Harry Potter and Claire Smith's Adventures Book Two

Gullible Goldilocks Casts Boneless Spell

Chapter 9: Gullible Goldilocks Casts Boneless Spell

Since the pixie incident, Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic bits. He usually picked Harry to help him with these reconstructions much to Claire's amusement; so far, Harry had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart dealt with him.

"Books open," Lockhart said.

The students obliged.

"Now, who would like to be the werewolf?" Lockhart said.

"Get ready, Harry," Claire teased him.

"Harry, come up here, my boy!" Lockhart said.

Harry was hauled to the front of the class. He desperately wanted to be anywhere but here at the moment. If he wasn't trying to keep Lockhart in a good mood, he would have refused to do it.

"Nice loud howl, Harry-exactly-and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced-like this-slammed him to the floor-thus-with one hand, I managed to hold him down-" Lockhart went on and on about how he defeated the werewolf.

Claire pretended she was writing notes but in reality she was writing in her diary.

I think my brain is turning to mush, Tom. Lockhart is completely full of himself. I wish this class would end already.

The bell rang and Claire wrote Goodbye to Tom before putting her diary away.

"Homework-compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!" Lockhart said as students began leaving class.

Claire went over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Ready?" Harry muttered.

"Wait till everyone's gone," Hermione said nervously. "All right…."

"We'll wait outside for you," Claire said.

Harry, Ron, and Claire waited outside Lockhart's office for Hermione. Hermione emerged from the classroom a few minutes later.

"Thank you, Professor Lockhart," Hermione said.

"No, problem at all. The least I could do for the best student of the year." Lockhart said.

Claire rolled her eyes as Hermione blushed slightly.

Lockhart then turned to Harry. "So, Harry," Lockhart said, while Hermione folded the note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into her bag. "Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players…"

Harry made an indistinct noise in his throat and then the four friends left for the library.

"I don't believe it," he said, as the four of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless git," Claire said. "But who cares, we've got what we needed-"

"He is not a brainless git," Hermione said shrilly as they half ran toward the library.