https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1654-A-War-with-No-Victors-One-Hundred-and-Four-/12529428/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1656-A-War-with-No-Victors-Part-106-/12529430/
Chapter 1655: A War Without Victors (Part 105)
Chapter 1655: A War Without Victors (Part 105)
Ever since the broadcast on Wizarding Wireless Network, Albert found himself gaining more attention and popularity. This was especially noticeable when he arrived in Diagon Alley.
Pedestrians around him would pause and give him curious glances, making Albert feel like he had become the savior, Harry Potter. Strangely enough, there were even young women who approached him to shake his hand. Thankfully, he had now arrived at the address he was looking for—Murmuring Books, located at 18a, North Side of Diagon Alley.
"I've been expecting you, Mr. Anderson," a middle-aged wizard in his fifties, with an excited look on his face, approached Albert with open arms as if to give him an enthusiastic hug.
However, his gesture was gently averted by the file folder that Albert held out.
The middle-aged wizard, Mr. Max, eagerly took the folder and began to unwrap it, inviting Albert into the shop as he said, "Please forgive my enthusiasm, but ever since receiving your letter, I've been looking forward to reading the 'Dark Magic Defense Guide' mentioned on the Wizarding Wireless Network."
Mr. Max estimated the number of pages in the book and said thoughtfully, "It's a bit of a rush, but we should be able to make it."
"By the way, there's one more thing. Regarding the author of this book, I want my wife, Isabelle, to be included as well," Albert reminded him seriously.
"Two authors? That's unprecedented, but it's no problem," Mr. Max said, giving Albert a knowing look. "You're quite a romantic gentleman."
"My wife has also contributed greatly to the completion of this book in such a short time. Many others have provided assistance as well, and I want their efforts and contributions to be acknowledged by those who read it," Albert explained with a smile.
"You're truly a noble gentleman," Mr. Max said sincerely, feeling a bit ashamed. He now realized how despicable those who spread the rumors were.
"So, what about the pricing?" Albert asked.
"The 'Dark Magic Defense Guide' will be in three volumes. This is the last one, and I'm still organizing the beginner and intermediate levels, which will take about a year to revise. As you know, the Ministry of Magic has strict control over the teaching of Dark Magic Defense at Hogwarts, so I need to communicate with them to finalize the content. It's a time-consuming process," Mr. Max explained.
"That's true. The Book of Spells has also encountered similar issues," Mr. Max said, understanding the situation. After a brief glance through the manuscript, he put the book back into the file folder and smiled as he discussed the pricing with Albert.
"How about nine galleons? We can reference the price of 'Advanced Potion-Making'," Mr. Max suggested.
This was the main reason why Mr. Max was so welcoming to Albert—the 'Dark Magic Defense Guide' seemed like a golden goose.
"Oh, my! You are generous indeed, but at that price, there won't be much profit to speak of," Mr. Max exclaimed.
"I can accept a lower royalty fee," Albert said, using the excuse he had prepared beforehand. "I can prioritize publishing my future books with you, but the price of textbooks should not be too high. Other books don't have this restriction."
"Alright, three galleons, but the same price applies to the next two volumes as well. And I believe a complete, hardcover edition of the 'Dark Magic Defense Guide' is worth more than ten galleons. If you agree, I'll agree to help publish it," Mr. Max bargained, using his business acumen and sharp instincts to push the deal to the limit. He didn't want to lose out on this opportunity.
However, he was also aware that if he didn't agree, the young man before him might just take his business elsewhere in Diagon Alley.
"Deal!"
The two shook hands, sealing the transaction. After that, they spent a considerable amount of time discussing the various details of the book.
Of course, to ensure a decent profit, the 'Dark Magic Defense Guide' would be quite "plain" in its initial release. As for the collector's edition that would come later, Albert would not interfere with the pricing.
One couldn't really blame Mr. Max, as books weren't exactly fast-moving commodities in the wizarding world. Aside from the annual book orders from Hogwarts, which maintained a steady income, publishers could only hope for the occasional bestseller to strike gold.
Especially after Gilderoy Lockhart permanently resided in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Murmuring Books could only manage to break even each year.
The main issue was the small sales volume; printing a thousand copies was considered a big deal, and it might take several years to sell them all.
Moreover, the most troublesome aspect was that the books were assembled by hand. Murmuring Books had only a handful of employees: Mr. Max, the boss, a mediocre "artist," and three employees responsible for printing and assembly.
As for Mr. Max himself, he juggled multiple roles, including warehouse manager and customer service representative, which made Albert want to facepalm.
Well, it seemed like most wizarding shops were similar family-run workshops.
After finalizing the publishing details, Albert rushed to Hogwarts to attend a meeting with the professors. Although Cedric usually represented him in such meetings, Albert had to be present for the more important ones.
"We should be able to make it before the start of the school year, but Mr. Max wouldn't budge on the price—three galleons," Albert said helplessly, as he had originally hoped to push the price down to two galleons.
"It's already much lower than I expected," Professor McGonagall said, relatively satisfied with the book's price. Although she wasn't worried about a repeat of the Gilderoy Lockhart situation, a high price could still invite criticism. Even Professor McGonagall had noticed that some people seemed to be targeting Albert.
"Here's the curriculum for Dark Magic Defense for the upper years," she said, handing Albert a piece of parchment.
"That shouldn't be a problem," Albert said after reviewing the curriculum for the higher grades. After all, there were only a few classes each week.
"Although you mentioned sharing an office with Cedric, I still think it would be more convenient for you to have your own separate office. There are still some vacant offices in Hogwarts Castle," Professor McGonagall said, feeling that Albert should have his own space.
Initially, Albert had even refused to accept a salary as the Dark Magic Defense professor, intending to give it all to Cedric, his assistant. He had wanted to give the impression that he was just there to fulfill a formality, which left the new headmistress quite exasperated.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
