After the treaty with Patil, I visited the ancestral nest of the Dark Potion Gardener family again, and again found no undue danger, so if nothing interferes, Parvati and Padma's children will be pure, and the girls themselves won't suffer too much from the curses they've taken. I had to spend a couple of days doing the calculations for the Beltane ritual enhancement, thinking hard and remembering which of the old folios I'd read about such a thing to use.
Anyway, I was extremely busy for a while, which made me completely oblivious to time and the world around me. I almost missed another court hearing, which was again mostly empty talk, only touching on the existence of several completely useless departments of the Ministry through which they launder money. I somehow missed the part where the right to poke my nose into matters not specifically related to this trial was explained. The lawyer with the clever look explained that it was important for the big picture, but everyone understood that it was just a quality of digging in someone else's dirty laundry and taking someone else's garbage out of someone else's hut.
Lady Malfoy, by the way, was present at the meeting, without her husband, but in the company of a rather attractive woman with dark, deep brown hair. I had no reason to ignore the women, especially since I could clearly see that they wanted to talk to me. It was strange because the blonde could have contacted me in many different ways, but for some reason she chose this one.
After the traditional greetings and introductions to Mrs. Andromeda Tonks, Narcissa offered to have dinner at Malfoy Manor, arguing that she was lonely in such a large house. The Lordship himself had gone somewhere "on Ministry business".
In fact, Lucius had gone to a small meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous... pardon me, "former eaters" that those fellows held periodically. Outwardly, I didn't show my feelings, but inwardly I roared, — That no-good man is plotting something behind my back — I can feel it! When we were seated in the beautiful living room, decorated in soft blue colors, the house elves served the food and the torture began.
It was not enough to stretch the meal so far that it was not a dish no bigger than half an apple, but a full portion of fried potatoes. Yes, it was tasty, but because of the stretching and the portion size, this "dinner" only annoyed me, and I just hoped that my time was not wasted. Then there are the purely female conversations...oh kami! As long as a woman is talking to you about clothes or fashion — it's still tolerable, even interesting at times.
But when you are present at the conversation of two or more women who decided to remember their trip to the stores of clothes, or cosmetics ... this, gentlemen and ladies, simply monstrous, because there is no sense — a little, but the emotions are overflowing, and they are incomprehensible from the word "absolutely". I wanted to just get up and leave, but I couldn't — I wouldn't be invited so easily, especially in the absence of my husband... I hope. It didn't take as long as I had feared to wait for the ladies to come to the subject I was here for.
— Mr. Hoshino, — Narcissa began, placing her teacup elegantly on the saucer. — I would like to ask for your help.
I couldn't contain my surprise and my eyebrows raised: an unexpected beginning.
— The thing is, after saving Draco and his wedding, Lucius turned his full attention to the affairs of the Ministry, leaving the search for our enemy unattended. — I must admit, I had forgotten: the Malfoys are not small enough for me to wipe their snot, their family was on the brink of destruction, so let them work, especially when there are opportunities. -As the head of the Malfoy family, I couldn't just ignore it, so I asked my sister for help. — A graceful gesture with a thin brush towards Andromeda, who nodded in response.
I tried to hold back any further emotion, but inwardly I pondered the fact that the Malfoys blatantly ignored anyone who didn't support the pureblood theory, here revealing the fact that sisters on opposite sides of the pureblood barricade were communicating with each other.
I thought that Narcissa fully supported her husband's position, but it turns out that she doesn't, or only partially, but the main thing is the normal relationship between the sisters. I'll have to put these thoughts aside, but I'll come back to them later, and I'll have people look for something interesting, maybe they'll dig up something interesting. The women continued.
— When Narsi asked me this question, I was also surprised by Lucius' behavior, but I didn't refuse my sister. Thanks to our connections and the state of the Malfoy family, we were able to find some clues. Unfortunately, we can't unravel the mystery completely. — The woman sighed heavily. — However, thanks to the upheaval in the Ministry, we have been able to uncover a network of bribed officials who report either to one person or a small group of unknown people.
— Are you sure it wasn't Dumbledore's people you encountered? I know the Headmaster has a pretty good network of agents, — I couldn't help but ask.
