Malfoy Manor.
The Malfoy family had just finished a lovely breakfast, dabbing at their mouths with napkins. Maintaining a perfect, elegant appearance was a fundamental skill for any respectable pure-blood family. Not far from them, a Den Den Mushi—a magical snail-like creature—was happily munching on a plate of strawberries on the dining table.
"Burp!" After devouring the entire plate of strawberries, the Den Den Mushi let out a satisfied burp, then nestled down comfortably in the strawberry basket, ready for a nap.
The three Malfoys had clearly heard it. Narcissa shot the peculiar creature a look of mild disgust.
Both Lucius and Narcissa had their reservations about this strange thing their son had brought home.
With its odd tentacle-like eyes, bizarre, ornate patterns, and a body covered in a slimy liquid, it was clearly not a precious magical creature.
Keeping such a weird pet in their home would be a stain on the Malfoy name.
But since Draco was the one who brought it home and seemed to value it, Narcissa hadn't thrown it away.
She decided to view it as a low-class pet. When Draco got bored with it, she wouldn't even have to lift a finger—he'd toss it out himself.
That's what Narcissa told herself.
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi, which had been dozing in the basket, shot upright. Its eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment, and just as Narcissa and Lucius wondered if it had eaten too many strawberries, the creature's toothy mouth spoke in a human voice.
"You have a call, Mr. Malfoy."
"You have a call, Mr. Malfoy. Please answer as soon as possible."
Lucius: ?!
Narcissa: !!!
Both of them were startled by the Den Den Mushi's voice.
Draco, however, calmly walked over to the creature and, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, picked up the receiver.
"Hello, this is Draco."
When he heard Dudley's voice on the other end, Draco's face lit up with a huge smile.
Narcissa watched, utterly confused. Draco was talking to someone?
Lucius, having had brief contact with the British Queen and other members of the royal family, knew more than most wizards.
Draco's behaviour was very similar to using that Muggle communication device... a "telephone," he thought it was called.
But he remembered those things had a wire connecting them, and they were definitely not snails.
Lucius's knowledge of Muggle telephones was limited, and out of disdain for Muggle objects, he had never used one himself.
While Lucius was lost in thought, Draco had already finished his call.
Draco still had a grin on his face when he hung up.
"Draco, what was that?" Lucius asked, prompted by a look from Narcissa.
His eyes were still fixed on the Den Den Mushi in the basket. The creature, now that the call was over, had returned to its sleepy, listless state.
"It's nothing, Father. Just a regular Den Den Mushi."
Draco's tone was casual, as if he were discussing the most mundane thing.
"A Muggle device?" Lucius asked.
"No, it was made by Brother D." Draco explained. "It's a lot like a Muggle telephone, but it's not the same thing. This is not for sale and it's encrypted. For now, it can only be used to contact Brother D and his friends."
"It can be used for communication?"
"Yes."
Lucius nodded and didn't press the matter further. He knew that even if he did, Draco might not tell him anything more.
"Father, Mother, Brother D and his friends will be arriving at the Manor the day after tomorrow." Draco briefly relayed the contents of the call.
"The Malfoys will receive them with the highest honours."
"The Manor is large, and there are more than enough rooms. If you need anything else, just tell Dobby. He'll get everything ready for you," Lucius said. "But I hope you remember that you are the master of Malfoy Manor."
Even Lucius himself didn't believe what he was saying.
Three years at Hogwarts had changed Draco dramatically. To be precise, not just Draco, but the entire cohort of Slytherin kids—Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, and the rest—had all changed immensely.
And without exception, they were all devoted followers of this man named Dudley.
They took their cues from him.
As Lucius knew, a few of the Slytherin children were willing to sever ties with their own families to become his followers.
Thankfully, this person had extraordinary power. Even though he was only a student in the lower years at Hogwarts, he was able to arrange jobs within the Ministry of Magic.
That was something Lucius himself couldn't do.
He had Fudge, the Minister for Magic, wrapped around his finger, as if the Minister were under the Imperius Curse, blindly following his every command.
Fudge's recent public clashes with several high-ranking Ministry officials were proof enough.
And that was a truly terrifying thought.
The pure-blood families were all well aware of Dudley's actions but would never openly acknowledge it or provoke him.
Who knew if he might turn out to be another... "He Who Must Not Be Named"?
When you can't beat them, join them—that's what the pure-bloods were best at. Aside from a few stubborn old-timers who clung to their status, everyone else was green with envy over the precise investment the Carrow family had made early on.
Honestly, Lucius used to scoff at the idea, but now, when he faced that man, he had the unnerving sensation that he was facing the Dark Lord himself.
Especially since he had already suffered at Dudley's hands, after his failed attempt to have Dumbledore removed, he had been kicked off the Board of Governors.
Compared to Lucius, Narcissa's thoughts were much simpler.
Dudley was good for Draco. Dudley made Draco better. That was all that mattered.
In some ways, Draco was already more impressive than his own husband.
For a mother, that was enough.
---
Early in the morning two days later, with a series of twists in the air and a loud "pop," Dudley and his two friends appeared on schedule at the gates of Malfoy Manor.
"Apparition," Narcissa, with her keen eye, instantly recognised the magic they had used.
While she wasn't a duellist, she was an adult witch who had passed her O.W.Ls and N.E.W.T.s with excellent grades, so she naturally recognised the Apparition spell.
It's a very advanced form of magic. Theoretically, only wizards aged 17 or older who have passed the test from the Department of Magical Transportation are qualified to learn it—a spell that allows for near-instantaneous teleportation to any place you desire.
You could think of it as the wizarding world's version of instant travel.
Compared to the Patronus Charm, Apparition's difficulty level is slightly lower, but not by much. The difference is that few Aurors can cast a Patronus, while only a select few can Apparate proficiently.
When performing the spell, it's crucial to focus your mind, otherwise you risk leaving half of your body behind.
The magic had been taught to them by Pipiru and Luxixi, and the three of them were quick learners. They could already cast it perfectly.
"Brother D, you guys were secretly practicing again," Draco complained.
He hadn't seen them in just two or three weeks, but their magical skills had already left him so far behind.
No, I have to catch up. I have to study harder.
Here he was, a third-year student on holiday, learning spells meant for sixth and seventh years.
The competition was fierce... far too fierce.