"Dumbledore—do you know of Hufflepuff's Golden Cup?"
Lucius Malfoy made this decision with great resolve, to share this secret known by only a few with Dumbledore. As he spoke, he lowered his voice, looking tense, every expression suggesting to Dumbledore—
[The conversation that follows is of utmost importance! A secret that only you and I can know!]
After saying this, he paused slightly, lifting his eyes subtly to discreetly observe the headmaster's reaction.
Dumbledore was drinking tea; his brows twitched slightly but settled after placing the teacup down, his gaze calm.
"Of course, I know," the headmaster said blandly.
Lucius instinctively licked his lips, rubbing the cup handle with his fingertips, starting to wobble over the weight of the information.
To strengthen his persuasion, he began from the process years ago when he obtained the information—
Back when Voldemort hadn't turned into a lone ghost due to the rebound of a spell, his influence was at its peak; apart from Dumbledore, who he feared, the entire British Magic World trembled under the Dark Lord's intimidation.
Even for elite Aurors like Moody, even the Longbottoms and the Potters regarded as "heroes," they worried about returning home safely every day they stepped out.
In such circumstances, Lucius Malfoy naturally didn't show the slightest trait of a "traitor," he seemed utterly devoted—just like other Death Eaters.
Of course, this demeanor wasn't very standout among the Death Eaters.
Bella's fanaticism was unmatched, Snape was silent yet dependable, Dolohov was so ferocious that aside from Death Eaters, no other force would accept him, Karkaroff's sweet talk made people believe Voldemort was his sun, and Barty even claimed willingness to kill his own father for the Dark Lord!
Everyone was utterly loyal to their master, their conflicts stemmed only from competing for benefits and status, but their sincere loyalty was all dedicated to their master.
Among many Death Eaters, Lucius expressed loyalty in the simplest and most straightforward way—he directly sent money.
Money is the basis for all activities, even if Voldemort's powerful magic and high-pressure rule made others shiver, foreign Wizards didn't readily accept this; buying things still required money.
Thus, with an elegant demeanor, noble background, pure bloodline, and most importantly, overwhelming financial attack, Lucius successfully became one of the Voldemort's most relied-upon Death Eaters, ranking equal to Bellatrix.
And he earned a certain honor distinct from all the others—to safeguard something very important for the Dark Lord.
Of course, Lucius did not know that the seemingly ordinary Muggle Notebook was anything remarkable; in the Dark Lord's implicit instructions, he guessed it was a very powerful weapon crafted personally by the Dark Lord.
After Voldemort's disappearance, Lucius secretly checked the Notebook, discovering its attempt to entice him to communicate; he immediately stored it securely.
—Among numerous stories passed down through time, such Magic Items ninety-nine percent weren't any good; if not sealing a Devil, they contained something dreadful like an Evil Spirit.
Even until now, when confessing to Dumbledore, Lucius still believed this.
The Diary was sent into Hogwarts by Lucius, yet seemed not to create any ripple, which naturally appeared rather strange to Lucius.
In Dumbledore's gaze, Lucius vaguely said: "I... wanted to teach Arthur Weasley a lesson, so I slipped it to the Weasley Family's little daughter. But the item might have been discarded by the little girl... or handled by Arthur Weasley, hence currently unknown where it is..."
He leaned forward, appearing respectful with a touch of regret, yet his gaze remained secretly fixed on Dumbledore's face.
Dumbledore softly murmured "Hm," without expressing surprise or doubt, as calm as a lake shrouded in morning mist, unruffled.
His gaze held no extra curiosity or avoidance, with no sharpness, just the placid surface of a lake under morning fog.
Under such gaze, Lucius felt as though turned into a student reciting a text. He inhaled deeply, eager to say more.
"Later, I recalled that besides me, there was another person who was also honored by the Dark Lord to safeguard something..."
Young Bellatrix hadn't evolved into the steely focus of her current self; she deeply cared about Voldemort's favor, eager to boast the attention she received.
But after the Dark Lord commanded secrecy, the only one she could slightly brag to was her sister Narcissa.
After Narcissa married Lucius, despite her husband and her maternal family closely allied with Voldemort's faction, she didn't formally join the Death Eaters, didn't bear Voldemort's mark, nor needed to undertake duties like murder, torture, or infiltration.
She simply needed, as "Mrs. Malfoy," to support Lucius's actions through familial resources, indirectly aiding Voldemort.
In Bellatrix's view, Narcissa was a close and trustworthy sister, without any rivalry and not a concern for leaks or betrayal.