HP: DnD Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Lockhart’s Charms

“I have written over a dozen books, most of which became bestsellers. The rest, though not as successful, still captured the hearts of many, despite dealing with niche topics,” the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts stated. “And what do you learn from this? From the fact that not all my books became bestsellers?”

“That we shouldn't worry about winning or losing, because even a loss can sometimes feel like a victory?” one of the students answered confidently.

Damien couldn't deny it was a good response. ‘But can he really think that deeply?’

“An interesting view, but not quite the right answer,” Lockhart replied, turning away. “Anyone else?”

“T-That we can’t please everyone?” Hannah Abbott ventured, and once again, Damien found the answer to be great.

“Another valid perspective, but still not correct.”

Damien wondered if a question like this even had a clear answer. Lessons learned from experiences often varied, much like individual viewpoints.

“That the result doesn’t matter, and we should always focus on doing what makes us happy?” To Damien’s surprise, Draco Malfoy spoke up.

At the professor’s raised finger, both Draco and Damien thought that maybe, just maybe, this was the answer Lockhart was after. 

It wasn’t.

“Possibly, but not quite,” Lockhart said, flicking his fingers dismissively. “Anyone else?”

Damien had a few ideas of his own, but seeing how none of the answers that seemed correct to him were meeting Lockhart’s approval, he decided to stay silent.

And, as if on cue, Lockhart took it upon himself to answer.

“The answer is simple,” he declared. “It’s because people have terrible taste.”

‘Of course,’ Damien thought, unable to suppress a grimace as Lockhart’s gaze fixed on him.

“There’s no way any of my books could be bad. Every single one is filled with grand adventures of my life, and each one is thrilling,” Lockhart continued. “Therefore, the fault lies with the people—they’re too stupid to recognize greatness. So, don’t be discouraged by failure. It’s not your fault; it’s just that people are too dim to appreciate it.”

Damien couldn’t fathom how this man had ever become a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

‘And how did his books even become popular? His philosophy is... pitiful.’

It was difficult to believe that the man had multiple bestsellers, but Damien couldn’t deny the truth of the situation.

‘I was a fan of his, too, up until just a few days ago.’ He leaned back, reflecting. ‘I can see how others might still hold the same misguided view of him.’

Even so, he couldn't help but be amused by how Lockhart had managed to charm so many people.

‘He must have an insane amount of charisma…’

There was no doubt about it. No one could sway a crowd like this unless they possessed a magnetic charm.

Yet, even charisma had its limits, and Lockhart was dangerously close to pushing said limits.

“Professor,” a voice cut through the air, drawing Damien’s attention. Despite his usual preference for silence, someone had enough. “When are we going to start learning about dark spells and how to counter them?”

Everyone in the room shared the unspoken sentiment, though none dared to voice it quite so directly.

“Ah, Miss Granger,” Lockhart acknowledged. “Dark Arts is a very complex subject, especially the spells. They can be quite dangerous. We’ll move on to them soon, but only once I’m confident you’re all capable of handling the material. Until then, we’ll continue with my books.”

This prompted Harry to speak up. “How is learning about your adventures going to prepare us for the Dark Arts, Professor?”

“My adventures,” Lockhart replied with a flourish, “were filled with encounters with dark creatures, dark magic, and evil wizards. So, learning about these adventures will teach you about those beings.”

Damien had heard enough. 

“Professor,” he raised his hand, trying to remain respectful. “How about you show us a spell you used to fight those monsters? It might make us look forward to future classes.”

It was the best he could come up with without sounding outright disrespectful. After all, they had been through multiple classes without learning a single useful spell. With this request, he hoped they might finally see something even remotely related to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

“Well,” Lockhart said, standing in the center of the class, “we can do that.”

For a moment, Damien’s ears perked up. He couldn’t believe Lockhart had actually agreed.

But, deep down, Damien knew the professor’s words weren’t genuine.

[Lie]

The word echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of every tenth lie Lockhart spoke. Each time the professor recounted his adventures, Damien could hear the word ‘Lie’ ringing in his ears —and he heard it often.

‘Ears of Truth’, the ability granted to him by Andromalius, caused the word to resonate whenever someone told their tenth lie.

And in just this one class, the word had rang multiple times, confirming what Damien had already suspected—most of what Lockhart said was nothing beyond fiction.

