POV Draco Malfoy
— Well, what do you think? — A familiar female voice sounded from somewhere off to the side.
Draco turned to see Suelyn Merion Greengrass sitting at a small table by the open doors to the garden. The evening chill of autumn was kept out, probably by elven enchantments. Her hair is loose. On a nearby couch sat the perpetually cold Daphne, flipping through a magazine with a detached look. Until this moment, the heir had assumed that he was the one taking his mother to 'rest', but now, seeing his mother's friend and likely heiress, Draco suspected bad things.
Despite the excellent self-control the Malfoys had always been known for, Black's blood was taking its toll, and the teenager had a sudden urge to demand an explanation from his mother. Could it be that he still didn't trust her after all? Narcissa walked over to the table and sat down opposite Suellin. A cup of hot tea appeared before her. After taking the first sip, Lady Malfoy spoke.
— Not bad. — Draco didn't get the whole story, because he hadn't been at the party last Thursday and therefore didn't know anything. It annoyed him a lot, but the boy held on. He didn't know that they had organized another test or training for him, whichever way you look at it, because raising a full-fledged heir is not an easy thing. Difficult, in fact. — It could have been better. But it could have been worse. — A sly, blackish smile met Sueleen's satisfied smile. — I consider the material worthy of future efforts.
At that moment, the doors opened and Lord Malfoy's own Lordship, Lord Greengrass, and Richard Bulstrode, head of the Bulstrode family, entered the small sitting room. Draco didn't understand the reason for his presence, but he had already guessed about Daphne. Had they decided to form a new alliance? The teenager was about to leave before he was asked to, when his father spoke.
— Draco, come here. — The men sat down at a large table in the middle of the living room, leaving the women free to choose. When the boy approached, he was gestured to one of the available chairs. — The heir of a family does not become one after long years of training and instruction — that is self-evident to any self-respecting person — but only when he shows the fruits of his studies, that is, when he begins to bring benefit to the family, profit.
Despite our situation, the Malfoy family has never been called blind or stupid, so just in case, like many other families, we have junior branches. It's the prudent thing to do if you don't want the whole family to perish. And there's always a backup. You, Draco, have already influenced the interests of the family at the age of fourteen, and though it wasn't so important before, your relationship with that Japanese man has been of great benefit to us. Because of your achievements, I, as head of the Malfoy family, claim you as the Malfoy heir.
— Thank you, Father. — The boy rose from the table, bowed respectfully and sat down.
— You will be present for an important discussion, but you may only interfere with my permission. I think that is clear. Now invite Mr. Hoshino to join us.
— Yes, Father. — and Draco left.
As he walked towards his destination, the boy was amazed at what he had just discovered. The blonde had thought that he was the rightful heir, and now it turned out that he was. What else had his parents been silent about?
The boy understood his silence as an initiate, no matter how stupid it sounded. In fact, Draco felt insulted and ashamed by his father's praise: all he did to get closer to all those people at Hogwarts was to follow the Japanese man's advice. And those tips were the simplest, most obvious things, and he, Draco, hadn't noticed them in time. Luckily, he had listened to the voice of reason and tempered his pride, controlled his emotions and got the result. Oh, Merlin!
What should he have done to come up with this on his own? He could have fished Potter out alone and talked to him calmly, without the interference of that reptile! Bloody Weasley — always getting under his arm and ruining everything just by being there! It was a pity, a great pity, that the real merit was not his, but that he himself had now incurred an unexpected debt. A very heavy, serious debt to the Japanese. It's a good thing that neither his father nor Hoshino himself are aware of this debt. If it stays that way, there's a chance to pay it off without revealing its existence.
But that doesn't change what Father said. From now on, he should try hard to justify his status, otherwise he will not only be ashamed of himself.