109: Chapter 109 Draco's "Successor" Performance

"I certainly hope all Mudbloods are cleared out."

As Draco's words fell, there was immediate laughter in the Slytherin Common Room. Lower-year students gathered around the sofa, Flint leaned against the fireplace, and Adrian Pucey sat on the armrest, all waiting for him to continue.

Pansy immediately looked towards the corner. Allen was sitting by the bookshelf, his fingertips pressing down on the page, not looking up.

Nott opened his notebook, and Zabini's teacup spun half a turn between his fingers.

Caught by the collective gaze, Draco lifted his chin and said, "My father has said long ago that Hogwarts would return to being clean sooner or later."

A lower-year student pressed, "Then do you know who the Heir of Slytherin is?"

Allen closed his book.

The second half of Draco's sentence stuck in his throat.

Flint looked at him, laughing harshly, "What, does the branch-family Potter want to express an opinion too?"

Allen walked over to Draco, pressed down on his shoulder, and said, "Come with me."

Draco frowned, "I'm talking."

Allen looked at him and said, "That's exactly why we're leaving."

Flint sneered, "Malfoy, do you even need to ask him before you speak now?"

Draco's expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak, Allen had already turned to Flint.

"You can keep listening. When a Professor asks who was in the Common Room talking about purging students, I'll say you were sitting the closest."

Adrian Pucey immediately jumped off the armrest, "Just a joke."

Zabini put down his teacup, "Jokes are best not written into interrogation records."

Nott closed his notebook and said, "Even if written, they can be deleted, provided no one hands it to Professor Snape first."

Draco was dragged into the dormitory by Allen. After the door closed, the chatter outside was cut off. Crabbe and Goyle blocked the door, and Pansy stopped outside.

Draco shook off his hand, "You just embarrassed me in front of everyone."

Allen looked at him, "You almost sent yourself into an interrogation room just now."

"I was just following what they were saying."

"Following it where? Saying you know who the Heir of Slytherin is? Saying your father knows? Or saying the Malfoy Family has been waiting for a purge?"

Draco's face changed, "I didn't go that far."

Allen stepped forward, "Because I dragged you away."

The fire in the brazier burned low, and the bed curtains swayed against the wall. Draco swallowed his retort.

Nott walked to the table and spread open his notebook, "Granger's Polyjuice Potion is almost finished. She needs inside information on Slytherin, and the target is most likely you."

Draco frowned, "How will she get in?"

Zabini leaned against the doorpost, "By turning into Crabbe or Goyle."

Crabbe looked down at himself, "Me?"

Goyle also looked down, "Why not me?"

Nott added, "Both of you are suitable. As long as they get your hair and knock the real you out, Potter and Weasley can sneak in."

Crabbe immediately covered the back of his head, "Who wants my hair?"

Draco looked at Allen, "You knew this early on?"

Allen pushed a piece of parchment over, "Since the moment Hermione borrowed *Most Potent Potions*."

"Then why are you only saying it now?"

"If I'd said it earlier, you would have slept staring at Crabbe and Goyle's hair."

Only a few lines were written on the parchment.

1. My father hopes the school restores order.

2. The Chamber of Secrets is just a legend; I don't know who the Heir of Slytherin is.

3. Old business from fifty years ago; adults don't discuss details with children.

4. If Potter speaks Parseltongue, it's normal for others to suspect him.

The last line of text was emphasized.

Never say "I know."

Draco stared at the paper, "You want me to play dumb in front of Potter?"

Allen corrected him, "In front of fake Crabbe and fake Goyle."

"What if it really is them?"

"Then they should be used to you playing dumb."

Zabini nodded, "Fair."

Draco gripped the parchment tightly, "What would happen if they had heard what I said earlier?"

Nott opened his notebook and read point by point, "First, they would confirm your father knows about the Chamber of Secrets. Second, they would suspect the Malfoy Family is involved with the Heir of Slytherin. Third, if anyone else gets hurt in the future, Gryffindor would hand the clues to Professor McGonagall. Fourth, Dumbledore would invite Lucius for tea."

Draco turned pale, "My father would kill me."

Allen said, "That's why I dragged you back first."

Draco sat on the edge of the bed and finally said after a long while, "You could have just told me I was stupid."

"As long as you know."

Crabbe asked quietly, "Then what about me and Goyle?"

Allen looked at the two, "For the next few weeks, don't eat any cakes, sweets, chocolates, or pies given by others, especially those sent by Gryffindor."

