In the living room, Mrs.
Mason did not keep Lockhart waiting long.
She soon brought in a pot of tea, a small jug of milk, and some biscuits, then gestured to the sugar on the table, inviting Lockhart to help himself.
Lockhart added nothing, simply lifting the cup to take a sip.
“Tea from the Wuyi-Darjeeling lineage has a mild blood-cleansing property when drunk in the morning.
It’s quite popular in the wizarding world as well.
Thank you for your hospitality…”
Lockhart offered his thanks first, then got straight to the point of his visit.
“…I recently heard that there’s been a change in your son’s educational plans.
Might I ask what you and your husband are thinking regarding this?”
Mrs.
Mason smiled sheepishly – her visitor was so polite and pleasant that she felt somewhat embarrassed to refuse him outright.
She carefully chose her words.
“Please understand, for our family, Sam’s future was decided long ago.
This…
talent of his, this thing we never knew he had, came as a complete surprise.
We don’t know if this surprise will have a positive or negative effect on him, but we don’t want him to stray too far from the path we’ve set.”
“If he truly doesn’t want to go, then there’s no straying at all,” Lockhart said.
“Yes, exactly.
No straying,” Mrs.
Mason agreed readily.
“That’s undoubtedly a good thing,” Lockhart continued, following her line of thought.
“Parents plan their child’s future, the child follows the plan step by step, and in the end, they reap the expected rewards.
No surprises, but no unexpected troubles either.
A safe and steady income.”
Mrs.
Mason hadn’t anticipated this response – she had assumed Lockhart was there to persuade them to send their son to Hogwarts.
His unexpected agreement left her momentarily speechless.
But Lockhart pressed on.
“Of course, I understand your husband runs a prestigious construction company, a man of great standing and influence.
I’m sure your son has inherited his talents and will one day take over the reins admirably.”
Mrs.
Mason looked flattered but demurred.
“Oh no, it’s not that impressive.
Sam isn’t very sociable.
His father and I have always worried that he won’t have the right connections in the future.”
“Sounds like a promising candidate for a technical field or law.
I imagine his schoolwork is outstanding as well,” Lockhart continued his praise.
Hearing him talk about her child, Mrs.
Mason brightened considerably.
“Sam’s spelling and Latin are quite good, but his art, mathematics, and science aren’t as satisfactory.
Architecture probably isn’t for him.
Business school, though, we worry about the socializing aspect.
So we thought we’d play to his strengths, have him focus on Latin, and then aim for the civil service…”
Lockhart understood perfectly what she meant.
While Latin wasn’t compulsory in British state schools, it was mandatory in those “top-tier” private schools, and many civil service exams were conducted in Latin – Britain’s class system was blunt and straightforward, almost embarrassingly so for outsiders to point out.
She talked enthusiastically for several minutes, and Lockhart listened patiently, nodding occasionally and murmuring agreement to show he was paying attention.
Finally, as she paused for breath, he interjected.
“I see…
Hogwarts also offers advanced Latin studies.”
“Hogwarts teaches Latin?” Mrs.
Mason asked, curious.
“What use would a…
a school for tricks and magic have for Latin?”
Lockhart sighed gently.
“It seems there’s a deep misunderstanding about us.
In truth, mastering ancient runes, understanding magical theory, or communicating with foreign witches and wizards all require a high level of Latin proficiency.
Many spells need to be spoken in Latin.
For example…”
As he spoke, he drew his wand and gave it a flick towards the teapot.
“Wingardium Leviosa!”
While Lockhart was still rusty on many spells and had only recovered some through practice, the Levitation Charm was the most basic of basics.
He had no trouble with it, having been a normally graduated Hogwarts student after all.
Seeing Mrs.
Mason staring, wide-eyed, at the levitating teapot, Lockhart’s smile broadened.
“…You heard that, a classic Latin incantation.
If your son excels in Latin, he’ll have a significant advantage from his very first day.”
No matter how much one hears, nothing compares to the impact of seeing something firsthand.
Mrs.
Mason began to seriously reconsider.
“If Hogwarts makes Latin compulsory, that’s a good decision.
