Chapter 587: Moving
Chapter 587: Moving
The first day of the trial had finally concluded. The wizards filed out one by one.
"Seriously, Dumbledore", Machi Ban said earnestly as Dumbledore helped her up the steps, "don't you need to go to St. Mungo's for a bit of rest and recuperation?"
"Thank you, Giselda, I'll consider it", Dumbledore nodded. "But I'll need to wait until things settle down a bit before I can take a proper break."
In the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic, a large crowd of reporters had gathered early, eagerly awaiting the wizards' exit. These uninvited guests could only wait at the entrance, and among them were several foreign faces.
"Let's go", Madam Bones said.
Felix and Dumbledore had no objections. As the only two wizards in the current magical world capable of standing up to Voldemort, their presence would reassure the public. As they walked out, the reporters immediately surrounded them, their flashbulbs popping and shutters clicking incessantly.
A barrage of questions was thrown at them—
"Madam Bones, how did the first day of the trial go?"
"It went fairly well—"
"Will the foreign observers influence the trial's outcome? Is this a compromise?"
"The trial will be absolutely fair."
Some of the reporters turned their attention to Dumbledore.
"Professor Dumbledore, can you share any international perspectives?" a foreign reporter asked. "Has the Dark Lord abandoned his power in Britain? After the multiple Auror teams from various Ministries of Magic suffered heavy defeats, what are your plans to counter this?"
Meanwhile, the invited reporters who had attended the trial also emerged, their curiosity piqued, and they directed their questions at Felix—
"Mr. Hep, can you talk about your relationship with the Malfoy Family?"
"When did your friendship begin?"
"The Heir of the Zabini Family has quietly returned to Britain, and it's rumored that he had conflicts with you in the past—"
"Is Lucius Malfoy really a spy?"
From the crowd, Mad-Eye Moody muttered, "It could be a way to clear his name. If so, it's a clever move."
Felix selectively answered a few questions, emphasizing his friendship with Lucius Malfoy and firmly refuting the insinuations of certain unscrupulous reporters—glaring at Rita Skeeter in particular.
"Lucius and I have a good personal relationship; he is one of my major clients—yes, he has always been generous in this regard. Once, I noticed he was troubled and tried to offer some advice. He confided in me, expressing deep regret for his past actions..."
After the interview, Dumbledore returned to the school, while Felix stayed behind.
He and Madam Bones went to the Minister's office. She gave him a meaningful look. "They're still inside." Felix nodded and pushed the door open.
Sitting on the sofa were Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy. At the sound of the door, they turned their heads nervously, and upon recognizing who it was, Lucius leaped to his feet.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. The trial took longer than expected", Felix said lightly.
"You, I—"
Lucius's mouth moved for a while before he managed to spit out half a sentence.
Felix nodded silently, and Lucius slumped back onto the sofa, clearly disappointed. Narcissa clutched her husband's hand and said sharply, "We knew this day would come. It's a public trial. You should be grateful you got out in time!"
"Thanks to Mr. Hep", she added, looking up at Felix, who smiled at her. He raised a finger, lighting the wood in the fireplace, then walked to the hearth and grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, throwing it into the flames, which turned green.
"Amelia has temporarily connected the two fireplaces. Who would like to go first?"
Lucius swallowed hard, stepped into the fireplace, and called out loudly, "Malfoy Manor, living room." A flash of green light, and he disappeared.
"Mrs. Malfoy, your turn."
Narcissa stepped into the fireplace, the emerald flames climbing up her pale cheeks. She looked deeply at Felix. "Mr. Hep, please take care of Draco. You will protect him, won't you?"
"I promise, madam", Felix said earnestly.
The green flames flickered, and she disappeared. Felix followed, stepping into the fireplace and emerging a minute later at Malfoy Manor. The grand living room was cluttered with large and small packages, and Lucius and Narcissa stood close together.
"Are you all packed?"
"Just a little more", Lucius whispered, still looking dejected since learning his secret as a spy had been exposed.
"Then let's hurry. We don't know where Voldemort is hiding, and he could be lurking in a nearby corner", Felix said, glancing around the room with interest. "Do you mind if I take a look around?"
