A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

The first day of the trial finally came to an end. Wizards poured out.

"To be honest, Dumbledore," Professor Marchban said as Dumbledore assisted her up the stairs, "do you really not need to recuperate at St. Mungo's for a while?"

"Thank you, Griselda, I'll consider it," Dumbledore nodded. "But it'll have to wait until after this busy time. Then, a good long break."

In the Ministry's Atrium, a large group of reporters had been waiting eagerly. These individuals hadn't been invited, so they crowded around outside, many foreign faces among them.

"Let's head over," Mrs. Bones said.

Felix and Dumbledore, inseparable, the two foremost figures currently capable of standing up to Voldemort in the magical world, their presence was reassuring. Stepping out a few paces, the journalists swarmed them, incessant flashes and clicks of cameras echoing.

An array of questions was thrown at them—

"Mrs. Bones, was the first day of the trial smooth?"

"Relatively smooth—"

"The trial's outcome was absolutely fair."

Some turned their focus onto Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore, can you share international sentiments?" asked a journalist dressed as a foreigner. "Has the mysterious figure relinquished their influence in Britain? How do you plan to deal with the collapse of the Aurors assembled by multiple Ministries after their defeat?"

Meanwhile, the journalists invited to the trial also emerged, armed with more questions, directing them towards Felix—

"Mr. Hep, can you discuss your relationship with the Malfoy family?"

"When did your friendship begin?"

"The heir of the Safiq family returned discreetly; there were rumors of past conflicts between you two—"

"Is Lucius Malfoy truly an undercover agent?"

Outside the crowd, Moody muttered, "Could be a means of exoneration. If that's the case, I must say, it's quite clever."

Felix selectively answered a few questions, emphasizing his friendship with Lucius Malfoy and vehemently refuting certain unethical insinuations from some journalists—giving a sharp glance at Rita Skeeter.

"My relationship with Lucius privately is fine, he's been a significant client of mine—yes, he's generous in that regard. Once, I sensed he was troubled and tried to counsel him; he confided in me about regretting his past actions..."

After the interviews, Dumbledore returned to the school. Felix stayed behind.

He and Mrs. Bones entered the Minister's office. Mrs. Bones gestured at him, "They're still inside." Felix nodded, pushed the door, and walked in.

Two figures sat on the sofa, Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy. Hearing the noise at the door, they nervously turned their heads and, upon recognizing the visitors, Lucius sprang up from the sofa.

"You've waited long. Some delay after the trial," Felix said lightly.

"Did I—"

Lucius mouthed for a while, finally spitting out half a sentence dryly.

Felix nodded silently. Lucius slumped back, evidently disappointed. Narcissa grasped her husband's hand, speaking sharply, "We knew this day would come, after all, a public trial. You should be grateful for an early exit!"

"—Thanks to Mr. Hep," she looked up at Felix, who smiled at her. He raised a finger, igniting the wood in the fireplace, then walked to it, grabbed a pinch of Floo powder, and sprinkled it, turning the fire green.

"Amelia temporarily linked the two fireplaces, so—who goes first?"

Lucius swallowed hard, stepped into the fireplace, and loudly said, "Malfoy Manor, Drawing Room." In a flash of green light, he vanished into the fireplace.

"Mrs. Malfoy, your turn."

Narcissa stood in the fireplace, emerald flames climbing her pale cheeks. She looked deeply at Felix. "Mr. Hep, you'll take care of Draco, won't you?"

"I assure you, madam," Felix said seriously.

The green flames flickered, and her figure disappeared. Felix followed into the fireplace. A minute later, Mrs. Bones walked into the office, finding it empty. She continued as if nothing had occurred, carefully reviewing the documents on the table.

Malfoy Manor.

Felix emerged from the splendid fireplace, the spacious drawing-room littered with bags and packages, Lucius and Narcissa stood together.

"Is everything packed?"

"Almost done," Lucius murmured, appearing quite despondent since the revelation of his undercover status.

"Then hurry. No one knows where Voldemort is hiding now, maybe lurking around some corner nearby," Felix said, glancing around with interest. "Mind if I wander a bit?"

