***
Pre-holiday bustle was gathering momentum at Malfoy Manor. The gazebos in the garden were being decorated, and diligent elves were bringing shine and beauty to the entire castle. In the kitchen, food that had been prepared in advance was being laid out in its designated places. Lucius, wanting to avoid temptation, locked himself in his study with his documents and asked not to be disturbed. Narcissa nodded understandingly, remained seated on the sofa in the living room, and, spreading the invitation cards on the table, leisurely considered which guests to invite to the party.
Yesterday was Draco's birthday; the boy had turned seven, and today Cassius, her eldest son, was due to arrive from Africa via the portal after completing his first year at the Wagadu School of Magic. Inspired, Narcissa had decided yesterday that she would organise a party for her younger son's birthday tomorrow. "I must invite my friends so I can show off what a wonderful boy I have." The Malfoys had decided not to tell anyone that they had two children, not one.
Confidently taking a fancy white pen in her hand, she wrote on the first invitation: "Terrence and Eloise Parkinson with daughter."
She and Narcissa were old acquaintances. Lady Malfoy had studied with Eloise, then still a German, at Slytherin College. "And their daughter Pansy, who is the same age as Draco, will definitely have fun playing together," the woman thought.
Narcissa took several invitations at once: "Right, now the family's vassals with children, the Crabbe family, the Gaul family, and Lord Nott's friend and his son need to be invited. Theodore Nott, a boy the same age as the other children."
Taking another invitation, Narcissa thoughtfully bit the tip of her quill: "Of course, how could I not invite the Green-Grasses, the Farleys, the Flintwoods and the Bulstrouds? At least no one will say that Lucius just decided to invite his fellow members of the Devourers' Society to the party," she smiled again. After adding about a dozen more well-known names to the guest list, Narcissa finally calmed down.
"Of course, it's a pity that Abraxas can't celebrate this day with everyone else, otherwise rumours of it will inevitably reach the Ministry. And Cassius's teacher, Chibuzo Inu, had better not show his face in England, where dark wizards were always looked down upon, and under the current regime, well, nothing could be done about it for now," Lady Malfoy scratched her nose thoughtfully. "My aunt has already been warned, and my sister Andromeda will ignore our invitations as usual. I don't think I've forgotten anyone." Calling her house elf, Narcissa ordered him to send the invitations by owl.
Cassius arrived at the Malfoy manor grounds at exactly noon. That morning, Chibuzo Inu had warned him that he was expected back the day after the holiday, as they were planning a trip to the Sahara to visit his friend, the Amazigh Igiader. The old "Berber" roamed the desert with his tribe and could help Chibuzo's student learn how to work with spirits. So Cassius was just happy to have a few days off after school. Plus, the holiday his parents had decided to organise would surely allow him to meet his younger brother's friends.
The brownie picked up Cassius's suitcase and stared at the whale's head in surprise. Bora also looked closely at the brownie, wondering if he could try taking a bite out of it. Bora had spent the whole year at school, in a special house for carrier pigeons and pets. They didn't see their owner as often as Bora would have liked. But good food, the opportunity to fly and feast on fresh fish improved his bad mood. And now, looking at the frightened brownie, the bird wondered if there might be many tasty things here in this unfamiliar place. Fluffing his feathers, the kitoglav, which had grown considerably since the time of purchase, stomped importantly after his owner. Cassius smiled, thinking how surprised the peacocks would be when they saw his pet.
At home, he was greeted by his mother's strong embrace and Draco jumping around him. He couldn't contain his joy that his brother had finally returned home. Their happy cries made Lucius look out of his study. Seeing his eldest son, he descended the stairs into the living room with a wide stride, limping slightly, and hugged him tightly.
"Oh, Dad, you're going to suffocate me," Cassius whispered hoarsely.
"I won't, you've grown so big this year," Lucius said happily, letting go of his son. "Yes, Narcissa, our children have grown up so much," Malfoy said proudly, and Narcissa smiled and snuggled up to her husband's side. Chatting about nothing in particular, they finally made their way to the living room, where the house elves immediately began serving tea.