Lucius muttered, "Of course not." Felix began to wander around Malfoy Manor. Everything was exquisitely decorated, but the place was eerily empty, not a single person in sight. He guessed all the servants had been dismissed. About half an hour later, he returned to the living room, holding a picture frame.
"Found this in one of the rooms. Maybe it was left behind by accident?" Felix asked.
Lucius stared at the photo in the frame, unmoving, but his face showed a look of disgust. Narcissa glanced at her husband, then took the frame from him. She explained in a low voice, "It's my sister... We, we have no contact with her, not since... since..."
"I know", Felix said. "Voldemort keeps her close."
He looked at the mountain of bags and bundles that filled half the living room, some gold and silver ornaments and utensils crudely stuffed into the packages, showing the owner's lack of attention. "There's quite a bit of stuff, but—" He stared at the emerald ring on his left hand. "Fortunately, I came prepared. But I'll need to make some space; I've accumulated quite a bit over the years."
He began to shake his left hand vigorously. A low, rumbling sound, disproportionate to the size of the ring, echoed from it. "And there are the new residents to consider. I need to make sure they have enough room to be comfortable... Alright!"
Felix extended his hand and began to store the wooden chests, bundles, dragon-hide bags, and velvet pouches one by one into the ring. Soon, the floor was completely cleared.
Lucius and Narcissa took one last look at their home.
"Once this is over, you can return", Felix reassured them.
"I wouldn't be so optimistic", Lucius said dejectedly. "It might not be long before this place turns into ruins."
Ten minutes later, they appeared in a clearing in the suburbs of London.
Felix handed the two a small piece of paper. After reading it carefully, they squeezed through the air to reveal a beautiful, standalone house.
"You should know of my relationship with Mr. Nicolas Flamel. This is one of his Safe Houses in Britain. After he passed away, the original secrecy charm wore off, and the local government planned to demolish it as an illegal structure... But I cast a spell to keep it intact."
The two scrutinized the dusty house with a critical eye. It was far from the grandeur of their former home.
"Security is not a concern—the house is under the Fidelius Charm, and I am the Secret-Keeper. You can rest assured." Felix said, walking towards the door. "Come in and take a look."
Lucius and Narcissa breathed a sigh of relief. At least Felix Hep seemed to be keeping his word, and they didn't have to worry about being betrayed. The Malfoy family's generations of wealth—apart from what was stored in Gringotts—were now in that small ring. It was quite tempting.
They followed Felix over the front steps and into the house. The interior was sparsely furnished, as if it hadn't been lived in for a long time, and dust covered everything. As they entered, their footsteps left clear marks on the floor.
"The conditions are a bit basic, not up to the standards of your grand manor, but all the facilities are there. The house has three floors, ten rooms, and a small garden. It's a decent temporary residence. I'll come by regularly to bring supplies. If you want to change your diet, there's a Muggle store a few hundred meters away, but you'll need to use paper money."
Felix waved his hand, and the dust in the living room vanished instantly. He pulled back the curtains to let sunlight in, making the room look much more pleasant.
"Swish, swish."
The luggage poured out from Felix's hand like a flood, quickly filling the entire living room. Lucius and Narcissa were half-buried in the pile. They struggled to climb out and stood on a wobbly, long-legged desk, staring at the mountain of luggage that was almost as high as the table.
"Do you want me to bring Draco here?" Felix asked softly.
"No, that's not necessary", Narcissa said. "Let him stay at school." She pulled a thick, crumpled letter from her pocket. "Mr. Hep, please give this to him."
Felix took the letter and put it in his pocket.
"Well, you two probably have a lot to discuss, so I'll take my leave."
He nodded at them and turned to leave. Just then, he heard a clattering sound behind him and turned to see Lucius Malfoy chasing after him.
"Is there something else?"
"I, I have a few questions that need answering", Lucius panted.
"Go ahead."
Lucius glared at him, hesitating for a moment before asking, "I don't understand—given your position, you could have convinced the Ministry of Magic to delay the trial, or hold it in secret. At the very least, you could have kept my identity as a spy a secret. You're not one to follow the rules, Mr. Hep. You could have done it, but you did nothing!"
