Disclaimer: If you recognise it, surprise, I don't own it.

  Chapter 119- The Next Leader.

  "A brilliant plan, Patricia, my girl." Dumbledore comments after Madam Rakepick suggests her plan, and with that, the path forward is concluded. With the saviour of the wizarding world giving his approval, everybody else is practically falling over themselves to fall in. Even if I had a problem and wanted to voice it, it would get me nowhere. The path was set, and I was okay with that because the plan was okay. However, we also had one big player on the table whose position hadn't been decided yet, so I turned to the man.

  "Albus, is there anything you can do to help?" I ask the man, making sure to use his first name. I didn't want to stay in the trap these guys were in and keep giving him a position of authority over me, so I made sure we were on a first-name basis. Also, so far, the man had been fine with offering options and comments but hadn't yet offered anything in the way of help. So, I asked him for it. As he likes to say, help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it, and this man basically is Hogwarts.

  "I'm afraid that would be quite impossible at the moment. Not only that, but I am equally afraid that it would actually be more dangerous to involve me directly in any of this." Dumbledore replies, making it clear he doesn't want to get involved. This doesn't make sense; this involves everything a nosy do-gooder like him would want, and I assumed he would love to get more involved, but he isn't? "Can I ask why?" I question while the others listen in, equally interested.

  "I'm afraid I hold positions that are quite public, and some people feel safe and reassured with me in those positions as they can keep an eye on me. And make no mistake, they do keep an eye on me. Though I have never heard of or run into Lucien D'Arcana before, that very fact leads me to be cautious about him. He has definitely made an effort to stay out of my periphery. Meaning, he is keeping an eye on me, and if I were to go to Italy, he could take drastic measures that would endanger all the residents of Italy and the statute of secrecy." Of course, that makes a lot of sense.

  "I see, I have to be honest, that really fucking sucks." I let out, unable to stop myself. I just can't help it. If Dumbledore were to show up, then I would feel a lot better as he could take on teleporting vampire Lucian, and I could rest easy knowing I had sufficient backup. So yeah, I ended up swearing, and some of the people gasped, and I got glared at for cursing in front of the big man. Jesus, it's like I was doing dark magic. Thankfully, Dumbledore just chuckles good-naturedly.

  "It gladdens an old man to know he is to be missed. But I have utter faith in you, Gilderoy. The man I have gotten to know over this past year of teaching is a man I have full confidence in. If you perform just like you did in this school year, then I know you can handle all of this. I have no doubt that you will take care of this, even without my interference." There is a shocked silence at his words; not a single other person in the room is able to believe them, and that includes me.

  I can see as the changes occur, and all the members of the Dark Force Defence League take another look and assess me once more through very different eyes. I am no longer just a famous adventurer; I am a man with a great reputation as a powerful wizard that has the full confidence of Albus Percival Wilfred Brian Dumbledore. I even take a moment to check myself over just to make sure I haven't somehow switched bodies with someone more competent because I have no idea how I have inspired so much confidence in Dumbledore.

  "Well, if that is all. I do believe we all have our own tasks to get to, and we should all get to them." Madam Rakepick takes commands then, finding her footing first and getting everybody back on track. The rest all nod, and Dumbledore is the first to get up, and everyone waits for him to do so. Seriously, this guy commands insane respect, and I feel the same for him. He's not the evil, dark Dumbledore; he's the good one who is slightly manipulative because he has to be. I can respect that.

  "Well then, I am glad that this is being handled by such fine young wizards and witches. I will leave this matter in your trustworthy hands and leave first. Gilderoy, walk with me. I would like to discuss a matter with you." The 'in private' doesn't need to be said, as everyone understands. Those who were getting ready to leave quickly sat back in their seats, and I got up and followed Dumbledore out of the meeting room.

  We walk in silence for a while, with me following his lead since I still don't know the layout of these catacombs. Finally, I have enough of the silence and have to speak. "Why do you have such trust in me? I don't even have such faith in myself." I ask, and the man hums in thought before stopping and turning to look at me, his face completely serious.

  "I know who you are, Gilderoy." He says, and I find myself unable to react to that as he continues with some hard truths. "You are a liar and a conman." My face falls flat, and I don't reply, not because I can't but because I don't know what to say. How am I supposed to reply to that "?Then what are you?" Okay, I don't know where that came from, but let's roll with it.

  "What am I? Hmm." Dumbledore actually seems to ponder that, and then he smiles at me. "Not all that different from you, really." And with that, I am actually speechless, and though my mouth opens, nothing comes out. I try to sound something out, but I can't, and so I just end up gesturing at him to continue as I display my confusion.

