In the faint light of dawn, pale golden rays pierced the clouds and spilled into the courtyard of Malfoy Manor, but had yet to fully dispel the thin mist lingering at the edges of the grounds.
Light as gauze, the mist curled among the neatly trimmed shrubs and towering ancient trees, lending the stately manor a hazy air of mystery.
The air held the slight chill of early morning and the fresh scent of vegetation, still and solemn.
A black carriage was already waiting quietly before the manor's front portico, which was entwined with black iron roses.
The carriage was pitch-black throughout, without a trace of any other color. Its body was built from solid, heavy ebony, its fine, deep grain giving off a soft yet cold sheen in the dim light.
The windows were tightly shut, concealing the interior. The curtains were heavy, dark green velvet, their edges embroidered with intricate, subtle patterns that echoed the Malfoy family's signature color.
The creatures pulling the carriage were hidden in the shadows ahead of it. Draco strained to look, but could never make out their forms.
He could only vaguely sense an invisible tension, tinged with something eerie, lingering around the carriage and making people reluctant to approach.
He already understood that the creatures pulling it had to be Thestrals.
Those magical creatures that only people who had witnessed death firsthand could see.
The books described Thestrals as pitch-black, with batlike wings. Though strange in appearance, they were exceptionally loyal and reliable mounts.
But only pure-blood families with foundations as deep as the Malfoy family's could use them for transportation, displaying their distinctive status.
"Remember, Draco." Lucius's voice sounded beside him.
At that moment, the carriage door slowly opened with a dull sound, and Lucius stepped inside first.
"Members of the Malfoy family disdain mingling with the ordinary masses. Wherever and whenever you are, you must maintain your own composure and detachment. That pride is etched into your bones, and it is a principle you must uphold."
Draco followed him into the carriage and nodded helplessly.
His parents were always like this, constantly teaching him how to maintain the Malfoy family's dignity and display his superior standing.
Even a simple trip involved numerous rules and principles that had to be observed.
Draco entered the carriage.
The interior was extremely spacious, furnished with luxury and elegance, and the dark leather seats were soft and comfortable.
Narcissa boarded next, and the door slowly closed behind her, shutting out every sound from outside.
Without the slightest jolt, the carriage glided smoothly into the air, as silently as though it were traveling along invisible tracks.
Draco looked out through the window. The scenery outside had already blurred into patches of gray and green that rushed backward too quickly for him to distinguish anything specific.
The carriage traveled through a dedicated magical passage, completely shut off from the ordinary world outside, keeping the Malfoy family far removed from those common people.
The atmosphere inside was rather quiet. Lucius rested with his eyes closed and an indifferent expression, his silver snake-headed cane resting lightly across his knees.
Narcissa sat beside him, her gentle gaze settling on Draco as she began reminding him of what to keep in mind once he reached Hogwarts.
"Once you're at school, you must always remain elegant and proper in word and deed. You must not disgrace the Malfoy family." Her tone was calm, but her eyes were utterly serious.
"As for your house, Slytherin is your only choice. That is where pure-blood wizards belong, and it is the place of honor passed down through generations of the Malfoy family."
"At school, stay away from unsuitable people-Mudbloods, half-blood wizards, and those foolish Gryffindors. They will only hold you back and harm your prospects. Don't get too involved with them, or you'll end up entangled in trouble."
Lucius opened his eyes at an appropriate moment and added, "In Slytherin, you must learn to build useful connections. The children of those pure-blood families are the ones who will help you establish yourself in the wizarding world in the future."
"Learn to take control of situations and establish your authority. Make everyone understand that you are the heir to the Malfoy family, not some nobody. If you encounter trouble you cannot resolve, contact Severus. He will handle it for you behind the scenes. You need have no concerns."
Draco listened quietly to their reminders, but most of it went in one ear and out the other. He only needed to nod occasionally to keep up appearances.
After traveling smoothly for about an hour, the carriage suddenly gave a slight shudder. It gradually slowed, then came to a steady stop.