Felix looked at him and said, "Because it's no longer necessary. At this point, your usefulness is minimal." Malfoy was startled, almost thinking Felix would raise his wand and cast the Killing Curse. After a few seconds, he realized Felix was not the Dark Lord.
He calmed down and thought for a moment. A sudden realization dawned on him.
He asked tentatively, "Dark Lord—The Dark Lord's power has been greatly diminished. The core members of the Death Eaters are down to less than a tenth of what they were, suffering heavy losses. Do you think he will suspect a mole, and that my continued presence here might expose me?"
"There is some truth to that", Felix said slowly. "We should understand him, don't you think? Allow him to find excuses for his failures and set up a scapegoat. That way, he won't cast suspicious eyes on others..."
Clearly, Lucius Malfoy was that scapegoat, and he himself was painfully aware of it. His gray eyes widened in shock, but Felix didn't feel much guilt. Lucius's Occlumency was, in Felix's view, barely adequate. Now was the perfect time to escape the turmoil and avoid further entanglements.
Lucius's gray eyes showed a look of shock.
"I understand! The one you're protecting isn't me, no, I should say, it's not just me..." He hissed, the damp air of early April making his insides feel cold and constricted. He whispered weakly, "You're protecting the real spy."
Felix blinked but didn't respond.
Lucius Malfoy's guess was close to the truth: at this point, all the stages were set, and the minor players—like those Death Eaters—had little left to do. Neither Felix nor Voldemort paid much attention to them anymore.
The only one who could still play a significant role and even influence the situation was Severus. Therefore, his safety became the biggest concern.
Had Snape truly fooled Voldemort? Felix wasn't sure, but he knew that the last time Voldemort had bet everything and lost miserably. If Voldemort had any sense, he would reflect on this.
Suspecting a mole was an unavoidable step, and pushing the blame onto others would make him look less incompetent.
Once Voldemort's suspicions turned to these people, Lucius would be the first to be targeted. How could Snape, whom he had personally embedded into Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix, be an exception? Snape had remained unharmed so far, partly due to his exceptional acting skills, but more importantly, because he was indispensable to Voldemort, just like Bellatrix.
At this point, it was crucial to dispel Voldemort's doubts, even if only partially, or to divert his attention. In the best-case scenario: Voldemort would hate Lucius so much that Severus's life would become easier, and the chances of his intelligence being believed would increase.
Felix didn't need to do anything more.
He had already done enough. Those involved would naturally assess the situation on both sides of the war. It wasn't surprising if some would defect, and Felix could even arrange one himself. He just hadn't expected to encounter Selwyn on the first day.
"I almost forgot something", Felix said after a moment. "Give me your hand, Lucius."
Lucius extended his right hand in a daze. Was this a farewell? "No, the other one", Felix said. Lucius trembled, knowing what was about to happen. He shakily raised his left hand, pulled up his sleeve, and revealed the Dark Mark tattoo.
"It might hurt a bit", Felix said, grabbing his arm.
A thick black smoke rose where his hand touched the Dark Mark. The skin became scorching hot, burning like fire, and Lucius's expression was one of intense pain, causing him to moan involuntarily.
"Try to bear it. The Dark Mark contains Voldemort's magic, and we must ensure there are no residues."
A few minutes later, Felix held a strand of dark, evil magic in his hand, carefully collecting it. Adding to what he had gathered at Malfoy Manor, he had completed his mission.
Narcissa, who had been standing by the door with her wand, came over to support her husband. They stared at the skin on his left forearm—where the skull mark had completely disappeared.
"Th-thank you", Lucius said through gritted teeth.
"You're welcome. From today on, you are no longer a Death Eater", Felix said.
...
After returning to the school from the Safe House, Felix handed the letter to Draco.
"Your parents are safe now. They've been transferred to the Safe House. You know what that means, right?" Felix said gently. "They hope you stay at school for the holidays. Read the rest on your own; your mother wrote a lot..."
Draco took the thick, crumpled envelope.
"Once the newspapers come out tomorrow, you might face some criticism, and your friendships will be tested—will you still be friends with Crabbe and Goyle? Oh, well... I believe you can handle it. If you have any doubts, I'm happy to help, or you can talk to Professor Snape."
He thought for a moment, then added, "That's all. Go on."
(End of Chapter)
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