"Charms That Don't Work"
After being sent flying, Lockhart didn't seem ready to give up. He got up from the floor, dusted off his robes with feigned dignity, and walked back over"this time wearing a confident smile on his face.
However, he didn't try to touch Harry again. And good for him, because a slightly irritated mother was now eyeing him like she was about to turn him into the main character of his worst nightmare.
"Seeing that you seem to be following my teachings," Lockhart said, flashing a dazzling smile, "why not become my direct apprentice?"
The crowd fell silent for a second… then erupted into an excited murmur.
"The Boy Who Lived as the disciple of the great Lockhart! He must be creating a monster to protect the world!" exclaimed a housewife, swept away by enthusiasm.
"I don't think it's that serious… but maybe another Dumbledore," added a somewhat more reasonable woman.
Meanwhile, Harry looked at the man in front of him with clear distrust and calmly replied:
"No, thank you. My mom told me not to talk to strangers."
The atmosphere froze instantly. For a moment, Lockhart's smile faltered, as if about to crack… but his professionalism was stronger than his pride.
He waited, irritated, for one of the housewives to defend him. For someone to scold the child for rejecting him"like they usually did when a jealous husband tried to confront him. He wanted to play the misunderstood hero. But no one said a word. No one was going to reprimand the child who had saved the magical world.
After all, he was just a kid. What woman would dare go against him?
Well… there was one.
"Insufferable child! How dare you scorn Mr. Lockhart?" bellowed Chelsea, pushing her way through the crowd with a furious expression. "Where are you from? Who's your mother? Bring her here right now! You're banned from this store forever!"
"I'm his mother," said Wanda, stepping forward with a smile so tense it could no longer be called a smile. Her gaze was fixed on Chelsea, burning with silent warning.
She could endure being disrespected, even being bothered. But no one touched her son.
"You again… Get that boy out of here! You're fired!" Chelsea screamed, feeling invincible.
"Chelsea, shut up! No one's getting fired without the manager's approval," intervened Loise, stepping forward with a firm, controlled tone"clearly annoyed.
"I'll talk to the manager myself to have her dismissed!"
Meanwhile, Lockhart was watching the scene unfold with growing interest. First, he looked at Wanda, then at Harry… and as if a light bulb lit up in his head, he muttered to himself:
"Two birds with one stone…"
Smiling, he quickly stepped forward and raised his voice in a charming tone:
"Come now, young lady. Kicking out a mother and her son on my behalf… would leave a bad taste in my mouth. How about we all apologize… and go back to the book signing?"
He punctuated his words with a dazzling smile directed at Wanda.
"If you say so, Mr. Lockhart," replied Chelsea, enchanted"though not without casting a look of disdain toward Wanda and Harry.
Lockhart stood still, waiting for an apology. Maybe even a thank you. After all, he had "interceded" for them.
But Wanda didn't even look at him. She walked over to Harry, ignoring Lockhart completely.
"Harry, go up to the second floor. There are too many annoying people down here," she said softly.
Harry nodded silently and left with Hermione.
"You!" Chelsea started, but this time, Loise had had enough.
"Chelsea, go help out in the back room."
"I don't want to," she grunted.
"I don't care what you want. I'm in charge right now. And if you keep this up, I'll fire you myself"even if the boss gets mad and rehires you later. You're not stepping foot in this bookstore today. I'll even ask the Aurors to remove you if necessary," said Loise, firm and resolute, ready to face any consequences to end the chaos Chelsea was causing.
"You'll see…" muttered Chelsea with resentment, casting one last loving glance at Lockhart… and a cold one at Wanda.
"Mr. Lockhart, please continue with the signings. Your fans are still waiting. Remember you're on a schedule. The bookstore can't keep you longer than what was agreed," Loise added in a professional tone.
Lockhart ran a hand over his face, confused by what had just happened. For a moment, he thought maybe he was wearing a mask that prevented women like Wanda or Loise from falling at his feet.
But no"his handsome face was still on full display.
Loise was a lover of books. And as such, she knew how to tell fiction from reality. She had read Lockhart's works"but she had also noticed the inconsistencies. His charm didn't fool her. It felt more like a performance… than a real personality.
