TN: First bonus chapter!!
Keep them coming!!
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Upon hearing it was a Billywig, although students from Muggle families were still somewhat confused, those from wizarding families mostly breathed a sigh of relief.
“What’s that?” Harry whispered to Ron.
“Excellent question!
Who can tell me what a Billywig is, its characteristics, and its uses?” Lockhart began his quiz.
Hermione’s hand shot up immediately, seeming very eager to make a good impression on Lockhart.
Since the question wasn’t difficult, some of the Ravenclaw eagles sharing the class with Gryffindor were also keen to try, but under Hermione’s fierce glare, they lowered their half-raised hands.
It wasn’t worth offending the top student of the year for a minor moment of glory—this was the Ravenclaw survival philosophy.
Of course, Hermione didn’t know that even if she didn’t strive to answer questions, Lockhart still “knew her very well.” In fact, due to her becoming Minister for Magic in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, he had long ago included her in his hypothetical “Ministry cabinet” to attract votes from left-wing wizards.
So Lockhart went with the flow and called on Hermione.
“It’s an Australian insect, bright blue in color, and flies very fast.
It has a sting on its tail.
Anyone stung will feel dizzy and then experience a floating sensation.
So sweet shops use its stingers to make Fizzing Whizzbees.”
Hermione rattled off everything she knew in one breath, her tone fast and urgent as if someone were hurrying her.
“Correct, Miss Granger.
Five points to Gryffindor.”
Lockhart was very satisfied; the know-it-all truly lived up to her name.
“You all heard.
While it’s not terribly dangerous, it’s not an easy thing to catch either.
Everyone will take turns coming to the center of the room to catch the insects I release.
Once caught, shut them in the cups I give you.
Let’s see who is the fastest.
And to increase everyone’s motivation, I’m instituting a reward and punishment system—the three fastest to catch a Billywig will each receive a large handful of Fizzing Whizzbees.
As for the three slowest…”
Here, Lockhart paused for effect, only revealing the answer once he saw the young wizards growing tense again.
“…Don’t be nervous.
Even the worst performers will get a candy from me.
Only it’ll be a Sorrow-Sweet Honey Drop, and they’ll have to eat it in front of everyone.”
Seeing the children from wizarding families suddenly look as if facing a great enemy, Harry couldn’t help but ask.
“What’s a Sorrow-Sweet?”
Ron clenched his fists tightly.
“It’s another insect.
Its honey is very sweet.”
“Poisonous?”
“No, not poisonous.
But after eating it, you can’t stop crying.
Fred and George once gave me a Sorrow-Sweet Honey Cake for my birthday, said they stole it from the cupboard at home, told me not to tell Mum.” Ron wore a constipated expression.
“That day, everyone was congratulating me on my birthday, but I just kept crying, and I didn’t dare say why…
It was the worst birthday I’ve ever had.”
Hearing the punishment was so “cruel,” Harry took a deep breath.
Thankfully this class was with Ravenclaw.
If it were with Slytherin, he’d rather have double detentions than cry in front of Draco Malfoy.
“Now, I need two students to come up and help me demonstrate.
Preferably one from each house.
Any volunteers?” Lockhart asked again.
Seeing several people looking eager but hesitant, Lockhart quickly added fuel.
“Of course, with me here, you won’t get dizzy.
I’m just demonstrating one method—hitting a tiny flying insect accurately with a spell is rather difficult.”
Lockhart’s assurance seemed effective.
Ravenclaw’s Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein both seemed willing to try, but in the end, the Muggle-born Anthony was more resolute—because he didn’t know what was so scary about the insect.
The Gryffindors were much more enthusiastic—not just the boys, but several girls raised their hands too, wanting to help Professor Lockhart.
In the end, Lockhart pointed at one.
“Mr.
Finnegan, you’ll do.”
He wanted to see just how powerful the legendary explosion-prone wizard was.
Seamus Finnegan didn’t expect to be chosen but happily went to Lockhart’s side, while Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati all looked disappointed.
“Excellent…
Come over here.
First, learn your first second-year charm.
Repeat after me: ‘Ex-pul-so,’ with the stress on the second syllable!”
“Expulso!” the class repeated in unison.
“Very good.
Now watch my movement—flick your wrist like this, keep your eyes fixed on the spot you want to target, then a quick jab, incantation fast, use your lung capacity for the explosive sound, enunciate the ending clearly—Expulso!”
As Lockhart jabbed, a blue light shot from his wand tip and swiftly vanished into the air.
Then the air there visibly distorted, as if a balloon had been popped, resulting in a small explosion.
The blast of air hit the students in the face.
Those caught by the airflow felt as if they’d stuck their head out of a car window on a motorway, immediately jerking backwards.
Lockhart, prepared, was of course unfazed, but a few unprepared students lost their balance and fell on their bottoms.
Lockhart apologetically helped the fallen up with the surrounding students.
“As you can see, this is the charm’s effect.
It creates a small air explosion within a certain range, using very little magical power.
I hardly used any force at all to…”
Just then, an incantation from behind him interrupted his explanation.
“Expulso!” Seamus Finnegan pointed at the ceiling.
Lockhart flinched, ducking his head, lowering his center of gravity, and pointing his wand at his head—he didn’t even have time to speak the incantation, resorting to the weaker non-verbal casting.
“Silencio!”
His reaction proved very necessary.
A tremendous bang, like a gas canister exploding, had just begun its crescendo when it was choked off as if by a strangled neck.
The second-years were thus spared the fate of having their eardrums shattered and being sent en masse to Madam Pomfrey.
Though the sound could be suppressed, the explosion could not.
This time, the number of people knocked down or slammed against the walls was quadruple the previous incident, and even the classroom windows were shattered by the blast wave.
“Quickly, help everyone up.” Lockhart slowly straightened up and began helping the students slammed against walls and pinned to the floor to their feet.
The young wizards got up, grimacing, and all turned their gaze to the culprit of this incident—Seamus Finnegan.
Seamus flusteredly spread his hands, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to explain something, but no sound came out.
Because Lockhart wasn’t sure of the explosion’s location, the area of his Silencing Charm had been a tad too large.
Lockhart noticed this and immediately took responsibility.
“Five points to Gryffindor,” he said.
“This was my mistake.
I clearly underestimated the magical power of a second-year student.
And Mr.
Finnegan produced a perfectly executed, even unexpectedly powerful Expulso Charm, deserving of reward.”
His words made the anxious Seamus sigh in relief, and then he found he could speak again.
He had thought he’d been too nervous to speak, not knowing Lockhart had just lifted the Silencing Charm.
Lockhart had no intention of punishing Seamus.
A twelve-year-old wizard, a simple charm—individually, they were nothing special.
But combined, they unleashed astonishing power, allowing a young wizard to produce an Expulso rivaling that of an elite Death Eater.
In a way, this was indeed a remarkable talent.
The “explosion-prone wizard” truly lived up to his name.
“While Mr.
Finnegan’s Expulso was indeed very well done, the power was clearly excessive,” Lockhart said regretfully.
“If I don’t want to receive an astronomical fine from the Headmaster after class, I’ll have to change assistants…
Mr.
Potter, how about it?