"Boss, are you leaving this compartment too?"
Of the conversation between Draco and Pansy just now, Goyle had managed to understand that much.
Hearing this, Vincent hurried over too. "Yeah, boss, where are you going? Aren't we coming with you? If anyone dares give you trouble, we can help beat them up!"
"You don't need to follow me. Stay here and guard this compartment. No running around," Draco said.
Seeing the confusion on their faces, Draco continued, "At Hogwarts, there'll be plenty of occasions when I'll need you to represent me and... deal with certain people.
"For now, you need to learn to hold a position on your own. More importantly, you need to learn to project our strength the right way, rather than solving everything with your fists."
He had thought these words would help them grasp some of the deeper meaning, but Goyle merely tilted his head, furrowed his brow, and pondered earnestly for ages.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Boss, I've got it! You mean when we steal someone's snacks, we should thank them first so we look polite?"
Vincent nodded along in agreement and added with complete conviction, "And another thing! If someone dares talk back to us, when we beat them up, should we say, 'Sorry, did that hurt?' That way, we teach them a lesson without getting told off by the teachers!"
At their "brilliant interpretations," a few beads of cold sweat instantly trickled down Draco's temple.
He silently grumbled, These two were born to be villains!
There was nothing in their heads besides stealing snacks and beating people up. The word "bully" was practically carved into their bones.
It looked as though turning them into tactically minded followers would take quite a bit of work.
Draco helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead, suppressed his complaints, and corrected them as calmly as he could. "You're overthinking it. That's not what I meant."
The two looked at him.
Draco said, "If someone comes to sit in this compartment later, you're not to bully them for no reason. Treat them kindly, understood? No taking people's things, and definitely no hitting people at the drop of a hat. Follow the rules and mind your manners."
"But... boss, if we don't bully them or act tough with them, how will they know to be scared? Why would they do what we say?" Goyle immediately frowned, his voice filled with genuine confusion.
As far as he understood, only fists and intimidation could make others submit and establish his authority.
Vincent also said with some hesitation, "Then... if someone from the Weasley family comes, or one of those other idiots who don't know better, do we... do we have to be 'kind' to them too?"
Looking at how completely natural they thought this was, Draco really could not keep his composure.
No wonder people in their circle called these two "Troll brains." Their thinking could not have been more simplistic. All they saw was "hit" or "don't hit." They understood nothing of strategy or long-term planning.
If they kept doing things the way they had before, sooner or later they would cause serious trouble at Hogwarts.
"Our old way of hitting people at the slightest provocation and causing trouble everywhere is a little outdated now. It's hardly clever," Draco explained patiently.
"It's like the Wizarding World's Blast-Ended Skrewts. They make a huge commotion, have terrible tempers, and want to attack everyone they see. And what happens? Everyone avoids a Blast-Ended Skrewt the moment they spot one, or even attacks it first. In the end, not only does it easily earn people's hatred, it also leaves itself in a sorry state. The losses outweigh the gains."
He paused to observe their reactions. Although they still seemed rather bewildered, they had begun listening seriously.
Draco continued, "So we need to change our strategy and upgrade from 'Blast-Ended Skrewts' to 'Boggarts.' That's the truly clever approach, and the path we'll follow from now on."
"Blast-Ended Skrewts... Boggarts?" Goyle repeated the two names with a frown, his eyes full of bewilderment.
Clearly, he did not understand what connection between these two creatures was worth learning from.
Vincent also furrowed his brow hard, trying to understand what Draco meant. After pondering for ages, he ventured uncertainly, "Boggarts... I know those. Those monsters that change shape. They can turn into whatever someone fears most and catch them off guard."
Seeing that they had finally grasped something important, Draco picked up where Vincent had left off. "Exactly. Vincent's right. A Boggart's greatest strength is its ability to change. It can become whatever each person fears most, leaving them unable to guess its true form or figure out its methods."
"It never comes out baring its fangs and claws like a Blast-Ended Skrewt. Instead, it hides itself and delivers a lethal blow when it's least expected, creating the greatest possible fear. That's the most powerful kind of intimidation."
