Chapter 117: Checkmate B*tch
Chapter 117: Checkmate B*tch
When Lockhart realized that his precious hair had actually been cut off, at that moment, nothing matter to him more than to just defeat this devil. He casted the only spell that he had perfect mastery in: The memory charm.
"OBLIVIATE!!!"
"Damn." Chris muttered as he saw the fast speed of the spell beam and the change in intensity of the light. Usually, the memory charm is quite slow since it's not a combat oriented spell, but this one was traveling relatively very fast. These are characteristics of a spell that's been overpowered to the limits of it's spell frame. He'd also done the same earlier with his silencing charm, but no one was able to tell since Silencing charm produces no spell light.
Chris didn't dare to take on the incoming spell with his Corpomency. The limits of Corpomency are not tested yet, and he'd rather not risk it.
He quickly ducked down and the spell sailed past him harmlessly from over his head. But this spell had so much power that it flew straight to the end of the hall and hit the wall with a bang!
"...."
The crowd who had been quite rowdy while mocking Lockhart suddenly got silent as they saw the clear cut difference between this spell and the rest. That spell could have literally wiped out Chris's whole memory if it had hit him. The spell he'd used just now wasn't even allowed in Dueling tournaments. But since it was an Honor Duel, it was allowed.
Chris slowly got up as he looked at the spell trajectory with wide eyes. (He was only acting.) Inwardly, the guy is grinning like crazy, thinking of using full advantage of this situation.
Acting shocked, he protested. "Hey! This is too abnormal. You're a squib at almost all other magics, but you can only do the memory charm perfectly! That one was way more powerful than the rest!... It seems that you're way too good at obliviating people, aren't you?" Asked Chris with a suspicious gaze, and Lockhart suddenly came out of his angry haze as he realized...he might have f*cked up.
There are important reasons why he hadn't revealed his proficiency in memory charms to anyone. Memory Charm is difficult to master as it is, and mastering it to the level that it's fast enough to be used in direct combat? That's going to make all the people whom he wants to sneakily obliviate wary of him.
Then there's also the fact that people are going to realize that thing are really fishy when they see that he can only do the memory Charm and can't do the rest. And some people might be able to make the connection and realize his secrets.
"Really, how can you be so good at the Silencing charm... unless you've been using it a lot?" Chris seemed to be slowly making the connections, and his words had started making a lot of other people think as well.
Realizing this Lockhart did the only thing he could try to do at that moment: To make Chris stop talking, not realizing that he was only falling deeper in the devil's trap.
When he casted a multitude to blasting, exploding, Stunning, spells on Chris, the devil tried to contain a grin from spreading on his face.
'Checkmate, b*tch!' Chris thought inwardly as he already had Corpomency ready underneath his clothing. Chris made a show of getting hit by some of the spells while he was doing a cool flip, and the spells dissipated harmlessly on impact with his clothes. Though the spells were truly so weak that he felt that he wouldn't even need Corpomency to take them on. Lockhart really is very weak in all other spells.
Chris looked at his body and pretended to be surprised when he saw that he was still unhurt. "So..." he muttered with a tone of certainty. "I was right. You can only do Memory Charm, nothing else, huh?"
'That'll do it.' He thought as mentally he patted himself on the back for a job well done. He could already hear the buzzing and muttering in the background, caused by students coming to their own conclusions for that one. From the start, he'd been hoping for something like to happen. Just defeat Lockhart wasn't enough for this devil. That's why he hadn't defeated Lockhart untill now. Now some of the people can see it crystal clear. The guy can't do magic! Then...how did he write those books? He used the memory charm to steal others achievements.
Then, without any warning or even raising his wand, Chris muttered to spells.
"Densaugeo, Stupefy."
Lockhart, who was in the middle of contemplating whether to use the memory Charm on this devil again or not didn't see the spells coming since Chris was just standing there, relaxed, showing no signs of attacking anytime soon. But when he saw two spells suddenly coming his way, he realized that Chris had muttered something, and that even though Chris had both his hands idle at his sides, his wand tip was still pointing straight at Lockhart's face.
But alas, it was already too late for Lockhart and both spells yet again hit him in the face. Lockhart's teeth started growing at a very fast speed while he got stunned. Soon, his teeth had gotten grotesquely large and his bald head completed his new look.
Flitwick raised his wand up and a bang sounded. "The winner is, Chris Martun! he sqeaked excitedly.
*CHEEERS!!!*
*WHISTLING*
"He won!"
"YEAH!!!"
"Damn! First hair then smile. This guy doesn't pull his jinxes, does he?"
"I'm glad I get to see all this in person. I regretted a lot when I couldn't see him punching Lockhart in person!"
The whole crowd started cheering like mad and Lockhart laid there with his abnormally large teeth and bald head looking quite grotesque.
"Collin! Come up for some close up shots!" Chris shouted over the crowd, and Collin climbed on the stage with his brand new camera that he had bought through the money Chris had paid him. He took the pictures of Chris in a dueling stance while pointing his wand at a grotesque Lockhart. And some close up shot of Lockhart as well.
Chris then thanked Flitwick for being the refree. He had already talked to him about the possibility of Lockhart challenging me to a duel since Chris had already read Lockhart's mind. . (Even with the memories erased he still get chills whenever he try to remember it. And he haven't forgotten the feeling of dinner trying to exit out of his mouth when he'd read Lockhart's mind. )
'Now, I might as well begin my plan.' he thought. Making his voice loud enough to be heard over the crowd, he said,
"Everyone, this... is our Defense Against the Dart Arts teacher." said Chris, pointing at the pitiful Lockhart who was being taken to the Hospital wing. "And, if he can't even beat a second year in duel, then I don't think he can teach us anything!" there were murmurs of agreement and the students nodded and began talking among themselves about the absurd things he teaches in the class.
