"Hey, hey, hey…" Cassandra flailed as she was unceremoniously hoisted into the air. "Tom, you bastard! Put me down!"
Ignoring her protests and the false accusation of "Merlin abuse," Tom turned and carried her back to his office.
Watching the two disappear, Nagini smiled enigmatically, her beautiful, deep eyes seeming to ponder or plan something.
...
On the fourth floor of Hogwarts Castle, in Tom's office, Harry and Malfoy were already waiting.
The excessive silence, broken only by their nervous fidgeting, made them acutely uncomfortable.
Originally, Harry had no reason to be there, but Malfoy had wailed, "Good brothers may not live together, but they should at least face execution together, right?"
That, of course, made Harry even less willing to come.
It wasn't until Malfoy resorted to a combination of tears, tantrums, and threats of dramatic suicide that he finally managed to drag Harry along.
"Scarface, if—I mean, if you don't see me tomorrow…" Malfoy, his face etched with melancholy, placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Malfoy," Harry said, his tone heavy. "Tell me, what are your last words? I'll do everything I can to help you fulfill them."
"Good! You're a true brother!" Malfoy's face lit up. "I'm relieved to hear you say that."
He looked up, his eyes filled with bittersweet reminiscence.
It was a figure in red and white, beautiful long red hair paired with a pure white dress like a first love—that was his lost youth…
"I liked a girl. She had red hair and bright green eyes. She was beautiful, really beautiful," Malfoy said with a smile. "If you ever have the chance to meet her again, please tell her for me that I like… Pfft!~"
Before he could finish, Harry instinctively punched Malfoy in the face.
Malfoy, sprawled on the ground, clutched his face. "You damn Scarhead! What the hell was that for?!"
"Sorry, just had an instinctive urge." The words were meant as an apology, but Harry's tone lacked any hint of remorse. "It's alright, just rest in peace. I'll follow your will and scatter your ashes in the sea."
"..."
Huh? Was that what I actually said?
Malfoy was momentarily confused, unsure if Harry was teasing or serious.
"Tch! Fine, don't help then!" Malfoy dusted off his robes. "I wouldn't even bother with your help! Even if I were dead, I could become a ghost and find her myself!"
"..."
Malfoy didn't notice Harry's face growing increasingly dark. Harry knew Malfoy was capable of doing exactly as he said; after all, dead wizards could become ghosts.
The thought of this guy searching the world for him in women's clothing sent a chill down Harry's spine.
Just as he considered punching Malfoy again…
Crack.
"Are we all here, then?"
Tom walked in, carrying Cassandra, who had stopped struggling and now hung limply in his arms.
"Stand."
"Huh?"
"I said stand. Who said you were allowed to sit?"
Although Tom's tone wasn't overly harsh, there was no mistaking his genuine annoyance.
Tom walked past with Cassandra, and Harry and Malfoy quickly sprang to their feet and stood neatly in front of the desk.
Tom sat down in his chair, and Cassandra stood beside him, arms crossed, scrutinizing Harry and Malfoy.
"..."
Tom calmly observed Cassandra.
Cassandra's face immediately fell, and like a kitten with drooping ears, she walked to stand between Harry and Malfoy.
Harry and Malfoy quickly made way, falling a step behind to give Cassandra the center position.
"Heh… actually, this isn't necessary at times like this." Cassandra's lips twitched. Were these two really being sensible, or were they just pretending?
"It's alright, Cassandra."
"That's right, it's what Scarface and I should do."
"..."
Harry and Malfoy were, of course, both genuine and pretending.
It was true that they were giving up their seat for Cassandra, and it was also true that they were afraid of Tom.
Tom rested his chin on his left hand, leaning against the table, and lightly tapped the surface with his right index finger. "Tell me, what happened?"
"..."
Cassandra turned and glanced at Harry and Malfoy.
Harry's eyes were fixed on Malfoy.
Malfoy kept his eyes downcast, his heart pounding wildly.
"Sir, I was wrong!"
Malfoy wanted to kneel down and confess to gain sympathy, but his legs were too weak to move.
He did manage to get down, but he fell over. "Ouch!"
"..."
Tom, Harry, and the others looked at the fallen Malfoy with some helplessness.
