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Chapter 270: Miss, Change Your Target
🕑 Added 2025-01-18 02:55:04 +0000 UTCAre there foolish people in this world? The answer is definitely yes.
But one thing must be clear: being foolish doesn't always mean being stupid. Sometimes, when foolishness is concentrated in one point, it often becomes a kind of perseverance.
Upon hearing another pursuit, Pansy's magic finally settled into a stable state.
"Combining magic and technology, finding a balance between wizards and Muggles..."
As these two sentences seriously echoed in her mind, Pansy's eyes gradually shone with a new brilliance, epitomizing the saying "bright eyes and shining faces."
To Ino's perception, Pansy now looked like a small glowing entity, not only calming the chaotic magic but also fully integrating it into her body.
Although she was just a fourth-year student, she possessed magic no less powerful than that of an adult wizard.
Most importantly, this magic was stable, unlike the previous dissonance.
"You've helped me again!" Pansy smiled with curved eyebrows.
Calming down, she also felt that her state had been somewhat off just now, as if she had fallen into an extreme emotion, feeling that the whole world had lost its meaning, wanting to destroy everything completely.
The reason she didn't act might have been due to the last trace of attachment deep within her.
If the environment had been different, or if it had been another person in front of her, she wasn't sure what she would have done.
But fortunately, all that had passed.
Compared to Pansy's relaxation, Ino felt somewhat complicated inside.
"Don't say that. Actually, some things are probably my fault. I shouldn't have recommended those Muggle books to you."
In the original story, Pansy shouldn't have been like this. She was supposed to be a carefree pure-blood girl who lived a wealthy and peaceful life after her Hogwarts years.
"Blame you? How could I blame the person who opened the window for me!"
Pansy looked at him with a smile and leisurely crossed her legs, adopting a more confident and composed posture.
Although she was young, she had an overall demeanor akin to that of a seventh-year female prefect at Hogwarts.
…
Idle flowers fall.
In the days following Pansy's departure, Ino returned to his usual rhythm. Leisure didn't mean having nothing to do; it was more of a nonchalant attitude.
Despite his leisurely mindset, his eyes still fell on a small stack of neatly arranged letters on the desk.
Among the dozen letters, there were replies from Marcus and Draco, as well as letters from old Flint, Newt, and even Fudge.
The former confirmed the date of the banquet and the allocation of the movie mirrors, which most Slytherin students would attend, including some graduates from this year.
The latter's letters were relatively complex, concerning matters before the Quidditch World Cup. Newt's letter expressed that things went smoothly, so much so that he hardly had to exert any effort, and the Ministry of Magic greenlit everything.
Old Flint's letter conveyed a similar sentiment, but the only difference was that he needed to visit the L.A.A. headquarters before August.
Facing a stage of a hundred thousand wizards, it couldn't be as simple as the Hogwarts House Cup. Whether it was lighting or instrument arrangement, the Department of International Magical Cooperation and the Department of Magical Games and Sports jointly required a recorded original sound tape.
As for Fudge's letter, it was quite interesting. Full of English subtleties and bureaucratic language, it was a long piece of writing that essentially conveyed two things: the Quidditch performance and the Merlin Order of Third Class.
And within the lengthy letter, about 85% of the content subtly hinted at his role, about how he opposed all objections or made final decisions.
Perhaps all this was true, but the cumbersome verbiage was still unappealing.
…
Hogsmeade.
After reading the letters, Ino noticed that the twilight sky seemed unusual.
The western sky looked like it was draped with a large gray curtain, blocking the setting sun's glow.
What should have been a scene of red clouds was turned into a dark blue under the thick clouds.
After a moment.
Low-pressure clouds carried a misty rain, quietly visiting this wizarding village.
Summer rain wasn't always heavy; sometimes it had a sparse, intermittent nature.
The raindrops, along with the humid atmosphere, sounded like a soft whisper.
Perhaps, this was England's unique melancholy.
By the window on the second floor, Ino listened to the rain for a while, then quietly walked toward the bed.
Although it was only seven in the evening, the sky outside was already pitch black.
Besides, living alone, there was no need to adhere too strictly to rules.
When sleepiness came, one could embrace dreams; when hungry, one could enjoy delicious food.
If bored, one could seek what one loved and immerse in the sea of interests.
…
Unlike Hogsmeade's rain.
In the distant Wiltshire, a white manor was hidden among lush greenery.
Luxurious pillars and exquisite fountains appeared magnificent in the twilight's afterglow.
Inside the manor.
Lucius sat at the head of the table, with Draco proudly beside him.
"Dad, we've confirmed the invitation for 67 people for this banquet. I discussed it with Marcus."
Draco spoke proudly, but a trace of hesitation appeared on his face afterward, as if he was considering whether to say something.
"This is very good!" Lucius raised his head. Once a small figure, Draco was now almost as tall as him.
"Draco, I'm glad you've learned to think! Instead of saying everything that comes to mind, this is very good!"
Facing his father's sudden praise, Draco lowered his head modestly.
On the other side, watching the father-and-son scene, Narcissa felt genuine happiness because the two before her were her whole world.
But as a qualified wife, she knew when to remain silent, so she just sat quietly and watched.
After a while.
Lucius turned his head and sighed lightly, "Now you can speak, whatever it is."
Upon hearing this, Draco spoke decisively:
"It's because Ino also invited some people, but they're not from Slytherin. Among them are Gryffindor's Weasley, Longbottom, Hufflepuff's Diggory, Abbott, and Ravenclaw's..."
"That's enough!" Lucius interrupted before Draco could finish.
At this moment, he felt it necessary to give his son a good lesson.
"Draco, do you know what has allowed our Malfoy family to endure for so long?"
Endure for long? Shouldn't it be restoring glory?
A flash of confusion passed through Draco's eyes. Since childhood, he had heard most about restoring the Malfoy family's glory. As for enduring for long? He had never really thought about this question.
Lucius observed the subtle changes in Draco's expression.
He wasn't disappointed by his son's confusion because it was due to their education.
Special times required special education, especially after the fall of the Dark Lord, an era when everyone looked out for themselves.
Times had changed, and now in this peaceful era, Lucius felt it was necessary to change the way of education.
Otherwise, as the future heir of the Malfoy family, Draco would be troubled by having guests from outside Slytherin.
This mindset was both absurd and dangerous.
