Harry Potter : Cael Vale’s journey to Hogwarts

Morning broke over the snow-laced towers of Hogwarts, casting a pale glow through the castle windows. The first rays of sun caught the frost on the windowpanes, glittering like a thousand tiny diamonds. Inside the Great Hall, students streamed in for breakfast, yawning and stretching, still shaking off the cobwebs of sleep.

But within minutes, the usual morning chatter gave way to sharp gasps, bursts of laughter, and the unmistakable crackle of scandal.

Copies of the Daily Prophet rustled open at every table. Bold black headlines shouted across the front page:

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"LOCKHART'S LOVE-CHILD SCANDAL!"

Famous Author and Hogwarts Professor Abandons Mysterious Pregnant Witch, Sources Say

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Below the headline, a moving photograph showed a young, teary-eyed witch holding a small bundle wrapped in a blue blanket. Another photograph, unmistakably Lockhart—smiling obliviously—floated beside it in perfect, damning contrast.

The byline read:

By Rita Skeeter, Senior Reporter, Daily Prophet

"Sources close to Lavinia Lovelace, a former admirer and alleged partner of Gilderoy Lockhart, claim the flamboyant professor has refused to acknowledge his own child after an affair turned sour. 'He promised the world and vanished without so much as an owl,' the young woman tearfully explained to this reporter…"

At the Gryffindor table, Fred, George, Lee, and Cael sat quietly, calmly buttering their toast like innocent cherubs in red and gold. But their eyes sparkled with mischief as they watched the scene unfold.

From the staff table, Lockhart arrived five minutes late, hair perfectly coiffed, robes crisp and gleaming—completely unaware of the storm brewing in the hall.

He strutted in, gave a dazzling smile to a cluster of Ravenclaw girls, and took his seat. The whispering erupted into open snickering. The Hufflepuff table was almost in tears from laughter. Even some of the older Slytherins had amused smirks on their faces.

Lockhart blinked, confused.

Then an owl swooped down from the rafters.

A package, wrapped in soft blue paper and tied with a golden ribbon, landed squarely in front of him with an innocent plop. Curious now, Lockhart gently untied the ribbon, still trying to figure out why everyone was staring.

The box opened.

Out popped a small enchanted doll—a boy, no taller than a goblet—with golden-blond hair and twinkling eyes. Its tiny arms stretched upward, and in a high, squeaky voice it cried:

"Daddy!"

Lockhart flinched, horrified.

"Daddy, why did you leave Mummy and me?" the doll wailed, voice quivering with perfect theatrical sadness. "You said you'd write!"

The hall erupted.

A wave of laughter exploded from the students—cries, gasps, and howls of amusement filled the room. Even the professors couldn't help themselves. Professor Flitwick dropped his teacup from laughing too hard. Professor Sprout was dabbing her eyes with a napkin. Even the usually grim Professor Snape had one eyebrow raised higher than usual, and his lips twitched suspiciously.

And Dumbledore—

Dumbledore chuckled openly, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

Lockhart sat frozen, jaw agape, color draining from his face. The enchanted doll clambered up the table toward him with stubby legs and outstretched arms.

"I made this for you, Daddy! It's a picture I drew!"

The doll held up a small crayon drawing: a stick-figure child, a very handsome man with perfect hair, and a tearful mother beside a broken heart.

The Great Hall howled.

"Fred and George were gasping for breath from laughing, while Lee had collapsed onto the table in hysterics. Cael, meanwhile, looked like he might be sick—but couldn't, because he was laughing so hard he could barely breathe."

Lockhart finally managed to slam the box shut and snatched the doll up, hissing a charm to silence it. He stood, trembling, scanning the hall.

"This is… this is preposterous!" he snapped, trying to recover his image. "I've never seen that child—or woman—in my life! This is clearly… clearly the work of—of dark forces! Jealousy! Sabotage!"

"Sure, Daddy," George muttered loudly enough for half the hall to hear.

Another eruption of laughter.

Lockhart stormed out of the hall in a huff, the doll still twitching in his arms, muffled cries of "I love you, Daddy!" escaping the box lid.

As the doors slammed behind him, Dumbledore stood and raised his goblet.

"Well," he said with a slight smile, "that was certainly… enlightening. Please, do enjoy your breakfast—before someone else receives an unexpected bundle of joy."

The hall roared again.

Back at the Gryffindor table, Fred turned to Cael and grinned.

"That… was genius."

"Indeed," Cael said with mock formality. "And entirely for educational purposes."