Chapter 240: A Renewed L.C.A Publishing
Chapter 240: A Renewed L.C.A Publishing
Felix politely but firmly declined the current Head of House at St. Mungo's request for a meeting, "I'm sorry, but one morning a week is the most I can spare, and I still need to spend time summarizing the Longbottoms' treatment plans."
Standing at the entrance of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Felix informed Madam Longbottom about the latest progress, "After a maximum of three treatments, they will reach the threshold for recovery.
At that point, I will use Frank and Alice's emotional bond to tie their memory recovery processes together.
As long as one of them starts to recover their self-healing ability, the other will benefit as well."
Madam Longbottom's hands were clasped tightly together. She held back her excitement and asked rationally, "There won't be any complications, will there? Could this bond drag one of them down?"
Felix smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Mrs. Longbottom. If they were strangers, this approach would indeed be risky, but Frank and Alice are different. After so many treatments, I am certain that they are the most important people in each other's lives..."
After parting ways with Madam Longbottom, Felix made a detour to Diagon Alley. The L.C.A Building had undergone a complete transformation, with its dilapidated and outdated exterior now painted in vibrant rainbow colors, drawing the attention of passersby.
On the newly restored sign, a little boy was seen peeking out of a small Ferris wheel window, smiling happily.
Felix could see a few children, around seven or eight years old, pointing at the large sign and hanging from their parents' arms, squealing with excitement.
‘It looks like Andis and Dobby have done a great job.’
The ground-floor lobby had been repurposed. As Felix entered the building, a young witch approached him, "Hello, sir, may I help you with anything?"
"I'm looking for Andis", Felix said succinctly.
"Are you—"
"Felix Heap, a shareholder in this company."
The young witch's eyes lit up, "Mr. Heap, please follow me to the third floor. Mr. Andis has instructed that you can see him at any time."
"Isn't his office on the second floor?"
"The second floor has been converted into a production office, with twenty skilled artists, all former employees of L.C.A Comic Book Publisher", the witch explained.
"You know this very well?"
"My father used to work for Mr. Andis's grandfather, but the publisher fell on hard times, and many people left. Now, with the company's revival, a significant number of them have been brought back", the witch said cheerfully.
Felix nodded and was led to a long office on the third floor. Andis, with a full beard, was engaged in a heated discussion with an elderly wizard. He was shouting, "We need to speed up the process! Three more countries' publishers are seeking collaboration."
The old wizard responded loudly, "We don't have enough people, young Andis! I wish we could speed up, but skilled artists are hard to come by. I've already gathered as many former employees as I could."
"We can train our own."
"Good idea, but that's a long-term solution."
Once their conversation ended, Felix stepped forward. Andis's eyes brightened, and he threw his arms around Felix, not without a complaint, "Oh, heavens, our great benefactor and major shareholder has finally decided to drop by!"
"To be honest, when was the last time you took a bath?" Felix instinctively stepped back, the smell was overpowering. He cast a scouring charm on Andis. "I'm not neglecting the company, you know. There's Dobby, who can represent me. By the way, where is he?"
"He's downstairs, juggling multiple roles and working tirelessly... Where did you find this House-elf? Introduce me to one too."
"Cut the jokes", Felix shook his head. "I came today to see if you've run into any trouble and if you need help resolving it."
"You can see for yourself", Andis shrugged. "The biggest problem is the shortage of staff. Unless you can find a large number of employees."
"Any specific requirements?"
"Experienced and skilled artists would be ideal, but if not, we can train them. They just need to be hardworking and patient... After all, this job can be a bit tedious."
Felix thought for a moment and called Dobby over.
Dobby was still wearing his little suit, but his demeanor had changed significantly. "Great, generous Mr. Heap!" he exclaimed excitedly.
Felix automatically translated his words into a greeting. "Hello, Dobby", he said with a serious face. "Listen, Dobby, I have an idea and I need your advice."
"It's an honor to serve you, Mr. Heap!"
Felix paused, still not used to the House-elf's manner of speaking. "The publishing house is short-staffed. I want to ask you if you know any other House-elves, ones without masters?"
Dobby gave him a troubled look, his tennis-ball-sized eyes full of hesitation. He fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yes, sir. There are... some."
"Is there any obstacle?"
"They're not in good shape. For a House-elf, losing a master means losing everything. They often become disheartened and lose their spirit."
"Dobby, can you convince them to work for me?"
Dobby's eyes widened. "Can I? Dobby has always wanted... Oh, Dobby is too greedy, but Dobby has been hesitant to bring it up..."
Felix smiled. "They work for me, and I'll pay them. It sounds fair, doesn't it?"
His thoughts went further. From his conversation with Andis, he realized that Dobby's position was somewhat awkward. House-elves found it difficult to command wizards directly—they were usually the ones being commanded. So, Dobby often did auxiliary work or was temporarily pulled by Andis to act as a front when dealing with Pureblood Families.
This wasn't what he wanted.
"Dobby", Felix looked at him seriously, "help me find these free House-elves, whether they are wild or have been expelled. I don't care. You're responsible for convincing them. Bring them to me in batches. If everything is in order, they will get a formal job, and you will manage them."
Dobby blinked his big eyes and nodded vigorously, his eyes brimming with tears of joy.
"Dobby, Dobby is honored!"
This made Felix feel a bit strange.
'It's just a mutually beneficial arrangement. House-elves can handle repetitive tasks perfectly well. And using Dobby to manage other House-elves is a win-win situation.'
...
At three in the afternoon, Felix arrived at the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade, the snow-covered ground crunching under his feet.
The bar, tucked away in a narrow alley, looked unassuming. The pig's head sign creaked in the cold wind.
Standing at the door, Felix, cloaked and hooded with a mask, couldn't help but chuckle. Why did he always think of this place first when it came to underground transactions?
Maybe it was because the patrons here often hid their faces?
The Hog's Head was essentially a semi-public black market. The bar owner didn't interfere much, allowing shady deals to take place, possibly even using this permissive attitude as a way to attract customers.
In the distance, he spotted the figures of Dementors, patrolling in pairs. Some were noticeably shorter than their companions, which was rather amusing.
"Didn't expect to run into an old acquaintance..."
(End of Chapter)
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