Lucius Malfoy had been having some troubles lately.
He should have been one of those wizards who lived a very comfortable life in the wizarding world.
He had the best wife in the world and the most promising son. The old man had retired to the second line, and he was the current head of the noble Malfoy family.
He could lie on a pile of money for the rest of his life. He could throw Galleons around every day and listen to the noise.
However, Lucius Malfoy had his own ambitions.
Earning more wealth for the Malfoy family, gaining a higher status in the wizarding world, seizing more influence in various industries, and ensuring that his wife and son received one hundred per cent respect from everyone in any social setting—these were the things he needed to consider every day after opening his eyes in bed.
He was in his prime and incredibly wealthy. No matter what great rivers or mountains blocked his way, or what hidden gutter or ditch in the past might suddenly appear and trip him up, he could usually fill those obstacles with Galleons.
Seeking profit amidst clinking glasses, gaining convenience through power-money transactions, and employing schemes amidst the treacherous nature of human nature had always been games that Lucius Malfoy tirelessly played.
This was his ordinary daily routine, a stroke of good fortune that most wizards could only dream of.
Logically speaking, this smooth-sailing life should continue for a long time, with no one able to bully him, and he should be the centre of the world.
However, lately, something had been popping up to spoil his mood.
His elaborate scheme to find the Dark magic diary at Hogwarts not only failed to make any real impact, but also nearly jeopardised his seat on the school board. Fortunately, his son was quick-witted enough to write a letter back informing him of the situation at Hogwarts, and with Cissy's astute advice, he managed to extricate himself from the whole affair unscathed.
—And Arthur Weasley, who stuck his nose out all over his house, remained firmly in his position, just like Albus Dumbledore, the irresponsible and eccentric Headmaster.
Then, in a moment of slight frustration, he suddenly realised that the reason his troublesome, foolish son was able to obtain so much inside information was probably because he had been spending too much time with those Gryffindors.
This made him very worried.
Lucius was caught in a dilemma:
On one hand, he knew Draco was right. He needed to get close to Harry Potter, to firmly grasp this descendant of a pure-blood family who might possess extraordinary magical talent. Harry Potter, who could even destroy the Dark Lord's eerie diary, clearly did have some talent.
On the other hand, he could not ignore the chilling fact that Draco captured Peter Pettigrew by working with Arthur Weasley's twin sons.
Arthur Weasley, that ill-intentioned pure-blood traitor, was desperately trying to surround his sons with Potter. Given that they were all Gryffindors, this was practically inevitable, and Draco, who wanted to cultivate a good relationship with Potter, would unsurprisingly have to deal with the Weasleys' wild-blooded children.
Two fists could not beat four hands.
If his son were bullied by those children because of his father, he would definitely go to Hogwarts to settle the score with them; however, another subtle possibility worried him even more: if his son did not become enemies with the Weasley children but instead became friends, would the Malfoy family follow in the footsteps of the Black family?
Just like that pure-blood traitor Sirius Black, who was led astray by a few Gryffindor friends, severed ties with his family, and ran away from home?
Currently, everything was still under control.
The son neither blindly showed any particular fondness for the Weasley children, nor was he foolish enough to fight with them at school.
He seemed to have handled his relationship with the Weasley children very well, maintaining a delicate balance.
He even managed to earn the Order of Merlin for his meritorious service.
In the days immediately following the news, Lucius practically swaggered when he visited the Ministry of Magic.
Arthur Weasley... if his two sons had not cooperated with Draco and handed over that rat, he would definitely have been in trouble! The idea of an Animagus lurking in his house for over ten years was laughable.
His silly son! The child was still somewhat naive, unaware of the wickedness of people's hearts, and unaware of how many dangers were hidden in Hogwarts.
But his father always protected him, always believing that he would amount to something!
The father was often too lenient with Draco—he was not like that when he was a father!
Lucius once worriedly thought that his son would most likely be spoilt, given Abraxas's indulgence.
But the child showed no signs of being spoilt; he was so sensible that he did not seem like a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy at all.
As a result, this overly worried father sometimes felt like a nagging old grandmother who was worrying unnecessarily, which made him feel very frustrated.
Finally, before he could even finish admiring his son's Order of Merlin, Peter Pettigrew escaped from Azkaban.
Would Draco face retaliation?
Lucius appeared calm and composed on the surface, but deep down he was somewhat nervous.
Any head of a household would be anxious about the safety of his offspring.
In the end, he realised that something was wrong with his wife.
A shadow had fallen over her beautiful face—this was more unsettling than everything else combined.
Cissy should be enjoying her beloved tea in peace and quiet, hosting her favourite salons in the library, wearing her most tasteful jewellery, and facing everyone with arrogance.
How could she stay indoors all day, like a frightened bird, with the first thing she did every morning upon opening her eyes being to worry about her son's safety?
Now, she was even pushing Lucius, forcing him to learn the Animagus transformation.
"How old are you? Still playing these tricks?" He turned to look at her, asking in bewilderment, which earned him a cold snort from Cissy.
Narcissa suddenly grabbed his perfectly smooth collar and slammed him against the wall. He could even smell the faint scent of irises on her.
Her captivating blue eyes stared unblinkingly at him, her red lips parted slightly, exuding a breathtaking beauty.
He grabbed the wallpaper on both walls, bewildered, and his snake-headed cane clattered to the ground with a thud.
Her rosy lips drew closer and closer to him. Lucius's throat bobbed, and he had already forgotten that this was a corridor of Malfoy Manor that anyone could pass by.
"I am not kidding. Hurry up and learn!" Lucius watched as his wife leant close to his face, her red lips close to his ear, her usually clear and indifferent voice becoming seductive, "When you can conjure it up, you can come to my room tonight."
Then, she turned her head and planted a kiss on his lips, before gracefully departing like a proud swan.
"Wait! Cissy, this could take several years!" Lucius shouted at her retreating figure, his face slightly flushed. "Could you give us some more time?"
This was the first time in Lucius Malfoy's life that he felt he might go bald.
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