In a secret basement of Malfoy Manor, a boy who looked about eleven or twelve years old was guarding a cauldron. He held his breath, not daring to relax for a moment. The four-cornered table was covered with unknown materials and various utensils. The potion in the cauldron was bubbling and emitting an intoxicating aroma.
Suddenly, the bubbling stopped, and the liquid transformed from a light gold to a pure golden yellow. Draco knew he had succeeded.
He was brewing Felix Felicis, and this was his first success after many failures.
The conditions in the Hogsmeade basement had been too rudimentary. Felix Felicis was one of the potions with the most stringent environmental requirements; sometimes, even a speck of dust could lead to complete failure. In such a dusty, simple basement, this problem would be infinitely magnified. Moreover, Draco, being near Hogwarts, could not fully devote himself to it; he might get distracted, wondering if anyone would check on him, and in short, could not concentrate. Furthermore, the potency of some ingredients was insufficient, as Hogwarts was a wizarding school, not a herb shop, and sometimes weaker herbs had to be specifically sought for student safety. These objective reasons ultimately led to his previous failures.
But now it was different. Draco had Lucius's professional laboratory for Dark Arts research, rare ingredients purchased at high prices, and perhaps some experience gained from previous failures.
And there was an even more important point.
Draco looked at the most prominent bottle on the table. Most of the liquid in that bottle had been used, and a pained expression involuntarily appeared on his face. This was the dragon's blood he had extorted last time.
Dragons, as creatures of various legends, are symbols of power. In even more exaggerated legends, there is a saying that bathing in dragon's blood grants immortality. However, it seems the dragons in this world are not that terrifying; otherwise, Lord Voldemort would not need to create Horcruxes—he could simply kill a dragon and take a bath.
However, even though the dragons in this world are not as powerful as people imagine, their blood still holds a crucial position in alchemy and potion-making. Besides Dumbledore's "Twelve Uses for Dragon's Blood," some obscure books even state: "dragon's blood can increase the success rate of brewing Felix Felicis and accelerate its completion time. The powerful vitality and magical energy contained within it play a huge role in the brewing of the potion."
"This is a life-saving item." Thinking this, Draco slowly poured the finished Felix Felicis from the cauldron into a small bottle, not letting a single drop spill, then sealed it perfectly with a stopper and placed it in his pocket.
"Luck is also part of strength." Although this statement is somewhat biased, it does hold some truth. "When fortune comes, heaven and earth conspire; when luck fades, heroes lose their freedom." There are always certain people who fall under the malice of fate.
Felix Felicis is not omnipotent; when an ordinary person faces Lord Voldemort, even drinking a hundred bottles would likely not save them from death. But then again, if Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort were to duel at full strength, and Dumbledore took a small sip beforehand, it would be hard to say what might happen. If the already dominant Dumbledore had a luck bonus, he might achieve unexpected results.
"So it still depends on one's basic attributes." Draco maintained a calm judgment about this potion; the stronger one's own abilities, the greater the effect of Felix Felicis.
As for side effects? That is a problem for those who drink it like water. Draco considered it only a necessary measure and would naturally not abuse it.
"Half the holiday is over." Draco estimated the time and came to this conclusion. He had barely left the house during the holiday, staying home the entire time. Besides the Felix Felicis issue, he had been maintaining his progress in learning new knowledge. It was worth noting that the quality of the dragon's blood seemed excellent,
compressing a very long brewing period, which had exceeded his expectations.
"It's time to contact Pansy; after all, the holiday assignment has been completed ahead of schedule." He tidied the scattered utensils and walked out of the basement, preparing to return to his room to write a letter to Pansy, only to find that there was already a letter on his desk. He opened the envelope and read it, somewhat amused and annoyed.
Pansy wrote in the letter that she had already gone to France for a trip with her parents. The following are a few excerpts from the letter.
