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If Delphine goes over to Voldemort's side, and as I said, no matter for what reasons, I will have to follow her or break the contract, which is fraught with consequences both magical and social. All masters are members of the corresponding guilds or other organizations or at least registered there. Copies of the contracts are stored there as well. The reasons for termination, the consequences thereof, and other information, including the party that terminated it — all this is indicated in these guilds. Changing the life values of a master is not a valid reason, which means that if I take this step, it will be very difficult for me to master transfiguration, chimerology, and healing. In addition, such a step will ruin relations with the Head of the Greengrass House... the chain of consequences can be dragged indefinitely.

Indeed. Books, rules, foundations, guild codes...

Leaning back in my chair, I looked intently at the thoughtful Delphine.

"How do you look at the option in which your plus one will be me?"

Lady Greengrass looked up at me, full of genuine surprise, and I continued my thought.

"If my memory serves me right, the position of apprentice to the master allows me to play the role of an accompanying person at social events without any loss of honor. This way, we will be able to achieve several goals at once. On the one hand, my obvious kinship with the House of Black for adult wizards from old families and my presence next to you as an apprentice will create a number of questions that they will definitely want to get answers to. For example, how aware of my own lineage am I? What is my position in the House? What I can dispose of and what I can't. In what disciplines are you a master? After all, this question is known to few people, as I understand it. What is your strength level? What is the extent of our cooperation? What is going on? Those who are more familiar with the past and were present at the Dark Lord's resurrection will ask the far more serious and unpleasant question - did Henry Greengrass burn in the fire of Protego Diabolica due to ignorance and oversight or were there other reasons? Particularly cunning and experienced people can imagine, no one knows what! For example, that in the absence of worthy successors, young Max Knight was able to gain supremacy over the House of Black. Then asked to be an apprentice of the Head of the Greengrass House. By prior agreement, they decided to bury Henry, and an experienced and rather powerful schemer, the Head of Greengrass, decided to combine the assets, knowledge, and connections of two influential noble families under her strict guidance, using an ancient and trouble-free method."

I've never seen Lady Greengrass's eyes open so wide. She looked at me as if she saw a tame nundu, which is a priori nonsense. Delphine blinked a couple of times, and her lips began to stretch into a smile, and after a couple of seconds, she laughed loudly, leaning back in her chair. When she stopped laughing, she looked at me with a look full of amusement.

"That sounds so delusional and unnatural that it's easy to believe something like that!" she didn't hide her satisfied smile.

"Exactly," I smiled back. "Confirm nothing, deny nothing, and their minds will paint themselves a similar picture. Such an appearance will make the smart ones diligently dig the ground with their noses in search of information, and the alternatively gifted ones will hurry to move from planned actions to hasty ones, seeing that the potential for control is flowing out of their hands like sand."

"They'll give themselves and their plans away," Delphine's smile turned predatory and her gaze sharp. "And then a preemptive strike can be made. Moreover, directly at the reception itself, this will bring down all plans."

"Yes. This will give time until Hogwarts, in which Astoria and Daphne will be relatively safe, and they will be able to influence them only through other students but even then not too actively. This means there will be time before Christmas to quiet all the zealots. All I have to do to mislead everybody is to be a gentleman to you and succumb to some provocation, and I'm sure there will be some. Well, and kick someone's ass."

"Aren't you afraid? Go into the Dark Lord's lair?"

"I'm worried. By the way, if we accept this plan for execution, then I will have to get information somewhere about acceptable measures of behavior at such receptions."

"No problem. I will send you a couple of books and memories of such events by mail, especially rich in various events. However, your status as a disciple, on the one hand, is a restriction, and on the other — a carte blanche."

"So? What do we do?"

"We proceed according to your plan."

"Then," I got up from the chair and walked over to the Delphine sitting there, holding out my hand in a slight bow. "Allow me, Lady Greengrass, to invite you to a very dubious event at the house of the Malfoy family, and at the same time, the headquarters of the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters."

Delphine was instantly transformed, trying on the image of a flirtatious girl, and gave her hand.

"With pleasure, Lord Black," she smiled dazzlingly and, holding my hand, rose from her chair.

"And will you be able to play a little bit of a loving and selfless young man?" she continued to smile the same way.

"With your beauty and dazzling smile, it won't be a problem."

"I'm flattered," Delphine gave out a slight curtsy, and then her face returned to seriousness. "Let's not waste any time. We should both get ready. I'll send the parcel today."

Returning to my serious mood, I nodded.

"Then I'm going home immediately."

After saying goodbye, I threw the bag that was already packed on my shoulder. Together with Lady Greengrass, we reached the apparation area and moved each in our own direction.