Chapter 374 Brought a Condition of Exchange

Chapter 374 Brought a Condition of Exchange

After the Herbology class that day, Amanta didn't see Draco for almost the entire day.

That's good, she doesn't want to see him.

After she pushed that emotion into the deepest row of bookshelves in the library's collection room, she returned to her dorm and dealt with her homework and notes as usual, but her mind was empty.

It was not until the evening that she was stopped by someone in the corridor on her way to the library.

"Amanta."

The voice was soft, the words were restrained, with a unique aristocratic pause.

Julius Hoffmann was leaning against a stone pillar at the corner, wearing a neatly ironed dark school robe and looking calm, as if he was just passing by.

But he was clearly waiting for her.

Amanta was not surprised, she just turned slightly and said calmly: "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Of course." He said calmly, "It's about Draco Malfoy."

Amanta's eyes did not fluctuate, but her movements paused: "You know a lot."

"At Hogwarts, listening is more important than casting spells." He took two steps closer, not keeping too much distance from her, but never crossing the line. "You are not the kind of person who can be easily fooled, Amanta. You are smart... I think you have seen clearly that Master Malfoy will never violate anything for you."

Amanta said nothing.

Julius was not anxious, and spoke softly: "He would sacrifice for his family, and would compromise for the sake of face - unfortunately, he is unwilling to take risks for you."

These words were like water drops falling on glass. There was no sound, but a tiny crack was created in the bottom of my heart.

Amanta's eyelashes twitched slightly, and her voice remained calm: "You stopped me today, are you planning to help me see the reality?"

"No," Julius smiled, with a faint smile on his lips, "I am here to formally invite you."

He slowly extended his hand, palm facing up: "Be my dance partner at the Christmas dance."

Amanta didn't move or answer.

She just looked at him, her eyes calm yet sharp: "Haven't you been rejected once?"

"That was just a warm-up." A smile flashed in his eyes, "This time, I brought chips."

Amanta was silent.

"I know you want to get inside the crown." Julius whispered, "To really get inside it, you need to break the curse left by Voldemort. I have a page of ancient white magic records that may be of some help to you in breaking it."

He spoke with the same elegance as always, as if he were telling the secret legacy of an ancient family.

"This is a gift, of course, you can also understand it as a quid pro quo."

Amanta stared at him, and there was finally a slight ripple in her eyes.

She was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "So... you're telling me now? As a condition for agreeing to your promise?"

Julius spread his hands and made a gesture of "I didn't say that", but he admitted it without saying a word.

Amanta suddenly chuckled, her smile was very light, but with a hint of sarcasm: "You always like to play this kind of trick."

"But you always agree." He continued calmly, "Because you know what I say is right."

"Aren't you afraid that I might turn against you in the future?"

"I believe that your desire for knowledge and power far outweighs your vigilance against me."

Amanta's fingertips tightened for a moment.

After a long silence, she let out a breath softly, like a sigh that she didn't want anyone to hear.

"……it is good."

She whispered, "I promise you."

Julius didn't show much emotion, he just nodded slightly, as if everything was under his control.

Amanta didn't rush to turn around and leave.

She paused, then suddenly asked, "Why are you looking for me?"

"You're not in need of a dance partner," she said calmly, "nor do you have no goals. You can even use that ancient white magic record to get anyone to cooperate."

"But you chose me."

Julius's eyes calmed down for a moment.

After a moment, his voice was soft and hoarse:

"Because no one else deserves my hand on prom night."

"And you're worth it."

Amanta did not respond.

She stood in the middle of the dimly lit corridor, her shadow cast on the stone bricks, like a flowerless tree standing in a snowy night.

*

Slytherin common room.

Green light from underwater reflected into the stone wall, dyeing the whole space with a layer of dark light. The fireplace was burning in the corner, and the fire was reflected on the silver and green sofa.

Draco stood in front of the fireplace, in his school robes, and seemed to have not moved for a while.

