After clearing things up with Parvati, Lucius checked the time. There happened to be a potions class with Professor Snape next—a joint session for Slytherin and Gryffindor—so the two chatted and laughed as they walked together toward the underground classroom.
“Parvati, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
As soon as they entered the inner room, a round-faced Gryffindor girl hurried over, gave Lucius a strange look, and pulled Parvati to the back where she had saved seats in advance.
Clearly, they were very close.
“Lucius…”
Parvati gave Lucius an apologetic glance. Compared to Lucius, Lavender Brown was not only her roommate but also her potions class partner, making their relationship even closer.
Lucius tossed her a reassuring look, indicating it was fine. She had her own regular potions partner too—a tall, thin Slytherin boy named Lockeson, with brown hair and dark eyes. He seemed to be a pure-blood from an ordinary family, with a somewhat timid personality and a slight stutter.
Fortunately, he wasn’t a useless teammate, and they worked together quite well.
Although she could complete the tasks and produce perfect assignments alone, Lucius didn’t want to stand out too much. Besides, the old saying held true: men and women working together makes the task easier.
“Hi, Lockeson, let’s talk about our division of labor for today.”
Lucius greeted the boy warmly as he was already taking out his cauldron and preparing.
Completing a beautiful, almost artistic potion in the shortest time possible was Lucius’s ultimate goal for every potions class.
Even if Professor Snape didn’t show her any special favor, Lucius enjoyed it all the same.
But Professor Snape was clearly a discerning person. Aside from Draco, Lucius was his second most favored student.
Lockeson lowered his head, glanced at Draco Malfoy striding over proudly, and timidly took a few steps back. Blushing, he stammered, “S-sorry, Riddle, I’m planning to partner with Thor today, so…”
Lucius glanced at Draco, who had taken Lockeson’s spot, and understood immediately. She just smiled understandingly: “It’s fine, Lockeson.”
After all, Lucius didn’t care much about who she partnered with, as long as they didn’t hold her back too much.
As for Draco’s behavior, could it be considered a subtle way of making peace? After all, they’d been in a cold war for quite a while.
Lucius calmly walked over, but before she could even stand by the table, Lilith squeezed in from somewhere, gazing pitifully at Draco with a look of grievance.
“Draco, let’s be partners. I was wrong before, okay? I’ll apologize. Can you please not ignore me anymore?”
From the sound of it, Miss Lilith seemed on the verge of tears. How much grievance had she suffered? (￣o￣) . z Z
These days, after offending the young Malfoy master, many people had been ostracizing her openly or subtly. Even Blaise Zabini, who had been the kindest to her initially, began to subtly avoid her when Lilith tried to get close to him, earning her plenty of ridicule from Pansy.
What was even more infuriating was that her own brother, Theodore Nott, acted as if he saw nothing, always giving her icy, disdainful sidelong glances as if she were something dirty.
Lilith had sent several letters to her father, Mr. Nott Sr., via owl, tearfully recounting the grievances she had suffered at Hogwarts. Yet all she received in return were a few sparse lines from her father: “Lilith, my dear daughter, it’s time you grew up. If you have any troubles, seek out your brother more often. It would be best to maintain a good relationship with the young master of the Malfoy family, and above all, do not tarnish the reputation of the Nott family.”
Good heavens! Was this still the same doting, indulgent, and affectionate father she had known? Lilith felt utterly helpless, on the verge of tears.
If only her mother from this lifetime were still alive, Lilith thought to herself. At least she could have helped. Sadly, that beautiful, charming woman who had nearly become the mistress of the Malfoy family had died far too young—truly, a beauty destined for a tragic fate!
But Lilith felt her own fate was even more bitter. She had merely let slip a thoughtless remark: “Draco, what you did was utterly foolish! Do you even have a brain? I told you not to steal Longbottom’s Remembrall, but you wouldn’t listen!”
For heaven’s sake, she hadn’t meant it, and what she said was the truth! Draco was stubborn, refused to listen to advice, and was incredibly petty—he had even gone so far as to refuse to be friends with her over this!
Had all her previous efforts to humble herself, flatter him, and cater to his whims meant nothing? Lilith was deeply frustrated.
She had clearly lowered herself to please him, had been so infatuated and enamored with him—a golden-haired beauty showing him such favor—and yet this jerk remained unmoved, his attitude as hostile as ever.
Even after they had fallen out, for some inexplicable reason, rumors of a flirtatious affair between Draco and Lusa Riddle had begun to circulate.
Lilith felt a surge of anger rising within her, burning so fiercely it made her lungs ache: What was so great about Lusa Riddle? She was Voldemort’s daughter, after all! With a father who was a genuine psychopath, what kind of decent person could the daughter possibly be?
“Nott, move aside! I won’t say it again!”
Draco said with a stern face, his words measured and cold. He couldn’t forget how this pitiful-looking girl had publicly called him a fool, and afterward, she had neither apologized nor offered any explanation. Now she was putting on this aggrieved act—who did she think she was fooling?
Hmph! He was a noble Malfoy—when had he ever been treated like this?
Everyone was watching the drama unfold, their eyes filled with gossip and curiosity.
A chilling gust of wind swept through the corridor. Lusa noticed Professor Snape striding purposefully toward the commotion, his expression grim. His sallow face was drawn tight as he spoke without a hint of mercy.
“Miss Nott, Mr. Malfoy, are you two performing a stage adaptation of Romeo and Juliet?”
“Hahaha~” A burst of laughter erupted from the Gryffindor side. Ron, with his arm around Harry, was doubled over with mirth, his already large mouth stretched wide in amusement. Hermione, sitting bolt upright, frowned sternly and opened her mouth, ready to stop him before his behavior could cost them house points.
“Two points from Gryffindor—for causing a disturbance and disrupting class order.”
Snape shot a cold, piercing glare in their direction, and the entire row of Gryffindors immediately fell silent, thoroughly deflated.
Having dealt with them, Snape then swept his gaze over Lilith, who was still wiping away tears, Draco, whose face was ashen with anger, and Lusa, who stood awkwardly, unsure whether to stay or leave, looking utterly innocent.
“If you have any brains left, you should know what to do now. Especially Miss Nott, wipe away those cheap, unsightly tears and find your seat quickly!”
Lucius believed that if Lilith didn’t have a pair of emerald green eyes and her name didn’t contain “Lily,” Professor Snape’s words would have been even more cutting.
A potions class passed in such a high-pressure and tense atmosphere. Gryffindor lost another 2 points due to Harry’s backtalk and disrespect toward the professor, while Lucius and Draco’s potion turned out perfectly, earning Slytherin 5 points.
Snape crossed his legs: That’s just how favoritism works, so what? →_→