Forget

Sixth grade is a very important time for Hogwarts students.Those who passed or failed the exam in the previous year need to think about which direction their future life should lead to in the sixth grade.

However, for the 16-year-old Draco, there are much fewer things to think about than his peers.The road to the future that was still intricate in the previous year disappeared after a summer vacation.It's like those damn stairs in Gryffindor, all turned around, hanging in the air, like desperate cliffs.There was only one road left in front of him, and the place leading to it was filled with thick fog, and he couldn't see anything.

Is it something to be happy about?

Draco had forgotten how he had come to Little Hangleton, a bleak old Muggle house that looked deserted.Biting cold air hit him continuously from the floor, piercing his knees and spreading to his whole body.Draco knelt down on the cold floor with his head bowed deeply, his well-tailored clothes couldn't help shivering.

Draco didn't dare look up.He knew who he was going to face, he knew it all along.But he didn't know that this day came so suddenly, so unprepared.

"Malfoy was my faithful servant. But Lucius screwed up everything." The adult whose name could not be mentioned hissed hoarsely.The unconcealable anger seemed to have condensed another layer of ice in the cold air. "I have worked hard for so long, and it seems that it is close at hand...disappeared."

Draco remembered the prophecy ball, he also remembered his father's almost instantly aged face, and he even remembered the panic and despair in his father's eyes.The Malfoy building that Lucius had carefully built for so many years collapsed in an instant with the shattered prophecy ball. Together with the prophecy stored in it, it drifted into the air and disappeared without a trace.

"But child," the adult's tone softened slightly, his snake-like pupils stared at the trembling little figure kneeling below. "You're not going to screw it up, are you?"

Draco felt his lips, teeth, and tongue chatter, he couldn't speak, he couldn't even decide if he should speak, so he just nodded blankly.

"Okay, good." The grown-up stood up, wand between his fingers.The big snake named Nagini squatted beside it, hissing and spitting out red letters. "I will give you this honor to be my servant."

Draco felt the grown man approaching him, and he heard the sound of the wind as the wand was waved.Immediately afterwards, Draco collapsed to the ground with a muffled grunt, a black flame blazing on his left arm.

"Don't struggle, this is your medal," the adult hissed.Immediately, someone cast a restraining spell on Draco.

Cannot touch, move, or even make a sound.Draco could only watch helplessly as his left arm was consumed by the flames.The indescribable pain spread rapidly from his left arm to every cell in his body, but he could do nothing but watch and watch.Big drops of sweat trickled into gray eyes, but it didn't make him even blink.

How long this process lasted, Draco can't remember.Probably when the restraining spell disappeared.Draco could feel himself moving, but he didn't have the strength to move.He lay on the floor, panting heavily.The black flames are gone, but the pain is still there.

These pains will gradually disappear.Draco thought.However, that terrible Dark Mark that was deeply branded on his left arm might never fade away for the rest of his life.

"Good boy. I want you to do one thing for me. It's very simple," the adult walked to Draco's side, and gently brushed the fresh brand on the boy's arm with the tip of his wand.There were still thin beads of sweat on the paper-pale skin, and the fresh brand was breathing quietly and sleeping soundly on Draco's arms like a newborn baby. "I chose you. You can't screw up, can you?"

**

Draco had never been so afraid of returning to Hogwarts.He knew exactly what was waiting for him, yet seemed to know nothing.Hogwarts Castle, with its mysterious sculptures and intricate patterns, looks more like a monster with its mouth wide open, waiting to devour him.

Students entering the sixth grade are trying to grow up.After the heavy academic pressure came to an end, they spent more time exploring their interests and thinking about the future.The headlines "The gentleman is back" on the front pages of various newspapers did not have much impact on the energetic young people except for the uneasiness of the parents.The average student may know what the news means, but so what?They are not saviors, and they will not use their future to snipe "that gentleman".So more people choose to just stay in worry.Just like everyone envied and admired the Weasley twins for wantonly dropping out of school, but no one was willing to bet their own future to follow in their footsteps.

——There are so many selfish people in this world, why is Slytherin still being ridiculed?

Draco couldn't figure it out.He didn't continue to think about it.He had more important things to think about, but he couldn't think of anything.

There was a new professor in Potions class, a vain old man who babbled.Many people had given up on Potions, which made the classroom look a little empty.

Draco looked around. Of the Gryffindor trio, only the brown-haired Perfect Miss was still standing firm in Potions.The others... probably didn't expect to change professors.But whatever.This year Draco didn't have the energy to be provocative anymore.

But of course the course will not go on so peacefully.The dull class was finally broken by Harry and his red-haired little friend who broke in halfway.What's even more incredible is that Harry Potter, who had a terrible grade in Potions, turned out to be a genius in this class, as if he had changed into a different person.

