Chapter 116: Finish him: Fatality
I looked at Lockhart who was still unable to speak and panicked right now.
'He's really in a tough spot right now, isn't he?' I mused, feeling quite amused. The guy can't just ask Flitwick or me to disable the charm, can he? That would be like accepting in front of everyone that he can't do non-verbal magic. And as a superficial person who has even convinced himself that he's the best just won't admit that he can't even do non-verbal spells.
'Just look him go!' I laughed inwardly as I saw him covertly trying to ask for Flitwick to make to do the counter spell through small and subtle gestures.
'Nope, I'm not gonna let this one go. This is golden opportunity where the guy can't use his Talk no Jutsu!
(I meant he can't used his glib tongue to escape the embarrassment this time. Not everyone has watched Naruto.)
Whatever I say about Gilderoy Lockhart, I have to admit that the guy has a way with words and skills in crowd manipulation. Firstly, he can actually make these introverted and weird adventures talk all about their adventures. Then he can convert that content in something that a majority of the Wizarding populace would believe or atleast enjoy reading.
Then he also knows how to rise to popularity using everything he has in his arsenal including his looks. Not every good writer is popular. Not every good adventure is popular. But he managed to get there with his talent in crowd manipulation.
The next thing in manipulation skills was he was able to stay popular and become even more popular! Here are some words he said himself: "I remember the time when I was writing my second bestseller, Gadding with Ghouls. I believed that the more exposure I got in the press, the better my career would progress. Trouble was, I became overexposed! And it wasn't until I went mysteriously missing for three weeks, subsequently leaking the story to the Prophet that I'd been captured by Trolls in the wilds of Stockton-on-Tees, that I managed to regain my former prominent position as the world's most popular wizard."
I also remember, that in canon, when Hagrid got taken to Azkaban for false charges of being responsible for the attacks on students, the guy claimed that he knew where the Chamber was and what the Salazar Slytherin's monster was all along. He even claimed that he knew Rubeus Hagrid was guilty all along when the Minister for Magic arrestedthe gamekeeper.
See that? That's the kind of sleazy guy he is. That's why, today, I'll take this opportunity to fully embarrass him and reveal his fraudness to everyone.
I looked around at everyone and spoke up, "For those who still thing that this man is competent, and can teach us anything useful, let me give you the proof of his incompetence: This man can't even perform the counter spell to the Silencing charm I performed on him a few moments earlier!"
"What?!"
"Really?!"
"...Is that true?"
The crowd began murmuring among themselves.
I spoke up again. "What? Don't believe me? Then just look at this mute person standing right here." I said, gesturing towards Lockhart. "Gilderoy Lockhart, speak if you can! You fraud! You swindler! Haha, today I've got right under foot. You can't escape this time, can you? In your adventures, you perform extraordinary magics NON VERBALLY, while here you are, unable counter the Silencing charm, which is just fifth and sixth year stuff. So, if you don't say anything in the next 3 seconds, then it means that you're nothing but a fraud and liar who's been lying about your adventures." That's it! I have him. My Silencing charm was actually overpowered to the spell frame limit. I know with certainty that this pretender that undo it.
"One." I called out, and the students all waited in anticipation to see Lockhart fail.
Let me make this clear. Even before today, more than 80% of the students hated Gilderoy Lockhart and had gotten aware of the facts that he's a fraud. But whenever they tried to expose him, the bastard has somehow, one way or another, gotten away from it, making them very annoyed and angry. So, what I was currently doing was once again the legend's work. Someone was finally going to be able to do what everyone has been wanting to see happen for months: To expose Lockhart's scamming and swindling.
Right now, they're enjoying this too much, even more than me!
So, for the second count, more that half the students shouted together with me.
"TWO!"
Lockhart the persistent bast*rd still didn't give up! He realized that Flitwick wasn't gonna help him on this so he looked around to find the crazy fangirls to for help.
And for the third one, something unexpected happened. Someone from the crowd actually tried casting the counter spell to the Silencing charm on Lockhart! It was the Griffindor b*tch girl who tried to curse me earlier.
Man, these b*tches never learn, do they?
I didn't even need to do anything. The moment the girl made a show of whipping out her wand and shouting out the spell, atleast 10 Protegos (Shielding charms) formed in front of Lockhart, casted by many of his haters who has seen Lockhart looking towards the b*tch and predicting the b*tch's response. And to my surprise, one of the shielding charm had been casted by Professor Flitwick himself!
