Chapter 135: “The Truth”
Draco deserved it? Matthew was taken aback by the straightforward admission.
In fact, after the Dueling Club incident, he had already begun to suspect that this book might have been responsible for his attack on Draco.
But he hadnt anticipated such a clear and concise confession from the book and a seemingly reasonable exnation.
With a renewed interest, Matthew wrote again:
Why did you decide he deserved such a fate?
The ink shimmered for a moment before the green handwriting emerged once more:
Youll soon understand.
Matthew found himself in a bizarre game of mime with the book and couldnt help but chuckle.
Honestly, based on his interactions over the past year or so
Although Matthew still remained in the dark about the books origin and abilities, he had gathered some clues:
Under normal circumstances, the book wouldnt harm him
In fact, it sometimes even seemed to actively protect him
Its worth noting that, considering its power, if the book wanted him gone, it could have achieved that at any point over thest year.
Yet, it had no intention of harming himexcept for that unfortunate toad.
Rather than malevolence, it demonstrated what could be interpreted as survival behaviors
For example, when Draco attempted to frame himst September, the book intervened to prevent it.
Otherwise, if Matthew had been falsely used, his life at Hogwarts could have be exceedingly difficult.
Then, when he contemted seeking Morgana in February of the current year, the book discouraged him.
Truth be told, Morgana posed a significant danger. It seemed that even with Professor Grindelwalds strategic consideration, her power could lead to catastrophic consequences.
This book hadnt undermined Matthews interests (except for that one toad).
Perhaps due to this, a few months ago, in the face of Professor Grindelwald, Matthew could have easily told him about the book.
Given Professor Grindelwalds reputation, he might have been amenable to helping rid Matthew of the dark magical item on the mysterious side.
Such an endeavor could be daunting for ordinary wizards, but it might not have been insurmountable for someone like Professor Grindelwald.
Yet, in the end, Matthew had chosen silence.
Despite the strange events and the toad incident, he had developed a certain attachment to the book over the past year.
Regardless of its purpose, it had remained with him for so long without attempting to harm him. Thus, he decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach.
Furthermore, his rtionship with the book could be deemed a peaceful coexistence.
If the book had genuinely hostile intentions, what would prevent it from resorting to extremes? And how could Matthew guarantee that it wouldnt push him into a corner and lead to disastrous consequences?
He had no wish to witness such an oue.
Closing the book and returning it to the drawer, Matthew felt a sense of anticipation.
If the book imed hed know soon, then he could afford to wait.
Barely had he closed the drawer when he heard a mor of footsteps outside his door.
Momentster, the bedroom door swung open.
Draco and the others had returned.
Draco still had a bandage wrapped around his head, traces of blood visible on the gauze.
Vincent and Gregory supported Malfoy on either side, their sturdy arms serving as makeshift crutches.
Theodore followed closely behind.
The four of them locked eyes in the doorway, with Matthew inside the room.
Matthew couldnt help but sense an odd tension emanating from them.
Notably, their eyes reflected a mix of fear and reverence, and they seemed hesitant to meet his gaze directly.
A stifling silence enveloped the room, creating an increasingly peculiar atmosphere.
Good evening, Matthew greeted slowly.
Matthew Dracos voice trembled, cutting through the silence in the room.
His words were strained, his voice quivering as though suppressing intense fear.
Forgive us Were sorry We were wrong We wont do it again Please forgive us
Dracos words sounded almost incoherent, resembling a jumble of nonsensical thoughts.
Likewise, Theodore, Vincent, and Gregory lowered their heads in a mixture of fear and unease.
It was as though they were on the verge of kneeling
Matthew blinked, hisprehension suddenly dawning.
He had finally understood the situation!
Why had Draco and the others been avoiding him?
Why did the book manipte him during the Dueling Club practice, causing him to attack Draco?
Why did the book attribute such strong sentiment to Draco?
The truth seemed to be evident in an instant.
While hecked all the details, it was evident that Draco, Theodore, Vincent, and Gregory were all from pure-blood families and returned from the summer break with no intention of allowing another term of being dominated by Mudbloods within Hogwarts.
From Malfoys perspective, they were tired of feeling underrepresented and sought a change.
Thus, they had likely been plotting something since the start of the term.
Even the supposed confiscation of his broomstick by Mr. Pringle might have been an borate ruse; their true intention had been to strategize together.
It could have been an act of retaliation against Matthew or perhaps an attempt to embarrass him publicly
Though the details remained shrouded, Matthew didnt need to know them.
However, although they had operated in the shadows, the book was privy to their actions.
The book had detected their activities and subsequently exhibited a righteous rage during the Dueling Club, manipting Matthew to target Draco and causing him to sustain injuries.
Naturally, Draco was unaware of Matthews side of the story, and Matthew remained ignorant of the plot Draco had hatched.
Draco, interpreting Matthews actions as retaliation, had returned to the dormitory and feltpelled to confess everything
Matthew neither confirmed nor denied; he simply gazed at the four individuals in the doorway.
It was evident that their hearts were fraught with unease and trepidation.