Summoner, when is your glorious moment? WCG? Haha, my glorious moment comes, when I ultimately unleash my ultimate!
That's the legendary line of that true man, yes, his most glorious moment is those five seconds when no matter what strikes him, he cannot be brought down. The only regret is that when Garen, Ezreal, and Ashe chased him in rage, he, after shouting a heroic "Demacia!", died a bit miserably.
Everyone has their glorious moment. In that instant, you feel like the main character, all eyes on you, and it comes with a thrill far beyond your imagination.
At this moment, Lockhart felt his glorious moment was about to arrive, because the surprise awaiting him far exceeded anything he could have imagined.
Far more than the number in a single class were gathered at the classroom door. Among the crowd were faces he had seen in the past two days, no doubt, they had come for Professor Lockhart's first lesson.
Lockhart's heart finally relaxed. Clearly, he had not lost on the first day of this exchange, and the reporters following him wouldn't see him faltering. On the contrary, he could perfectly showcase his precious experience and lifetime skills. Yes, he firmly believed it.
With that thought, Lockhart's perfect, charming smile returned, prompting the sharp photographer behind him to quickly snap a few shots.
Lockhart stepped forward, flashing his white teeth:
"Oh, my dear students! I am truly delighted to see you chose my class. But as the lesson is about to start, though I understand your excitement to greet me, please return to your seats. Trust me, this class will be worth your time."
As he spoke, he opened the classroom door, ready to gesture like a gentleman and invite the children in, he could hardly contain his excitement.
But when the door swung open, an even bigger surprise awaited.
The once spacious classroom was now packed with students. They hadn't even left room for aisles; the crowd was so dense that students outside could barely get in. People hadn't just come to wait for him, they wanted to attend Lockhart's first class.
The shock almost made Lockhart lose his composure, but having weathered many storms before, he stayed calm. With a flick of his wand, he indicated the walls, and part of an adjacent classroom merged into theirs.
This wasn't due to any extraordinary skill of Lockhart's, it was because the principal of Mahoutokoro had granted all professors partial control over their classrooms, just like Dumbledore later did for the Apparition lessons.
With some students' help, mats were pulled from nearby cabinets to serve as temporary chairs. Normally used as protective gear, they worked just fine for seating, at least, Allen thought so.
He even felt that Lockhart wouldn't need them much. Honestly, Lockhart's skills were only average. Good enough to show off in front of ordinary wizards, maybe comparable to an intermediate duelist, but facing a true master like Snape (even an undercover Death Eater) and he'd crumble like nothing.
Still, Allen faced a dilemma: should he bail Lockhart out?
No joke, Lockhart now represented Hogwarts. And with this massive turnout, if he made a mistake, it wouldn't just embarrass him, it would embarrass everyone at Hogwarts.
Yes, from Dumbledore to the youngest first-year, everyone would share the shame, even if they did nothing.
But helping Lockhart felt annoying.
This guy had no real ability, yet bragged endlessly. Why should Allen clean up his mess?!
And the worst part? This wasn't a one-time thing. Who knew during which lesson Lockhart would mess up? Allen would have to constantly babysit this idiot!
So frustrating, help him, and it annoys Allen; don't help, and Hogwarts' students will be humiliated for a long time. A professor like this is outrageous!
Dumbledore, where are you? This is your responsibility! Why is it mine?!
Of course, Dumbledore wasn't around. How big is his heart anyway?
Hogwarts' reputation was about to crumble in half the magical world, and Lockhart had invited reporters! Oh my god, he must have been worried he wouldn't mess things up enough on his own.
In exasperation, Allen finally devised a plan, one that would maintain Hogwarts' reputation, prevent future headaches, and vent his frustration.
Perfect! Allen gave himself a silent thumbs-up.
After considering the plan's feasibility, he wore a confident expression, but then, a devilish voice pierced his thoughts:
"Allen-san, why do you look troubled? Is there anything I can help with?"
Allen turned, face pale, and there was none other than Zongze, wanting him to cast a petrification curse.*
Sitting nearby, Marshall had shifted positions and was chatting with an Ilvermorny student, hopefully he wouldn't reveal their past acquaintance. Allen's reputation over there was negative; one slip could spell disaster.
So Allen pulled a Chocolate Frog from his pocket and tossed it to Marshall, calling out loud enough for everyone nearby to hear:
"Hey, buddy, looks like you're still hungry. Here's some snack, grab it if it's not enough!!!"
However, Allen's plan failed. After catching the Chocolate Frog, Marshall didn't return a playful glare or anything. Instead, the previously aloof witch warmed up to him, and Marshall suddenly emanated a mysterious aura.
Allen, thoroughly outwitted, slumped on his desk, thinking as he answered Zongze's question and watching Lockhart magically arrange chairs for later students. Today, my luck is really terrible… maybe I should find a noodle shop?
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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