HP: Pure-Blood Glory

"You mean, Madam Catherine is so afraid of me because her family used to be servants of the Gaunt family?"

Luke was momentarily thrown off by the revelation.

Now, Catherine's reaction made more sense to him. After all, if he were in her position—having finally gained freedom after the main family supposedly died out—only to have a new heir emerge, he would certainly feel a mix of physical and psychological discomfort.

If one were bold enough, they might even wonder if it would be possible to make this heir disappear—both from society and from life itself.

Luna nodded. "Aunt Catherine's former family, the Lance family, was a vassal to the Gaunts. It's not exactly a secret. Even when the Gaunts were at their lowest, they would often still arrogantly demand money from the Lance family. And the Lance family had no choice but to give, without showing even the slightest hint of dissatisfaction."

"The power of a contract"

Luke muttered, realizing what was at play. After all, magical contracts were common in the wizarding world, and some could be incredibly one-sided.

"I had no idea this contract existed," Luke said. "There was no mention of it in the notes left in my family, which means this contract wasn't signed by my side of the family."

Luke didn't have much interest in a servant family like this. Of course, the main point was that it was obvious Lady Catherine—or rather, the entire Lance family—now held a mix of fear and a bit of resentment toward the Gaunt family.

If he were to inherit this 'family legacy,' it was possible they might actually work up the 'courage' to do something about it.

And at that moment, Luke found himself considering other things. Both Professor McGonagall and Luna in front of him were reasons enough for him to refuse or even tear up this contract.

As Luke's mind wandered, his vision suddenly went dark, startling him. He leaned back slightly, only to realize what was in front of him: a small black cat, about thirty centimeters long, with emerald green eyes strikingly similar to his own.

Seeing Luke jump, Luna's smile grew even brighter. "His name is Booker. Aunt Catherine found him at a Muggle cat breeder's; he's a new breed of cat. After several generations of crossbreeding, he's adapted to some things in the magical world."

Luna introduced Booker to Luke, and the short-legged black cat lazily lifted a tiny paw, giving him a little wave as if to say hello.

Luke's mouth twitched slightly. If that wave had really been a greeting, then this cat might be a bit too clever.

"You both have a similar scent, so I think you'll get along well"

Luna said, placing Booker into Luke's arms. Luke instinctively wrapped his arms around Booker, who settled down comfortably in his hold, looking thoroughly relaxed.

Luna gave a satisfied smile. "He likes you a lot."

Luke looked at Booker, was silent for a moment, then smiled as well. "I like him too."

The small cat in his arms meowed twice, then rubbed against Luke's face, as if expressing affection.

At that moment, Luke suddenly felt a warm wave of happiness—but the feeling didn't come from him. Though his instincts should have prompted caution, the emotion was too gentle, almost instinctively harmless.

Glancing at Luna beside him, he realized that the emotion's source was her.

He found himself growing more curious about this mysterious girl who seemed to perceive strange things.

---

"It's just a coincidence"

Professor McGonagall said calmly, taking a sip of her drink. "I only came to help him shop for school supplies. I had no idea he would want a cat as a pet. And since it is a cat, perhaps now is a good time to clear up this family matter."

Catherine drained her glass in one gulp and refilled it.

"Why does this cursed family still exist?"

She spat through gritted teeth.

"Greedy, indulgent, vile, ugly—this family embodies all that's reprehensible. They should have died out long ago!"

As her emotions grew more intense, Professor McGonagall lifted a hand, casting a soundproofing spell around them.

"In fact, they almost have, Catherine," she said, looking steadily at Lady Catherine. "From what I know, Luke's branch has very little to do with the Gaunts who wronged your family. He might not even know you exist."

"Besides, before their decline, the Gaunts were indeed famous for being surly, but they were still respected."

Lady Catherine couldn't refute that. The magical community well knew that these ancient noble families had earned their titles through more than just bloodlines; they had ancestors worthy of deep respect, and often descendants of similar valor.

"What's more important, Catherine, is that Luke is still a child," Professor McGonagall reminded her seriously. "No matter how mature he seems, he's just a boy—a boy with a noble pride. I believe the two of you could reach an agreement to nullify that contract."

"Yes, this may be an opportunity; we could offer enough money..."

Catherine thought about this, considering her words, but before she could finish, McGonagall cut her off.

"Think of something else besides money. Knowledge, treasures, magical items—he lacks none of those," she said seriously. "The boy has inherited his full Gaunt legacy, and, believe me, the wealth he possesses is beyond your imagination."

Lady Catherine fell silent for a long moment. "So, what should we offer?"

McGonagall shook her head. "I'm not sure, but I won't let you take advantage of my student. Bringing him here to talk was already a risk to his interests. If you can't offer a fair exchange, I'll leave with him immediately."

Lady Catherine bowed her head in frustration.

But after a moment, she looked up again.

"You seem awfully protective of him," she remarked, studying her old friend curiously. "Don't tell me you're trying to lure him into Gryffindor?"

Professor McGonagall looked offended.

"Lure him? Everyone has the right to choose their own House, don't they? I'm merely providing… reasonable guidance."

Lady Catherine raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Slytherin—one of his ancestors founded that House, after all. I really can't see this boy as a lion. My guess is, the moment the Sorting Hat sees him, it'll shout 'Slytherin' before it even touches his head."

And so the troubled party of one became a troubled party of two.