分卷阅读15（1 / 2）

Lucius Malfoy burst into the infirmary, wings snapping in anger, followed by a somewhat irate looking Professor Snape who’d been sent to fetch the elder Malfoy. All eyes in the room (which included any staff who weren’t teaching at the moment) were trained on the boy lying, deathly pale, on the bed.

“I don’t know what happened,” Madam Pomfrey said worriedly. “According to Hagrid, he just fainted. There was no cause. He doesn’t have any characteristics of being sick…he just won’t wake.”

Lucius cradled his son’s hand in his own, his fingers tracing the vein back up the boy’s arm to the point when it was nearest the surface. Draco’s blood was as cold as ice. What had Potter done? For the first time in his life, the Malfoy facade threatened to crumble.

“Dumbledore. I will be taking Draco to his room,” he spoke abruptly, his eyes searching out those of the Headmaster and then those of Snape. The Potion Master’s own eyes widened in recognition as Dumbledore gave his permission despite Madam Pomfrey’s protests.

After Lucius had left, cradling his son’s body to his own as if he would never have the chance to do so again, Snape spoke. “Don’t bother trying to protest, Pomfrey. Draco should at least be able to die in his room with his remaining family.”

“Die?”

Shrouded eyes widened as Hermione made her way out of the room. Draco had heard Harry. Now all she had to do was get to Harry to tell him. But would Harry care enough to save him even though that meant practically chaining himself to Draco Malfoy for the rest of his life?

Chapter 8: Flight at Midnight

Lucius stood at the window in Dumbledore’s office, watching the rain pelt down mournfully against the glass.

“Nature knows what is coming. It anticipates the death of a Veriae, and it prepares to mourn.” Dumbledore’s voice came softly from beside him. The Headmaster’s gaze followed Lucius’s across the grounds of Hogwarts, towards the Forbidden Forest. “You knew they were destined to be together, did you not?”

“I did. I was acquiring Draco’s schoolbooks when Draco was being fitted for his robes for his first year here. I returned before Narcissa and happened to see both Draco and Potter were being fitted in the same room, my son chatting away as usual, both surrounded by auras so similar it scared me. While my son did not recognize the fabled Harry Potter, I did. I knew the Dark Lord would stop at nothing to return, so I feared for my son’s life. It seems my fears were more correct than I wished them to be.”

“You told your son to befriend Harry.”

“Yes. But that did not happen. I hope Ronald Weasley is happy with himself today, for at midnight Draco dies. His father’s grudge against my family can then be finally put to rest.”

“Lucius, your son and your grudge played a large part in Harry’s decision.”

“But out of the two families, it is the Malfoys who will regret it.”

Lucius turned to leave, his face impassive, his emotions only betrayed by a single crystal tear that fell to the plush rug of Dumbledore’s office.

“Can you not help him, Lucius? Draco is strong; he may be able to live through it… even if no Veriae ever has.”

“Draco ran to the forest when he woke. I could not even begin to fathom where he has gone.”

“So you will give up that easily, Lucius? You will let your son die?”