Chapter 160: I Can Eat Two by Myself

Chapter 160: I Can Eat Two by Myself

Snape didn't say a word, seemingly indifferent to the shop owner's evaluation of his potion.

However, he didn't need to engage in such discussions; Sherlock was the one responsible for negotiations.

"Five percent is too low. We want seventy percent. Of course, the additional twenty percent isn't free. If any of the subsequent potions don't meet the standard of the clarity potion, we won't charge a single knut for the production costs."

Before coming, Sherlock had thoroughly researched the market. The seventy percent offer was actually a bit high, but it left room for negotiation.

In the end, they agreed to a production fee of sixty percent of the profit. However, they had to pay a ten-galleon deposit to the shop, which would be refunded after three successful collaborations.

Since the potion ingredients were provided by the shop, this deposit was to prevent them from taking the materials and disappearing.

After finalizing the details, the shop owner drafted a magical contract, which both Sherlock and Snape signed.

Even with fake names, this contract would still bind them. Such magical contracts directly affect the individuals who sign them, similar to the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Magic signed by Hogwarts first-years at the start of the school year.

Once everything was set, the shop owner provided them with the materials for the first potion, with the agreement to deliver it in three days. Sherlock then remembered something.

He fished out a bottle of clear, water-like potion from his pocket and handed it to the witch.

"Can you help me evaluate this? If we were to sell it, what price should we set?"

The witch took the potion, opened the cap, and sniffed it, but detected no scent. The color didn't reveal much either.

"What does the potion do?"

"It heals injuries, with a wide range of applications. It can help with any physical wounds, though for severe injuries, it can only provide relief, not immediate healing."

This potion was made using fragments of the Philosopher's Stone, a simplified version of the Elixir of Life.

Its production method was extremely simple: just add the fragments to a cup of water for three seconds, and the water would turn pink, creating a healing potion.

Although it no longer granted eternal life, its healing properties were still quite effective. It had even been used to impersonate Veritaserum to deceive Sirius Black, and his bruised and battered face had healed almost instantly after he drank it.

However, potion evaluation wasn't based on Sherlock's word alone. The witch wouldn't be foolish enough to taste it on the spot; a professional potion maker needed to follow a rigorous process.

In short, it would take time.

"I'll give you an answer when you come to deliver the potion in three days. If its healing effects are good, we'll offer a fair price."

Sherlock had no objections. The healing potion made with the Philosopher's Stone required no cost or skill. Even if the market price was low, as long as it sold, they would make a profit.

After leaving the potion shop with Snape, they wandered around Diagon Alley for a bit.

Sherlock bought two ice creams and, despite Snape's disdain and refusal, forced one on him.

"I don't understand why you people think ice cream is just for kids. Dumbledore liked lemon drops even in his old age. We're in our twenties and thirties; what's wrong with eating ice cream?"

Sherlock grumbled about Snape's prejudice and then returned to their room at the Leaky Cauldron with him.

Snape didn't eat the strawberry ice cream Sherlock bought for him. Before entering the room, he handed the melting ice cream back to Sherlock.

"Don't disturb me while I'm brewing. Do whatever you want."

He said this with a cold expression, then closed the door and retreated into his room.

Sherlock, holding both ice creams, shrugged.

He thought Snape's temperament was much like those tsundere golden-haired characters in Japanese manga, who ultimately always end up being outshone by unexpected rivals and become the underdogs, really quite pitiful.

Just as he was about to go back to his room, he noticed that the door to room 10 had been slightly ajar, and a pair of bright blue eyes were peering at him through the gap.

Sherlock stared at the pair of eyes for a moment, then extended the strawberry ice cream that belonged to Snape.

"Do you want to have some?"

The only response was the sound of the door slamming shut.

Sherlock clicked his tongue and took a bite from the tip of the melting strawberry ice cream.

"Fine, if you don't want it, I can finish both."

He levitated the ice cream in mid-air, opened the door, and walked into the room.

Snape needed to brew potions to earn money, and Sherlock certainly wasn't idle. He was currently focusing on the pocket watch around his neck, which he could now remove.

During the time travel, Sherlock had forcibly terminated its journey, and it had reverted to its old, rusted, and broken state, much like Scabbers.

However, it was clearly still attempting to repair itself. Once it was fully restored, it would undoubtedly continue to reverse time.

But Sherlock had already figured out how to suppress it. By periodically applying a massive amount of Advanced Disenchantment, he could disrupt its function and slow down its self-repair process.

This pocket watch had brought them to this time, so if they wanted to return, they would need to find a solution through the pocket watch.

For now, he had no clear plan, but he knew that for such specialized matters, it was best to consult an expert.

The Time-Turner was an irreproducible alchemical artifact, either due to a lost technique or a missing alchemical substance. While Sherlock wasn't sure of the exact reason, the Wizarding World still had Wizards studying time-turning devices.

The most concentrated hub of such experts was the Ministry of Magic, particularly the Department of Mysteries.

Prophecies, time, and similar phenomena were all within the purview of this department.

For now, the Department of Mysteries was the only direction Sherlock could think of, as there were no better options.

