A Fortune to Be Made

Luke and Luna sat on the floor, surrounded by a cluster of kittens. Book lay sprawled across Luna's lap, looking down at the kittens below with the pride of a victor.

Luna gently stroked Book's fur as she watched Luke beside her. He held a copy of The Quibbler, his expression remarkably serious. Though there was still a trace of amusement on his face, it was far better than the dismissive scorn most people showed. She did not know why, but the moment she had first seen this boy, she had felt an inexplicable fondness for him. Was it because he was simply too handsome?

But Luna soon shook her head. Good-looking people certainly had an advantage, but she did not think she was someone who cared that much about appearances.

"Uh, this story about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks..."

Luke looked at Luna with a puzzled expression.

"Crumple-Horned Snorkacks really exist. They should live in Sweden. My father and I once planned to go looking for them!"

The moment Luna heard the words "Crumple-Horned Snorkack," she spoke up. Her tone remained light and airy, but her conviction was unmistakable.

Luke could only nod, then smiled. "All right. We can look for them together. I'm quite interested in magical creatures like that too."

Luke did not know where his strange connection with Luna came from, but his instincts told him it was probably a good thing.

He already had quite a bit of affection for Luna, and with that connection strengthening it, he was even less willing to upset her over something so trivial.

Though, given Luna's personality, she probably would not get angry over something like this anyway.

"Luke!"

Professor McGonagall opened the door and called out to Luke.

"I'm here. What is it, Professor?"

Luke looked up in response. Yet the calm look on his face made it clear that he had been expecting this summons.

"Come over for a moment. Katharine has something she wants to discuss with you."

Professor McGonagall said this with a smile.

Luke did not hesitate before walking over. Honestly, he had never imagined that the Gaunt Family would have so many connections to deal with. In the end, he had underestimated the mess left behind by a family with such a long history.

When he entered the sitting room, there was a faint smell of alcohol, but both Professor McGonagall and Madam Katharine looked fairly normal.

"You're reading The Quibbler?"

Professor McGonagall saw the magazine in Luke's hand and asked with a puzzled look.

"Uh, yes. Some things in it may seem rather absurd, but it is still a publication worth taking seriously. At the very least, its editor dares to put forward different viewpoints."

Luke admired people like that. He had always believed that nothing was wholly good. So even if every available voice was singing its praises, there should at least be someone pointing out its flaws and disadvantages.

"Xenophilius is indeed that sort of person. Of course, it would be better if his views matched the facts a little more closely."

Professor McGonagall said helplessly.

After saying that, Professor McGonagall pointed to a chair beside the table.

"Sit down first. This matter is important to you as well. If you truly do not wish to agree, then don't."

Hearing Professor McGonagall's words, Luke calmed down somewhat. He sat in the chair with an indifferent air and looked at Katharine across from him. However, his gaze was clearly no longer as gentle as before. There was still a smile on his face, but an air of superiority faintly emerged from him.

Katharine took a deep breath and prepared to speak.

"Madam Katharine, you want to discuss the Contract between the Lans Family and the Gaunt Family, don't you?"

Luke's sudden words wiped out half the courage Katharine had been gathering. Still, she had no choice but to force herself to speak.

"Yes. I hope to dissolve this Contract."

Luke leaned back in his chair, looking somewhat more relaxed as he smiled. "Before I came here, I actually did not know that this Contract existed. Of course, I would have learned of it sooner or later. Even if you had not brought it up, the other Nobles would have reminded me eventually—especially those families with grudges against the Lans Family."

"You should be grateful to have a friend like Professor McGonagall."

"That Contract was not signed by my ancestor. When the family split, although we all bore the surname Gaunt, our relationship was no longer particularly close. I do not approve of the Contract itself, nor of the harm it has caused you. So I am willing to cancel it."

"But there will be a price."

Luke smiled. "Now, let me see your offer."

Luke's casual yet lofty manner truly stirred up many unpleasant memories for Katharine. But just as before, she had no room to resist. Back then, they had relied on that Contract to preserve their family.

So everything they suffered now was simply the fruit it had borne. The fact that Luke was willing to dissolve the Contract today was, to a great extent, already a favor to Professor McGonagall.

"We are willing to pay enough money..."

"I hope you can be a little more sincere, Madam Katharine." Luke interrupted her again. "Professor McGonagall must have told you that I do not lack money. Or do you think the Lans Family's current wealth is already far greater than the Gaunt Family's inheritance?"

Katharine looked up at Professor McGonagall and found that her gaze had turned somewhat cold as well. She immediately realized that this suggestion from her husband had been unwise to an extraordinary degree.

So she decisively revealed her final bargaining chip.

"The Lans Family previously acquired a sufficiently ancient set of Magic Notes. According to our investigation, these notes belonged to Godric Gryffindor. Furthermore, they are entirely written in his unique cipher. I believe these notes are valuable enough."

"Besides that, we will provide sufficient properties. Although you have a great deal of money, these properties are something a Noble must possess. After all, you cannot simply live off your savings forever."

"And finally..." Katharine gritted her teeth. "We will trade for a Hogwarts School Governor Seat from another family and give it to you."

Professor McGonagall was stunned by such a generous offer.

Luke, meanwhile, was overjoyed inside. Yet his face remained perfectly composed.

"Excellent terms. I have no reason to refuse."

As he spoke, Luke extended his hand.

"Once you have everything ready, come find me and we can make the exchange."

Katharine's expression was complicated, containing both relief and a measure of heartache.

"All right. We will gather everything as quickly as possible."

"By the way, may I ask what your relationship with Luna is, Madam?"

Katharine looked at Luke strangely. But since the child before her was only eleven years old, she did not give him a more inappropriate look.

"Pandora Lovegood, Luna's mother, and I are friends. Xenophilius sometimes gets busy without any particular purpose, so Luna occasionally comes to stay with me for a while."

Luke could roughly guess the nature of Luna's feelings toward the woman before him.

"All right. Thank you for clearing that up, Madam Katharine."

With that, he rose directly to his feet and walked out of the sitting room.

Katharine watched Luke's departing back, her expression somewhat strange, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Minerva, they're still children..."

Katharine spoke to Professor McGonagall with a complicated tone.

"Luke is rather mature, but don't worry. He knows where to draw the line. Besides, I think that at least for now, what lies between them is mostly curiosity."

Professor McGonagall was somewhat surprised as well. She had not expected Luke to be so direct, nor did she know what kind of magic that little girl named Luna Lovegood possessed to make Luke take the initiative.

"You seem to trust him a great deal."

Katharine looked at her friend oddly. This was far more than a teacher's attitude toward a student.

Professor McGonagall pondered for a moment, then said, "He has simply given too much."

Katharine: ???