"Oh, where were we? Oh, we are actually all…" Her floodgates were about to open, and the words "Bronze Feather" were almost out.
But she suddenly realized something was wrong. Her mouth fell open, and the rest of the words stuck in her throat.
The air in the ward seemed to freeze for a moment.
Lucius keenly caught her momentary stammer and panic, his doubts deepening, yet his face still maintained appropriate concern.
Narcissa also slightly furrowed her delicate brows.
Draco looked at the professor, who had suddenly stopped, with some bewilderment.
"Uh… that…"
Lumina's brain spun at an unprecedented speed. Her large eyes quickly scanned the people of The Malfoy House, and an idea struck her like lightning.
"Ah!"
She clapped her hands sharply, though her movements were much more restrained than usual, clearly remembering she was injured.
Her face instantly shifted to a mysterious and enthusiastic smile.
"Look at my memory! I was so busy talking, I almost forgot the main point! As thanks for you coming to see me and bringing such wonderful gifts, I'll give you a divination! Consider it my Christmas return gift! Guaranteed exclusive secret method, no deception!"
Her change of topic was so fast and abrupt that it even made Lucius pause.
Divination? That muddled trick?
He scoffed inwardly, but outwardly maintained a polite smile. "Miss Lumina, you are too kind. Visiting a patient is our due courtesy—there's no need…"
"No, no, no, it's a must!"
At this moment, Lumina appeared unusually "reliable," even carrying an air of undeniable authority and certainty.
She completely ignored Lucius's polite refusal and carefully took out an item from deep within the bedside table drawer next to her hospital bed.
It wasn't the usual murky crystal ball, nor was it a set of dirty tarot cards.
This was a sphere entirely polished from some kind of deep purple translucent crystal, just the right size for Lumina to hold in both hands.
The inside of the sphere was not chaotic but seemed to contain countless slowly rotating, brilliant stardust, with occasional wisps of extremely fine blue light dancing among it.
The entire crystal ball emitted an ancient and profound magical fluctuation, as if it could draw in souls, completely different from the feeling given by ordinary divination tools.
Just looking at it made one involuntarily hold their breath, as if they could hear faint whispers.
The gazes of Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco were all firmly drawn to this strange crystal ball.
Lucius put away his disdain, and his eyes became solemn.
He could sense that this item was by no means simple. At the very least, the House of Malfoy's collection room did not contain anything of this calibre.
Lumina took a deep breath. The playful smile on her face completely faded, replaced by rare solemnity and focus.
She gently placed the crystal ball on her covered knees, her hands suspended above it, palms down, and closed her eyes.
Long eyelashes cast shadows on her pale face, and only her soft, steady breathing remained in the ward.
A few seconds later, she suddenly opened her eyes.
Those eyes, always full of curiosity and vitality, now became like two bottomless black holes.
The depths of her pupils seemed to reflect the rotating stardust and flowing light within the crystal ball.
Her gaze was unfocused, as if it pierced through the three people in front of her and looked toward some distant, unknowable future.
She spoke. Her voice was no longer her usual clear and lively one, but deep and distant, as if it was not she who spoke, but some older power using her throat:
"The threads of fate… interwoven and entangled… past choices are like heavy anchors, dragging the ship…"
Her gaze seemed to pierce through Lucius's carefully maintained façade, reaching certain hidden corners deep within his heart.
"I see… gilded lies, a sceptre entwined with a venomous snake… a wrong direction, concealed by lavish robes and an ancient surname… It once brought fleeting glory, but buried a bottomless rift… In the depths of that rift are cold flames and hissing whispers…"
Lucius Malfoy's body instantly tensed.
His knuckles, gripping the snake-headed cane, turned white from the force, and his face lost its colour.
Every word Lumina spoke was like a cold needle, precisely piercing his most carefully buried memories—his loyalty to Lord Voldemort, those choices filled with calculation and fear.
Gilded lies? A sceptre of vipers? Cold flames and hissing whispers?
He could even feel Narcissa beside him gasp, her hand instinctively clutching his arm.