‘How did he even become a professor? And how did he manage to deceive so many powerful witches and wizards?’

Before he could contemplate further, a new, unnerving realization struck him.

[Duke’s Mind]

A sudden, sharp pain, like a flick to his forehead, was followed by an announcement that seemed to reverberate inside his head, leaving Damien stunned and momentarily disoriented.

The source of this unsettling experience?

Lockhart.

“But, of course, we don't need any demonstrations for this class, do we?” Lockhart’s words pierced through his thoughts, triggering Damien's mental defenses. “You will have plenty to look up to, even without me explaining the spells.”

The moment he heard that, Damien’s mouth went dry.

‘Did he…?’ A cold chill ran through him as the realization dawned. ‘Did he use a mental charm?’

The only reason his [Duke’s Mind] ability had activated was due to a direct assault on his mind, and the synchronized, monotonous nodding from his classmates immediately confirmed his suspicion. They were all under the influence of the same charm.

“We don’t.” Most of the students answered in unison.

“Good,” Lockhart said with a satisfied grin. “And I hope you’ll all stay focused on my adventures, even without me discussing the spells in detail.”

[Duke’s Mind]

Another loud, jarring announcement inside his ears, accompanied by a tingling sensation at the back of his head.

Now Damien was completely certain. Lockhart was casting a charm—his words, his actions, everything pointed to it. And each subsequent lie only further confirmed his suspicions.

“You’ll have to trust me with these stories,” Lockhart continued, his smile broadening. “After all, I know what I’m teaching. I’ve been through more horrors than you can possibly imagine.”

[Duke’s Mind]

Another sharp, mental alert, followed by the now familiar tingling around his head.

Damien's confidence grew with each instance of the charm, but so did his concern. He wasn’t sure what to make of the situation anymore. He couldn’t even focus on the absurdity of Lockhart’s claims when the professor was now struggling visibly.

“Ugh!”

It was Lockhart, stumbling and nearly toppling over, saved only by the table behind him. He gripped his head and rubbed his temple, stumbling backward as if a sudden, invisible force had struck him.

Damien knew the cause of the man’s distress immediately.

It wasn’t natural. It wasn’t ordinary. It was the backlash of his own actions. The charm was backfiring.

“Ugh!”

For what felt like an eternity, Lockhart leaned against the table, clutching his head in agony. His students looked on in shock and concern, unsure of what was happening.

“Are you okay, Professor?” Several students voiced their worry, their eyes wide with confusion and alarm.

“I—” Lockhart’s voice was weak, his face contorted with pain. The headache seemed to dissipate as suddenly as it had come, leaving him dazed and disoriented. “I think I’m… fine.”

Damien kept his gaze fixed on the man, choosing not to speak. He knew what had caused the man’s pain, and he found little sympathy for him. It was Lockhart’s own use of mental magic that had caused the backlash. Damien’s [Duke’s Mind] ability gave him a 35% chance to induce a serious headache when an opponent used mental arts against him, and he had just witnessed it in action.

‘Should I feel happy at how powerful this ability is, or should I be worried about Lockhart?’ he mused.

It made sense to be concerned about his professor. After all, Lockhart was still a professor—a man in a position of power, no less. But the more Damien thought about it, the less he felt guilty. It wasn’t just that Lockhart’s charm had backfired—it was the lies, the deception, the illegal mental manipulation that had prompted it all. His sympathy had long since disappeared.

“I—” Lockhart mumbled again, still disoriented. “I think we’ll continue this class another time.”

Damien watched him closely, noting how the man’s confusion and suffering only seemed to deepen. He wasn’t concerned for Lockhart, but rather for the lack of value they were getting from the class. —Which the professor had clearly not been prepared to teach.

“I’m sorry, but today’s class is over. You’re free to leave.” Lockhart quickly gathered his books and hurried toward the door, eager to leave.

Damien remained seated, his mind racing as he tried to piece together everything that had just happened.

‘He tried using mind magic to manipulate us into agreeing with him. He can’t teach the spells because he most likely doesn’t know them himself. His adventures are nothing but fabricated stories. None of it is real.’

In that moment, Damien reached a clear conclusion.

‘He’s a fraud.’

If he truly wanted to learn anything from Defense Against the Dark Arts, Damien realized, he would have to expose Lockhart for what he really was.

The question now lingered in his mind.

‘How do I expose him?’