Cassandra didn't want to look at him anymore, and Harry also sighed, unable to bear the sight.
Tom, who had originally intended to say something, fell silent, and with a flick of his finger, he levitated Malfoy to his feet.
"Uh, hehe~," Malfoy said awkwardly, his head bowed.
"..."
Tom stared at Malfoy thoughtfully for a moment. "Find a way to resolve this yourself. Do not let me hear anything about those things again. Then, go see your father this weekend; he will tell you what to do."
Hearing Tom's words, Malfoy was somewhat surprised. He had expected that even if he escaped the death penalty, he would be severely punished.
But the Master was just asking him to do something?
Immediately moved, Malfoy wanted to kneel down and shout, "Malfoy has wandered half his life without finding a wise Master. If you do not abandon me, I would like to become your godson!"
Unfortunately, Tom seemed to see through his thoughts and immediately kicked him and Harry out.
"Tom, aren't you angry anymore?"
Cassandra, standing to the side, was unusually cautious; after all, she was also the one who "made a mistake."
"I am still a little angry."
If anyone else had falsely accused him, they wouldn't survive until tomorrow.
But his own man, a reliable and capable underling—he couldn't very well kill her, could he?
But there would still be punishment… Heh, did you really think the things you confessed were so easy to handle?
Tom raised his hand, gesturing for his foolish apprentice to make tea.
Seeing his foolish apprentice approaching to bring the tea set, Tom gently tapped her on the head, causing Cassandra to bury her face in her hands and glare at him with a reproachful look. "Hmm..."
"Besides, those things are still a bit troublesome for them. Letting them suffer a little isn't such a bad punishment."
"They"—that's right, Harry would most likely go with Malfoy, too.
However, Cassandra didn't care about that. She was only focused on another matter: Tom hadn't blamed her for what happened before!
Does that mean… he's tacitly agreeing?
Thinking this, Cassandra began to consider whether to test it, like doing it again… and then she got hot again.
"..."
Looking at his "red-hot" foolish apprentice, Tom sighed helplessly.
But that was all. From an angle Cassandra couldn't see, Tom seemed, perhaps, should… be… smiling?
---
Chapter 341: When the Dark Lord Plays Favorites
"Hey, hey, hey…" Cassandra flailed as she was unceremoniously hoisted into the air. "Tom, you bastard! Put me down!"
Ignoring her protests and the false accusation of "Merlin abuse," Tom turned and carried her back to his office.
Watching the two disappear, Nagini smiled enigmatically, her beautiful, deep eyes seeming to ponder or plan something.
...
On the fourth floor of Hogwarts Castle, in Tom's office, Harry and Malfoy were already waiting.
The excessive silence, broken only by their nervous fidgeting, made them acutely uncomfortable.
Originally, Harry had no reason to be there, but Malfoy had wailed, "Good brothers may not live together, but they should at least face execution together, right?"
That, of course, made Harry even less willing to come.
It wasn't until Malfoy resorted to a combination of tears, tantrums, and threats of dramatic suicide that he finally managed to drag Harry along.
"Scarface, if—I mean, if you don't see me tomorrow…" Malfoy, his face etched with melancholy, placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Malfoy," Harry said, his tone heavy. "Tell me, what are your last words? I'll do everything I can to help you fulfill them."
"Good! You're a true brother!" Malfoy's face lit up. "I'm relieved to hear you say that."
He looked up, his eyes filled with bittersweet reminiscence.
It was a figure in red and white, beautiful long red hair paired with a pure white dress like a first love—that was his lost youth…
"I liked a girl. She had red hair and bright green eyes. She was beautiful, really beautiful," Malfoy said with a smile. "If you ever have the chance to meet her again, please tell her for me that I like… Pfft!~"
Before he could finish, Harry instinctively punched Malfoy in the face.
Malfoy, sprawled on the ground, clutched his face. "You damn Scarhead! What the hell was that for?!"
"Sorry, just had an instinctive urge." The words were meant as an apology, but Harry's tone lacked any hint of remorse. "It's alright, just rest in peace. I'll follow your will and scatter your ashes in the sea."
"..."
Huh? Was that what I actually said?
Malfoy was momentarily confused, unsure if Harry was teasing or serious.
