Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Pansy picked up a golden thief and examined it for a while.

"Your mother's cooking is really good."

Daphne blushed slightly: "Thank you."

Henry took a small star, took a bite, and tasted honey and nuts, sweet but not cloying.

"It's delicious." He nodded in affirmation.

Daphne's eyes lit up with joy.

Draco leaned back on the sofa, holding a glass of juice that Pansy had poured for him, looking as if he was deep in thought.

He kept thinking about what Henry had just said—politics is about how people can get along well; not everyone has to be a friend; and if he can't be harmed, that's how you protect yourself.

These words swirled in his mind like a pack of restless golden thieves.

"Your Highness." After hesitating for a long time, he finally made up his mind and spoke.

Henry looked at him and put down the little star cookie in his hand.

"What's wrong?"

Draco carefully chose his words: "What you just said...about politics...may I ask you again?"

These words were spoken very politely, completely unlike the arrogant Malfoy he usually was.

Henry glanced at him, then at Pansy and Daphne—the two of them had also perked up their ears, their eyes full of curiosity.

"Want to learn?" Henry asked.

All three nodded at the same time.

Henry smiled.

Teaching those around you is something a qualified ruler should do. Take the Pei County group and the Huaixi group, for example. Were they truly born with innate talent? Not at all. Even Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't escape the need for learning.

This is not about having them as nannies, but about making them work better for me.

"Then answer one question for me first—why do you want to learn?" Henry asked.

Draco paused for a moment, then lowered his head and thought about it seriously.

"Because I am the heir to the Malfoy family," he said, looking up. "My father said that the Malfoy family has status and influence in the wizarding world, but these things don't fall from the sky; they need to be maintained. If I don't understand politics, how will I maintain them in the future?"

Henry nodded and looked at Pansy.

Pansy thought for a moment and said, "The Parkinson family too. My dad says the wizarding world is getting more and more complicated, and the old ways don't work anymore. If you don't learn, you'll be left behind sooner or later."

Daphne said softly, "My father also said that things are different now than before. Having bloodlines alone is not enough; you also need brains."

After listening, Henry did not rush to answer, but instead lingered his gaze on the three expectant people for a moment.

Then he said, "You're all right, but there's an even more important reason."

The three people watched him, waiting for him to continue.

"You want to study politics," Henry said slowly, "not because you are heirs of a pure-blood family, but because you are already in this game, and there's no escaping it. Since you can't escape it, you have to learn how to play."

Draco frowned. "So how are we supposed to learn?"

"Let's start with questions." Henry picked up the little star cookie again and took a graceful bite.

The green flames in the fireplace flickered, casting shifting light and shadow on the faces of the people, all with a slightly banana-green hue.

Henry leaned back on the sofa, his posture relaxed, but his words were anything but relaxed.

"You just asked, what if some people just don't want to be together?" he said. "That's a good question. Now I'll ask you—what if that person is someone you have to face, someone you can't avoid? What will you do then?"

Draco tentatively asked, "Then... how about we find a way to make him willing to be with me properly?"

"How do we figure something out?" Henry asked.

Draco was stumped; he didn't know how to answer.

Pansy whispered from the side, "Give him a bribe?"

"What are the benefits?" Henry asked.

Pansy got stuck too.

Daphne said softly, "Find what he wants?"

"What if he wants something you can't give him?" Henry asked.

Daphne fell silent.

Henry looked at the three of them but didn't rush to speak.

After a while, he finally spoke.

"What I just mentioned are just the most basic things," he said. "The real difficulty isn't knowing these things, but knowing which one to use when facing a specific situation."

He paused for a moment, then gave a relaxed smile.

"For example, suppose Mr. Fudge wants to win me over now, what should I do?"

Draco immediately replied, "You said before that you wanted him to think you had been won over, but that's not true."

"Yes, but how do we make him feel that way?" Henry asked.

Draco can't do it again.

Pansy tentatively asked, "You cooperate with him on the surface, but don't cooperate behind his back?"

"What if he's not satisfied with just going through the motions?" Henry countered.

Pansy got stuck too.

Daphne said softly, "So that he feels you're cooperating, but he can't find fault with it?"

Henry looked at her and gave her a gentle smile.

"This idea is correct, but how exactly do we implement it?"

Daphne thought for a moment, then slowly said, "For example, if he asks you to participate in an event, you go. But at the event, don't make any statements. Just show up, make an appearance, and then leave."

Henry nodded.

"Okay, what if he publicly praises you at an event and asks you to express your opinion?"

Daphne paused for a moment.

"Then...then..."

"Then say 'Thank you for your concern, Minister,'" Henry continued. "Don't express any particular attitude, but it will sound polite and cooperative."

Daphne's eyes lit up.

"That's it!" she exclaimed excitedly.

The group chatted for a while longer, becoming increasingly engrossed in their conversation.

Draco asked many questions—how to judge whether a person is trustworthy, how to refuse without offending anyone, and how to make others feel like they are on his side when they are not.

Henry answered them one by one, sometimes giving the answer directly, and sometimes asking them questions in return so they could think of it themselves.

Pansy and Daphne asked a lot of questions, mostly about specific situations—what to do if you encounter someone you don't like at school, what to do if you encounter an awkward situation at a family gathering, and what to do if you are asked a question you don't want to answer.

Henry offered suggestions, some of which were things they could think of, and some of which they hadn't thought of at all.

"Your Highness," Pansy couldn't help but ask, "where did you learn all this?"

"I was taught by someone, and I also watched it myself," Henry replied.

"Who taught him?" Draco asked somewhat anxiously.

"A very wise old gentleman." Henry didn't say much more. "He taught me a lot, but most importantly, he taught me how to see things for myself."

Pansy and Daphne exchanged a glance and didn't ask any further questions.

As night deepened, fewer and fewer people remained in the common room until only a few of them were left.

Draco leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh of relief.

"I learned more today," he said, "than I learned all over the entire holiday."

Pansy nodded in agreement. Although she had always liked to agree with Draco, she swore that this time she meant it.

Daphne said softly, "Your Highness, may we consult you more often in the future?"

Henry looked into her expectant eyes.

"Yes," he said, "but on one condition."