"Mmm," Cassius said happily, taking a mug, "there's one thing they don't have in Africa, and that's our wonderful English tea, which the house elves make so well," he said, sniffing the air demonstratively.
Everyone just smiled knowingly.
"Cassius, are you staying with us for a long time, for the whole holiday, or did Chibuzo only let you come for your brother's birthday?" asked Narcissa excitedly.
"I'm only here for two days, Mum," Cassius replied, sounding a little guilty. "Chibuzo promised to send me to the Sahara for the summer to stay with his old friend. I'll study with him, learn how to summon spirits and work with them. I read that the Berbers, or as they call themselves, the Amazighs, possess a very special kind of magic. I'm sure I'll be able to learn something unusual there that they don't even teach at school.
"How was your first term?" asked Lucius. "Did you have any problems with your studies?"
To which Cassius immediately took out a scroll with his final grades in all subjects. After carefully studying the parchment, Lucius proudly handed it to Narcissa."Our son is following in our footsteps," he said. "You children should know that your mother and I studied at Hogwarts and received only 'Excellent' grades. The same awaits you in a few years, Draco. I hope your tutors will prepare you well so that you will not disgrace our family name." The boy just shrugged.
The tutors hired by Malfoy to teach Draco made no allowances for his age and paid no attention to his whims. His parents wanted him to enter Hogwarts already prepared, at least in the general subjects that were not even taught at the school at the time, perhaps hoping that the children would study them at home.
After talking to his parents a little more and finishing his tea, Cassius decided to go to his grandmother's house at 12 Grimmauld Place. Of course, he would see her tomorrow at the party, but he just couldn't wait to hug her. The boy often missed her warm hands, her stories about the family's former power, and the delicious cookies baked by the slightly crazy house elf Kreacher. In short, despite the fact that evening had already fallen, Cassius asked his parents for permission and appeared from the fireplace in the old Black mansion.
Walburga, surprised by the late visitor, jumped up with a joyful cry when she recognised Cassius in the fire. Hugging her grandson tightly, she led him to the sofa and sat him down next to her.
"How you've grown, my boy," she said happily, "how you've grown. Despite your platinum curls, you look more and more like your great-grandfather Phineas Nigel Black in his youth," she said, lovingly ruffling his hair. "Tell me, my boy, how was your year, what interesting things did you learn in that faraway country? No, wait," Valburga rose decisively from the sofa. "Let's go to the duelling hall, and you can show me everything you learned in Africa."
Returning home beaten and exhausted, Cassius nevertheless smiled warmly as he recalled that evening. His grandmother, who was a rather skilled duelist, had simply wiped the floor with Cassius, forcing him to give his all. However, he was able to surprise her too with some spells unknown in Europe. It was a good thing that the duelling hall of the old Black mansion was well enchanted, otherwise the damage would not have been limited to exhaustion in the magical core. As a lady of the family, Walburga never considered weakness to be something worthy of a true aristocrat. Only strength, only steadfastness, purity of blood forever. These were the mottos she tried to instil in Cassius.
***
In a luxurious palace, as if taken from an oriental fairy tale, a distinguished dark-skinned man with a black beard sat on a carpet. Mahmoud Abbas Al Mansur, the most powerful sorcerer of glorious Marrakesh, smoked a hookah with wonderful herbs that heightened magical sensitivity. The door opened and his son, Hassan al-Mansur, stepped out onto the palace terrace.
"Hello, father, may the sky always be cloudless above your head," the boy bowed.
Mahmoud Abbas put the hookah pipe aside and smiled:
"I am glad to see you, son, in this house. Sit down with me and tell me what new things you have learned about magic," he said, gesturing with his hand to the place next to him.
Hasan sat down next to his father and began a detailed account of all the events of the past school year. He told him about new acquaintances, the wonders of the school, and other things. Mahmoud Abbas was particularly interested in his son's classmates, as he would have to interact with them for several more years. Perhaps some of them would even become his friends? Recalling his own studies at Durmstrang, Mahmoud Abbas remembered many powerful wizards from around the world with whom he had kept in touch since school.
