The professors were busy preparing their respective exam materials, and as the instigator of the Hogwarts Chamber of Secrets adventure, Gilderoy Lockhart naturally had to bring forward some dark magical creatures for his part.
Common dark magical creatures that fit the exam criteria.
To this end, Lockhart made a special trip to the Ministry of Magic. With Dolores Umbridge's introduction, he found the Wizarding Examinations Authority office within the Ministry's sprawling building.
The Wizarding Examinations Authority, much like the Department of Mysteries, was established in a bygone era by the Wizards' Council. In today's political landscape of the International Confederation of Wizards and individual Ministries of Magic, it operates independently.
No department in the Ministry, not even Minister Fudge himself, could meddle in its affairs.
Founded in 1458, it predates the British Ministry of Magic, established in 1707, by centuries.
Strictly speaking, this organization is the direct overseer of wizarding schools worldwide.
With the help of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, this quasi-international body maintains consistent standards across countries, serving all wizards regardless of nationality.
Global standardized exams guide and select talent for the wizarding world.
It's an incredibly tight-knit organization. According to a hushed tip from Umbridge, those who excel in Muggle Studies have better prospects for advancement within its ranks.
Got it.
Lockhart saw it as a sort of international "Ministry of Education."
Sure, it sounds mysterious and all.
But the real work is always done by people. When Lockhart met the members responsible for the Defense Against the Dark Arts exams in the UK, he was surprised to find familiar faces.
Almost all of them were members of the Anti-Dark Magic League!
Or, to narrow it down further—at least half were part of the League's "We're Not Dead Yet" club.
The head honcho was none other than Madam Marchbanks, who had taught the likes of Dumbledore and McGonagall.
This gave Lockhart the odd sense that the "We're Not Dead Yet" club was like a departmental team-building side project run by Madam Marchbanks.
The elderly Madam Marchbanks had sharp, piercing eyes. She sized Lockhart up with a smile. "You seem… different somehow."
Others chimed in.
"Yeah, a bit more grounded."
"Hey, being Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts professor means you don't have to peacock around for approval anymore…"
"And your fashion sense has improved—no more looking like a flamboyant peacock!"
They bantered back and forth, some comments more blunt than others, but the atmosphere was warm.
After Lockhart's stellar performance during the werewolf attack at the Ministry, his reputation was starting to pay off. People were beginning to see him as one of their own.
And they were more willing to lend a hand.
When Lockhart explained he was there to confirm the scope of the Defense Against the Dark Arts exams and discuss his adventure-based training at Hogwarts, Madam Marchbanks went a step further. She had a batch of dark magical creatures prepared.
Boggarts, Cornish Pixies, Ghouls, household pests, and the like.
Yes, certain magically inclined household pests were also part of the exam curriculum.
"The wizarding world is quietly changing," Madam Marchbanks said, her tone heavy with meaning. "With the explosive growth of Muggle technology, the living environment of wizards is shifting too."
"Creatures like trolls, hags, banshees, and vampires are fading from everyday wizarding life. Meanwhile, elves, pests, and the like are noticeably increasing."
"Dark magical creatures are, at their core, a magical phenomenon. They're tied to human environments and emotions, evolving as we do."
The influence of Muggle society on the wizarding world runs deeper than it seems.
Lockhart recalled Umbridge's comment about Muggle Studies being favored by the organization, and something clicked. "So, Muggle-born wizards playing a bigger role in our society is hugely significant."
Madam Marchbanks' droopy eyelids snapped open. She tilted her head, eyeing him with faint surprise before smiling. "You're quick on the uptake."
Leaning on her gnarled walking stick, she stood and invited Lockhart to her office. Once seated, she stroked a peculiar turtle pet glowing with an odd red light. "Young man, if you've got the patience to hear an old woman out, I can offer you some guidance."
Lockhart's eyes lit up. He nodded eagerly. "Please, go ahead."
Madam Marchbanks tapped the turtle's shell, and a red glow spread, enveloping the office. Her expression turned enigmatic. "How the wizarding world deals with Muggles has always been a tricky matter."