Resigned, Lockhart returned to his chair to continue the book signing, as if nothing had happened.
However, for Wanda, the situation had become unbearable.
Lockhart kept trying to get close. He constantly asked for help, called her his "assistant," tried to win her over with dazzling smiles… and asked for a glass of water every five minutes. Under the table, there were at least seven empty cups.
He took every possible excuse to be near her.
"Professional, Wanda… don't turn him into a toad," she muttered to herself while handing him the seventh glass.
"Thank you, charming Wanda. Allow me to gift you this smile as a token of my gratitude," said Lockhart, flashing his best grin. Some housewives swooned… while others cast jealous glances at Wanda.
"Yeah… I've gotten plenty today," she replied, unimpressed, before walking away again.
Hours later, the signing finally ended. So did Wanda's shift. Susan and the kids were waiting for her at the bookstore while she went to say goodbye to Loise.
Lockhart, upon seeing Susan with her arms full of books and accompanied by the two children, immediately approached.
"Hello again to you all... and a pleasure, madam," he said gallantly, greeting the children first and then giving Susan a subtle bow.
"Lockhart?" Susan asked, surprised. She had been outside the bookstore during the previous incident, so she had no idea what had happened. Upon recognizing him, a spark of excitement crossed her face. "Were you looking for me, sir?"
"I just wanted to offer my apologies. Perhaps what happened earlier was... a bit abrupt. I understand why young Harry and his mother might have felt defensive," Lockhart replied with his usual charming smile.
"Earlier?" Susan repeated, raising an eyebrow with curiosity.
Hermione, always eager to explain, quickly jumped in.
"Mr. Lockhart touched Harry and got thrown back. Then he tried to take him on as his student, but Harry said no."
Susan looked at Lockhart with a mix of disbelief and slight distrust. She knew about the protective enchantment Harry had, since she herself had asked Wanda to place a similar one on Hermione. She was a fan of Lockhart, yes, but she wasn't naïve... especially when it came to the children. Just because someone was famous in the wizarding world didn't mean they were trustworthy enough to educate her daughter.
Let alone someone else's son.
Lockhart immediately noticed the change in her expression. He was baffled by how quickly Susan became defensive, as if his charm had no effect.
"Well, I just wanted to apologize," he said, trying to keep his composure. "And maybe... invite you all to lunch at a restaurant. But seeing the time, I just remembered I have other commitments, so it'll have to be another day."
"Of course," Susan replied with a kind smile, but her gaze made it clear she didn't entirely trust him. She was still a fan, yes... but she was starting to wonder if Lockhart was one of those celebrities who seem perfect in public and... not so much in private.
Shortly after, Wanda came out of the bookstore and they all left together for home.
Meanwhile, from a hidden corner between the shelves, Lockhart watched Wanda. His eyes glinted with a mixture of frustration and interest.
"She's hard to win over... Doesn't fall for my charm. Maybe it's because of the boy... Though she doesn't wear a ring. Not married," he murmured to himself with a crooked smile. "The Egyptian pyramid wasn't built in a day. Maybe she's worth the effort... Yes, if I succeed, I'll become the father of the Boy Who Lived. We could write books together, give interviews... My fame would only grow. I can already see it: family photos, commercials, the father-and-son duo. The Boy Who Lived... and the great Lockhart who taught him everything he knows..."
He was completely lost in his fantasies, unaware that Wanda, with her sensitive magic, had felt his lingering gaze and the ill intent behind it.
That night at home, Wanda helped Harry get ready for bed. It was a quiet, routine moment for both of them.
As she tucked in the blankets, Harry broke the silence:
"Mom... do you like Lockhart?"
Wanda looked at him with an expression that was as dry as it was comical, before smiling with a hint of irony.
"Not at all."
"So he won't be the new Mr. Wanda?"
Wanda let out a soft laugh at the phrase, one she hadn't heard in a long time. She slowly shook her head.
"Of course not. Just stay away from him... He's a bit weird."
She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead.
"Great," Harry replied with a smile. "Because he seems like a playboy."
Wanda couldn't help but chuckle quietly as she turned off the light in the room.