Lockhart placed the cage onto the podium with great solemnity, as if it were some rare and precious treasure.
He patted the non-existent dust off his hands, scanned the classroom, and revealed a smile that, in Lynn's eyes, was extremely punchable.
"Good afternoon, my little admirers!" he boomed. "I trust that after a week of preliminary study of my great works, you have all gained a deeper understanding of the adventurous spirit and extraordinary wisdom of me—your Professor!"
A few scattered sounds of agreement rose from below, primarily from certain witches.
Lynn rolled his eyes in the corner, muttering to himself, "The understanding is certainly deeper—deep enough to realize what a ridiculous fraud you are."
Lockhart seemed slightly dissatisfied with the less-than-enthusiastic response, but he immediately perked up again, pointing mysteriously at the covered cage.
"However, theoretical knowledge is ultimately hollow!"
"True Defense Against the Dark Arts requires practice! It requires facing real danger!"
Lockhart lowered his voice.
"Today, I shall give you a rare opportunity—to witness with your own eyes, and experience for yourselves, how I, Gilderoy Lockhart, handle an extremely troublesome and extremely dangerous magical creature!"
He suddenly grabbed a corner of the velvet cloth, a solemn expression on his face.
This performance even drew Lynn's attention. Despite having been daydreaming in the corner, his gaze involuntarily fell upon the cage.
The classroom fell silent as all the students held their breath.
A thought popped into Lynn's head: Could it be... that Professor Lockhart is actually hiding his true power? Does he really have some hidden talent?
Under the expectant gazes of everyone, Lockhart's arm whipped back, tearing away the velvet cloth!
The contents of the cage were exposed to everyone—a group of small creatures about eight inches tall, with electric-blue skin, pointed ears, and wearing tattered clothes. They were clutching the iron bars of the cage, letting out shrill, unpleasant giggles.
The classroom instantly fell into an eerie silence, followed by an irrepressible eruption of disappointed sighs and whispers.
Lynn looked at those familiar little things, his lip twitching violently as he gave himself a mental slap across the face.
I'm so stupid! Really! I clearly knew Lockhart was a fraud, yet I actually held a sliver of unrealistic fantasy about him! Cornish Pixies?!
Aside from their chattering, love for pranks, and slightly high strength, what part of these things is "extremely dangerous"?
"Cornish Pixies!"
Lockhart introduced them as if he hadn't noticed the students' reactions.
"Don't be fooled by their small appearance! They are cunning, annoying, and—extremely difficult to deal with!"
"Today, I will show you how to subdue them elegantly and effectively."
"Now then~ let the demonstration begin!"
Lockhart announced with full confidence.
Then he opened the cage door!
Lockhart wanted to perform!
Then Lockhart was defeated!
Then Lockhart ran away!
Lockhart just ran away like that—leaving behind a group of students and a room full of Cornish Pixies.
Lynn's ears were filled with the chattering of the Cornish Pixies, saying things like "Come catch me," "Idiot, you missed," and "This is so much fun."
However, not a single pixie came to trouble Lynn. They seemed to subconsciously ignore his existence, steering clear of the area where he sat.
System: Hey, friend~ Learn more about [Affinity].
Lynn looked at the mess and chaos before him and sighed helplessly.
He couldn't be bothered to waste words on these over-energetic little things, nor did he want to help Lockhart clean up this mess. He just wanted to leave this disaster zone as quickly as possible.
But seeing the wretched state of his classmates, he felt a bit of pity.
Lynn stood up from his chair in the corner.
He pulled out his wand, aimed at the area where the pixies were most densely packed, and flicked his wrist.
"Tergeo!"
A powerful gust of air precisely swept the flying, screeching pixies together, forming a struggling blue sphere.
Lynn controlled the whirlwind, stuffing them all back into the empty cage on the podium, and shut the door with a "click."
The world was finally quiet.
The shaken students in the classroom all stared at Lynn in stunned silence, as if seeing him for the first time.
Lynn ignored their gazes. With an expressionless face, he picked up the still-buzzing cage and walked straight out of the classroom toward Lockhart's office.
Arriving at the door marked Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Lynn didn't hesitate at all, pointing his wand directly at the lock.
"Alohomora."
The lock sprang open in response.
Lynn pulled the door open a crack and threw the cage inside with all his might—
"Off you go~"
A loud "clatter" echoed from the office, followed by the even angrier screams of the pixies as they regained their freedom, along with Lockhart's terrified shrieks.
Lynn neatly closed the door, then raised his wand again, tapping the lock lightly to add a Permanent Sticking Charm.
A glimmer of light flashed, and the lock became temporarily indestructible.
Doesn't Lockhart like pixies? Doesn't he want to show how to subdue them? Then he can have some quality time with them.
If he really has the skill, he can break the spell and come out himself. Otherwise, he can just wait for the spell to wear off on its own.
Having done all this, Lynn turned and left in a pleasant mood.
That night, in the Hufflepuff Dormitory, lying on his soft four-poster bed, Lynn found himself tossing and turning.
The image of Lockhart fleeing in disgrace and the chaotic classroom replayed in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more he felt he had lost out.
Wasting one of my precious classes and making me clean up his mess, only for me to just send the trouble back to him as it was? That price is way too light!
A sense of indignation swirled in his heart.
If he keeps teaching like this, won't this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts be completely ruined again?
Maybe... I should find a way to let Professor Lockhart... take a break for a while?
Or rather, change the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?
Once the thought appeared, it grew wildly like weeds.
Lynn pondered it carefully and felt... it was very feasible.
Although plotting against a Professor didn't sound very honorable, for the sake of the students' educational quality, sacrificing a bit of personal integrity occasionally seemed acceptable.
As for the previous rumors about Professor Snape liking Harry Potter spreading throughout Hogwarts, Lynn chose to selectively ignore that.
Gryffindor did that, or some gossiping little wizard made it up themselves. What does that have to do with me, Lynn?
I am an excellent Hufflepuff who upholds the five virtues and four beauties.
No time like the present.
Lynn sat up abruptly in bed.
He took out parchment and a quill and began writing feverishly.
Soon, a detailed proposal title known as the "Bring Down Lockhart Plan"—was fresh off the press.
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