---
Chapter 423: Watching the Wind and Changing Course
In the end, Darren received more than eighty million Galleons.
It looked like he had completely emptied those wizards, but in truth, Darren knew better.
It was impossible for them to hand over everything.
Still, the loss was enough to make every one of them bleed.
A wizard asked cautiously,
"Can… can we go now?"
They were afraid Darren might still kill them to silence everything.
"Not yet," Darren said calmly.
"You still need to tell me what kind of memories I should leave behind when I erase them later."
He glanced at them one by one.
"You need a reason to believe you spent the gold yourselves.
If you lie to me…
If your 'memories' contain anything suspicious, like suddenly wanting to check your accounts, or becoming strangely alert…
Then I will visit you personally."
His voice remained gentle.
"And you all know my strength.
If I want to kill you quietly, it would be easier than tonight.
But remember this—
People know you left with me.
If you all die afterward, the world will suspect my soul first.
So don't make it difficult for me.
Think.
Convince yourselves."
The wizards felt wronged and furious.
They had been robbed—
And now they were being asked to create excuses for it?
But strangely, this request reassured them.
Because if Darren truly wanted them dead…
He wouldn't waste time asking them for reasons.
Since they were being forced to invent memories, it meant they would probably live.
So they began speaking quickly.
One by one, they made excuses for themselves.
Even Mr. Parkinson came up with one.
"I gave the money to my daughter…
Pansy has her own private treasury, and I occasionally transfer her a large amount…"
Darren was silent for a second.
He mourned Pansy's future spending habits in advance.
Still, he signaled Paige to write everything down.
All these reasons would later be implemented using forged memories.
Then—
There was one final matter.
Darren raised his wand.
Lucius, who had just been blown apart…
Returned.
His body reformed.
His eyes flew open.
He was still trapped in the terror of his own death.
When he saw where he was—
He froze.
"I… I'm…"
It wasn't only Lucius.
Everyone else was frozen in disbelief.
"You lied to us!"
"You used Lucius to scare us!"
"You're shameless!"
Darren raised his hand.
Silence returned.
He looked directly at Lucius.
"I will keep part of your memory.
After all, you share blood with me.
I won't kill you.
But I want your allegiance."
Lucius dropped to his knees without hesitation.
"I swear it, Master."
Darren almost admired him.
Truly a survivor.
Master of adjusting to the wind.
"Good," Darren said.
"Then you can start by buying something for me.
I want you to establish a company in the Muggle world.
Develop technology in your name.
Immediately."
Lucius blinked.
Then nodded at once.
"I already own several Muggle businesses.
I will transfer them to you."
The irony was delicious.
Lucius Malfoy—
Snobbish pureblood—
Running Muggle companies.
Darren almost laughed.
"Oh, and one more thing."
He pointed at the trembling wizards.
"Pick a few.
As a reward for your loyalty."
Lucius smiled.
Bright.
Satisfied.
He picked out several people who had already seemed unstable—
Wizards who would probably expose things later.
Darren agreed readily.
He had planned to eliminate them anyway.
Lucius would simply take the blame.
As for this so-called allegiance—
It meant nothing.
Darren would keep Lucius alive only until the Muggle companies were delivered.
Then Lucius Malfoy would no longer be needed.
Because—
No one could ever learn Darren's true face.
Tonight's rewards—
Were already more than enough.
Darren almost laughed out loud.
[System: Execute forged memories on all targets.]
[Ding. Completed successfully.]
The wizards vanished one by one.
Returned to their homes.
In their minds, tonight became nothing more than:
They tortured Darren…
Then returned home…
And spent vast amounts of gold.
As for Lucius—
In his memory, Darren had been pitiful.
A victim.
Someone deserving of compensation.
Which was why Lucius would willingly provide several Muggle companies.
Naturally, all the injuries on his body were fake as well.
Darren lifted his head.
The sky was already fading.
Dawn was near.
The horizon glowed.
He dispersed the magic barrier around him.
The instant it fell—
Dumbledore appeared in front of him.
Darren breathed inwardly in relief.
Fortunately, he had used forged data.
Which meant the silver chain Dumbledore had given him showed nothing.
To Dumbledore—
Darren had taken three Killing Curses.
That was all.
Seeing Dumbledore's shocked, distressed face, Darren forced a smile.
Weakly, but happily, he said,
"Headmaster…"
"I survived…"
Before he could say anything else—
Snape and Harry ran toward him.
Darren's heart jumped.
He immediately closed his eyes and collapsed.
Good timing.
If he stayed awake—
He would be scolded to death.
Better to faint.
His plan worked.
Less than a second later—
A violently bitter potion was forced into his mouth.
Half a bottle went down.
His vision blurred.
By the time he lost consciousness—
He had drunk nearly the entire thing.
Snape's medicine really tries to kill you first…
---
When Darren woke again—
He was in an unfamiliar room.
Fresh flowers filled the air with fragrance.
A cabinet stood in the corner.
It was packed—
Candy.
Cakes.
Sugared things.
The cabinet began to shake.
Then—
It violently threw everything out.
Sweets flew everywhere.
An angry voice came from outside the door:
"How many times have I said it?!
No candy for patients!
And now look—
Thrown out again!"
"Do you want them in hospital until graduation?!"
"And this cabinet!
I've said for years it needs replacing!
It's broken down twice today already!"
The door opened.
A blonde female doctor stepped inside.
When she saw Darren awake—
She immediately exclaimed in shock.
---