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Chapter 796: Lucius in a Bind
Chapter 796: Lucius in a Bind
After giving Draco a few pointers, Lucius fell silent, appearing somewhat restless.
Ever since the gathering at Riddle House, he realized that his consecutive failures had already made Voldemort contemplate his execution.
The only reason he wasn't killed on the spot was that the Dark Lord had just suffered a major defeat in Knockturn Alley, and the Death Eaters were already on edge. It wouldn't be wise to cause more unrest.
Despite this, Voldemort had no intention of letting him off lightly. Making Draco carry out the assassination plan was a form of retribution!
Even with his feet, Lucius knew it was an impossible task. If even the Dark Lord couldn't handle the enemy, how could his son, Draco, possibly succeed?
Voldemort simply wanted to punish him by making him lose his son, while also causing trouble for Ivan Hals.
Understanding this, Lucius put aside his pride and came to Hogwarts in the middle of the night, humbly seeking the help of the young man who was roughly the same age as Draco, hoping he could provide a way out.
"This is it", Draco said, leading Lucius and pushing open the door to the Reception Hall.
The room was dimly lit, with only the distant fireplace providing some light. A figure could be seen sitting on a sofa in front of the fireplace.
Lucius took a deep breath, straightened his robes, and quickly approached.
Hearing the commotion at the door, Ivan slowly put down the Book of Hieroglyphs, turned his head to look at the approaching Lucius, and spoke with a playful tone.
"Long time no see, Mr. Malfoy. Draco said you wanted to see me?"
Looking at the young wizard, who couldn't be more than fifteen or sixteen, Lucius felt a moment of disorientation.
The last time they met, Ivan Hals was just a talented but inexperienced young man. In just two short years, he had grown to a point where Lucius himself had to look up to him.
This realization brought a bitter taste to Lucius's mouth, but he didn't forget why he was here. He lowered his stance and said apologetically,
"I apologize for keeping you waiting, Mr. Hals. I've come to see you about a very important matter I need to report..."
"Report, you say?" Ivan's smile grew wider as he snapped his fingers, lighting the candles around the room. He continued,
"Mr. Malfoy, did I misunderstand, or did you get something wrong? As a Death Eater, you should be reporting to the Dark Lord, not me."
"Actually, I don't work for the Dark Lord!" Lucius Malfoy quickly explained.
"I... or rather, we initially joined the Death Eaters to help the Dark Lord create a better Wizarding World!
But after using the power of Pureblood Wizards to strengthen his forces, the Dark Lord became tyrannical. He abandoned our original path and used violence and threats to bind everyone, treating us as mere pawns in his quest for dominance over the Wizarding World..."
"A better Wizarding World?" Ivan commented, unconvinced. "You mean a Wizarding World that benefits Pureblood Wizards, right?"
Lucius Malfoy's face turned awkward, and he stammered, "In any case, we never truly wanted to work for the Dark Lord. We were forced into it. If we could, we would all want to break free from his control."
Ivan gazed at the groveling Lucius with a cold sneer.
"Don't sugarcoat it, Lucius! At last year's Quidditch World Cup, you were the one who rallied your old friends to hunt Muggles, weren't you?
It's clear you still miss being a Death Eater! Your rebellion now is just because you failed to get things done and angered Voldemort, so you're looking for a new master."
"Since you can betray Voldemort today, how do I know you won't betray me in the future…?"
"After all, there are significant conflicts between us", Ivan's words grew colder.
"No, you misunderstand, Lord Hals. I can swear or even take a Magic Oath that the Malfoy Manor clan will be eternally loyal to you!" Lucius Malfoy pleaded urgently.
Ivan merely smiled, offering no response. He didn't trust Lucius's oaths; even a Magic Oath had loopholes. This wasn't a sign of genuine sincerity.
Feeling Ivan's dismissive attitude, Lucius grew anxious. "Perhaps my past actions have caused unnecessary misunderstandings, but I beg you to give me a chance. I am willing to make amends!"
Ivan's interest was piqued. He was curious to see what Lucius would offer to win his forgiveness.
"Seven hundred thousand Galleons! How about that?" Lucius gritted his teeth and said.
Seven… seven hundred thousand Galleons?!
Lucius's generosity stunned Ivan. He almost thought he had misheard.
How rich could one person be?
Ivan felt a twinge of envy, suddenly considering the idea of seizing the wealth of the Sacred Twenty-Eight Families. How much could he possibly get from them?
Seeing Ivan's reaction, Lucius breathed a sigh of relief. For the continuation of the Malfoy Manor clan, he had put forward all the money the family could mobilize.
After this massive expenditure, while the Malfoy Manor clan wouldn't be crippled, it would take at least a decade or two to recover.
But if he could buy their way out of trouble and secure protection, it would all be worth it.
In fact, before coming here, Lucius had already conducted thorough research.
The Wizards Market had been performing poorly recently, and they needed to bribe officials to deal with the Ministry of Magic's harassment. The Hals Family would certainly be in a financial bind, making this the best time for him to offer help!
However, to Lucius's surprise, Ivan's brief shock quickly turned to a calm expression, devoid of the ecstatic reaction he had expected.
"I appreciate your sincerity, but unfortunately, gold Galleons mean nothing to me…" Ivan leaned back into his soft chair, speaking with a disinterested tone.
Lucius looked at Ivan in confusion, unable to understand. Seven hundred thousand Galleons was a staggering sum, enough to sway anyone, even if his assessment of Knockturn Alley's financial situation was off.
Ivan didn't bother to explain. Instead, he reached out and traced his hand over the dark stones of the fireplace. The Alchemical Device hidden under his robe began to display intricate Magic Runes.
In the next moment, a golden light spread rapidly from the stone Ivan had touched.
Under the watchful eyes of Lucius and Draco, the dark fireplace transformed into a brilliant gold in just ten seconds…
(End of Chapter)
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