Chapter 327

As Harry and Lucius's conversation was about to begin, Lucius suddenly said, "I think it might be better to speak with both of you together, since what I wish to discuss concerns matters common to us all."

"Common matters?" Harry glanced at Sirius, then replied indifferently, "That's fine."

Sirius pulled out a chair and sat beside the tea table, then smiled and nodded, signaling Lucius to begin.

"Friends," Lucius said gently, "when I say this, I sincerely hope we can speak as friends. Let us be open and honest—set aside the Dark Lord for now. What are your dreams?"

"I'll speak first," Lucius smiled faintly. "What I've sought all along is merely the continuation and expansion of my family—indeed, expanding the family serves only to better ensure its continuity. It sounds traditional, even rigid, but after one's basic needs are met, a void always arises. You seek a purpose worthy of a lifetime's struggle—and that is the meaning of a dream."

"A dream lies not in its fulfillment, but in the pursuit itself—the effort poured into it is enough to fill the emptiness within us," Lucius said with deep sincerity. "So, may I ask you two: what are your dreams?"

Harry frowned. His own dream was clear: he wanted to build a better society in the British magical world and use magic's conveniences to test the feasibility of a communist society. Though he had not yet seriously considered how to achieve it, he was determined to fight step by step against the forces inevitably opposing it.

But for Ho Fa, his dream was vague. Harry had never considered what Ho Fa's dream might be, nor did he know what it ought to be.

"Let me speak first," Sirius said, seeing Harry still thinking. "Once, I lived entirely according to others' expectations. When my family demanded I serve the Dark Lord, I accepted it as the entirety of my life's meaning. But after the Dark Lord's defeat fifteen years ago, I fell into despair and confusion."

He had studied Regulus's character thoroughly, so his words carried immediate credibility.

"After more than a decade of traveling the world, I still haven't found the answer," Sirius chuckled bitterly. "I crave freedom—I don't want to be bound by anything. Perhaps I'll need much more time to find my dream. But until then, I'll strengthen myself, so that in the future I may choose my dream freely, unimpeded by any person or power."

Sirius's tone carried no hint of pretense. Harry could feel that the fabricated "Regulus's life" and the real "Sirius's life" had converged at this moment—the confusion in Sirius's voice was, in truth, his own.

"And you, Ho Fa?" Lucius asked with a smile.

"I," Harry hesitated, then fabricated Ho Fa's dream based on his own feelings, "when I parted from Tom, I entrusted my life's meaning to his request. But soon, as I lived in other lands and encountered all kinds of… different lives, I felt that promise growing lighter in my heart. I no longer focused solely on Tom's task, but turned more attention to what lay before me."

"Now that this day has truly come, I feel unprepared," Harry said sincerely. After hearing Barty's final words in the time rift, he had indeed felt this sudden, jarring sense of being caught off guard.

"I don't even know what drove me to this point. Sitting here at your round table, I feel out of place. I've told myself many times: don't get too involved. I'm only here to fulfill an old promise. But the matter is so complex, and the promise so hard to keep." Harry feigned a sigh. "I'm uncertain. I don't know how to decide next."

"For you, Ho Fa, you've already found your life—only the Dark Lord's affairs shattered that peace," Lucius said softly, raising an eyebrow. "You must also wish for this matter to be resolved quickly, so you can return home to your wife and children."

Harry's heart stirred. He sensed Lucius was probing for details about Ho Fa. If Ho Fa truly had a wife and children, his life had a traceable pattern. But if he had no family, then he had nothing "more worthy of attention than the Dark Lord"—meaning he had lied earlier.

Harry knew a simple truth: it was easier to pretend to be someone you knew than to invent a completely new identity. He recalled the image of a middle-aged man alone, burdened with a mission, and quickly settled on one: Mr. Leo, Neville's tutor.

"In fact, I have no wife or children," Ho Fa said naturally, his face subtly tinged with a nostalgic smile. "I live with an old friend, tutoring her grandson. He's a remarkably bright child—very capable… ahem, digressing. I only mean to say I have ample time to handle these matters. No need to rush back."

"Ah, I understand," Lucius immediately adjusted to fit Ho Fa's persona. "So you wish to faithfully complete the Dark Lord's commission, willing to spend time and effort to give this childhood promise a perfect conclusion."

Harry thought this persona would be a tough nut for Lucius, since it meant Ho Fa would never abandon Voldemort's resurrection. But it benefited the future promotion of Saruman: a child, carefully nurtured—even if by usurpation—inherit his ideals and legacy. This was another kind of resurrection, even more perfect than mere revival, for it embodied the greatness of humanity itself.

"Yes, that's exactly how I feel," Harry admitted, adding, "Of course, I know reviving Tom now seems nearly impossible. So I have no objection to your discussing alternative solutions. If I'm unsatisfied, I'll act on my own."

"Thank you both for sharing this with me," Lucius said. "Now I think I know how to adjust my campaign strategy."

"So you do want the Dark Lord's position," Sirius sneered.

"Yes, I don't hide it," Lucius said slowly. "Since we lack overwhelming military superiority, politics has become essential. The Ministry's proposal is quite sound—we should compete with the Order elsewhere."

"Publicly, I'm highly skilled in political maneuvering, capable and confident enough to lead us in a proper struggle against the Order," Lucius smiled. "Privately, I'm happy to offer you tangible benefits—and help realize your dreams."

"Regulus," Lucius began, "your Wolf Brand canned goods sell well, but I believe there's still much room for growth. If you wish to expand your product line or further monopolize the domestic market, we can use Death Eater resources to assist you. In fact, I have several friends on Wall Street who can offer you many advantages when you enter Nasdaq."

Harry frowned. He had assumed Lucius was indifferent to the Muggle world.

"Is this about strengthening your power?" Lucius smiled. "Or if you value Gilmour more, I'll actively promote magical cooperation between our two nations. No problem."

"Very tempting," Sirius said stiffly. "At least you're more sincere than Bellatrix."

Lucius's expression brightened. He turned to Harry. "Yes, and regarding your demands, Ho Fa, I believe they're not entirely unattainable."

"We may not need to resurrect the Dark Lord to control this world," Lucius said without concealment. "But we must possess the ability to resurrect him—that is our leverage. We'll move quickly to obtain the ring, then hand all the Horcruxes over to you for safekeeping."

"If you feel any of our actions even slightly violate the Dark Lord's principles, you may warn us—because you hold the power to resurrect him at any time," Lucius said earnestly. "You will become our whip."

Harry himself had to admit: the proposal was irresistibly tempting. Whether for Ho Fa or for Harry, both would gladly accept it. Perhaps Lucius had prepared a full arsenal of methods to corrupt and buy Ho Fa—but Harry only needed to seize the Horcruxes and then turn on them.

"Of course, I admit that if I become the Dark Lord, I will inevitably seek to secure advantages for the Malfoy family," Lucius continued. "But that's human nature. I know I can't deceive two intelligent men like you, so let's agree upfront: these advantages can be distributed among us. Everything is negotiable."

"Benefits don't appear out of thin air," Sirius said coolly. "Unless you truly believe you can wrestle meat from the Order's jaws, you're only planning to seize what other Death Eaters possess."

"Why not?" Lucius smirked. "I doubt anyone here looks favorably upon the Lestranges."