Prompt: Magical Me

[Prof. Sky Alton]

Break with a banshee, gadding with ghouls, holidays with hags, travels with trolls, voyages with vampires, wanderings with werewolves, year with a yeti… Life’s certainly never dull for Gilderoy Lockhart.

But, as you may have heard, he isn’t the most original of souls and could really use your help coming up with his next book. (All you need to do is write the thing…he’ll handle the publicity and everything….)

This month (in honour of his 53rd birthday), I’d love for you to write a chapter, introduction or extract of 200 words or more from Gilderoy’s next smash hit. Please include a suitably Lockhart-esque title!

There is no deadline as such for these prompts but if you’d like it to count towards your chance of earning the award for a specific year, we’ll need it by the end of that school year. If you’re comfortable sharing, then post below. If not, email your story to us via hol.bookclub @ gmail.com (without the spaces). Oh and remember it’s a good idea to check through your piece carefully for spelling and grammatical errors as they make it harder for people to properly enjoy your work.

And a massive thank you to Will Lestrange for the inspiration for this month’s prompt.

[Meredith Malkins]

Blurb of Mad in St Mungo's, by GIlderoy Lockhart.

We all know greatness is not born, it is made out of hardship. When you think of great wizards, you probably think of Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin Third Class, Dark Force Defense League honorary member, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. If you don't, then this book is why you should.
Mad in St Mungo's is Gilderoy Lockhart's heartwrenching tale after his travels. For Lockhart's most interesting and trying times were not when he was travelling around the world, helping and inventing, but begin at his appointment as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
Starting from his arrival at the infamous school, Mad in St Mungo's documents Lockhart's gripping and heart-felt journey: boldly protecting students from horrors inside and outside of the castle, the terrifying account of a student's ferocious Memory Charm attack, and the long, perilous journey from madness to regain his memories and his sense of self.
In his own words, Gilderoy Lockhart guides us through his heartbreaking story of struggle, internal battles, and small but hard-won victories. Mad in St Mungo's is set to be his next best-seller, and no longer because of his award-winning grin. This tale will change everything you know about your favourite hero, even the colour lilac.
Once, Gilderoy Lockhart quietly saved the world. Now, he must save himself.

[Prof. Maxim Trevelyan]

Obliteration of Obliviation is the newest hit from an acclaimed author, Gilderoy Lockhart, who showed us his bravery in works such as Gadding with Ghouls, Year with the Yeti, Break with a Banshee, and revealed his gentle side in Magical Me. This book is an honest, raw and very emotional read.

A man, who is incomparable with any other, writes about a vicious attack from two Hogwarts students whose names have never been revealed and his subsequent loss of memory. Lockhart lost almost all of his functions as a result and had to relearn everything anew. In his mind, he subconsciously knew something was missing and that was his passion for writing.

After basic needs, Lockhart writes that the first thing he learned was how to write, which gradually began returning his memories and thanks to the excellent Healers at St. Mungo’s, Lockhart’s loyal readers are now presented with this memoir.

However, this is not only a simple memoir of an author, but also a source of inspiration for all budding authors out there. No matter how many writer blocks you may have, or how many nay-sayers are in your life, Gilderoy Lockhart says that with enough stubbornness and dedication, nothing seems impossible.

[Silas Hipolito Crist]

I am totally changed is the newest book of the famous wizard author Gilderoy Lockhart. Are you interested in Gilderoy's life after tragical accident that hit him and stooped his perfect life for more than one year? Do you feel like reading original and very good book? Here it is; Gilderoy is finally ready to reveal his real story and add even more funny adventures that happened to him during his last trip in Alaska, where he was because of healing reasons.
Now he is much more original, absolutely true and even more charming.

Here is some pre-reading for dear readers: "After leaving St. Mungo Hospital he talked with Dumbledore and decided to leave Hogwarts, because teaching was not his thing or as Gilderoy said for the interview: "Hogwarts is extremely unprofessional school. I was trying to change things and bring my dear colleges better working conditions, but Albus does not want to listen to me. I am really sorry for not achieving everything that I meant to. But do not think that Gilderoy is done with Hogwarts." His mysterious words are still unrevealed as Gilderoy is enjoying his vacation at Hawai accompanied with his team, that take care for all his needs and more. But we are sure that he is up to something..."

[Shiloh Adlar]

In Gathering the Ghosts, famed writer Gilderoy Lockhart, details what it is like to have no idea who one is after a memory charm goes wrong. While speaking of his troubles, he also sends the readers on an adventure inside the walls of St. Mungo's where he is currently still recovering. Lockhart begins to meet ghosts that are apparently from his past that he once knew and over time, he gathers information from them.

Eventually he discovers that not all the ghosts he greets are from his past but some are from the present and others are in his own mind which warn him of the future based off of his past actions and if he should continue down the path he once had. Of course his own glamorizing ways terrifies him to a fault, and he writes that he refuses to leave the safety of the walls of St. Mungo's as much as the healers tell him he is capable of discharging from their care.

If you or anyone you know has been hit with obliviation and they are searching for who they are or where they came from, Gathering the Ghosts will help find a starting place to begin the search. But as Lockhart says, beware the ghosts while you gather them.

[Iverian Gnash]

Thoughtfully Teaching
With his newest installment, Gilderoy relives the year that he taught Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. As most of you will remember, that was the year that the Chamber of Secrets was opened letting loose the basilisk. The year was 1992 and Mr. Lockhart was up for the task. Everything was ready for his new job and he was more than excited to begin. Arriving at the school precisely on time, all of the students greeted him enthusiastically. Throughout the book, you will watch as he forms life long friendships with the students. Everybody likes him and they all ask for an autograph, which Gilderoy happily provides. The school year goes well and he succeeds at his new teaching post. His students will all tell you that he was a fabulous professor and they learned so much. This book goes into depth about his first, and last, year of being a professor. Sadly, his fabulous Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching skills were cut short when he heroically attempted to save a young first-year who had found herself stuck in the Chamber of Secrets on the verge of death. Read all about it in his new novel, Thoughtfully Teaching, which is in bookstores everywhere.