Draco Malfoy arrived at Dentis Castle with his parents.
Due to the Anti-Apparition charm enveloping the entire island, Lucius and Draco had to travel by yacht from a nearby smaller island. The vessel was a high-end, custom-made, all-wooden yacht. Though it utilized Muggle technology, neither father nor son paid it much attention—after all, the wizarding world had plenty of magic-driven transportation methods of its own.
Even before stepping onto the island, Draco was already awestruck. He rushed out of the cabin and stood at the deck, mouth agape at the spectacular sight that awaited him.
Over a dozen Hebridean Black Dragons were stationed on either side of the pier, like colossal sentinels lining a grand welcoming path. Their sheer size made them visible from afar, and the majestic sight left Draco breathless.
"Father," he gasped, "how did Mr. Dentis manage this? Even our common Welsh Greens are considered relatively gentle dragon breeds, and we can't tame them like this—let alone the Hebridean Blacks, which are known for their ferocity!"
Lucius Malfoy shook his head.
"I don't know, son. That day, I saw Mr. Dantes descend from the sky riding one of those massive Black Dragons. I've never seen anyone who could completely control a dragon like that."
"Wow… riding a dragon!" Draco's eyes sparkled. Soaring through the sky on a dragon's back was something he had only dreamed about.
Lucius smiled and stroked his son's head. Then he turned to his wife behind him.
"Narcissa, Earl Dantes isn't married, so you'll need to help him host the female guests today."
Narcissa Malfoy frowned. "Our family isn't related to him. Isn't it inappropriate for me to do that?"
"What's inappropriate about it?" Lucius replied. "You have no idea how many pure-blood families are desperate to curry favor with Earl Dantes right now. Hosting on his behalf is a rare opportunity—people would beg for it. And he's currently single. If you help him find a suitable lady today, our family's relationship with him could become closer than any other pure-blood family."
Narcissa looked at the tall Black Dragons flanking the pier and then at the magnificent jewel-encrusted carriages waiting by the roadside. After a brief pause, she nodded. "Alright."
The carriages arranged by Dentis Castle were the finest magical carriages imaginable. Each was drawn by pure white winged horses, evoking the popular image of French wizarding nobility. The carriage material was unknown even to Lucius Malfoy—it was light, smooth, and had a texture similar to amber. Of course, no amber that large existed, so the material was likely magically synthesized.
In truth, the pier wasn't far from the castle. The presence of carriages was clearly a display of extravagance. But whether it was the imposing Black Dragons or the carriages fit for royalty, the invited guests were so impressed that they didn't consider it ostentation. Rather, it seemed as if Earl Dantes was simply born to live this kind of grand, awe-inspiring life.
Upon entering the castle, guided by a servant, the Malfoy family made their way down a long corridor toward the main hall.
Lucius had been there once before, so he was mentally prepared for the Earl's extravagant collection. But even seeing it again, he still felt a sense of disbelief. If the elder Malfoy was stunned, then Narcissa and Draco were even more overwhelmed.
Mother and son were captivated by the displays—treasures that practically screamed "Expensive!" They couldn't stop themselves from turning back to steal another look every few steps, eventually arriving at the main hall with great effort.
"What is that? What is that?" Narcissa pointed upward, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.
"That's Stonehenge," Lucius explained, his tone calm despite the amazement in his eyes. "It's worth three million Galleons. When I first saw it, I felt the same—completely stunned."
"Stonehenge! That's the real Stonehenge?" Draco strode forward, gawking at the suspended, broken stone structure that still emitted a faint magical glow. A wave of dizziness and awe washed over him.
Earl Dantes is too rich!
"Let's see who's arrived first—"
A voice echoed from the second floor. It was Earl Dak Dantes himself, descending the grand staircase in a magnificent robe.
"Oh! My dearest friend!" he called out. "Lucius, we finally meet again."
Lucius stepped forward and shook the Earl's hand warmly. Then he gestured to his wife and son.
"This is Earl Dantes. Draco, greet him properly."
"Mr. Dantes!" Draco said eagerly.
"Oh, what a spirited young man," the Earl replied with a chuckle. "Calling me 'Mr.' is too formal. Draco, right? Your father and I are like brothers. You can call me Uncle."
Lucius beamed with joy—the thrill of finding a powerful patron was obvious in his expression. And Draco, too, was thrilled. He had just established a connection with an idol.
"Yes! Uncle Dantes!"
"Good boy."
"Madam Malfoy…"
"Oh, Mr. Dantes, just call me Narcissa," she replied gracefully.
"Alright, Narcissa. Lucius mentioned earlier that you could help me host the female guests…"
"Of course—it's my honor."
"Thank you. That would be a great help!"
Soon after, the dignitaries of the British wizarding world began to arrive at Dentis Castle.
These were the most powerful and wealthy individuals in the entire magical community. And yet, upon setting foot inside the castle, they looked like villagers visiting the capital for the first time. None of them had imagined that someone could be this wealthy.
Here and now, the phrase "rich enough to rival a nation" was brought to life. Any single artifact on display could easily represent the full fortune of a small pure-blood family.
Lucius Malfoy's influence was evident—over two-thirds of the Sacred Twenty-Eight were in attendance, along with every Ministry of Magic official of department head rank or above.
Several smaller pure-blood families were also present. Mr. Zhanli Danwei, who had arranged this event, wanted to display the breadth of his influence to Dantes.
Avery was among the attendees. Ollivander Avery brought along Donna Avery. Dana's eyes lingered on them for a moment, his barely suppressed killing intent flickering before being pushed down. Just then, the attendant at the door raised his voice to make another grand announcement:
"The Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, has arrived!"
Everyone turned immediately. Despite knowing full well that Fudge was largely incompetent, he still held the most powerful political position in Britain's magical world. They weren't looking at the man—they were looking at the title: "Minister."
Dana hurried over to greet him.
"Minister, your esteemed presence truly honors my humble abode!"
Fudge laughed heartily. "I had to come! Earl Dantes is currently the wealthiest man in Britain. The Ministry of Magic simply can't do without his support!"
Dana gestured grandly toward the hall. "Please, do come in."
Fudge waved his hand. "Earl Dantes must be extremely busy today. Please don't bother accompanying me. We can catch up later—we have plenty of time, don't we?"
Subtext: "We should discuss the donations."
"Of course, Minister. I also have a few ideas for improving the British Wizarding World that I'd like to share with you."
Subtext: "I won't be donating for nothing—there are conditions."
"Then we'll chat later. Go attend to your duties."
"Please, make yourself at home. The servants are at your disposal."
"Thank you. I will."
Dana watched Fudge disappear into the main hall, his eyes narrowing in thought.
Just then, another announcement rang out:
"Internationally renowned personality and author, Order of Merlin Third Class recipient, honorary member of the Anti-Dark Arts League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award—Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart has arrived!"
If you're wondering how the Fire Serpent Party member serving as today's attendant could remember such an absurdly long list of titles—it's because Lockhart specifically asked him to read them all aloud.
At that very moment, the small note containing his list of accolades was still clutched in the attendant's hand.
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