Hogwarts on the tip of the tongue

Trial day, Hogwarts, interrogation table in the center of the Quidditch pitch.

Gilderoy Lockhart stood on the stone platform, raising his head and looking at the countless faces above.

Many years ago, on that night when he etched his name on the court, he looked up like this.

Compared with the young and naive self back then, I have obviously grown a lot now, but it seems like nothing has changed.

Mag is right, he is a person who desperately longs for the attention of others - but the gaze he really longs for is not this fleeting curiosity, but what Miss Fool said can last for thousands of years, across the forest, The plains and the sea are imprinted in the praise of generations and the attention in the process of civilization.

"This world is fair and cruel, Mr. Hanged Man, if you want to get something, you must give up another part..."

Elena's voice rang in Lockhart's mind, and his eyes continued to wander above, finally landing on a woman in a white coat in the corner.

He did not fully tell Arcee the follow-up plans for this speech, or in other words, he did not tell her all the decisions of the Major Arcana Council.

The wizarding world lacks a spiritual leader to ignite the fire, but Lockhart can only serve as the igniter, not the leader.

In a sense, this may be his last speech in front of the world.

"What on earth do you want?! Gilderoy Lockhart!"

At this moment, Kingsley's angry shout came from the front.

Time is up.

Gilderoy Lockhart reluctantly withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Now, he wants to cut off the past with his own hands and ignite the spark of a new era.

"Gentlemen and ladies, everyone from the Ministry of Magic, everyone from the International Confederation of Wizards, and of course, my colleagues and students..."

Lockhart opened his eyes again, a bright smile spread across his face, his white teeth shining in the sun.

"I'm so sorry that I've lied to everyone for so long."

"Yes, the Ministry of Magic's accusations and those rumors are not wrong. I am a big liar."

"The protagonists of the stories I write are not me. Some are old American wizards, some are Yorkshire witches, and some are Armenian witchers."

Lockhart said unhurriedly, looking calmly ahead, with a straight back and no guilt on his face, and his voice was steady and proud.

"That's right! I secretly attacked them, stole their memories, and wrote those wonderful autobiographical novels."

"And why? Well, obviously, no one wants to read about an ugly old witch or a tasteless witcher—"

Following Lockhart's voice, there was an uproar in the surrounding stands, and many people cursed with anger and contempt.

Cornelius Fudge's face was confused. He didn't understand what Lockhart was going to do.

However, he quickly calmed down and took the initiative to respond to Lockhart's words... Today's protagonist should be him, not Lockhart!

"Very well, Mr. Lockhart, it appears that you have admitted all charges, then—"

"No, Mr. Fudge, not all..."

Lockhart smiled, shook his head, raised his finger, and corrected seriously.

“In literary creation, the prototype may belong to a certain person, but the core of the story is the author’s own.”

"The perceptions, thoughts, and wishes in those novels are my own, and they are the creator's words."

"…This is not a grammar class, Mr. Lockhart. Unfortunately, I am not interested."

Cornelius Fudge frowned and interrupted Lockhart somewhat roughly.

He took out a document from his arms, glanced at it, and cleared his throat.

"Well, Gilderoy Lockhart—I think it would be best for you to keep quiet now and wait."

"As the Minister of Magic, I declare that you will intentionally harm others, defraud, disrupt society, make improper profits, and collude with dark creatures..."

Connelly paused for a moment, turned his head and glanced at several senior magic commissioners of the International Federation of Wizards.

"Well, there are also many attempts to break the "International Confederation of Wizards' Secrecy Law" and provoke war..."

"Seventeen counts in total, sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban——"

"I just said I agree with all the penalties."

Before Connelly could finish his words, Lockhart suddenly spoke.

His voice was steady and calm, but it had a certain power that made people unconsciously quiet.

"Obviously, there is nothing worthy of justification for my past behavior from a moral or legal perspective."

"If a villain like me is not thrown into prison, that would be the biggest stain on the magical social order."

Lockhart let out a long breath, stood up straight and looked up at the countless faces above.

"However, the significance of legal judgments is to deter and warn..."

"As a former professor at Hogwarts, a well-known author in the wizarding world, and the winner of Wizard Weekly's most charming smile——"

Lockhart grinned with a hearty smile, looked at Cornelius Fudge and others and said seriously.

"I wish I could say something before I go to jail so they don't become as stupid as I am now."

"...Hmph, I can't stop you now anyway, right?"

Cornelius Fudge snorted disapprovingly.

His eyes swept over the "amber" barrier next to Gilderoy Lockhart.

However, with Lockhart's voice, his expression improved slightly, and Fudge nodded to Kingsley to signal him to step aside for now.

Anyway, Lockhart confessed, and once "Amber" disappeared, the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic could arrest him on the spot and take him directly to Azkaban Prison.

"thanks--"

Lockhart nodded gracefully, raised his head, and looked across the sky.

After a few seconds, he regained his sight and stood up straight.

"I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to come back here, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—"

"Here, witness with everyone a fair, serious trial about freedom."

At the same time, Elena lightly tapped the crystal piece on the seat.

Invisible magic ripples spread along the sky, and the magic network was officially activated.

Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Lipps Magic Street, Magic Radio, Leaky Cauldron...

The magic crystal balls placed in advance lit up one after another, projecting a somewhat blurry light and shadow in mid-air.

As the magic ripples spread, a 5-minute delayed magic video appeared in all public places in the magic society.

…………

"Hey, what is that—"

"Old John, does the Leaky Cauldron have new features?"

Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron, an old London store.

The drunken drinker looked at the magic light and shadow in the air and frowned slightly.

"Wait, I know him - isn't that Gilderoy Lockhart? The big talker?"

"Oh, maybe so. Anyway, let's just watch it as a show."

John Abbott wiped the glass, slowly looked up at the shadow, and dealt with it nonchalantly.

"The Aurors from the Ministry of Magic came here a few days ago and installed this for me for free. They said they were going to publicize the trial of some criminal..."

"Oh, that's no ordinary criminal - he almost became Minister for Magic."

Another old witch said. She knocked on the shriveled cigarette bag and sneered.

"Let me tell you, the Ministry of Magic is having fun this time..."

"How can there be such a handsome and sunny criminal?"