Harry Potter: From Muggle Cousin to Conceptual Wizard

Chapter 247 The Reasons for Snape and Lockhart's Appointments!

"Dali, Severus, he..."

Dumbledore hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but question Snape's appointment first.

His main concern was that the curse from the Defense Against the Dark Arts class would affect Snape, and that the class time would also take away from the time Snape would have to develop the Soul-Soothing Potion.

Dudley knew what Dumbledore was worried about, so he interrupted and said:

"He doesn't need to worry. Professor Snape is powerful and has an extraordinary will. The curse, which has been reduced by five-sixths of its power, will not have much effect on him."

Defense Against the Dark Arts class, which only takes place one day a week, won't take up much of Professor Snape's time. At worst, Professor Slughorn can share some of the Potions class duties with Professor Snape!

Furthermore, it is common knowledge that Professor Snape always wanted to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

With the curriculum reforms and the sudden addition of so many Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, neglecting him would surely upset Professor Snape, and might even damage his spirit. Can you bear to do that?

Finally, and most importantly, Professor Snape was not only a Potions Master, but also an outstanding Charm Master. He had created countless useful Charms, which he could teach to his students to improve their abilities.

So, Headmaster Dumbledore, please don't refuse my offer.

Dudley listed various reasons in a clear and logical manner, praising Snape to the extreme. In his conversation, he either complimented Snape or took care of Snape's feelings.

Moody, who was standing nearby, overheard these words and assumed that Dudley had both approved of and liked Snape, the Potions professor, which changed his opinion of Dudley.

He thought that Dudley's sarcastic remarks earlier were just a last resort, and that Dudley's current respectful attitude was his true nature.

Dudley had no idea what Moody was thinking; if he did, he would have laughed out loud.

He respected his teachers, but he would never show that respect to Snape.

He was merely going through the motions of completing Snape's A-rank regrettable event—the coveted but unattainable Defense Against the Dark Arts professorship—in order to obtain the event's fixed reward.

As for any additional rewards for this unfortunate event, Dudley didn't even dare to hope for them.

His idea was to find a balance between getting the system rewards and not letting Snape have a good time.

According to the plan, in less than a year or two, he will possess a conceptually enhanced version of the Restoration Charm, which will erase all of Voldemort's main and secondary souls, and completely kill Voldemort.

At that point, the Defense Against the Dark Arts' curse will automatically lose its effect, just like Voldemort's after his death in the original story.

It would be too lenient to let Snape become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor after the curse is lifted.

Why not take advantage of the curse while it's still in effect and annoy Snape a bit?

What disgusted Snape wasn't just the curse, but also the professorship that was shredded to pieces.

He wouldn't take on the Defense Against the Dark Arts professorship all by himself as he had hoped, but would share it with many professors, including two he disliked.

This was the best solution Dudley could come up with after careful consideration.

Killing multiple birds with one stone, guaranteed to knock Snape unconscious.

"Alright then! I'll inform Severus to participate and see what he thinks. If he's unwilling, we can't force him!"

Dumbledore reluctantly agreed, because Dudley's reasons were so compelling that he believed Dudley and Snape had made peace.

But reason told Dumbledore that, given Dudley's strong sense of right and wrong, this was impossible.

There must be some trickery involved, but the explosion won't be too severe.

Since Dudley knows what's good for him, he might as well just accept it!

In any case, the final decision on this appointment ultimately depends on whether Snape himself is willing to accept it.

“Professor Snape will agree,” Dudley said confidently.

A person's obsession is not so easy to let go, especially for someone like Snape who is so obsessed that he is almost possessed.

Dumbledore shared Dudley's assessment, but he didn't dwell on the topic. Instead, he inquired about another candidate Dudley had suggested:

"Giddro Lockhart, an internationally renowned bestselling author, has written many books on combating dark creatures, many of which contain valuable coping techniques. He is also a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Third Class of Honor, and is indeed a good candidate to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.

But Dudley, why did you suddenly think of him? Have you been reading Mr. Lockhart's works lately?

Dudley smiled and replied, "Not yet, but I'm preparing to write to Flourish and Blotts to purchase Mr. Lockhart's works."

Dumbledore, I agree with you. Mr. Lockhart would be a good professor, after he meets me.

“But he… never mind, I’ll write to Mr. Lockhart.”

Dumbledore hesitated for a moment, but based on his trust in Dudley, he did not voice his concerns and accepted the choice.

If none of these events had occurred, Dumbledore would have intended for Gilderoy Lockhart to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts the following year.

But now that he has a proper solution to the Defense Against the Dark Arts curse, he is less inclined to invite Lockhart.

Because a celebrity wizard who takes pride in selling smiles is far too frivolous, and even if he has some real talent, he is not very suitable for a serious classroom.

If things were still as they were before, just getting by, choosing the best among the worst, treating the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor as a 'consumable,' then having Lockhart come to Hogwarts for a year wouldn't have been a problem.

But with Hogwarts' educational reforms in full swing, and Defense Against the Dark Arts being an important course for improving students' practical skills, wouldn't inviting such a person to be a professor hinder the progress and have the opposite effect?

Dumbledore was somewhat worried.

But Dudley's decisions have always been correct, rigorous, and flawless, and he also has the talent for 'prophecy'. Since Dudley approves of Lockhart, perhaps he has misunderstood Lockhart.

Perhaps Lockhart's so-called charming smile is just a facade, and that he is actually a very suitable person to be a teacher?

Dumbledore was thinking this to himself.

He didn't know that Lockhart was actually a fraud.

I don't know, but a large part of the reason Dudley nominated Lockhart was because of... Neville.