Just outside London, at the gates of Malfoy Manor, the lady of the house, Narcissa Malfoy, was pacing anxiously across the courtyard. Every so often, she glanced toward the distance, as if awaiting someone's arrival.
Crack!
With the sharp sound of Apparition, Lucius Malfoy appeared just beyond the gate, holding the hand of his son, Draco Malfoy.
Seeing them, Narcissa hurried forward. Lucius, noting that his wife had been waiting, opened his arms as he strode to meet her, intending to embrace her.
But Narcissa swept right past Lucius and instead pulled Draco tightly into her arms, her expression fraught with worry.
"Oh, Draco, thank Merlin you're safe!" she exclaimed. "When I heard what happened at Diagon Alley—and Gringotts—I couldn't stop worrying! Are you hurt? Were you harmed at all?"
Draco shook his head, his face still lit with excitement.
"Mother, it's a shame you weren't there at Diagon Alley today—it was unbelievable! You wouldn't believe what it was like… it was the first time I've ever seen a real wizarding duel that intense. It was exhilarating!"
As Draco spoke, Narcissa stroked his forehead gently, then turned and shot Lucius a sharp glare.
"You took him that close to the fighting?! If Draco had been hit by a stray curse—I wouldn't have forgiven you!"
Lucius rubbed his nose awkwardly, then quickly changed the subject.
"I did as you asked—I discreetly planted that man's items into the Weasley household. If the Ministry conducts another surprise inspection, Arthur Weasley will be the first one they investigate."
Narcissa gave a curt nod, acknowledging the information without comment. Then she raised her voice and called out:
"Dobby! Dobby!"
At her summons, a house-elf emerged from somewhere within the manor. He gave the Malfoy family a solemn bow before speaking.
"Madam, how may I serve you?"
Still running her fingers through Draco's hair, Narcissa instructed, "Take the young master for a bath—and then bring him to supper."
Dobby bowed once again, then took Draco Malfoy's hand and, with a soft crack, Disapparated from the courtyard.
Once Draco and Dobby had gone, Narcissa and Lucius began walking toward the manor together. As they went, she spoke again.
"Now that we've rid ourselves of that man's things, we should steer clear of our so-called former allies—at least for now."
Lucius nodded in agreement. "Indeed. In fact, we should begin preparing opportunities for Draco to meet his future allies. No matter which faction one belongs to, internal alliances and rivalries are inevitable."
Narcissa paused for a moment, looking at Lucius with curiosity.
"What do you mean? Did you see something?"
Lucius took a deep breath, recalling the scene.
"Outside Gringotts today… I noticed a member of the Greengrass family among the Alliance."
Narcissa gasped, eyes wide. "The Greengrass family? Among them? I never would've expected that. They're one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, just like us—but they've always kept to themselves, never seeking attention."
Lucius frowned slightly, nodding. "Exactly. If I hadn't attended the funeral of the late Lord Greengrass as the Malfoy family's representative, I wouldn't have recognized the boy I saw today. But I did. That quiet boy from the funeral—he's the new head of the Greengrass family now. And from what I saw, even within the Alliance, he holds sway."
Narcissa considered this, her expression turning thoughtful.
"So the Greengrass family secured their place early, and now they've solidified their footing… We'll have to help Draco catch up—quickly."
"What was his name again? The Greengrass boy?"
Lucius furrowed his brow in thought.
"I believe it was Auston Greengrass—the eldest of this generation. If I recall, he has two younger sisters. The youngest… she should be around Draco's age."
At that, Narcissa and Lucius exchanged a look—one filled with quiet, mutual understanding.
By now, they had reached the grand doors of the manor. Lucius stepped ahead and opened the heavy wooden door for his wife with a small, elegant flourish.
But to his surprise, Narcissa did not walk in. Instead, she stopped in her tracks.
Lucius, puzzled, looked back at her—and was startled to see her face frozen in an odd expression. It was a mixture of shock and fear… and something else, a flicker of anticipation, perhaps even delight.
Following her gaze, Lucius turned toward the grand hall—and froze.
Seated confidently at the head of the great dining chamber was none other than Wentworth Grindelwald, a young man with whom Lucius had crossed paths only briefly before.
Flanking him were several young witches and wizards, as well as two older wizards—both silver-haired, but still sharp-eyed and commanding in presence—standing respectfully behind him.
What struck Lucius most, however, was the sight of their house-elves—his house-elves—frozen in place mid-motion. Not a single one moved. They had clearly been Stunned or otherwise magically bound, caught mid-task as they'd been preparing for dinner.
Lucius hesitated for only a moment before composing himself. He grasped Narcissa's hand firmly, and with a broad, practiced smile, began walking forward.
"The Malfoy family warmly welcomes the heir of the Grindelwald legacy," he said, voice full of forced cheer. "Your presence brings radiance to our home."
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