chsdbacks Chapter 133 Home Visit
Chapter 133 Home Visit
Chapter 133 Home Visit
at the same time.
Sean stood at the entrance of Malfoy Manor, looking somewhat drowsy.
Today is Saturday.
The day he visited homes.
Sean looked up at the sky and saw a vast expanse of blue stretching to the horizon, without a single cloud obscuring it.
The sunlight, like a golden ribbon, poured down from the sky, bathing him in warmth and brightness.
The clear blue sky seemed to be a gift from nature, and a gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, making him feel even more relaxed.
Sunlight streamed through the iron gates of Malfoy Manor, casting dappled patterns on Sean's face. He took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air and warm sunshine, feeling a sense of joy.
He specifically checked the Chinese almanac before going out today.
It says "Great Fortune" on it.
Sean waited briefly at the door, where a young servant wearing a "Henry" nameplate on his chest greeted him politely and led him through the spacious garden to the ornately decorated living room.
As soon as he stood still, a well-dressed lady gracefully approached him with a smile and said, "You must be Professor Phillips. You are so young and promising."
"You must be Mrs. Malfoy," Sean replied politely, while sizing up the rumored noblewoman.
Today, Narcissa wore a champagne-colored long dress that complemented her skin tone, the hem of which swayed lightly; her face was gentle, and her eyes revealed wisdom and confidence; her elegant makeup accentuated her noble temperament.
What Sean was particularly amazed by was Narcissa's figure. She was tall and elegant, with broad and straight shoulders, a full and moderate bust, a slender and supple waist, and smooth and firm hips. Her overall figure was well-proportioned and harmonious, like a blooming lily, standing gracefully.
Narcissa nodded slightly, her smile revealing an innate nobility. "Indeed, Professor Phillips. It's a pleasure to have you accepted our invitation to Malfoy Manor."
Her words subtly replaced the real reason for Sean's home visit, making the meeting seem more like a social visit than a business trip.
Isn't it a clever and quick way to bring the two people closer?
Sean smiled slightly, not pointing out the subtle difference.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Malfoy." He replied, glancing around at the luxurious and elegant decor, and feigning an air of being a first-time visitor to Malfoy Manor, exclaiming, "Malfoy Manor truly lives up to its reputation; it is breathtaking."
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Narcissa smiled gracefully. "You flatter me, Professor. Our family has always valued tradition and aesthetics. I hope you feel comfortable here."
The two chatted as they walked toward the sofa area in the living room. Narcissa gestured for Sean to sit down and personally poured him a glass of fine red wine that had been prepared beforehand.
At this moment, Narcissa did not appear as calm as she seemed on the surface.
From the moment Sean walked in, she was inexplicably drawn to his charisma at first sight.
Sean's demeanor was gentle and refined; every movement appeared so natural and elegant, as if he were born with an aristocratic air.
The scholarly aura he exuded made Narcissa feel a kind of unprecedented attraction.
This feeling of attraction was unlike any emotion she had ever experienced before; it was stronger and more profound, making it impossible for her to extricate herself.
Sean took the glass and took a small sip. "This wine is excellent, madam." His words made Narcissa's heartstrings tremble again. She found herself anticipating every word and every move Sean made.
"This is a bottle of red wine from our family's collection. We hope you enjoy it," Narcissa replied, though her voice trembled slightly as she tried to remain calm.
This feeling made her feel both unfamiliar and excited.
Oh my God! By Merlin!
She really didn't know what was wrong with her today.
Sean didn't notice Narcissa's unusual behavior, which may be related to the fact that it was the first time he had met Narcissa.
He just felt that the noblewoman in front of him was a little too excited. Could it be that Narcissa was also a fan of his books?
As the conversation unfolded, Sean did not forget his stated purpose for coming here—a home visit—so he gradually steered the conversation toward Draco's performance at Hogwarts.
"Draco's performance at Hogwarts has been very poor lately," Sean said to Narcissa, setting down his glass with a rather serious expression.
His words startled Narcissa. Her initial look of apprehension was immediately replaced by deep worry. She frowned, her voice urgent: "Professor, Draco..."
In what specific areas did they perform poorly?
In fact, Draco glossed over the reason for Professor Sean's home visit in his letter home, and almost the entire letter was filled with complaints about how Professor Sean and Professor Snape were too biased towards the Muggle-born girl named Granger. When Snape learned what had happened from Dumbledore's office, he punished Draco with two weeks of solitary confinement with a grim face.
"The main reason I came here is because Draco actually used such a filthy word as 'Mudblood' to a Muggle-born girl."
Sean explained why he was there, his voice filled with deep disappointment, "This is not only an insult to that girl, but also a trampling on our Hogwarts values. After learning what happened, Professor Snape has already punished Draco with a two-week confinement."
Narcissa didn't really take Sean's words to heart.
In her view, the term "Mudblood" is just a common expression in the society of pure-blood wizards, or even a kind of "jargon" among them.
While the meaning behind this term may seem insulting and discriminatory to outsiders, it is more often seen within their circle as a symbol of identity and a source of pride in pure blood.
