The Prisoners of Hogwarts

Chapter 283 Invisibility, Disguise, Deception

Chapter 283 Invisibility, Disguise, Deception (5K) (1/2)

By the window, the gray figure remained motionless, as if blending into the darkness outside.

Just as Lucius thought the meeting was about to end in silence, Reggie's unique, hoarse, and flat voice, like the scraping of rough stone, suddenly broke the silence: "A gift of thanks for—to the distinguished officials. Is it ready?"

Lucius replied immediately, his tone absolutely certain: "Everything is ready, Mr. Reggie. In the usual discreet manner, it will be delivered directly to the homes of each VIP by absolutely secure personnel after the dinner, ensuring—no one will know."

He had barely finished speaking when Lynch, sitting by the fireplace, gave a soft "Oh?" and turned his head, his gaze carrying a hint of inquiry. He asked casually, "Security personnel? You mean?"

Lucius paused slightly, not expecting Lynch to ask about this detail, but he quickly recovered and explained, "It's a house-elf, Mr. Lynch. They are bound by magical contracts from birth and can never disobey their master's orders, much less reveal their master's secrets. For pure-blood families, sending house-elves is the most common and reliable way to conduct this kind of—careful—transfer of supplies."

Lin Qi listened quietly, tapping his fingers lightly twice on the armrest, then nodded, his face revealing no particular emotion.

"I understand," he said calmly, then waved his hand with an elegant yet undeniably dismissive gesture. "Go back, Lucius. You are the host tonight; your prolonged absence will inevitably arouse suspicion."

Lucius responded with a "yes," but did not turn around immediately.

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze shifting between Reggie's retreating figure and Lynch's for a brief moment, before finally unable to resist asking softly, with a hint of barely perceptible probing, "Mr. Lynch, Mr. Reggie—don't you two plan to move to the banquet hall and make an appearance?"

He was somewhat puzzled. This was the most prestigious and high-class stage in the entire British magical world, the ultimate accolade that everyone in their circle craved. Yet, the two actual heads of the chamber of commerce before him seemed completely uninterested in the occasion, exhibiting none of the demeanor expected of successful businessmen.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qi's lips seemed to curl into a very faint, almost mocking smile. He turned his gaze back to the flickering flames and said in a flat tone, "I think it's best to keep a low profile for now." He paused, then didn't continue, as if leaving the decision to the person by the window.

Just then, Reggie's broken voice rang out again, answering the question Lucius hadn't directly asked him, and completely dispelling Lucius's idea: "I—am not suited for this kind of occasion."

This statement was made in an extremely flat tone, devoid of any emotion, yet it carried a chilling power that brought the conversation to a close.

Lucius immediately realized he had said too much, and he quickly bowed again: "Yes, I understand. Then I'll take my leave."

He dared not hesitate any longer, maintaining a respectful posture, silently taking a few steps back, then turning around and gently pulling open the heavy wooden door.

The noisy music and voices from the banquet hall spread down the corridor like a heat wave. He quickly slipped out and respectfully closed the wooden door behind him.

Then, Lucius took a deep breath of the warm air mixed with the aroma of food and perfume, composed himself, put on his composed and elegant host's mask again, and once again immersed himself in the magnificent and dazzling banquet he had created.

The door closed gently behind Lucius, once again isolating the room from the outside world.

Lin Qi stood up from the armchair, straightened his cuffs which hadn't changed at all, and said calmly to the gray figure by the window, "Well then, it's my turn to act."

Reggie, who had been standing motionless, turned around. The shadow of his hood still obscured his face, and his hoarse, broken voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet room: "Be careful." He paused, then added, "I'll be watching from the window. If Batty Crouch shows any sign of leaving early, I'll let you know."

Lin Qi nodded slightly and said nothing more.

He raised his hand, his fingertips tracing an almost invisible arc in the air, while he silently chanted a spell.

The next moment, his figure began to ripple and fade like a reflection in water, eventually merging completely into the surrounding air without even a ripple of magic.

The Disillusionment Charm perfectly concealed his presence.

In the room, only the flames of the fireplace danced silently, and the gray silhouette by the window, turning back to look out like a watchman.

The heavy oak door was silently pushed open a crack, and Lynch, who had concealed himself, stepped out. The door then quietly closed. Outside was a corridor just as luxurious as the interior, with soft Persian carpets underfoot, classical portraits hanging on the walls, and the lingering sweet aroma of food and champagne in the air.

He moved silently along the corridor like an invisible ghost.

Not far away, a man in a smart uniform, carrying a silver wine tray, was standing with his back to him, carefully arranging the crystal glasses on the tray.

Lynch's actions caused no stir. He brushed past his servant, who shivered slightly from a sudden chill, glanced back at the empty space behind him, and then continued with his work.

