Chapter 15: Abu's Reasonable Suspicion
On Christmas Eve, Malfoy Manor was undergoing the final touches of its Christmas decorations.
When Draco walked into the living room, he found his mother, Narcissa, standing in the middle of the room with her arms folded, scrutinizing the angle of the silver Christmas tree, the position of the mistletoe wreath, and the dark green vines with twinkling silver lights, making the house-elves, who were wearing Christmas-patterned pillowcases, run around in circles.
People who are not familiar with Narcissa would probably think she is arrogant and cold. She always has a bored look on her face and seems to have no interest in anything around her.
However, in private, at least in Draco's eyes, Narcissa is a person with a strong sense of ritual and a love for life.
How can you say that someone like her, who is committed to celebrating every holiday, big or small, with style and elegance, is tired of anything?
As for her father Lucius, as always, he unconditionally supported his wife's hobby and allowed Narcissa to cut down the best silver fir tree in the estate every year and proudly display it in the living room.
"Are you sure you won't feel bad about this?" Draco overheard his mother ask his father while they were chopping down trees this year. "Don't you always say you cherish every blade of grass and every tree in the manor?"
"I like the way you're taking such interest in decorating the manor." Lucius said, watching the house-elves chopping trees in the snow.
His back was to his son, and Draco had no idea what his father's expression was. However, Draco could tell that his voice was much gentler than usual. "Cissy, I'm always worried that you'd be too bored at home. I know you don't really like the mingling and business dealings at the Ministry. I'm glad you have something you enjoy doing."
His father seemed to be encouraging his mother to develop more hobbies, so that she wouldn't feel lost or left out while he was busy pursuing his own interests. Glancing at his parents, who were silently watching the snow, hand in hand, Draco quietly stepped back.
In his previous life, Draco had never paid special attention to the conversations and interactions between his parents.
He thinks he is the center of the world.
He only focuses on the straight lines of communication between him and his mother, and between him and his father.
His mother always liked to instill certain ideas in him subtly, and she was gentle and kind, rarely getting angry; his father did not hesitate to talk to his son directly, and would occasionally praise him, but more often, he was happy to use criticism to correct his son's various "problems".
However, after being reborn, Draco, whose observation skills had been honed to an extremely sharp level by those two years, discovered the mutual concern that quietly flowed between his parents, which he had not noticed in his previous life.
For example, at this moment, although Lucius was sitting in his favorite armchair, seemingly concerned about his son's school life, he said, "Draco, come here", but his eyes were always fixed on Narcissa.
"I've heard Severus compliment you on your Potions class several times. Well done," he said, continuing to glance at Narcissa as she bossed the house-elves around.
"Professor Snape has always been very tolerant of me." Draco stood properly beside his father and responded to him calmly.
Draco knew that if he showed even a teaspoonful of pride, his father would relentlessly rebuke him.
It seemed that only when Draco showed extreme humility could he gain a little bit of affirmation from Lucius.
"I know his temper. If someone is not particularly satisfactory, even the closest person to him will not get a good word from him." Lucius looked happy.
Draco nodded slightly.
Narcissa was now backing away, trying to see the full effect of the tree from a distance; Lucius quietly waved his cane and moved the obstructing boxes out of the way behind her.
"Also, what do you think of the famous Harry Potter? Is he worth making friends with?" Lucius was in a good mood. He took a sip of wine and tasted it in his mouth.
"So far, he seems like someone worth making friends with," Draco said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "He's quite talented in some areas. After all, he has the aura of 'The Boy Who Lived'... But it's obvious that he grew up in a Muggle world and has no idea about the rules and basic common sense of the magical world. We can help him with this."
"Indeed, we must never underestimate a wizard who can defeat the Dark Lord, even if he is temporarily down and out. Moreover, the Potters' ancestors were a pure-blood family—although they were later excluded from the 28 Sacred Clans—they once had influence in the Wizengamot and were involved in the business world. Their family members are also quite talented in potions..." Lucius said thoughtfully, "Draco, observe him more. If his magical talent is even greater than the Dark Lord's, a qualified Malfoy should make friends with all those who can benefit us."
Draco nodded silently.
"Very good." He stood up with satisfaction and smiled at Draco, ending his concern for his son.
He couldn't wait to walk over to Narcissa, who had finished decorating the Christmas tree, and rubbed her shoulders considerately, as if she had just completed a difficult and extraordinary task.
