Chapter 104: A moment of silence for my sanity

I smirked as I saw Lockhart's distorted face.

'Serves him right.' I thought Darkly. The guy deserves much worse. He's a complete fraud who steals other people's achievements and has no qualms misinforming each and every one of his readers or students.

Seriously, even during Umbridge's time, the senior year students made DA for studying. The senior year students of this year also must have had to do something similar this year as well. I mean, how's Lockhart supposed to teach the older students anything useful, when in canon, he couldn't even teach a bunch of second years anything but utter nonsense.

Though it's only right that he doesn't know much. Why would anyone of those adventurers tell him anything more than superficial stuff? So, he added his own bullshit to fill the gaps.

I glanced to the Griffindor table where the bitch girls who tried to hex me were sitting. They were all real shocked now. Their idol was crying and running towards the hospital wing like a cowardly kid who's running to mommy after being bullied.

Now looking at the photos, no one can deny that the rumors about me punching him were true. The crazy fangirls looked like their world was crumbling around them.

'Serves them right as well.' I thought with satisfaction. Those girls have been trying to cause me trouble for the past week as well, the key word being 'Trying.' It always backfires on the them anyway.

But I seriously don't want to waste my time fighting crazy girls. There's also that chamber of Secrets thingy that I have to worry about. First of all, I already know that me doing whatever I want has changed many things in this world.

For one, the Weasley Family this time didn't meet the Malfoys in the Diagon Alley at all. And... Ginny Weasley doesn't NOT have the diary!

So, I'm just hoping that Lucius just kept it with himself this year. Cause I really wouldn't know whom he passed it to if he did. It would be great if I don't have to do anything about that whole Chamber sh*tstorm.

Anyways I don't want to get involved yet. Dumbledore has to know about the location of the chamber of Secrets. There's no way that he doesn't, right?

I mean, he's really an idiot if he doesn't. He should've asked Moaning Myrtle what she saw before she died, right? And then he should've just somehow get that information out of her! The guy can dig out everything about Voldemort's past make all the people related through various methods, but he can't just inquire a ghost girl in detail about her death?

The whole Chamber of Secrets fiasco seems like a sham to me. I mean how difficult could it have been to figure it out if even twelve year kids can find out the entrance after Myrtle told them that she saw the monster right in the bathroom?

What the fudge is wrong with these people?

— A girl dies in the bathroom,

"we've search the whole school thoroughly but didn't search the bathroom properly where the girl died, neither did we ask her ghost what she saw before she died."

And don't get me started on Dumbledore. The foggy is f-ing useless! In first year, when Harry had to face Quirellmort, the old man was flying to London. Only came back right after Harry had survived against Voldemort.

In second year, the guy got sacked, but apparently couldn't went on a vacation while leaving the students in danger while even people like Sirius Black could enter and exit Hogwarts like their backyard. Harry had to fight the Basilisk alone.

In third year, the guy handed over a f*cking Time Turner to little kids while he sat back watched the show, not worrying about the fact that time magic is a very dangerous branch of magic.

In fourth year, couldn't do anything as Harry's name got called in the tournament and couldn't do anything as Harry was summoned to the graveyard and the ritual succeeded. He couldn't even save Barth Crouch from the Dementors.

In fifth part, the man couldn't do anything about Umbridge and let torture children and then Harry go alone to the ministry and only came after Sirius had died and Harry had survived the death-eaters.

In sixth part, the guy got done in by the curse on the Deathly hallows Ring Horcrux, and then decided to just die after giving Harry some superficial knowledge, no combat training! While entrusting Harry to fight one of the strongest wizard of that time. The dude even made Harry watch his death.

That's just about Dumbledore. The second year kinda shows that all those fanfics were nothing but fantasies or many of those reincarnators were extremely lucky. I mean, did it not occur to them that the Basilisk could actually kill people this time? What if the victim's luck ran out and instead of a reflection they actually made direct eye contact? What if one of his friends died just like that?

And why the hell did they not just take the diary from Ginny when they knew she had it the whole time instead of only waiting till the end of the year to settle things? Or better yet, got it just after Lucius had handed the Diary over? I mean, it's understandable in my situation, since, my priority was staying with my family at that time, and now Ginny doesn't have the diary, but surely, they could have done better, right?

The second year is a piece of cake if handled well. So, I'll plan this one out thoroughly. I'll use the most direct solution that's the most Khaby Lame style after knowing all of these points. No need to overcompl things and drag things out till the end of the year.

While I was thinking all this, people were still laughing at Lockhart's photos and giving me various looks.

"People usually aren't what they appear to be." said Luna conversationally from beside me. And I was afraid to even ask who she was talking about, fearing that she figured out yet another thing about me.

Terry nodded, "Exactly. I thought Michael was actually a decent bloke, but just look how he turned out." He said as he glanced at Michael Corner, sitting in the corner.

"He wasn't actually this bad last year." mumbled Lisa Turpin. I think she's just a timid and naive girl who only sees good in people. Though she's still hundred times better than those harpies like Lockhart fangirls.

Anthony Goldstein shrugged, "He did behave nicely last year, but he was obviously just acting. Just look how he's behavior these days now that we've known his true face. He doesn't even bother hiding it."

My friends were talking about random stuff but looking at Lockhart giving me a death glare, I found a better use of my time.

'Well, isn't it a good opportunity?'

I'm gonna use Legilimency on him.

