Chapter 2: I Will Protect The Malfoy Family

“Father.”

“Oh, Karina. My treasure. What is it?”

Lucius Malfoy greeted his daughter. Karina hugged him briefly and sat opposite him.

“It’s about the diary.”

“Karina. I told you not to worry about that.”

“But Harry Potter keeps asking me about it.”

“Just ignore him.”

“I am, but he keeps bothering me, and it’s annoying. Father, what exactly is that diary?”

“Sigh, Dumbledore. What does that child know to keep pestering her like this? He should come to me directly.”

Lucius sighed.

“Don’t mention this to anyone. I doubt anyone would believe it, and there’s no proof, but it’s best not to let the story spread.”

“Of course.”

“It’s a Dark artifact entrusted to me by the Dark Lord. He didn’t tell me exactly what it was, but he said it was very important and that I had to keep it in a safe place. He said he would come to retrieve it when he returned.”

Doom

Karina recalled what Harry Potter had said.

Horcrux, a repository of the soul.

A very important object that he would come to retrieve upon his return.

“Hmm? Karina. You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?”

“N-no! Please continue!”

“There’s not much more to say, actually. You already know the rest. He disappeared, and I’ve kept this object ever since. But you know how Weasley, that blood traitor, kept stirring things up. I gave it to his daughter to avoid any unnecessary trouble… well, you know the rest. You were at Hogwarts, so you know better than I do.”

She knew far too well.

The identity of the object, and the immense danger her father was in.

“W-wouldn’t the Dark Lord be angry if he knew the object was gone?”

“You’re worried about your father, Karina. You’ve grown up so much.”

Lucius said with a gentle smile he only showed at home.

“Karina. The Dark Lord has vanished. If he were still alive, why wouldn’t he have come to our family? We’re his loyal followers.”

Because he doesn’t trust our family?

The words rose to her throat but were swallowed back down.

Lucius chuckled and replied,

“Well, even if he were alive, would he really be furious about losing a Dark artifact entrusted to me over a decade ago? Don’t worry. It’s just a diary. Anyone listening would think it was the Dark Lord’s spare heart or something.”

“It is?!”

“Hmm? What did you say?”

It’s one of the objects the Dark Lord prepared for his resurrection.

According to Harry Potter, there were several more, but it was certain that one had fallen into enemy hands.

“Oh, n-nothing.”

“You still seem worried. You’re kind, but you need to be more ruthless to reign as a pure-blood.”

Lucius waved his wand. The teapot and teacups floated up and settled in front of Karina, pouring her tea.

“Ignore Dumbledore and Harry Potter. They can’t accuse me. They have no evidence other than that old diary. Even if they find any, I can cover it up.”

“I-is that so…?”

“You said the diary was destroyed? By Basilisk venom?”

“Yes.”

“Then there’s even less to worry about. Basilisk venom is a magical poison that destroys even the soul. Any evidence linking it to our family, and the magic contained within, would have been obliterated. Even if someone died and their soul was trapped in the diary, it would have been shattered by the Basilisk’s venom! Not even a ghost could testify to this!”

Clatter clatter clatter clatter

Karina’s hand holding the teacup trembled uncontrollably.

Lucius asked with a worried expression,

“Are you alright, Karina?”

“I-I think I’m coming down with a cold.”

“Oh dear. I’ll have the house-elf turn up the heat.”

Karina shakily stood up.

It seemed her father had dug his own grave.

And a grand one at that.

“I-I should be going now.”

“Alright. Get some rest.”

“Yes… You too, Father.”

As Karina headed to her room, she realized a truth she desperately didn’t want to believe.

She was the only one who could protect the Malfoy family.

The best-case scenario now was for the Dark Lord to disappear forever.

Though it might be blasphemous, the Dark Lord was nothing but a liability to the Malfoy family.

The Malfoy family had both wealth and power.

Siding with the Dark Lord meant risking everything, with nothing to gain in return.

Furthermore, for Karina, who enjoyed subtly controlling others with her innate beauty, a world ruled by magic wasn’t particularly appealing.

“To prevent the Dark Lord from returning, I need to cooperate with Harry Potter…”

What if Harry Potter failed and the Dark Lord returned?

“…If he returns, I have to be as cautious as possible and make sure it doesn’t get out.”

Harry Potter had made a promise to Karina.

If she cooperated, he would conceal the information about the diary as much as possible. And if she wanted, he would even give her the diary, the biggest piece of evidence. When Karina asked how she could trust him, Harry Potter replied with a serene expression.

‘It’s your choice whether you believe me or not, Malfoy. But at least if you retrieve the diary… you’ll have something to say when Voldemort asks you about its whereabouts, won’t you?’

He was right.

If they infiltrated the Malfoy family and destroyed the diary, I’d have something to say.

But a diary slipped into a teenage girl’s bag and ending up destroyed at Hogwarts?

Completely, even the soul within?

‘If this gets out, we’re dead. At least Father will definitely die.’

Karina clenched her fists.

She had never felt anxious before, but even she had to act when her family was in crisis.

Her kind father, her beloved mother, and her adorable younger brother, Draco.

Some might call them blood purists and condemn them, but to Karina, they were her precious family, more important than anyone else.

“I… I will protect this family!”

Karina made that vow with firm resolve.