[Note: Read up to Chapter - 147 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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Morning.
Hogwarts – Great Hall.
Today marked the day when the young witches and wizards prepared to head home for the holidays.
The first term of the school year was drawing to a close. From today until after Christmas, most students would spend their time at home, returning to Hogwarts in early January. Of course, for those who didn't fancy going back—like Harry Potter—Hogwarts would always be home.
"Ron, did you hear the news?"
Harry glanced around the hall. Sure enough, Aris was nowhere to be seen.
They'd suspected last night that something serious might be going on with him—serious enough that he might not return anytime soon.
And now, his absence seemed to confirm it.
"Yeah, I've heard something," Ron said, nodding. He threw a quick glance over at the Ravenclaw table, then leaned in close and whispered, "Terry and Anthony from Ravenclaw know a bit of what's going on…"
He lowered his voice further.
"Apparently—something's happened in Aris's family."
"Honestly, you don't have to be that secretive…" Harry muttered, rubbing his ear where Ron had whispered.
"I reckon half the school knows already."
He'd barely finished speaking when a voice rang out from the Slytherin table across the hall—loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, with no effort made to be discreet.
"Oi, you hear about Shafiq? Sounds like something's gone down!"
"Yeah, I got an owl this morning," another Slytherin chimed in. "Rumour is, some of the Shafiq family's businesses have been attacked!"
"I heard that an ordinary family got caught up in it too…"
"Bet it'll be all over the Daily Prophet tomorrow!"
"And the Ministry's apparently getting involved now. Word is the attackers were ex-Death Eaters…"
As the chatter grew louder, Harry and Ron's expressions darkened.
They exchanged a glance—one filled with quiet dread.
It was clear they were both thinking the same thing.
Aris was in serious trouble.
Just then, Hermione suddenly dropped into the seat beside them and slammed both hands on the table.
"No—we can't just leave Aris to deal with this on his own! We have to help him!"
The young witch looked flustered, her eyes full of determination.
"Did you hear what they said? Among the ones who attacked Aris's family, there were Death Eaters. You do know who they are, right?" said Ron with a pale face.
"Yeah…" Hermoine gulped, his face pale. "You mean… You-Know-Who's old followers, right?"
"They're ruthless," Ron went on. "Cold-blooded killers who wouldn't hesitate to use the darkest of magic without blinking."
"Which means Aris is in serious danger," Hermione said firmly, her voice rising.
Harry straightened up, his expression tense. "So what are you thinking? What should we do?"
"We go to Diagon Alley first," Hermione said without hesitation. "Aris is the real owner behind Flourish and Blotts. There's an Uncle Henry there—we can try to reach Aris through him."
"Of course, they might not be at Flourish and Blotts right now, but—"
As she spoke, Hermione began to grow visibly anxious.
But truth be told, this was the best plan she could come up with for now.
They didn't even know where Aris lived—never mind how to actually find him.
"Maybe we could go to Professor Dumbledore?" Ron suggested, though his voice lacked confidence.
"I already thought of that," Harry said grimly. "But apparently, Dumbledore left the castle last night. No one knows where he's gone."
He'd asked Professor McGonagall first thing that morning—and received the disappointing news.
"But he wouldn't just abandon Aris," Harry added quickly, glancing at Hermione. "They're close, aren't they? He's bound to be doing something behind the scenes."
Hermione didn't respond right away. She was pacing now, clearly trying to think through every possible option.
"Come on, think—there has to be something else we can do…" she muttered, walking back and forth in front of the long Gryffindor table.
At that moment, Cho stood up from the Ravenclaw table and made her way over. It was clear she wasn't in the best shape—she probably hadn't slept properly, and the dark circles under her eyes said it all.
"Hermione… are you lot trying to figure out how to find Aris?"
"Do you have an idea?" Hermione asked quickly, a spark of hope flickering in her eyes.
"Professor McGonagall. She'll definitely know how to contact him," Cho said with confidence.
"Of course!" Harry exclaimed, smacking his forehead. "I was so focused on Dumbledore, I didn't even think of her. She's the Deputy Headmistress—she must know where the students live, right?"
Their eyes lit up as if someone had flipped a switch.
Without another word, Hermione and Cho exchanged a glance—then bolted off in the direction of Professor McGonagall's office.
Harry and Ron scrambled to their feet and ran after them.
…
Over at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy sat listening to the buzz of conversation about Aris, a conflicted look clouding his face.
He suddenly remembered something—his parents had asked quite pointedly about Aris in their last letter. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it.
But now… a troubling thought crept into his mind.
'This whole thing might be connected to the Malfoy family.'
The idea hit him like a punch to the gut. He could no longer sit still.
A surge of anger welled up inside him—sharp and sudden.