"Tell me, son, is this Cassius really a personal student of Master Chibuzo Inu?" Mahmoud Abbas asked with some doubt.
"Is he some kind of famous wizard, Father?" Hassan asked in surprise. "Cassius mentioned it several times in conversation. We didn't really understand what Cassius was so proud of," he shrugged, puzzled.
Mahmoud Abbas thoughtfully picked up a cup of tea made of the finest porcelain and shook his head:
"You know, son, I can't remember a more powerful wizard on our entire continent. He doesn't get involved in politics or social life, he lives in his palace and rarely tries to find a worthy student. I don't know how old he is, but he taught dark magic to your grandfather, who, like you, studied in Uagadu, and even then he looked old.
"From what I've observed, Father," Hassan said thoughtfully, "Cassius himself is very complicated. He is always surprisingly cold-blooded. If an obstacle arises before him, Cassius assesses it, draws his conclusions, and then moves forward relentlessly. In addition, Malfoy is very gifted magically. At the beginning of his training, he had a falling out with another of our neighbours. At first, he tried to settle the matter peacefully, but when the other boy gathered his friends and tried to punish Cassius, something happened that ruined all their plans. Anbesa himself spent several weeks in the hospital ward and was then forced to transfer to another faculty, while the rest needed "Bone Healer," which they drank for several days. Cassius, on the other hand, didn't have a scratch on him, as if he hadn't been fighting a whole crowd of guys.
"So Malfoy is cruel. Isn't he, son?" said Mahmoud Abbas, sipping his tea. "That's a worthy quality for a true wizard.
"Cassius is more rational, father. If the situation calls for cruelty, he doesn't hesitate, but if there's a peaceful solution, Malfoy chooses peace," replied Hassan.
"This boy could become a powerful wizard in the future, and it's best to keep him as a friend," said Mahmoud Abbas, taking a sip of tea. "You still have years ahead of you to understand who your friends are and who your enemies are. But keep an eye on him. A student of a man like Inu cannot be ordinary. This acquaintance will come in handy someday."
***
Today, the Malfoy Manor was noisy and cheerful. Right on the lawn behind the house, a huge tent had been erected, under which many important people in the magical world of England had gathered. A little further away, on the Quidditch pitch, children were flying nimbly through the air on small broomsticks. Some of the older children and most of the girls were sitting under a canopy at tables, squinting in the sun and cheering on the players.
Cassius sat next to a boy who introduced himself as Marcus Flint and cheered enthusiastically for Draco's team. Draco, playing the role of Seeker, was just now rushing after the Snitch he had spotted. Cheering on his brother, Marcus and he waited until Draco caught the elusive ball and then ran onto the field with joyful cries.
The happy boy gracefully jumped off his broomstick close to the ground and proudly showed off the Snitch clutched in his hand. The boys rushed towards the birthday boy and began to hug and congratulate him. Pansy, blushing, kissed him on the cheek. Draco was in seventh heaven. The victory, the congratulations, and the wonderful gifts he was showered with made today the best day of his life.
After a short rest and some chatting, the kids divided into teams again and took to the sky. Marcus, taking up the position of hunter, quickly assigned roles to the little ones. Cassius, as captain of the second team, also assigned players and took up the position of goalkeeper in front of the rings. Two hours later, despite Cassius' fierce resistance and attempts to prevent the ball from entering the rings, Flint's team, with Draco once again in the position of seeker, defeated them by a landslide.
Despite the defeat, the teams congratulated each other on a great game and, discussing interesting moments, returned to the tables. Cassius quickly got to know all the children today, introducing himself as a distant relative of the Malfoys on the Black side.