But what’s the practical use of all this?
Lifting teapots?” Her tone was shifting.
“Of course it’s not just simple tricks like levitating objects.
We have jobs and lives too!” Lockhart waved his wand casually, lowering the teapot.
“As it happens, I’ve brought a gift for your son today.”
Lockhart touched his wand to the air and conjured a small vial he had stored beforehand.
The vial was a simple, square-cut crystal, containing a clear liquid that sparkled like an emerald.
“This is a small bottle of Baruffio’s Brain Elixir.
Just a few drops can significantly enhance mental clarity and memory, boosting learning and work efficiency, with no side effects.
A small bottle like this sells for five Galleons – that’s gold coins.”
Seeing Mrs.
Mason’s puzzled expression, Lockhart elaborated.
“That miraculous?” Mrs.
Mason stared intently at the small bottle.
If she hadn’t witnessed the self-driving car and the levitating teapot, she might have been sceptical.
Now, she was half-convinced.
“Absolutely.
It’s one of the few potions officially recognized by the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers as having no side effects.
Potions is a compulsory subject at Hogwarts.
Some students even make it their career after graduation, and a very lucrative one at that,” Lockhart enthused.
“Besides that, they sometimes brew things like Glowing Confidence Potion, which can eliminate wrinkles…”
“Eliminate what?” Mrs.
Mason’s voice suddenly rose, an edge of eagerness creeping in.
“Wrinkles,” Lockhart repeated.
“Wrinkles and grey hair are a lady’s worst enemies.
Witches dislike them just as much.
Potions like that are always in high demand on the market.”
He conjured another vial from thin air, this one containing a pinkish cream.
“This, for instance.
One application, and you won’t see a single wrinkle for about a week.
Madam Rosmerta, the proprietress of the Three Broomsticks, highly recommends it.
She’s run her pub for years, but Merlin bless me, when I visited yesterday, she looked every bit like a seventeen-year-old girl – in every way.”
Mrs.
Mason couldn’t tear her eyes away from the pink cream.
“How much…
how much is this one?”
“Cheaper than the Brain Elixir.
Just one Galleon and fifteen Sickles…
Ah, I hope you understand, I’m not a potion peddler.
I’m a professor,” Lockhart said, steering the conversation back on track.
Mrs.
Mason realized she had gotten carried away.
“…You’re right, of course.”
“I was just illustrating one of the many possibilities for our graduates.
Things like dragon keeping in Romania or working as a Curse-Breaker in Egypt might seem distant from your life, but you’ve already met Ministry of Magic officials, haven’t you?
Our Ministry has a direct line to the British Prime Minister’s office, and we sometimes report directly to him.
Besides that, there’s Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the Daily Prophet, the Wizarding Wireless Network, St Mungo’s Hospital, the Wizengamot courts, even working on magical transport…
In short, we have plenty of professions too.”
Mrs.
Mason nodded, indicating she understood.
Sensing the moment was right, Lockhart began his final push.
“Of course, I’m not saying all this to prove a point.
I’m merely presenting a ‘possibility’ to you and your son.”
“A possibility?” Mrs.
Mason echoed.
Her mind was buzzing with all the information Lockhart had poured into it.
She needed time to think.
“Yes, a possibility,” Lockhart repeated.
“Undeniably, the future you’ve planned for your son is excellent.
But it’s just one of countless possibilities for his future.
Whether it’s the ‘optimal path’ for him, no one can truly know.
But like Latin, magic is one of the many talents your son possesses.
Moreover, it’s an extraordinary and exceptionally rare gift.
If you were to forbid him from pursuing this talent without understanding it fully, to deny him a ‘possibility’ that could bring him greatness…
I find it difficult to call that the right decision.”
With that, Lockhart took a sip of tea, leaving Mrs.
Mason to ponder.
She sat in silence for a good minute before finally speaking again.
“So…
besides Potions and Latin, what else does Hogwarts teach?”
Hearing her soften, Lockhart seized the opportunity.
“So much.
Latin is part of Ancient Runes.
Then there are Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Astronomy, Flying, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures…
Believe me, the workload is far from easy.
