Chapter 85 " The Malfoy Ancestors"

During Skyler's stay at the Green Manor, significant events unfolded in various corners of Great Britain.

Let's delve into the situation at Malfoy Manor. On the day Skyler visited Diagon Alley (August 11th), Lucius intercepted Draco as he prepared to practice Quidditch, leading him to the study room for a crucial conversation.

In the study, Lucius revealed a sterling silver Malfoy family crest and instructed Draco to drop a drop of his blood onto it.

The crest, a special door key activated by the Malfoy family lineage's blood, emitted magical fluctuations upon contact.

"This family crest is a special door key among us. It can only be activated by dripping the blood of the Malfoy family lineage. Now I count one, two and three. Let's touch this family crest together, one, two, three!" The Father and son touched the crest simultaneously, and they were whisked away by a powerful suction force.

In a dim room with a glowing green bead embedded in the ceiling, Lucius and Draco found themselves. Though standing, Lucius had disheveled hair, while Draco slumped to the ground.

Curious, Draco asked, "Father, why don't we use the anti-stun bracelet invented by Skyler?"

Lucius lost in thought, realized he might have forgotten it and grumbled internally.

Glancing around, they found portraits on gray stone walls observing them.

A dignified man in medieval attire inquired, "Are you and others the owner and heir of this generation?"

Restraining his arrogance, Lucius bowed and extended an old noble courtesy, "Yes, I am Lucius II, son of Abraxas, the thirteenth Patriarch of the Malfoy family, and I'm seeing Lord Nicholas."

"Draco, this is the fourth-generation ancestor of our Malfoy family. He is the oldest of the portraits here. He massacred Muggles under the guise of the Black Death and plundered a lot of land and wealth for the family," Lucius explained to Draco.

After learning this, Draco eagerly followed his Father's lead, bowing to the portrait. "I'm Draco, the son of Lucius II, and I'm seeing Master Nicholas."

Lucius then pointed to the next portrait, "This is the fifth-generation ancestor, Lord Artemis. He once participated in the battle of the Vampire royal family and finally signed an unequal treaty with the remaining Royal Vampire family, letting them be used by our family."

"This is the sixth-generation ancestor, Lucius I. One of our three ancestors—Never put eggs in the same basket. This famous saying comes from him. This ancestor has strong mana among us and is said to have a curse, ensuring that the queen of the Muggle world will never marry forever."

"This is the seventh generation of ancestors, Lord Artemis II. He participated in the wizarding civil war in Italy. He cooperated with the Pengley family of wizards in Italy, wiping out the hostile family in one fell swoop, and expanding our family business beyond the UK's boundaries, gaining the friendship of the Pengelly family."

"This is the eighth generation of ancestors, Lord Brutus. He founded the anti-Muggle publication 'The Witcher in War' and attracted a large number of followers for the Malfoy family. Many children in the family now are descendants of his followers."

"Who is this…"

Each time Lucius introduced a character in the portrait, Draco bowed and saluted his ancestors.

Meanwhile, he wondered about the purpose behind his Father bringing him to visit these ancestors.

The introductions continued until they reached the last one—the twelfth generation of Patriarch, Abraxas Malfoy, Lucius's Father and Draco's grandfather.

After Lucius introduced all the portraits, he gave another salute. "My ancestors, the wizarding world is about to undergo a major reshuffling. My eldest son Draco is still young and has low mana. I hope you all can assist me in helping his strength grow rapidly to face the upcoming chaos."

Abraxas couldn't help but interject, "Wait a minute, Lucius, don't you have two sons? Why didn't you bring my other grandson, Skyler?"

Lucius replied, "I'm about to discuss this matter with your ancestors. Skyler's philosophy is different from ours. He thinks that pure blood theory is outdated, and he wants..." Lucius then proceeded to outline the content of the family meeting held with the Marl last week, articulating Skyler's perspective in detail.

Abraxas expressed his anger, "This truly hurts me! He actually wants to align with the Muggle Wizard's camp!" Abraxas had a deep affection for the Malfoy brothers, who tragically died of dragon pox at almost four years old.

Figures in other portraits, such as Brutus and the tenth Patriarch Setimos, engaged in low-voiced discussions.

Their expressions suggested agreement with Abraxas.

Lucius I, however, did not share the same sentiment. "This kid sounds assertive and clever. I think his views are not unreasonable! Moreover, in the final analysis, everything he does is for the family. Are you old guys too rigid?"

Abraxas retorted, "This kid was just dazzled by his temporary achievements. Although the pureblood family has been weak in recent years, how can it be so unbearable? Don't forget—the Knights of Walpurgis' presence..."

Lucius I, determined to counter Abraxas, sneered, "Knights of Walpurgis? So what? The Knights of Walpurgis were indeed powerful back then. We, the Malfoy family, had to surrender to them and become a part of them, but they have experienced two failures—Grindelwald and Voldemort. Two investment failures are enough to make them rethink their position, right?"

Artemis II supported Lucius I's views, stating, "We, the Malfoy family, don't need to be under their control anymore. Don't forget, we also have allies—the Royal Vampire family has cultivated more than 400 lives. In 2016, do you think they have been idle for so long? There's also the Pengelly family in Italy. After the civil war, they might seem injured on the surface, but their influence persists. For so many years, even if they haven't fully recovered to their peak, I'm afraid they're still a force to be reckoned with."

Abraxas, deeply disliking Muggle wizards, had to step down from the Ministry of Magic in 1968 when Nobby Leach, the first Muggle-born Minister of Magic, assumed office due to his methods.

The Ministry of Magic claimed that Leach resigned due to a mysterious illness, but, in reality, he faced severe internal exclusion and his subordinates engaged in unlawful activities, deliberately causing disruptions within the rules.

In a hushed tone, Lucius I expressed concern, "You won't forget... the one in Knockturn Alley? If that one is revealed, can we escape unscathed?"

Lucius I appeared somewhat envious or apprehensive when discussing "that."

His confidence waned as he said, "That... has not appeared for many years. Despite the turmoil caused by Grindelwald and Voldemort, there's been no sign of his involvement. Is he already deceased? Or is there a restriction preventing him from emerging at will?"

The mention of "that person" turned the atmosphere somber, leading each portrait to fall into a contemplative silence.

Finally, Nicholas, the most senior figure, spoke. His words commanded attention, calming the others. "Lucius II, it seems you've already decided to have the two heirs go separate ways. We, confined to these frames, can only offer advice. What is the purpose of seeking our counsel on this matter?"

(Note: Except for Abrams, who directly addresses his son, other portraits refer to Lucius as Lucius II to distinguish him from Lucius I.)

(Note: Nicholas speaks in Old English due to his origin in the early thirteenth century.)

Lucius, evasively, revealed, "It was initially a sound idea to bet on both sides, but I... how do I put it, succumbed to impatience and conducted the paternity inheritance ceremony for the two sons. Draco has now been designated as the next Patriarch."

"What?" Draco exclaimed, "I am the next Patriarch? Why was this never disclosed to us, Father?"