The door slowly opened, and a waft of slightly damp air drifted inside, mingled with the fresh scent of the courtyard's vegetation.
Draco stepped out and looked around, finding that the carriage had stopped in the courtyard of a seemingly abandoned manor.
The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and the buildings were dilapidated, their walls mottled. It looked as though no one had lived there for a long time.
This was a "transfer point" the Malfoy family had established near London, used specifically for connections during magical travel. It was absolutely private and secure, and would not expose the family's movements.
In a corner of the courtyard, the house-elf Dobby was already waiting humbly.
Upon seeing the three of them, he immediately bowed his head respectfully and said with the utmost humility, "Master, Mistress, young Master, Dobby has been waiting here for a long time, ready for your orders at any moment."
Lucius paid Dobby no attention. He merely cast him an indifferent glance before walking straight toward the center of the courtyard.
Narcissa walked beside him. Draco nodded to Dobby, then hurried after his parents.
As they walked, Lucius stopped and turned around, then reached out, firmly grasping Narcissa's upper arm and Draco's shoulder at the same time.
Draco knew he was about to use Apparition.
It was the same as always. Draco felt the space around him suddenly begin to compress, making his chest feel slightly tight, before releasing him in an instant. The pressure vanished without a trace, replaced by a brief spell of mild dizziness.
The next moment, the three of them were standing in a corner of an abandoned luggage storage area at King's Cross Station.
A few battered suitcases lay piled around them, covered in dust. The place looked utterly desolate, at odds with the bustling noise of the station concourse.
The entire process of appearing had been exceptionally smooth and natural, without the slightest awkwardness, as though they had been standing there all along and had never left.
Narcissa immediately stepped forward, brushing her long, pale fingers lightly over Draco's shoulder, though there was not a speck of dust on it.
She carefully straightened Draco's robes, her movements gentle and her eyes filled with attentive concern.
Lucius stood to one side, raising a hand to adjust his already immaculate cuffs.
Once everything was in order, Lucius set off first toward the station concourse, with Draco and his mother close behind.
The family of three slowly crossed the noisy concourse with deliberately measured steps that nonetheless commanded attention.
The Muggle crowds bustled around them, voices clamoring amid all manner of noise.
Yet as Draco and his parents approached, people instinctively stopped as though they had struck an invisible wall, turning to look at them.
Then, without realizing it, they parted to leave a broad path for the three, no one daring to come too close.
The silver snake-headed cane in Lucius's hand tapped rhythmically against the floor, making crisp tock-tock sounds, as though marking a silent beat.
The sound was particularly clear in the noisy concourse, quietly announcing their arrival.
Draco followed beside him, his gaze instinctively searching the crowd. A faint trace of anticipation stirred within him as he hoped to spot that familiar figure among the throng of Muggles.
Yet despite searching carefully for a long time as he walked, Draco could not find her anywhere in the crowd. He could not help feeling a little disappointed. Perhaps it was still early, and she had not yet arrived at the station.
Soon, the three passed through the noisy Muggle concourse and reached the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
It was beside the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Though seemingly unremarkable, it was an important passage into the magical world.
Lucius stepped forward first, passing elegantly through the barrier without the slightest obstruction. Narcissa followed close behind, and Draco hurried after them.
The moment he passed through the barrier, a familiar magical presence washed over him, utterly different from the clamor of the Muggle world.
As he stepped onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, the scene before him instantly grew lively.
Thick steam filled the platform, white mist swirling through the air and hazing the view, carrying a faint, damp warmth.
In the distance, the deep red carriages of the Hogwarts Express appeared and disappeared in the mist. Its polished body had an old-fashioned quality, like a sleeping dragon quietly waiting to carry young wizards' dreams toward Hogwarts Castle.
The air was filled with sounds: the clear hooting of owls, children's excited laughter, parents' earnest reminders, and the rolling of suitcase wheels, all mingling together.
Yet amid this somewhat chaotic warmth, one corner of the platform naturally maintained a cold, rigid order, at odds with the lively bustle around it.