Lumina's gaze slowly moved to Narcissa, a hint of almost imperceptible pity in her voice.
"Maternal radiance is a resilient shield, yet also a heavy shackle… The desire to protect sometimes blinds the eyes to the path ahead…"
Narcissa's face also turned pale, her lips trembling slightly.
As a mother, to protect Draco, she could do anything… including choices she did not truly agree with deep down.
Finally, Lumina's gaze fell on Draco. That well-like stare seemed to soften slightly, yet it carried a heavy premonition.
"A young soul… struggling in the shadow of silver and green… The future storm is brewing in the distance. Will he choose to drift along the course of his elders, or break free from the anchor chain and find his own harbour?"
Draco suddenly felt a chill of fear, his eyes filled with confusion and panic.
Lumina's voice suddenly rose, carrying a strong warning.
"Past mistakes, like shadows… If you follow the old path…"
Her hands, holding the crystal ball, trembled slightly. The rotating stardust inside the crystal ball suddenly accelerated, blue electrical arcs violently surging, and the entire sphere emitted a low hum.
"…the abyss is opening its maw ahead… Tears of regret will stir up a storm… No matter how glorious the surname, it cannot bear it. Choose… choose again… before the storm descends…"
Before she finished speaking, the light of the crystal ball suddenly went out, and the rotating stardust and blue flowing light dimmed as well.
Lumina, as if drained of strength, leaned back sharply against the pillow, gasping for breath.
The depth and emptiness in her eyes quickly faded, restoring their familiar colour, now filled only with exhaustion and a hint of bewilderment.
She looked at the dim crystal ball on her knees, then at the Malfoy family, whose expressions varied and who were clearly greatly affected, and scratched her head somewhat awkwardly.
"Uh… the divination is over. Hmm… the result… you can interpret it yourselves? Merry Christmas?"
Her tone returned to that slightly muddled unreliability, as if the person who had just delivered the deafening prophecy had not been her at all.
Just then, the ward door was pushed open again.
A young witch in a Healer's robe with a gentle face walked in. The name tag on her chest read "Mirabella Rolson."
She pushed a small cart with medicine bottles and treatment equipment. When she saw the Malfoy family, she paused slightly, then showed a professional smile.
"Iresa, it's time for today's check-up."
Hummingbird's voice was clear and steady. She quietly walked to Lumina's bedside, subtly blocking Lucius's probing gaze, and naturally adjusted the pillow behind Lumina.
Lumina also exaggeratedly sighed in relief. "Oh! Big Sis Rolson, you've come just in time! I was feeling a bit tired!"
She quickly and carefully placed the crystal ball into the bedside table, cooperatively extended her wrist, and at the same time gave the Malfoy family a slightly apologetic smile.
"I'm so sorry, it's treatment time. Thank you for coming to see me!"
Hummingbird then turned to the Malfoy family, smiling politely but unequivocally.
"The three of you, the patient needs treatment now. Thank you for your visit."
The dismissal was subtle yet clear.
Lucius was still immersed in the recent prophecy, a bone-chilling coldness lingering in his heart. He glanced at his wife. Narcissa's eyes were also filled with fear and worry.
Draco was completely stunned, staring blankly at Lumina.
"Of course, treatment is important, Healer Rolson." Lucius nodded vaguely. "Then Professor Lumina, please rest assured and recover well. I wish you a speedy recovery."
His voice carried a hint of dryness and wavering that he himself did not notice. He almost hastily pulled Narcissa and Draco along.
"We will take our leave. Thank you for your… 'gift.'"
The last few words were spoken with extreme difficulty.
The three left the ward in a daze.
The bright lights in the corridor could not dispel the heavy gloom in Lucius's heart.
Lumina's low prophecy echoed repeatedly in his mind like a spell:
"…choose again… before the storm descends…"
For the first time, the snake-headed cane in his hand felt unbearably heavy.
On the windowsill, Noctis tilted its head, watching their departing backs with cold, ruby-like eyes, and let out a short, meaningful chirp.
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