"Dad! He's twenty years older than me! He could be two years older, ten years older, but not twenty!" Back home, Lys stared at Noah and the scrapbook he was holding—the one she'd asked him to help make covers and backing pages for.
"Grindelwald... he... I just admire that strength! That whole philosophy about the freedom to be yourself! Dad!"
Lys crossed her arms, utterly bewildered, her eyes wide with disbelief. "He's about a hundred-year-old man! I don't fancy him..."
Noah looked somewhat dejected but also slightly relieved. If Little Star didn't fancy Grindelwald, then that other man—roughly his own age—wasn't quite suitable either. A bit too old, with a rather complicated family background...
He was about to say more when Frie apparently knocked over Senna's cauldron again and came tumbling out of the potions room into the living room, spinning like a top.
"Gah gah gah!" Frie squawked and crashed, interrupting Noah's words. Lys lunged forward two steps, grabbed her little brother by the collar, and stuffed him into Noah's arms.
"Dad, I've got things to do outside, so... you... I won't be home tonight!"
Taking advantage of Noah being distracted by Frie grabbing his hair and having to focus on rescuing his locks, Lys quickly bolted out the door.
As she ran, she reflected that her little brother did have his uses, though she felt a bit troubled.
Though most witches her age were already married—or at least engaged if not married—Lys truly had no such inclinations whatsoever.
Considering her current circumstances, how could she?
Just look at that mark on her arm—who would extend their hand to her without any reservations?
Lys scratched her nose and seriously pondered this, confirming there really wasn't such a person.
And if there were reservations...
If there were reservations, what would be the point of wanting such a thing?!
Lys shrugged off the question, deciding to find Mother Lulu first. With Britain not delivering goods, it looked like she'd have to patch up the hole herself again. She didn't want to return to Britain for such a small shipment—she was afraid.
Lys flipped through Mother Lulu's records of recent dealings in the area. Because Germany was relatively close to Britain, some channels had actually been brought over here.
Though these underground trades and developing channels encountered quite a few problems, they were forcibly resolved by Lys's information network and magical prowess.
The local powers saw that the newcomer wasn't greedy, didn't steal territory, couldn't be beaten in a fight, and seemed to have information sources suggesting powerful backing. Eventually, they stopped interfering with Lys's small business.
Circling a portion from the list, Lys grumbled about this job—no salary and she had to advance payments herself. The only benefit was getting to travel abroad.
Mother Lulu asked no questions. Whatever Lys circled, whatever she took, whatever purpose—she never asked a single word, only glanced at the general characteristics of the materials Lys circled, then arranged similar items higher on the list.
Lys's hands never stopped moving, and she even found time to slip Lulu a cream caramel. "How old are you this year?"
Lulu's face turned bright red again, but in the end, her mother answered for her.
Lys suddenly drew a sharp breath and paused. "Thirteen? You don't look it. Drink more milk—you're rather short for your age."
She continued marking documents as she spoke.
Lulu just watched Lys silently, caramel in her mouth, arms behind her back—each bearing a red scar—gripping that pine wand tightly.
Her mother now looked much healthier and more energetic. After organizing the lists, she picked up a quill and began processing them with Lys.
She sighed, "The environment here is much better than Knockturn Alley. Lulu can even step outside the house a little now, and she's even found a little playmate."
Ever since learning that this important person beside her had a small child at home, Mother Lulu mentioned Lulu much more frequently.
These two witches—one capable of handling two opponents easily, the other able to deal with many effortlessly—discussed the distribution and pricing of illegal materials while chatting about how to handle a one-year-old who constantly pulled people's hair.
When leaving, Lys gave Lulu two small items: "Be careful when you're home alone. Next time don't draw your wand—if something seems wrong, just run."
Lulu accepted the two Portkeys, her eyes bright with excitement as she nodded vigorously.
Even as Lys left, she felt Lulu's gaze following her, making her back feel warm...
A few days later, when Menelquede learned that Lys had stabilized the trading situation with Britain, he was somewhat surprised.
Though at his uncle's request he'd reduced his involvement in British affairs, the Karkaroff family still had their hand in things there.
The nobles on that side were being tormented by that madman's mysterious search to the point where they had no time to worry about partnerships here.
Menelquede was quite clear about this, which was why from the beginning, the Karkaroff family's trade involvement was minimal, working only with a few established families.
"Youth, capability, broad-mindedness..." Swirling the wine in his glass, Menelquede somewhat regretted not directly recruiting her when he first discovered her potential, and for obscuring her memories.
But it wasn't too late now, was it?
Menelquede drained the remaining wine in one gulp. The Karkaroff family welcomed all outstanding talent.
While gaining some trivial trust from those German nobles, Lys noticed Menelquede Karkaroff's attitude had shifted once again.
From the reckless frivolity when she first met him during her sixth-year holiday, to the teasing mockery when they encountered each other after she became a Death Eater, to now his thorough courtesy.
Lys was momentarily uncertain what he intended to do.
But soon Lys had no mood to guess his intentions. Nearly half the families in Britain's Death Eater camp couldn't deliver their goods!
Lys and Mother Lulu even personally risked a trip abroad, but still couldn't fill such a massive hole.
That was supposed to be Lys's own profit, money for her own pocket!
Though it would eventually be repaid to Lys, even with extra on top, that didn't mean she wasn't under pressure now!
Lys sent many letters to Lucius, but he couldn't completely resolve the problem.
With the final delivery deadline at the end of October approaching and several families still dragging their feet on deliveries...
And when Lucius indicated that the supplying noble had been killed by Bellatrix for defecting, Lys had no choice but to steel herself and ask Lucius to find another supplier.
After waiting a long time, Lucius still couldn't solve it. He was either handling tasks for the Dark Lord or enduring Crucio—he simply didn't have the energy. Even his final letter was replied to by Narcissa.
Not daring to return to Britain, Lys dug out her secret savings from her previous underground operations in Britain and patched up part of the hole.
This made the German nobles' impression of Lys even better.
Rigorous, serious, responsible, with strong contractual spirit, formidable strength, and most importantly—not overly close to the Karkaroff family.
But even so, in early October Lys was called back to Britain to resolve trade issues. Lucius simply couldn't hold on any longer—he needed to focus more on tasks assigned by the Dark Lord.
But he couldn't possibly let go of such an important funding source to other covetous parties, so he had to call Lys back from Germany.
Lys reluctantly refused several times, but was finally urged back by Lucius's letter:
Junior!
I guarantee you won't have to attend meetings!
If you don't come back, trade on both sides will collapse and become unmanageable—you'll still have to come back, and then you won't be able to leave!
Use the International Floo and return immediately!
Lys dawdled, but ultimately went back.
She stayed in the guest room at Malfoy Manor, and aside from handling documents, running to the Ministry of Magic, and confirming materials with various families, she had nothing else to do.
Speaking of which, those Death Eater meetings and external missions were indeed blocked by Lucius as promised.
But Lys somehow gradually developed an inexplicable dread.
She even began dreaming again—something she hadn't done since learning Occlumency.
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