Chapter 42: Professor Kettleburn
The torrential rain poured down even harder, so much so that Lockhart became somewhat troubled.
He looked out the window with some helplessness, not knowing how to get back to school.
This heavy rain would clearly last all night.
He was very sure of this—based on the lifelong weather observations of an elderly wizard with rheumatism.
He knew a little magical trick to make the tip of his wand extend into an airflow barrier to become an umbrella, and he also understood all the casting techniques of the advanced weather charm 'Caelum Tectum,' which was applied to an individual.
But he couldn't cast either of them.
Now, the only way seemed to be to ride his flying broom at top speed through the rain towards the school castle, but that was absolutely impossible!
If the young wizards saw his disheveled appearance, his image would suffer a blow.
Even the original Lockhart wouldn't have done that.
The original Lockhart knew he was all show and no substance, knew that many of the benefits he enjoyed came from the carefully maintained facade he had created, and would never allow it to be sullied in any way.
Lockhart was even more useless than the original, so naturally, he would pay even more attention to this.
Only by maintaining a good image could he better participate in Harry Potter's 'epic hero fairy tale,' earn the maximum benefits of being the 'Savior's Professor' this school year, and gain potential for magical improvement.
He wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip away.
But...
Having said that, how was he going to get back?
He decided not to trouble himself with this question but to ask these creatures.
Madam Car seemed very willing to take him back, but she had recently crashed into the school's precious Whomping Willow, causing a lot of damage. The school was already turning a blind eye, so brazenly driving into the school grounds at this time would be rather tactless.
However, the long-whiskered rabbit offered to help.
Lockhart keenly felt that chaotic, primal magic within him working again.
It surged with a unique rhythm of the Forest Witch—when you sincerely tell the forest your troubles, you will find that the forest is very willing to help you, because you are always the darling of the forest.
Lockhart decided to call this state of magic the Forest Witch's 'Forest Darling State.'
Truly interesting.
Lockhart keenly observed the most fundamental difference between Defense Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures—Defense Against the Dark Arts experts always tended to close their minds to avoid being influenced and harmed by monsters, while Care of Magical Creatures experts were more inclined to open their minds and communicate with all things in nature.
Under the guidance of the long-whiskered rabbit, he climbed into the passenger seat and burrowed into the magical rabbit hole in the small glove compartment in front of him.
Before leaving, he reached his hand out of the rabbit hole to say goodbye to Madam Car.
Then he lowered his head and walked into a passage full of flowing light.
Following the sturdy rabbit, sometimes he would turn corners, sometimes he would be pushed upwards by an invisible force, and sometimes he would slide downwards quickly.
Finally, he saw a patch of white light again.
Above his head.
The sturdy rabbit squatted beside him, pointed at the hole with its furry little finger, and made a gesture to climb out.
It seemed it didn't plan to go over, just waiting for Lockhart to go out before closing this temporarily created passage.
"Thank you!"
Lockhart listened carefully and could vaguely hear the hooting of owls and the sound of young wizards talking as they passed by in the distance.
It seemed there were no problems.
But he still cautiously held the Winged Demon in the palm of his left hand before reaching out and pulling himself out of the magical rabbit hole.
"Oh~~~"
An old voice sounded from outside the hole. "My old friend, you've come to see me?"
"Huh? A person?"
Lockhart cautiously clung to the edge of the hole, peering out. He was surprised to find that this seemed to be a professor's office. The air was filled with the damp and quickly drying, fishy smell of kept animals like cats and dogs, and he vaguely felt a hot, dry air directly stinging his nose.
Clap clap.
A pair of prosthetics hobbled closer. The person lowered their head and looked down at Lockhart, trying to discern him. They were taken aback and said, "Professor Lockhart?"
"Hi~"
Lockhart gave his standard perfect smile. "Professor Kettleburn, good evening."
Seeing the other person about to help him up, he quickly climbed out of the rabbit hole and scrambled to his feet, supporting the other person. "Be careful, I can manage myself."
Professor Kettleburn looked somewhat dejected, patted his prosthetic leg, and sighed. "Old, useless."
His condition looked terrible.
His aged body looked unhealthy and gaunt, his face covered in wrinkles and hideous scars. He only had his left arm left, and only half of his right leg down to the knee.
Lockhart wouldn't look down on this disabled old wizard, flattering him. "But just a few days before I took up my post as professor, I still saw news in the Daily Prophet about your latest daring venture into the dragon reserve. Everyone admires you."
Professor Kettleburn held the post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher and was a legendary figure in the wizarding world. He was known in the community as 'Kettleburn the Encyclopedia,' which showed how brilliant he was in his professional field.
Based on his life experience, Voldemort and Newt should both have been his students.
Just like the stereotype that 'Hufflepuffs produce Herbologists and Care of Magical Creatures experts,' this big shot was also from Hufflepuff House.
His most famous feats, besides his fanatical love for dangerous little animals to the point where he only had one and a half limbs left, were that he had been placed on probation a full sixty-two times during his teaching career. Although everyone now respectfully called him professor, his position was still that of a teacher.
Now his health was deteriorating, and it was said that he had repeatedly asked Dumbledore to resign.
"I'm sorry to bother you," Lockhart said with great sincerity. "I don't know why that rabbit brought me here..."
"Dragon Burrow Rabbit!" Professor Kettleburn interrupted his polite words, introducing the name of this magical creature very seriously. "Because they like to live near the nests of the most powerful animals, especially known for living near dragon caves."
