Year 2

Chapter 8: Let's Meet Lockhart

New chapter by Steve2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or anything related to it.

{-8-}

"I say, Harry? Hold up a second, would you?" asked an unfamiliar voice.

Harry turned around in the otherwise deserted corridor and said, "Who are you?"

"Why, I'm your new Defense teacher," the man smiled. "I'm professor Lockhart."

"Really? You bought into all this magic crap?" Harry wondered.

The man kept smiling. "Yes, I mean No, I mean… uh… what do you mean again?"

"I mean," Harry started, "that all this magic mumbo jumbo is such hogwash here at Hogwarts. It's a joke. I haven't learned any decent card tricks yet. Or sleight of hand. And don't get me started that no one has bothered to show us how to cut someone in half."

The smile faltered. "Wouldn't that kill them?"

"Not if you do it right and put them back together. You know, like David Copperfield. Now that's magic."

"So this David Copperfield fellow certainly knows his magic you say. Has he done any impressive feats that I could take credit, I mean, that he's not known for?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. You'd have to ask him. I know he has started to make buildings or monuments disappear. That is pretty cool. Not sure which ones."

Lockhart rubbed his chin. "Interesting… very interesting. You know how to get in touch with him?"

"You could always join his fan club," Harry suggested. "So are you going to teach us how to saw a woman in half?"

"Ha-ha-ha, certainly I will, Harry my boy, don't you worry about it. Just let me talk with this Copperfield first to get my… uh… technique down and what have you."

"Meaning what for the meantime? More essays to assign on how vampires are bad?"

"You've done that already, eh? Got any suggestions then?"

"How about teaching us to play poker? At least that is a skill I can use."

"Dragon poker?" Locked inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"Haven't heard about that one," Harry supplied. "Just regular poker. Like the ones done at a casino. Say, have you ever been to a casino?"

"Unfortunately, more than I should," Lockhart admitted.

"So if I understand this right, you are a so-called wizard, you're middle-aged, not married, been to a casino more than once, and yet you have to work here. Hmmm, maybe I don't want you to teach me poker if that is what I have to look forward to," Harry grimaced.

"Hey, I can teach you how to win at poker," Lockhart protested.

"Prove it," Harry challenged.

{-8-}

"Okay, class, remember what I said? Cornish pixies are irritable rascals. Now, deuces are wild, jacks or better to open, no legilimency, and a sickle in the pot to start. Who fancies a game of chance?"

{-8-}

"I can't believe it," Harry grumbled as he walked back to his dorm.

"I know," Blaise commiserated, walking beside him. "My whole allowance for the month gone in a single afternoon."

"I guess we should look at the bright side," Harry said.

"That Professor Lockhart lost his signing bonus?" Blaise looked at Harry, grinning.

"Yeah," Harry chuckled.

"Did you see the way the Weasel cried when he lost his wand?"

"Ahhh, he'll probably get it back once he apologizes or something. No one would want that stick the way he uses it to scratch…"

"Don't finish that statement, Potter!" Blaise instructed.

Harry just grinned. "Still… who knew Granger was such a card shark? I'm going to have to get to know her better."

{-8-}

Read and Review, please! Smiles!

Steve2