Who let this Dementor into Hogwarts!

Chapter 108: You're looking for me now? Bah! Shameless!
None of the students left - most of them were eager to see Lockhart and Filch fight, especially after what they had experienced in Lockhart's class.

Even the students who had just attended Lockhart's "well-prepared" class today were no exception.

Although Lockhart did demonstrate some effective magic in this class, when they really wanted to learn, Lockhart was unable to pour out the magic, just like pouring dumplings from a teapot, which made everyone extremely disappointed in his teaching ability.

Dumbledore also quickly brought other professors to the chaotic scene.

Filch glared at Lockhart with resentment, but Lockhart didn't dare to look him in the eye.

Dumbledore looked at the writing on the wall, then at Lockhart and the petrified cat.

"Gilderoy?" Dumbledore asked Lockhart, frowning.

"This is definitely not me!" Lockhart said in a panic, "You know - I can't do this to a cat, I love small animals the most -"

"But that's your signature on the wall!" a voice from the student body shouted, holding up a signed book of Lockhart's. "This is what your signature looks like!"

"Signatures can be forged!" Lockhart roared, "Especially since I signed so many books for you for free! It must be some student trying to frame me!"

"Please do not make groundless accusations against students without any basis." Dumbledore's tone became stern.

"My cat is dead!" Filch cried to Dumbledore, noticing how seriously Dumbledore took the matter. "I want to see the criminal punished!"

"Argus, let's go to the office and talk." Dumbledore brought Mrs. Norris with him, his blue eyes staring at Lockhart through the half-moon frames. "I remember Gilderoy's office is right next to it. Can we use it for a while? Gilderoy?"

"Of course..."

Lockhart said nervously.

"Everyone, please return to your dormitories," Dumbledore said to the students. "After eating and drinking, you need to have a good night's sleep. The professors will take care of this matter. Please don't panic."

No one looked panicked, because no student liked Mrs. Norris or Filch, and the "culprit" Lockhart had been taken away by Dumbledore.

"That's awesome!" Ron said happily on the way back to the dormitory, "Something happened to the two people I hate the most!"

"Why would Lockhart want to write his name on the wall?" Harry asked puzzled.

With the information Cohen reported in advance, Harry naturally believed that Lockhart was the one who killed Mrs. Norris.

But Lockhart's action was so stupid - even a child couldn't bear to watch it.

"That's probably the mentality of all celebrities," Cohen said nonsensically. "They want more exposure and fame. #Hogwarts professor murders colleague's cat# sounds like something that could make headlines."

"Hermione? Why are you unhappy?" Ron asked, leaning over to Hermione. "It's such a good day and you don't even smile!"

"I don't think this is funny, Ron," Hermione said with a frown. "I thought Coin was making an exaggerated joke when he said Lockhart wanted to 'murder' Mrs. Norris, like plucking its hair, or..."

"Or maybe kill it and Filch at the same time," Ron thought viciously.

"This incident isn't the point!" Hermione skipped over Ron's fantasy. "Didn't you see the words on the wall and Lockhart's expression when he saw them? 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware.' But Lockhart looked completely bewildered when he saw those words—he hadn't expected this outcome at all. I could tell!"

"Hermione, after that class, I thought you no longer admired Lockhart." Harry was a little confused.

"It's not about worship!" Hermione's brain was thinking rapidly. "Don't you think there have been too many accidents this year? First, Harry and you were stopped outside the station, then there was the mysterious voice Harry and Cohen heard, and then there was Lockhart attacking Filch's cat. And, Harry, didn't you say that your scar hurt again a few nights ago?"

"Indeed!" Harry's eyes lit up. "You mean... there's a conspiracy behind this?"

"Little detectives, what's the password?" They had unknowingly arrived at the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, and the Fat Lady asked them with a smile.

"Coal," Hermione said to the Fat Lady, but she hadn't finished her topic yet. "Lockhart attacked Mrs. Norris, but it's very likely that he wasn't the one who wrote that line - I don't believe someone would be stupid enough to write his own name at the crime scene. To understand everything, we must first find out what the Chamber of Secrets is."

But figuring out what the secret room is is not something that can be achieved tonight, and Cohen has no reason and no desire to reveal the information to the three people in advance this time - he should pretend to be more like an uninformed person.

Back in the lounge, Cohen went straight to the dormitory as usual.

"So early again?!" Ron said in surprise.

"Why say again?" Cohen replied, "It's past eight o'clock now. If I don't sleep for school, I won't have so much time to sleep after graduation!"

"I'm going to sleep too," Harry said, clutching his scar. "Maybe it's because I didn't get enough sleep—my scar is hurting again. It seems to be hurting every now and then these past few days."

"Oh my god..." said the lonely Ron miserably.

"You can do this week's homework now," Hermione said to Ron. "If you come across something you don't understand, I can teach you."

"I'm so sleepy. I want to go to bed too." Ron was no longer alone.
-
Cohen's spirit drifted to Lockhart's office—unsure if it was too late to eat the melon.

But Lockhart's office was very quiet. Cohen went in and Lockhart was the only one left there.

The professors' discussion seemed to have ended, and Lockhart did not start packing his luggage. It seemed that he had guarded his "innocence".

Cohen watched Lockhart look at the door several times with concern. After making sure that no one was peeping or eavesdropping, he took down the picture frame with Voldemort on the back from the wall.

"I couldn't—" Lockhart began frantically but was interrupted by a furious Voldemort.

"I heard you! Fool!" Voldemort cursed. "You've been caught! He must have figured it out!"

"Dumbledore didn't notice—"

"I'm talking about Cohen!" Voldemort said angrily. "He must have followed you! Otherwise, who would have deliberately changed your writing from 'Cohen' to 'Lockhart'?"

"He's just a child..." Lockhart was puzzled by the reason for Voldemort's anger. "As long as Dumbledore—"

"Dumbledore is not the point!" Voldemort became increasingly disappointed with Lockhart. "You don't understand at all... I am so disappointed in you..."

"You - wait a minute -" Lockhart watched Voldemort's face gradually disappear from the back of the picture frame, "You're not leaving, are you? You're going to work with that Cohen Norton? No - what about my subsequent classes!"

Voldemort did not respond to him, because his soul had already drifted away.

But for some reason, even though Voldemort was now in ghost form, he could not see Cohen in this room.

And Cohen could see him.

Perhaps this is the difference between a superior soul purified by the Philosopher's Stone and an inferior soul made into six Horcruxes...

It does look like Voldemort is going to Gryffindor Tower to find Cohen - now he knows to look for his old ally?

Cohen still prefers Voldemort's previous rebellious appearance.

(End of this chapter)