This is pure dog abuse, Draco thought expressionlessly as he stood by the fireplace.
Father Lucius is a typical Slytherin, arrogant, conceited and scheming.
His interpretation of things, in most cases, is based on the perspective of interests, and rarely mixes in the brilliance of human nature. For example, when it comes to making friends with Potter, he only focuses on the benefits behind the name "Porter" rather than the character of Potter himself.
The only glimmer of humanity in his father probably came from his trust in his mother and his slight concern for him, Draco thought calmly.
My father was no ordinary figure. He managed the vast Malfoy household, maneuvering between various interests to secure benefits for the family. Publicly, he enjoyed a cordial relationship with Ministry officials who upheld the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Privately, he maintained a covert yet close connection with the Muggle world.
He also plays both sides in various camps. The Ministry of Magic, the Dark Lord, various small groups formed by pure-blood wizard families... Every camp has his "friends", just as every camp has his "enemies".
He spends money lavishly and makes many friends; at the same time, he will not hesitate to use intimidating methods to deal with those who try to infringe on the interests of the Malfoy family and those who dare to disrespect the Malfoy name.
He may be irrational and too radical at times; but it is undeniable that most of the time he can skillfully maneuver between friendliness and hostility and get away with it unscathed.
In his previous life, although he was sent to Azkaban and made himself miserable, and brought the Malfoy family to the bottom; but after all, they were still alive, and as long as they were alive, there was hope for a turnaround - Lucius must have his own set of survival rules in his heart.
In the latter part of his previous life, Draco could sense that his father secretly felt some regret. However, at that time, the Malfoy family was too deeply tied up.
All wizards knew that they were the Dark Lord's men through and through - the Dark Lord even lived in Malfoy Manor for a long time and used the Malfoy family as the Death Eaters' lair and base, didn't he?
The Ministry of Magic is controlled by the Dark Lord, Dumbledore, the only one who could possibly compete with the Dark Lord, is dead, and the savior Potter is fleeing like a stray dog... Even if the Malfoy family wants to surrender to the White Side, there is no one to surrender to.
At the same time, the Malfoys would never rise up and directly oppose someone. This is not their style.
In this situation, how can they clean themselves up and get ashore? With the threat of death hanging over their heads, they have to pretend to firmly support the Dark Lord, even to pretend that they have not changed their ways, to pretend that they are loyal and devoted, as if they are still favored by the Dark Lord.
Otherwise, those Death Eaters and patrol members who have been eyeing the Malfoy family's wealth and resources for a long time will rush in like jackals without hesitation and devour the Malfoy family.
I must never be so passive again in this life. From the very beginning, I must never again entertain the thought of "joining the Dark Lord."
This would ultimately doom the Malfoy family. Although, Draco admitted that at the moment when the Dark Lord made his grand appearance and was successfully resurrected, surrendering was the smoothest path.
The problem is that Lucius has always been stubborn. The Dark Lord's pure-blood philosophy is most in line with his wishes, and standing in the Dark Lord's camp is also the most profitable for the Malfoy family. Lucius once took the opportunity to double the Malfoy family's income in the wizarding world.
How can I make my father realize that joining the Dark Lord is no longer in the interests of the Malfoy family, but an act of self-destruction?
Lucius was such an arrogant Malfoy that he was unwilling to listen to other people's opinions, at least not to an 11-year-old child.
Even Grandfather Abraxas' words were not always obeyed by my father. He was obedient to Grandfather on the surface, but in private he turned a deaf ear to him. No matter what he did, he would always bend Grandfather's words to his will.
He might be able to adopt one or two of his mother's suggestions.
Since my father trusts my mother and is willing to listen to her, maybe I should put my hope on her? Draco pondered as he watched Lucius and Narcissa talking intimately.
If her mother was willing to use some tricks, the rudder of the Malfoy family ship might quietly turn.
However, it was not easy to change his mother's mind and help him. Narcissa and Lucius were like-minded in the concept of pure-blood.
The only thing Draco could use was his mother's love for him, but this love was probably not enough to shake his mother's stubborn belief in pure-bloods.
Narcissa wasn't a clueless mother. Doting, even spoiling, didn't mean she'd obey her son in everything. If people thought Narcissa was just spoiling her son or content with Christmas decorations, they were completely mistaken.
She is the most meticulous and knowledgeable person in the Malfoy family.
