A Hunt for a Horcrux

The last book flew into the pile. From days to a week, I spent toiling in my hideout, learning everything a Hogwarts student would learn. I discarded all the useless stuff like theory, herbs, potions, and other things. My focus had been on dark arts, charms, transfiguration, and battle magics, most of which were immediately useful. If there ever came a day, I wanted to theorize new magic. I'd take the time to learn theory when it came, not now.

Whoever the challenger man had been must have been important. After a couple of days, the disappearance of Malfoy senior, and my challenger, came public. It unleashed a shit storm even I didn't expect. They knew someone elvish was going out and killing the pureblooded. There was even a small article about some families freeing their elves in hopes of not becoming targets of the "vengeful devil elf."

I could have sworn they had storytellers working at the Daily Prophet, considering the ever-increasing speculation about my nature. At first I'd been a half-breed brigand, hellbent on the destruction of the pureblooded. Then it was some ritually enhanced and demonic elf until today, that I'd become the personification of evil. Voldemort had nothing on me in the eyes of the public.

However, the one benefit of being vilified was that the average person would bend over backwards in servitude before earning my ire. The whole mess made me think about the last mission until the weekly reset. Nowhere did it say the person had to act under their own will. I covered my face under my palm.

"Stupid," was all I said before apparating into the recesses of Knockturn Alley. There, I picked a random bum, imperiused them, and made them shout aloud in a loud voice that attracted a few hags and other bums from the even danker part of the alley. Once they had sufficiently gathered to berate the poor guy, I stepped into the light.

"You," said my puppet.

I turned around, facing the crowd, and pointed at my chest. The action would have fit perfectly into a cartoon when combined with the exaggerated confusion written on my face.

"You are trash."

I quirked an eyebrow for show. Next, I made the man kowtow and beg for forgiveness. He groveled and begged, and the show looked debasing even for a bum. Still, the System didn't let me get the reward.

"Lick the ground beneath my shoes, vagrant."

The imperius forced him to act. It disgusted me to force him into this, but sometimes power came at a significant cost. If I had to descend into villainy to achieve magnificence, I'd do it.

Mission Five completed. Reward: Haughty aura.

I could see some of their lips curling the second I'd finished reading the reward text. It was like they instantly saw me in a different light. This was going to suck, going forward.

###

It was nearly Christmas, and the Alley was teeming with witches and wizards. I was tailing a certain Mrs. Malfoy, who was doing her shopping.

She put up a brave front in front of the pedestrians, but the underlying sorrow was plain to see. She'd lost her husband, and it had devastated the family. I felt like a creep, but I had no choice if I wanted to succeed.

She walked into a shop, a broom seller from the looks of it. I waited near the entrance, while occasionally checking out her progress. It was only when she was done with the purchase that I acted.

The door swung open, and she stepped through. She wasn't looking ahead. I swerved in out of her blind spot and walked right into her, bumping her backwards.

She fell. I wrapped my hands around her waist and held her still. Time to put on the supernatural charms.

Her lips pursed first and then turned into a frown. It was then she had the presence of mind to look at her assaulter. Her face went blank for a moment as she stared into my eyes. I could swear I caught a hint of hurt in those black eyes, but she swept it away in a blink of an eye.

"My apologies, miss. That was terribly clumsy of me," I said and performed a small bow.

She visibly gathered herself and smoothened her clothes. The slightly arrogant tilt of her nose was now there. She looked at me from my toes to the top of my head, but her gaze lingered on my pleasant smile. She finished the inspection with a tiny nod, and then she walked away. I watched her go, knowing full well it wasn't the end of our encounters today. After a good five-minute wait, I began my stroll towards Florean Fortescue's.

She was there, but her back was to the door. I walked past her, acting like I didn't know she was sitting there, and went to order the first thing on the menu. The ice cream was irrelevant, as my focus was solely on Mrs. Malfoy. She'd seen me as clear from her constant looks towards the back of my head. She was alone, but not for long. I sat down some ten feet from her, still acting like I didn't know she was there.

The first spoonful was heavenly. The intense flavor paused my thoughts, and my carefully crafted mask dropped for a mere moment. I'd forgotten this taste. In my absent-mindedness, my eyes inadvertently turned to hers. We stared at each other for what felt like minutes until I averted my gaze while blinking my eyes. Once I turned back, she was already getting up, and she was coming towards me.

