HP: The Stellar Witch [OFC]

It was Narcissa who recalled this younger schoolmate's past deeds and instructed the house-elf to remove some of the table settings. "A simple gathering among friends doesn't need to be so formal, does it? Fifi, remove two sets of tableware."

Once again, Narcissa discreetly observed Lys's attire. A young lady, dressed in formal wear and trousers, with only a shirt beneath her suit jacket—no waistcoat—and her shirt buttons left casually undone. Her jewelry… though ammonite was rare, it clearly didn't match the amber necklace around her neck.

On her wrist, instead of a delicate bracelet, she wore a chunky strand of labradorite beads.

Narcissa raised an eyebrow slightly. It was evident that a fallen family background had a profound influence on the child. Such lack of decorum was truly unbecoming.

However, her composure remained unshaken as she continued to host her two guests with grace and poise.

At the dining table, Lucius Malfoy continued to probe Lys about her reasons for choosing to befriend him. Lys, chewing on her steak, remained silent for a while. After swallowing her food, she set down her utensils and dabbed her mouth with the napkin in front of her.

Her deliberate and unhurried actions seemed to give her enough time to organize her thoughts.

"Lucius, you are aware of my connection to the Black family. Due to certain reasons, my existence has been downplayed to avoid trouble. However, with the Black family's decline, I've become a target for many families."

She met Lucius Malfoy's now-serious gaze directly. "One reason I chose you is that, as a member of Britain's elite wizarding families, you must feel some regret over the fall of the Black family. I trust in your upbringing and character—you wouldn't stoop to humiliating the Black family by mocking me, unlike other families."

"I have no intention of stepping into the spotlight. I'm fully aware that I'm neither clever nor ambitious enough to serve that man. You know who I mean. All I want is to minimize trouble for myself."

"And I trust Severus's judgment of character. If he values someone, I believe that person wouldn't easily trade their friends for personal gain." Lys emphasized the word "trade" with a casual but pointed tone.

Severus Snape set down his utensils and looked at Lys. Once again, her bluntness was difficult to digest.

"So, Lucius, if you're willing to use the Malfoy family to shield me, what would you require in return?"

Lucius Malfoy rarely encountered someone who laid their cards on the table so directly. Still, after some serious thought, he posed a question.

"What can you offer?"

Lys ran her fingers through her hair, slicking it back as she leaned against the chair's backrest. The chair tilted and then landed with a thud, causing everyone present to frown slightly.

"What can I offer? I don't kill—not just because I find it unnecessary, but also due to personal limitations. I'm not much help in combat. As for scheming and plotting, I'm not clever enough for that either."

Lys clasped her hands together and rested them on the table, while the other three raised their eyebrows in unison.

"The Black family's alchemical products once held a significant market share. Now, some of their products are being boycotted. Lucius, would you be interested in taking a slice of that pie?"

"The ring on your finger is one of my creations. And I believe the pub owner has likely reported on my medical skills. Though my expertise leans toward magical creatures, with Severus's potions, I can keep a wizard alive in critical situations."

Lucius nodded. Severus was right—Stalys Black was blunt to an extreme.

However… a technical expert behind the scenes? Lucius found this satisfactory. As for other matters, the rare friendship of a Slytherin could be explored over time.

Lucius's smile became more genuine as he motioned for everyone to continue. After all, food was best enjoyed while it was still warm.

After the meal, Narcissa arranged for the guests to rest in the drawing room, bringing out an assortment of tea and sweets. She warmly invited Lys to try them.

With a pastry in her left hand and a cup of sweet tea in her right, Lys listened as Lucius engaged in what appeared to be casual conversation but was actually a strategic briefing on allies and adversaries.

While most of the intricate relationships between families didn't stick in Lys's memory, she remembered the Thomas family very clearly.

Known as the Dark Lord's "moneybags," the Thomas family placed great emphasis on profitable ventures, naturally clashing with the Malfoys, another business-oriented wizarding family.

More importantly, the Thomas family had attempted to seize part of the Malfoy family's business the year old Mr. Malfoy passed away. This had resulted in several significant losses for the then-inexperienced Lucius, with repercussions that lingered to this day.

The animosity was evident from Narcissa's expression of anger when Lucius mentioned the matter. Narcissa, who had maintained an air of disinterest since Lys's arrival, rarely let her emotions show. Her ability to conceal her thoughts surpassed even her husband's.

Lys, chewing on a buttery biscuit that was rich but not overly sweet, passed the plate to Severus, signaling him to try one.

Severus's lips twitched slightly, but he did not take any.

Lucius hadn't intended to go into detail, but since Stalys Black had expressed a willingness to align with the Malfoy family, it was necessary to outline some of the family's network for future reference.

After all, his subordinates had reported on her behavior in Knockturn Alley while masked—she never shied away from trouble, acting purely on her whims.

Some of the Black family's eccentric traits were evident in this future ally of the Malfoys.

Providing this context was a precaution to avoid unnecessary complications.

The gathering ended on a pleasant note. Before Apparating away, Lys pulled a Christmas gift from her suit's inner pocket and handed it to Severus. "Merry Christmas, Severus. Bye-bye~."

Feeling accomplished after resolving one matter, Lys returned to the reading room, where she found Noah sweating profusely as he practiced standing and walking in a corner.

Taking Noah's arm from Senna, Lys easily supported him.

Ever since her near-death experience in the Forbidden Forest, where she had exhausted her physical strength despite having plenty of magical power left, Lys had consciously incorporated some physical training into her routine.

