Becoming Alpha

Chapter Eighteen

"Did you hear that Professor Lockhart might just be a fraud?" "I couldn't believe it when I heard!" "How could he be a fraud?" "I think it's true! His classroom is full of pictures of himself and the entire lesson was on his stupid books!" "Could it be true?" "Is there actually proof?"

Whispers followed Harry and his four Slytherin friends as they traveled through the halls to dinner from the library, where they had met up with the other leaders to make sure it had all gone well. Harry had to hold in his smirk as he heard all the rumors flying around; it seemed Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had begun to spread the word the minute the first afternoon class was done.

Harry knew that many of the students would need proof of the claims, but just the fact that people doubted Lockhart meant that everything was headed in the right direction. Any doubt at all meant that he would be questioned at every turn and it would be harder for people to believe their professor. Just that one seed of doubt, now planted in the minds of the school, would lead to distrust.

"Nicely done," Tracey whispered to Harry from beside him as she looked around the halls and listened to the brand new gossip flying around.

"Thanks," he replied with a small smile as he caught her eye.

"And the seeds of doubt are laid," Daphne said from the other side of Tracey with a smug smile on her face. It was obvious to the group that Daphne truly despised Lockhart, probably because he was lying just to look good.

"Next they'll need proof," Harry informed her quietly as they finally reached the Entrance Hall and saw groups of students all whispering quickly back and forth, small slips of paper being passed around and discussed.

"Good point," Blaise commented from behind the three. "How are you going to make that happen, Harry?"

"Haven't decided yet," Harry admitted as they sat down at the Slytherin table, Theo and Daphne on the other side of it.

"Well, first you should have Laura here pass around the fact that her father is a School Governor and they had no choice but to hire Lockhart as he was the only person willing to volunteer for the job," the voice of Maya stated matter-of-factly from behind Harry, who turned to see the first year Slytherins along with a blond Ravenclaw.

"And would Laura be willing to do this for us?" Harry asked as he looked at Isabella, Catherine, and Laura, not sure which one was Laura.

"I would," the girl with the dark-brown hair and hazel eyes stated with a slight smile, showing that she both knew that he didn't know which girl she was and enjoyed the idea of spreading more gossip about the fraud of a professor.

"Excellent," Theo stated as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation before reaching for some chicken to put onto his plate.

"Harry, this is Luna Lovegood," Maya said as the rest of the first years sat down around the second years. "Luna, this is Harry Potter."

"Pleasure," Harry said as he held out his hand to the blond with cloudy eyes. He could see something hidden in her eyes, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Nice to make your acquaintance Harry Potter," Luna replied as she took his hand lightly and shook it. "You don't have any Wrackspurt around you, so you should be fine for now." Luna gave Harry a dazed smile.

"A what?" Draco asked as he got to the table and sneered slightly at Luna, playing his part for his group of Slytherins.

"A Wrackspurt," Luna repeated calmly. "They're invisible and float through a person's ears to make his or her brain go all fuzzy and make it hard to think."

"I'm glad I don't have any around me then," Harry said kindly to Luna after giving Draco a look for show; they didn't want Draco's friends to get suspicious.