"Tch! Fine, don't help then!" Malfoy dusted off his robes. "I wouldn't even bother with your help! Even if I were dead, I could become a ghost and find her myself!"
"..."
Malfoy didn't notice Harry's face growing increasingly dark. Harry knew Malfoy was capable of doing exactly as he said; after all, dead wizards could become ghosts.
The thought of this guy searching the world for him in women's clothing sent a chill down Harry's spine.
Just as he considered punching Malfoy again…
Crack.
"Are we all here, then?"
Tom walked in, carrying Cassandra, who had stopped struggling and now hung limply in his arms.
"Stand."
"Huh?"
"I said stand. Who said you were allowed to sit?"
Although Tom's tone wasn't overly harsh, there was no mistaking his genuine annoyance.
Tom walked past with Cassandra, and Harry and Malfoy quickly sprang to their feet and stood neatly in front of the desk.
Tom sat down in his chair, and Cassandra stood beside him, arms crossed, scrutinizing Harry and Malfoy.
"..."
Tom calmly observed Cassandra.
Cassandra's face immediately fell, and like a kitten with drooping ears, she walked to stand between Harry and Malfoy.
Harry and Malfoy quickly made way, falling a step behind to give Cassandra the center position.
"Heh… actually, this isn't necessary at times like this." Cassandra's lips twitched. Were these two really being sensible, or were they just pretending?
"It's alright, Cassandra."
"That's right, it's what Scarface and I should do."
"..."
Harry and Malfoy were, of course, both genuine and pretending.
It was true that they were giving up their seat for Cassandra, and it was also true that they were afraid of Tom.
Tom rested his chin on his left hand, leaning against the table, and lightly tapped the surface with his right index finger. "Tell me, what happened?"
"..."
Cassandra turned and glanced at Harry and Malfoy.
Harry's eyes were fixed on Malfoy.
Malfoy kept his eyes downcast, his heart pounding wildly.
"Sir, I was wrong!"
Malfoy wanted to kneel down and confess to gain sympathy, but his legs were too weak to move.
He did manage to get down, but he fell over. "Ouch!"
"..."
Tom, Harry, and the others looked at the fallen Malfoy with some helplessness.
Cassandra didn't want to look at him anymore, and Harry also sighed, unable to bear the sight.
Tom, who had originally intended to say something, fell silent, and with a flick of his finger, he levitated Malfoy to his feet.
"Uh, hehe~," Malfoy said awkwardly, his head bowed.
"..."
Tom stared at Malfoy thoughtfully for a moment. "Find a way to resolve this yourself. Do not let me hear anything about those things again. Then, go see your father this weekend; he will tell you what to do."
Hearing Tom's words, Malfoy was somewhat surprised. He had expected that even if he escaped the death penalty, he would be severely punished.
But the Master was just asking him to do something?
Immediately moved, Malfoy wanted to kneel down and shout, "Malfoy has wandered half his life without finding a wise Master. If you do not abandon me, I would like to become your godson!"
Unfortunately, Tom seemed to see through his thoughts and immediately kicked him and Harry out.
"Tom, aren't you angry anymore?"
Cassandra, standing to the side, was unusually cautious; after all, she was also the one who "made a mistake."
"I am still a little angry."
If anyone else had falsely accused him, they wouldn't survive until tomorrow.
But his own man, a reliable and capable underling—he couldn't very well kill her, could he?
But there would still be punishment… Heh, did you really think the things you confessed were so easy to handle?
Tom raised his hand, gesturing for his foolish apprentice to make tea.
Seeing his foolish apprentice approaching to bring the tea set, Tom gently tapped her on the head, causing Cassandra to bury her face in her hands and glare at him with a reproachful look. "Hmm..."
"Besides, those things are still a bit troublesome for them. Letting them suffer a little isn't such a bad punishment."
"They"—that's right, Harry would most likely go with Malfoy, too.
However, Cassandra didn't care about that. She was only focused on another matter: Tom hadn't blamed her for what happened before!
Does that mean… he's tacitly agreeing?
Thinking this, Cassandra began to consider whether to test it, like doing it again… and then she got hot again.
"..."
Looking at his "red-hot" foolish apprentice, Tom sighed helplessly.
But that was all. From an angle Cassandra couldn't see, Tom seemed, perhaps, should… be… smiling?
---