During the holidays, she worried about no less than Lucius - building connections for the Malfoy family through the exchange of gifts.
After dinner that day, she sat on the sofa, flipping through a thick stack of gift list booklets—filled with images of jewelry, porcelain, ornaments, magical equipment, and potion ingredients—and made a final confirmation with the house-elf standing respectfully beside her: "Change Aunt Rosier's gift. Replace the lily-shaped silver tableware with the Minerva silver rose tableware..."
The house-elf nodded meekly, ticking off the gift list with his quill.
"Mom, doesn't she already have a lot of rose tableware?" Draco, who was reading a book with one hand on the sofa next to him, turned his head and asked casually.
"Little Dragon, there's a lot of science to gift-giving. It's not the gift itself that counts, but the meaning behind it," Narcissa said. "For a fussy, fastidious old lady like me, the meaning is more important than the gift itself. The lily set is prettier, but some people might think it symbolizes death. I'd rather be conservative, even if it's not spectacular, than make a mistake and offend others."
"That makes sense," Draco asked curiously. "So, for these well-fed aunts, what gifts would please them most?"
"Xiaolong, I didn't expect you to be interested in things like preparing gifts." Narcissa said in surprise.
She suddenly realized that her son seemed to be no longer only interested in candy and chocolate. However, after only three or four months at Hogwarts, his focus began to change.
However, since my son wants to know, there is nothing wrong with telling him.
"Understanding the recipient's preferences is key to finding the right gift." Narcissa smiled at her son's focused gaze. "Generally speaking, it's about catering to their preferences. If you know the recipient well enough, give them something they'd normally be interested in. You should be familiar with these basic rules, right? Did you follow them carefully when giving gifts this year?"
"I gave Crabbe and Goyle a bunch of sweets, I guess they were happy," said Draco.
"That's right. But if you want to impress someone with your gift, it's not enough to just give them something they like. You have to give them something they can't buy or even reach themselves, something that demonstrates your power, wealth, or status. Do you understand?" Narcissa whispered.
"Before I went home, Professor Snape gave me an early Christmas present. It was some Potions class notes from his student days, which contained many wonderful comments and ideas about potions... In a way, is this a symbol of strength?" Draco asked.
"That's right. Severus has always known his own value. It seems that I have to give him some more rare medicinal herbs - how about some African tree snake skin?" Narcissa said in a relaxed tone.
"I think he'd like it very much," Draco said with a half-smile.
For most wizards, African tree snake skin is indeed rare and may not be available even if you have money; however, for a family like the Malfoy family that is involved in the business of potion materials, it is not difficult to obtain it.
She beckoned to the house-elf, who quickly wrote down Narcissa's sudden inspiration on the gift list.
She asked excitedly, "Do you feel it? As we interact, our mutual affection deepens. There's a skill to gift-giving, and scarcity is paramount. Give what the recipient needs. The poor give expensive gifts, the wealthy give thoughtful gifts. The wealthy don't lack material things, but sincerity; the well-heeled don't enjoy delicacies; plain porridge and small dishes are more refreshing to them. For those who are lonely, spiritual care and consideration are far more touching than cold material things."
"So you don't care which set of tableware you give, but only care about the meaning, because the person receiving the gift will care?" Draco asked.
"There's no elderly person who doesn't want to live longer," Narcissa said complacently. "The rose variety in that tableware is associated with longevity."
"You spend a lot of time and energy on this kind of social interaction every year," Draco asked. "Don't you feel tired?"
"It's quite exhausting. Of course I could just walk away and ignore everyone. No one would dare say anything to us. Even if we didn't return the gift, some people would still give it to us, or even double it. But in the long run, are the Malfoys going to live like an island? We may be at the top, but no one should forget that it's supported by so many people. A single tree can't make a forest. No matter how powerful the Malfoys are, they can't have all the answers. We need allies, we need helpers who can have a say in everything. We also need supporters, even if their status is far inferior to ours, who can fill in the gaps at a critical moment. These interpersonal relationships need to be maintained." Narcissa said lightly, "There's a lot of knowledge involved. Gifts given to ask for favors are different from everyday gifts... People of different levels have different standards for the importance of gifts... Returning gifts is even more troublesome... You know, a gift is not just a gift, it's an unspoken agreement that maintains mutual benefits..."
Draco had never fully understood these rules of gift-giving in his previous life.
He never thought he needed to have any connections before - wasn't the Malfoy family name convincing enough?
