Chapter 78: "Suspended and Confined: The Consequences of Draco's Negligence"

Since the incident with the Dementor, Draco has been suspended. There was an accident in the Gringotts vault where a Dementor invaded. Draco concealed his parents, then Fudge estimated whether it was due to revenge or something, and told Narcissa about both. Naturally, Narcissa, who is doting on the child, frightened for a long time.

Unfortunately, due to Draco's neglect, the owl returned empty-handed that day, and the letter they had agreed upon was not delivered on time. Even though Fudge reassured Narcissa that he had seen their child unharmed, she was still extremely worried. Additionally, Draco had been busy solving various problems and had taken a lot of time that day, so in order to make up for the lost holiday time, Narcissa gave her son a "punishment" of being confined to the house until the end of the holiday. She told him he had to stay home until school started.

This time, Lucius didn't object. These days, there was indeed some unrest, with frequent accidents at Gringotts and the escape of Sirius Black from prison causing a stir. Lucius didn't want his son to be exposed to the danger of a murderer at any time, even if he knew that Black's target might be someone else. Draco had no choice but to accept this punishment. The most important plans for the holiday had already been completed, so it wouldn't be a problem to stay at home for a few days.

During this time, Draco took the opportunity to study the vanishing cabinet he had brought back from the Bockin Bock store, and conducted some experiments with it. For example, he put something in the cabinet and waited to return to Hogwarts to see if it had been damaged. He needed to find a way to fix it if it was.

Draco also used this time to prepare his books for the new school year. When he saw the list of required books in the letter from the school principal, he noticed that it included "The Monster Book of Monsters." He guessed that Dumbledore had cleared Hagrid of any wrongdoing, but he didn't care about the method.

People like Hagrid can be good or bad depending on who they follow. If they follow good people like Dumbledore, they will be good, but if they follow wicked people, they will also become wicked. Hagrid doesn't have the intelligence to distinguish between right and wrong in his actions. His only two virtues are loyalty and the naive kindness that is influenced by Dumbledore.

Has he done some stupid things against the school rules? Who could have imagined that a normal student would raise an eight-eyed giant spider as a pet? Even humans would have trouble controlling their desires, but he expected a spider to keep its promise and not hunt humans? It was only because Voldemort himself took the first shot that the unjust case didn't become a solid one.

As for secretly incubating dragon eggs and raising dragons, if it weren't for Dumbledore's precautions, it's possible that the Philosopher's Stone would have been stolen. As a teacher, he introduced dangerous creatures like eagle-headed horses and winged beasts to students without being fully sure of their safety. After students were injured, they had no corresponding coping methods and had to helplessly ask their surroundings for help: 'Who can help me?'

In a Muggle school, even if a student doesn't listen to the teacher's warnings in chemistry class and causes an accident, the teacher wouldn't be at a loss like Hagrid is. 'Oh, it's a boring course,' Draco thought with a little disappointment, wondering if he would have to endure the various hybrid monsters that Hagrid created in the future. The class itself and the level of the teacher were not enjoyable.

'Perhaps his best job is cultivating dangerous species for the Ministry of Magic,' Draco thought of the large nest of snails that Hagrid casually created. Those creatures were all used in the Goblet of Fire. If the dangerous species that tested the champions could be used as grenades against the Death Eaters, it might be considered a great achievement. But if he was really asked to contribute these creatures, it's likely that he would cry and refuse to part with his "children."

While he was thinking, an owl flapped its wings and landed on his table, reminding him that he had a lot of unopened letters.

The nutritious products sent by relatives who had been involved with the deceased after hearing about their injuries, or the letters of condolences sent by their attendants following the instructions of their elders, were all placed in their own private warehouses by the manor's housekeeper. Of course, there were also personal orders made by Draco, including some mysterious objects.

For example, this big iron cage made of special magic materials in pitch black was clearly a product of the goblins. As Draco approached, he felt his body, whether physically or in terms of the movement of magic power within him, being blocked in some way.

'I just don't know when this can be rented?' He thought of the fairies' rules. When they "lent" the items they created to wizards, the time they took them back was when the wizard died. The lease contract between the two ended when the wizard died. Although the fairies themselves acknowledge this, most human wizards don't accept their reasoning. This should be one of the irreconcilable contradictions between the races.

In Gringotts, what Draco wants to buy is not just Griphook, a fairy who is one of the few humans working there. He can't let himself be isolated and helpless, so he has also spent a lot of time studying fairies. If he doesn't have any extra resources, Griphook may also consider what to do if he only collects money and doesn't do anything.

Scanning the meaningless, cookie-cutter letters, Draco realized that he had read them all, which puzzled him. 'Where did the little girl go to play again?' Normally, Pansy would write him a letter and make plans to meet somewhere, whether it was to buy books or go shopping together. But this time, there was no such letter. Since he boarded the train back to school last semester, Draco had felt that Pansy was a bit different, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

'Let's make an appointment,' Draco sighed and sat at the table, slowly writing with his quill on parchment. Draco's promise to the Ministry of Magic couldn't be trusted blindly. Dementors, lacking effective restraint, could make predatory moves out of anger at any time. He wasn't comfortable with this.

So he thought it would be safer for Pansy to be by his side, even if he only used a part of the incomplete patron saint curse. It shouldn't be a problem to chase off the Dementors.

'It is good.' Draco received a reply that night, but the one-word response on the letter hurt him a little. Pansy was arrogant, but her attitude wasn't usually so cold.

'It's a headache,' Draco thought as he considered the possible events that might happen in the next year. He didn't feel like he could relax.