"You didn't send me a single letter for dozens of days, so I decided to abandon you. I'm sure the scenery in France is wonderful, and there might be many pretty girls, but you won't get to see any of them. Of course, to pity you, I'll probably bring you one or two gifts back, so you should be grateful to me." She had also drawn a goofy face next to the line, and Draco could easily imagine Pansy's expression when she wrote it.
"So, am I a lone wolf now?" Draco silently mocked himself. Besides teachers and students, not everyone enjoys the benefit of a summer holiday. Narcissa and Lucius both had their own work. Aside from the servants and the butler in the Manor, in a sense, he truly was a lone wolf now.
"Then that plan can be moved up; I have to try it to know." Draco pulled out a yellowed piece of paper from beneath the table. The writing on it was dense and somewhat distorted, making it difficult to decipher, likely intentionally done by the author. He then placed a checkmark and a circle beside two lines of text, representing one completed plan and the next one to be completed.
"The evil capitalists should experience the life of the proletariat; re-education for poor and lower-middle peasants is very necessary." Draco began teasing himself again. Afterward,s he read a book in his bedroom for a while. When he looked up and gazed out of the window, he noticed that the sky had gradually darkened. The setting sun cast a faint golden glow across the scenery outside, and he even saw several large owls flapping their wings toward the main house.
Dinner time arrived, and the family gathered around the table to enjoy the usual evening meal.
"Darling, why do you always have such strange ideas?" Narcissa shook her head at the dinner table, unable to understand Draco's earlier suggestion.
"My child, if you wish, I can even arrange for you to visit the Ministry of Magic to gain some experience, but those goblins at Gringotts are not easy to deal with." Lucius also offered advice, taking a small sip of strong tea, clearly finding his son's idea difficult to comprehend.
"I think I must train myself. If I go to the Ministry of Magic, it will be full of your acquaintances, Father. What would be the point of my training?" Draco began explaining, saying whatever sounded reasonable.
Lucius's pale face furrowed deeply, but he still said, "Alright, but I'm not familiar with those goblins either. Tomorrow I'll take you to Diagon Alley. If it doesn't work out, either come home or come with me to the Ministry of Magic to have a look."
"Our precious child is truly ambitious." Seemingly moved by her son's words, Narcissa pulled out a handkerchief and gently dabbed her moist eyes.
During the subsequent dinner, Lucius further explained some precautions for dealing with goblins to Draco. The historical goblin rebellions clearly showed that the relationship between wizards and goblins had never been very good.
Early the next morning, the Malfoy father and son arrived in Diagon Alley via the Floo Network.
Walking slowly along the long cobblestone street, Draco felt the long-lost bustle. Some wizards loudly called out to customers, even though the items on their stalls clearly looked fake. For example, it would be hard to imagine buying a phoenix egg here, especially one that already had a crack. Some wizards haggled endlessly over a few copper Knuts, their faces red, even raising their wands.
As they passed by Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, both father and son instinctively covered their noses. Not only inside the apothecary but even outside the door, they could smell the mixed stench of rotten vegetables and bad eggs.
Some shops were deserted, with only a few worn-out, dusty brooms displayed outside. This was Flourish and Blotts. Only a handful of customers were flipping through books on the tables, and even the shop owner and staff seemed distracted. Of course, in a few days, they would be swamped, perhaps because the school term was approaching, or more likely because of a certain peacock-like man's book signing event.
After walking for some time, a towering white building appeared before their eyes.
"Child, although you are here for training, members of the House of Malfoy cannot do such lowly manual labour. If you were planning to guard a warehouse, I think we could go back now," Lucius said at the main entrance.
"Of course, Father. Besides, even if I wanted to guard a warehouse, those goblins probably wouldn't allow it, would they? Do you think I could defeat a dragon?" Draco answered.
"I thought so too." Lucius nodded with a satisfied smile.
Then the two ascended the bank's marble steps and walked toward a gleaming bronze door. Goblin guards in scarlet and gold uniforms stood at the entrance, bowing to them as they entered.
They passed through a second door, which was silver, inscribed with these words:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
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