Bryce whispered something, but he didn't hear it clearly, so he just waved his hand to send the person away.

Not far away, Julius was leaning against the other end of the lounge, holding a potion notebook, leisurely reading it on the sofa. His expression was calm, but his eyes occasionally glanced at the familiar figure reflected in the firelight.

Until Draco finally spoke.

"I heard you invited her," he said.

The tone was light, like a feather falling on the water.

Julius didn't look up. "Rumors do travel fast at Hogwarts."

"She promised you."

This is not a question.

“Obviously.” Julius turned the page and said in a lukewarm tone, “I’m honored.”

Draco narrowed his eyes slightly.

He took two steps forward and stood beside the coffee table, his eyes falling on Julius: "When did you become interested in her?"

"What kind of 'interest' do you mean?" Julius finally looked up with a smile in his eyes. "Her talent? Her bloodline? Or her dancing skills?"

Draco sneered: "Do you think you deserve it?"

"If you are worthy but you didn't ask," Julius closed the book slowly, speaking gently, "it can only be said that you gave way to me."

The firelight flickered and shone into his eyes, like a light drawn out from some abyss.

"Don't be so complacent," Draco whispered. "She won't take you seriously."

"But she is my dance partner now, not yours." Julius stood up, his tall figure standing at the intersection of the firelight and the water shadow, "She made her choice."

"That was not a choice." Draco's tone was tense, "That was the result of your careful planning."

Julius smiled slightly, did not deny it, and said calmly: "You can think so... but the result will not change."

The two stood in the middle of the lounge, only two steps apart.

One is the heir of the Malfoy family who lives a life of luxury but cannot defy fate; the other is the heir of the Hoffman family who is elegant and gloomy but has long since abandoned his conscience.

Their bloodline, status, dignity, and desires are intertwined at this moment.

"I advise you to be more restrained." Draco gritted his teeth, "Don't even think about touching her."

“I didn’t touch her.” Julius smiled, almost tenderly. “But you didn’t hold her either.”

*

At the same time, snow was falling heavily in the castle courtyard at the other end.

Amanta and Harry walked side by side on the stone pavement in the courtyard, each holding a glass of butterbeer in their hands. The stars in the distance were sparse, and the night wind blew the snowflakes onto their cloaks, melting them quietly.

"You really agreed to dance with him?" Harry couldn't help asking, "I'm not saying you can't agree, but... you actually agreed to be Julius's dance partner?"

Amanta didn't answer, but lowered her head and took a sip of beer.

"I'm not saying that Draco is right," Harry said quickly. "He's a bastard, and he's always saying one thing and thinking another, and he's acting like an acromantula, and he did a really stupid thing about the dance partner - but is that really the end of it?"

Amanta smiled faintly and said nothing.

"...I'm not speaking for him!" Harry immediately defended, "It's just that I really think he was almost ashamed... He sat in the dormitory that day for a whole night, writing something overnight and finally tore it all up..."

"You look more anxious than he is." Amanta said softly.

Harry was stunned.

"What about you?" Amanta asked, "You and Luna, are you ready for the Christmas ball? Have you picked out your dresses? Have you chosen your accessories?"

Harry was caught off guard by this change of direction: "Me? Huh? I, I... I only prepared a green bow tie, and she said she wanted to wear silver, and I, I was going to match hers, but I'm not sure if that's romantic-"

Amanta laughed out loud.

"You're more nervous than the game."

"No... because she will look really beautiful in a dress," Harry scratched his head and blushed, "I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with the pace and might step on her feet and make her cripple..."

"Don't worry," Amanta said softly, "Luna is so smart, she must have practiced how to dodge in advance."

"Are you making fun of me too?" Harry complained.

"I don't have that ability," Amanta looked up into the distance, "our dean is better at it."

Harry glanced at her secretly and didn't continue speaking.

The snowy night was quiet, her profile hidden between the snow and the light, calm, clear and expressionless.

But he knew that she must not have let it go.