REDUCTO

Gilderoy stopped just outside the door to the Governors' Boardroom on the third floor and made sure everything was set — his perfectly tailored mauve robes with matching vest and pants, his hair just so, his shoes shining flawlessly. Appearance was vitally important on a first introduction. After all, as he had told Harry many times, Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance!

Hiring Dobby had been truly gratifying. He was Gilderoy's first house-elf, and the Wizard was amazed at how his fortunes were changing and growing. For Harry, it was wonderful to see Dobby once more alive, and as hyperactive as ever! The little guy had cried with happiness when told his job was to look out for Harry Potter and spying on Harry's enemies.

 It was show time. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, knocked smartly on the door and stepped inside, his robes billowing artistically behind him, his gorgeous smile distracting his opponents, his foppish manners making his enemies underestimate him.

He smiled confidently as his gaze swept the room.

The corner room normally gave a magnificent view of the lake and Quidditch Pitch, but tonight was moonless and the dark windows ate the candles' light ominously. There were thirteen members on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, and Lucius was currently the Head of the Board. He glared at Gilderoy while the others looked at the Professor with varying degrees of interest and curiosity.

"Good evening, Wizards and Witches! As you no doubt know, I am Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, and Hogwarts' beloved Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. It is with great pleasure that I received your invitation to this meeting. What can I do to solve your problem?" He stopped at the foot of the table, looking across at Mr. Malfoy seated at the head.

Mr. Malfoy launched directly into the matter after a sweeping look across the other Board members. "As I told you all earlier today, this Professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, is entirely unsuited to teach at this prestigious school. He is only interested in increasing the gold in his pockets by selling books. You only have to look at how he has made all seven years of D.A.D.A. students buy all his published works. How can the same books be of use to all seven years of students? I call for a vote to have the Headmaster remove him!"

Lockhart pretended to be startled, "My goodness, Lucius, I thought we were friends! Why, we had tea together just Thursday and you seemed quite happy with my performance as a Professor then. Whatever could have happened to bring about such a drastic change?"

"You do not have my permission to use my first name, Mr. Lockhart," he said frostily.

"Oh, come, come, Lucius. You were quite pleased to grant me that permission earlier this week. Have you forgotten that as well?" He paused a moment staring at the other Wizard.

"No, I haven't forgotten! I take it back! You accused my son of trying to kill Harry Potter!" Lucius was barely in control of himself.

"Ah," said Gilderoy, "I understand. You're referring to how your house-elf attempted to murder Mr. Potter, aren't you?"

Malfoy stared at him murderously, "I have no idea what that idiot creature was up to, nor does my son know." The other Board members were watching with surprised and shocked expressions.

"But Lucius, that house-elf — Dobby, I believe his name is — freely admitted that he cursed that bludger to try to hit the boy in the head. The house-elf claims he was trying to save Mr. Potter by injuring him. Clearly, the poor creature is not right in the head."

"He certainly is not right in the head! I have no idea why he was after Harry Potter."

Lockhart stared at the angry Wizard. "I think that might be what's really at issue here."

"WHAT!"

"Have you explained how Hogwarts' most famous student," said Gilderoy, "Mr. Harry Potter, sole Heir of the Ancient and Noble House Potter, was almost killed by a rogue bludger yesterday? That I spent the night guarding him in the Hospital Wing and caught the one responsible for cursing the bludger to chase him? It was I, the world-renowned adventurer, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, and Hogwarts' beloved Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor who turned the miscreant over to the Aurors!

"That it didn't kill Mr. Potter during the game yesterday was due only to the boy's exceptional flying skills. No fewer than four times did it barely miss smashing his head to paste! But Dobby was your house-elf! How can you say you don't know what the creature was doing? House-elves cannot do anything without permission, we all know that!"

 He ploughed on, over the sputtering objections of the other Wizard.

 "So we are left with only three possibilities. One, you ordered Dobby to kill Mr. Potter and then told Dobby to lie about it. Two, your son gave those orders, either at your behest or by himself. Or, three, the house-elf is insane."

Malfoy was in a towering rage, his face red and his hands trembling. "How dare you!" he said softly.

"The first two possibilities you categorically deny, but they still need to be stated lest we overlook something!" Gilderoy said in a condescending tone, as if stating an obvious and simple fact.

"By Merlin, YES, I DO DENY!" shouted the Wizard.

"Which means that you had in your possession for months, if not years, an insane house-elf, and you never noticed?"

Malfoy stared at him his fingers twitching towards his wand.

"How could you not notice your house-elf was insane? You are the Lord of your House! You should have noticed! It is your job to notice." The professor paused and posed dramatically, making a fist with his index finger extended and touching his temple. "Unless you couldn't," he said carefully. He dropped his hand to his side.

"I remember reading that you were an unwilling accomplice to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, eleven years ago."

Malfoy was confused at the change of subject, but still enraged. "I was imperiused, you dandified fool," he said vehemently.

"I also heard that you were crucioed several times by Him as punishments for attempting to disobey Him."

Glaring, the other Wizard merely nodded angrily.

"And brutally legilimened."

Another angry nod.

"Well, it's well known fact that too much exposure to the imperious, and you said you were under it almost monthly over a period of several years, can lead to mental problems later on in life. Things like being unable to tell reality from fantasy."

Malfoy's eyes began to bulge and his face turned even redder. He definitely was trembling. His colour reminded Harry of Vernon just before he exploded into violence.

"And the crucio, you testified he crucioed you many times for trying to disobey. And a side effect of crucio is difficulty in keeping one's temper, and allowing one's emotions to over-rule their reason.

"And unless a legilimens is performed with extreme care permanent damage to one's psyche can result. And you said HE wasn't one to care about his followers.

"REDUCTO," screamed Malfoy leaping to his feet, his wand appearing in his hand almost instantly.

.....

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