Chapter 74 "The Malfoy's Preparation"

July ushered in the lazy days of summer, scorching and lethargic. Lucius Malfoy, satisfied with the performance of his two sons in the past semester, especially Draco's remarkable achievements, had become more tolerant towards them.

Draco's academic improvement and his role as the hero of the Slytherin Quidditch team had elevated him to the potential position of the next Quidditch captain, an honor usually bestowed upon students in grades 5 to 7.

As doting as ever, Narcissa continued to shower her son affectionately.

Aware of his upcoming role as captain, Draco spent a significant portion of the summer practicing Quidditch with Graham Monty and Cassius Wallington, devising new tactics for the team.

With Marcus Flint and two beaters graduating, Draco envisioned a different style of play for the team, favoring skill over brute force.

He considered Frank Urquhart and Steven Vasai, two juniors with impressive arm strength, as suitable choices for training as beaters.

At times, Draco secluded himself mysteriously, preventing others from discerning his activities.

Unbeknownst to many, he was secretly communicating with Pansy, a fact Skyler chose not to reveal. He observed with satisfaction the positive changes in both Draco and Pansy, noting Pansy's transformation into a more refined and elegant individual.

Monta and Wallington, aspiring to befriend Skyler, sought to benefit from the powerful Malfoy family, but Skyler's elusive presence made it challenging for them.

Draco, being a Quidditch player like them, became the focus of their attention.

Despite Draco's relatively lower prestige than Skyler, he held a prominent position within Hogwarts.

With Pansy, Goyle, and Crabbe by his side, Draco had formed a core team that, despite lacking in appearances, was formidable.

Skyler, on the other hand, found himself busy during the summer vacation.

On the first day, he visited Gringotts and used Sirius's vault secret signal to access Vault 711.

Despite Sirius's expulsion from the Black family, his vault contained a considerable fortune, a legacy from his uncle Alphard Black.

The account book revealed a substantial fortune of close to 20,000 gallons, explaining Sirius Black's lavish spending and Harry's inheritance.

Gringotts, with its stringent defenses against various forms of intrusion, still had lax administrative procedures for identity verification and withdrawals.

Skyler found it remarkable that Sirius, a wanted criminal, could access his vault with just a letter and a code.

Vault 711 now belonged entirely to Skyler, given Sirius's status as a wanted man, preventing him from checking his own vault.

This highlighted Voldemort and Quirrell's lack of strategic thinking, relying solely on magic and brute force to bypass Gringotts' defenses.

20,000 Gold Galleons have been obtained!

Skyler won 20,000 gold gallons without any guilt, considering the funds originally belonged to the Black family.

His previous semester's earnings from selling Forbidden Forest property and dividends from the publishing house and Flying Broom Company amounted to almost 30,000 gallons, establishing him as a wealthy wizard.

Skyler never felt burdened by wealth.

Despite mastering the art of turning stones into gold with the Philosopher's Stone, Skyler chose not to use it.

Wizarding gold, known as Kanon, wasn't pure gold but a magical metal forged with fairy metalworking techniques.

Three known magic metals existed: ebony, mithril, and red bronze. Ujin, the hardest, forged items like the "Indestructible Helmet"; Mithril, known for its pliability, was used in the creation of the Sword of Gryffindor; and the lightweight red bronze was used for Copper Nets and Firebolts.

In this chapter of Skyler's life, revelations unfolded during a casual breakfast conversation with his family.

As the morning sunlight streamed into the room, the atmosphere carried an air of unexpected disclosures.

Skyler, pondering over the intricacies of wizarding currency, unveiled a newfound understanding.

"Galleons aren't purely gold," he shared, a glint of realization in his eyes.

"Goblins blend other magical materials during forging to thwart forgery and render the coins indestructible."

Despite this revelation, Skyler harbored reservations about utilizing the Philosopher's Stone.

"We should refrain from using it," he mused, "not just to keep it under wraps but also to avoid inundating the market with a surplus of gold."

The topic shifted seamlessly to Skyler's financial ventures.

