Lucius sighed. Was Narcissa foolish? Hardly—before their marriage, her surname had been Black. The Blacks were renowned for two things: striking good looks and sharp minds. It was no wonder they ranked among the elite pure-blood families.
The reason Narcissa hadn't spotted the issue—or even considered one—was simple: all she saw was Erwin being targeted. Lucius pressed on. "We've all met Erwin. Do you honestly believe he'd sacrifice his own people just to storm the Yaxley estate?"
Narcissa frowned. "The Yaxleys are mad. Even so, I'm stunned he'd go that far!"
Lucius shook his head. "Narcissa, we know plenty about Erwin's time at Hogwarts from Draco's letters, but you haven't dug deeper. From his school exploits and what we've gleaned from the Muggle world, Erwin's cautious to a fault. He never risks himself, not even for allies. And he's a true Slytherin at heart—self-preservation always comes first. Everything he does has a purpose. Do you really think he'd grovel to anyone, even hypothetically?"
Narcissa paused, her anger cooling. "You mean Erwin orchestrated this? Impossible. He's just a boy. He couldn't be that sly. And for what end? It doesn't add up!"
Lucius leaned in. "We've all underestimated him—or overlooked how he seized control of London's underworld at six, ruling it unchallenged after five years. We dismiss Muggles out of habit, forgetting Erwin started as one. No magic, yet he built an empire. Imagine if he'd been a wizard then, with wizard followers, targeting our world. He'd have conquered wizarding Britain outright!"
Lucius drew a sharp breath. He'd simplified things too much, underestimating Erwin's ruthlessness.
Narcissa's eyes widened in realization. "You're right—it does fit. Merlin's beard, that poor boy. How much hardship has he endured to outdo even the Dark Lord?"
Lucius rolled his eyes. Trust Narcissa to fixate on sympathy.
"Focus, Narcissa. Erwin's goal was always the Yaxleys—I'd wager he knew something before entering our world. This reeks of revenge."
It was a stretch, but the most logical conclusion. If Erwin heard it, he'd protest: he simply wanted to crush a pure-blood house to cement his wizarding status. The Yaxleys were coincidental—raw materials from Hagrid sparked a venture, then Barton's involvement sealed it. Only later did he learn of their ties to the enemy. Fate had lured them straight into his snare.
Narcissa asked, "If that's true, what now?"
Lucius replied, "The Ministry will step in soon—killing a Muggle is grave, even for pure-bloods. But Yaxley will weasel out. We can't meddle directly; Erwin doesn't know we're allies yet, so he won't seek our aid. That Weasley mess last time planted doubts, but he trusts only the Selwyns. We'll bolster them instead—whatever they need, we'll nudge along without overstepping."
Narcissa nodded; it made sense.
Lucius added, "Now we watch Erwin's ploy unfold. How he'll corner Yaxley, I can't guess. The boy's a marvel—I can't help but admire him."
At Yaxley Manor, the patriarch regained his composure and pieced together the events, starting from the opening of Cavendish's magical materials shop. Step by step, he uncovered threads—including that Muggle's visit.
The man had been brazen, almost insulting, turning a negotiation into provocation. That's why he'd snapped and killed Rivers on the spot.
Now it clicked: the Muggle had baited him deliberately, courting death to pin the murder on him. To frame the Yaxleys as Muggle-killers.
But why? The patriarch sneered. "Foolish child. Do you think one Muggle death topples us? The might of a true pure-blood house is beyond your grasp, you fallen upstart. If this is your gambit, you're deluded. The real game starts now!"
A house-elf entered. "Master, Minister Fudge has arrived with Aurors. They demand to see you."
The patriarch scoffed. "Quick work. Let them in. I'll see what Fudge has in mind."
Another servant hesitated. "Shall we summon reinforcements?"
"No need," the patriarch dismissed. "The Ministry's a lapdog—it knows who put its master in power."
At Hogwarts, Erwin stretched and rose. Morning lessons done, the Ministry should be arriving soon. Time for the main event.
...
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