[Note: Read up to Chapter - 162 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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Shafiq Castle, main living room.
Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy were standing by the sofa, waiting.
"Father, why can't I sit down?" Draco asked, frowning. They'd been on their feet ever since arriving at Shafiq Castle.
It had been the same in the side hall, and now in the main living room, nothing had changed. Was this how the Shafiq family treated their guests?
What was even more outrageous was that, even though no one was watching them, his father remained overly respectful and cautious, not daring to sit for even a moment.
Draco couldn't understand why his own father—a member of the noble Malfoy family—was acting like this. Completely bewildering!
Sure, the Shafiq family had a stellar reputation in the wizarding world and were obviously wealthy. But still… Draco found it utterly incredible.
My father seemed like a completely different man, utterly lacking the poise and composure that a noble should naturally have…
"Draco, you and Master Shafiq are classmates, so there should be some camaraderie between you. This time, I'll need you to cooperate with me. Mind your words and actions, and keep your master's temper in check, right?"
"Also, you must be respectful to Mr. Shafiq and avoid doing anything that could be considered offensive. Understand?"
Lucius gave his son these instructions earnestly, a trace of sadness shadowing his expression.
At this point, he hadn't yet told Draco the whole truth.
Partly because of timing—Draco had just returned and had barely arrived before being dragged here. He hadn't had a chance to learn what had happened at Malfoy Manor last night.
The other reason was that Lucius himself wasn't sure how to explain it all to Draco just yet.
At the very least, after this meeting, he needed to figure out how to make his son accept the situation.
"What on earth's going on?" Draco asked, frowning. He could tell something was off.
"I'll explain everything in detail after this meeting…" Lucius' eyes flickered nervously; he didn't even dare meet Draco's gaze. "Remember what I said—don't do anything to rile Master Shafiq!"
"The fate of our family could hinge on this conversation today."
"I need you to cooperate with me so we can save the Malfoys together!"
Saying that, Lucius instinctively turned his head to glance outside the door. Two figures were slowly approaching from a distance.
"Father, why should we even do this… What's so special about Shafiq, why—" Draco started, still confused, but Lucius cut him off sharply.
"Quiet! Remember what I just said—they're coming!"
"The future of the Malfoy family hinges on this conversation. Keep that in mind!"
After saying this, Lucius forced a smile and strode toward the door.
"Hello, Master Shafiq. It's an honour to see you again!"
He bowed low, just like the sycophants before him, and fixed his gaze on the thirty-year-old boy who had just entered. A bright smile stretched across his face—obviously forced, yet he tried his best to make it look sincere.
The sheer flattery, the fear, and the fawning attention left Draco behind him utterly stunned.
"Father…" He wanted to shout, to demand why he was acting this way, but Lucius' stern instructions and serious expression stopped him. The words caught in his throat, leaving him only able to mutter two barely audible syllables under his breath.
At that moment, Draco felt completely frozen, unsure how to even face Aris or what expression to put on.
After all, they'd been classmates at school… yet now, for no apparent reason, things had turned out like this!
Draco had never felt anything quite like it before. Perhaps even those who'd come to his manor for a visit had experienced this sort of mortifying awkwardness.
But he was Draco Malfoy! Since when did a noble of the Malfoy family have to grovel before someone? And besides, he wasn't some toddler!
This… was utterly unacceptable.
"Hello, Mr. Malfoy!" Aris greeted Lucius with a smile, then naturally turned his attention to the stiff figure by the sofa. "Master Draco! I thought you were planning to stay at school for another couple of days before returning."
"I also heard you were intending a secret trip to Hogsmeade before the holidays… Seems plans have changed!"
"Hello… hello, Mr. Shafiq…" Draco managed a stiff, formal greeting, his expression betraying every ounce of his discomfort.
"He's no longer a young master!" Lucius' voice cut through the room again. He was still smiling, bowing low and bending at the waist, addressing Aris with exaggerated deference. "Compared to Master Shafiq, Draco is just an ordinary Hogwarts freshman…"
"I've heard you've looked after Draco at school. I'm truly grateful—this is an honour for the entire Malfoy family!"
Lucius immediately slipped back into flattery.
Draco felt even worse hearing this. He pinched his own wrist hard, as if trying to confirm whether he was dreaming. The sharp sting made it painfully clear: this wasn't a dream.
Everything was real. His father was grovelling before a classmate, utterly devoid of dignity.
The sight made Draco want to explode on the spot.
"Father… why do you have to do this…?" he finally growled, gritting his teeth as the words escaped in a tense, frustrated whisper.
"Have you ever thought about how I feel when you treat Aris like this?" Draco's voice trembled with anger.
"How am I supposed to get along with him at school from now on?"
"Are you out of your mind?!"
He whirled to glare at Aris, eyes practically spitting fire.
"What on earth have you done? What's the reason for all this?!"
Draco could no longer rein in his emotions and yelled, paying no heed to anything else.
Lucius' expression changed in an instant.
He had planned to use the friendship between Draco and Aris—both Hogwarts classmates—to gain more leverage for the family. But now… it was all going pear-shaped.
He had warned his son repeatedly not to provoke Aris. And now this little b*****d actually had the nerve to shout at someone else!
"Master Shafiq, I… I'm sorry! I'll sort it out straightaway…"
Lucius bolted toward Draco, panic written all over him, terrified that Aris might fly off the handle and start killing again, like last night.
At that moment, his whole chest felt like it had been lifted off the ground. He'd never known fear to hang over him so palpably.
"Lucius!" Aris' voice cut through, calm but faintly amused.
"Why don't you let Draco finish?"
"I think… he's got a point!"
In truth, Aris couldn't quite fathom why this old fool, Lucius, would pull such a daft stunt…
Even if you bring Draco along, why not just tell the lad the whole story?
Not to mention Draco's fiery temper and pride… no one could tolerate that!
Aris now found the whole scene rather entertaining. A proper little show, it seemed… something worth watching unfold.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 162 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]