Christmas Banquet

On Christmas morning, when Skylar woke up, he found a pile of presents at the foot of his bed, something he was already used to. Malfoy Manor had been enchanted with the Fidelius Charm, so the presents must have been delivered by House Elf.

Skylar didn't choose to unwrap all the gifts, because that would likely take up the entire morning.

He went downstairs and greeted the people living in the house with "Merry Christmas!"

After Christmas breakfast, at the table, Lucius mysteriously announced that he had invited a special guest for today's Christmas lunch, someone who would be helpful to Draco, Skylar, and Pansy in their O.W.L. Examination this year.

Skylar immediately understood. In the original story, Draco had boasted a few days before the O.W.L. Examination that his father had a long-standing friendship with Gersdale Marchbanks, the head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, and had even treated her to dinner. However, Neville told Hermione and the others that Draco was lying because Marchbanks was his grandmother's good friend, and she had never heard of the Malfoy from her.

Whether Draco lied or Neville didn't know enough about the Marchbanks has always been a topic of endless debate among fans in the previous life—however, it no longer matters. The Pure-Blood Traitor Faction of today are not the same as those in the original books, and similarly, the House of Malfoy is much more powerful than described in the original works.

Skylar went back to his room to continue unwrapping his Christmas presents when suddenly, a familiar crackling sound came from behind him.

It's Kreacher.

Kreacher came to report that Lupin couldn't stand Sirius Black's decadent lifestyle any longer and had arranged a Christmas party at Black Ancestral Home in hopes of giving Sirius Black something to do.

But the information Kreacher wanted to report wasn't about Sirius Black or Lupin, but about Harry.

It turned out that after Harry returned to the Black Ancestral Home, he often secretly hid in a storage room in the attic to practice Dark Arts. As for where he learned these spells, Kreacher had no idea, but it noticed that when Harry was alone, he would talk to himself in the air, as if he were talking to someone he couldn't see.

Skylar remained silent, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him.

Her arrival in this world changed too many things, and ultimately she still caused harm to Harry.

The original Harry, the boy who had survived the battles with the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, the Dementor, and the death of Diggory, should have honed his courage and resolve to face death through countless life-or-death trials... But now, the Harry of this world is falling into darkness and becoming a dark wizard...

It all started because of him.

Skylar didn't regret using his foresight to gain an advantage; he stole many opportunities from Harry and took away what was rightfully his. But—

When he saw Harry's fate sliding towards the abyss, he realized that he might have inadvertently taken away not only Harry's destiny, but also his chance to survive the final battle against Voldemort.

Skylar slowly closed his eyes, trying to regulate his breathing.

This time, he might have really gone too far.

Harry and Voldemort are symbiotic; Harry must die at Voldemort's hands at least once, otherwise no one can kill Voldemort. If Harry no longer possesses the courage and sense of justice to confront Voldemort, then it means...

To completely kill Voldemort, you must first kill Harry...

This was not my intention.

He had promised Snape to save Harry's life; more importantly, he didn't want to see Hermione grieving the loss of her best friend.

After a long period of contemplation, Skylar opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.

There is still one chance to save Harry's life-

Rewrite his personality with "Absolute Dominion"!

The Christmas luncheon was held in a magnificent banquet hall, where the entire Malfoy Manor seemed to be ignited with the festive atmosphere. Golden candlelight floated high on the ceiling, its warm and soft glow reflecting on the silver cutlery and exquisite crystal glasses. Magical snowflakes drifted down lightly, dissipating into shimmering specks in mid-air.

The banquet table was laden with a sumptuous feast: crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside steaks, honey-coated hams, fragrant pumpkin pies, and a variety of exquisite desserts. Each dish was meticulously prepared by the House Elf and exuded an enticing aroma.

The main guests at this banquet, besides the members of the House of Malfoy and a few relatives and friends, included two distinguished guests: Marchbanks, the director of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, and Tofty, the deputy director.

Draco and Skylar sat on either side of Lucius, keeping the two distinguished guests company. As the next generation of the House of Malfoy heirs, they had to learn how to socialize with political officials, and with Lucius still around, this was a good opportunity to hone his two sons, especially Draco.

Marchbanks is a round-faced, gray-haired witch with a stern and dignified demeanor, yet she displays a composed and confident air when facing Lucius. Although a staunch supporter of Dumbledore's faction, she is politically astute enough to navigate complex political environments and has never directly clashed with the House of Malfoy.

In contrast, Tofty appeared taciturn. Amidst the lively conversations at the banquet, he mostly kept his head down and ate slowly, seemingly unconcerned about the direction of the political struggle.

Halfway through the banquet, Marchbanks seemed to be feeling unwell. She put down her knife and fork, gently pressed her temples, then smiled slightly at Lucius and said, "Mr. Malfoy, could you please tell me where the restroom is?"

Upon hearing this, Skylar's eyes flickered slightly, then he gave a perfectly timed smile and stood up politely, "Madam Marchbanks, I also need to go out for a bit. Perhaps I can take you there?"

Marchbanks glanced at him, clearly without suspicion, and nodded. "Then I'll leave it to you, Skylar."

