Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

When Draco returned to the Slytherin common room, the three-person room he shared with Crabbe and Goyle, the two gluttonous boys were clumsily trying to stick a picture of Chocolate Frog on their bedside table, getting their hands covered in chocolate.

The room was filled with a sweet, cloying scent. Draco wrinkled his nose, and for no apparent reason, a faint, elegant aftertaste of the refreshing aroma of tea and the delicate flavors of pastries from an afternoon tea room flashed through his mind.

Ah, all those past events.

He waved his hand, ignoring the two henchmen's mumbled greetings, and went straight to his desk. He pulled out a special parchment with the Malfoy family crest printed on it and picked up his quill pen.

He wrote much more carefully and at length than he usually did in his letters to his mother to let her know he was safe. He described Henry Welsh—emphasizing the significance of the surname in the royal family—and mentioned Henry's private meeting with Dumbledore at breakfast, although he didn't know exactly what they talked about, but that in itself was a very useful piece of information.

Then, using all the vocabulary he had ever learned, he described in detail today's afternoon tea.

The delicate thinness of the bone china with its platinum rim, the contents of the three-tiered pastry stand, the unparalleled grace with which Henry poured tea, Henry's keen observation of the Slytherin rules during the conversation, his respect for the ancient family traditions, and finally, those meaningful words.

Draco wrote down his assessment: "He is far more than just a curious Muggle-born. The resources and perspectives he presents are unique, perhaps even unprecedented in our experience. He mentions mutual benefit, Father, and I think he warrants further observation and limited contact; he seems to understand our rules quite well."

At the end of the letter, he added, "He called me 'Draco,' in private."

Almost at the same moment, in the girls' dormitory, Pan Xi was also hunched over her desk, drawing rapidly with a quill pen, her face still flushed with excitement.

Her letter to her father was more sentimental, filled with detailed descriptions: "...You absolutely cannot imagine how exquisite that tea set was! More refined than the antiques we saw at the Magic Manor auction... Every movement of His Highness Henry (Draco insisted on using this honorific) was like a painting, the way he spoke... Oh, Father, he seemed so knowledgeable and respectful when he mentioned the goblin rights debates the Parkinson family had been involved in! He said the Slytherin rules were clear and structured, and that someone as methodical as Gemma Farley was destined for power... I feel he's not just trying to make friends, he's like... establishing some kind of salon? Like you said, the kind that used to be popular in the French wizarding world. He's at the core, and Draco and I are probably the first guests invited. It's important, isn't it? I think we should value this connection."

That evening, Lucius received a letter from his son.

He sat in front of the fireplace, reading his son's letter with his wife. The flames flickered, casting dappled light on his face.

"I never expected that there would be a member of Muggle royalty among this year's new students," Narcissa said with some emotion. "He's even a Slytherin..."

"Not only is he a member of the royal family, but he is also the eldest son of Prince Wales." Lucius's expression was uncertain.

"Do you think Xiaolong should contact him?" Narcissa asked.

“This could very well be an opportunity, Sissy,” Lucius smiled and then said, “The Ministry of Magic is getting increasingly unsettling, and Fudge is a complete idiot; he’s far too easily manipulated.”

He paused, gazing at the night sky outside the window, and continued, "Since that period, the status of pure-blood families in the magical world has become increasingly precarious, with some even advocating for compromise with Muggles... perhaps."

Narcissa frowned slightly, her tone filled with disgust: "But Little Dragon's letter said that Dumbledore was clearly making things easier for him, that old madman..."

"That's where the interesting part is, and that's where the risk lies." Lucius turned around. "Dumbledore tacitly approved, or even supported, him establishing some kind of influence here. This means that there might be some kind of tacit understanding or deal between this boy, or the Muggle royal family behind him, and Dumbledore that we don't know about."

"But conversely, if even Dumbledore thinks it's worth investing in..."

Before he finished speaking, Narcissa already understood what he meant.

"So, you mean..." Narcissa asked.

"Let Xiaolong continue to make contact and keep an eye on him." Lucius's decision was swift and clear. "But we must be more cautious. We can't appear too eager, or it will seem like the Malfoy family is trying to curry favor. We need to make him understand that this is an equal exchange based on mutual respect and potential benefits."

He emphasized this word: "Guide the little dragon, not only to learn those fancy etiquettes from this prince, but also to try to understand the operating rules of the Muggle upper class, their power logic, and how they view the wizarding world—these are more valuable pieces of information than Galleons."

He pulled out a letter paper with a silver snake emblem, picked up the quill pen inlaid with emeralds, and began to reply to Draco.

His handwriting was in ornate cursive script:

"...Your keen observation is commendable. Associating with peers who possess unique backgrounds and perspectives is a quality and foresight that a future gentleman should possess. Remember, Malfoy appreciates elegance and wisdom, no matter what they are disguised as."

"Dumbledore's attention is a signal worth noting, but it shouldn't be over-interpreted. Focus your energy more on understanding the world that Mr. Wells represents—its history and rules, and his perspective. This might offer you some new insights."

"Maintain your composure and judgment. You can share some family anecdotes that don't touch on the core issues as conversation starters, but more importantly, listen. Learning how to extract valuable information from conversations is a more practical skill than any magic spell."

Compared to the Malfoys's gentle demeanor, Mr. Parkinson's reply was much warmer.

Although they are members of the Holy Twenty-Eight and staunch pure-blood supremacists, the Parkinson and Malfoy families have long held the belief that Muggle nobles can communicate with wizards on an equal footing.

It's actually quite amusing, since both Muggle nobles and pure-blood wizards are, in some ways, just pure-blood individuals.

Moreover, pure-blood families are now in decline, no longer possessing their former glory. Coupled with the failure of their former master, Voldemort, many pure-blood families are looking for a way out.

Henry's appearance now is clearly a good opportunity, a good opportunity to restore the family's glory.

The implications of a wizard of royal lineage, who is also the eldest grandson and the direct heir, are self-evident.

To dispel the child's psychological barriers, Mr. Parkinson even dug out the story of how he had been loyal to the royal family and received a fiefdom from the family's collection of books.

The next morning at breakfast, two replies arrived at the Great Hall of Hogwarts, landing precisely on the young master's table.