Hogwarts: I'm Truly a Model Wizard

"Seriously…" Mikel said, setting down his finished Potions homework. He thought for a moment before continuing, "I feel like they're all a bit… crazy."

Kyle blinked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know what they're always going on about?" Mikel sighed, putting his quill aside. "Every time I'm in their common room, I hear someone loudly talking about who the Heir of Slytherin might be—and a lot of them say they want to help 'purify' the school alongside him."

Kyle scoffed. "Help the monster in the Chamber of Secrets 'purify' the school? Seriously?"

Mikel's frustration only grew as he spoke. "Yeah, from the way they talk, it's like they see the rest of us as pests. It's no wonder so many people have issues with Slytherin."

He paused, glancing at Kyle. "One day, I couldn't hold back. I waited until someone was heading out the door and gave this arrogant guy a solid punch in the face. That's how I ended up getting caught."

Kyle chuckled, a mix of amusement and concern. "Sounds like you made a quick escape, though?"

"Oh, I did! They were so slow—I only had to dash up three flights of stairs to lose them. But, unfortunately, I didn't realize I'd dropped my scarf while I was running. A third-year Slytherin recognized it, and Snape docked me fifty points, just like that."

Mikel thumped the table in frustration, and Kyle shook his head with a smirk. It was lucky that Mikel's reflexes had helped him escape quickly; otherwise, he'd have lost more than just fifty points.

But Mikel's story gave Kyle some useful insights. He could likely rule out suspects like Pansy, Millicent, and Crabbe. With their personalities, if any of them had truly been responsible for releasing the Basilisk, they'd probably have bragged about it by now. The real Heir would likely be more cautious.

Kyle considered this for a moment, then asked, "Do you know if any of them missed the Halloween feast?"

Mikel thought about it briefly. "The Halloween feast? I think they all went."

"Filch's attack is the main thing they keep bringing up. If anyone wasn't in the Great Hall that night, I'm sure they'd have been interrogated right away. When I was there, though, no one seemed to be questioning anyone."

Kyle frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe… or maybe they'd finished questioning everyone before you arrived."

"Possibly," Mikel agreed.

Kyle returned to the dormitory, still mulling over the clues in his mind. There were fewer suspects now, but he'd have to keep a close eye on the remaining ones.

...

In the weeks that followed, Kyle kept a close watch on the Slytherin students, looking for anything out of the ordinary. But after a month of careful observation, he hadn't noticed anything suspicious. Everything in the castle seemed calm, even normal.

As February arrived, the snow gradually began to melt, and pale sunlight once again touched the grounds of Hogwarts. There hadn't been any new attacks, and optimism was spreading through the school. Many students were starting to believe Lockhart's claims that he'd put an end to the Chamber of Secrets monster.

Adding to the sense of relief, Professor Sprout shared some promising news during Herbology. The mandrakes were growing more temperamental and withdrawn, a sign they were nearing maturity. With a bit more time, perhaps another month or two, those who had been petrified could be fully revived.

Amid all this good news, Lockhart seemed especially pleased with himself. His Start-of-Term Feast proclamation had won over new admirers, and students who had previously doubted him were now among his loyal fans.

"To raise morale and help everyone move past last term's unfortunate events, I have a surprise in store for you," Lockhart announced cheerfully in one of his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. "I can't say too much just yet—it's a secret, after all—but I think you'll all enjoy it."

His mysterious words sent whispers rippling through the classroom as students speculated about what he might be planning.

The mystery didn't last long. The very next day, Valentine's Day, Lockhart's surprise was revealed.

When Kyle entered the Great Hall that morning, he paused, almost convinced he'd stepped into the wrong room. The four walls were draped with enormous pink flowers, and heart-shaped confetti drifted down from the enchanted ceiling. Behind the staff table, a massive heart made of colorful flowers hung proudly.

The scene resembled a wedding venue more than a school dining hall.

"I guess this must be Lockhart's surprise," Fred muttered, brushing confetti from his head.

"Thinking the same thing," Cedric replied, glancing toward the professors' table.

Up front, Lockhart—clad in a blindingly pink robe—stood waving to quiet the hall. Beside him, the professors sat with various levels of discomfort, none more severe than Snape. Positioned on the left side of the massive heart backdrop with Lockhart on the right, Snape's scowl darkened the whole scene, making him look as if someone had shoved a handful of Cockroach Clusters at him. His grip on his wand was tense, and Kyle had no doubt that if anyone pushed him the wrong way, Snape would unleash a Sectumsempra, quite literally.

The only one amused was Dumbledore, who had donned a pearly white robe to better blend with the decorations, grinning broadly as he surveyed the students.

"Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!" Lockhart said, practically beaming. "So far, 65 people have sent me cards, and I'd like to thank them… And yes, I took the liberty of arranging this little surprise, but there's more to come!"

With a flourish, he clapped his hands, and twelve dwarves entered, each with drooping expressions, wearing golden wings and carrying harps slung over their shoulders.

Lockhart announced that these dwarves would roam the castle all day, delivering Valentine's Day cards. "I know you're excited, but stay tuned—there's still more to come!" he said, clapping his hands again.

"Everyone, look up!"

At his cue, hundreds of owls swooped into the Great Hall, dropping letters and packages onto students in a chaotic shower of notes. Amid the flurry, Cedric caught sight of one of the letters falling by his seat, and out of curiosity, picked it up.

He took one look at it, and his face changed.

"His golden hair is like freshly cooked polenta, and his red lips are as inviting as ripe tomatoes…"

"What in Merlin's name is this?" Cedric recoiled, feeling a surge of nausea, and quickly tossed the note away, rubbing his hands against the stool as if to scrub away the memory.

"I understand that some of you may lack experience writing greeting cards," Lockhart continued, smiling wider than ever. "So, I've taken the liberty of sharing a few examples from my own collection! Feel free to copy them… word for word."

He flashed a brilliant smile. "But, of course, if you have other ideas, that's perfectly fine too! Professor Snape is a master of Love Potions, never failing to concoct a delightful batch. And Professor Flitwick here is a true master in Entrancing Enchantments—a cunning old man, he is!"

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands, clearly wishing he could disappear under the table, while a twitch appeared in Snape's forehead as he raised his wand several times, seeming to wrestle with the impulse to hex Lockhart.

"I'd say Professor Snape's reaching his limit," Cedric whispered, then his gaze shifted to the dwarves. A thought struck him, and he turned to Kyle with a hint of desperation. "Kyle, you know the Disillusionment Charm, don't you?"

Kyle nodded.

"Could I borrow the Invisibility Cloak today?" Cedric asked, barely concealing his urgency. "I'd pay you anything—just name your price."

Kyle laughed. "No need for money. It's in my dormitory; I'll bring it to you after breakfast."

"Thanks!" Cedric exhaled in relief.

Though he wasn't certain anyone would send him a Valentine's card, he wanted to be prepared. If he were ambushed by singing dwarves in a crowded hallway, the humiliation would be unbearable. For now, staying at Hogwarts seemed preferable to transferring to another wizarding school.