Draco finished with a hint of smugness, but when he saw Lucius's gaze darken slightly, he quickly moderated his tone and explained with a smile, "Rare things attract more attention. No one at Hogwarts has ever kept a Chinese rural dog. If I brought one back, I'd definitely become the focus of the whole school. You'd be hard-pressed to find a second person even in England's entire wizarding world! Then I'd be the coolest guy at Hogwarts. Charming thousands of girls would be nothing, and finding you and Mother an outstanding daughter-in-law would be a breeze, wouldn't it?"
Narcissa beamed at Draco's words and tapped his forehead. "You certainly know what to say, child! If you really can bring Mother a thoughtful daughter-in-law, I'll find you a Chinese rural dog, even if I have to search the entire wizarding world!"
"Don't worry, Mother," Draco promised, patting his chest. "Just think whose good looks I inherited. With a face this handsome, how could I worry about girls not liking me?"
"Exactly!" Narcissa's eyes curved with her delighted smile. Brimming with joy, she turned and glared at Lucius. "Stop lecturing him with that stern face all the time. Our son is so outstanding, of course he can manage both romance and his studies. Why would he neglect either?"
Lucius shook his head helplessly but did not argue further. He merely cautioned, "You're still young. Don't keep dwelling on romance. Focus on your studies first. Building your own strength is what matters."
"I understand, Father," Draco replied with a smile. Giving Narcissa a thumbs-up, he added, "Mother needn't go to all that trouble, either. I think that at this stage, I should devote all my energy to building real capital. A pet that requires attention and care would offer only a limited increase in prestige, however rare it might be. I don't want anything, not even a little time spent feeding it, to dilute the precision of my preparations for the O.W.L. examinations."
Draco had started spouting nonsense again. He already had a fairly good grasp of how his parents thought.
Lucius raised his eyebrows slightly in cautious approval. "You've finally begun weighing the pros and cons like an heir. Your time should indeed be allocated wherever it yields the highest return."
Narcissa gave a proud, gratified smile and walked over to straighten Draco's collar gently. "My darling, it makes me proud to see you thinking things through so carefully. Your safety and success will always be our greatest concerns. Now that you have a clearer goal, of course we'll support you."
With their plans settled, the three split up.
Lucius and Narcissa headed toward Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, making for the bookshop and pet shop.
Draco turned and headed deeper into Diagon Alley, going first to Madam Malkin's Robe Shop. Wizarding robes had to be made to measure and took a little longer, so he needed to arrange that early.
The sunlight gradually grew stronger, spilling over the cobblestones and reflecting in tiny flecks of light. The calls from the surrounding shops mingled with the hooting of owls, forming the bustle unique to Diagon Alley.
Draco strolled along the street, looking at the fantastical sights before him, his heart full of anticipation. Let his journey to Hogwarts officially begin here in Diagon Alley.
When he reached Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and pushed open the door, the little brass bell hanging above it jingled. Its crisp notes pierced the soft scent of fabric inside, breaking the room's quiet.
Madam Malkin was bent over, arranging the brocade fabrics piled on her counter. At the sound, she immediately looked up from behind the colorful cloth and pushed up the round glasses perched on her nose. Her gaze swept toward the doorway through the lenses, initially holding a trace of surprise.
When she saw that her visitor was a boy who had come alone, her surprise faded in an instant, replaced by a warm, friendly smile, her expression full of a businessperson's customary attentiveness.
"Oh, a young gentleman!" she said brightly. Her short, plump figure emerged from behind the piles of fabric, her signature purple robes falling to her ankles and making her face look all the gentler. "Here to get your school robes ready for Hogwarts, I imagine? Why aren't your parents with you?"
"My parents went to buy other things and asked me to come order my robes alone," Draco replied composedly, his gaze sweeping discreetly around the shop.
The space was not particularly large, but it was filled to the brim with magical fabrics of every kind. Satin, velvet, and coarse linen were arranged throughout, and the air carried the distinctively soft, warm scent of cloth.
In a corner on the other side, a girl was already standing on a tall little stool. A silver magical measuring tape flitted nimbly around her, carefully taking her measurements.
A neatly dressed man and woman with gentle expressions stood beside the girl, presumably her parents. Both watched their daughter with smiles, full of expectation.
"Not a problem, not a problem. You'll be just as well looked after on your own." Madam Malkin waved a hand with a smile and came forward warmly, her tone growing even friendlier. "Welcome to Madam Malkin's Clothing Shop. I'm Madam Malkin, the owner. You're here to order your Hogwarts starting outfit, then?"
