Author's Note: Don't forget to vote, comment and leave a 5 star review to help the story grow and reach more people.
Read upto +30 Chapters worth of content ahead and receive extra updates daily by going to my Patreon and becoming a fellow Patreon.
Patreon: mrfanfiction140
Be sure to read my other Novels as well:
- Naruto: Multiverse Adventures
- Hunter x Hunter : The Alchemist.
----
Inside the tent, a small, temporarily partitioned reception area was bathed in the soft glow of magical lamps, isolating it from the clamor outside.
Lucius Malfoy and Lynn sat opposite each other, separated by an exquisite little coffee table. The air felt somewhat stagnant.
Lucius's fingers unconsciously rubbed the head of his snake-headed cane. He opened his mouth several times, but the words became incredibly difficult to say once they reached his lips.
"Mr. Lynn... you..." He started, then paused again.
Lynn leaned back against the comfortable chair, his posture relaxed.
He picked up the iced watermelon juice prepared by Dodo from the coffee table and took a sip. "Mr. Malfoy, we've been business partners for quite a while now. If there's something on your mind, you might as well say it directly. Guessing and beating around the bush wastes too many brain cells, doesn't it?"
Hearing this, Lucius took a deep breath.
He closed his eyes, and various images flashed frantically through his mind: the gaze of the Dark Lord, the charred corpses of the Carrows in the newspaper, Draco's bewildered face, Narcissa's worried eyes... Finally, they settled on a simple and crude equation:
Survival is above all else, and attaching oneself to the strong is the Malfoy way of survival. What does it matter whose servant he becomes? At least the one in front of him seemed more... "reasonable."
Having forced himself to be convinced, Lucius snapped his eyes open, the last trace of hesitation in his pupils replaced by decisiveness.
He no longer hesitated. With a flick of his right hand, he tossed aside the hem of his robes, leaned forward, and bent his knees—
This opening move was too sudden. Lynn, who was holding his cup, saw this and his pupils shrank; he almost splashed the watermelon juice all over himself.
He practically bounced out of his chair, his movement so fast it stirred up a gust of wind, instantly dodging to the side and away from the area Lucius was facing.
A series of complaints instantly flashed through Lynn's mind: No way? Did all of you former Death Eaters take a course on "How to Kneel Quickly and Properly Before the Strong"?
The Carrows were like this when they begged for mercy, and now even you, Lucius Malfoy, are like this? Is this some kind of organizational cultural heritage?!
Seeing that Lucius's knees were about to touch the carpet, Lynn didn't want to receive such a bow; it was too life-shortening and far too bizarre.
With a flick of his wrist, he lightly jerked his wand in Lucius's direction.
A force instantly propped up Lucius's sinking body, keeping him in a posture that was neither a squat nor a kneel, awkwardly caught in between.
"Mr. Malfoy!" Lynn's voice rose slightly. "We are business partners, and our cooperation has always been quite pleasant. There's really no need for such a... cough, 'grand gesture.' Have you encountered some monumental difficulty? A break in your capital chain? A family curse breaking out? Or have you been targeted by the Ministry of Magic for a capital offense?"
He tried to list some "reasonable" explanations that would require such a low-profile plea for help. "If it's any of those, perhaps I can offer some modest assistance. Let's discuss it properly."
Supported by that force, Lucius could neither kneel nor stand straight; the posture was incredibly awkward.
Hearing Lynn's words, he knew the other party had completely misunderstood his intentions. A flash of urgency crossed his face, and he explained at an accelerated pace:
"No, Mr. Lynn, you misunderstand! It's not that kind of specific trouble... What I want to say is that, from this day forward, the House of Malfoy is willing to follow your lead!"
He said those last few words clearly and forcefully. After finishing, he stared intently at Lynn's face, observing his reaction.
Lynn: "...?"
The expression on his face instantly shifted from confusion to complete bewilderment.
How could he not understand what Lucius was saying? Was [Language Mastery] mistranslating? That shouldn't be possible.
This Lucius Malfoy... he probably drank too much fake wine in the camp today. Starting off with a kneeling performance was scary enough, but now he's actually saying he'll "follow my lead"? The House of Malfoy following Lynn's lead?
Lynn subconsciously touched his own face.
Did he really look like the kind of underworld boss who needed lackeys to surround him and bow down? Or had there been some deviation in Hufflepuff House's reputation lately that he didn't know about?
After a few seconds of silence, Lynn put away his wand. He took a step forward, his tone becoming very "sincere":
"Mr. Malfoy, I think... you might need to go to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries immediately and sign up for an emergency psychiatric consultation. Find an experienced healer to give you a proper check-up. Don't worry, it won't cost many Galleons; the House of Malfoy can certainly afford it."
He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If you continue to speak with me in this... less-than-lucid mental state, I can't guarantee that my reflexes won't kick in the next second, sending a Spell your way to help you 'sober up.'"
