Chapter 184: "Return to Hogwarts"

As the holidays drew to a close, Harry found himself both relaxed and eager to return to Hogwarts. The time spent honing his studies, enjoying family gatherings, and going on outings had flown by, and soon it was time to board the Hogwarts Express once more.

In the days leading up to the new term, Dumbledore had made a bold announcement in the Daily Prophet, declaring that the basilisk had been slain and Hogwarts was once again safe for all students. It was a well-intentioned lie to calm the scared parents and make them confident enough to send their children back to school. Dumbledore wasn't worried about the basilisk arising again and the truth being exposed. He was confident that the wards he had placed around the basilisk's lair would ensure that didn't happen.

Little did Dumbledore know, he didn't have to worry at all. The basilisk had indeed been slain, and its important parts had helped Harry gain a magical animagus form. The other harvested parts had filled Harry's vault with a substantial number of galleons.

The journey on the Hogwarts Express was as lively as ever, filled with excited chatter of students sharing holiday stories and speculating about the upcoming term. As Harry settled into a compartment with his friends, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry that there wouldn't be any excitement at Hogwarts this term. It was going to be boring since he had taken care of the danger. He couldn't wait for this term to pass quickly and for the next year to bring more excitement. He had grown a little attached to the trouble, he admitted to himself.

Upon arrival at Hogwarts, the Great Hall buzzed with energy as students filed in for the welcome feast. This year, the spread seemed even more lavish than usual, perhaps as a gesture to assuage any lingering concerns about the school's safety. As Harry scanned the room, his eyes fell upon Colin Creevey, the enthusiastic first-year who had been petrified during the basilisk attacks. Harry was relieved to see him back, surmising that the school must have sourced Mandrake Restorative Draught from external suppliers to revive the affected boy sooner.

His gaze then drifted to the Gryffindor table, where he spotted Evelyn Rosier. She appeared to have returned to her normal self, free from the dark influence that had possessed her. However, Harry noticed that nothing had changed about her situation in the Gryffindor house. Despite the sympathy she should have gained from being dragged to the chamber and then rescued, she had gained no friends. Her housemates were still wary, due to her family's reputation. Harry felt a twinge of sympathy but decided against intervening. Some situations, he mused, needed to resolve themselves naturally.

As the feast neared its conclusion, Dumbledore rose to his feet, a familiar twinkle in his eye as he prepared to address the students. The Hall fell silent in anticipation of his words.

"My dear students," Dumbledore began, his voice carrying easily across the room, "I am delighted to announce that with the return of safety to our hallowed halls, we shall be reinstating the Quidditch Cup!" A roar of approval erupted from the students, with Oliver Wood's voice rising above the rest, his dream of securing the cup as captain reignited.

Dumbledore allowed the excitement to settle before continuing, "But that is not all. The Duelling Club, which proved so popular last term, will continue to meet on weekends. For those interested in honing their defensive skills, I encourage you to participate. And to add a touch of excitement, we will be holding a Duelling Championship near the end of the year!"

This announcement was met with another round of enthusiastic cheers. Harry, however, was not excited. He, an under-17 duelling champion, participating in this local tournament would reduce the excitement for other students. Also, there would be no fun as no one would be able to give him a good battle. Anyway, he had his first adult-level tournament coming up during the summer; he could have all the exciting duels there.

"Professor Lockhart will continue to oversee the Duelling Club," Dumbledore went on, gesturing towards the flamboyant Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. "However, as Professor Snape has other commitments, he will be assisted by our very own Charms master, Professor Flitwick!"

The mention of Flitwick's involvement drew the loudest cheer yet. Harry grinned, knowing full well the students were excited to learn from an actual master and not a fraud. He caught Flitwick's eye and noticed a mix of resignation and determination in his master's expression. Clearly, Professor Flitwick was not thrilled about working alongside Lockhart.

As the applause died down, Lockhart rose to his feet, his trademark smile dazzling as ever. "Thank you, Headmaster!" he proclaimed, his voice dripping with false modesty. "I assure you all, under my expert tutelage, you'll be duelling like professionals in no time! Why, had Professor Dumbledore requested my assistance with the basilisk, I dare say the matter would have been resolved even sooner!"

Harry had to stifle a snort at Lockhart's claim, knowing full well that Lockhart would be the first to run at the sight of danger. Harry let Lockhart have his fun. His days at Hogwarts were numbered. The timer was ticking down.

During the holidays, Harry had set in motion the plan to expose Lockhart's true nature. It was a scheme long overdue, delayed only by the more pressing matters of the Chamber of Secrets. Now, with those dangers behind them, Harry was ready to unveil Lockhart's illegal memory charms and his theft of other people's achievements.

As the feast concluded and students began to file out of the Great Hall, Harry found himself walking alongside his friends Roger Davies, Reggy Whitlock, and Cedric Diggory. The excitement from Dumbledore's announcements still buzzed in the air.

Roger turned to Harry, his eyes alight with curiosity. "So, Harry, are you going to participate in the dueling tournament?"

Reggy chimed in, "If you do decide to enter, the rest of us might as well not bother showing up. It'll be hopeless for anyone else to win."

Cedric nodded in agreement, adding with a grin, "He's right, you know. You'd probably have us all disarmed before we could even raise our wands."

Harry looked at their crestfallen expressions and couldn't help but smile. "Actually, I've decided not to participate this time," he said, watching as surprise replaced their previous expressions.

"Really?" Roger asked, clearly surprised by Harry's response. Winning Hogwarts' first dueling tournament was a tempting honor.

Harry nodded, "Yes, I have another tournament to prepare for during the summer. It'll require quite a bit of my focus and training time."

At this news, all three of his friends visibly brightened, exchanging excited glances.

"Well, in that case," Reggy exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air, "the rest of us might actually stand a chance!"

Roger laughed, "I wouldn't go that far, Reggy. Some of us still have to contend with Cedric here."

Cedric grinned at the compliment before turning back to Harry. "Don't get me wrong, mate. We'll miss seeing you in action, but I can't say I'm not a little relieved. Whatever this summer tournament is, I'm sure you'll do brilliantly."

"Thanks, guys," Harry replied, appreciating their support. "I'm looking forward to seeing all of you compete, though. It should be quite the spectacle. Hope the tournament is split by year; otherwise, you guys will have a difficult time defeating the 7th years."

They talked about the topic until they reached the point where they had to separate – Cedric heading towards the Hufflepuff common room and Harry and the other two headed towards Ravenclaw tower.

Tomorrow was going to be exciting. Harry hoped the things he had put in place to surprise Lockhart would give him some enjoyment. It would be a good way to start this term and a present for all the students.