Hogwarts Diary: Snape Goes Crazy

Chapter 178: Chapter 177 — The Disgusting Lockhart

# Chapter 177 — The Disgusting Lockhart

Harry knew that when it came to Vesey, Professor McGonagall would never have the heart to criticize her too harshly.

Sure enough, Professor McGonagall agreed.

She gently ruffled Vesey’s hair.

”Understandably, this must be a nightmare for the friends of those who have been attacked. Go ahead!”

She escorted Vesey and the others to the hospital wing.

When Madam Pomfrey saw Vesey, she let her and the others enter without much enthusiasm. She even gave Vesey a handful of sweets.

”No matter what happens, you must remember to be happy!”

However, they stayed in the hospital wing for barely ten minutes before leaving in a hurry.

They hadn’t forgotten that they still needed to find Ginny.

But as soon as they stepped outside, Professor McGonagall’s voice echoed throughout Hogwarts.

”All students must return to their respective common rooms immediately! All faculty members are to assemble for a meeting!”

Vesey’s face turned pale.

”There’s been another attack?”

She immediately hurried toward the staff room.

Harry and Ron rushed after her.

”Slow down, Vesey! What are you doing?” Ron asked.

Vesey answered loudly, ”I can’t let that snake get away with this anymore! Even if it costs me my life, I’ll find it! I need to hear what the professors know. Perhaps they’ll have some clues!”

[Ding! Energy Points +10]

[Ding! Points +101]

”How could they possibly let you listen in?” Harry demanded angrily. ”What am I supposed to do if you die?”

But when he saw Vesey’s reddened eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to argue with her any longer. Instead, he pulled her into a nearby storage cupboard in the staff room.

”Brother...”

”Quiet! Don’t you want to hear what they’re going to say?” Harry whispered fiercely.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and Ron hurried into the cupboard after them.

Harry stared at Vesey. Her stubborn expression made it clear that she intended to fight the basilisk, no matter the cost.

Those green eyes of hers were almost identical to his own, and he could hardly bear to look directly into them.

In the end, Harry gave in.

”We’ll go together, then. If we die, we’ll die together. I can’t bear the thought of Hogwarts closing forever, either. This is our home!”

He gently embraced Vesey.

”I’m not as clever as you, as talented as you, or as strong as you. There’s practically nothing I can do better than you. But I promise you this: if you’re willing to trust me, you can count on me to watch your back!”

”And me!”

Ron raised his hand, his face pale.

”You two aren’t going to take such a risk without me, are you? If you’re going, then I’m going, too!”

Vesey and Harry smiled and nodded at the same time.

At that moment, all three of them seemed almost mad.

Soon, the professors began filing into the staff room.

Through the gaps in their hiding place, Harry and the others could see the anxiety and fear etched on the professors’ faces.

”It’s happened again!” Professor McGonagall choked out. ”A student has been taken by the basilisk and dragged into the Chamber of Secrets!”

Professor Flitwick let out a loud sob.

Professor Sprout screamed and clutched her head.

Snape nearly sprang out of his chair.

”How can you be certain?” he demanded in a dark voice.

”The Heir of Slytherin left another message on the wall, beneath the previous one. It said, ’Her bones will remain in the Chamber of Secrets forever!’”

Professor Flitwick could no longer hold back his tears.

”Who is it?” someone asked.

Professor McGonagall closed her eyes and answered feebly, ”Ginny. Ginny Weasley!”

Madam Hooch collapsed into a chair and covered her face with her hands, weeping bitterly.

Inside the cupboard, Vesey and Harry hurriedly supported Ron.

He was so devastated that he nearly fell to his knees.

”We must send all the students home tomorrow,” Professor McGonagall said wearily. ”Hogwarts cannot continue like this. There may still be a way to turn things around, but everything is uncertain. For now, all we can do is protect the children...”

Just then, the staff room door opened again.

Gilderoy Lockhart walked in, looking remarkably cheerful.

”What’s happened? What’s all the fuss about? I was just taking a nap! What did I miss?”

He barely noticed the hatred in the professors’ eyes as they turned toward him.

”Look who’s finally arrived to solve the problem!” Snape sneered. ”Lockhart, a girl has been taken by the basilisk and dragged into the Chamber of Secrets. At long last, you’ve got the chance to demonstrate your heroic abilities!”

Lockhart’s face instantly paled.

Harry actually felt a little relieved.

Lockhart no longer looked nearly as handsome as he once had.

Professor Sprout stepped forward and spoke coldly.

”Yes, Gilderoy. Didn’t you say last night that you knew exactly where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was?”

”I... I... This... I...”

Lockhart stammered, unable to produce a coherent answer.

He took a big step backward, looking as though he were about to flee.

Professor Flitwick couldn’t help interrupting.

”Didn’t you also tell me that you were certain you could kill the basilisk?”

Lockhart hurriedly denied it.

”No! I didn’t! I never said that!”

”You said it!” Snape snapped. ”You said Vesey was injured so badly by the basilisk because she was too weak. You claimed that if you had been the one to face it, you would have needed only two spells to defeat the basilisk!”

”D-did I say that?”

Lockhart still refused to admit it.

Snape sneered.

”I remember exactly what you said, Lockhart. I could even show you the memories if you like.

”You also said that if we’d let you handle this from the beginning, things wouldn’t have become such a mess. Well, now it’s time for you to show us what you can do!”

Lockhart stared at his stern-faced colleagues in disbelief and let out a miserable groan.

”You... You must have misunderstood! I never...”

Professor McGonagall stepped forward.

She looked at him expressionlessly.

”There is no misunderstanding. I’ve given you full authority to handle this matter. Tonight is your chance to demonstrate your abilities. I promise that no one will interfere with your work. I’ll be waiting for your good news!”

”Yes,” she continued. ”We’ll inform the students of the arrangements and ensure that everyone boards the train home tomorrow. You will have complete authority to deal with the basilisk.”

Lockhart looked utterly miserable.

”I... I... This... I...”

He seemed on the verge of tears.

He no longer looked nearly as handsome as before. He appeared thin and haggard, like a homeless man who hadn’t slept in days.

His once exquisite and magnificent robes no longer seemed to shine. Instead, they only made him look like a shabby man trying to dress himself up as a prince.

”W-well... I suppose I’ll go back and prepare...”

He stumbled out of the room, trembling.

Professor McGonagall watched him leave before turning to the other professors.

”All right, we’ve finally sent him on his way. Everyone, return to your respective houses and reassure the students. Explain the arrangements to them and make sure every student is ready to board the train tomorrow.

”As for you, Severus, please stay here for a little while.”

The professors left one by one.

Soon, only Professor McGonagall and Snape remained.

Snape sat in his chair, his eyes filled with sorrow.

”I know what you’re going to say. I won’t do anything more to stop her, and she won’t give up just because I try to stop her...”

He paused, his voice growing hoarse.

”But can she survive?”

With that, he stumbled out of the room.

Professor McGonagall hesitated, seemingly unsure what to say.

”Severus, I only wanted to tell you that Vesey and the others were still in the hospital wing just now. I don’t know whether they’ve returned to their common room yet...”

She rubbed her forehead and hurried out of the staff room to catch up with Snape.