——Could it be that Professor Snape's power is really that great?Or... the halo of the savior...

Draco shook his hand, and a puff of black smoke rose from the cauldron in front of him.

"Please pay attention to Mr. Malfoy, you can't be reckless like your father." Professor Slughorn glanced at him, as if he didn't want to waste too much time on him, and quickly turned and left.

Draco bit his lower lip hard.It seems that everyone knows.

Malfoy was done.

**

Draco became more and more reticent.The prince of Slytherin, who was once in the limelight, now can't wait to shrink himself into a shadow, hiding in a place where everyone can't see.Fortunately, Crabbe and Goyle, two heartless guys, will never notice the difference.

Should be happy?

"You don't seem to be doing well recently." Bryce finally couldn't help but speak.

Draco poked a piece of dry bread in front of him with a fork again and again: "Is there any?"

"It's much quieter." Bryce glanced at the Gryffindor table. "They've been very aggressive recently. And you..."

"Bryce." Draco finally raised his head and interrupted Bryce. "I won't look for things anymore. After all, people have to grow up. I'm full."

Draco dropped his fork, turned and left.

Blaise paused.

Everyone has to grow up?

The moment Draco raised his head just now, he seemed to see a different person indeed.The eyes that were once so radiant and domineering are now only gray.But that wasn't old Malfoy's indifferent self-denial, it was...

Can't tell.

Bryce sighed.

Grow up too fast.

**

Not smooth.

Harry sat in the common room, toying with a bottle of Felicia, thinking silently.Professor Dumbledore had never asked him to do anything, who knew the first thing would be so difficult.That Professor Slughorn, sleek as he was.However, you clearly know that he is lying, but there is nothing you can do about it.

"Harry, who do you think I saw in the library?" Hermione said in a low voice, placing a stack of books heavily on the table.

"Mrs. Pince." Ron replied casually.As soon as he looked up and saw Hermione's angry look, he quickly continued to add. "Sir Nick, Myrtle, Peeves... well I'm talking nonsense, who did you see?"

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Hermione rested her chin on her hand, with a look of disbelief. "It's been six years, and this is the first time I've seen him in the library!"

"What is he doing in the library, is he bothering you?" Ron asked almost reflexively, Draco's annoying face seemed to appear in front of his eyes, and he couldn't help curling his lips.

"No. He didn't trouble anyone." Hermione spread her hands. "He borrowed a lot of books, and he also borrowed a few books that I had wanted to read for a long time."

"...So?" Ron didn't understand what Hermione meant at all, and he didn't even know what to say next.

"So, he's studying, even Draco Malfoy is studying, and you two," Hermione angrily pulled two parchments from her stack of books and threw them in front of them. "You still secretly put homework in the middle of my homework, hoping that I won't find out and do it for you? God, do you think I will be stupid enough to do the same homework three times in a row without noticing it?! "

"I'm sorry. We just... accidentally misplaced it." Ron stuck out his tongue and quickly put the parchment away.Seeing that Hermione's anger level didn't seem to be going down, Ron quickly changed the subject. "But why do you think Malfoy is studying hard? Perhaps, it is unknown what kind of evil black magic he is studying... Voldemort is back, maybe he will follow his father's footsteps and become a Death Eater... "

"Ron, this isn't funny. Malfoy's only sixteen." Hermione looked at him darkly. "I know you hate him, and I don't like him either. But he's still a student, hasn't graduated yet. There's no way he's going to be a Death Eater."

"Then who knows." Ron shrugged. "His father was a Death Eater, his aunt was a Death Eater, we all saw that. His father nearly killed Harry, and his dear Aunt Bella, killed Sirius..."

"Ron!" Hermione interrupted him almost yelling, her face flushed with anger.Then turned to Harry immediately. "Harry, don't think too much about it, Ron just... I don't think he noticed what he was saying."

"I didn't think much of it, Ron was telling the truth." Harry stuffed the bottle of Felix Felicia back into his pocket, and smiled reassuringly at Hermione. "I think Ron is right, maybe Malfoy is really doing something secretly, maybe we should pay more attention to him..."

"Even you think so!" Hermione was even angrier. "How can you... Forget it, it's best if you can find evidence."

After speaking, Hermione left angrily.

"She's looking more and more like Professor McGonagall," Ron whispered. "You really think so?"

Harry smiled, noncommittal.

I always feel that something is wrong this year, and it turns out to be here.It's a bit uncomfortable without the annoying blond hair flying around like mosquitoes.

But Harry didn't know how to answer Ron.Those words came out of his mouth almost without thinking, so even he himself couldn't tell whether he was afraid of what Malfoy was up to, or just wanted to see him...