However, even with this idea, there was no clear path forward.

The people in the Department of Mysteries were not easy to contact. The employees there, known as Silencers, were cloaked in secrecy, and few knew their identities or what they were researching.

As a newcomer with a fake identity, Sherlock had no connections to reach these people.

But solutions can always be found. After just one day at the Leaky Cauldron, he wasn't in a hurry.

In addition, Sherlock had purchased the past three months' issues of the Daily Prophet from a secondhand shop in Diagon Alley to stay informed about the current state of the Wizarding World.

The British Wizarding World was currently at the height of Voldemort's power.

Hogwarts had become a breeding ground for Death Eaters. Each year, a significant number of Slytherin students, along with a few from the other three Houses, who were of pure-blood descent, were drawn to Voldemort's ideology and joined his ranks after graduation.

Yes, they were drawn to Voldemort's ideology.

Tom Riddle's initial power base was built on a theory that was quite compelling.

The pure-blood theory primarily emphasized that pure-blood Wizards possessed greater power than non-pure-blood Wizards.

Initially, the Death Eaters were not entirely focused on destroying all Muggle-born Wizards.

A Wizard's status as a pure-blood was determined by whether their ancestors, going back three or five generations, had any direct Muggle relatives (the concept of a pure-blood family was a bit different).

If a Muggle-born Wizard continued to marry Wizards, they would be recognized as pure-blood after three or five generations.

However, they despised the union of Wizards and Muggles, viewing it as a contamination of their noble bloodline.

By implementing the pure-blood theory across the Wizarding World, the relationship between the Wizarding and Muggle worlds would be severed, paving the way for a new era where Wizards ruled and Muggles were subjugated.

This was the theory Voldemort used to build his initial support base and the direction of his future actions.

The theory behind Voldemort's plan was, in itself, quite reasonable. After all, one of the main reasons Grindelwald failed to make Wizards the rulers of the world was the significant resistance he faced from within the Wizarding World.

Voldemort understood the principle that "one must first secure the internal before dealing with the external." He began by promoting the pure-blood ideology, aligning himself with the powerful and influential pure-blood factions, despite their relatively small numbers in the Wizarding World.

Once he succeeded in the internal struggle, he aimed to sever all ties between the Wizarding and Muggle worlds, consolidating Wizard power into a single, unified force. This would then allow him to invade the Muggle world and achieve what Grindelwald had failed to accomplish.

It was a rational, well-structured plan with a realistic chance of success.

However, as the plan was put into action, it began to deteriorate.

As the number of pure-blood Wizards in his ranks grew, so did the number of fanatics and lunatics. They became increasingly reckless in their treatment of Muggle-born Wizards.

Moreover, Tom himself seemed to have developed some mental issues, becoming more perverse, insane, and cruel.

A leader's nature inevitably influences his followers, and the Death Eaters grew increasingly brazen. From 1970 onwards, they carried out terrorist attacks across the Wizarding World, challenging the rule of the Ministry of Magic.

Dumbledore founded the Order of the Phoenix around this time.

In essence, while Tom initially had a reasonable and feasible theory, he failed to adhere to it. The violent and oppressive terrorist attacks he orchestrated led to widespread resistance within the Wizarding World.

After all, the majority of Wizards were either half-bloods or Muggle-borns. Add to that a small number of pure-bloods like the Weasley family, who were traitors to their own kind, and the stabilizing presence of Dumbledore at Hogwarts.

Despite their use of Dark Magic and Voldemort's near-invincibility, the Death Eaters were only marginally dominant in the current situation, far from achieving a decisive advantage.

But even this marginal dominance was enough to instill deep fear in every Wizard.

The Ministry of Magic used Stunning Spells, Petrification Spells, and Disarming Spells to apprehend Death Eaters.

In contrast, the Death Eaters used Avada Kedavra, Crucio, and Imperio against the Ministry of Magic.

The difference in the level of intimidation was clear.

Voldemort's organizational theory had a solid foundation.

Firstly, if he had simply wanted to rule the Wizarding World through terror and violence, he would not have gathered so many pure-bloods. These people were not fools; they saw the benefits Voldemort could offer them.

Secondly, the fact that the Death Eaters could oppose the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix for so long, from the 1970s to the 1980s, indicates a constant influx of new members. Even under Dumbledore's influence over Wizarding education, some Hogwarts graduates were still drawn to Voldemort. This suggests that he was not initially a madman but had the potential to succeed.

Thirdly, I found a passage about Regulus Black, Sirius Black's brother:

"In the Chamber of Secrets, Regulus Black noted that the early Death Eaters did not torture Muggles and Muggle-born Wizards as they did later. He joined Voldemort for the sake of blood purity and power. At 16, he entered the Death Eaters, initially proud to serve the Dark Lord. However, within three years, he began to resist Voldemort with his life. As Voldemort's true nature became apparent, Regulus realized that Voldemort was not promoting pure-blood ideology but using brutal means to dominate others. This realization made him see that his former beliefs were entirely wrong and gave him the resolve to fight against Voldemort."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end