"I didn't properly introduce myself earlier, and it was improper. I'm Mrs. Malfoy," she said.

Shit. What do I call myself? I had some Asian features, courtesy of the transformations from an elf to a man-elf being. I could never pose as a pureblooded westerner. She'd know I was lying in an instant.

"Wang Zhou. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She hummed, and her eyes narrowed. I felt relieved my long hair hid my ears, or she'd think of me as some foreigner halfbreed. That wouldn't do for my scheme.

"So, what brings you to our side of the world?"

I gave her my most charming smile. She returned it.

"I'm looking to re-invent myself."

Now her eyes joined the smile.

"Oh? Do tell."

This would be a long day.

###

"Why do they wear these archaic robes, and these unpractical accessories?"

For the tenth time since coming out of the clothing store, I cursed the impracticality of formal wizard wear. The long robe felt awkward, having always worn a jumpsuit. I felt even worse knowing they'd dislike anything out of standards in their high-society, so I couldn't just throw anything on me and call it a day. For the Malfoy Yule Ball, I had to put on only the finest.

Our conversation earlier today lasted for nearly two hours until she had to leave. It was welcome, as my social energy reserves were at their limit by then. Still, the not so chance meeting gave me a reason to be sneaking about their manor, looking for things, like the bathroom, or the secret vault filled with dark artifacts.

It hadn't been all unpleasant at the meeting. She'd eventually opened up a bit once I probed about her sullen looks. I always felt people trusted those who looked good, and today had been a testament to that. She'd told me enough of her marriage that I'd been able to fill in the blanks easily. It was a sham.

I figured from her intense talk, dear Lucius had been unfaithful as of late. So her sadness wasn't a case of widow's sorrow but genuine fear for her child. Draco would walk uphill for years without his father in the trenches paving the way. Only their money held meaning now, because she had no talent for politics. She was merely a trophy for a man unworthy and unwilling. She looked good, and I liked her spirit, but I wasn't ready to exploit a vulnerable woman.

Bonus Mission One: Make Mrs. Malfoy your willing concubine.

"Fuck off, System."

At this point, I was unsurprised by the shamelessness of the System. Were I to follow its lead, I'd become the world's foremost deviant.

###

Truly, politics never cease. Even in the event of a highly influential member dying, the throng of politicians were at it, going full steam ahead. I would have thought the Yule Ball to be a memorial for dear old Lucius, but it looked more like his passing was an afterthought. I spotted the lady of the house speaking with the minister of magic.

Her suave words looked to be convincing to the fool. Although the man was too busy staring at her chest to listen to anything she had to say. I sneered under the cover of my hand.

She saw me, and our eyes locked. It took a moment for the minister to rouse his gaze out of her chest and look at me as well. It was my cue.

"Lady Malfoy, a pleasure, as always."

"Who might this be?" said Fudge.

"Wang Zhou, meet our Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge."

I saw a hint of mockery in her eyes when she looked at the man. He introduced himself with a weak handshake.

"Wang Zhou? An oriental perhaps?" he said, maintaining a perfect ass-kissing attitude.

If lady Malfoy acknowledged me, he must have thought I had some value to him.

"Yes."

The silence got awkward fast, but I acted indifferent. He cleared his throat and scanned the guests.

"Ah, I see my old friend Lord Greengrass. I must go properly greet him. Lady Malfoy, Mr. Zhou," he said, leaving quickly.

I watched him scurry through the dancing couples with a shake of my head. What a bore.

"You came."

She looked radiant under the expensive dress, jewelry, and made-up hair. I felt self-conscious, staring at her like a wolf, but I excused myself from any guilt. It had been years since I'd really desired someone.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss such a grand event."

"Always the flatterer, Wang."

I smiled.

"It's true, and why not? Pretty things deserve their just compliments."

She hummed.

"Is that so? Tell me then, Wang, what is the most pretty thing in this ballroom?"

"Why you, of course," I said without missing a beat, while looking ahead at the dancers.

She stayed silent for a good minute. I felt her eyes on me, but I kept looking forward. The ball was in her court, and what she said next would determine my actions.

The dancing went on for a good thirty minutes, with the couples coming and going. Lady Malfoy had left me a while ago, and she'd not said a word after my compliment. It was a respectable move, resetting the field, and if she didn't want to talk more, I had other places to explore.

I left the ballroom, the loud music, and the ass-kissing minister. If the horcrux was here, I'd find it.