  "Do you think I am everything people believe me to be? Because I can tell you that I am not. Maybe somewhat, but just like every public figure, I have an image I put out, though it was first decided for me, and I later saw the necessity of it for the good of magical Britain." Dumbledore explains, and I nod my head to show I am listening because I am still unable to speak.

  "I see a lot of my younger self in you, Gilderoy. Though, of course, you chose to put out the image and gain fame and repute while mine was accidental, but the result was still the same." He puts a hand on my shoulder, his thin fingers firm. "I know what you've done, but I'm sure it doesn't matter. I have forgiven worse crimes committed by less deserving people." I know he's talking about Snape, but since it's plural, I fear he has forgiven other people who are more undeserving than Snape, and that's saying something.

  "I had a long time to observe you whilst you worked at Hogwarts, and though you have your flaws, no man is without them. I can hardly preach perfection and other such platitudes when I myself have made mistakes in my past, mistakes worse than yours." I really don't know why he is telling me all this, but I get the feeling he is leading up to something.

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  "I had to step up to deal with pressing matters because those in positions of power had proved unreliable to handle them. And so I have had to handle these things for many years, and it has been many years since something was resolved without my involvement." Okay, alright, I think I know what he is talking about, but what could it actually mean?

  "Until you solved the problem with Tom Riddle's diary and slayed a Basilisk, and I was hardly involved. In fact, I hardly knew what was going on, and I didn't need to because you handled the matter." Okay, alright, I do not like where this is going. "It revealed something to me and made me realise something, and for that, I must genuinely thank you; otherwise, I would have made some impressively shocking oversights." He sighed like something heavy was coming off of his shoulders.

  "I am old, and I am not going to be around forever. In fact, I might not be around in a few years, and I had not taken that into account. I can't handle everything, especially if I am no longer around to do so, and then what will happen to the people that have been left behind. Left to the mercies of people full of anger and hate." He looks at me, and I really don't like the look on his face right now.

  "I need to take measures before I am gone to look after the populace left behind, a populace not able to take care of itself. And for that, I need the aid of someone who will look after it in my place, and that someone is you." Yeah, I knew I wouldn't like this. "Piss off. There is absolutely no way you think I could do that. Are you serious?" I swear at him.

  "I am deadly serious. Having witnessed you deal with the Chamber of Secrets, I have no doubt that you are the man for the job. Yes, you are not a forgiving man or a particularly good man, but you are not a bad man. And maybe that is what Britain needs. It has hardly progressed whilst I have held my positions, and maybe a more strict hand is needed. A less forgiving hand. Your hand." He lets go of my shoulder and takes a step back.

  "So what does this mean? Are you about to teach me all your magic and help me become stronger? Am I going to be the next Hogwarts Headmaster? What the hell are you expecting of me?" Seriously, this guy has dropped this on me out of nowhere. "Firstly, you should deal with the matter in Italy, and then we can see where we will go from there. I am sure you will rise to the challenge, Gilderoy. Out of spite, if nothing else." He chuckles as he walks away, and I can't deny his parting words.

  I'm in this mess in Italy because I didn't heed the warning of the old Italian man telling me to leave as it was dangerous. I, in fact, went toward the danger to spite him. I'm sure if Dumbledore said to me that I wouldn't be Hogwarts Headmaster, then I would try my hardest to be. I guess it comes from being that organ foster kid who was always told he would amount to nothing and me wanting to disprove that. Now, I always want to disprove everyone who has negative opinions of me.

  Hmph, if Dumbledore wanted me to succeed him, then he should have told me I can't because now I will try my hardest not to, just to go against him and his stupid plans, the old fogy. "Heh, you're getting ahead of yourself, old man. Lucian D'Arcana is a monster, and I do not like my chances. You'll probably have to find someone else to be your new guiding hand of magical mankind." I snark at him as he walks away, and the man again just chuckles like he can't even get angry. I know you can; I saw you talk calmly to Harry and ask him if he put his name in the goblet of fire.

  "Then consider this a trial by fire. If you can handle this without my interference and without dying, then I will give you everything I can in the way of help. You can feed your vices with the power I give you as long as you look after the world in my place." He disappears into the darkness, and I can't see anything anymore except the skulls on the walls.