Like Eton, Hogwarts provides an elite education.”
Mrs.
Mason hesitated.
“It sounds like only Latin, Herbology, and Astronomy could be listed as ‘specialties’ on a university application?”
“Things like riding, they’d need to learn on their own,” Lockhart thought wryly.
“Latin is essential for civil service exams.
Plant identification and astronomy are also considered gentlemanly pursuits.
They could certainly be mentioned in university applications.”
“If I recall correctly, Hogwarts only teaches them until they’re seventeen?” Mrs.
Mason asked further.
“Yes, which would tie in perfectly with university here.
With six months of intensive Muggle secondary study using Baruffio’s Brain Elixir, your son could cover what takes other children six years.”
“In that case, I’ll discuss it with my husband when he returns,” Mrs.
Mason said, finally showing genuine interest.
“Also, you’re certain you’ll be teaching at Hogwarts yourself?”
“Absolutely,” Lockhart replied without hesitation.
“That’s wonderful.
I’d also like to ask Sam’s opinion when he gets back.
Actually, he was quite upset when he found out we’d hidden the letter from Hogwarts…” Mrs.
Mason admitted with a rueful smile.
“Understandable,” Lockhart thought.
Any child hearing they could learn magic would hardly care about quadratic equations.
“Then it’s settled.
If you have any more questions, do talk to Mr.
Dursley.
They have a nephew, Harry Potter, who’s also at Hogwarts, about to start his second year,” Lockhart added.
“Dursley?” Mrs.
Mason seemed to recall something.
“You mean Vernon Dursley, the drill salesman?”
“Yes,” Lockhart confirmed.
“I had no idea they had a nephew!” Mrs.
Mason exclaimed.
“That man is constantly pestering my husband, trying to sell him drills.
He even invited us to his place at the end of the month.
I never knew they were connected to…
all this!”
“Well, they aren’t, actually…
Never mind.
You can find out for yourself,” Lockhart said, thinking it best not to elaborate.
“I understand what you’re saying.
If the school has dedicated teachers like you, I’d feel more at ease about Hogwarts.”
Though she didn’t say it outright, her inclination was clear, and Lockhart could hear it.
“Then I’ll await the good news.
After you’ve decided, you can use Harry Potter’s owl to send a letter to Hogwarts.
I’ll visit again in mid-August to take your son to buy his textbooks and other supplies.
The list is in the letter.
For the basic set, it’s under sixty Galleons, about three hundred pounds.
If you want extra robes, potions ingredients, books, or pocket money for the child, it’s best to prepare around a thousand pounds.”
Hearing the amount, Mrs.
Mason didn’t even blink.
“That’s not expensive.
I spend about that much on clothes for the family every weekend.”
Lockhart smiled.
“In that case, let me leave you a book…
It’s called Magical Me, my autobiography.
I come from a mixed-blood family myself, grew up in a Muggle environment, went to Hogwarts, and I’ve done reasonably well for myself.
I hope it helps you understand wizarding society a bit better.”
He then stood up and took his leave.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this child was as good as recruited.
He had no desire to waste more time flirting with a respectable married woman.
His next visit was to another Muggle-born student – Colin Creevey.
This milkman’s son could have stayed out of it, but in his sixth year, he bravely stepped forward and gave his life fighting Voldemort.
All that remained were some magical photographs he had taken.
He was one of the most heartbreaking characters in the entire series, and Lockhart couldn’t help but take notice.
After he left, Mrs.
Mason realized he had left both potion bottles and the book on the table.
She hesitated for a moment, then carefully picked up the pink cream.
Perhaps she should give it a try…
…
A day later, Harry Potter, bored and moping because he hadn’t received any letters from his friends all holiday, was reading in his cupboard when he suddenly heard Uncle Vernon bellow.
“Harry – Potter!
Get down here this instant!”
Startled, he hurried down the stairs.
But to his surprise, when he appeared before his uncle, Vernon Dursley didn’t look particularly angry.
“Sit down,” he said to Harry.
“Now tell me, that trick school of yours…
what exactly is it?”
Harry could hardly believe his ears – what on earth had gotten into the man?