As he spoke, Draco swept a sharp gaze over them and stressed solemnly, "So here's the new rule: most of the time, we need to look 'normal,' or even 'harmless,' no different from ordinary students. We don't start trouble or deliberately show off. We hide our edge."
"That way, when we really need to do something, when we need to teach those fools who don't know better a lesson, nobody will immediately suspect us."
When he finished speaking, a long silence fell over the compartment. Goyle and Vincent both frowned, looking deep in thought.
After quite a while, their eyes lit up almost simultaneously, and an extremely faint glimmer of understanding flashed across their faces.
Goyle hurriedly lowered his voice and said cautiously, with the excitement and nervousness of someone who had discovered a secret, "Oh... boss, I get it! You mean we should pretend to be friendly while secretly watching, then suddenly strike when we find a chance and catch them off guard, right?"
Vincent nodded emphatically too, wearing an expression of sudden understanding. "Yes, yes! It's like putting on an Invisibility Cloak. Other people can't see our bad intentions, so we can sneak up on them and hit them when they aren't looking. That way, the teachers won't catch us. That's so clever!"
Seeing their excited faces, Draco rolled his eyes helplessly and could only nod in tacit agreement.
Although their understanding was still a little off, with the emphasis remaining on "hitting people," at least they had finally grasped the core idea of "disguise." That counted as some progress.
He could only guide them gradually like this for now and slowly train them further in the future.
Clearing his throat, Draco grew serious again and held up three fingers. "Remember, you must never break these next three iron rules, no matter what. If you do, you'll bear the consequences. Do you hear me?"
Goyle and Vincent immediately straightened up and nodded solemnly, answering in unison, "Yes, boss! We'll remember them, and we'll never break them!"
"First, no striking first."
"Our fists are our last trump card, weapons for protecting ourselves and teaching our enemies a lesson, not a way to greet people or show off our power."
"You can only fight back when someone else provokes us and starts attacking us first."
Both immediately nodded solemnly and said earnestly, "Understood, boss!"
"Second, unless I explicitly order it, you're not to go looking for trouble with anyone."
Draco continued:
"Whether they're from the Weasley family or another house, as long as they don't provoke us or interfere with our affairs, you're not to pick on them, deliberately provoke them, or bully them just for the sake of causing trouble. In everything, you must follow my orders and arrangements."
"Third, relax your faces in public places like the corridors, the Great Hall, and classrooms."
Looking at their habitually tense faces, Draco could not help adding,
"You don't have to force a smile or pretend to be friendly. Just don't deliberately glare and scowl as though you're about to eat someone, scaring people who don't matter."
"Save your strength for where it's needed, like practicing magic or fighting back against enemies at critical moments. Don't waste it on unnecessary things like this."
As soon as he finished, Goyle and Vincent instinctively raised their hands and gently rubbed their habitually tense jaw muscles with their rough palms, trying hard to relax their faces.
The sight of them puzzling over it so intensely was comical and ridiculous.
Every so often, they glanced at each other, their eyes full of confusion, trying to determine from the other's face what a "relaxed" expression was supposed to look like.
At the sight of them, Draco could no longer help the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, revealing a helpless yet somewhat amused expression.
"All right, don't be so nervous. Just practice slowly."
"If you can follow those three rules, next I want you to start practicing two things. They're both very simple. As long as you put your minds to it, you'll definitely manage."
They immediately stopped what they were doing and looked earnestly at Draco. "Tell us, boss. We'll practice seriously!"
"First, when you're walking down a corridor and want people to make way, don't shove them or glare to scare them. Either just say, 'Make way,' without raising your voice too much, but firmly and forcefully."
"Or just walk straight ahead. Most people will move out of the way on their own when they see you. You won't need to lay a hand on anyone."
Draco instructed them patiently, afraid they might misunderstand and start shoving people again.
"Second, if a teacher or Prefect comes to question you, keep your answers brief, whatever they ask. Say either 'yes,' 'no,' or 'I don't know.' Don't say more than necessary, and definitely don't talk back to teachers or Prefects. The more you talk, the more you slip up. Talking too much makes mistakes easier and can expose our thoughts."
"This is our current 'normal form.' Do it as naturally as you walk or eat. After a while, it'll become a habit."
