"How do you know if you don't try?"

"Maybe it will work?"

"You are not as knowledgeable as I am in this area. Why don't you try to believe what I say?"

Lockhart narrowed his eyes, reached out and grabbed the intestines on the ground, stuffed them back into his stomach, and with a playful smile on his face, he glanced to the side: "The hourglass is only half full."

"Professor Dumbledore, won't you think about it again?"

"Just a slug-like Minister of Magic."

"There is no other Dumbledore who can stand up and stop you."

Fudge's face became even more frightened.

"Stop trying to deceive people, Tom." Scrimgeour raised his wand. "Tell me everything now. I'll have people take good care of you when you get to Azkaban..."

He didn't finish his words.

Lockhart swung his wand: "Crucio!"

Scrimgeour was unable to dodge and was hit by the spell. He fell down in pain, his back hunched up like a shrimp and he cried out in pain.

Dumbledore waved his wand, severing the connection of the spell: "Tom!"

"Lockhart" sneered and looked down at Scrimgeour: "What's your name, Jack?"

"Know yourself, okay?"

"Don't do anything you shouldn't do. The only one who can attack me here is Dumbledore. He is the only one who has the qualifications."

"As for you, you can barely kiss the back of my feet. Do you want to come?"

He paused, then suddenly looked up at Harry, saying meaningfully: "Perhaps our Mr. Potter is also qualified to attack me. That gesture..."

"Is it some little spell?"

"Why don't we just play some little games to pass the time?"

Harry said nothing, staring at him warily.

"One fifth left." The hourglass fell rapidly, and Lockhart fiddled with his wand. "You haven't thought about it yet? Can't remember the spell?"

"I can teach you."

"The curse is Avada Kedavra."

"The Fiery Curse is the devilish flame of hell."

Scrimgeour was still lying on the ground. He had not recovered from the Cruciatus Curse for just a few seconds.

Dumbledore made no move to draw his wand again.

In silence, the last wisp of sand fell.

Harry was not going to endure it any longer, so he raised his hand -

"Yarden!"

The purple rune fell to the ground and formed a circle.

Another seal "Alder" swept up an invisible air wave and hit Lockhart hard.

The combined power of the sigils caused Lockhart to stagger back, and a half-illusory black shadow emerged from his back, lingering on his back.

Harry swung his sword and slashed.

With a whoosh, the black shadow quickly leaped back without being affected too much, causing his attack to miss.

Lockhart looked at Harry in astonishment, with a look of surprise in his eyes: "Soul magic?"

"Being able to disturb me is not something a second-year wizard should be capable of."

"I didn't expect that Harry Potter, the bright, just, and great savior, would study these things in private. Does Professor Dumbledore know about this?"

Dumbledore's expression did not change.

Lockhart tutted, looked at Harry who raised his hand and was about to cast the seal again, shook his head, and said softly: "Mr. Potter, now is not the time for us to meet."

"Well, Professor Dumbledore, goodbye."

He finished speaking.

The black smoke fell off Lockhart's body like a disintegrating block, and the whole person fell heavily to the ground like a puppet with its strings loosened.

Fudge took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and was about to speak.

"Lockhart" stood up again, tilting his head with Lockhart's signature smile on his face, and said in a gentle tone: "I almost forgot, I have a gift for you."

"Wake up—"

As soon as he finished speaking, the souls in this body suddenly exchanged, and Lockhart came back. He looked around in panic, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore: "Principal Dumbledore, save me...save me..."

He begged bitterly.

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have believed him."

"He wants my life now."

"I feel so uncomfortable, Professor Dumbledore, I am in so much pain, I am so cold, I want to live so badly."

But as he spoke, he raised his feet and slowly moved towards the Slytherin table.

The internal organs were shaking.

The intestines fell to the ground, rolling out in a long strip.

"Professor Dumbledore, you must be able to stop him." Lockhart's voice became more pleading, his facial features were distorted, and his head was tilted as much as possible so that his pitiful face could be seen.

"He is very afraid of you."

"He asked a lot of questions about you."

"Oh...Harry, and Harry!"

"You can too. He asked a lot of questions about you, too."

Dumbledore raised his hand and pushed his glasses: "Where is Tom's thing?"

"In my tummy, it's in my tummy!" Lockhart replied eagerly. "I just got back to my office that night and saw it on my desk."

"He told me Dumbledore would find him and told me to keep it to myself."

Harry reminded: "There's nothing in your stomach now, not even your internal organs."

Lockhart lowered his head and looked at his stomach with a panicked look in his eyes: "Where's my stomach?"

"No, when..."

"I should have thought of that earlier. My stomach..."

Dumbledore interrupted his last words, "So where were you this morning? Before eight o'clock, you were still in your office."

They watched all night.

Lockhart had always been quiet.

At eight o'clock in the morning, all professors were responsible for protecting the students of their own colleges. After Dumbledore received the news that no young wizards were killed and that they had all arrived at the hall, he also came back here. He had to protect the students' safety.

During this long period of time, Lockhart did not leave the house.

And now, it's not even nine o'clock.

"I... I don't know." Lockhart was confused and tried to recall. "I remember... at half past eight, he told me to go out and take action. Suddenly, I felt very painful. It seemed that he attacked me, so I wanted to come here for help."

"Then……"

"I don't know anything anymore."

"Where to go?" Dumbledore asked again.

Lockhart shook his head, his expression still confused.

But soon, he became panicked again: "Professor Dumbledore, save me! Save me, I'm in so much pain, my body is heating up..."

Dumbledore looked at him coldly: "I am only the headmaster of Hogwarts, and you were expelled last night."

"Rufus! Think of a way." Fudge took out his wand and yelled at the Auror Office Director who was still lying on the ground, "Save Lockhart!"

His voice was like triggering a switch.

Lockhart swelled up as if inflated; his head, arms, and thighs continued to swell.

Before Fudge could shout "Stop the curse".

With a bang——

In the blink of an eye, the body swelled several times, then suddenly exploded, and fireworks of flesh and blood burst out.

No one in the auditorium was injured.

A transparent barrier stood in front of them, covered with blood and flesh, six or seven inches away from them - this was Dumbledore's work.

"For someone who steals other people's lives and makes his own life brilliant." Harry said coldly, and sighed, "It's so fitting to get this most brilliant and passionate way to die."

Dumbledore turned to look at Fudge and said softly, "Cornelly, you saw it all."

"I can't leave Hogwarts now."