Wentworth watched Cassandra's retreating figure with a faint smile before shaking his head and making his way back to the Hufflepuff common room.
Meanwhile, upon returning to the Slytherin dormitory, Cassandra immediately retrieved her identity card, the King of Hearts, and wrote a short reply to Draco:
"The Alliance is purging those in Hogsmeade who seek to oppose them."
At that moment, in Malfoy Manor, nestled in Wiltshire, England, Draco Malfoy felt a sudden warmth in his pocket. Quickly, he took out his identity card, the Jack of Clubs. As his eyes fell upon the message on the back, a frown of confusion crossed his face.
Without hesitation, Draco left his room and strode toward his father's study.
Just as he reached the door, he heard the familiar voice of Lucius Malfoy from inside:
"Damn it! Can anyone tell me what on earth is happening in Hogsmeade?! Why have we lost all contact with our properties there? That's a fortune in Galleons!"
Then, from within the study, came his mother's voice—Narcissa Malfoy:
"Calm down, Lucius. It's obvious that the Ministry has locked down all of Hogsmeade. Not even owls can get in or out. Can't you just write to the Ministry? We send them enough Galleons every year; surely, they can at least provide us with some information?"
As soon as Narcissa finished speaking, Lucius responded quickly:
"Of course I've written to the Ministry! More than once! But every reply I've received claims they don't know what's going on. And several of my letters—it's as if they've disappeared into thin air, never to be answered!"
Silence fell over the study.
After a long pause, Lucius spoke again, though this time, his voice carried an unfamiliar tremor—one laced with fear.
"Could it be... that he has returned?"
At these words, Draco suddenly heard a sharp sound from inside, as though something had shattered. Then came his mother's voice, soothing yet firm:
"It doesn't matter, Lucius. Even if he has returned, we are safe. We've done nothing to betray him, have we?"
But no sooner had Narcissa finished speaking than Draco heard his father let out a bitter laugh. A moment later, Lucius replied, exhaustion evident in his tone:
"That's impossible, Narcissa. Have you forgotten what kind of man he is?"
Standing outside the study, Draco listened to the exchange, a deep confusion settling in his heart. He understood every word they said, yet somehow, when pieced together, their conversation made no sense to him.
The room fell silent again.
Just as Draco pressed his ear closer to the door, hoping to catch more details, a sudden shout rang out from inside:
"Who's there?!"
Before Draco could react, the study door burst open.
Caught off guard, he tumbled forward, rolling into the room.
Lucius and Narcissa, both with wands drawn, froze at the sight of their son sprawled on the floor.
Lucius' expression darkened immediately, and he stepped forward, about to demand an explanation for Draco eavesdropping. But before he could speak, Narcissa rushed forward and helped Draco to his feet, concern etched across her face.
"Draco, are you hurt? Did you fall badly?"
Seeing his mother's worried expression, Lucius hesitated and stopped in his tracks.
Draco, touched by his mother's concern, felt a warm sense of gratitude—only to glance past her and see the storm brewing in his father's eyes. A shiver ran down his spine.
Sure enough, the moment Lucius saw that Draco was unharmed, his anger resurfaced.
"Draco," he said coldly. "What were you doing outside the door? Were you eavesdropping on our conversation? What exactly did you hear?"
Draco watched as his father's expression grew darker with each passing second. Panicking, he blurted out:
"Father, I know who's behind what happened in Hogsmeade!"
Lucius and Narcissa exchanged startled glances before Narcissa gripped Draco's shoulders and urged:
"Tell us, Draco! What happened in Hogsmeade?"
For a moment, Draco swelled with pride. His parents, despite all their wealth and influence, had failed to uncover this information—yet he had learned it with a single message from his bed.
Clearing his throat, he declared:
"It was the Alliance. They're the ones purging those who sought to oppose them in Hogsmeade."
Lucius and Narcissa stared at him, eyes widening in shock. They exchanged another look, and this time, Draco could see something more than surprise in their expressions—fear.
At that moment, the image of Wentworth Grindelwald flashed through both their minds.
Lucius was the first to break the silence, his voice sharp with urgency:
"Draco, are you certain? How do you know this?"
Draco's heart skipped a beat.
In his rush to share the information, he had overlooked one crucial detail—the message came from the Secret Order. And members of the Secret Order were strictly forbidden from revealing anything about its existence to outsiders.
If he couldn't mention the Secret Order, then how could he explain how he had acquired such classified information so easily—when even his parents, with all their resources, had failed?
As Draco struggled for an answer, Lucius narrowed his eyes and took a step closer, his voice turning dangerously cold:
"Draco… you didn't just make this up, did you?"
Draco's breath caught in his throat.
For a fleeting moment, he considered spilling everything, revealing the truth about the Secret Order.
But then, the realization hit him again—if the Secret Order could so effortlessly provide him with the answers that his parents had desperately sought, then perhaps… it was best to remain silent.
Just as Draco found himself trapped between his father's suspicion and the Secret Order's secrecy, Narcissa finally rose to her feet.
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