Goyle immediately nodded hard. "Understood, boss! When we're walking, we'll say, 'Make way,' and when teachers ask questions, we'll say, 'yes,' 'no,' or 'I don't know.' We definitely won't mess up!"
Vincent, however, frowned, looking somewhat troubled. "But boss, thinking about all this and keeping track of so many rules is really tiring. It's even more tiring than practicing spells. Can we make it a little simpler?"
Draco immediately glared at him and said sternly, "What? Are you going to listen to your boss or not? If you can't even handle something this small, how will you help me get things done in the future?"
At this, both immediately straightened up in fright and hurriedly shook their heads, saying in unison, "Yes! Of course we'll listen to you, boss! We can do it no matter how tiring it is. We won't let you down!"
Seeing their sincerity, Draco did not press them further. "As for 'helping others,' that might be even harder for you to understand, but that's all right. Just imagine it as picking up a Galleon off the ground. It's something that benefits us, not simply an act of kindness."
"Picking up a Galleon off the ground?" Goyle and Vincent exchanged a look, their faces full of bewilderment.
"For example, if someone accidentally falls in a corridor and spills their books everywhere, you don't need to laugh at them like you used to. Nor should you rush over to pick up their books like a House-elf. That would make you look servile."
"You have two options. First, ignore them completely, pretend you didn't see them, and walk straight past without wasting our time."
"Second, if lots of people are watching, especially students from other houses, or if there are teachers or Prefects around, stop and give your wand a light tap to float their books up and stack them together. Then turn and leave without saying a word. Don't linger, and don't accept their thanks."
As they listened to Draco, their faces were almost twisting themselves into Muggles.
Their eyes were full of confusion. Clearly, they still could not understand why they should go out of their way to pick up books for people who had nothing to do with them.
Seeing their confusion, Draco could only continue explaining, "Do you know why you'd choose the second option? Because doing that will make everyone think we're unpredictable."
"And 'unpredictability' is itself a powerful force. It can make others regard us with awe and not dare provoke us lightly."
"So that's it! Boss, that makes so much sense!" Goyle's eyes immediately lit up, and understanding dawned on his face.
"That way, people won't be able to figure out what we're thinking, and they won't dare mess with us. That's so clever!"
Vincent nodded along and said admiringly, "Your ideas really are brilliant, boss. You think so far ahead. Neither of us could ever think of this. We'll learn from you from now on and do whatever you tell us!"
After nodding in satisfaction, Draco continued, "Exactly. Remember, every time we 'help,' it isn't a random act of kindness. It's a small investment or an opportunity to gather information."
"When you're helping someone pick up their books, you can listen to what people around you are saying and find out why that person had their mishap. You might learn some useful information from their conversation and get a sense of certain people's backgrounds. That'll be a great help in establishing ourselves at Hogwarts."
"This isn't simply helping. It's strategic reconnaissance and image management, so we can better control the situation in the future."
Goyle and Vincent immediately nodded vigorously and said in unison, "We understand, boss! We'll remember that helping others is investing and gathering information, definitely not being kind. We'll practice hard and won't disappoint you!"
I'd finally managed to bamboozle these two underlings completely. That was even harder than dealing with Pansy.
Being the boss was so hard!
"Good. Since you both understand, sit quietly in this compartment and hold our position. Follow the rules I gave you. If anyone comes, respond using the 'normal form' we just discussed. No mistakes."
"As your boss, I'm heading out now to gain some experience, find out about the other new students, and familiarize myself with the train, in preparation for our future plans at Hogwarts."
The two immediately replied in unison, "Don't worry, boss! We'll guard the compartment and follow your rules strictly. We won't cause trouble, and we won't let anyone bully us either!"
After nodding in satisfaction, Draco said no more. He turned, reached out to open the compartment door, and slowly walked out.
He had only just stepped into the corridor when he heard the two talking in lowered voices in the compartment behind him.
"Boss... is the boss going out there to be a 'Boggart' too? Pretending to be harmless while gathering information about people must be much harder than guarding the compartment," Vincent said.
"Of course! That's a much harder mission. Only someone as amazing as the boss could pull it off."
At their "brilliant conclusion," Draco stumbled and nearly fell flat in the corridor.
He silently grumbled, Who the fuck said anything about being a Boggart!