Skylar smiled and gestured "please," then walked out of the banquet hall with Marchbanks.

The corridor is adorned with exquisite magical murals, one of which depicts the Black Lake, its surface shimmering in the soft light, with the occasional glimpse of Merpeople. Underfoot is a fine marble floor, reflecting the family crest hanging on the walls, showcasing the House of Malfoy's long history.

As Marchbanks walked, she gently rubbed her temples, seemingly quite tired.

Seeing this, Skylar sneered inwardly—at the banquet, he had deliberately had his House Elf add a mild relaxation Potions to Marchbanks's red wine. It wouldn't arouse her any alarm, but it would be enough to slightly weaken her willpower, creating better conditions for hypnosis.

The two turned into a relatively quiet corridor. There was no one around, only the flickering flame in the fireplace casting a warm glow.

Skylar slowly stopped, and said in a soft, low voice, "Madam Marchbanks, you look very tired."

Marchbanks frowned slightly and subconsciously replied, "Indeed... the banquet was probably too lively."

"Yes, the atmosphere at the banquet is indeed relaxing." Skylar his hand gently, his magic silently permeating the air with a seductive rhythm. "Perhaps you could rest for a bit..."

Marchbanks's pupils contracted slightly, his gaze gradually became unfocused, and he seemed to fall into a dazed state between sleep and wakefulness.

Skylar's gaze turned slightly cold, but his voice remained gentle. "Tell me everything about the Pure-Blood Enlightenment Faction."

Marchbanks's expression froze, and he said calmly, "The Pure-Blood Enlightenment Faction is currently led behind the scenes by myself, Augusta Longbottom, and Muriel Prewett. The main Pure-blood families are Longbottom, Prewett, Weasley, and Shacklebolt... However, with Dumbledore's fall from power, our influence has been severely damaged, and the Weasley family has almost collapsed..."

"Are you still going to bet on Dumbledore?" Skylar asked the question that concerned him most.

Marchbanks frowned deeply, clearly struggling with her own internal conflict. "Yes... yes... Augusta and Muriel are very insistent, although I feel it's necessary to reconsider... the second son of the House of Malfoy is very capable... possibly surpassing Dumbledore..."

Skylar couldn't help but smile; these were the absolute truths spoken by Marchbanks under hypnosis.

"In order to counter the House of Malfoy... we also made changes... allowing some of the family's illegitimate children to be absorbed into the inner circle..." Marchbanks said haltingly.

"What kind of people are they?"

"Gawain Weasley, Mafalda Prewett, Lancelot Prewett, Doug Longbottom, Milo Morn... they've all agreed to join."

Skylar remembered these names. He recognized Milo Morn, the student council president from the previous year, who was originally a participant in the Potions Championship representing Hogwarts, but Snape forcibly took his place and gave it to Skylar.

"You think you can stand against the House of Malfoy with just these five young people?" Skylar asked incredulously.

"Not only them, we've also been trying to win over Pure-Blood Neutral Faction families... The Abbott Family, the Macmillan Family, the Smith family... they've all joined our ranks..."

Skylar's fingertips slowly caressed his cuffs, his eyes calm. It seemed he had underestimated these old women who never left their homes. Their insight and strategic acumen were quite shrewd. Although these three families could not compare to the power of the House of Malfoy, their family foundations were deep and their influence could not be ignored. If the two sides were combined, they would indeed have the ability to contend with the Pure-Blood Supremacist Faction.

"Is that all? Nothing else?"

Marchbanks shook his head, saying haltingly, "No... the Fawley Family... the Slughorn Family... the Diggory family... they rejected our offer..."

A faint smile appeared on Skylar's lips. The failure to win over Fawley and the Slughorn Family was likely due to the deliberate obstruction of his trusted confidants— Claude Fawley and Squall Slughorn— who had been planted within the family.

The Diggory family's withdrawal was also inextricably linked to him. Their patriarch, Amos Diggory, was severely injured in the Nogtail Rebellion, reportedly suffering permanent disabilities, and naturally unwilling to be involved in any further political struggles. And behind the Nogtail Rebellion was none other than Skylar's mastermind—

The original purpose of this plan was simply to allow Walton Macnair to become the captain of the Beast Extermination Execution Squad, so that he could control this frontline combat force of the Ministry of Magic from behind the scenes. However, unexpectedly, it also dealt a blow to the Pure-Blood Traitor Faction' efforts to grow stronger.

Skylar's eyes flickered slightly. After making sure he had obtained enough information, he gently waved his hand and withdrew the magic.

Marchbanks's expression gradually cleared. She paused, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. "Huh... where were we?"

Skylar smiled and said, "You said the banquet atmosphere was too lively, so you might be a little tired."

Marchbanks rubbed his temples, seemingly a little fuzzy on his memory of what had just happened, but didn't dwell on it. Instead, he sighed, "Yeah, maybe I really should pay attention to my energy levels."

Skylar politely gestured for them to enter. "The restroom is just ahead, Madam Marchbanks."

Marchbanks nodded and turned to walk towards the restroom.

Skylar watched her retreating figure, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.