— I understand that you had a lot of personal business and also preparing for the Tournament trials, but be careful, politics does not forgive mistakes. — Narcissa said in a steady voice, but for some reason I could hear completely different words, intonation and facial expressions. It was like a stern teacher ready to give me a birching. — Thanks to the efforts of Bones and Crouch, the involvement of several officials in shady dealings, corruption, protectionism, and other less than honorable deeds was exposed. These people have been fired, some even sent to Azkaban. No one talks about it openly, but Dumbledore's and Fudge's loyal agents of influence and espionage in the Ministry have been greatly reduced. Someone else is here. Someone who is either undetected (which I doubt) or simply afraid to be touched.
— It wasn't easy, Andromeda took over. — It wasn't easy and it wasn't cheap, but we were able to find the group's connection to the "werewolf population control" company. To find out the name of the real culprit behind Draco's curse, we need to either get the DMLE's records of powerful rituals or capture someone on this list, — she placed a double sheet of paper (not parchment, surprisingly) in front of me. — and then find a way around the oath or vow and get to the truth.
— Well, — he finished the list of names with information and folded the paper again. — It's completely random, but I have the ability to do both. — The women looked at each other in a strange way. — But are you sure you want revenge? I mean, it's definitely one of the purebloods, and if we touch it, it won't be without bloodshed. — I thought I'd make my point.
— No doubt about it. — Both women had a familiar gleam in their eyes and determination on their faces.
— Well, in that case, I don't mind, but there's something we have to decide first.
— And what is that? — Narcissa arched a thin eyebrow gracefully.
— Trophies. — I shrugged.
— The most important thing for us is to punish the culprit, the rest is secondary. -Lady Malfoy looked like a queen now.
— Good. Now that that's settled, and I have no further requests, — I paused, looking around at the women, but they both remained silent, looking at each other strangely again. — Then I would like to know, as a matter of right, why you, Lady Malfoy, are not pregnant?
There was a strange silence for about a minute, I was stared at with unreadable looks, and I turned off the emotional background — to avoid mental trauma.
— I suspect you did not mean to insult me with that question, so please explain yourself. — Narcissa spoke very diplomatically, while her sister was still deciding what to do with what she had heard.
— We have performed a ritual which, as I told you, gives you every chance of becoming pregnant and finally destroying the Malfoy curse. But I see no progress in that direction. And why is that? — And yes, I am within my rights as a suzerain who can demand, as well as just a man who provided a noble chance, and these two blondes, the schemer and his wife, something does not move.
At my words, Narcissa looked away, pressed her lips together sternly, took a sip of fresh tea, remained silent for a while longer, then turned to me, and in the woman's eyes I read the longing that had been carefully hidden until that moment, a purely feminine longing for unfulfilled dreams and hopes.
— Lord Malfoy is extremely busy at work, all of his time is taken up with looking after our society and the Malfoy family. — The cool, even tone didn't fool me.
— I have a lot to say on the subject, — I decided not to hide my irritation, but I wasn't angry either. — But I'd rather help the Malfoy family again, since their head has decided to bury his head in the sand. — With these words, an oblong crystal vial with a sharp bottom and a beautiful cork appeared in my hand, filled with a dark orange potion that glowed slightly. Next, I unsealed another vial, simpler and emptier, added a few drops of water from the wand, four drops of potion, corked it, and held it out to Narcissa. — Make two cups of chamomile tea, adding the same amount of potion. You can mix it with an aphrodisiac to be on the safe side.
— And what kind of potion would that be? — I looked skeptical, but there was a spark of interest in the blonde's eyes.
— This potion will give you healthy twins. — Actually, you need a lot more of the potion to have such an effect, but in Narcissa there were still traces of the blessing after the ritual, apparently the family's own magic influenced the preservation of the effect, for the sake of having children. The potion will only nudge and guide. — Well, I think we can call it a day. But first, I'd like to ask Mrs. Tonks to pay attention to her daughter's education.
— What did Dora do again? — Andromeda wasn't playing.
— Don't worry, she didn't do anything, but she could have. My point is that Nymphadora is completely ignorant of the history of the Black Family and truly believes that her ancestors were all evil ogres and monsters. They would have told her not only how sophisticated her grandparents were, but also what they accomplished in the magical sciences. It's no business to despise your own blood or be afraid of the mere word "dark" magic.
I didn't wait for answers, I left immediately for Hogsmeade and from there to Hogwarts. If nothing happened, I should be in time for dinner.