Hearing Draco's question, Cassandra couldn't help but furrow her brows.
Although the name Nicolas Flamel felt somewhat familiar—as if she'd seen it somewhere before—she couldn't recall it at the moment.
A wave of panic surged through Cassandra's heart.
Damn, the mysterious and powerful image she had worked so hard to cultivate for the Secret Order might just be shattered in Draco's mind. This realization made Cassandra nervous.
At that moment, Kirk suddenly spoke:
"Merlin's beard, Jack of Clubs, I can't believe you'd ask such a question! Haven't you ever had a Chocolate Frog?"
Kirk's words left Cassandra momentarily stunned, while Draco looked even more confused.
"Of course I've had Chocolate Frogs. But what does that have to do with my question?"
Kirk smirked.
"If you've had Chocolate Frogs, then surely you've collected Dumbledore's card?"
Cassandra's eyes flickered as if recalling something, but Draco still looked puzzled.
"Naturally, I've collected Dumbledore's card. In fact, I've nearly completed the entire set. There were times I bought Chocolate Frogs just for the cards, tossing the chocolate away without even taking a bite. But what does that have to do with my question?"
Kirk chuckled and replied, "Then you must not have read those cards carefully. On Dumbledore's card, it says: Dumbledore's most notable achievements include his work in alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flamel."
Cassandra's mind clicked into place—now she remembered why the name Nicolas Flamel sounded so familiar.
On the other hand, Draco's face flushed with excitement.
"Merlin, King of Spades, have you memorized everything on those cards?"
Kirk feigned surprise.
"Memorized? You mean people don't remember them after just one read? It's just like History of Magic at Hogwarts—doesn't everyone remember everything after reading it once?"
Cassandra: ...
Cedric: ...
Draco forced an awkward laugh.
"Haha... yeah, of course, all the same."
Cedric, clearly aware of the reference, added, "Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone. I assume I don't need to explain what that is?"
Draco nodded awkwardly, thinking to himself:
How am I supposed to know what the Philosopher's Stone is? Is this common knowledge? Impossible! If it were, how could I not know? Harry and I searched for ages and found nothing!
No... it isn't that the questions are simple—it's that these mysterious people are far more knowledgeable than I ever imagined.
What others see as profound secrets might be mere common knowledge to them. Like how Professor McGonagall can transfigure a needle into a mouse with ease, while most students struggle to turn it into any inanimate object at all.
For the first time, Draco truly felt that this Secret Order was far more powerful than he'd ever guessed. And if they had invited him to join... well, then he must be a genius too!
Just as Draco was basking in self-satisfaction, someone announced:
"That's the end of today's meeting. Congratulations to our newest member—welcome to the Secret Order, Jack of Clubs!"
Draco stood quickly, bowing respectfully.
"It is my honor! I'm truly fortunate to be part of the Secret Order."
Cassandra, catching the sincerity in his voice, smiled.
"According to our rules, all members must leave at five-minute intervals—no lingering outside, no investigating other members' identities. The Elders will enforce these rules with due punishment."
Draco nodded earnestly.
"I will follow the rules!"
"Good. You will leave first, Jack of Clubs."
After bidding farewell to the others, Draco departed the Room of Requirement.
Once he was gone, Cassandra exhaled deeply, turning to Kirk.
"King of Spades, thank goodness for your quick thinking just now."
Kirk grinned.
"No, King of Hearts, you're just too nervous. We all know how much you've poured into founding the Secret Order—it's your creation. But remember, you're not alone. We're part of this, too. You need to trust us. We're your allies."
Cassandra fell silent for a long moment before finally whispering:
"You're right... I'll keep that in mind."
Kirk and Cedric were the next to leave, while Cassandra remained seated, lost in thought.
Eventually, she stood, walked to the Joker card on the table, and picked it up. Staring at it, she murmured:
"This is only the beginning, Wentworth. One day, the Secret Order will grow into an enormous web of influence... and you will be its only master."
Gathering up the Stars cards, Cassandra left the Room of Requirement with steady steps.
The next morning, when Harry and Ron entered the Great Hall for breakfast, they found Hermione already buried in a thick book.
"Hermione," Ron asked, "weren't you reading that same book yesterday? Blimey, you've made it through that much already? Found anything?"
Hermione sighed and shook her head.
"I was up half the night, but there's still nothing on Nicolas Flamel."
Harry and Ron exchanged disappointed glances.
"Have you seen Draco?" Harry asked suddenly. "We agreed to meet for breakfast and head to the library together."
The three of them looked around, but Draco was nowhere to be seen.
Ron smirked.
"No need to guess—our pampered prince must've chickened out. Typical."
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