HP: She married Malfoy after becoming an exchange student.

With the holidays approaching, Elias and Draco planned to make a "second trip to Germany," and Draco even started packing his bags with great enthusiasm, intending to stay in Germany for a few more days.

Contrary to expectations, the head of the Reinhardt family wrote to Elias, urging him to spend more time with Isabella during the holidays to cultivate their relationship.

Elias found his father's talk of cultivating affection laughable.

This marriage was nothing more than a mutually beneficial arrangement:

The Bach family monopolized the supply of wand cores in Germany, making them incredibly successful in business. As long as wizards needed wands, the Bach family would remain powerful. Over generations, their Galleons had become countless.

The Reinhardt family has interests in various fields, and one of their ancestors even served as the Supreme President of the International Wizarding Federation, giving them considerable influence in the German magical community.

Both sides were well aware that one wanted to leverage their power and the other wanted money—whether it was Elias or Isabella. The talk of feelings was merely a fig leaf used to appease the media and the public.

Helpless, Elias could only write to Draco to apologize and hope he wouldn't be too angry.

Malfoy Estate

Draco was furious when he received the letter. If he could turn into a bird and fly to Berlin right now, he would definitely beat Elias with his wings.

The reply was very Malfoy-esque, magnanimously expressing his understanding. But Elias knew Draco was definitely angry, so he quickly wrote back promising to bring him cinnamon cookies when school started.

The two continued to correspond until the start of the school year, and Draco's anger was successfully dispelled.

……

In August, Diagon Alley was packed with wizarding families buying supplies for the new school term.

In the window of Flourish and Blotts, a giant poster of Gilderoy Lockhart with his bright, grinning smile almost filled the entire glass, with the words "Giddro Lockhart Book Signing Event - Today Only!" written in exaggerated cursive script below.

The bookstore was even more crowded than outside, the air was stuffy and hot, and the smells of parchment, new book ink and people were mixed together.

Hermione Granger, struggling to push through the crowd of excited witches with a stack of Lockhart's works that nearly reached her head, cried out, "Excuse me, please—" but her voice was drowned out by the clamor.

Outside the door, Harry and the Weasleys had just arrived.

Arthur Weasley was checking a long list of books, while Ginny held her mother's hand tightly, her eyes wide with excitement.

"So many Lockhart books?" Ron Weasley stared at the list, his face turning pale. "How much did this cost—"

"Stop complaining, Ron," Molly Weasley said firmly. "This is what Hogwarts requires."

Just then, another group of people came from the direction of Flip-Down Alley.

Lucius Malfoy wore a dark green velvet robe and held a silver serpent cane. Draco walked beside him, wearing a brand-new black travel cloak, his platinum blonde hair meticulously styled. Next to Draco walked Elias Reinhardt.

At Draco's insistence, Elias rushed to Diagon Alley as soon as he arrived in England to meet with the Malfoys.

The two-month summer vacation seemed to have made him grow taller; his long, silver-gray hair was simply tied back, and his dark gray robe was devoid of any extra embellishment. The German boy's expression was calm, his light silver eyes sweeping across the crowded bookstore interior.

"Tsk," Lucius drawled, "Lohart... the Ministry of Magic really should check if his professorship contract includes any self-promotion clauses."

Draco chuckled softly. "Shall we go in now, Father?" he asked, his grey eyes sweeping over the conspicuous redheads in the crowd.

“Of course,” Lucius said slowly, “Malfoy never backs down for any reason.”

Just as they entered the bookstore, Harry Potter's slightly out of breath came from the side: "Excuse me, could you please move aside?"

Harry and the Weasleys were squeezed to the doorway. He looked up and met Draco's gaze.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

"Potter." Draco's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for Harry to hear.

Harry paused, clearly not expecting such a calm greeting. "Malfoy," he replied briefly, a wary glint in his green eyes.

Lucius's gaze swept across Harry's scar like a cold blade before turning to Arthur Weasley. "Arthur," the platinum-haired aristocrat drawled, his tone polite yet almost sarcastic, "what a coincidence. You're here shopping for the children too?"

Arthur's face darkened: "It's obvious, Lucius."

A sudden burst of even louder screams and applause erupted in the bookstore, breaking the tense atmosphere between the two. Gilderoy Lockhart himself—wearing a floral blue robe, his blond hair gleaming—was descending from upstairs, making one wonder if he had used some kind of flash magic.

"That's great! Welcome, welcome!" His loud voice drowned out the noise.

Lockhart's gaze suddenly locked onto Harry.

"Merlin! Could this be Harry Potter?!"

Lockhart pushed through the crowd, grabbed Harry by the shoulder and pulled him to the front, and the flashbulbs went off.

"A classic encounter!" Lockhart announced loudly to the crowd, "Young Harry Potter is here today to buy my book!"

Harry looked bewildered, Ron rolled his eyes in the crowd, while Molly Weasley, standing to the side, looked excited.

Draco's lips twitched as he watched the comical scene unfold on stage. He turned his head and saw Elias looking at Lockhart with a look of inquiry in his eyes.

"Here, Harry, let me give you the whole set—" Lockhart shoved a pile of his books into Harry's arms, "For free!"

Just then, Lucius gracefully made his way through the crowd, his cane lightly touching the ground, with Elias and Draco following a step behind him.

"Gidero," Lucius's voice was low but clear, "it seems your marketing tactics... are as effective as ever."

Lockhart turned around, his smile widening. "Oh, Mr. Lucius! My old friend! And Mr. Malfoy—and this is?"

"Elijas Reinhardt," Lucius introduced, his tone carrying a hint of unassuming reserve, "is the heir to the German Reinhardt family."

"It's an honor!" Lockhart extended his hand, but Elias merely nodded slightly, seemingly not intending to shake it. Lockhart's hand paused awkwardly in mid-air for a second before casually withdrawing it.

“I think we need to buy books for the new semester,” Lucius continued, glancing at Arthur, “even though…some people might need charitable donations to scrape together the money.”

Arthur's face darkened completely. "We don't need yours..."