With a substantial sum in hand, he proposed investing in "Artificial Mushroom Trading," a company specializing in cultivating magical mushrooms and the international herbal medicine trade.

Skyler, with a sense of purpose, laid out his plans to Lucius during breakfast.

However, Lucius, a seasoned and cautious wizard, expressed concerns about the scale and potential risks of such a venture. "Are you not moving too hastily, my son?" he queried, his brow furrowed with paternal concern.

Realizing the gravity of his proposal, Skyler decided it was time to disclose a significant portion of the truth. "Father," he began, his tone earnest, "the Dark Lord is returning."

Lucius, momentarily stunned, endeavored to maintain composure, but the weight of Skyler's words lingered in the air.

Equally taken aback, Narcissa covered her mouth in shock while Draco, caught off guard, managed to spill his milk in surprise.

Lucius, grappling with the revelation, sought an explanation. "How do you know this?" he inquired, his gaze locked onto Skyler.

"How do you know?" Lucius inquired, prompting Skyler to recount the events involving Peter Pettigrew and the prophecy shared by Harry.

Narcissa, skeptical of prophecies, questioned their accuracy.

Undeterred, Skyler replied, "Does this prophet predict the failure of the Dark Lord and the rise of Potter?" A moment of realization settled over the family as they absorbed the gravity of the revelation.

"Last semester, a Death Eater appeared at the school. He is Peter Pettigrew. It was actually that he framed Black. Black went to Hogwarts to seek revenge on him. I didn't expect to let him escape in the end. Only Dumbledore, Black, Lupin, and Potter knew about it, but I used some means to eavesdrop on it. The really serious thing is that Harry also got a prophecy. The prophecy said that the little dwarf would go find the Dark Lord and help him make a comeback. Do you understand what this means?" Skyler's voice held a serious undertone.

Narcissa interrupted, her skepticism evident, "It's just a prophecy... Maybe the old man with the white beard got it wrong? You know most of those so-called prophets are liars."

Smiling confidently, Skyler responded, "This is not necessarily the case. Does this prophet predict the failure of the Dark Lord and the rise of Potter?"

At this point, Lucius and Narcissa fell silent, understanding the implications. Voldemort was not dead, and the dark mark on Lucius' arm affirmed it.

"Wait a minute!" Draco interrupted loudly, his confusion apparent,

"I don't understand. Isn't the return of the Dark Lord a good thing? It just happens to be able to cleanse the mudbloods that have insulted the blood of the wizard again! So that our pureblood family can return to the pinnacle of power?"

Skyler stared earnestly at Draco, responding solemnly, "Believe me, brother, no matter this family or other pure-blood families, most people don't want the Dark Lord to return."

Draco, who had long admired the Dark Lord, felt his dreams shattered by Skyler's words. "Impossible! You're talking nonsense! Dad, Mom, tell me, is what my brother said true?"

Lucius's expression became complicated; his mind was in disarray. He knew Skyler was right.

The return of the Dark Lord didn't bring unbridled joy.

Lucius recalled the past devastation inflicted upon pure-blood families under the Dark Lord's reign.

Lestrange, Black, and many others barely survived. Forced to focus, Lucius faced Draco, "Draco, things are not as simple as you think."

"At the beginning, the pure-blood family supported the Dark Lord because he promised to build a world of pure-blooded wizards.

However, the Dark Lord's extreme actions and mass killings sparked more rebellion.

We wanted a deterrent, not annihilation. The Dark Lord aimed to cleanse all Muggle bloodlines, while our goal was to establish a pure-blood supremacy system," Lucius explained.

Narcissa hugged Draco gently, whispering, "Child, you are too young for these matters."

Skyler intervened, "Mother, please don't think of us as children anymore. After the Dark Lord's fall, we, the Malfoy family, and others chose to betray him, living a peaceful life without seeking him out. What do you think the Dark Lord thinks of us? Pure-blood family?"

Lucius, realizing the weight of his son's words, asked with meaning, "Then—Skyler, what do you think we should do in the Malfoy family?"