met free Chapter 18 The Three-Year Agreement
Chapter 18 The Three-Year Agreement
Lucas understood immediately.
Ellie's excitement and joy last night stand in stark contrast to her current frustration.
She must have begged her father to let her attend Hogwarts, but was firmly refused, and she didn't sleep all night.
Just then, Alastair finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse, like a stone rubbing together.
"You saved my daughter, Mr. McGregor."
He took out a palm-sized black object from his pocket and handed it to Lucas.
Lucas took it in surprise. It was a very heavy and hard scale, about the size of a palm, deep black in color, with irregular edges and fine, intricate natural patterns on the surface, like ancient runes.
Hagrid gasped, staring wide-eyed at the dragon scale.
"This is... a dorsal scale from a black dragon of the Hebrides!"
Then Alastair said earnestly, "You saved Ellie, and the McFastie family owes you a favor. It's a promise: take this dragon scale, and when you encounter difficulties you can't solve, show it to us, and we'll do something for you. As long as you don't break the law or harm the dragons."
Everyone looked at Lucas, at the weighty promise in his hand.
Dumbledore's eyes flickered slightly behind his half-moon spectacles, clearly aware of the significance of this gift.
Lucas held the dragon scale in his hands and then looked at Ellie beside him, whose eyes were red and who was trying to keep up a good spirit.
He suddenly smiled slightly, then grasped the cold dragon scale.
"As long as they don't break the law or harm the dragons, the McFastie family will do it?"
Alastair nodded: "That's right, the McFastie family never goes back on its word."
"Then," Lucas took a deep breath and, without hesitation, held the dragon scale up to Alastair, "let's fulfill this promise now!"
Alastair raised an eyebrow, much to the surprise of the others.
Having just obtained the dragon scales, you want to cash them in on the spot?
Lucas said, enunciating each word clearly, "Mr. McFastie, my request is—"
"Please allow Ellie to attend Hogwarts!"
The air freezes.
Ellie looked up abruptly, staring at Lucas in disbelief.
Hagrid opened his mouth wide and let out a "ho!" He looked at Lucas, then at Alastair. Dumbledore stood quietly, his gaze shifting between Lucas and Alastair, and smiled.
For the first time, a crack appeared in Alastair's rock-solid expression. His brow furrowed, and his voice, deeper and more subdued, trembled with suppressed emotion: "Do you know what you're asking for, boy?"
“I know,” Lucas said without flinching. “Ellie wants to study here. She told me so much about Hogwarts yesterday, her eyes were shining. But now that light has gone out, because you disagree, right?”
Alastair shook his head: "This is an internal matter for our family."
"You said you would grant my request as long as I didn't break the law or harm the dragons," Lucas said firmly, holding up a dragon scale. "The McFastie family will never go back on its word!"
"Lucas..." Ellie's voice trembled as she stared at Lucas, her purple eyes brimming with tears.
Alastair closed his eyes, then opened them again: "Mr. McGregor, you don't understand. Our family has its own mission; too much contact with the outside world is the beginning of corruption."
"The MacFastie family must coexist with nature and not confine themselves to the magical world. Going to Hogwarts exposes them to too many impure things, which deviates from the way of nature."
"The way of nature?" Lucas countered. "Ants building nests is natural, bees making honey is natural, so aren't humans building cities and wizards establishing Hogwarts also part of nature?"
"The development of everything follows its own laws; existence is its own justification. Living, learning, and growing in accordance with these laws—isn't that the true essence of nature?"
Lucas's voice echoed across the lawn in the early morning: "Isn't keeping Ellie locked up at home, preventing her from experiencing the world she longs for, another way of going against her nature?"
Alastair's rock-like face twitched slightly, and Dumbledore stared at Lucas with surprise in his eyes.
Lucas McGregor.......
"There's no need to argue," Alastair said firmly. "The outside world will make Ellie forget her roots."
"Will she forget how to get along with dragons? Will she forget where her home is?" Lucas retorted without fear. "If she could forget so easily, it would mean that those 'foundations' aren't as solid as you think."
These words were very sharp, and Alastair's face darkened even more.
Lucas suddenly changed the subject: "Furthermore, Mr. MacFastie, doesn't Ellie's being taken away by the Black Dragon prove that there are some shortcomings in the family training she's currently receiving?"
Alastair's eyes sharpened.
"At least for her, the family's teaching methods are flawed. If you really want her to become stronger and better able to carry on the family's mission, then send her to Hogwarts. The professors at Hogwarts are all very good people, and she will definitely learn more systematic and comprehensive knowledge there."
Lucas's voice softened, becoming pleading: "Most importantly, this is Ellie's own wish. Isn't the desire to understand the wider world and learn different things a powerful, natural life force?"
"Besides, you're Ellie's father. How can you bear to make Ellie sad?"
"Dad..." Ellie could no longer hold back, tears streaming down her face. She grasped her father's rough hand, "Please... I really want to go... Let me try..."
Just then, Dumbledore spoke gently: "Alastair, I understand your insistence on tradition and purity. Hogwarts is not a perfect place, but it is a school, a place to protect and educate young people. We teach magic, but we also teach responsibility and commitment."
"Letting Ellie study here will not cause her to stray from the mission of the McFastie family, but rather open a window for her to learn more ways to protect the Black Dragon."
Hagrid chimed in, "Yes! Hogwarts is the best magic school in the world! There are also many magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest! I can take Ellie to see them—well, of course, without breaking the school rules!"
He quickly added, glancing furtively at Dumbledore.
Alastair remained silent for a long time. He looked at his daughter's pleading, tearful eyes, then at the red-haired boy before him, who held up the dragon scales with a determined gaze.
Finally, his gaze met Dumbledore's.
He finally took the dragon scale from Lucas's hand and slowly said, "One year, Ellie."
"I'll allow you to study at Hogwarts for a year. But after that, if you don't pass my test, you must return to the island and receive instruction from your family. That's settled."