor Lockhart, please forgive my presumption. I'm sure you had a much more reliable method for dealing with them."
Lockhart snapped out of his stupor, his signature smile snapping back into place. "Mr. Bulstrode! One of only two students to get a perfect score on my quiz. Your understanding of me, it seems, far exceeds the written word." He nodded sagely. "And you are correct. I do, of course, have a more appropriate method. Your own magic was... well, a bit brutal, wouldn't you say? I'm not criticizing, of course! Merely suggesting that there are gentler, more elegant solutions."
The man's condescending tone was almost impressive. Sean's smile didn't waver. "As you say, Professor. Your methods are more suitable. And because I interfered, you were unable to demonstrate them. I am deeply sorry for depriving the class of your wisdom. Therefore," he continued, his voice ringing with sincerity, "I believe I should make amends. I will serve as your opponent. Please, use the gentle method you just mentioned on me so that we may all learn from your vast experience."
Lockhart's smile became a little stiff. The conversation had taken a turn he hadn't anticipated. How had it shifted from his own brilliance to a duel?
Seeing Sean step back and assume a dueling stance, Lockhart quickly held up his hands. "Mr. Bulstrode, the nature of this magic, while gentle, is still quite potent! I'm afraid I might hurt you, and that wouldn't..."
Sean didn't give him an opening to refuse. "Professor, I have no doubt your magic is gentle, as you say. I am not afraid. And even if I am injured, I have no complaints. Hogwarts has a first-rate hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey's skills are legendary. Please, do not hold back on my account." He turned to the rest of the class. "Besides, I think we are all very eager to see Professor Lockhart's heroic abilities in action!"
He shot a quick, meaningful look at Blaise, then at Harry and Ron. They caught on instantly. Blaise began to applaud enthusiastically, and the Gryffindors, eager to see the preening professor taken down a peg, joined in. Malfoy and his cronies, though confused by Sean's sudden apparent madness, were more than happy to see him get hexed. Since Sean wanted to be taught a lesson, they would gladly cheer it on.
The applause swelled, feeding Lockhart's insatiable vanity. Trapped by his own ego and the expectations of the crowd, he had no choice. He puffed out his chest, drew his wand with a dramatic flourish, and tilted his head up. "Very well! Since Mr. Bulstrode and the others are so eager to witness my prowess, I shall not disappoint! But you must be careful, my boy. Don't be too badly injured!"
"Professor Lockhart," Sean said, bowing with perfect formality. "I am ready when you are."
"Right then," Lockhart said, clearing his throat. "Peskipiksi Pesternomi...!"
He never finished the nonsensical incantation. Sean's wand was already moving.
"Expelliarmus!"
A jet of pure red light shot from Sean's wand, striking Lockhart squarely in the chest. He was lifted off his feet and sent flying backward, crashing into a cabinet with a sickening crunch. His wand flew through the air, landing at Sean's feet.
For a moment, the entire classroom fell into a stunned, absolute silence.
(End of Chapter)
***
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