Voldemort had paid the agreed sum first, so Lockhart, naturally, wouldn't renege on his end of the bargain.
The only remaining matter was that his enchanted fairy tale book still held another person captive: Madam Mary.
Though Madam Mary resided in the "Bloodline Chamber of the Department of Mysteries" under the guise of an experimental assistant and custodian, she had, in truth, been diligently attending to Corban all along.
Lockhart could understand Madam Mary. He had been an orphan in his past life, and occasionally, he would recall and resent his parents for abandoning him. Yet, at other times, witnessing the joyful reunions of other families, he would feel a pang of envy, longing to find his own parents.
However, when he returned to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry, carefully merging the fairy tale book with the dense mist of the Bloodline Chamber and stepping inside, he found Madam Mary looking utterly dejected.
"You seem a bit unhappy?" Lockhart inquired with a touch of curiosity.
Madam Mary subtly wiped away a tear, her eyes red, gazing blankly at the thick mist outside for a good while before turning to Lockhart. "He always knew I was his daughter, didn't he?"
Lockhart spread his hands. "I wouldn't know, but if you wish to learn the answer, I could certainly assist you."
Madam Mary's expression seemed rather bleak. "No need. I've already given him Veritaserum."
She sniffled, then forced a smile, a somewhat sorrowful one. "He's a wizard from the noble Sacred Twenty-Eight pure-blood families. He didn't want anyone to know his bloodline had been tainted by a half-blood wizard. People would laugh at him."
Pure-blood…
Understood.
Lockhart tutted, offering no further comment on the matter. "I cannot keep Corban in my Bloodline Chamber indefinitely. He'll soon be sent to Azkaban. What are your plans?"
Madam Mary froze. "You're willing to let me go?"
She had been imprisoned here for attempting to rescue a prisoner from the Ministry, and had assumed she too would be sent to Azkaban.
"This is the Bloodline Chamber. I'm in charge here," Lockhart said, glancing around. "I intend to embark on a journey, to wander about. This place will be temporarily shut down, so it's not suitable for you to remain."
Minister for Magic Fudge had granted Lockhart immense freedom, with no strict demands concerning his duties or even the rules of coming and going.
Lockhart decided to grant himself a two-month holiday, to travel and see the world, before deciding what to do next.
And so, Madam Mary was set free directly by him.
It wasn't until she stepped out of the Ministry building that Madam Mary seemed to awaken, looking deeply at him and solemnly vowing, "I will exert every effort to repay what I owe you. Should you ever require anything, do not hesitate to ask."
"Understood. Go on, then." Lockhart smiled at her, thinking of his original self's theft of her memories. They were now even, he figured.
Corban was swiftly taken away by the Auror Office, imprisoned in the Ministry of Magic's dungeons, awaiting transport to Azkaban that evening with several other criminals.
As for how Voldemort would rescue him, that was no longer Lockhart's concern.
However, the very next day, he saw the result on the front page of the Daily Prophet: the Ministry of Magic's Auror Office had once again been humiliated; Corban had been sprung from custody.
Voldemort's methods remained as simple and brutal as ever, utterly devoid of political consideration.
Tsk~
Lockhart could only imagine Scrimgeour's expression. To be targeted by a top-tier magical powerhouse was hardly a fault of his own.
He quickly dismissed the matter from his mind.
He plunged back into the hectic final examination schedule at Hogwarts. As the sole Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for all seven years, he had an immense amount to do each day.
Just grading the written exams alone left him swamped.
A wizard's life, at times, was simply like this: not filled with constant thrilling adventures, but rather with one day repeating after another.
To truly perceive the presence of magic in such a life, one required greater introspection.
Finally, the day before the Hogwarts holiday arrived. After a boisterous final feast, Lockhart once more found himself in Dumbledore's Headmaster's office.
"Tomorrow, I shall depart with the students' train."
Lockhart bid his farewell. After a year of traversing this world, he had lived entirely within Hogwarts. It was time to truly see this magical world.
Limited by his current social circles, and influenced by the narrative of pure-blood versus Muggle antagonism, his understanding of wizarding society had always been confined to a fixed perspective.
He had attempted to venture out, purchasing a house in Hogsmeade Village, but that village felt more like an extension of Hogwarts—safe and peaceful, but nothing more.
He thought, perhaps he could visit American wizarding society, or even explore the ancient Egyptian regions, said to be the birthplace of magic.
Dumbledore nodded, offering no further attempts to persuade him to stay. A life exceeding a hundred years had accustomed him to countless partings and reunions. Just like his busy duties as Headmaster each year, he had already found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for Hogwarts.
"You have brought much change to the school."
He gazed out the window towards the "Chamber of Secrets" fairy tale adventure grounds at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. "I fear your creation will not vanish with your departure. The professors are quite fond of this teaching method."
At this, he smiled at Lockhart. "I found Hogwarts' Chamber of Secrets, but it was utterly empty. What exactly was the creature that attacked the students before?"
"A Basilisk," Lockhart admitted. "I suspect Slytherin didn't merely breed Basilisks as pets. It was connected to his research into magical bloodlines, Parseltongue, you know."
Dumbledore's expression shifted. "Tom?"
Lockhart nodded. "Indeed. This may be the only Basilisk left in the world today. Modern wizarding society hasn't heard of any Dark wizards breeding Basilisks, truly."
Dumbledore stroked the peculiar ring on his finger, nodding. "It seems you've become deeply, deeply embroiled in this matter."
"Yes…"
Lockhart felt a touch of sentiment as well. Even if he left Hogwarts, he knew that in the future, Dumbledore, members of the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter, and many others, would inevitably cross paths with him again.
After all, he had already stepped squarely into this maelstrom.
"But it's also the most fascinating magical adventure," he said with a smile. "I wouldn't want to miss it."
Dumbledore looked deeply at Lockhart, a young man he had never quite been able to fathom. He knew so many secrets about Voldemort and many other prominent figures, and his growth had been remarkably swift. He had already embarked on his own unique magical path, and his future accomplishments were utterly unknown.
Considering all this, he finally made a decision.
"I have sent your book, Lord Voldemort: A Pure-Blood Supremacist with a Muggle Father?, to Gellert. He expressed great interest in meeting a young man such as yourself."
"If your travels lead you past Nurmengard Castle, you might consider having a conversation with him."
Lockhart blinked, suddenly recalling the promise he had made to the Forest Witch, and his expression grew somewhat peculiar. "I can meet him?"
Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "We all eagerly anticipate what changes you, this new generation, might bring to the future."
Is that so…
Then, I daresay, you shall see it soon enough.