He descended the wide main staircase, past several servants hurrying by carrying empty trays, seemingly intimately familiar with the manor's layout. The further he went, the less warm and noisy the air became, replaced by the unique coolness and silence of the stone walls.

Finally, he stopped in front of an inconspicuous, heavy oak door—this was the underground storage room of Malfoy Manor, usually used to store items not in use for the time being, or, on certain special occasions, to temporarily store items that needed to be handled "carefully".

A faint, busy sound came from inside the door.

Lin Qi silently pushed open the door, slipped inside, and then gently closed it behind him.

Compared to the opulent banquet hall upstairs, this place was like another world. The space was spacious yet oppressive, with only a few dim magic lamps providing illumination on the stone walls.

The air was filled with the smell of old dust and the distinctive scent of parchment.

At this moment, in the open space in the center of the room, there was a mountain of beautifully packaged gift boxes, which were sorted according to some kind of list and were obviously being counted and checked.

Beside this "mountain of gifts," a small, thin figure wearing a tattered pillowcase was bustling about—it was Dobby, the Malfoy family's house-elf.

Its tennis ball-sized eyes were wide open as it muttered to itself, checking a long parchment list, its slender fingers carefully smoothing the slightly wrinkled ribbon on a gift box.

Lynch stood in the shadows by the doorway and dispelled the illusion spell.

However, what was revealed was not Jim Lynch.

Standing there was another "Lucius Malfoy"—with equally meticulous gray-gold hair, equally indifferent gray-blue eyes, equally well-tailored dark green robe, and even the angle of the silver snake-head cane in his hand was exactly the same.

"Lucius" cleared his throat and spoke in a voice that was identical to his own, carrying his usual coldness and authority: "Dobby."

The little elf whirled around as if struck by lightning. Seeing its "master" standing in the doorway, its large eyes instantly filled with terror, and its long, thin ears drooped in fear. It immediately bowed deeply, its nose almost touching the cold ground.

"Master—Master!" Dobby cried out, his voice trembling with fear. "Dobby—Dobby is diligently counting the gifts for the adults as you instructed! Dobby hasn't been lazy! Dobby swears!"

Lucius approached a few steps, expressionless, his gaze sweeping over the pile of gifts. His tone was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure: "How's the progress?"

"Quickly, Master! We've checked it all in no time!" Dobby straightened up, pointing frantically at the sorted gift boxes. "The premium mead and antique astrolabe for Minister Fudge, the limited edition quill pen and ink for Editor-in-Chief Gu Fei, and the gifts for all the directors—" It reported at lightning speed, trying to prove its efficiency and value.

"Very good." Lucius interrupted, his grey-blue eyes looking down at the trembling little elf. "Remember, Dobby, every gift tonight" must be delivered accurately. This concerns the Malfoy family's—future. Do you understand?"

Dobby nodded vigorously, his ears flapping like fans in the air: "Dobby understands! Dobby will definitely complete Master's mission! Absolutely, absolutely no mistakes!"

Lucius nodded in satisfaction, then added, "Oh, and Dobby. Tonight, prioritize Mr. Barty Crouch's gift. I want to make sure it arrives first, understand?"

Dobby immediately responded in a shrill voice, "Yes, Master! Dobby will be the first to deliver it to Mr. Crouch's house!"

"Very good." Lucius nodded slightly, and then took out a palm-sized black box from the inside pocket of his robe.

The box is made of neither gold nor wood, and its surface is exceptionally smooth. It has no superfluous decorations, except for a tiny, glass-lens-like protrusion in the center of the front, next to which is a small runestone that emits a faint magical glow.

He held the box in his hand and continued, "Before you leave for Crouch's house, hide this little box well so that no one sees it."

Dobby's big eyes were filled with confusion, but he still nodded.

"When you enter Crouch's mansion," Lucius's voice carried a mysterious undertone, "there might be other house-elves present, such as Crouch's Sparky. You just need to do your usual gift-giving task."

He paused slightly to make sure Dobby was listening. "But I need you to wait for a moment—when you're certain that you're completely alone in Crouch's mansion, with no one else or house-elves around—then immediately take this box out and hang it around your neck." He gestured to an inconspicuous metal clasp on the back of the box.

Then he pointed to the bulge in the glass lens: "Remember, this side, the side with the lens, must face outwards."

Dobby seemed uneasy, his ears trembling slightly: "But—Master—what if—what if Sparkle stays with Dobby and refuses to leave? How can Dobby—Dobby be alone?"

Lucius's face remained impassive, yet his tone carried absolute control: "You don't need to worry about that. Someone will ensure you get the time you need to be alone. You just need to remember to wait, make sure no one's around, and then act immediately. Take this and walk around every room in Crouch's mansion—every single room, including the bedrooms, the study, and even the storerooms—pausing briefly. Make sure it sees every corner. Once you're done, immediately retrieve the box, hide it, and leave."