He felt betrayed. Used. Like a pawn in a game he hadn't even realised he was part of. His parents hadn't been curious—they'd been gathering information through him.
That bitter realisation twisted something in his chest.
For a boy raised in comfort and used to being the centre of attention, the sting of being manipulated—especially by his own family—was more than he could stomach.
"No… I have to go back. I need answers."
Without another word, he stood up abruptly from the table and stormed out of the hall, making a beeline for the Slytherin dormitory.
He was ready to pack his things and head home—right now.
Truth be told, Draco still felt uneasy.
That cold, sharp-eyed boy… there was something about him. Something dangerous. He couldn't shake the feeling that something big—something bad—was just around the corner.
…
Malfoy Manor
Lucius Malfoy was pacing, visibly unsettled.
What troubled him most was the lack of any movement from Shafiq Castle since last night.
They'd had eyes on both the castle and the Barton family estate. Every report had said the same thing—nothing out of the ordinary.
And that was the problem.
Neither young Shafiq nor Henry from the Barton family had made a single move. Not a flicker of activity.
And that silence was starting to feel very wrong.
"I can't sit on my hands any longer," Lucius muttered, rising sharply and heading toward the hall.
Just then, Narcissa caught him by the arm.
"And where exactly do you think you're going?"
"I'm heading down to the dungeons. I want to see what's going on with those two."
Lucius gently patted Narcissa's hand and quickly left the room.
He knew all too well—if he wanted to keep the upper hand in tonight's negotiations, there couldn't be any problems with the two prisoners in the dungeon.
If anything happened to them, young Shafiq would have no reason to hold back—and no incentive to agree to a single condition they put on the table.
By now, news of the attacks on the Shafiq family's businesses had spread far and wide. Even the Ministry of Magic had started sniffing around and getting involved.
Things were not looking good.
What truly baffled Lucius, though, was why those blasted fools had attacked the Shafiq holdings in the first place.
It was such an obvious provocation. Did they not think it would put their entire plan at risk?
Narcissa had been right all along—those halfwits couldn't accomplish anything without making a mess of it. Always more trouble than they were worth.
As he reached the lower corridor, his voice rang out coldly.
"And you lot still have the nerve to be sitting around sipping tea?"
When Lucius entered the hall, he was greeted by the infuriating sight of several black-robed wizards lounging about, leisurely brewing tea.
To make matters worse, they were helping themselves to his prized black tea—the kind he'd been saving for special occasions and couldn't usually bring himself to drink.
And now these lot were casually wasting it like it was tap water.
"Lucius, no need to get worked up," one of them said lazily. "Everything's under control… yeah?"
"You'd better pray it is," Lucius snapped coldly.
With a sharp crack of his cane against the floor, he turned and stormed off towards the dungeons.
"Tsk," came a sneering voice from behind.
"Honestly, all that fuss over a pot of tea—you'd think someone nicked his Gringotts vault."
"Chucked all that pure-blood elegance straight into the dungeons with the prisoners," another muttered with a smirk.
"That's enough," a third warned, tone a little more serious. "We still need him to handle what's coming. Best not to push him right now."
Hearing their snide remarks, Lucius's expression darkened further.
In that moment, a rather grim thought crossed his mind—if Shafiq and his little band showed up, perhaps it'd be better if someone just hit them with a few well-placed Killing Curses and had it done with.
The world would be much tidier.
Lost in that bitter notion, Lucius reached the entrance to the manor's lowest level—the dungeon.
Two black-robed wizards were stationed there, lounging about like they hadn't a care in the world.
Upon seeing him, they stretched lazily.
"Lucius, come to relieve us?" one of them joked.
"I'm here to check on the prisoners," Lucius replied curtly, casting a cold glance their way.
"We're guarding them, aren't we? What, don't trust us?"
"I'm making sure the plan doesn't fall apart," Lucius snapped. "That's all."
The two scoffed but stepped aside without protest.
Malfoy Manor's dungeon was massive—dark, fortified, and reinforced with layer upon layer of protective enchantments. Anti-Apparition wards covered every inch.
Breaking someone out of here wouldn't be impossible—but it'd take a miracle.
The dungeon's entrance was the only way in or out—a single, narrow passage that connected it to the rest of the manor.
Lucius didn't believe for a second that anyone could sneak in, rescue the prisoners, and slip away unnoticed. Not with the enchantments and guards in place.
And yet… that persistent unease gnawed at him.
Peering inside, he spotted two figures huddled in the far corner—Xenophilius and Luna—sitting quietly with their eyes closed, as if resting.
"Don't worry," Lucius said coolly. "As long as young Shafiq agrees to our terms, everything will work out just fine."