But in fact, it was his mother who had been managing all these connections, and he had never paid attention to it.
He had never even paid attention to what gifts his mother received. In his previous life, Draco always seemed to receive gifts from his mother, but never gave her anything in return.
In his previous life, he only knew how to take and never thought about giving. A son who was spoiled too much, wasn't he?
"Mom, what do you like?" Draco suddenly asked, "If I want to give you a gift, what should I give you?"
"I love you best, little dragon," Narcissa said with a smile. "The rules we're talking about only apply to people outside of our family. Parents will be delighted with any gift their children give them."
"Oh, you silly kid, what can you give us? We need nothing!" Lucius, who had been pacing back and forth, finally couldn't contain himself anymore and walked over with a stern face. "Go to bed early! This is the best Christmas present you can give us!"
Draco bowed to his father and left silently.
Not disturbing your world of two is the best gift? He walked through the long, candlelit corridor, sighed, and shook his head.
Opening presents on Christmas morning was Draco's happiest moment.
Lucius gave him a pure gold crucible to encourage his outstanding performance in Potions class; Narcissa gave him an exquisite candy box, which could produce an endless supply of the best candies from Honeydukes's family just by tapping it with a wand; his grandfather Abraxas gave him a book titled "Spells and Spell Breaking (Use the Latest Revenge Techniques to Prank Your Friends)" by Professor Winn-Dixieck, and wished him a happy relationship with his classmates - this old naughty boy!
Of course, there were also some miscellaneous magical gifts given to him by distant relatives, but it's better not to mention them.
As he opened his presents, Draco discovered some unexpected senders: a large box of sugar-free treats from Hermione and chocolate frogs from Potter – with the words "I lost the bet on you, please accept" scrawled across them.
In fact, he also gave Potter a gift - also a chocolate frog - and he had the same idea as Potter.
The gift given to Hermione was "A Study of the Development of Alchemy in the 14th Century" - which contained a short introduction by Nicolas Flamel. May Merlin bless Hermione Granger's Christmas entertainment activities to go smoothly.
He also gave Professor Snape a pair of brand new limited edition high-grade dragon leather gloves, which were highly protective when handling potions.
Besides, most of the Slytherin classmates received gifts from him - as Narcissa had taught them, they were often close to the personal preferences of the recipient.
At some point, Draco had some unrealistic fantasies. He wanted to be that carefree 11-year-old boy again, without having to think or calculate, simply being foolishly happy about the dazzling array of gifts, and even showing off to his friends after the holidays.
But he could never go back to that state of pure happiness, and his heart was filled with worries.
The excitement of opening the presents quickly dissipated like smoke, and Draco's expression became expressionless again. He had no right to be happy. He had to prepare for the future.
Christmas at the Malfoy household was more lively than in previous years.
Although grandfather Cygnus Black refused his father's invitation and insisted on spending Christmas with his distant cousin Arcturus, grandfather Abraxas, who had planned to go to Switzerland for recuperation, changed his mind - he wanted to enjoy family happiness more.
Abraxas was a walking encyclopedia of the Dark Arts. Draco took the opportunity to slip into his private study. "Grandfather, do you know of any magic that can grant immortality to the soul?"
"The soul is immortal?" Abraxas turned around and looked at his grandson in surprise.
This was an old man who looked intimidating without even getting angry. He also had the Malfoy family's signature platinum hair and light grey eyes, but with more wrinkles on his face.
He was sitting in a comfortable winged armchair, his feet propped up on a velvet footstool, a small glass of wine in one hand and picking through a box of preserves with the other.
"What I mean is that the soul will not disappear with the death of the body. It still has its own thoughts and can possess other people or things..." Draco put on an innocent look on his face.
Abraxas stared at him, absentmindedly stroking his wine glass with his hand and asked, "A first-year student at Hogwarts already needs to study such an advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts course?"
Grandfather, knowing full well that this wasn't a school assignment, yet he still found a plausible excuse to test his grandson, Draco thought helplessly.
"It's not a school course, I just want to know about it out of personal interest. I saw a similar situation in a book in the library, but I didn't quite understand it." Draco said bluntly.
The older generation of the Malfoy family had no objection to advanced dark magic, and even encouraged the younger generations to be interested in it. He didn't think Abraxas would be angry about this.
"Um... yes..." Abraxas said absentmindedly, "I think I know a similar magic, very evil... If I remember correctly, it may involve knowledge of Horcruxes."
