Lockhart was still awake.

He looked into the mirror, absorbed in the reflection of his face.

"Gilderoy, you are really excellent." His eyes were blurred and his tone was floating. "I should contact Rita tomorrow and ask her to write a gorgeous report for me. What kind of title should I give it?"

"Hogwarts Crisis, Lockhart's Justice Aid?"

"Another epic story. He is the savior of wizards?"

He was thinking about how to show off himself better.

A beam of white light flew over and hit him hard in the face.

It's a paper crane.

Before he had time to get angry and think about which Gryffindor had played this prank, the paper crane unfolded before his eyes, revealing the flamboyant words on it, as well as the final signature.

He looked terrified and lowered his voice: "Professor Dumbledore wants to see me, is he..."

"Impossible to discover?"

"But he is the greatest White Wizard. He is very powerful."

"Oh, well, you really have faith?"

He wandered around the office, feeling anxious.

"You don't have to rush me. Okay, I won't let him doubt me."

Lockhart opened the door and just took one step out when he asked anxiously, "He really can't find it?"

"oh!"

"Don't be angry, I'll go now, right now!"

He ran as fast as he could and arrived at the principal's office panting.

"Lockhart, thank you for coming here." Dumbledore waved at him and motioned for him to sit down.

Lockhart breathed a sigh of relief. With such a gentle attitude, it seemed like it wasn't a big deal?

He felt relieved and his butt just touched the stool.

"I regret to inform you that you are expelled from Hogwarts." Dumbledore's words made him feel like he was sitting on a spring and then bounced up suddenly.

"Expelled?" Lockhart screamed in astonishment, his throat torn as if it were torn apart. "Why?"

“My performance has not always been excellent…”

Snape interrupted him: "As good as a troll? Even if Mr. Potter was put in your position, he would easily be able to do better than you."

"Fifth- and seventh-year students are all very troubled." Professor McGonagall also interjected, "They have to take more time to consult other professors."

"What you teach is not enough for any exam."

"If this continues, not a single student this year will even get an 'e'."

Lockhart turned pale and struggled to stammer, "No, you can't do this. I... I have contributed to Hogwarts. I founded the Dueling Club..."

"And a student died as a result." Snape put the blame on him without hesitation.

Lockhart didn't dare to refute, nor did he know how to refute, so he shrank his head and closed his mouth.

With this attitude, anyone can see that he has something to hide.

Dumbledore waved his wand gently, and Harry sensed that the magic lingered over Lockhart.

He was silent for a long while before withdrawing his magic and continuing, "Minerva talked to you about the students."

"But you didn't correct your behavior and are still dating students."

Lockhart argued forcefully: "It was consensual between them and me..."

"You can wait until they graduate." Professor McGonagall gritted her teeth. "After they graduate, you are free to do whatever you want."

“But now!”

"You are still a professor, and they are still students."

"One must be shameless to rely on one's status as a professor to approach students."

Lockhart gritted his teeth and made a ruthless decision: "I will correct it, I really will, Professor McGonagall, I can't leave like this, I can't explain to my fans..."

"Lockhart, it's not about leaving in disgrace anymore." Dumbledore shook his head, "I've discovered something else that's more interesting and far more serious than you dating a student as a professor."

Lockhart reached his hand into his robe, revealing the wrinkles. Fear welled up in his eyes and cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

"I have always known that you are not worthy of your reputation." Dumbledore fiddled with the wand in his hand seemingly casually, "But I have always believed that you just heard other people's experiences, bought them, and then made them into your own stories."

At this point, he laughed at himself.

"I thought you were too naive. I thought you were the little wizard in the castle who only knew how to play some bad jokes."

"You stole their lives."

"Get the story out of them and use the forgetfulness spell to make them forget the past."

Lockhart widened his eyes: "No, how could you know, I didn't tell anyone else..." When he said this, he realized something and his expression became more panicked.

"You used Legilimency on me?" After a long moment, he stared at Dumbledore in disbelief.

"I have to be responsible for my students." Dumbledore said with a trace of barely detectable guilt, "Unqualified professors have already done them a great deal of harm."

"Will you send me to the Ministry of Magic?" Lockhart asked an innocent question.

Dumbledore said nothing.

Snape sneered.

Professor McGonagall's eyes were filled with disappointment.

Lockhart was terrified and uneasy.

"How about tomorrow?" Dumbledore stood up, walked to him, and tapped his shoulder with his wand. "We will leave the castle together tomorrow."

Lockhart looked up blankly, his eyes empty.

"Go home and have a good sleep tonight." Dumbledore's tone became even gentler.

Lockhart pulled himself up from the chair with difficulty, staggered to the door, held onto the door frame, and looked back pitifully: "Professor Dumbledore."

"Lockhart, sweet dreams." Dumbledore waved his wand, and two hands stretched out from the door frame, helping him walk out. With a "bang", the door was closed heavily.

"He doesn't look like he has the support of the Dark Lord," Snape said sarcastically.

McGonagall frowned slightly; she didn't really like being addressed as Snape.

"A weak person will still be a weakling even if he gets a divine weapon." Harry, who had been sitting in the corner with no sense of existence, stood up and said, "Professor Dumbledore, I didn't expect you to be so decisive."

"Voldemort is a very patient person." Dumbledore pushed his glasses, "We can't always be so passive."

He turned his head and looked at the two professors beside him: "I still can't find that thing on him."

"Severus, and Minerva, I'm afraid you will have to wait with me for him tonight."

"I'll go call Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout." Snape wanted to wave his wand, but noticed that Harry was still there and walked out of the office, so he cast the Patronus Charm to notify them.

"Professor, I'll be leaving now." Harry said goodbye to them.

Snape followed Harry without saying a word, and watched him crawl into the Gryffindor common room before turning around and leaving, casting an Disillusionment Charm and walking towards Lockhart's office.

Most of the little wizards went back to their dormitories to sleep; they were not in the mood to play or read.

Percy was still guarding the door. He was a little surprised to see Harry come in. "Harry...when did you go out? And when it was so dangerous?"

"It was Professor Dumbledore who came to see me." Harry waved his hand, "And don't worry, Professor Snape saw me off just now."

"Isn't that more dangerous?" Subconsciously, Percy stood up.