But in front of Sean, she put on a show of deep remorse and agreement, as if she were shocked and heartbroken by the matter.
She nodded gently, her voice soft yet tinged with regret: "This is truly inexcusable, Professor Sean. I know all too well how insulting and hurtful the term 'Mudblood' is, and Draco's use of such language was certainly wrong."
Sean looked at Narcissa, seemingly somewhat satisfied with her response.
He continued, "Yes, such behavior is indeed disappointing. I hope Draco learns from this incident and learns to respect everyone, regardless of their background. Professor Snape has already punished him with two weeks of confinement, which is also to give him time to reflect on his mistakes."
Here Sean mentions Snape again.
He still had the possibility of cooperating with Lucius, and he couldn't afford to strain their relationship too much, so he attributed most of the "credit" to the "fair and impartial" Snape.
Just as Sean had predicted.
Narcissa nodded in agreement again, but inwardly she already had reservations about Snape's actions.
A two-week lockdown?
How are they going to get through this, their precious Draco?!
Narcissa had already made up her mind that when Lucius returned on Monday, she would have him use his position as a school board member to put pressure on Snape.
As for Professor Phillips, she excluded him from the list. How could such a charming professor, who is so attentive and responsible to children, be wrong?
"I understand your intentions, Professor Phillips," Narcissa said slowly. "Draco does need to reflect on his behavior and learn to respect others. I will communicate with him properly to make sure he understands his mistakes and tries to correct them."
"Thank you for your understanding and support, Mrs. Malfoy," Sean said sincerely. "I believe Draco will understand the importance of this lesson and grow from it."
The two talked for quite a while, most of which revolved around "Draco".
Sean told her about some of the interesting experiences he had with Draco last semester.
To be honest, he thought Draco was a smart kid.
His selection as the Defense Against the Dark Arts class representative by Sean is a testament to this.
This is inextricably linked to the Malfoy family's traditions and education, and even to the genes of Lucius and Narcissa.
However... I was led astray by Lucius's "values," regardless of whether Lucius's "values" are correct.
Sean thinks that's incorrect.
As I said before, it's because times have changed.
Even Slytherin himself didn't say anything after reading about the events of the past millennium.
Everyone should be equal.
Muggles' technological advancements have given them the right to stand on equal footing with wizards, and in some ways they can even do better and live more conveniently than wizards.
Hundreds of years ago, when technology was underdeveloped, Muggles were able to conduct witch hunts and achieve remarkable results, let alone now, after the Second Industrial Revolution.
Therefore, wizards should not look down on Muggles with a superior attitude. This outdated concept is not only out of step with the times, but may also hinder the development of the wizarding community.
Furthermore, consider the differences between the two eras.
In the past, Muggles carried out witch hunts out of fear of wizards.
Now, a Muggle can accurately headshot a wizard with a sniper rifle from thousands of meters away, and the casting range of a typical wizard's spells is probably not that far.
So the fear disappears, or rather, after a few more years of technological advancement, wizards will develop a fear of Muggles.
From the perspective of interests.
Muggles and wizards don't share any common interests that would hinder them, so it's highly likely that they can work together.
To make progress together.
In fact, some wizards do this.
Sean knows of quite a few examples.
Some buildings in the United States, across the Atlantic, were constructed using hired wizards.
Therefore, in Sean's view, it is obviously a very unwise choice to hate each other without any shared interests.
This is like two strangers walking down the street, and one of them suddenly punches the other without warning. The other person retaliates, and one gets injured while the other is in serious trouble. Isn't that something only a fool would do?
However, the traditional views of the wizarding world have not yet been reversed.
It's not that it can't be reversed, but that someone is deliberately obstructing it; the obstructors are naturally these pure-blood families.
In order to maintain their dominance and influence in the wizarding world, they chose to use the distinction between "pure-blood" and "half-blood" to highlight their own nobility and to support their rule.
If one day "purebloods" and "mixed-races" truly become indistinguishable, then what gives them the right to be superior? What qualifications do they have to enjoy benefits that don't belong to them? What qualifications do they have?
Some leaders of these pure-blood families even understood the relationship between Muggles and the wizarding world better than Sean (but they underestimated the rapid pace of technological development in the Muggle world). They knew perfectly well that cooperating with Muggles would be beneficial to the wizarding world, but they simply refused to promote it.
Because that would shake their rule!
None of those people sitting in that position are fools; they're just plain evil.
The ignorant are those ordinary wizards from the lower and middle classes who believe their claims wholeheartedly and are easily misled by them.
There are even some things they can do that ordinary people can't.
Take, for example, the collaboration with Muggles.
To give another example, the Law of Secrecy states that ordinary wizards cannot reveal their existence to Muggles and are not permitted to possess Muggle items.
There are more than one hundred such regulations in total.
Meanwhile, some pure-blooded families in Britain have long established connections with Muggle prime ministers, the British royal family, and some powerful clans.
They wield immense power not only in the wizarding world but also in the Muggle world.
Eat both at once.
The secrecy law is practically meaningless to them.
Such behavior by an ordinary wizard would result in being imprisoned in Azkaban.
Why?
Because they are the ones who make the laws!
