62 Chapter 62: Zehir

Gilderoy Lockhart, a renowned author and self-proclaimed expert in all matters magical, found himself in a particularly tight spot. Despite his carefully crafted facade of brilliance and charm, his reputation was on the line. Maintaining his facade while teaching a group of students was harder than he had believed when he accepted the position as a professor.

Particularly today's incident was harming his reputation. Being disarmed by those blasted Cornish Pixies in front of his second-year class had left a stain on his reputation. Rumors began to spread through the castle with an intensity he didn't believe was possible for the first day of class, as if someone was targeting him. The student body was already whispering and laughing behind his back wherever he went.

But at the same time, a new possibility opened itself to him. Amongst the test papers of his second-year class, he found a particularly intriguing leaflet. On it was an intricate and complex emerald green magic circle with arcane runes and symbols he had never seen before. Even though he lacked magical talent, he was still a Ravenclaw and had taken Ancient Runes. Somehow, he had to earn enough merit to graduate from Hogwarts. Particularly, the promise on the leaflet of 'We fulfill your dreams' appealed to him.

Intrigued by the possibilities it promised, Lockhart's eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and trepidation. How did it land amongst his tests? Did one of his students leave it there, or was it something else? But no matter what, it could be a chance to solve all his problems.

Lockhart's ego, always hungry for adoration and praise, led him to believe that he could strike a deal with a powerful entity and truly acquire the unrivaled fame he always desired, and not this facade that was hard to maintain. He convinced himself that his knowledge and charisma would easily outmatch any otherworldly adversary he encountered.

Overcome by his greed, he followed the instructions on the leaflet while ignoring any possible danger lurking behind the realm of summoning. The thought that a devil could trick him didn't come to his mind, as he was blinded by the possibility of no longer being a mere pretender.

With his intention clear in mind, the arcane symbols and the intricate magic circle began to glow in green light, and the flames of the torches and candles flickered by mysterious means. With a burst of energy, an ominous cloud materialized, swirling with shades of darkness and emerald, forming the shape of a person.

The summoning was complete. Lockhart's heart pounded in his chest as he nervously observed the being he had just summoned. The figure emerging from the circle was tall and imposing, with black eyes that burned with an intensity that sent a shiver down Lockhart's spine. Its hair was dark as the night; it was truly a devil, emitting an intense aura of cunning and darkness.

Lockhart's initial excitement wavered, replaced by a sudden realization of the gravity of his actions as nervousness overtook him. The devil's deep voice, with a hissing undertone, echoed through the room, its tone dripping with a mixture of amusement and menace as it addressed him directly.

"So, Gilderoy Lockhart, you dare to summon me?" The devil's words slithered into Lockhart's ears, like a venomous serpent coiling around his thoughts.

Summoning every ounce of false bravado he could muster, Lockhart straightened his shoulders and attempted to negotiate. "Ah, my esteemed guest, I, Gilderoy Lockhart, have indeed summoned you. To whom do I have the honor of speaking?"

The devil's lips curled into a grin, exposing rows of gleaming white teeth, particularly his canines looking long and sharp. "I am Zehir, one of the Devil Lords of the Underworld. What is it that you desire, mortal?"

Lockhart's false bravado, still strong enough, mustered all his strength to reply, "I wish to become a capable wizard, no longer the pretender I currently am. Can you grant me this wish?"

The devil leaned closer, its voice a chilling whisper. "Your wish isn't impossible. But what will you give me in return?"

Lockhart's mind raced. What could he pay? Did the devil want his soul? He didn't want to spend eternity in hell or something. "I have a lot of gold. I can pay for it," he offered, hoping this would be enough.

"Hmm, I see this is indeed a possibility. The magic you mortals use is indeed not worth much. But it will still be a steep price in gold. It's impossible for you to have enough gold to pay for all the wizarding knowledge. And I am not someone who gives out gifts easily. So how about this: I will grant you an ability called Gate of Truth. This ability will allow you to exchange knowledge, proficiency, and skill in magic for your gold. You can just pay for what you need. But beware, the price of the more powerful secrets of magic is steep!" offered the devil.

An ability that allows one to simply buy skill in magic? That is far more than he expected to get. "This deal indeed sounds like what I was looking for. What do I have to do?"

With a devilish smile, Zehir pulled a piece of paper from somewhere. "Just sign here and shake my hand."

Being smart enough, Lockhart carefully read through the contents of the offered contract. Having spent enough time in the business world, he had enough knowledge to understand such a document. Seeing nothing wrong with it, he pulled out his quill and signed it before taking the offered hand.

The moment he touched Zehir, a strange feeling spread through his body. There was something new inside him, with a completely new set of information appearing in his mind. Closing his eyes, he stood in an empty white space, with an imposing floating stone gate in front of him. It had all kinds of obscure symbols on it, but also runes he recognized, symbolizing things like knowledge, power, and wisdom. He could clearly feel the power locked behind it.

Opening his eyes and returning to reality, he saw the deep black eyes of Zehir looking at him. "Is that everything you wanted, mortal?" asked the devil with an impish smirk.

"Uh, yes, thank you, Lord Zehir. Is there a way for me to summon you again if I want to make another deal?" asked Lockhart as the summoning leaflet burned into ashes when he used it.

"Hmm, if you really need it, I will know, as the gate would message me," replied the devil, still grinning, pleased. "See you again. I hope you will enjoy your new powers."

With these words, there was another bright green light, blinding Lockhart's vision, as all the flames flickered in the room. The moment Gilderoy could open his eyes again, his room was empty, as if the devil was never there to begin with.

For a few moments, he just stood there, watching the spot where moments ago that powerful being stood. Until he felt something inside him, realizing that the gate was still there and all of this really happened. He couldn't wait to try that gate out. What kind of knowledge should he buy first? Gathering all the gold he had with him in his Personal Quarters, he closed his eyes, returning to the Gate of Truth.

— DXD — DXD — DXD — DXD —

Please leave some Power Stones if you enjoyed the Chapter!

— DXD — DXD — DXD — DXD —

For 10 more advanced Chapters please visit: www.p_a_t_r_e_o_n.com/Ashmodai

Thank you for your Support!