Convincing Lockhart

Pansy Parkinson (POV)

~Gwyn

"There. There, see? There he is."

"Where?"

"There. Can't you see him?"

The two healers are peaking tentatively around the corner, completely oblivious to my eaves dropping.

"What should we do? Will he hurt himself?" This healer, the one with long, dark hair, didn't sound concerned at all. More like wondering what would happen if they let him go free.

"I don't know…" This one had shorter, sandy hair. "They've been trying to release him for weeks now…" She, too, sounded more curious than worried.

"I think it would be fine if they let him go…" The man in question was now plundering his way down the hall.

For a second, and only a second, I question my mistress' choice in people, but I dismiss those thoughts quickly. Mrs. Lestrange has her reasons.

"Let's let him go then. Even if he doesn't remember back to the incident, he remembers the length he's been here… most of it, anyway."

This is all I need to know.

I can see know our plan is working.

Or at least, it will, after we convince the one with no memory.

I breeze right out the door and no one pays any mind. People are always coming and going around here…

And there are the rest, my fellow once-snatchers and hopeful Death Eaters.

"Well?" Asks Avery. His father is old and in Azkaban now.

Avery is only eighteen.

I pause to be sure I have their full attention.

"Success." They all breathe out sighs of relief.

Even without The Dark Lord, all our lives are still on the line.

"Now, you all know what to do," I continue to the five or six followers left. "It's really quite simple—convince Gilderoy Lockhart of the goodness of Bellatrix Lestrange."


"And who's this Goldylorks, again?" It really is quite amazing how many teeth he has.

Unfortunately, I'm questioning my mistress. This must be the fourth or fifth time he's asked about The Dark Lord and said his name wrong.

"No, no, see, it's Voldemort," this is literally like speaking to an extremely slow child. "But what we're trying to do is, ah; carry out the noble work of Bellatrix Lestrange."

"What were Mellahics Sostrunge's plans, again?" Maybe it's more like explaining simple things to a muggle.

"Mrs. Lestrange's plans were to rid the earth of all those unworthy to wield the mighty power of magic. Magic is Might." I think my eye is actually twitching as my reference is totally lost on this idiot.

Lockhart thinks for a moment with a pained expression on his face.

I'm worrying that he won't come through when he looks up and says, "Okay."

Wondering how someone could care less, I tell him we need him in order to make our first arrest.

I am absolutely, one hundred percent astonished when he doesn't even think before giving his reply quite frankly: 'okay.'