Lucius was momentarily speechless from Lynn's reaction, also realizing how abrupt and terrifying his actions just now appeared to a Lynn who didn't know the inside story.
"Cough, cough..." Lucius straightened his wrinkled robes and stood tall, his tone becoming much more formal, though the content remained earth-shattering:
"Mr. Lynn, please believe me, I am very sober—soberer than I have ever been. The House of Malfoy truly hopes... to seek refuge with you and serve you."
Lynn didn't speak. He just sat back down in his chair, arms crossed, watching Lucius with interest. The look in his eyes was clear:
Keep spinning your tale. I'm watching you spin it. A pure-blood family head coming out of nowhere to swear fealty to me, a student? You think I'll believe that? Do I look as simple and easy to fool as a Troll?
Lucius felt his skin crawl under Lynn's gaze, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He knew that if he didn't throw out some solid "material," Lynn really might dismiss him as a madman.
"...Fine, Mr. Lynn." Lucius sighed, showing a helpless expression. "I admit, I... and the House of Malfoy, do have selfish motives. Great selfish motives. Given how well-informed you are, you must already know—the Dark Lord has returned."
When he spoke this title, his voice unconsciously dropped, carrying an instinctive cower, but his eyes remained locked on Lynn, observing his reaction.
Lynn nodded, his expression unchanging.
If he's back, he's back. So what? Was he supposed to beat drums, clang gongs, and throw a grand feast at the entrance of Diagon Alley to welcome him? What did it have to do with him?
Seeing Lynn remain so indifferent, as if it were none of his business, Lucius became even more convinced that Lynn had the confidence to ignore the Dark Lord.
He could only steel himself and reveal the "orders" he had received at the Lestrange ancestral home. This was both honesty and a disguised "token of allegiance."
"The Dark Lord... has issued a clear order to us." Lucius's voice dropped even lower. "He wants me to do whatever it takes to make you... serve him. He said some of your 'little tricks' might be interesting."
He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing as he struggled to spit out the second half. "But if... if you are 'stubborn,' or show any uncontrollable 'dangerous tendencies'... then we are to eliminate you to prevent future trouble."
After saying all this, Lucius felt his back soaked—not from heat, but from a cold sweat.
He looked at Lynn cautiously, fearing that a green Spell might fly his way from Lynn at any second.
After listening, Lynn blinked, his face showing an extremely complex expression—was he serious?
It was already good enough that I wasn't going to look for trouble with him, yet this guy actually dares to come to my door, sending me an "employment notice" that comes with a "termination threat"?
Truly like carrying a lantern into a latrine—looking for death. Or like the God of Longevity hanging himself—tired of living. Lord Voldemort, is it? You've really narrowed your path, my friend!
The question marks filling his head were almost ready to materialize.
It took Lynn some time to digest this ridiculous information.
He looked at Lucius. "So... you came to 'seek refuge' with me because of this? Because the Dark Lord told you to deal with me, and you felt you couldn't do it, so you decided to defect ahead of time... ah, no, seek refuge with the side that might be safer?"
Lucius felt a bit embarrassed at being called out, but he still nodded and added:
"Mr. Lynn, the House of Malfoy only wants to survive. The Dark Lord's orders... are full of risk and offer no benefit to the family.
And you... I can see that you are no ordinary person. Between the two, I am simply... making the choice that is more beneficial to the House of Malfoy."
This time, his words sounded much more genuine.
Lynn rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment.
He really had no interest in being some boss or taking on lackeys; it was too much trouble.
"I understand, Mr. Malfoy. Thank you for providing this information. However, I think our current cooperative relationship is quite good. You sell yours, I sell mine, and neither of us is dependent on the other. It's clean and efficient."
He saw a clear flash of disappointment in Lucius's eyes, so he shifted his tone slightly:
"Of course, if—and I mean if—you or the House of Malfoy truly get caught up in some 'major events' because of what you told me today, or because of some other irresistible trouble in the future, and you truly cannot solve it yourselves and have reached the end of your rope..."
Lynn paused and looked at Lucius, giving a limited promise:
"At that time, I can try my best to help you find a way."
This promise was full of uncertainty, but it also left an opening. It wasn't fealty or protection, but more like a limited helping hand based on their "existing cooperative relationship" and "gratitude for the information."
After saying this, Lynn stood up, clearly indicating that this brief meeting should come to an end.
Lucius also hurriedly stood up.
Although he hadn't achieved the ideal "dependency" relationship, being able to get such a promise from Lynn was already much better than the worst-case scenario he had envisioned.
"I understand, Mr. Lynn. Thank you for your time. I wish you a pleasant time watching the match. If there is any... 'new information,' I will find a way to let you know."
Lynn nodded and said no more, making a "please" gesture.