Chapter 755
Gin
Chapter 755 Gin
Lucius Malfoy was walking briskly through an alleyway that seemed completely out of place with his status, his luxurious robes almost soaked in the stench of the surroundings.
The place was littered with garbage; plastic bags, beer bottles, and rotting waste almost completely covered the original road surface. The air was filled with the pungent, sour smell of spoiled food, and withered weeds stubbornly sprouted from the cracks in the bricks and walls, growing wildly.
Lucius Malfoy's face showed undisguised disgust and wariness. He tried his best to avoid stepping directly on the filth, and he pulled his black cloak tightly over himself, as if to protect himself from the rot and filth around him.
"Damn it! He's been living in a place like this all this time? Surrounded by Muggle garbage dumps?"
Lucius muttered a curse under his breath, but he still had to walk through the narrow alley to the last house. He stretched out his snake-headed cane and knocked on the door three times rapidly.
A moment later, he heard footsteps behind the door, and then it opened a crack, revealing Snape's sallow and thin face, with greasy black hair hanging down on both sides of his face.
He saw Lucius outside the door, his eyes showing no surprise, only a deep, knowing solemnity.
"Lucius."
"Let's talk after we get in!"
Before he could exchange a few polite words, Lucius, as if driven by an invisible fear, hurriedly squeezed through the narrow crack in the door.
Snape's sharp gaze swept across the empty alleyway outside the door, then he quickly slammed the door shut. The heavy bolt slammed down with a dull thud, completely isolating the inside from the outside.
Snape's room was dark and cramped. Despite being a wizard skilled in spells, he hadn't cast any spells to expand the space of his living room, making it feel as confined as a prison cell.
His walls were covered with books, the sofa was worn and frayed, and the armchairs and tables were wobbly.
In a corner near the fireplace, two motionless people lay on the floor, their clothes disheveled, their faces covered in bruises and grime, looking utterly wretched.
Lucius glanced at the two extra people, frowned slightly, pointed at them with disgust, and asked in a low voice, "Who are these guys, Severus?"
Snape stood in the shadows, his voice chilling as he said, “Two idiots lacking basic intelligence and judgment, thinking this is Wade Grey’s residence, planning to sneak in and steal something… like research notes, to sell for money.”
Lucius asked in shock, "How dare they?"
Even if the news was kept under wraps, they should still know that the puppets owned by Vader Grey himself possessed a high degree of intelligence and the ability to act autonomously.
Even if no one is home, wouldn't he leave a few puppets to guard the house?
Snape gave a mocking smile. "So, these are two idiots. Driven to madness by drugs and alcohol, they're capable of anything!"
"but……"
Lucius still found it strange, a bit illogical...
"Why would they think this is Wade Gray's place? Has that kid been coming and going here recently?"
Did Snape tutor Dumbledore's favorite during the holidays, in addition to being a teacher at Hogwarts during the week?
These words seemed to have struck a nerve with Snape, and his expression immediately turned even colder, a hint of humiliation and anger appearing on his face.
“It’s obvious…” Snape drawled, grinding his teeth as he spoke slowly, “This misunderstanding is, of course, the work of our ‘beloved’ headmaster… a crude but effective trap.”
Lucius couldn't help but let out an "Ah," wanting to scoff, but thinking of his own predicament, a mocking sense of shared misery crept onto his pale face. "Albus Dumbledore…these kinds of people are always like that…making the most of everything…"
Snape's brow twitched slightly as he glanced at Lucius's bitter face and chuckled inwardly.
"Sit down and talk... although this place is a bit too simple for you."
With a flick of his wand, Snape sent a dusty wine bottle and two glasses flying towards him. Snape sat down opposite Lucius, casually wiped the bottle, and poured a glass for each of them.
"Ah, gin."
The familiar aroma of the wine seemed to awaken something in Lucius. He glanced at the label on the bottle, then looked up at Snape:
"I remember this...isn't this a Christmas present I gave you a few years ago?"
“Indeed,” Snape said nonchalantly. “I wouldn’t spend money on something like that. So, Lucius…”
He looked directly at the other person, his voice low and smooth, devoid of any emotion, and asked, "What is your purpose in coming to see me? To catch up?"
Lucius's expression stiffened slightly, his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly, and his eyes quickly swept around before settling on the two people lying on the ground.
"Don't worry," Snape said, "they won't wake up until tomorrow morning."
Lucius still seemed a little uneasy, but he had no other choice. So, in a furtive manner, he took out a small rectangular package wrapped in black dragon skin from inside his cloak.
“This is…this is what the master needs.” Lucius lowered his voice so much that each word seemed to be squeezed out tremblingly from between his teeth.
Snape's gaze immediately fell on the dragon skin wrapping, and his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
He didn't ask anything, but slowly stretched out his withered hand, palm up, silently asking for something.
But Lucius didn't hand it over; instead, he gripped it even tighter.
"I..." He swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, "Could I... hand it to him myself..."
“I’m afraid that won’t work,” Snape said expressionlessly. “You should understand why, Lucius. The Dark Lord hasn’t come knocking yet. Giving your whole family an Avada Kedavra kill is already merciful of him.”
Lucius was speechless, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.
Snape glanced at him, reached out, and just as his fingertips were about to touch the package, Lucius's fingers suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He seemed to regret handing it over so easily, and wanted to use the item for some kind of transaction; or perhaps he was gripped by some deeper suspicion and fear, and clung to it tightly.
In an instant, the two grabbed one side of the package, creating an eerie standoff.
The candles in the chandelier overhead swayed as they burned, their faint light flickering on the two faces and reflecting their silent gazes at each other.
(End of this chapter)