The Last Slytherin - Chapter 31

While Malfoy saw their family, they were busy chatting in between themselves and failed to notice them. At first, Lucius Malfoy didn’t want to get involved but then Draco saw that Gilderoy Lockhart somehow found Harry Potter in the crowd and started to take pictures with him for the Daily Prophet.

While Neal, Daphne, Narcissa, and Edward went towards the Madam Malkin’s to get new robes for the next year, Meanwhile, Harry made his way out of the crowd escaping from Lockhart. Seeing him, Draco made his way towards him and sneered, “Bet you loved that Potter”.

As Harry turned towards him, Draco further commented, “Famous Harry Potter. Can’t even go to the bookshop without making the front page”.

His words drew the attention of the Weasley’s family as well as others. Ginny who was behind Harry stepped forward and replied seriously, “Leave him alone. He didn’t want all that”. As Malfoy drawled, “Potter, seems like you got yourself a Girlfriend”, Ginny flushed and her face went scarlet.

Seeing it, Weasley’s family rushed over along with Hermoine and Ron who were returning after buying the books while Neal and others went and stood behind Malfoy. For a while, as Malfoy and Ron start trading insults,

Lucius opened his mouth, “Well, well, well…. guess who is here, Arthur Weasley”. As Arthur greeted him coldly, “Lucius”, Malfoy and Ron stopped their quarrel and turned towards their parents.

Lucius then said, “I guess you are busy with the work with all those raids? I hope they are paying for your overtime”. Then he looked at Ginny’s book and picked it from the cauldron, “a second hand? Indeed I expected as such”. Then he looked at Hermoine, “I guess you are the muggle-born girl in the so-called Gryffindor first-year trio?”.

Without hearing her reply, he turned towards Arthur and said in disgust, “What can I expect from you. Doing things for Muggles and keeping muggles as a close company. You really are a disgrace to your Mother, Cedrella Black. I really hate the fact that my wife is distantly related to blood traitors like you”.

At first, Arthur was patiently listening withholding his anger but as Lucius touched a sėnsɨtɨvė topic, Weasley exploded in anger and shouted, “Lucius, how dare you bring up my mother’s name with that filthy mouth of yours”.

As Neal and others returned after placing an order at the shop, they found Samuel stand aside while Arthur Weasley threw himself at Lucius in anger while knocking him backward into a bookshelf. While all the books fell over them, both of them stood up and looked at each other in hatred while the Weasley twins cheered, “go get him, Dad”.

Edward, Neal, and others rushed to the scene and asked Samuel, “what’s happening here?”. As Samuel recounted the whole story making Neal sigh while thinking, “the father is just the same as Son in both families. Physical fight? Seriously? Ron must have gotten this trait from his father”.

Edward and Samuel rushed forward and grabbed Lucius while Mrs. Weasley grabbed Arthur when they were in the middle of grabbing each other’s collar. Their ruckus disturbed the entire event which made Lockhart grumble, “are they purebloods or barbarians?”.

Edward spoke, “stop it, you guys. People are staring at you two”. Weasley looked at him and replied, “are you now working with Malfoys and betrayed Dumbledore, Edward Fawley? What can I expect? In the end, you are a dark wizard, after all. Dumbledore shouldn’t have supported you and released you from the Azkaban”.

He turned back and spoke, “we’re going back, now”. The twins replied, “but dad, we haven’t bought….” Arthur interrupted and spoke sternly, “didn’t you hear me, clearly? We are leaving. You can come back and buy your stuff, later”.

As Neal looked at him for answers, Edward replied, “it’s a long story”. Meanwhile, The Weasleys walked for a few steps following Arthur who was dragging Ginny while she was looking back at the cauldron and the book she just bought which fell on the ground during their fight.

Lucius, “Arthur, wait”. Arthur stopped after hearing Lucius and turned around. He picked up the cauldron and put her second-handed Transfiguration book and slipped Tom-Riddle’s diary quietly inside of it and raised it towards him, “it’s your daughter’s isn’t it? I know that you won’t have enough money to buy another one, anyway, just take it”.

After buying everything else, Neal and Edward returned to the Hotel. Life went smoothly after that. One fine morning at the end of July, Edward was thinking seriously without paying attention to Neal who was calling his name several times.

As Edward came to his senses, Neal asked, “what are you thinking so seriously in the early morning?”. Edward threw a letter on the table, “you may have to move into a new home, soon”. Surprised Neal looked at the letter which is a notice from the Wizengamot.

After reading the entire notice, Neal said, “can I reject it?”. Edward shook his head, “No. According to Dumbledore, your Mother has ȧssigned her brother, Leon Avery as your legal guardian before she died.

While the House of Avery declined to accept you as their family member mentioning they disowned your mother when she was at 8 or 9. I’m not sure about the reason though. Anyway, your uncle, Leon Avery was still in Azkaban as he facing his life imprisonment. So, he wasn’t able to take custody of you.

The House of Avery changed their statements now that they heard about your heritage and wanted to take custody of you claiming it’s their right. Dumbledore is fighting on our side and asking for the support of the majority as he doesn’t want you to live with the family of Death Eaters who most of them are serving life imprisonment in Azkaban”.

Neal then asked, “so, my Uncle was a Death Eater, right? Then why did my mother picked him as my guardian? After all, you said they might have killed by you-know-who”. Edward replied, “no, he isn’t a death eater and your parents aren’t killed by the Death Eaters”.

Neal felt something amiss in his heart, he asked, “then?”. Edward replied, “your Uncle. He was the murderer of your parents”. Neal stood up from the seat in a shock, “What?”. Edward grabbed his shoulders, “calm down. First. I know you are confused and have a lot of questions. But I told you everything I know”.

Neal sat down and the atmosphere turned silent for a while. After calming himself down, Neal spoke, “I want to visit him. Is it possible?”. Edward replied, “he’s dangerous, you know. It’s better if you don’t get close to him or his family”.

Neal then said, “still, I want to visit him once. Don’t worry, I’m not angry at him or anything. I grew up as an Orphan without any parents or friends. So, I don’t have any feelings such as love towards my parents who I didn’t even remember, to feel hatred towards him”.

Then, suddenly Neal remembered something and asked Edward, “By the way, did you find out the reason for that fire?”. Edward replied, “there’s a wizard involved in it. The Matron and the other worker don’t even remember that you existed.

Someone must have erased their memories of you. Dumbledore said that he knew the person but it wasn’t the time to reveal it”. Neal sighed while thinking, “well, at the very least, it isn’t Dumbledore or those two. I’m satisfied with that. If he doesn’t want to tell me, I can’t force him but I will find out the answer sooner or later. But I should be strong enough for that”.

A Month later, Neal and Dumbledore sat in the courtroom where around 50 members sat in the Jury section who are filled with curiosity. There is an old man in his 70’s sat in his seat before him. His face is devoid of all expressions as he stared at Neal.