He had two peers: Marcus Flint and Jema Farley. The boys had been accepted into Slytherin, which they were very proud of, as they considered it the best house at Hogwarts. While Gemma was obsessed with her studies and social life, Marcus, on the contrary, was crazy about Quidditch and dreamed of joining the Slytherin team next year. He didn't care about his studies; he planned to become a professional Quidditch player in the future. At the same time, Marcus and Jemma didn't find it boring to hang out with the other kids, although they did look down on the little ones a bit. After all, they were already Hogwarts students, and the little ones still had a few years to go.
The adults at the tables engaged in leisurely conversation, paying due respect to the refreshments. The guests divided into groups according to their interests, and now the men, smoking cigars a little apart, were heatedly discussing the latest decrees of the Ministry of Magic aimed at improving international trade conditions. The women, gathered under the canopy of delightfully fragrant pink trees, discussed their children, where the next reception would be held this month, and the new collection of wonderful dresses from Twilfit & Tatting, shown at the latest exhibition in France. Lady Green Grass, an incredibly beautiful woman with a truly aristocratic bearing, recounted the details of her trip to France.
"This year's private fashion week was simply magnificent. The best fashion houses from London, Paris, New York and Milan gathered in France to turn everyone's heads," she sighed coquettishly. "We spent a fortune there, but Georg wants his wife to always look irresistibly beautiful," she said with a slight smile, glancing towards the gentlemen chatting nearby.
"And my husband is so immersed in politics and business that I've forgotten when we last went abroad," sighed Lady Parkinson. "Politics and business are his passion, and he devotes more time to them than to his wife and daughter," the woman continued discontentedly.
"Our husbands are always away on errands for your husband, Narcissa," Lady Crabb and Lady Goyle, who had been silent until then, joined the conversation.
"Oh, girls," said Narcissa with a smile. "Lucius is always busy and travelling. After the last meeting of the Wizengamot, where he is the leader of the Conservative Party, my husband met with Minister Bagnole at the Ministry of Magic and promised her financial and organisational support for the St. Mungo's Hospital. As it turned out, there was so much unfinished business there that he had to fly all over England for a whole year. But now, as you know, Mungo finally has a new maternity ward and a nursery for new mothers.
"After Draco was born," Narcissa said solemnly, "I realised how difficult this period of life is for ordinary witches, and I decided to encourage my husband to help all the women of England. Since then, for five years now, our family has been the main patrons of all medical institutions in England.
"That's wonderful, dear," said Lady Green Grass. "Although I gave birth to Astoria in France, even there I heard praise for the maternity wards at our Mungo. The equipment and potions are all much better than they used to be." By evening, when the guests had left and the house elves had cleared away all traces of the celebration, Narcissa and Lucius sat on the sofa in the living room and watched the fire in the fireplace. The children, tired from the day's events, had long since fallen asleep in their rooms.
"Thank you, dear," Narcissa turned her head to her husband sitting next to her, "it was just a wonderful holiday." Lucius smiled at her shining eyes and unexpectedly lifted her into his arms. "And now a night just as wonderful awaits us," he announced and carried her to the bedroom.
The next day, Cassius went through the portal to his teacher, and Severus Snape sent an owl to Malfoy Manor. He asked Lucius for a meeting. Malfoy, despite his busy schedule, decided to meet with his old friend, especially since, as a true Slytherin, he immediately began to wonder why Snape needed him and what benefit he could gain from it.
***
Severus arrived punctually at the appointed time at the manor's entrance hall and, five minutes later, was escorted to Lucius's office by a helpful house elf. Malfoy was sitting at his desk with his back to the large window, engrossed in the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. Seeing Snape, Lucius folded the newspaper and smiled warmly at the potions master.
"Hello, Severus, take a seat. Tea, coffee, perhaps a firewhisky?" he offered his friend. Snape did not refuse, and a couple of minutes later they were drinking aromatic Earl Grey from richly decorated mugs.
"How are things at Hogwarts?" Lucius began the conversation. "Are you coping with your role as headmaster, with all those snakes around you?"
Severus twitched his cheek.
"There's nowhere else to go," he sighed. "If not me, then who? I don't see a crowd of people lining up for this job. All the purebloods prefer to sit in their manors rather than work at Hogwarts.