They deceived the lower classes, instilling bad ideas about Muggles, while simultaneously forbidding lower-class wizards from having contact with Muggles.
On the one hand, however...
Therefore, Sean's future plans also include some ideas regarding the Secret Service Act.
Getting back to the main point, Sean believes that Draco's values are somewhat skewed, which is definitely related to Lucius, but as for whether it has anything to do with Narcissa, he's not so sure.
Because he had not yet gained a deeper understanding of Narcissa.
During their conversation, he didn't hold back in praising Draco... but for some reason,
He felt that Narcissa's expression was becoming increasingly strange.
"Draco has demonstrated his talent and intelligence in many ways; his understanding and application of magic is exceptional..."
"Thank you for your compliment, Professor Phillips." Narcissa's eyes flashed with pride and self-satisfaction, but as if she had remembered something, this emotion was quickly replaced by shyness. She said softly, her voice trembling slightly.
She glanced up at Sean, then quickly looked down again, as if afraid to meet his gaze.
Sean, however, seemed somewhat confused.
He explained his reasoning and confirmed that he had indeed been praising Draco, not Narcissa.
However, the noble lady's reaction gave him the illusion that she was the one being praised.
Could it be that she felt that praising Draco was a subtle way of complimenting her on her looks...?
It seems that this is the only possibility.
He couldn't help but chuckle softly, trying to ease the subtle awkwardness. "Mrs. Malfoy, I was indeed in Cuadraco, but your reaction is quite flattering. It seems you are very proud of your son."
Narcissa blushed even more upon hearing this. She nodded slightly and lowered her voice, "Yes, Professor, I am proud of Draco. It's just... I'm a little unaccustomed to having his excellence praised to his face like this."
Not right.
The perceptive Sean noticed that something was wrong with Narcissa.
He always felt like there was a tray of scattered pearls in his mind, and he hadn't yet found the most important thread to string them together. He seemed to have forgotten something.
Just as Sean was frowning and trying to recall something, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Madam, Mr. Philip, everything is ready." Sean looked up and saw the voice of Dobby, the house-raised little boy.
His voice broke the enchanting atmosphere.
Sean and Narcissa snapped out of their daze at the same time. They looked at each other, and then Narcissa, her face flushed, stood up gracefully. "Thank you for your visit, Professor Philip. I hope our conversation today has been helpful. Now, please allow me to take you to the main hall."
Sean nodded, stood up, and walked with Narcissa toward the Prime Minister's Hall.
The two walked through a spacious and luxurious corridor and arrived at a beautifully decorated and warmly decorated hall.
Upon entering the Prime Minister's Hall, his gaze was immediately drawn to the dazzling array of delicacies on the Prime Minister's table.
The first thing that catches the eye is a large piece of pork chop, grilled to a golden brown on the outside and still a light pink on the inside, clearly cooked to perfection. A rich sauce is drizzled over the chop, making it look even more enticing.
There was also a colorful vegetable platter on the table, with red tomatoes, green bell peppers, yellow corn, and orange carrots.
Seafood is also an indispensable dish. A huge lobster is carefully cooked and placed on the table. The lobster meat is tender and delicious, and when paired with a special sauce, the flavor is rich and layered, leaving a lasting impression.
Dobby stood respectfully to the side, waiting to serve them.
Seeing all this, Sean couldn't help but marvel at the luxurious lifestyle of the Malfoy family.
He looked around; every detail revealed the family's taste and style. The golden utensils...
Exquisite silver candlesticks and famous paintings on the wall.
I'm eating lemons.
Sour.
He planned to channel his anger into his appetite and devour the Malfoy family to the point of bankruptcy.
The two sat facing each other. Narcissa picked up the cooking utensils with a smile and said to Sean, "Professor Philip, I hope these dishes will suit your taste."
Sean smiled and replied, "Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy. These dishes look exquisite, and I can't wait to try them."
This is one of the few truths he spoke today.
However, even during the meal, he did not forget the main purpose of his visit that day: to investigate Lu Xiukui's plans and progress, as well as the forces behind him.
So Sean casually asked, "By the way, Mrs. Malfoy, I haven't seen Mr. Malfoy today. May I ask where he is...?"
Narcissa seemed a little flustered upon hearing Lu Xiukui's name, but only for a moment before she regained her composure.
She gently put down the ceremonial tools in her hands and said casually, "Oh, Lu Xiukui had some things he had to deal with today, so he's not home. He's very sorry he can't receive you in person."
Narcissa paused for a moment, then continued, "He asked me to give you his regards; he has always enjoyed reading your works."
Sean's heart skipped a beat, and he put on a look of no less gratitude. "I have long admired Mr. Malfoy and would like to meet him in person. May I ask what time he is expected to return?"
"I'm so sorry, Professor Philip," Narcissa said with a very regretful expression, "He probably won't be back until Monday..."
Monday?
Upon hearing this unexpected news.
Sean suddenly had a bold plan.
Why not use a compound decoction to disguise yourself as Lu Xiukui and then trick Narcissa into revealing information when she comes back at night?
Sean believed that Narcissa, as Lucius's wife, must know something.