"Of course not." Lucius grumbled, "Certainly not." So Felix wandered around Malfoy Manor; everything was exquisitely decorated but vacant, not a soul in sight. He guessed all the servants had been dismissed. About half an hour later, he returned to the drawing-room, holding a frame in his hand.

"Found this in a room, might have been left behind accidentally?" Felix asked.

Lucius stared at the photo in the frame, unmoving, but a look of disgust appeared on his face. Narcissa glanced at her husband, then walked over to take the frame, explaining in a low voice, "It's my sister... we, we've had no contact since, since..."

"I know," Felix said. "Voldemort keeps her close."

He looked at the heaps of bags and parcels covering half the drawing-room floor, some golden and silver ornaments and utensils almost rudely crammed into packages, indicating the owner's distraction. "There's quite a lot, but—" He glanced at the emerald gemstone ring on his left hand. "Luckily, I came prepared. But it needs rearranging, seems I've accumulated quite a bit without realizing."

He began shaking his left hand vigorously, emitting a deep, incongruous rumble from the small ring. "And there are some new occupants I need to make room for, to ensure they're comfortable... There, all done!"

Felix reached out, systematically placing wooden boxes, parcels, dragonhide pouches, and velvet bags on the floor into each other. Soon, the floor was clear.

Lucius and Narcissa took a final look at their home.

"When this is all over, you can return," Felix reassured them.

"I'm not so optimistic," Lucius said gloomily. "This place might turn into ruins soon."

A quarter of an hour later, they appeared in an empty space in the outskirts of London.

Felix handed them a small note; after carefully reading it, they conjured a beautiful standalone house from the air.

"You should know my relationship with Nick Lemay, this is one of his safe houses in Britain. After his death, the original concealment magic expired, and the local government intended to demolish it as an illegal structure... Later, I cast spells to preserve it."

The couple eyed the dusty house critically; it was a far cry from their original home.

"No need to worry about security—it's under a loyalty charm, and I'm the secret keeper myself. You can rest assured," Felix said, heading towards the door. "Go in, have a look."

Lucius and Narcissa relaxed slightly. At least Felix Hep intended to keep his promise; they needn't fear betrayal... Generations of the Malfoy family's possessions—except those stored at Gringotts—were contained within that small ring. Quite tempting.

Following Felix, they stepped across the doorstep, entering the shabby interior. It seemed uninhabited for a long time, covered in dust. As they walked in, clear sets of footprints emerged on the floor.

"The conditions here are a bit simple, not quite like your grand estate, but it's fully equipped—three floors, ten rooms, and a small garden thrown in. It's decent as a temporary residence. I'll come by regularly with some essentials, and if you fancy a change, there's a Muggle shop a few hundred meters away, though you'll need paper currency."

Felix waved his hand casually, and the dust in the living room vanished instantly. He pulled back the curtains, letting the sunlight flood in, making it much more pleasant.

"Swoosh, swoosh."

Luggage surged from Felix's hand, flooding the entire living room in the blink of an eye. Lucius and Narcissa found themselves half-buried. They struggled to get out, standing on a rickety, elongated-legged table, staring at the mountain of luggage almost level with the table's surface.

"Do you need me to bring Draco over?" Felix asked softly.

"No, there's no need," Narcissa said, pulling out a thick, crumpled letter from her pocket. "Mr. Harp, please give this to him."

Felix took it and pocketed it.

"Well then, I'm sure you both have much to discuss. I won't intrude any longer."

He nodded to them both, turned, and left the house. Then, there was a clattering sound behind him, and Lucius Malfoy caught up from behind.

"Is there something else?"

"I-I have a few questions that I must clarify," Lucius gasped.

"Please, go ahead."

Lucius stared at him, hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "I can't understand—given your current position, you could have easily persuaded the Ministry to postpone the trial, or had a secret trial—I mean, at the very least, you could have hidden my undercover identity. You're not one to strictly adhere to rules, Mr. Harp, you could have done it, but in the end, you did nothing!"