After all, she carried Crunchy on her shoulders every day, which was a form of weight training in itself.

As she chatted casually with Noah, she examined his body. His condition was excellent.

Noah even expressed his surprise at his magical abilities recovering, as he reviewed spells from Lys's old textbooks.

Though some spells still eluded him.

"But it doesn't matter," Noah said with a smile as he relaxed into his wheelchair. "I never thought I'd be able to perform magic normally again."

He pinched his increasingly muscular legs. Previously, he had favored trousers with stiff fabric to hide the emaciated appearance of his legs.

Lys glanced around, noting Senna's absence, and teased Noah about joining her at Hogwarts in June to retake the NEWTs.

Noah shook his head. "Stella, you must know that Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain. Its current Headmaster defeated Gellert Grindelwald. He'd never allow a werewolf like me to set foot on school grounds."

Lys's smile remained, but her eyes lost some of their sincerity. "Yes, Hogwarts. The safest place in Britain." Despite the various reasons, the fact that she had nearly died at Hogwarts was undeniable.

The library incident with Madam Pince and the Pensieve.

Hagrid's 5X-rated dangerous creatures hidden in the Forbidden Forest.

The psychologically twisted young wizard from Ravenclaw.

The werewolf from Gryffindor and his audacious friends.

The Death Eaters and Fenrir Greyback lurking in Hogsmeade's alleys.

And those who conjured Fiendfyre near the Forbidden Forest.

Hogwarts was indeed her second chance at hope.

But safe?

Lys's less-than-genuine smile carried a hint of mockery.

As they joked, Noah mentioned that Senna had already booked a restaurant for Christmas dinner the next day.

Lys agreed with a smile.

Though Senna's cooking skills were decent, her taste had drifted ever since second year, when she stopped buying normal groceries. Lys wasn't fond of eating out, but she respected Noah's love for lively crowds.

Originally, Noah had some psychological reservations about dining out, stemming from an incident in his fifth year when he nearly lost his wife and daughter.

Senna, however, pushed him towards the washroom, saying firmly, "We've already made the reservation!"

Meanwhile, Lys sorted through the potion ingredients Senna had piled on the counter and swapped out some books on her shelf.

By the time she finished, it was late, but Lys decided to read more wand-making books in her corner.

The next evening, Noah eagerly picked up Crunchy as Lys finished styling Senna's hair. Together, they set off for their Christmas dinner.

Seated in a private room at the restaurant, Noah had a fur blanket over his legs, with Crunchy peeking out and flicking its tongue.

Noah patted Crunchy's head. "Crunchy's getting heavier, but doesn't it look a bit smaller?"

Having spent so much time with Crunchy, Lys wasn't as sensitive to its subtle changes. But since Noah needed to use the restroom, she placed Crunchy back on her shoulder and carefully assessed its weight.

Crunchy had reached adulthood last year, measuring 1.4 meters in length and weighing 18 pounds. While shorter than average for its kind, it was slightly overweight—likely due to her and her father's indulgent feeding habits.

Now… Lys frowned, noting the weight on her shoulder. As her father had said, Crunchy hadn't gained fat, but it had grown heavier.

As Lys pondered the possible reasons, a commotion outside the private room caught her attention.

Noticing the empty seat beside her, Lys hoisted Crunchy onto her shoulder and stepped out to investigate.

It was Christmas, and many young nobles or couples chose to dine out, making the restaurant quite crowded.

Several figures blocked Lys's view, but a shrill female voice prompted her to dash into the central hall.

Two minutes earlier…

Senna stood outside the restroom, idly tapping her fingers. Since Noah's condition made restroom visits longer, she leaned against the doorframe, crossing her legs and bouncing one foot.

A man in a gem-encrusted, gold-threaded suit emerged, glancing at Senna.

Senna looked stunning that evening, her voluminous braided hair accentuating her petite charm. Her exotic features drew attention, and many had taken second glances at her on the way to the restaurant. Senna paid it no mind.

However, a noblewoman searching for her partner around the corner erupted in fury.

"Speak! Is this the mistress you've been keeping outside?!" She scrutinized Senna, confirming she wasn't a noblewoman she recognized, and flew into a rage.

She accused the man while pointing at Senna.

Senna remained unfazed. Once Noah came out, they'd leave, and this would have nothing to do with her. She even shifted to a more relaxed posture to watch the drama unfold.

She considered yawning, having stayed up late preparing potions in her newly arranged lab the night before. Now, she was feeling drowsy.

If that Gryffindor mutt saw her, he'd probably say her posture was identical to Stalys's when she watched drama unfold in the corridor.

Senna's calm demeanor only made the noblewoman's frantic state appear more pathetic.

Accused of being ungraceful, the noblewoman's partner shrugged her off, leaving her to endure the mocking gazes alone.

Her anger boiled over, making her tremble as she clawed at her skirt in frustration.

When Noah emerged from the restroom in his wheelchair, the noblewoman finally recognized him.

This was the man from the reading room at the street's end—the werewolf and his filthy wife!

"Ha! Has the Thomas family's restaurant lost all standards?! Allowing a werewolf to dine here is disgusting. How do you plan to serve him? Let him and his freakish family eat off the floor like dogs?!"

The word "werewolf" caused a stir among the patrons. Many recognized Noah as the werewolf who ran the reading room in Diagon Alley.

Some felt disgusted, others pitied him, but no one dared step forward.

Werewolves… who knew what would provoke them and lead to retaliation?

Thomas family staff and security personnel stepped in, drawing their wands and arrogantly demanding that Senna and Noah leave the restaurant.

~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~ 

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