"It can take you through passages that represent their life safety, which means they have accepted you. Out of respect, you must know its name."
Lockhart quickly nodded sincerely. "Dragon Burrow Rabbit, yes, Dragon Burrow Rabbit. It brought me here."
Professor Kettleburn smiled with satisfaction, beckoning Lockhart to sit down on a nearby chair. He couldn't stand for long. "Hogwarts Castle has powerful protective magic. Only my office has had its restrictions lifted for them. Of course, they can only come here."
So that's it, Lockhart understood.
"I don't recommend you hold the Winged Demon in your palm," Professor Kettleburn said, taking off his uncomfortable right prosthetic hand and gesturing with it towards the palm of Lockhart's hand while moving his shoulder. "I used to like to teach students to use Winged Demons to protect themselves like those Muggle little toys, called yo-yo... yo-yo what was it called..."
"Yo-yo," Lockhart quickly said.
"Yes, that's it." Professor Kettleburn smiled, placing his right hand on a nearby shelf, picking up his wand from the table and waving it. A copper kettle and two cups floated over from above a fire pit with little fiery snakes leaping in it, pouring a cup of hot cocoa for each of them.
"But once during practical use, I found that when the Winged Demon flicked out, its sharp teeth could easily scrape our little finger..." As he said this, he shrugged. "My little finger was cut off because of this. Luckily, it was still attached by a layer of skin, so I didn't completely lose it during that adventure."
Hiss~
Lockhart sucked in a breath of cold air and quickly stuffed the Winged Demon he was holding in his palm into his pocket.
Professor Kettleburn was a very talkative old man, and also a very lonely old man. He was widely respected by the school's teachers and students for his erudition on magical creatures, but his recklessness with magical creatures also made many people keep their distance from him.
For example, the fire pit used for heating during the rain contained a pile of Fire-Crabs that could explode and ignite the entire house at any time.
Often, there was a difference between experts. Some were good at academic research, while others were good at applying their knowledge practically.
Newt belonged to the latter type, while the current Professor Kettleburn, although he was so knowledgeable about magical creatures that no one knew more than him, sometimes really couldn't control them well.
He had once misused Fire-Crabs during a school performance, burning down the Hogwarts Great Hall and successfully sending many professors and students to the hospital wing for several months.
Lockhart wasn't worried about this. He took the opportunity to ask this encyclopedia of a man about how to care for Winged Demons.
Dark magical creatures would eat whatever was available; if there was nothing to eat, they could go hungry for hundreds of years. But magical creatures were different, and he didn't have much knowledge in this area.
Professor Kettleburn also liked this young man's attitude towards learning. Many young wizards completely forgot about seeking knowledge after graduating from school in their teens, as if the content they learned during those seven years of childhood was enough for the rest of their lives.
Magic...
Such a wonderful and dangerous thing, how could it ever be enough?
Yes, it was very dangerous, in every field.
Accompanied by another flash of lightning outside the window, the roar of thunder echoed through the entire castle.
The Fire-Crabs in the fire pit seemed to be startled and all lit up, making the whole room instantly blindingly bright.
"Oh dear!" Professor Kettleburn exclaimed.
The Fire-Crabs then shot out of the fire pit like fireworks, frantically igniting everything in their path. One even exploded directly in the fire pit, sparks flying everywhere.
Flames instantly shot up to the ceiling, and the entire room was filled with smoke and firelight.
Boom!
Torrential rain poured down outside the window.
Every crack in the office inside was frantically spewing blood water outwards. The blood water surged and rolled like waves, washing over every corner.
In just an instant, Lockhart, who didn't want to become a drowned rat, was soaked all over and covered in blood water.
"Oh! Merlin's pink underpants!"
Professor Kettleburn struggled to stand up from his chair but was slapped back down by a huge wave of blood water. Before he could react again, the blood water disappeared completely, leaving only the water cup in his hand, which had turned from hot cocoa into a blood water mixture, making one's heart palpitate.
He stared blankly at Lockhart in the opposite seat, only to see him elegantly raise his cup and gulp it down.
After drinking, he even smacked his lips.
Lockhart felt his mouth was full of bitterness, the bitterness of his mood.
For a moment, he thought the Fire-Crabs exploding was caused by the curse on him, the threat of death lurking by his side at all times.
But then he would think that this might just be an accident, and his own nervousness and seeing shadows in the cup were particularly ridiculous.
So he drank with a somewhat unpleasant taste.
Seeing Professor Kettleburn looking over, he quickly adjusted his mood and gave a kind smile.
He planned to recommend this vitalizing spring water to the respected old professor, as it was clearly very effective for the old professor's withering body.
Maybe he could even launch a beverage brand like 'Fairy Spring'?
However, the old professor's expression looked so strange.
Professor Kettleburn looked at the blood-covered young man in front of him with some horror. Seeing him holding the blood water and giving himself a 'ferocious' smile with a hint of elegance, smiling with a mouth full of blood water, his pupils dilated violently.
"!!!"
He was so frightened that his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
No?
Lockhart quickly stood up. Old man, you're a tough guy who goes to the wild dragon reserve to adventure every few days! What haven't you seen? Was this necessary?
He had originally wanted to say that since things had already come to this, why not quietly enjoy the spring water that could bring vitality to the other party's withering body?
This was good stuff, don't waste it.
No...
Old man, wake up...
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