Dark Legacy
Chapter 3
Draco Malfoy Jr. was sixteen years old when the Triwizard Tournament was reinstated at Britain's Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
It was the event of the year for the European magical academic world, as the Triwizard Tournament was banned twenty six years ago after the death of a student from the Hogwarts' House of Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory, and none had been held since. Until now.
The rules have not changed. The tournament will still be competed the students of Hogwarts, Beaubaxtons and Durmstrang. However, for this round, instead of having one delegate, each school will be represented by different delegates for the different tasks in the Tournament.
Only the best will be chosen to represent the school, said the Headmaster coldly to the Durmstrang students.
There was no doubt in Draco Malfoy Jr's mind that one of the delegates will be him.
So, it came as an unpleasant shock to him when his name was not read out by the Headmaster in the Great Hall on Monday.
"Why am I not allowed to go, Sir?" Draco Jr. probed.
"We have been through this already, Mr. Malfoy. Once again, the reason you are not going is because you have not been selected" answered the Headmaster in an exasperated tone.
Both of them were standing in the Durmstrang Headmaster's beautifully furbished office in the North Wing of the castle. It was the third time in the week that Draco Jr. had come to his office, after he announced the Durmstrang delegates chosen for the Triwizard Tournament.
"What are the selection criteria, Sir?"
"We have also been through this, Mr. Malfoy. There is no one selection criteria per se."
"You said only the best will be selected."
"And you consider yourself the best, I presume" stated the Headmaster, taking one step closer to the boy. He was touching the goatee on his chin.
"I consider myself one of the best, Sir." His expression was impassive, but his grey eyes were staring determinedly back.
The Headmaster stared back at those determined grey eyes. He knew the boy was right. He was indeed one of the best students in Durmstrang. He was well aware that he could do Durmstrang proud in the Triwizard Tournament, if only.
Try telling that to Lucius Malfoy.
"What are the selection criteria, Sir?" Draco Jr. pushed further.
"There is no one selection criteria, it is a combination of factors." The Headmaster turned away from Draco Jr. and walked towards the window.
"And which one did I fail?"
The grandfather one, the Headmaster thought to himself.
"Please tell me, Sir" and Draco Jr. paused here, "where I failed to meet your expectations, Sir"
The Headmaster sighed. He had to hand it to the boy. He should have known a Malfoy, of all people, would not be so easily denied. Hell, Lucius should have known that. Well, he did what Lucius instructed, but Lucius would have to deal with his determined grandson himself.
"It is your grandfather, Mr. Malfoy. He wrote to me. He did not consent you to go. In fact, he was very strongly against it"
"Why?"
"That, I would suggest, you find out from Lucius himself" the Headmaster replied, in a tone that meant that their conversation was over.
Draco Malfoy Jr. sat himself on a chestnut desk and dipped his falcon quill into a pot of ink. He furrowed his brows, paused for a moment, and began to write……
"Lucius, why exactly, are you so against it? He would do Durmstrang proud; he is one of our most outstanding students……"
The Durmstrang Headmaster was standing in front of the fireplace in his office, where emerald flames were burning brightly.
"He is not going."
"You are being unreasonable. The boy wants to go. Badly. And I don't see why not. An opportunity like this is……"
"No."
The Headmaster snorted in exasperation.
"Then tell him yourself. He has been writing to you every day. But you ignore his letters."
"It is for his own good."
"You owe him an explanation, at least."
Lucius remained silent, but stared coldly back at his old friend, who glared back at him.
Both men stood their ground, neither moving, until the Headmaster broke the silence.
"I wash my hands of this matter, Lucius. I will keep Draco here. But he has been unjustly denied a wonderful opportunity, by his own grandfather no less. Who does not even care enough to at least tell him the reason."
Lucius replied arrogantly "It is not for you to judge me."
The Headmaster decided to risk it. "What exactly are you afraid of, Lucius?"
"Do not question me."
"What is it about the Triwizard Tournament that worries you? Forty years we have known each other, Lucius. You can entrust the welfare of your grandson with me. We have taken every precaution to ensure that no harm will befall our delegates during the competition."
"It is not a matter of trust."
"If it is not a matter of trust……" he retorted heatedly, but then suddenly stopped. A thought had flashed through his mind. He stared at Lucius curiously.
"Your son, Lucius" the Headmaster said slowly, his eyes continued to stare at Lucius "He was educated at Hogwarts."
"I do not wish to discuss this……"
"This is what it's all about……"
"I said, I wish not, to discuss this." Lucius' tone had finality in it. But the Headmaster would not give up.
"Lucius, in all fairness, Hogwarts had nothing to do with what happened to your son."
"Let him go. You cannot keep the past away from him. By doing so, you serve only arouse his suspicions. The boy is not easily fooled. He might obey you this time, Lucius. But he will be suspicious. And he will seek out the truth."
Lucius withdrew his silver-blond head from the fireplace and extinguished out the emerald flames, leaving behind a flabbergasted Durmstrang Headmaster.
Three days later, a consent letter addressed to the Headmaster was brought in by Lucius Malfoy's eagle owl.
Author's Note: What do you think will happen next? Do you like this chapter? Do leave me a review, thank you.