Lucius furrowed his brow, murmuring, "Hunting Acromantulas… but for what? To harvest life force?"
Draco blinked in confusion. "Father, what are you talking about? Harvest life force?"
"It's nothing…" Lucius shook his head. "Now, tell me—what do you think of Wyzett Lovegood? I recall Hogwarts has joint classes."
"He's just a Ravenclaw, isn't he? Obsessed with knowledge… If I ever see him, it's usually in the library," Draco mused. "In class, he's either answering questions or helping other Ravenclaws. Seems pretty well-liked… That's about it."
"Hmm." Lucius nodded thoughtfully. "This coming school year, I want you to make contact with Wyzett Lovegood. For safety's sake, keep it strictly within the Hogwarts castle."
"I need to approach him too?" Draco looked even more puzzled. "You already told me to get close to Harry Potter… Now you want me to add Wyzett Lovegood? He's an Obscurial, isn't he? Why should I bother?"
"Build connections, Draco. That's the mark of a true Malfoy." Lucius fixed his son with a meaningful gaze. "As the future heir of our family, you must learn this well."
"Harry Potter is the Boy Who Lived, the one who defeated the Dark Lord. As for Wyzett Lovegood—if he's earned Severus's favor, there's no harm in getting to know him."
"The best decision I ever made was befriending Severus. Whatever our personal feelings, the value of a Potions Master is beyond measure."
Draco looked skeptical. "You think… that Wyzett Lovegood could become a Potions Master too?"
"Even if he's seeing Severus for weekly detentions, he's still learning a great deal about potions." Lucius sighed. "Making the right investments at the right time is vital for the Malfoys. It's time you learned that."
"Both Harry Potter and Wyzett Lovegood have potential. Give it some real thought."
"I'll try again, Father…" Draco replied, a little reluctant but resigned. "I'll do my best."
…
When the door closed, the study fell silent once more.
After a moment's thought, Lucius retrieved a rainbow-hued dragon hide notebook from a nearby cabinet. Its cover was embroidered with pure gold thread, spelling out: Abraxas Malfoy.
Compared to the black T.M. Riddle notebook, it was like night and day.
Abraxas Malfoy—his father's name. One of the first Death Eaters, a man who had witnessed Voldemort's rise.
He'd taken out this notebook because the unexpected burning of the Dark Mark had forced him to consider a possible link between Wyzett Lovegood and Voldemort.
Inside, his father's own words chronicled his history with the Dark Lord.
Though I know he's an orphan from the Muggle world who ended up in Slytherin, I have to admit, he's remarkable. There's something about him…
Professor Slughorn took a liking to him. More and more Slytherins put aside their prejudices and started befriending him…
And I must admit, he was rather handsome—black hair, black eyes, refined features. Perhaps I should try speaking with him myself…
Lucius pieced together Wyzett's appearance from the descriptions. "Black hair, black eyes… and apparently handsome. Certainly better looking than what the Dark Lord became."
He truly had a unique charm. I'm glad I made that choice back then—he really was Salazar Slytherin's heir! I believed it because he was about to prove it…
Worthy of Slytherin's legacy! Not only did he open the Chamber of Secrets and get that oaf expelled from Hogwarts, he also cleared his own name. Just stay out of the Forbidden Forest—those Acromantulas…
I became a Knight of Walpurgis, an organization founded for pure-blood supremacy. After graduation, we would begin conquering Britain…
A foolish Muggle became Minister for Magic—damned Nobby Leach! He said he'd take action, that Nobby Leach would soon be out…
He did it—Nobby Leach was cursed! The Knights of Walpurgis became the Death Eaters. Under his leadership, we would conquer death, taste death…
But I caught Dragon Pox. I won't live to see the day we conquer death… My son, Lucius Malfoy, you must inherit my will. The world belongs to pure-blood wizards…
…
Closing the notebook, Lucius exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting back to the black T.M. Riddle notebook.
"Is the Dark Lord trying to remind me? Or… is it a warning?" he wondered uneasily.
Through his father's notes, the image of Wyzett and Voldemort had begun to blur together in his mind—at least, the way they'd both been as students.
"The Dark Lord must be playing a far deeper game than anyone suspects… hiding right under Dumbledore's nose."
"Getting Draco close to him is the best path—just as my father did in his time…" he murmured.
"As for this notebook, I'll keep carrying it with me."
After a long, restless day, night finally arrived. Lucius left the T.M. Riddle notebook in his study, intending to get some proper rest.
But as the whole of Malfoy Manor slipped into slumber, the black notebook began to tremble. Wisps of inky vapor seeped from its pages, swallowing the book whole.
The notebook drifted to Lucius's bedroom, releasing tendrils of black mist that slid up his nostrils as he slept.
Its work done, the notebook crept through the manor, slipping under the door into Draco's room.
…
When Draco awoke, he spotted the notebook on his desk and immediately recognized it.
He'd seen it in his father's study yesterday.
He flipped it open to the first page and snorted, "T.M. Riddle? What a boring name! Who'd want to use a notebook like this? Ha!"
He tossed it carelessly back onto the desk and went about fixing his hair and pulling on his robes.
Later, in the living room, the memory returned to him. "Father, your notebook ended up in my room."
Lucius frowned, a nagging sense that he was forgetting something. "My notebook? What does it look like?"
"It's got a black cover, says T.M. Riddle on the front. I saw it in your study yesterday," Draco replied.
"Utterly ridiculous—just the sort of name a Muggle would use!" Lucius scoffed. "Something like that couldn't possibly be in my study."
Draco nodded in agreement. "That's what I thought. I'll get rid of it later."
At that moment, the flames in the fireplace flared emerald green. Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Pansy Parkinson stepped out of the Floo.
Lucius glanced at them lazily. "Where are your fathers?"
The three replied in unison, "They'll be here soon, Mr. Malfoy."
…
The Malfoy family truly was the ultimate catalyst. Without Lucius's attempt at framing, the Horcrux notebook might never have been destroyed.
In the Order of the Phoenix, it was Lucius who seized the prophecy orb—only for it to shatter unexpectedly.
In the Deathly Hallows, Narcissa covered for Harry, enabling the final victory.
And Draco—he not only got his hands on the Elder Wand but, by sheer accident, made Harry its master, sealing Voldemort's fate.
Without the Malfoys, the entire wizarding world might just fall apart…
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