I activated trigger and slipped into his mind after making eye contact.

To my surprise, Lockhart did have occlumency shields, though they were quite pitifully weak, just like him.

I shaped my Legilimency probe into extremely fine wires which were so thin that they couldn't be detected by weak minded people like him. I easily slipped by his shields without even being detected and, his surface thoughts became visible to me.

'Woah, this guy thoroughly hates me now.' I thought as I skipped past his surface thoughts about petty revenge. I don't have time to waste on this. I went deeper; drifting past his useless memories of standing in front of mirror. Yeah, that's what he does for most of the time — look into the mirror or his pictures. Seriously, this guy has issues. His thought process and reasoning is completely absurd! The guy genuinely believes that the world revolves around him.

I skipped past all this mess to reach the depths of his mind, where the memories he wants to hide are located. And when I saw them,

'What the f***!' I cursed inwardly as I saw just how many people he's memory wiped untill now. Here's another thing: In the beginning, when he wasn't good at erasing traces of memory charm from his victims, he used to erase the whole victim to get rid of the evidence. This guy has got no conscience.

I dug in further, to reach the deepest parts of his mind, to see what he's hidden even deeper that this.

'Merlin's pubes!' I quickly broke eye contact as my dinner threatened to come out of my mouth.

I was completely creeped out.

'Holy f***, man. That's... that's just sick... and f*cked up.'

'Damn it! Arrgh... My eyes! My eyes!'

I didn't sign up for this man... I just wanted to see he dark deeds, to confirm that he really wasn't a good man. And I wanted to see his memory charm techniques, skills, and knowledge. But my curiosity got better of me, and I opened the Pandora's box.

Sigh...here's what I found out:

(It's written in [ ] brackets. Read it on your own risk.)

[The guy orders a large amount of Polyjuice potion monthly from an illegal store. Then the narcissist would mix his hair and make his willing fans drink it, turning them into himself, then he proceeds to do their make up for hours just like he does it on himself, then:

He proceeds to have an orgy with multiple Lockharts! ....Ugh...like, he's taken "go fuck yourself" to a whole new level. ]

Of course, he wipes out everyone after the deed's done.

Anyways, a moment of silence for my sanity.

.

.

.

That's why I've come to avoid reading people's mind after all these years. Because, people are always... always, much worse that you think them to be. And after knowing those little weird and creepy things that you didn't wanted to know, which have come into your head from so many different people's minds, the mental damage gradually accumulates and it continues to chip away at your sanity.

Oh God, I need some healing after that horrible accident, to baptize my head, which has been damaged after seeing such sacrilegious profanity.

I think there's only one thing that can heal me now. Anyway my Esmée energy is already running low and it's the weekend. As promised, I need to go spend time at home. Today we were too busy preparing for this prank and making enough copies for everyone.

As I left early from the great Hall to go home, two familiar faces met me just outside. Or should I say one? It's Greg and Feorge Weasley. They both came up to me and bowed 90 degree.

""We'd like to express our amazement, astonishment and wonderment to you, who have taken the art of pranking to new heights today and also giving the fraud the treatment he deserves."" They both said exaggeratedly at the same time.

"Oh, stop it, you two." I sighed these two were like this when I kicked the Slytherin seeker in the balls. Right now, I wasn't in the mood to chat, but I suddenly remembered something. I needed the Marauder's map from them. It's incredibly useful for this year. I could just take it through magic, but I really don't wanna, and don't need to. So I stopped walking, "Actually, there's something I need your help for."

"Well, since you've done the world such a service by your prank today—"

"—Just ask away, and we'll do our best to accomplish it."

I nodded, "From what I've gathered, you guys know Hogwarts pretty well. Can you help me get familiar with it as well?" I asked at once.

The two looked at each other for a moment. I had a good rapport with the two, even while playing Quidditch in the opposite teams, our rivalry wasn't toxic and it was more fun actually to keep dodging their bludgers.

Seeing that the two weren't opposed to idea of offering the map but were still hesitating, I grinned and took out a pouch of galleons from my pocket and the twos eyes got glued to the pouch.

Got 'em!

Both of them looked at each other and nodded.

Fred, or was it George? Let's assume one to the right to be Fred, the other one is George.

So, George took out something from inside his cloak with a flourish. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it.

"What's this?" I asked for asking's sake.

"This, Chris, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly. Then they proceeded to show me live demonstration.

"So, we're lending it to you for 5 galleons and 10 sickles." said Fred at last after they had shown me the working of the map and I had shown enough surprise. Their asking price shows that they really don't want to take advantage of me, since the bag I showed contains much more than that. They must need that much money for something.

I shook my head. "If I want to permanently buy it, how much would you sell it for?" I asked. It's useless for them and they didn't invest any money in it.

The two looked each other. Don't know what they were discussing, but after a few seconds, George asked for 50 galleons.

Sigh... except for Charlie and Ron, the rest of the Weasleys are good people I guess. In the end, I permanently bought the Maurader's Map from them for a 100 galleons. This young master lacks anything but money. It's just pocket change me for me, but it could mean the world to them.

Besides, the Maurader's Map is worth so much more than that. Now I have a few plans to deal with the chamber of secrets which I'm going start trying.

I pictured a giant Green Snake with terrifying Petrifying eyes.

'Let's see what this year brings me.' I muttered as I got started on my plans for this year.

***

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