"And... THREE!!!" I shouted, raising up three fingers in the air. This time, the whole student populace shouted together as one.
Lockhart, for the first time, had been so embarrassed that he his face turned a deep shade of red while he couldn't think of anything to escape the situation untill the end. But now, he seemed to have gone beyond shame and embarrassment, to the realm of absolute anger and fury towards me as he glared at me through reddened eyes.
And, the incompetent man still couldn't speak! Lockhart, oh Lockhart, what a bad day you're having, huh? Came here to step on an ant but got smashed by an elephant instead. Hmm, such a strange thing that I feel no sympathy or compassion whatsoever.
I looked around, "So, as you can see, this swindler right here, who claims to have casted countless complicated and difficult spells non-verbally in his books, can't even cast a simple 'Finite Incantatem', a second or third year spell non-verbally!" I said and the crowd roared in boos for Lockhart. By now, this had become an entertainment show in which they see the most annoying celebrity get destroyed.
"But, I'm not done yet!" I said, "To prove that his incompetence even further, I'm going to remove the Silencing charm myself and have a fair duel with him!"
"YEEAAAAAH" the crowd hollered their approval.
"Finite Incantatem." I said, and Lockhart was suddenly able to speak.
"Professor Flitwick, I'm sorry to make you wait. Could you please start the duel quickly? I asked urgently, fearing that Lockhart still might be able to somehow turn this around by his annoying words now that he can speak.
But as I looked back at Lockhart, I realized that I didn't need to worry about that at all. Currently, Lockhart seemed to infuriated that his sole goal in life seemed using the Cruciatus curse on me. Not gonna lie, I do sometimes feel that I have a special talent in pissing people off. Like, I had realized long ago that it is impossible for me to please everyone, but it's incredibly easy for me to piss everyone off.
"Duelers take stance!" yelled Flitwick. "This is an Honor Duel in which Gilderoy Lockhart has challenged Chris Martin. I will not be able to interfere unless dark magic is used or one of the participants is in mortal danger. Do the Duelers consent?"
"Acoleo!"
"Acoleo!"
"Acoleo!"
"Acoleo!"
"Acoleo!"
"Acoleo!"
I hadn't even given Lockhart time to try casting a shield. The guy tried dodging at first, but it was no use since I fired right where he was going to dodge, making it look like he stepped into my spells' path. After the first three spells, that hit different spots, the pain became so much that he couldn't even think of casting a shielding or dodging. So, he could only one sidedly take in all my attacks as cried and screamed in pain.
By the end, he had multiple lacerations and stings in his whole body and looked completely messed up.
'Hmm....this should do.' I thought, feeling quite satisfied to thoroughly beat him up. Though I was a bit disappointed that he couldn't even take Stinging hexes.
Truly after dueling with Fleur and Tonks for so long, I was thinking I'd have to reveal a bit more to defeat him even if he turned out to very much weaker then them, but I guess either Tonks and Fleur are too good, or Lockhart is just too bad.
"Ha...ha..."
'What the'
But, I was surprised at that moment, because, Lockhart the zombie... still hadn't had enough!
He slowly got up with difficulty while bleeding all over. He looked in a very sorry state which I hope Collin is capturing perfectly.
"V-Very good... Chris. N-Nice idea... to show them how to evade s-spells and how to cast the... s-stinging hex. I could have... defeated you"
I didn't give chance to brag more.
'Looks like physically hurting him isn't going to do the trick.'
To make sure it hurts, I did something that's going to make him cry for his mommy.
I casted an instant scalping hex on Lockhart. What does it do? It scalps the hair instantly!
*Zap*
The spell hit Lockhart right in the face, making him go bald. Making him look almost unrecognizable!
"Pffft!"
"Damn!"
"Hahahahahahahah"
"Oh Merlin! He's bald! Hahaha"
"Pfft! He looks almost unrecognizable without his hair."
"No hair! That's like a Cruciatus to Lockhart, isn't it?!"
"Damn, Martin's too brutal! First his teeth and his hair!"
Upon hearing the laughing from all around Lockhart's eyes widened and hands slowly went to head...only to find a smooth and shiny bald head.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaa!" Lockhart screamed like a girl upon realizing that the precious hair, that he spends many hours grooming daily on, had all been cut off!
***
A.N.: The conclusion is still left plus the plan.
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