Chapter 410: The Boss and the Sidekick

Chapter 410: The Boss and the Sidekick

The last remnants of winter's chill still lingered over Hogwarts Castle.

Sherlock put on his thick overcoat again, mulling over the fact that this would likely be the last time he'd wear it in the first half of the year.

Draco had become increasingly conscientious. Initially, he had resisted the Muggle clothing that was bought for him, but now he would proactively change out of his Wizard Robe on the day they went out, waiting for Sherlock at the castle gates with his clothes neatly changed.

He was still a bit shy about appearing in public dressed like this, as it could easily make him stand out among his fellow Slytherins and invite ridicule from Harry and Ron.

"Have you got everything?"

Sherlock looked down at Draco and asked.

Draco's face still bore that arrogant expression, and he didn't say a word, just nodding.

"Let's go, then."

Sherlock used Apparition right outside the castle, bringing Draco to the small town they had visited many times before.

They knew the way well and found a fruit shop on the street. Draco pulled out a few Pound notes from his pocket.

These were earned during their last outing, when Sherlock had taken him to do a day's labor, using a Confundus Charm to help Draco, who was under 16, work without drawing attention.

The Young Master Malfoy had been extremely resistant at first, but when Sherlock himself started working on the Muggle farmer's cowshed without any magic, Draco couldn't just stand there idly. With a scowl, he grumbled, "I'm not working for a Muggle; I'm helping the professor with his chores", and started cleaning the cow manure.

After a full day's work, they earned a decent sum of money.

Sherlock let Draco keep the money, and today it came in handy.

In the fruit shop, Draco spent all the Pounds to buy seasonal fruits. Then, they carried the bags and took a taxi to the familiar orphanage.

In the morning, the children were playing freely in the orphanage yard. From a distance, they saw Sherlock and Draco approaching.

A little girl with a gap-toothed smile ran to the wooden fence, shouting excitedly.

"Boss!"

This "boss" was not directed at Sherlock.

Draco, carrying two bags of fruit, let out a disdainful snort, but the relaxation in his eyebrows betrayed his satisfaction with the title.

This wasn't the first time they had come to the orphanage to volunteer. After their first experience last Christmas, Sherlock would bring Draco here every week after Harry's Occlumency lessons to spend time with the children.

Initially, Draco was very reluctant, but over time, it became a habit.

On their third visit, he befriended Tracy, the little girl who had tricked him multiple times.

It wasn't that Draco had become smarter or exuded a domineering aura; he just couldn't stand being outsmarted by a girl half his age. So, he used a minor spell, barely more than a trick, to shock Tracy.

Sherlock turned a blind eye to it, as it was harmless and could easily be explained as a simple magic trick. Draco wasn't trying to scare the little girl; he just wanted her admiration.

Sure enough, this worked. Despite being more mature than her peers, Tracy was still a sheltered orphan. She immediately saw Draco as a Master of Magic, pledged her allegiance, and called him "boss", referring to herself as his "sidekick."

The older children, including Haley and Mrs. Cris, only thought Draco knew a few magic tricks and didn't pay much attention. However, Draco relished the respect.

Even from a little girl, the title "boss" made him feel important.

Draco had often lacked proper upbringing, but he was always kind to his "sidekick."

The week after Tracy pledged her loyalty, when he and Sherlock returned, Draco brought some mildly magical candies from Hogwarts for Tracy, earning her countless envious looks in the orphanage.

This clever little girl was no fool. On the surface, it seemed like she had submitted and become Draco's sidekick, but in reality, she still received his care and attention.

However, she never kept anything for herself. The candies Draco gave her, she shared equally with the younger or similarly aged children. Sometimes, when there weren't enough candies, she wouldn't keep even a single piece for herself, giving them all to the younger kids, showing the demeanor of a big sister in the orphanage.

Draco saw all of this and didn't say anything at the time, but the next time, he brought enough for everyone.

This time, the fruits were no different. He bought enough for the entire orphanage (there were only a dozen or so children).

Mrs. Chris had long since become familiar with them. When she saw them, she smiled and opened the door, letting them in.

Sherlock and Draco handed over the fruits to her and Haley, then took over the task of watching the children playing in the yard while the two of them went to wash the fruits Sherlock and Draco had brought.

"Boss, you're so generous, bringing so many fruits again!"

Tracy's eyes sparkled with admiration as she expressed her adoration for Draco.

Draco crossed his arms in a nonchalant manner, but the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his true feelings.

"Hmph, it's nothing."

He said this with ease, as if he had completely forgotten the pain of being forbidden to use magic by Sherlock in the cowshed, hating the stench of the manure.

"Of course, Boss, you're a great magician!"

Draco glanced at Sherlock, who was helping a little boy who had just fallen and was getting up, dusting off the dirt from his clothes. Seeing that Sherlock wasn't paying attention to them, Draco spoke in a very reserved manner.

"I told you to keep my identity a secret. You can't say these things to others."