"Indeed, lovely madam." Draco inclined his head slightly and readily introduced himself. "I'm Draco Malfoy. Money is no object, so please use your finest fabrics to make the full set of school robes required for Hogwarts. They must be suitable and presentable."
"So you're the young master of the Malfoy family!" Understanding and respect flashed through Madam Malkin's eyes, and her smile grew still more sincere and eager. "No wonder you're so handsome and clever, and such a sweet talker, too. Don't worry. My magical measuring tape is the most accurate there is. I'll make you robes that suit your wishes perfectly, young master. You're sure to be satisfied. Come, this way, please."
With that, she stepped aside to lead him toward a tall stool in a more spacious area on the other side of the shop.
The stool was designed specifically for fittings, its height just right for the magical measuring tape to work.
Draco stepped steadily onto the stool. He had barely found his balance when, before he could react, a silver automatic magical measuring tape shot from a nearby wooden box with a whoosh.
As nimble as a darting little snake and trailing tiny glimmers of magic, the tape quickly began flying up and down around Draco's body.
Its movements were swift yet meticulous, sweeping past the crook of his arm to measure its length, winding around his waist to establish its circumference, and running along his trouser legs to measure his legs. Every measurement was taken precisely.
In no more than an instant, it finished measuring and flew back into the wooden box with another whoosh, quietly retracting as though it had never appeared.
Once the measurements were finished, Madam Malkin approached with a fabric book in one hand and a pair of finely textured leather gloves in the other.
Wearing a gentle smile, she checked the details carefully. "All done, young master Malfoy. Three sets of plain work robes, one black pointed hat, a pair of protective gloves, and one thick winter cloak for starting Hogwarts. Those are the items on the list. Is there anything missing?"
"Nothing missing. You remember it very clearly, madam," Draco replied with a nod, then asked, "How long will they take to make? Can I collect them today?"
"Of course." Madam Malkin promised at once, her tone certain. "Rest assured, young master Malfoy. We'll have all your robes ready before afternoon tea today. I guarantee we won't delay the rest of your shopping."
"That couldn't be better," Draco said with a smile.
Then he joked casually, "You needn't go out of your way to pursue absolute perfection, madam. As long as they look handsome and proper on me and bring out my charm, that will be best-if they can set the hearts of the little girls at Hogwarts fluttering, that would suit me even better. I've always believed in your taste, and I trust the quality of your shop's workmanship."
At these words, the smile on Madam Malkin's face faltered slightly.
Even her body paused for half a second. An extremely sharp gleam flashed through her eyes before turning into knowing appreciation, deep and perceptive.
She was exceptionally perceptive and quick-witted. Having run this clothing shop for years and dealt with all kinds of people from the wizarding world, she excelled at gauging her customers' thoughts. She instantly understood the multiple layers of meaning behind his words.
This was by no means a polite remark genuinely lowering his requirements. Rather, it was a sophisticated compliment wrapped in humility.
It affirmed her taste and skill while subtly setting a higher requirement: the robes were to complement the wearer, not the wearer the robes. The clothing was to help bring out his charm, not become a burden that obscured his radiance.
After a brief pause, Madam Malkin quickly collected herself. A courteous, solemn smile settled on her face as she openly accepted this special expression of "trust."
Then, with a measure of teasing in her tone and a measure of seriousness beneath it, she said, "Oh, my dear young master Malfoy, you truly have an innate understanding of how to make someone feel the weight of responsibility. A request like that takes more care than pursuing 'the best.'"
With that, she gently waved her wand. Light flickered at her fingertips, and a roll of parchment and a quill slowly floated over from the counter, hovering before her.
The quill dipped itself in ink and glided lightly across the parchment. Madam Malkin said with a smile, "Then please allow me to record this special request-'not the best, only the most flattering.' From now on, this will be young master Malfoy's exclusive tailoring standard, one of a kind."
She opened the fabric book in her hand, her fingertips passing over page after page of fine fabrics. Her manner held something of the rigor of an academic discussion rather than a simple sales pitch. "I understand what you mean, young master Malfoy. Overly elaborate embroidery and excessively vivid patterns can sometimes steal the show, competing with the wearer's own brilliance and producing an inferior result instead. Truly suitable robes should be understated and restrained, yet bring out the wearer's bearing and charm to just the right degree. That is the true essence of tailoring."
Finally, as though in passing, Madam Malkin added a remark, her tone carrying a subtle closeness and approval. "Rest assured, Mr. Malfoy. Having clothing complement its wearer rather than obscure them is itself the highest art of tailoring. Your father, Mr. Lucius, has always understood this well. When he came to order robes in the past, his thinking was just as perceptive."
Listening to Madam Malkin's meticulous interpretation, Draco actually felt a little numb inside.