"Grindelwald's wizard-supremacy ideals were an ambitious dream, but they failed."
"Dumbledore chose to uphold the Statute of Secrecy while allowing Muggle-born wizards with Muggle ideas to integrate into our society…"
"We still don't know if his approach is entirely right. I may not live to see the answer."
"This world is so complex—it's not just up to Dumbledore."
"Every wizard who rises to power shapes our world through their field, their community."
She looked at Lockhart. "Organizations like the International Confederation of Wizards, the Wizarding Examinations Authority, the Department of Mysteries, the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers, the Order of Merlin…"
"These are the forces truly driving progress in every corner of our society. And you'll notice they don't answer to each other."
"When you step into these circles as a Hogwarts professor, you might wonder: how does the wizarding world actually work?"
"The answer is simple: the power of magic!"
"Take today's world. Unicorn habitats are shrinking. The Ministry passes laws to protect magical creatures, the Society of Potioneers advises hospitals globally to avoid unicorn-based potions, and the Examinations Authority removes unicorn knowledge from school curricula…"
"Over time, unicorn magic will fade from wizarding society, eventually vanishing entirely."
"On the flip side, fields like rituals, alchemy, potions, and charms will find substitutes for unicorn magic, transforming society in countless ways."
"This impact is even deeper in our field of dark magical creature defense."
"Phenomena are always an extension of society."
"Obscurials are now so rare they're nearly impossible to find, while Boggarts, Ghouls, and various elves are on the rise."
She fixed her gaze on Lockhart. "Given all this, where do you think the future of wizarding magic lies? What kind of magical power will define the era?"
Lockhart's eyes gleamed. "Something tied to Muggles!"
Madam Marchbanks nodded, clearly pleased. "Exactly. That's the answer for this new age. Keep up with the times, lead the charge, and you'll wield magic more powerful than ever before."
"You're a young man with great potential."
"I see shades of a young Dumbledore in you."
"I hope you'll think deeply about this. Magic is woven into life, and the changes in wizarding life today are unlike anything in the past thousand years."
She shook her head, sighing. "Many of us old-timers at the top can't find answers anymore. We're stuck in old ways, tethered to outdated magic. Adapting is… so very hard."
"Pure-blood inbreeding has its flaws, and Muggle-borns struggle to fully grasp magical life. But you—you're just right."
"Especially now, with the reputation and influence you've built."
She stared at him intently. "You are the future, Lockhart!"
…
"Everyone's the hero of their own story" is a truth many understand but few live by.
Lockhart was starting to feel it.
Madam Marchbanks wasn't the first to call him the future—the Forest Witch had said it too.
If life were a fairy-tale adventure, Lockhart was beginning to see himself as the protagonist in this magic-filled world.
He was a Muggle-born, yet detached from the Muggle world. He craved magic more than any Muggle-born or pure-blood wizard.
If he wasn't the hero, who was?
I'll be a legend of this era, like Grindelwald or Dumbledore. His heart surged, his magic thrumming with excitement.
Lockhart didn't care why Madam Marchbanks shared all this—whether out of genuine care or some ulterior motive. It didn't matter.
A unique spark of ambition was taking root in his soul.
Suddenly, a vivid yet fantastical path stretched out before him.
This wasn't some stage play anymore. He didn't need to perform. He just had to be—to live his magical life fully, and the path would unfold.
"Yes!"
"The future belongs to Lockhart!"
Apparating back to Hogwarts, he stood on the castle's bridge, gazing at the bustling Quidditch pitch below, his eyes alight with purpose.
He knew exactly which magic to pursue next.
Weather Charms!
A realm Muggle technology, no matter how advanced—even with dreams of colonizing Mars—couldn't touch.
And weather, that natural force, intertwined perfectly with the magic of the forests.
Setting aside grand narratives, what about werewolves, those dark creatures? Could they truly be unaffected by Weather Charms?
Like, say, summoning a full moon?