After finishing their shopping for the new school year in Diagon Alley, Wentworth, Harry Potter, and the others, under Hagrid's guidance, returned to Wentworth's residence.
"This is where you live, Wentworth? It doesn't look like much! I thought you'd at least be staying in a manor!"
Draco Malfoy sneered as he stepped inside, his tone full of aristocratic arrogance.
That evening, they held a modest birthday celebration for Harry Potter at Wentworth's home, a gesture that deeply moved him.
Meanwhile, at Malfoy Manor, Lucius Malfoy and his wife, Narcissa, sat across from each other in silence.
After a long pause, Narcissa rasped, "You just stood there and watched as a Grindelwald took Draco away?"
Lucius's expression flickered with irritation, but he patiently explained, "That boy's name is Wentworth. Never mention his surname in front of others. Now that I think about it, Dumbledore must have placed a charm on him during the Quidditch World Cup Final—something to prevent anyone from questioning his name. Dumbledore is deliberately keeping his identity hidden."
"As for Draco, he left of his own free will—no one forced him. And honestly, I don't think it's a bad thing for him to be exposed to the leader of the Pureblood Party a little early, do you?"
Narcissa's frown deepened. "But you know what the Pureblood Party is—lunatics! A band of crazed Dark wizards! They'll stop at nothing to achieve their goals! Aren't you afraid that Draco will end up as nothing more than a pawn in their games?"
Lucius hesitated for a moment but then clenched his jaw and said, "Perhaps… having Draco join them isn't out of the question."
Narcissa's eyes widened in shock, prompting Lucius to clarify immediately:
"Why did we support the Dark Lord back then? Two reasons. First, his power was undeniable. Second, his ideology—pure-blood supremacy—aligned with our interests."
"And now, the Pureblood Party is rising again. They are just as powerful, if not more so. And their goal—to destroy the International Statute of Secrecy and bring the wizarding world to rule over Muggles—also serves our interests."
"You must remember, Narcissa, before the Statute of Secrecy was enacted, the Malfoy family had strong ties with Muggle nobility. If the magical and non-magical worlds were to merge again, our family would stand to gain immeasurably!"
Lucius's pale face flushed with excitement as he spoke.
But Narcissa did not share her husband's enthusiasm. Instead, she asked, voice heavy with concern, "And what if—just hypothetically—what if the Dark Lord isn't dead? What if he returns? What if he finds out we betrayed him to join the Pureblood Party? What do you think will happen to us then?"
Lucius stiffened as if doused in cold water. A shudder ran through him.
He fell into a long silence before finally gritting his teeth and muttering, "No… no, that's impossible. The Dark Lord is dead. He has to be!"
Lucius locked eyes with his wife. In each other's gaze, they saw the same flicker of fear.
...
Wentworth, Harry, and Draco, under Hagrid's guidance, left Wentworth's home and headed to King's Cross Station.
This time, Wentworth did not bring Rosier or Abernathy along. As the two stood by the window, watching Wentworth's departure, Rosier asked, without turning his head, "Have you finished looking into that boy?"
Abernathy, holding a letter from an unknown sender, replied, "Of course. He comes from one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight—House Malfoy. He is their sole heir and has already been positioned as the family's next head."
Rosier smiled at the revelation, murmuring, "Excellent. Some people even wrote to ask if our new leader prefers wizards with no family background. What a joke. Only children think in terms of choosing one or the other. The Pureblood Party wants it all. So long as he is willing to dedicate everything to a greater cause, he will be one of us."
Abernathy chuckled in agreement. "Can't blame them. The debate between pure-bloods and half-bloods has existed in the magical world for centuries. The International Statute of Secrecy has only made them shortsighted, confined to this little magical corner of the world. They fail to see the bigger picture."
Rosier nodded. "You're right. The world is vast. And yet, wizards are reduced to living like rats in the shadows. But fortunately, the wizarding world has us—the Pureblood Party. And we… have Grindelwald."
On the other side of London, when Wentworth and the others arrived at King's Cross Station, Hagrid made an excuse and left.
Wentworth, Harry, and Draco excitedly stepped through the barrier onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
Harry's eyes widened in amazement as he took in his surroundings. But before Wentworth could say anything, he spotted Lucius Malfoy, walking arm in arm with Narcissa. Behind them, a house-elf struggled to push a heavy luggage cart.
Draco beamed as he rushed forward to greet his parents. Narcissa merely patted his head absentmindedly, while Lucius turned to him and said, "Draco, take Harry and board the train. I need to have a word with Wentworth."
Without waiting for a response, Lucius and Narcissa approached Wentworth.
Lucius inclined his head slightly and spoke with uncharacteristic respect. "Wentworth, allow me to introduce my wife, Narcissa. This is Draco's first time away from us, and naturally, we are concerned. At Hogwarts, we hope you will take care of him—keep him by your side and teach him what he needs to know. It would be greatly appreciated."
As he spoke, Lucius retrieved a finely wrapped gift box from his coat and presented it to Wentworth with both hands.
Wentworth looked at Lucius's offering and suddenly smiled.
"Does this represent House Malfoy's submission?"
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