  "And what if I die?" I question quietly to myself, because though I have called in for help, I am not happy with my chances against that monster. I hit him with direct magical sunlight, and I think all it did was annoy him. I wasn't expecting a response to my question, but one was given out of the darkness. "Then I will just have to find someone else, or find a way to prolong my own life." I just hear it barely before I am left in silence.

  Well, I guess he has changed his ways as he's no longer so helpful or forgiving. The guys literally leave me to my fate against a monster vampire because he's realised he can no longer be so overprotective and smothering to the magical world. I agree with that notion, but there's a difference between helping idiot wizards like the Weasleys, who have too many children and can't afford to provide for them all and helping me, who's going to be killed and destroyed by a centuries-old vampire.

  Not to mention, the old fucker just led me out into this fucking maze of a catacomb and left me alone in here, and I don't know where the fuck I am. Seriously, there are a couple of paths around me, but I don't know for the life of me where I am supposed to go. When I entered here earlier on, I nearly went mad traversing these passages, and apparently, that was only for five minutes, and now I am stuck here again. Shit, wait. This is definitely on the way to the exit.

  What's that advice again? If you get lost, just stay in the same spot, and someone will find you. Granted, it's for children who get lost, but the advice is still sound at any age. I will just wait here until a member of the Dark Force Defence League comes along, and I can follow them out of here. And again, granted, that will make me seem like an idiot and man-child, especially after Dumbledore told everyone he has full faith in me, but you have to do what you have to do.

  I conjure up a nice chair and take a seat on it, and then I bring forth a nice side table and make myself a cup of nice tea and start to sip it. It's all about appearances, and just waiting here like a schmuck would make me seem like an idiot, but if I were to sit here elegantly sipping on tea and looking refined, then I would seem like I am waiting here on purpose, and I can play it off to whoever shows up next. I guess Dumbledore was right about image and all that.

  It's a couple of minutes later that someone finally shows up, and though I can't see them, I make sure to set the scene by talking first. "You certainly took your time. I've been waiting for you," I speak out, and just like that, I have completely fabricated what has happened. I am no longer just an idiot who is lost down here but a cool, mysterious guy who's been waiting for whoever this is while sitting and drinking tea.

  "You were waiting for me?" Violet Selwyn asks as she steps out of the shadows, looking completely befuddled at the sight of me sitting here drinking tea, to which I nod my head as I stand up and vanish the things I had made. "That is right, let's walk and talk. Lead the way, my lady." I bow slightly and gesture forth towards the path, and she, confused, goes along with it and begins to walk.

  I completely don't acknowledge it when she walks down a path other than the one I was gesturing towards, simply standing straight and following behind her. We walk for about a minute in silence before she finally has enough. "Well, what did you want to talk about, Lockhart?" She asks, pausing in her steps for a second and I get worried she is going to stop walking, but then she continues, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

  "I merely wanted to inquire whether I might receive your expert help after this entire ordeal is over and we return to England," I say, thankfully having a serviceable excuse to talk to her about, one that might help me but is honestly not that crucial for me. After all, Violet Selwyn is an expert on magical history and diplomacy and has her hands in politics, which could be useful for my business. I already have Andromeda for that stuff, though, so I would need a different excuse than the business.

  "And what might you need my political expertise for?" She seems to be interested, so I had better not leave her disappointed. "I would like your aid in running for minister of magic." I request, and I have to fight off the frown my face wants to display when she snorts in amusement. "You want to be minister? Really?" She thinks the idea is absurd, but is it really?

  "You have just witnessed that I have the trust and Faith of Dumbledore. Not only that, but I also have the fame and admiration of the public. I am renowned as a powerful wizard, and let's be honest, your goal of restoring the Selwyn name isn't going to come to fruition with Fudge in power. He is in the pockets of everyone, including the friends of your relatives who are suffering deservedly in Azkaban." I lay it out, and just like that, she no longer seems to think it's a joke.

  "We can discuss this further when we return to England. But needless to say, I am interested. Very interested." She says, and I smile as my excuse is expertly done. Now, it's time to return to Italy and begin the operation against the D'Arcana clan.

  My writing speed has slowed down some, but it’s still one chapter a week at least. Have to stay consistent on that at least, and I always have House MD on in the background, which helps me write.

  Upcoming Chapters:

  Hero: Chapter 120- To Italy Once More.

  Super: Chapter 122- Allergic To Blood?

  Legendary: Chapter 124- Where My Weasleys At!?

  Galactic: Chapter 128- Screw Italy.

  Mythic: Chapter 131- It’s Getting Away From Him.

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  That is all for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will see you in the next one!

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