The photographer had already raised his camera, and the flash was ready.
Just as Lockhart struck his standard smiling pose, his gaze swept over Charlie in the crowd.
"Oh my goodness!"
Lockhart exclaimed, letting go of Harry's hand.
"Isn't this Mr. White, our order of merlin, second class recipient!"
The fans' attention shifted again, and they all cleared a path.
Lockhart excitedly walked towards Charlie, extending both hands as if to grab Charlie like he had Harry.
Charlie took a step back, dodging Lockhart's hands.
He didn't like people touching him right away.
At this point, the fans had cleared the way, no longer blocking the entrance, and Charlie took the opportunity to quickly walk into Flourish and Blotts.
Damn it, buying a book is such a hassle.
Don't let him know who the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor is this semester, ordering so many of Lockhart's books.
Lockhart's hands remained suspended in mid-air, frozen in place.
He gave what he considered a charming smile, trying to smooth things over with the surrounding fans:
"It seems our Potions Master is already eager to go inside and take a photo with me."
With that, he quickly caught up with Charlie, displaying what he considered a charming smile.
"Mr. White, I am Gilderoy Lockhart."
Lockhart extended his hand, his voice magnetic.
"I've heard so much about you, it's truly an honor."
Charlie looked at Lockhart's brightly smiling face and frowned.
To him, that smile was extremely fake, like a carefully rehearsed performance.
As for why Charlie felt this way, it was because he also smiled like that when he was being fake.
"Is there something you need?"
Charlie's tone was cold.
Seeing that Charlie was not as easily managed as Harry, Lockhart immediately changed his strategy.
He took out a complete set of Lockhart's collected works from behind the table and handed them to Charlie with both hands.
"This is a small token of my appreciation."
Lockhart's smile became even brighter.
"These are all the textbooks required by Hogwarts this semester, and I think you'll definitely find them useful."
Charlie looked at the thick stack of books, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Free books?
He took the books, a smile appearing on his face.
You should have said so earlier, I always thought Lockhart was a good person, genuinely treating others.
Lockhart was pleased with himself and then turned to get a complete set for Harry.
"Mr. Potter, these are for you too."
Harry took the books, looking somewhat bewildered.
Lockhart looked around, saw the photographer still waiting, and had a sudden idea.
"How about the three of us take a photo together!"
He stood in the middle, his hands resting on Charlie's and Harry's shoulders respectively.
"This is truly a historic moment!"
A nearby fan excitedly said: "This is truly a scene for the ages!"
But someone in the crowd whispered:
"I feel like Charlie is even more charming than Lockhart, and he's an order of merlin, second class, which is a higher honor than Lockhart's."
Lockhart's ears were sharp, and he immediately heard the remark.
A flicker of displeasure crossed his eyes, but he maintained his perfect smile on the surface.
Lockhart subtly placed his hand on Charlie's head and used his sleeve to cover Charlie's forehead.
To outsiders, it looked like an elder showing care for a junior.
Charlie felt the weight on his head and realized something was off.
This guy wants to use his and Harry's prestige to highlight himself.
A cold smirk appeared on Charlie's lips.
That's extra charge!
He quietly placed his hand behind Lockhart's back, where no one could see.
His five fingers instantly transformed into dragon claws.
Charlie grabbed Lockhart's back and pulled down hard.
Lockhart was caught off guard, lost his balance, and fell heavily to one knee on the ground.
"Ah!"
Lockhart let out a cry of surprise.
Just then, the photographer pressed the shutter.
The flash lit up.
The photo was frozen in that instant.
Charlie stood upright, smiling; Harry looked bewildered.
And Lockhart was on one knee, leaning towards Charlie, his expression anxious, as if bowing to Charlie.
The surrounding fans were stunned.
"What's going on?"
"Why did Professor Lockhart kneel down?"
Charlie feigned a look of deep emotion, reaching out to help him up.
"Professor Lockhart, you are too great."
"To accommodate our heights, you actually knelt down for the photo."
Lockhart's face was slightly red, flushed with anger; why had he suddenly felt such a strong pull just now?
He quickly stood up, accepting Charlie's explanation, unwilling to make a fool of himself.
"Haha, it's all my pleasure."
The surrounding fans were filled with admiration.
"As expected of Professor Lockhart, he's truly so thoughtful."
The photographer held his camera, somewhat at a loss.
"So this photo..."
"Of course we'll use it!"
Charlie spoke first, a bright smile on his face.
"This photo shows Professor Lockhart's most thoughtful side, it's very memorable."
Lockhart didn't know how the photo turned out, and he was still a bit flustered from the fall.
He could only force a smile and nod.
"Yes, it's very memorable."
-------------------------------
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