Chapter Forty-Seven: Lucius Malfoy in Shame
For a while, none of the three spoke. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ο½ο½ο½ο½ο½ο½ γ Info Then, Dumbledore opened one of the drawers of Professor McGonagall's desk and pulled out a quill and a bottle of ink.
"Harry, all you need now is to eat something and get a good night's sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, and I'll write a letter to Azkaban hereβwe should get our hunting ground guards back. I'm also going to draft a job ad to be published in the Daily Prophet," he said thoughtfully, "and we need a new teacher to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts class." Gosh, the teacher in this class is depleting so fast, isn't it? β
Harry stood up and walked towards the door. He had just grasped the doorknob when it suddenly slammed open and bounced against the wall behind him.
Lucius Malfoy stood there, furious. The trembling one caught under his arm was none other than Dobby, with bandages all over his body.
"Good evening, Lucius." Dumbledore said kindly.
Malfoy rushed into the room, nearly knocking Harry on the heel. Dobby followed in a panic, hunched over, staring at the seams behind his master's robe, desperate and helpless fear on his face.
"Okay!" Lucius Malfoy's cold eyes fixed on Dumbledore and said, "You're back. The Board of Directors suspended you, but you returned to Hogwarts on your own initiative. β
"Oh, that's right, Lucius," Dumbledore said with a calm smile, "and I've been contacted by the other eleven directors today. Truth be told, the owls flew one after another, and it was like a hailstorm. When they heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed, they wanted me to get there right away. They seem to think that after working for a long time, I am still the best fit for the job. They also told me some strange stories. Some of them seem to think that you have threatened to curse their families if they do not agree to suspend me. β
Mr. Malfoy's face was paler than usual, but his eyes still swelled with anger.
"So-did you stop those attacks?" He sarcastically asked, "Have you caught the murderer?" β
"We got it." Dumbledore replied with a smile.
"Oh?" Mr. Malfoy snapped, "Who?" β
"It's the same guy last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore, "but Voldemort is acting through another person this time. With his diary. β
He held up the small black notebook with a large hole in the middle, and watched Mr. Malfoy's reaction closely. Harry, on the other hand, looked at Dobby.
That house-elf behaved very strangely. His two bulb-sized eyes stared at Harry meaningfully, pointing at the journal and then at Mr. Malfoy, then punching his own head.
"I see......," Mr. Malfoy said slowly, to Dumbledore.
"An ingenious plan," Dumbledore said in a calm tone, still looking into Mr. Malfoy's eyes, "if this Harry-" - Mr. Malfoy glared at Harry with a stern gaze, and when he saw Owen at the same time, he was shocked and angry-" and his friend Ron, and Owen didn't find out about this journal, oops- Ginny Weasley might be going to die. No one can prove that she didn't act on her own will......"
Malfoy didn't say a word, and his face suddenly seemed to be covered with a mask.
"Imagine that," Dumbledore continued, "what would happen then...... The Weasleys are one of the most prestigious families of pure wizard blood. Imagine what would happen to Weasley and his Muggle protector if it was discovered that Arthur Weasley's own daughter was attacking and murdering Muggle-born people. Thankfully, the journal was discovered, and Riddle's memories were erased from it. Otherwise, who knows what the consequences will be......"
Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak.
"It's a blessing." He said unnaturally.
Dobby, still oddly pointing at the journal and then at Lucius Malfoy, still oddly pointing at him, then pounding his head desperately.
Harry suddenly understood. He nodded at Dobby, who retreated into a corner and grabbed his ear as punishment.
"Don't you want to know how Ginny got this diary, Mr. Malfoy?" Harry said.
Lucius Malfoy turned to him.
"How do I know how that stupid little girl got it?" He said.
"Because you gave it to her," said Harry, "at the Blotted Bookstore, you picked up her Transfiguration textbook and secretly stuffed the diary inside, didn't you?" β
He saw Malfoy's pale hands clenched into fists, then released again.
"Is there any evidence?" He said in a hoarse voice.
"Oh, there's no way anyone can provide proof," Dumbledore said with a smile on his face as he looked at Harry, "and now Riddle has disappeared from the notebook." Also, Lucius, I'm going to give you a word of advice, don't give out the old stuff from Voldemort's student days anymore. If any of these things fall into the hands of innocents, at least Arthur Weasley will be able to find out that they came from you......"
Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry could clearly see his right hand twitch, as if trying to pull out his wand. However, he restrained himself, turned to his house-elf and said, "We're gone, Dobby!" β
He unscrewed the door open, and the house-elf scurried over, and Mr. Malfoy kicked him out of the door. They could hear Dobby's screams of pain coming down the hallway. Harry stood there, pondering for a moment. Then, he had an idea.
"Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly, "may I give this journal back to Mr. Malfoy?" β
"Of course, Harry," Dumbledore said calmly, "but hurry. Don't forget the banquet. β
Harry grabbed his journal and rushed out of the office. Now there were only Xingzhe and Professor Dumbledore in the room, and when the door was closed, Owen always felt that the atmosphere was strange, like an extremely secret conversation.
"Owen, Paul." Xingzhe looked into Dumbledore's eyes and saw that his emotions were invisible, although he still smiled at Mimi, "Actually.... You've surprised me more than Harry. β
"Professor.... You don't think I'm the same person as Voldemort, do you? β
Xingzhe asked rhetorically.