"But that depends on you both staying put. Trust me—no one's coming to save you down here."
The dungeon remained silent.
Neither Xenophilius nor Luna responded.
Lucius didn't seem bothered. He simply took a moment to inspect the protective wards, ensuring everything was intact and functioning as it should be.
Satisfied, he turned and made his way back through the passage.
The two black-robed guards outside barely acknowledged him as he stepped out.
None of them said a word.
…
Meanwhile, deep inside the dungeon…
Curled up in the corner, Luna suddenly lifted her head and glanced toward the dungeon entrance.
There was something unusual in her eyes—not fear or panic, but a flicker of mischief and a knowing smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.
On the other side, Xenophilius cast a quiet look at his daughter, then lowered his head again without saying a word.
The atmosphere in the dungeon was… off. It didn't feel like two frightened captives awaiting rescue. No tension, no despair. Just a strange calm—almost rehearsed.
If Lucius had paid closer attention, he might've noticed something was amiss.
…
Shafiq Castle
Back at the castle, Aris was enjoying lunch.
Though the estate hadn't had permanent residents in quite some time, a small staff had always been kept on to maintain the place.
Which meant, fortunately, there was no shortage of good food.
With Snoopy the house-elf currently off on his mission, Henry had arranged for another trusted member of the Barton family to assist in looking after Aris for the time being.
"Shirley, you're not an adult yet, are you?" Aris asked, eyeing the girl in front of him with mild curiosity.
She wore a classic maid outfit, and her long, silver-white hair flowed all the way down to her waist. Her figure was surprisingly well-proportioned—slim waist, delicate frame—and paired with her youthful, doll-like face, it created quite the striking visual.
Honestly, she looked like the kind of fantasy character some 2D-obsessed otaku would call their goddess.
Still, Aris couldn't help but be suspicious.
Surely Henry hadn't started employing child labour?
Because judging by how clumsy she was at looking after people, Shirley gave off the impression of being a kid playing at housework.
"Master, I'm sixteen this year," Shirley said quietly, lowering her head shyly. But there was a hint of stubborn pride in her voice.
"According to our family rules, sixteen is old enough to serve the master. That's why Uncle Henry sent me here..."
"Figures… still a minor," Aris muttered, half amused, half exasperated.
He didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
Having an underage maid look after him… well, Aris couldn't help but feel it was a bit dodgy. Borderline sinful, really.
Still, he understood the situation.
As a vassal family of the Shafiqs, the Bartons followed a strict set of family rules. If he sent Shirley back now, it'd be seen as a slight—disrespectful, even. And worse, the poor girl would probably be laughed at by the rest of her family.
"Alright then," Aris sighed. "You'll be staying at the castle from now on."
It was worth noting that although Shirley came from a wizarding family, she didn't have a drop of magical talent.
In this world, that made her a squib—a term used for those born into magical lineages but unable to perform any magic themselves.
That was precisely why she'd been assigned to care for Aris. Any Barton with magical ability would have been sent off to work in one of the Shafiq family's business branches to gain proper experience.
"Thank you, Master," the girl said softly, cheeks turning pink as she gave a slight nod.
Clearly, she hadn't quite settled into her role yet.
'How's she meant to look after me if she blushes every time I speak to her?' Aris sighed inwardly.
Still, he didn't expect her to actually care for him in any serious way. Most of the time, he preferred to be left alone anyway.
Especially when he was studying magic—he enjoyed being fully immersed, without interruptions.
Just then, Henry returned, striding briskly into the hall.
"Uncle Henry, all sorted?" Aris asked calmly, taking a sip of tea.
"Yes, we've made the necessary introductions," Henry said with a satisfied nod. He looked at Aris with quiet admiration, as if seeing the boy in a new light.
"If all goes well, no one from the Ministry of Magic will be showing their face at Malfoy Manor tonight."
"Master, just go ahead and do whatever you see fit," Henry said firmly.
"Cheers. You've done well," Aris replied with a nod of satisfaction.
Then he glanced up toward a section on the castle's second floor, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"From this moment on, the castle's under full lockdown," he announced, his voice suddenly cold and commanding. "No one goes in or out."
He stood up, his gaze sharp.
"I don't care if they're our own people—no one is to come or go until we leave for Malfoy Manor this evening."
"And if anyone disobeys or breaks the order without permission… they'll be dealt with. No mercy."
"Yes, young master!" Henry responded at once, his tone serious and respectful.
Shirley, who had been standing quietly nearby, quickly bowed her head, clearly startled by the sudden shift in atmosphere. She didn't dare say a word.
At that moment, Aris's presence filled the room—his tone, his stare, his decisiveness.
There was no trace of an eleven-year-old child.
Only a leader preparing for war.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 147 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]