Shameless Beyond Belief

It was already evening when we arrived at the Malfoy Manor.

The Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, being a long-established Pure-blood family, were impeccable in their manners and prepared a sumptuous dinner for their guests.

However, the couple mainly communicated with Sirius.

Harry had heard the gist of the topic: after two of the Black family's core male members were imprisoned and died, the Malfoy family and some Pure-blood families "took over" part of the Black family's assets.

Of course, this is understandable.

Lucius's point is that now that Sirius, the heir to the Black family, has returned, the Malfoy family should rightfully return the portion that they were "holding in trust" to Sirius.

Lucius also pointed out with some helplessness that some Pure-blood families were unwilling to give up the original Black family businesses, which he found very regrettable.

Upon hearing this, Sirius neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply nodded knowingly.

After dinner, Harry and Cassandra left alone, leaving the meeting room to the three adults.

The two of them went straight to the Hut One that originally belonged to Harry —the very cottage where Harry used to stay at the Malfoy Manor every summer a hundred years ago.

Cassandra's room is well-preserved, while Harry's room is quite the opposite.

"After you left," Cassandra seemed to sigh, "Papa ordered your room to be converted into a room for the Elf, and from then on, he became a complete Pureblood supremacist. He hated himself for letting me come into contact with you, which led to me—"

Cassandra stopped there.

"I know." Harry looked up at Cassandra. "Your father thinks you're hopelessly in love with a Muggle boy and willing to abandon your family for him—"

"Nonsense!" Cassandra snapped. "Potter! How could you so shamelessly slander a lady's reputation?"

"I was just saying what your dad thinks, why are you getting so worked up?" Harry feigned ignorance. "Or is it—"

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up!" Cassandra stomped hard on Harry's foot, but she eventually held back, controlling the force so that Harry felt a little pain but wouldn't break him.

Otherwise, given the thick-soled leather shoes she was wearing, it would have been unavoidable for Harry to sustain some minor injuries.

"So," Harry quietly rubbed the back of his foot against his other calf, trying to relieve the numbness from being stepped on, "Did you call me to the Malfoy Manor for something?"

"Can't I let you come home with me if there's nothing wrong?" Cassandra raised her chin, her expression as arrogant as ever. "You need to remember your place, Potter— you're my little follower, wherever I go..."

You must follow them wherever they go, understand?

"Furthermore," Cassandra added, "Just letting you go out during the summer after fifth grade has led to such serious consequences. I don't think we can continue to indulge you like this. What do you think?"

Harry was stunned for a long time, then shook his head and said, "I don't know what to say either."

What exactly is this?

Is it some kind of play involving imprisonment?

"This is still your room. I've already asked my father," Cassandra said, raising her head. "He allowed you to return to the Malfoy family, but he also asked me to remind you of your promise to him—"What promise?"Harry asked knowingly.

Cassandra's face darkened.

"Oh, I remember," Harry said in a very smug way. "You want me to take responsibility, right? Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging—"

"Who cares?" Cassandra scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself." Potter Harry stretched and turned to Cassandra, asking, "So what do you think? Are you coming with me to Black's manor tomorrow? Or are you planning to stay at Malfoy Manor for a few more days?"

Cassandra didn't speak, she just stared at him intently.

"If you want, I can stay here with you for a few more days until you want to leave," Harry said quickly, almost without hesitation.

Such a high-EQ response clearly made Cassandra very happy.

"I'm glad you think that way, Potter." Cassandra smiled. "It means you haven't forgotten your identity. Well then—you can wait for my call. Perhaps tomorrow I'll have you take me to visit Black family home."

She emphasized the word "visiting" when she said it.

It's obvious that he's saying one thing and meaning another.

Harry didn't call her out on it; he just smiled at her.

"So, I'm supposed to live in this kind of environment?" Harry looked around and asked. "I don't think this is a place fit for human habitation. Haven't you thought about cleaning this room up?"

"I gave Dobby instructions before I left," Cassandra scoffed. "Looks like this House Elf has forgotten his job, hasn't he?"

Having said that, Dobby appeared at the door.

"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" he sobbed, banging his head against the doorframe. "Dobby forgot the young lady's orders, bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

Seeing that Cassandra showed no sign of stopping Dobby, Harry quickly spoke up, "Alright, stop punishing yourself—you can still clean up the house now, and I don't mean to blame you—"

Dobby blinked his big eyes and asked hopefully, "Is that so? Harry Potter won't hold Dobby accountable for his mistake and will allow him to make amends for his negligence?"

"Yes," Harry nodded.

He and Cassandra left the house, leaving the room to Dobby.

The two looked at each other, neither of them looking away first.

But neither of them was willing to speak first.

Just as the stalemate continued, Dobby suddenly opened the door.

"Dobby has completed the task," he said happily.

"Go in and take a look," Cassandra gestured with her chin toward the door.

Harry glanced at Cassandra, said nothing, and walked straight into the room.

As soon as he went inside, Cassandra's expression changed, and she looked down at Dobby.

"Thank you, Dobby," she said softly. "If you hadn't appeared in time and taken the blame, I really wouldn't know what to do—"

"It is an honor for Dobby to serve Miss Cassandra," Dobby said with a smile. "Dobby would love to see the noble Miss Malfoy and the great Harry Potter come together, and hopes to see Harry Potter become the son-in-law of the Malfoy family— "

"Shh!" Cassandra stamped her foot. "Is this something to say?!"

