Extravagant luxury.
Those simple words were enough to describe Malfoy Manor as a whole.
The interior alone, with its opulent furnishings, marble fireplaces, and gilded mirrors, held the kind of expensive grandeur no ordinary family could ever possess.
But perhaps because all of Hermione's attention was fixed on Narcissa, who was talking to her the whole time, she failed to notice the details and decorations of the manor. Otherwise, she would surely have come to an even deeper understanding of what the so called Sacred Twenty Eight Families really meant.
The Sacred Twenty Eight Families did not merely have long histories. They also possessed wealth, power, and influence far beyond what ordinary people could ever imagine...
The terrace at the top of Malfoy Manor.
From here, one could overlook the entire beautiful garden, and farther off, the reactivated magical mist was visible once more.
Only upon closer inspection did it become clear that the magical mist actually encircled the whole of Malfoy Manor, like a wall woven from fog, guarding the estate securely within.
And yet, this magical and awe inspiring sight did not surprise the two people standing on the terrace in the slightest, as though they had long since known all of this.
Because those two were none other than the head of the Malfoy family, Lucius Malfoy, and Draco Malfoy, who had just returned home and parted ways with Pansy and the others...
...
They were like two complete opposites.
If Narcissa, in front of Draco, was a lively mother who loved teasing her son, then Lucius Malfoy, in front of Draco, was a man of few words who always wore a stern and imposing expression.
In Draco's memory, his father rarely showed much emotion. It seemed that only in front of his mother and himself did Lucius ever reveal his true feelings with any regularity.
Like now, for instance. Draco could clearly see silent anger on Lucius's face...
'What Mother said earlier clearly was not entirely a joke.'
The moment Draco stepped onto the terrace, he noticed the current surrounding his father, calm on the surface, but full of tension underneath. It matched perfectly with the warning his mother had whispered to him earlier.
Clearly, the head of the Malfoy family was displeased about something.
As for the reason, Draco could more or less guess.
After all, over the course of this year, he really had done quite a few things, and many of them had been kept from his father.
Just as Draco was making his own guesses, Lucius's cold voice rang through the air.
"It seems you know very well why I called you here to talk, Draco."
"....."
"With your intelligence, you should understand why we do not want you involved in these matters, Draco."
Lucius had been facing outward, but as he spoke, he slowly turned around.
And each time he said Draco's name, his tone grew slightly heavier, as if emphasizing just how seriously he regarded this conversation.
Only after Lucius turned did Draco realize that his father, usually immaculate in every detail and always presenting himself with perfect aristocratic poise, now showed a trace of weariness in his brow and eyes. Even his collar was slightly disordered.
It was obvious that in just this short semester, Lucius had already spent a great deal of energy figuring out how to lead everyone against Voldemort. That, in turn, made it equally obvious that the situation they were facing now was far from smooth.
In fact, it was entirely possible that Lucius and the others were currently being suppressed...
'Has it already gotten this bad?'
In the few seconds their eyes met, all of these thoughts flashed through Draco's mind.
And noticing Draco's momentary distraction, a faint spark of anger appeared in Lucius's gaze...
"Adult matters are not something you children need to concern yourselves with."
"..."
"I have no desire to say more. Right now, immediately, whatever plans you have, stop them. At the very least, until this matter is over, do not let your mother know that you are risking your life doing these things."
Until this matter is over?
Was he supposed to do nothing and simply wait for them to defeat the Dark Lord?
How long would that take, and what would happen in the meantime?
Draco did not argue or protest from beginning to end, but those questions surfaced in his mind all the same.
And even after delivering those warnings, Lucius did not seem inclined to let Draco off so easily.
"Also, Narcissa and I are considering having you leave Hogwarts for the time being. After all, that talent of yours..."
Draco naturally had no reason to hide the secret of being able to communicate with dragons from his parents, and this decision was also meant to protect him properly.
In Lucius's eyes, Dumbledore was not someone worthy of trust...
...
Perhaps this really was what it meant to be father and son.
Forceful.
Domineering.
Everything Lucius said, whether directly or indirectly, carried the weight of absolute authority. Only Narcissa could influence his decisions, even slightly.
Even a decision as important as whether Draco should continue attending school would still be arranged according to Lucius's will.
Draco frowned.
Rarely opposing his father, he hesitated before speaking.
"I..."
"I am not..."
Lucius cut Draco off, only to be interrupted in the next moment by Nascia's sudden appearance.
"Darling, how much longer are you two going to talk? Our adorable guest has been waiting forever!"
As Nascia slipped her arm through Lucius's, she did not forget to wink at Draco.
Clearly, she had appeared on purpose to interrupt the conversation between the two of them.
Only Narcissa could turn the heavy atmosphere from moments ago into something lively in an instant. And judging by the helpless look on Lucius's face, this was obviously not the first time it had happened...
Lucius let out a sigh. "I know. That said, the adorable guest you are talking about is... wait, I remember now. I nearly forgot to ask you about this, Draco. What exactly is going on with that Muggle-born witch you mentioned in your letter?"
If Narcissa had accepted Hermione so easily because she doted on Draco, then Lucius, on the other hand, was clearly dissatisfied with Draco's conduct.
Because of this, he even shot his wife a glare.
But what amused Draco was that his mother glared right back at him without the slightest intention of backing down.
That made Draco let out a quiet sigh of relief, because this had all gone exactly as he expected.
With his mother there to interfere, his father would not behave too excessively when facing Hermione...
...
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