https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-149-What-Do-You-Think-of-This-Identity-Setting-/13440870/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-151-Meeting-with-Damocles-Marcus/13440886/
Chapter 150: Entering the Ministry of Magic
Chapter 150: Entering the Ministry of Magic
A moment later, ripples spread through the air, and two figures, one large and one small, appeared out of nowhere on an empty patch of ground.
Ivan, regaining his senses, instinctively looked around and realized that they were not in the Ministry of Magic as he had imagined, but in a narrow alley.
"Why didn't we use Apparition to directly teleport into the Ministry of Magic?" Ivan asked curiously.
"Unless authorized for important matters, you can't just Apparate into the Ministry of Magic. Even those who work there must enter through other channels when they come to work", Douglas explained, patting Ivan on the shoulder.
Ivan nodded. That made sense. If everyone could Apparate in and out of the Ministry of Magic at will, it would be chaos.
More importantly, it would undermine the Ministry's authority!
"Follow me. The entrance to the Ministry of Magic is just ahead. There might be a lot of people on the way, so we should act like Muggles."
Douglas put away his Wand, straightened his clothes, and gave a reminder before leading the way.
Act like Muggles? Do you even know what Muggles usually look like?
Ivan grumbled to himself but still quickened his pace to keep up. When they emerged from the alley, he found himself on a bustling street.
The place was teeming with people, most of whom were dressed in suits and carrying briefcases, hurrying along without lingering in one spot.
Under Douglas's guidance, Ivan blended into the crowd. However, their unusual attire still drew frequent glances from passersby.
Despite this, Douglas still felt his disguise was quite good. He occasionally shared some outdated Muggle knowledge he had picked up from who knows where, much to Ivan's amusement.
Douglas got so excited that he even tried to show Ivan how a Muggle vending machine worked, but when he inserted a Sickle, nothing happened. After a while, the machine spat the Sickle back out.
"Damn, Muggle machines don't accept Sickles or Knuts", Douglas muttered, slapping his head. He suddenly remembered he had forgotten to exchange some Muggle currency at Gringotts today.
After walking for a short while, the two arrived at an ancient street with walls covered in various graffiti. There were only a few shops and a small pub on either side, making the place look desolate.
Because of this, there were few pedestrians, and only the occasional car would drive by with its horn blaring.
At the end of the street was a red telephone booth, looking old and dilapidated, with much of its red paint peeling off.
Douglas walked in without a care, gesturing for Ivan to follow. The small telephone booth became quite crowded with both of them inside.
"This is a Muggle telephone booth. They say Muggles use this to communicate over long distances, just like your Extendable Ears. Surprised? I was too when I first heard about it", Douglas said, smirking with pride at his Muggle knowledge.
Ivan rolled his eyes in exasperation. It was just a telephone booth. He had used them in his past life, and now Muggles even had mobile phones.
As Douglas continued his explanation, he picked up the receiver, dialed a number, and entered 62442. He then waited inside the telephone booth.
Before long, Ivan heard a voice near his ear, though he couldn’t see anyone around.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and the purpose of your visit."
It was a cold female voice, and Ivan couldn’t help but complain about the poor service attitude of the Ministry of Magic receptionist. Shouldn’t they be more welcoming?
Douglas, however, was used to it and didn’t find anything amiss. He spoke up.
"I am Douglas, and this is Ivan-Hals, the creator of the Wolfsbane Potion. We need to go to the Patent Office. I believe someone has already informed you about our visit!"
After Douglas finished speaking, the receptionist seemed a bit surprised. She paused before continuing.
"Hello, guests. Please take your Badge and pin it to your clothing."
Ding dong
A square silver Badge slid out from the phone booth’s coin return slot. Ivan reached out to take it, turning it over to inspect it. It clearly read Ivan-Hals, Patent Application.
Ivan pinned the Badge to his chest as instructed and heard the receptionist continue.
"Visitors to the Ministry of Magic, the Security Checkpoint is at the end of the main hall. You will need to go there for a check and to register your Wand."
As she finished speaking, Ivan felt the phone booth start to descend. The sensation was similar to riding in an elevator, smoothly sliding downward.
Through the glass of the phone booth, Ivan could clearly see they were heading deep underground, layers of rock passing by his eyes. The descent seemed to be accelerating, and the faint friction sounds around him made him a bit worried about whether this magical elevator might malfunction.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly. The phone booth stopped steadily, and the closed doors opened automatically. After Ivan and Douglas stepped out, the doors closed again.
Ivan watched as the phone booth ascended, then turned to look ahead. He realized they were now in a spacious hall.
As the face of the Ministry of Magic, this hall was adorned with opulence. The floor was laid with neatly arranged dark wood, polished to a shine that reflected people’s images. The peacock-blue ceiling was engraved with golden patterns that continuously changed and moved.
Along the walls, there were gilded Fireplaces at regular intervals, and he could occasionally see Wizards entering and exiting, accompanied by the glow of flames.
In the center of the hall was a Fountain, the size of a small pond, with golden statues standing in the center. The largest and tallest was a Wizard holding a Wand aloft. Statues of graceful Witches, Centaurs, Goblins, and House-elves surrounded him, gazing at the central Wizard with utmost reverence.
Ivan continued to walk forward, occasionally glancing around.
In his previous life, he had imagined what the Ministry of Magic might look like and had seen similar scenes in movies. But experiencing it up close, he was amazed by how perfectly magic and architectural art could be combined.
"Alright, stop looking around. We have important business to attend to."
Douglas interrupted Ivan’s sightseeing, leading him through the Wand inspection checkpoint. Then he pressed a few buttons on the elevator.
(End of Chapter)
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