"Horcrux?" Draco stared at Abraxas.
"Hmm." Abraxas suddenly became absorbed in observing the color of the wine in his glass. "I thought it wouldn't hurt to explain it to you. You need to understand the term. A Horcrux is an object that contains part of a person's soul."
"But I don't quite understand what that means," said Draco.
"It means splitting your soul," Abraxas pondered. "Hidden within an object outside your body. Even if your body is destroyed, you won't die, for a portion of your soul remains intact in the world."
"Of course, existing in this form—" Even Abraxas, who always advocated for the dark arts, couldn't help but frown. "Few people want that. Death is more peaceful."
Draco couldn't help but recall the Dark Lord's inhuman appearance in his memory.
"But how do you split the soul?" Draco asked.
The old man's eyes widened as he spoke, "Of course it's through murder! What could be more evil than that? Killing someone splits the soul, and the wizards who create Horcruxes use this fission to seal the soul fragments in objects through corresponding spells."
"Can soul fragments possess a person?" Draco continued to ask.
"Of course not! Objects are evil enough, but possessing humans? I've never heard of it!" Abraxas turned his head slowly and looked at Draco suspiciously in the flickering candlelight.
"The Malfoy family has always believed that as long as the method is correct, dark magic also has its charm. But—" Abraxas' voice became sharp, "The Malfoy family will never allow the creation of Horcruxes! The rupture of the soul will bring irreversible and permanent damage, and will cause mood swings, lack of judgment, and will become more and more out of human form..."
Abraxas snorted in disdain. "Not at all elegant, let alone noble. It's practically degenerate. Are you planning on doing something dangerous, Draco?"
He looked at Draco's pale little face - his face had a maturity and calmness that was rare among children of the same age.
"No, Grandfather, I would never do that." Draco saw his grandfather's eyes narrow, as if assessing the sincerity of his words. He tried his best to appear resolute.
Draco's expression withstood his grandfather's scrutiny. Abraxas felt relieved and went back to choosing his favorite preserves.
"There are only two things in life that are absolutely fair to us. The first is the 24 hours each of us has every day, and the second is that each of us will face death." Abraxas said solemnly to his beloved grandson, as if hoping that Draco would remember this firmly.
"With the Malfoy family's current wealth and status, we don't need to risk our souls by doing anything so desperate. We just need to protect our status, make friends and continue the family. There is absolutely no good result in pursuing immortality. I would rather die like an ordinary wizard... Look at the Dark Lord..." he muttered.
"Do you think the Dark Lord is making Horcruxes?" Draco tentatively confirmed again.
"Well... Of course, this is just a reasonable guess of mine. For such an ambitious person, mortal life may no longer be enough for him. I have seen that his appearance has changed a lot... gradually he no longer looks like a human. What's more, killing people is a common occurrence for him, so making one or two Horcruxes is just a convenience." Abraxas disagreed.
Draco remained silent, recalling how the Dark Lord had killed people at Malfoy Manor whenever he was displeased. His grandfather had summed it up perfectly.
"I saw that he was too obsessed with immortality, and things were gradually going wrong, so I made some preparations in secret. You know, I contacted some old friends in the Ministry. Otherwise, after the Dark Lord's fall, how could the Malfoy family immediately turn against him and get away with it? Why would the Ministry of Magic listen to us?" Abraxas said proudly.
"Aren't you afraid that he will come back?" Draco couldn't help asking.
"Oh, if he really did such a horrific thing to his own soul, I think he might not be dead, but still be alive somewhere. But he doesn't have much magic power anymore, and he is no longer a threat. There is a price to pay for splitting the soul. No one can easily bear the cost of such fragmentation, not even the Dark Lord. Besides, hasn't it been peaceful all these years?" Abraxas put down the empty wine glass in his hand, his expression somewhat disapproving.
Draco remained silent. In reality, the Dark Lord would soon awaken, when everyone was accustomed to a peaceful and tranquil life and had no guard against him.
By then, the once comfortable life will turn into nothingness, and darkness will cover the rich and beautiful land of Malfoy Manor...
"Draco, good boy, stop talking about this and go out and play. All you have to do is live your life well and continue the glory of the Malfoy family... This history is not glorious and is too far away from you. You don't need to think about it so much..." Abraxas waved at Draco, leaned comfortably on the armchair, and began to snore.