Crabbe's face fell, "What if they're delicious?"

Draco looked up and roared at him, "Is there anything in your brain besides food?"

Goyle answered earnestly, "Soup."

The dormitory was silent for a moment. Zabini covered his mouth with his cup, and Nott looked down to record, his pen tip trembling slightly.

Allen looked at Crabbe, "If you eat it, wake up to find yourself stuffed in a broom closet, and Potter wearing your face asks Draco if his father is a friend of the Heir of Slytherin, do you still want to eat it?"

Crabbe hesitated, "If it's chocolate cake..."

Draco grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

Allen handed Crabbe a piece of paper, "If someone starts a conversation, you only say three things: 'I'm hungry,' 'Ask Draco,' 'I don't know.'"

Crabbe finished reading and nodded seriously, "Suits me."

Zabini said, "Tailor-made."

Allen handed another to Goyle, "You say, 'Same here.'"

Goyle put it in his pocket, "Simpler than Charms."

Draco leaned against the bedpost, still unwilling, "If Potter really sneaks in, I can only let him take his suspicions back?"

"Take back *wrong* suspicions."

Allen pointed to the second point, "You need to make him confirm you don't know who the Heir of Slytherin is, but believe your father hates Muggle-born students. That way, they'll keep watching the Malfoy Family and keep circling around the real entrance."

Nott looked up, "But Hermione has already found out about the Basilisk."

"She still lacks evidence and the entrance. The Polyjuice Potion will slow her down."

Allen looked at the water shadows behind the Black Lake glass, "Once people think they are close to the truth, they will verify old hypotheses first."

Draco looked down at the four sentences, "In other words, I need to act like a young Malfoy who hates Muggle-borns, has heard his father complain, but doesn't hold key secrets."

Zabini added, "And be arrogant, don't be too smart."

Draco looked at him coldly, "You can shut up."

Pansy knocked on the door from outside, "Flint and the others are still saying Potter might be the Heir of Slytherin. Someone asked where you went."

Allen said, "Let them talk. The more they talk, the better."

Pansy pushed the door open and entered, "They will drag Slytherin into the mud."

"They are already in the mud. The difference is whether to let them stand in the front row or let Draco stand in the front row."

Draco looked up, "I choose Flint."

Nott jotted down a note, "Rarely correct."

Adrian Pucey's voice came from outside, "Malfoy, Flint asks if you were scolded to tears by the branch-family Potter?"

Draco grabbed his wand and was about to get up, but Allen tapped his finger on the tabletop.

"In addition to the standard lines, add one more."

Draco stopped, "What?"

Allen looked at the door, "Don't explain yourself to idiots."

Draco pulled open the door, lifted his chin, and put back on his Malfoy-style smile.

"Tell Flint I'm busy reviewing dueling etiquette. After all, some people can't even remember whether or not to draw their wands before bowing."

Adrian Pucey's expression turned ugly, and he turned and left.

After the door closed, Draco turned back, "How was that?"

Allen picked up his book, "You'll survive until Christmas."

Draco's smugness was blocked, "Can't you give a complete compliment?"

"A complete compliment would make you misjudge yourself."

Zabini laughed out loud. Nott wrote in his notebook: Draco is controllable, needs to keep in check.

Late at night, the Common Room quieted down. Allen sat on the edge of the bed and put Draco's script paper, the Basilisk route map, and Hermione's Polyjuice Potion schedule into his Portable Space.

The void swam over from beside the ebony box, its tail tip pointing at the two characters for "Christmas."

Peter in the cage looked up, staring at those papers, his eyes filled with fear.

Allen lifted his silencing spell for a moment.

Peter hissed, "You making children deceive each other... Tom would like that."

Allen looked at him, "That's why I must be one step ahead of him."

The silencing spell was reapplied, and Peter shrank back into the corner.

Draco tossed and turned on the other bed, then suddenly asked in a low voice, "Allen, if you hadn't dragged me back tonight, what would have happened?"

Allen closed his eyes, "You would have become the witness Lucius wanted the least."

The dormitory was silent for a long time.

Draco pressed the parchment under his pillow, "Starting tomorrow, I'll memorize the script."

Allen didn't respond.

Inside the Portable Space, the void's silver vertical pupils stared at the golden patterns on the north side. A slight vibration came from the pipes within the walls.

Christmas was almost here.

The Polyjuice Potion was almost ready too.