"I'm sorry, Boss", Tracy immediately apologized. "I'll be more careful in the future."

Draco waved his hand generously.

"It's fine. Who can blame you for not being too smart? Since you call me Boss, it's my duty to take care of you."

After helping the little boy dust off, Sherlock, who seemed not to have paid any attention to Draco, now had a smile on his face.

Clearly, he had heard every word of the conversation between the boss and the sidekick.

Draco himself hadn't noticed, but his mindset had changed significantly since the first time he came to this orphanage right after Christmas.

In the past, not only would he have never let a girl like Tracy call him Boss or use his own earnings to buy fruits for the orphanage children, but even if a Muggle girl stood in front of him, he would have taken a few steps back, fearing that she would pollute the air around him.

The lunch at the orphanage today was more abundant than usual, and after the meal, each child received a fresh apple.

Draco and Tracy sat at the same table, looking disdainful on the surface but secretly enjoying the girl's praise. After finishing the last bite of food on his plate, Sherlock said to Mrs. Chris,

"I'm going for a walk around the area."

Then he walked out of the orphanage alone. The place was quite remote, as Mrs. Chris hadn't had much money to buy a well-located large yard when she founded the orphanage.

So, you could describe the surroundings as having a good environment and fresh air, or you could say it was a place where even birds wouldn't defecate.

Sherlock didn't have the leisure to stroll around. He walked straight out of the orphanage and turned right onto a small path. After a few steps, he arrived at an old, seemingly abandoned house.

Without knocking, the old wooden door opened by itself, and behind it stood the tall and straight figure of Mad-Eye Moody.

"Sherlock, you're here today?"

Sherlock nodded and walked into the room.

"I brought Lucius' son with me. Have you found anything during this time?"

The room wasn't just occupied by Mad-Eye Moody; Lupin and Sirius Black were also there.

The three of them had been keeping watch in the area since Sherlock first brought Draco to the orphanage.

After Draco from Hogwarts had initiated contact with him, Sherlock hadn't given up on guiding the boy to the right path, nor had he let down his guard.

After all, no one could be certain that such moral instruction would truly change a young master who had been raised in luxury and educated in pure-blood values.

To ensure the safety of the children in the orphanage, in case Draco had any malicious intentions, Sherlock had Mad-Eye Moody and his team stationed here early on.

Now, the Death Eaters have clearly reduced their activities. The Wizarding World no longer experiences large-scale conflicts between Aurors and Death Eaters, only minor skirmishes. This has left Mad-Eye Moody, who has retired from the Auror Office, and the already idle Lupin and Sirius Black with nothing to do.

However, anyone with a bit of foresight can see that the current calm in the Wizarding World does not signify peace but rather a brief moment of tranquility before the next storm.

No one knows what Voldemort is plotting in secret. Both the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic can only prepare as best they can.

"Everything is still normal here. I've also followed your instructions and had Kingsley, who is still working in the Ministry, use his privileges to designate this area as a high-priority surveillance zone for Apparition and the Floo Network. If there's any unusual activity, they'll inform us immediately."

Sirius Black seemed agitated.

"Frankly, we should just tie up that little brat from the Malfoy family, give him Veritaserum, or use Legilimency to extract all the information about his father and the Death Eaters from his mind. Why make things so complicated?"

Before Sherlock could respond, Lupin calmly interjected.

"He is still just a child who hasn't been properly educated, Sirius Black. Besides, using Veritaserum and Legilimency on a minor is illegal."

"It's a special time, and using special means is normal", Sirius Black argued.

"Using such methods on a child is despicable, no matter the circumstances", Lupin replied. "Moreover, if the Dark Lord truly wanted the Malfoy boy to do something, he would have anticipated this. If he is confident enough to let the boy help him and not fear us probing his memories, he must have his own reasons."

Lupin's words left Sirius Black speechless.

While both were once part of Harry's father James' group, Lupin and Sirius Black had vastly different personalities. Sherlock appreciated Lupin more, while Sirius Black, though not bad, was an extreme Gryffindor.

"From the current situation, Draco isn't beyond redemption", Sherlock said softly. "The fact that he gets along well with the children in the orphanage shows that he hasn't fully accepted Lucius' pure-blood ideology."

Sirius Black shrugged.

"Fine, if you both say so, I won't argue further."

Under normal circumstances, his character would not be so compliant, but Sherlock had established himself as the second-in-command in the Order of the Phoenix, just below Dumbledore. This position was earned through his own efforts, earning the respect of everyone, including Sirius Black, who could be a thorn in anyone's side.

Sherlock nodded. With Mad-Eye Moody here, he wasn't worried about anything. This visit was just a routine check.

After exchanging a few more words and getting an update on the situation at 12 Grimmauld Place, Sherlock was about to leave when the dusty fireplace in the old house suddenly burst into green flames.

Tonks's head appeared in the fireplace, and without any formal greeting, she quickly spoke.

"Kingsley sent me to report. He said there were six consecutive Apparition signals detected near you, right behind the orphanage!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end