"Oh, Dobby understands!" Dobby smiled Dobby an aunt. "Don't worry, Your Excellency Miss Cassandra, Dobby will do his best to help you make it happen." With that, Dobby disappeared down the corridor.

Cassandra was furious, but there was nothing she could do.

"What are you doing out there?" Harry peeked out suspiciously. "Are you Dobby again? He didn't mean it, Cass."

"How could I?" Cassandra pouted indignantly. "How could I make things difficult for Dobby?"

"Then come in and take a look. Dobby's efficiency is pretty good."

After Harry finished speaking, he pulled his head back inside.

Dobby's efficiency was quite good, and he even made a one-to-one replica of Harry's room from a hundred years ago.

Harry was even a little dazed when he walked in, good heavens—

For a moment, he thought he was still at the Malfoy Manor a hundred years ago.

"Do you like it?" Cassandra smiled as she looked at the furnishings in front of her. "I specially found the photos I took back then, and this is it."

She pulled a photograph from her pocket; in it, Harry was sitting behind a desk in his room, smiling happily at the camera.

A teenage version of Cassandra, around thirteen years old, sat to the side, looking at Harry with disdain, holding a newspaper in her hand.

"It's this one—"

Harry's gaze seemed to pierce through the photograph, transcending time.

"It was Ignatius who took this picture for us, right?" he said. "I remember this photo— Ignatius wanted us to be closer together, but you—well, you looked down on me."

"I don't look down on you," Cassandra whispered.

"Huh?" Harry didn't hear clearly.

"I said, I didn't dislike you, Potter." Cassandra turned her face away. "I just think you have a silly smile, and I'm afraid I'll catch that silliness from you, that's all."

"Oh, I guess so." Harry didn't call Cassandra out on it; he had basically figured out Cassandra's methods by now.

With his Godfather's help, he's really getting things done now.

Why didn't I have Godfather to teach me how to get along with girls a hundred years ago?

Hmm—if there really was a Sirius a hundred years ago, perhaps he wouldn't know Veratia at all, and wouldn't be very familiar with Pabbie either; he would just be a son-in-law of the Malfoy family.

But people just don't know anything.

A person's destiny depends on their own efforts, but at the same time, the course of history must also be taken into account.

Um-

He suddenly remembered the advanced Occlumency he had practiced before.

Isn't this a great opportunity to practice?

But Harry felt he couldn't just bring it up directly, otherwise it would seem like he was setting a trap.

So he decided to try a roundabout approach.

However, before he could speak, Cassandra spoke first.

"What have you been doing all this time, all secretive?" she asked. "I remember you were always at Mr. LeMay's place, and with Pabbie too—what strange things have you been up to?"

"I was just discussing the potential advanced applications of Occlumency with Mr. LeMay," Harry said, shrugging. "I think I told you before, we don't need to waste our time here." Cassandra rubbed her eyes. "You should be using this time to practice some Charms."

"But I did it," Harry said quite readily.

Even so, it would still take a very long time—

At this point, Cassandra finally realized what Harry had just said.

"What did you say?" she asked in astonishment. "You succeeded?"

"Yes," Harry said, shrugging. "Mr. LeMay pointed me in the right direction, and I succeeded after a few tries."

He wasn't lying at all, because he really did try and fail three times before succeeding on the last try.

Cassandra had to re-evaluate Harry. She had long known that Harry was exceptionally talented, but she never expected him to be so exceptional in this aspect as well.

It's important to know that, apart from natural-born masters of Occlumency, almost no one can master the advanced applications of Occlumency in a short period of time.

She took out her magic wand.

"I'll give it a try," Cassandra said. "Let me test your learning progress." "Then we need to make an agreement beforehand," Harry pressed on, "My Occlumency is a bit special. No matter what happens, you won't get angry." "Don't worry, I won't get angry," Cassandra scoffed.

She remembered the scene she had seen before, the scene of Potter and Grindelwald, that shameless woman, kissing in bed.

That's utterly shameless!

The impact is extremely negative!

"You promise?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"I swear in my own name," Cassandra said resolutely, "No matter what happens, I won't be angry!"

Alright.

That's exactly what I was waiting for you to say.

"OK."

Before Harry could finish speaking, Cassandra's Legilimency was already activated.

Almost instantly, Harry's Occlumency, modified by Ancient Magic, automatically went overclock.

Cassandra felt a sudden dizziness, and then floated down onto solid ground.

In the distance, the sun was shining brightly on the earth, and the snow-covered mountain ranges surrounded her. The sunlight reflected off the snow in a dazzling light, making it difficult for her to open her eyes.

Isn't it summer now?

Cassandra was puzzled, then she realized that this was in Harry's memory.

snort-

What about the Occlumency? I still managed to break through your defenses.

However, before she could even look for Harry, she felt a cold wind blow by.

!!

To her astonishment, she discovered that the wind—was just as biting and chilling as it was in the real world!

But isn't this clearly in my memory?

Then, she felt the earth suddenly tremble.

Before long, a castle rose from the ground.

It was Hogwarts Castle; she would never mistake it.

The castle gates swung open with a loud thud, and a figure she knew all too well stepped out.

"Welcome to my Mein Kampf, Cass is Harry, he spreads his arms and looks smug."

"What on earth is going on?!" Cassandra asked in astonishment. "Why can I feel the biting cold wind in your memories? Why—why can you talk to me?"

However, Harry did not answer her question.

Cassandra felt a surge of happiness fill her mind, and then a voice urged her to Chen Fu to Harry.