"So what exactly are you planning to do?!"
Draco looked like a cornered animal, watching the youth before him nervously.
"Ahem, sorry, haven't vented in too long," Aiden said, clearing his throat.
"I need you to continue your mission and gradually draw Harry's attention to you. By the way, where's the necklace you prepared to curse me with?" Aiden asked casually.
"Lost it..." Draco said, lowering his head and not daring to look at Aiden.
"Lost it!" Aiden frowned.
He closed his eyes. A pair of heterochromatic dragon eyes opened above the collective unconscious sea. The dragon's gaze swept across all of Hogwarts.
His discernment ability revealed all secrets.
However, within the castle, no one had actually touched the necklace.
Through the connection between the sea of consciousness and living beings, the last information Aiden saw was Draco using magic to forcefully throw the necklace into the Forbidden Forest.
Since the necklace itself had no consciousness, Aiden temporarily couldn't directly locate it.
"You actually threw that thing into the Forbidden Forest. That's too crude a way to handle Dark Magic items," Aiden said, shaking his head.
"I've never dealt with Dark Magic items before. I only heard from Borgin that this thing is very dangerous," Draco explained.
"Forget it, what's done is done. I'll make you a new one. You need to leave some clues for Harry to discover."
Aiden extended his hand. The threads from his clothing extended. He removed the runes carved on the threads and infused them with magic to enhance their retention of curses.
Using Transfiguration to turn the threads into a braided bracelet, he simultaneously placed a curse on it that would slowly drain its wearer's life.
"Take it. If a hand passes through the bracelet, the curse will activate."
Aiden handed the bracelet to Draco with a reminder.
Mission briefed, the two parted ways.
Meanwhile, in Hogwarts' Forbidden Forest, a suspicious figure sneaked into the forest wanting to steal herbs and magical creature materials.
Just then, sunlight shone through the trees. A gemstone necklace caught the sunlight, emitting a glow that attracted Mundungus.
He ran over. Just as he was about to pick up the gemstone necklace, he suddenly remembered seeing this thing in Borgin and Burkes' shop.
He carefully took out a rag to wrap the necklace.
Running all the way out of Hogwarts' restriction range, he Apparated to Hogsmeade.
Also in Hogsmeade was Draco, who had just taken on Aiden's task.
He thought of a brilliant idea. Control Madam Rosmerta, the owner of the Three Broomsticks.
Have her control students to bring Dark Magic items back to school, then give them to Aiden under the pretense of a confession.
After controlling the proprietress, Draco returned to school.
Coincidentally, Mundungus entered the Three Broomsticks with the necklace.
In excellent spirits, he decided to get drunk here, celebrating his coming windfall.
Interestingly, when he left, the wrapped bundle remained in place, as if nothing had happened.
When Madam Rosmerta cleaned the pub booth, she found the bundle. Being somewhat dazed under the Imperius Curse, she mixed the bundle together with the items Draco had given her.
Sunday, the trio arranged to go to Hogsmeade.
Draco had planned early on not to submit his Transfiguration homework and to be punished by Professor McGonagall with detention today.
In Hogsmeade, Aiden carried newly arrived goods —five large bundles of coconut ice cream —and walked out of the crowded Honeydukes refreshed.
"Aiden?" Harry spotted a certain dragon stuffing packages into his pocket.
"Morning, you three. What brings you here?" Aiden greeted them.
Somewhat reluctantly, he unwrapped a package and shared the coconut ice cream inside with them.
Harry and Hermione, seeing the expression on his face, symbolically took one to taste.
Ron didn't stand on ceremony with his cousin, eating and taking without hesitation.
Pained by the loss, Aiden took the package back and glared at Ron.
"Most shops in Hogsmeade are closed. We originally planned to spend an afternoon at Honeydukes."
Hermione hesitated, having already seen the packed scene inside Honeydukes.
After all, wartime scarcity driving up demand meant such customer flow was what Honeydukes deserved.
But the current environment inside wasn't suitable for people wanting to relax.
"Go to the Three Broomsticks. It's more spacious there, and you can make Ron treat. He recently got five Galleons pocket money from Aunt Molly."
A mischievous smile hung on Aiden's face.
"Hey! Don't expose me!" Ron complained.
The four of them went to the Three Broomsticks. Though Ron complained, he honestly paid.
After being seated, Harry and Ron kept staring at a corner.
Hermione followed their gaze and discovered Ginny on a date with Dean.
"That bastard!" Ron said, pushing his chair back.
"Calm down, Ron. They're just holding hands."
Hermione wanted to comfort Ron, but Dean and Ginny were already kissing.
"Uh, maybe also kissing," Hermione said, turning back awkwardly.
"Damn it, I'm leaving!" Ron was even more upset.
"Why so worked up? Look at Aiden, he's... Aiden?" Hermione wanted to point at Aiden.
But a certain dragon had already slipped away toward the guy dating his sister.
Then Dean Thomas inexplicably became overly concerned about Ginny, asking after her welfare in every way, protecting her like a fragile porcelain doll.
Ginny's good mood was instantly destroyed. She darkened her face, pushed Dean away, and walked out.
Dean, who couldn't guess her thoughts at all, stood there completely puzzled.
Aiden, who'd been subtly manipulating Dean's emotions, nodded with satisfaction and turned back.
"Ha, see, I told you Aiden wouldn't just sit and watch," Ron said, huffing out a breath through his nose.
"Your whole family is terrifying. Next time he sees you kissing me, will he do the same?" Hermione joked.
"Then why don't you try?" Aiden, who had returned without anyone noticing, suddenly spoke.
"Ah!" Both were startled simultaneously.
"Bloody hell, Aiden, how many times do I have to tell you not to appear and disappear so mysteriously?" Ron complained.
Their interaction caught the attention of another important figure in the pub.
He walked over carrying his drink.
"Hey, young wizards. Excellent people naturally gather together," Horace said, smiling and approaching.
Harry remembered Dumbledore's instructions and enthusiastically responded to Horace.
"Hello, Professor. Nice to see you. What brings you here?"
"Oh, my connection with the Three Broomsticks goes way back, to when it was still called the One Broomstick. But I'm sorry I couldn't help you cancel Severus's detention last time. However, I heard your detention is over. Are you interested in bringing your friends to my dinner party? Miss Granger, Mr. Prewett?"
Horace tilted his glass toward them, but wine spilled out.
Aiden tapped the table with his finger. The droplets froze in midair.
"Exquisite magic," Horace praised, then used his glass to scoop all the liquid back.
"You flatter me," Aiden replied politely.
Harry and Hermione thought for a moment and quickly agreed to the invitation.
"Excellent, I look forward to your visit. I'll notify you by owl. Oh, hey, hello there too, Wallenby."
Before leaving, Horace greeted Ron, not even remembering his name correctly.