Chapter 181: Ouroboros
Chapter 181: Ouroboros
Passing through the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron, they arrived directly at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions on the north side of Diagon Alley.
According to Professor Flitwick, while the shop sells school uniforms, dress robes, and traveling cloaks, Madam Malkin is more than willing to tailor a custom outfit for you if you're willing to pay a bit extra.
Madam Malkin was a short, plump witch with a warm smile, wearing a deep purple robe. "Welcome, are you here to buy a robe or a charming ball gown, sir?" she asked, holding a tape measure and a wand.
Felix pointed to Dobby, "Madam, it's not me, it's him."
Madam Malkin's eyes fell on Dobby, and she hesitated, "Oh, well..."
"Madam, Professor Filius Flitwick recommended me to you. He speaks highly of your craftsmanship."
"That is an honor."
Under Felix's flattering words and the promise of payment, Madam Malkin promptly tailored a small suit for Dobby, making him look fresh and like a proper British butler.
"Sir, you are very kind to your House-elf, but I must ask, the clothes..."
"Madam, Dobby is my friend, and he is free."
On the way, Dobby kept expressing his gratitude to Felix in various ways, but Felix told him it was a uniform requirement, and he finally stopped.
Felix then took him to the dilapidated Lca Comics building and knocked on Andis's door.
After not coming for over ten days, the house seemed to have gathered even more of an odor, but Andis looked much better, at least he had changed into a clean shirt.
He pulled Felix into the room, took out a stack of manuscripts, and said with a heavy nasal tone, "I've redrawn part of the book and added exclusive magic. What do you think?"
Felix carefully flipped through the pages. Each page of the comic was divided into five to ten panels, and when opened, the characters in the panels would start moving in a fixed sequence. Once the first panel's story concluded, the second one would begin, timed perfectly.
In a sense, each page of the comic was like a scene from a movie.
"The magic is quite interesting", Felix commented.
If he added another page to this, allowing it to sequentially display all the panels of the entire comic, wouldn't it achieve the effect of a movie?
He shared this idea with Andis.
"Hmm?"
Andis thought about it for a moment, "It might be possible?" he said uncertainly.
"I don't know the specifics of your publishing house's magic, unless..."
"This is a closely guarded secret", Andis quickly interjected.
"Alright", Felix clicked his tongue, examining the drawings in his hands and rubbing their surface, "but using your professional judgment, do you think my idea is feasible?"
Andis didn't answer immediately. This time, he thought for a longer period, becoming increasingly excited and pacing around the room.
"Absolutely feasible! This will be a breakthrough in the magical world. Oh, we'll become famous overnight!"
"If you were to improve it, how long do you think it would take?"
"It's hard to say. This is new technology, and it will take time. I have two approaches in mind, and I haven't been idle these past years. My grandfather's research could also help. But the magic has changed, and the entire process needs to be adjusted, including selecting the most suitable comic medium and pigments. This will require both time and—"
Andis stopped awkwardly.
"Money?"
"…Yes."
Felix calculated, "I can provide about twenty thousand Galleons, but what do I get in return?"
Andis looked conflicted. This was a crucial decision. Maybe Lca Comics would regain its vitality in his hands.
But he had been wrong for the past decade. Would he be wrong this time?
"Are you Felix Hep?" he asked, clenching his teeth.
Felix glanced at him, confused. I've already introduced myself. Dobby, however, stood proudly and said, "Yes, this is the great Mr. Felix Hep!"
Andis gave Dobby a quick look, not really paying attention. He slowly said to Felix, "I've had someone investigate you. They say you have a lot of influence."
"Let's cut to the chase, Andis. No beating around the bush."
"Five thousand Galleons! If you can help me secure the Ministry of Magic's approval, I'm willing to convert this money into an investment, taking a twenty percent—no, a thirty percent stake in the publishing house."
"Secure the Ministry of Magic's approval?"
"I want this book to receive an official recommendation and be displayed in bookstores in other countries. This will save a lot of time", Andis explained.
"What's the issue?"
"It involves some Pureblood Families. They might not like this book", Andis said hesitantly.
"But my previous books didn't cause any problems?" Felix asked curiously.
"Different publishers are different. I have a history, and the subject matter of your book..." he hinted, and Felix understood. So, your previous publications offended some people, right?
"I need to see those controversial sketches first", Felix said, not rushing to agree.
If Andis was problematic, he would refuse outright.
After a while, Felix looked up from a pile of manuscripts. He had only seen the sales data from the Lca publishing house but hadn't read the entire book before.
It was clear that Andis had indeed been working hard to revitalize the publishing house over the years. The topics were varied, but one book featured Pureblood Families as the antagonists. Although it didn't specify which families, it was obvious that this had caused some discontent.
To Felix, this was a normal part of creative writing.
"Tsk tsk!"
Felix thought for a moment. He would need to pay 5000 Galleons, invest some time and effort, and deal with potential issues. In return, he would get a thirty percent stake in the publishing house.
He also saw potential in the new technology and had faith in Lca.
"Alright, but I want all your magical research materials."
Andis was taken aback. "Of course, that's your right, as long as you don't reveal them indiscriminately."
Felix nodded. That settled it.
Money was a small matter; the exclusive magical knowledge was what he valued. However, it would at least provide him with a stable income in the future, sparing him the need to resort to the black market.
This was different from the fifty percent stake the twins had mentioned; he had no intention of taking that amount.
Andis said, "Let's sign a magical contract, for both our peace of mind."
Felix had no reason to refuse. He took out a piece of parchment, and a series of golden letters appeared, detailing the obligations and rights of both parties. They each signed their names and left a drop of blood.
Under the watchful eyes of the three, golden flames burned the parchment to ashes, but the letters glowed brightly, floating in the air.
Soon, the golden letters melted and formed two glowing orbs. Felix and Andis each took one.
This was a common "Witness Contract", which lacked enforceable constraints but was protected by the Ministry of Magic. If any issues arose, they could take the orb to the Ministry, and they would intervene to resolve the problem.
Holding the contract orb, Andis let out a sigh of relief.
He had, in a sense, bet on a part of his future, but now he was full of anticipation. A friend had mysteriously told him, "Working with that gentleman, you'll never have to worry about being taken advantage of. He's a proud Slytherin, unlike those greedy Pureblood scum."
Felix turned to the house-elf. "Dobby, I need you to come at least once a day to check on the progress and any issues. If necessary, you can represent me in negotiations with the Pureblood Families." He tapped the house-elf's chest with his wand, and an ouroboros symbol appeared.
The symbol was still, but when you looked at it, it would quickly move, its emerald eyes gleaming.
Felix had imprinted this symbol on his clothes in his fifth year, and many Pureblood Families recognized it, though it wasn't used much anymore.
"Dobby, Dobby is afraid he can't..." the house-elf said fearfully.
"When you were at the Malfoy house, you also had the task of delivering messages, right?"
"But, but Dobby just delivered messages, similar to an owl."
"Let's give it a try. Come to me if you encounter any unsolvable problems", Felix said calmly. "I want to see who will come looking for trouble."
(End of Chapter)
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