Dobby seemed to understand, but the words "someone will take care of it" reassured it a little. It nodded vigorously: "Dobby understands! When Dobby is alone, I'll take it out, hang it up, and walk around every room!"

Lucius then handed the cold, black box to Dobby.

Dobby took it carefully and held it tightly in his hand, as if it were some extremely dangerous object.

Then, Lucius leaned down, his grey-blue eyes fixed on Dobby, his tone unusually serious, even carrying a chilling threat: "Dobby, listen carefully to the last, and most important, point. No one must know about this box, or anything you did at Crouch's house on my orders. No matter who asks, under any circumstances, you must not utter a single word. Next time, even if I come to ask you myself," he emphasized "I," "you can only answer that you went to Crouch's mansion and delivered a gift. As for this box, as for the places you walked through alone inside, you must completely forget, or rather, pretend they never happened. Do you understand? If you reveal even a single word—"

Dobby trembled violently at the stern tone and lingering threat. His long, thin ears pressed tightly to the sides of his head, and he answered in a voice trembling with tears yet unwavering resolve, "Dobby heard me! Dobby would rather die than tell! Dobby swears! Even if you, Master, ask again, Dobby will only say that he gave a gift! Dobby doesn't know anything about the box! Dobby did nothing!"

It even started pinching its own arm hard with its fingers as a sign of punishment and determination.

"Remember my command!" Lucius gave Dobby one last deep look, his gaze seemingly piercing through its frail body and reaching its magically bound soul.

Then, without saying another word, he turned around, opened the door to the storage room, and his figure quickly disappeared into the shadows of the corridor outside. His footsteps faded into the distance and eventually vanished.

In the dimly lit storage room, Dobby was left alone, facing the mountain of gifts and the cold, unfamiliar black box in his hand.

Its large eyes were filled with confusion and deep-seated fear, but its master's unquestionable commands and stern warnings, like the strongest chains, firmly bound its will.

It shook its head vigorously, as if trying to shake off the unease, and then devoted itself even more diligently to counting the gifts. However, its movements were tinged with an indescribable heaviness and a deep fear of the "secret" in its hands.

On the other side, the moment the door closed, separating Lynch from Dobby, his original "Lucius Malfoy" silhouette began to waver and blur.

When he was completely immersed in the shadows of the dimly lit corridor outside the door, not only did his disguise recede like the tide, revealing Lynch's true appearance, but his figure also distorted and faded like ripples, completely dissolving into the air—the Illusionary Body Charm took effect again, perfectly concealing him.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Qi, having concealed his form, moved swiftly along the most secluded and unused passage he remembered from his journey, like a true ghost.

He avoided any area where he might encounter servants or late guests, and finally came directly to the outside of the Malfoy Manor main house through a hidden side door, to a corner shrouded in night and tall bushes.

The cold night wind howled through the bare branches. Here, far from the lights and noise of the mansion, a very faint cracking sound, perfectly masked by the wind, echoed in the air.

The invisible Lynch had already Apparated and left the grounds of Malfoy Manor.

The next moment, he appeared on the top floor of the Stone Tower Chamber of Commerce, in Reggie's spacious office. The office was empty, with only the embers of the fireplace emitting a faint warmth.

Lynch released the illusion spell and revealed his true form.

Without pausing, he went straight to the fireplace.

He picked up a pinch of Floo powder from an exquisite copper box beside him and tossed it into the fireplace, where dark red embers still lingered.

"312 Westminster," he clearly stated a place name.

The flames shot up instantly, turning a bright emerald green.

Without hesitation, Lin Qi stepped into it, his figure engulfed by magical flames and disappearing from sight.

Almost instantly, in another location—a living room with old-fashioned decor and a somber atmosphere—green flames rose again in the fireplace, and Lynch's figure stepped steadily out from it.

Just as Lynch's figure was fully revealed from the fireplace flames in the living room of number 312 Westminster, a figure in a dark robe strode forward from the shadows in the corner of the living room.

The man was a male wizard with a sharp, capable face and piercing eyes. He approached Lin Qi, immediately clenched his right fist, and pounded it heavily on his left chest, near his heart. He bowed slightly and said in a low voice, "Your Excellency."

Lin Qi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the other person, his tone indifferent: "Thank you for your hard work. Lead the way."

"Yes," the wizard replied simply, then turned and led Lynch up the creaking, worn-out carpeted stairs.

The mansion was deathly silent, with only their footsteps echoing in the emptiness.

They went up to the third floor, and the wizard pushed open a half-closed door.

The room was small, filled with dust, old wood, and a faint scent of a magical potion used to clean optical lenses.

This place has clearly been occupied and renovated for a long time: the windows are tightly sealed with thick, multi-layered black velvet, leaving no gaps.

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