Chapter 63: Lucius Malfoy
Chapter 63: Lucius Malfoy
"Malfoy? He didn't go home for Christmas, so of course I saw him around the castle."
Sherlock folded his arms, his gaze fixed on them.
"Why are you asking me this?"
Under the influence of double guilt, Hermione instinctively averted her eyes.
"We, we're just curious, Professor. You know, Malfoy isn't exactly the most popular guy around. Have you greeted him or blessed him in any way these days?"
While Hermione was speaking, Harry and Ron, though not meeting Sherlock's eyes, perked up their ears involuntarily.
Sherlock raised an eyebrow, momentarily puzzled by Hermione's question.
"Greet or bless? Does making him clean the toilets count?"
He suddenly seemed to understand something, his eyes narrowing.
"Could it be that you suspect me of being the mastermind behind the murder?"
Hermione, Harry, and Ron blinked and exchanged awkward glances, chuckling nervously.
"How could we, Professor? We're just bored and asking around."
"Right, we're just asking around, nothing more."
"Please don't misunderstand, Professor. We trust you completely."
Sherlock glanced at them.
"Is that so? Then would you like to join him in cleaning the toilets as a greeting and blessing?"
Harry and the others quickly backed away, waving their hands.
"No, thank you, Professor. We haven't done anything to deserve such a blessing."
"I just remembered, we haven't had dinner yet. We'll head to the Great Hall, Professor. Goodbye!"
Watching their hasty retreat, Sherlock pursed his lips.
"To actually suspect me, what are these kids thinking?"
Just after the brief encounter with Harry and the others, Snape brought Draco Malfoy's father, Lucius Malfoy, to Hogwarts.
In Dumbledore's office, Sherlock stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall adorned with portraits of past headmasters, silently observing the scene unfolding before him.
When Mr. Malfoy was brought to Hogwarts by Snape, his face was as dark as if it had been smeared with soot from the fireplace.
Entering the Headmaster's Office and seeing Dumbledore calmly seated in his chair, Mr. Malfoy could no longer contain his frustration. His clenched fists trembled uncontrollably as he suppressed his inner agitation, his voice cold and accusatory.
"I entrusted my son to Hogwarts, and you, Dumbledore, expect me to be reassured!"
It was clear that his emotions were genuine, not feigned. He was genuinely tense and anxious, as if fearing something.
Dumbledore slowly interlaced his fingers on the desk, his expression neutral as he stared at Mr. Malfoy, his tone giving no hint of his current state of mind.
"Hogwarts will certainly protect the safety of its students, but the professors here, including myself, are not omniscient. There are things we simply cannot foresee."
"You tell me this now! My son's fate is unknown, and you're already thinking of shifting the blame?"
Mr. Malfoy's eyes seemed ready to burst from their sockets as he glared at Dumbledore.
"I'm going to expose this! Let the Board of Governors vote! Get you expelled from Hogwarts!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Sherlock could clearly sense Professor Mcgonagall and Snape tensing up.
Clearly, they were both nervous, fearing that Malfoy might actually follow through.
However, the person being threatened, Dumbledore, remained calm. He leaned back in his chair and said casually,
"This is your right, Lucius. If you want to, you can certainly do it. But will you?"
Malfoy's eyes were bloodshot, and he continued to stare at Dumbledore without wavering. His clenched jaw slowly relaxed, and his voice lost its accusatory tone.
"You know I won't. If even you can't solve what's happening at Hogwarts, then no one else will make a difference."
Dumbledore's expression grew serious, and he looked at Malfoy with grave eyes.
"Now is not the time for petty squabbles, Lucius. You should know what's most important right now. Your son, Draco Malfoy, is among the students petrified and lying in the Hospital Wing."
Malfoy fell silent.
He stood there, seemingly hesitant or weighing his options.
This dramatic moment entered a brief intermission, and Sherlock took the opportunity to tease the golden perch where Fawkes the phoenix perched.
However, Fawkes showed no interest in Sherlock. He lifted his head and looked at him with a cold, disapproving gaze, as if to say, "Foolish human."
After about five minutes, Malfoy seemed to have made his decision. He lost his previous assertiveness, and when he spoke again, his tone softened, even becoming pleading.
"I only have this one son, Dumbledore. Narcissa and I can't lose him. I beg you, I really beg you."
Snape and Professor Mcgonagall were stunned by Malfoy's current demeanor; they had never seen this cunning man show such weakness.
Dumbledore, however, seemed to have anticipated this. He stood up from his chair, his eyes sharp as he stared at Malfoy.
"He is a student of Hogwarts. I will do everything in my power to save him, regardless of what you say. But what I want to know is, is there any way to end this? Or is there something you want to tell me, Lucius?"
"How would I know what's happening at Hogwarts?"
Malfoy's voice grew louder, but this time it seemed more like bravado masking fear.
"Perhaps you might have some valuable information to share with us?" Dumbledore persisted, still staring at him.
Malfoy fell silent again.
This time, the silence was shorter, but Sherlock could see that Malfoy was undergoing an even more difficult internal struggle.
Finally, as if forcing the words out, he mumbled,
"Ginny Weasley, there's something wrong with her."
Dumbledore's furrowed brow relaxed, while Professor Mcgonagall looked at Malfoy in disbelief. Snape, though not as visibly shaken, shared a similar expression.
"Could you please ask Phineas to bring Miss Ginny Weasley from Gryffindor here?"
(End of Chapter)
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