Felix looked at him and said, "Because it wasn't necessary. At this point, the role you could play was minimal." Lucius was taken aback, almost thinking that Felix would raise his wand and cast a killing curse. It took him a few seconds to realize this person wasn't Voldemort.

He calmed down, pondered for a moment, and a thought suddenly struck him.

He tentatively asked, "Voldemort—his power has diminished significantly, fewer than one-tenth of his core Death Eaters remain. Can he suspect a spy, a danger in me staying longer?"

"There is that reason," Felix said slowly. "We should empathize with him, don't you think? Allow him to find excuses for his failure and set up a target, so his suspicions won't fall on others…"

Clearly, Lucius Malfoy was that target. He realized it unpleasantly himself, staring with wide eyes, but Felix didn't carry much of a burden. Lucius's Occlumency was barely holding up for him, and it was the perfect time to break free from the vortex of trouble.

Lucius's gray eyes showed a shocked expression.

"I understand! It's not just me you're protecting... No, I should say not only me..." He sucked in cold air, the damp April air making his insides constrict, whispering with a faint voice, "You're protecting the real spy."

Felix blinked but didn't respond.

Lucius Malfoy's guess was close to the truth: at this point, all stages were set, and the irrelevant characters, such as those Death Eaters, had little role to play. Whether from Felix's side or Voldemort's, they were no longer significant.

The only one left who could still play a role, and even an important one, was Severus, hence his safety became the biggest issue.

Had Severus really deceived Voldemort? Felix wasn't sure, but he knew last time Voldemort bet everything and lost terribly. If Voldemort had some sense, he'd reflect on it.

Suspecting a spy was an inevitable threshold, especially if it could shift blame onto others, making oneself less of a failure.

If Voldemort directed suspicion at these people, Lucius wouldn't be the first to escape, and Severus, the one he himself pinned to the heart of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix, how could he possibly be exempt? Severus had remained unscathed so far, owing partly to his superb acting skills, but mainly because he was crucial to Voldemort, irreplaceable, much like Bellatrix.

Dispelling Voldemort's doubts, even if partially, or diverting his attention, seemed necessary. In the best-case scenario, Voldemort would detest Lucius bitterly, and Severus's days would improve, his credibility for passing information might increase.

Felix didn't need to do anything.

He had done enough before; those in the midst of the game would evaluate both sides of the war. Someone with a weak will might defect, and Felix could orchestrate it himself. He hadn't expected such luck to encounter Selwyn on the first day.

"I almost forgot one thing," after a pause, Felix spoke, "Please extend your hand to me, Lucius."

Lucius reached out his right hand, was this a farewell? "No, the other one," Felix said. Lucius's body trembled; he knew what was coming next! He shakily raised his left hand, using his other hand to push up his sleeve, revealing the tattoo-like Dark Mark inside.

"It might sting a bit," Felix said, grabbing his arm.

Where Felix's palm touched the Dark Mark, thick black smoke billowed. The area became scorching hot, and Lucius's expression contorted in pain, involuntarily letting out groans.

"Hold on, the Dark Mark contains Voldemort's magic; it must ensure there's no residue."

A few minutes later, Felix carefully gathered a wisp of dark, malevolent magic in his hand. With his gains from Malfoy Manor, his objectives for this visit were fulfilled.

Narcissa, who stood by the door, discreetly stowed away her wand, came over to support her husband, both staring at the skin on his left arm—the skull mark had completely vanished.

"T-Thank you," Lucius gritted through his teeth.

"Don't mention it. From today, you're no longer a Death Eater," Felix said.

...

Returning to the school from the safe house, he handed the letter to Draco.

"Your parents are safe now, they've been moved to a safe house. You understand what that means, right?" Felix said kindly. "They wish for you to stay at the school for the holidays. The rest, you can read on your own. Your mother wrote a lot..."

Draco received the crumpled, thick envelope.

"When the newspapers come out tomorrow, you might face some scrutiny, including the test of your friendships—will you still be friends with Crabbe and Goyle? Oh, well... I trust you can handle it. If there's anything you can't understand, I'm happy to help, or you can approach Professor Snape."

He thought for a moment, not having much more to add. "Well, that's it. Go on."

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