"Yes," He continued, "The things he's taught you guys upto now is complete nonsense. And at times like this, when attacks are happening at Hogwarts and students are in the danger of being Petrified, it's important that we learn the actual defense against the dark arts, not what not something a fraud who can't fight a second year student teaches you guys!" This time, the agreement was even stronger.
"And, let's not forget the students who are going to have to attend their OWLs and NEWTS exams this year. Please be aware that the teachers in your practicals won't ask you what is Lockhart's favorite colour or how he fought vampires and werewolves barehanded. They would ask you to perform some real spells and ask about actual ways to handle deadly creatures, not something that a swindler who can't even perform those spells taught you." Chris concluded and the noticed the students' reaction.
"See? That's what I've been saying form day 1!"
"We really need to learn that something useful, what with the Chamber of Secrets business going on and all."
"Damn, I never thought about it! I was just thinking it'll all be fine."
"Yeah, this really put things into perspective."
"I always knew something was wrong with Lockhart, but I never would have guessed that the couldn't even do those basic spells properly."
"Really, I could have learned more from the library than what I learned from Lockhart over these months here."
Chris raised his hand for some silence from the students, "So, instead of a Dueling Club run by a fraud, why don't we instead have a club, where we can learn something useful?" He said as he paused for the students to process it.
"... A club like that would be really helpful."
"Anything that's better than Lockhart will do."
"Yeah, we haven't learned anything about the defense this year! I've also been worried about my OWLs."
"It sounds interesting."
"These wizards don't know about school clubs?" asked a muggleborn to another muggleborn.
...
While the crowd was murmuring, Flitwick took over, "Students." he said, and everyone quieted down as they listened closely.
"Even us teachers have been worried about the education of the students in the defense against the dark arts. Hogwarts can't be called the best school if it's students lack proper education in all subjects. But, as you all know, due to our extremely busy schedule, we can't personally teach you anything more than the subject we are assigned."
"And thus, when Mr. Martin proposed to me the a plausible solution about this problem, I decided to fully support it since I think it would be in the best interest of this school and it's students."
"His proposal is to make a club which will help students in their education. A club which will be handled by students themselves!"
"Oftentimes, students hesitate to come to the teachers to solve their doubts and those who can't learn are just left behind. So, this club would be managed only by students. The students can volunteer to teach the you get year students any subject and clear their doubts. If you manage to teach well, this will get you house points and the subject Professor's acknowledgement on your grasp on your subject, which would be useful in many of careers or further studies you may pursue after your NEWTS" he explained, inciting the start of another discussion among the students.
"Woah."
"The acknowledgement?! Really?!"
"Isn't that something that very few top students get every year?"
"Yeah, that's the one. But do you really thing you can actually teach student well? It won't be given to just anyone."
It's something that Flitwick had discussed with the other teachers and gotten their support and approval over. It wasn't difficult to get since the clubs are quite common in muggle schools. Chris was quite surprised there wasn't one in Hogwarts yet.
And about the Acknowledgement thingy, it's something that the students can put in their resums and that'll give them an edge over the other people applying for some particular job that requires expertise on a subject. If you show them that you have the teacher's acknowledgement certificate on the subject, then you're more likely to land the job or the apprenticeship that you're pursuing. Students can also get something similar when they make a spell or do research on some particular magic. It's something that the students like Hermione would do whole heartedly while the others do for getting a better job.
It's similar to how students in muggle colleges make projects and do research on their targeted subjects so that they can add it to their resums along with the Professor's acknowledgement on it.
Flitwick then explained the finer details about the club's management. The club president would appoint the managers from each year these managers take in the students' who want to apply for teaching, including themselves, and then submit it the president. The president would report to the teachers about the students' performance and then teacher would decide whether to reward the student or not.
After explaining everything, Flitwick came to the conclusion. "This idea has been approved by all the teachers in the teacher's meeting this month. And Professor Dumbledore was very impressed by the idea and praised the student who proposed it!" said Flitwick, making the people wish they were the once who'd proposed but first.
"The President of this club would be someone who majority of teachers have agreed to make and the one who proposed idea to me in my office when he was worried about the future of the students who are having problems in a subject this year." said Flitwick not directly saying it was Lockhart's subject. From the beginning, he hasn't said anything directly attacking to Lockhart, but the students can understand that much on their own.
"The students is... none other than Chris Martin! Chris, even though a little extreme at times, is really sincere with his studies. It might shock you all, but the boy has already started his fifth year studies in magic and his talent and dedication is something that I've rarely seen in a student. Most of the other teachers were of the same opinion, and hence, we decided it to be Chris since the prefects and head boy and head girl already have their own duties." said Professor Flitwick, showing the incredible prowess of Chris's buttering skills.
Chris noticed the students' reactions. There were mixed opinions about this one, but he wasn't worried. If he could convince the teachers to appoint me the President, then what's a bunch of students? The speech he's prepared is gonna get them all supporting him with their all. Chris had always had good leadership skills. It's a fact that you're born with 35% of your leadership skills. Those who aren't born with those can only improve the rest of their 65%. Chris was lucky enough to have all 35. This is the beginning of his leadership, and his Greylord carrier.
***
A.N.: I fell ill suddenly. Hope it's not corona.
Scroll a little. Down below, besides the chapter comments icon, you'd find a "Vote" icon hit that button and then hit "Use all"
Thanks for your POWERSTONES and Support!!!
For reading ahead, go to Ptreon /Snollygoster