"Come now, my friend, most of our gentlemen would never allow Dumbledore to appoint them as Slytherin dean. Why would he want an agent of pure-blood wizards?" Malfoy shrugged. "I think he offered you two positions at once because you're his man," he said with a slightly harsh smile.
Severus just sighed. Malfoy, of course, knew who had pulled Snape out of Azkaban and who now held his life in their hands. They remained friends, of course, and had quite frank conversations, but everyone understood that there could be no real candour here. Nevertheless, neither of them had any intention of severing their relationship or even reducing it to mere formalities. Even at school, Lucius had been impressed by the independent, albeit penniless, half-blood. After talking for another half hour about Hogwarts, the weather in Scotland at this time of year, and the price of boom-slang skins, Snape finally got to the topic that interested him.
"Lucius, I need money," he said simply. Malfoy raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Not for me, but for Slytherin," Severus continued. "As you probably know, the current board of trustees is in no hurry to help the school. And when the conversation turns to Slytherin, they just start turning up their noses, and even Dumbledore can't do anything about it. After the radicals lost the civil war, everyone looks at our faculty's students as if they were enemies. I've had to turn into a monster towards the children from other houses just to keep them from falling behind the Slytherins. Can you imagine, they've started calling me an underground bat and a greasy bastard behind my back," he said with a sad smile.
"Well," Malfoy grinned mischievously, "your hair is always covered in potion vapours, and they haven't yet found a remedy that helps potioners with this effect. Even the famous 'plain shine' invented by your school enemy's family doesn't work.
"That potion helped the naturally shaggy Potters, at least a little," Snape grimaced. "But of course, it's not strong enough for real potion makers."
"I need galleons," he continued, "to renovate the faculty premises. To order new furniture, supplies, furnishings. Unfortunately, everything we have today is long outdated and partially broken. Children are children, after all, no matter how many generations of noble ancestors they have behind them.
Lucius thought seriously: "Of course, giving money is not a problem. But what can I get in return?"
"You know, Severus, tell Dumbledore that I agree to donate gold for the renovation of the dormitory, and not just Slytherin's, but the entire school, on the condition that I am made a member of the board of trustees. That will be my entrance fee, so to speak. In a few years," Malfoy continued, "Draco will be attending Hogwarts. Although, I think if the pressure on pure-blood wizards becomes even greater, it might be better to send Draco to Durmstrang," he shook his head. "Unfortunately, in order to have a career in England, it is essential for the boy to complete his education at Hogwarts, if only to establish connections."
"What happened to your first child?" Snape asked curiously, remembering Dumbledore's request. "I thought you already had a son. Or did he die?"
"We try not to talk about it. He was born a Squib and now lives abroad," Malfoy grimaced. "I would have just sent him to a Muggle orphanage, but Narcissa is against it, you understand."
Severus looked sympathetically at his friend and did not continue his questioning. He did not want to get involved in the nuances of the dark history that had befallen this noble family, even though Dumbledore had asked him to find out more about the Malfoys. The eldest son of the fair-haired family never appeared in the Hogwarts "book of souls"; this sometimes happened with pure-bloods. Wizards' children also died in infancy or were born "squibs." The latter was strongly frowned upon in society.
Magical families tried in every way to hide information about such defective children, and many families killed their offspring if they did not demonstrate magical abilities by the age of eleven. Albus remembered the sensational story of the Longbottom child, who was thrown out of a window by his own uncle. Yes, even Arthur Weasley had two older brothers who were Squibs.
Promising to convey the Malfoys' conditions for helping Hogwarts to Dumbledore, Snape headed back to the school. After all, it wasn't just the children who didn't have classes in the summer; the teachers' holidays would start much later. He had to prepare lists of ingredients for the next school year and fill out a pile of reports for the Ministry. And if Dumbledore agreed to Malfoy's terms, he would have to supervise the repairs on top of everything else. With these thoughts in mind, Snape disappeared from the portal platform of the manor.
***
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