Chapter 684: Conversation in the Shop
Chapter 684: Conversation in the Shop
After entering Hogsmeade, Liam found the town as bustling as ever. The influx of Wizards seeking refuge had significantly boosted the local market, making it a bit of a challenge for Ryan and the others to navigate the crowd and reach Weasley's Joke Shop.
The interior of Weasley's Joke Shop had undergone a complete transformation. The once prominent joke products were now relegated to the store's corners, while the newly vacated display cases and shelves were filled with a variety of defensive magic items. From defensive sets to specialized smoke bombs, from decoy bombs to basic guides on elemental magic, the shop had clearly adapted to the changing times.
"Good morning, Sirius Black", Liam greeted as he approached the warehouse door at the back of the shop. "I remember Aurors are usually quite busy. What brings you here today?"
"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for a Ministry of Magic assignment", Sirius Black replied, lifting the brown briefcase in his hand. Liam noticed that the eight corners of the briefcase were reinforced with bronze plates, making it look very sturdy. On the front of the case, a large golden letter 'M' was emblazoned, with a wand standing upright in the center of the 'M.'
"Oh, a Ministry of Magic purchase?" Hermione asked with interest, examining the briefcase adorned with the Ministry of Magic emblem. If she wasn't mistaken, it was a Portable Chest. "What are you looking to buy this time?"
"A large batch of defensive magic items. We need at least 100 Bronze Bracelets", Sirius Black explained, turning to Liam. "Liam, the magic items you create are truly excellent. They've already saved more than one life recently. The problem is, your stock is a bit low."
"Don't worry about that", Liam said, pulling a Spatial Bag from his waist and shaking it. "I've just finished a new batch. Combined with what's left in the shop, it should meet your needs."
He began pulling Bracelets from his pocket and placing them on the nearby table. By the time he had laid out the 37th Bracelet, Sirius Black nodded, indicating that it was enough.
"I remember you bought a batch last time!" Liam said, puzzled, as he watched Sirius Black pack the Bracelets into the briefcase. "Why do you need so many this time? Do you have that many people to use them?"
"We have more than enough personnel", Sirius Black replied, double-checking the Bracelets before closing the case. "What you might not know is that these Bracelets have become consumables. Both Aurors and Hit Wizards are now filled with new recruits and are working beyond their limits. This means they make more mistakes in battle than before."
"In such a situation, the previous batch of Bracelets naturally wears out faster. However, on the plus side, we can use our limited manpower to complete complex tasks and help everyone grow quickly. Overall, the consumption of these Bracelets is worth it. The only downside is that it's a bit of a hassle for you."
"It's my duty", Liam nodded. "After all, life is the most important thing. Using resources to save lives is always worth it."
"I agree completely. And thank you for quoting the Ministry of Magic the cost price, ensuring that more front-line warriors have sufficient defense", Sirius Black said, picking up the briefcase and heading towards the front of the shop. "Well, goodbye. I need to return to the Ministry of Magic to report. By the way, the operation you carried out at the British Ministry of Magic's entrance was impressive."
As an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, Sirius Black had access to information that the general public didn't. He knew exactly who had hung those Dark Wizards from the lampposts. For Sirius Black, who grew up in the Black family, this eye-for-an-eye approach was right up his alley.
"Good luck!" Liam watched as Sirius Black carried the briefcase into the front room. This job was indeed a good fit for Sirius Black. As a shareholder of the Joke Shop, he could directly access the warehouse, pick up what he needed, and then go to the front to pay. This saved a lot of time and made the process much more efficient.
After seeing Sirius Black off, Liam led Hermione upstairs to the shop. At this moment, George was in the process of brewing a potion upstairs. When he saw Liam enter, he extinguished the fire under the distiller.
"Is it okay to stop now? Will you waste the potion?" Hermione, worried, pointed at the array of bottles and vials in front of them and asked.
"Of course not, and my skill level would waste the final product anyway", George said with a smile. "So I'm just refining some potion ingredients, like the elderflower essence I was distilling just now. It's one of the essential ingredients for making White Fresh Essence. I hope these half-finished raw materials can help you make more potions."
"Thank you then." Liam nodded and handed over his spatial bag. "This is a new batch of protective magic items I've made. You can put them on the shelves now. I noticed there were a lot of out-of-stock signs when I came in."
"Indeed, we are out of stock", George said after taking the spatial bag and checking its contents. "There have been constant conflicts lately, so many items that were rarely used before are now being consumed. Additionally, ordinary people are looking for magic artifacts for self-defense. So all our Defense Against the Dark Arts items are selling very well."
He then took out a crystal vial from the spatial bag, about the size of a thermos, reinforced by a framework of steel and silver. Inside, a liquid as green as emerald was swirling.
"Ah, is this a Focus Potion?" George's spirits lifted as he opened the vial and wafted the scent. "The Ministry of Magic and the Phoenix Order will take as many of these elixirs as we can produce. They are needed to alleviate the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse."
At this point, George became quite agitated, his face turning red. "Those damn Death Eaters, and some people in the British Ministry of Magic who are even more evil than the Death Eaters, have been abusing the Cruciatus Curse. A few days ago, Mad-Eye Moody led a group of Aurors to raid a Pureblood Family's manor and rescued over a dozen people. Every single one of them had been tortured beyond recognition by the Cruciatus Curse."
"Can you believe it?" George waved his hands, agitated. "One of them was a six-year-old boy. Those Death Eaters had no qualms about using the Cruciatus Curse on him. The only reason they did it was because they found it amusing."
"Really—" Hermione covered her mouth with both hands. "What happened to those perpetrators?"
"They all escaped", George said, looking very displeased. "Of course, it's not Mad-Eye Moody's fault. There were seven Death Eaters in that house, and Mad-Eye Moody's team only had five people. After rescuing the hostages and ensuring their safe retreat, they didn't have the strength to stop the fleeing Death Eaters."
"I see", Liam nodded slightly. "Regardless, saving the innocent is more important than punishing the guilty. By the way, how are the rescued hostages doing now?"
"They're doing better", George smiled. "Fortunately, not every Death Eater's Cruciatus Curse is equally effective, and we rescued and treated them in time. So while some of the hostages are severely injured, none of them should suffer permanent damage. Of course, the Focus Potion and Calming Incense you developed played a crucial role in their treatment."
"That's good to hear." Liam pointed to the spatial bag in George's hand. "I've prepared ten bottles of Focus Potion, which should be enough for those who need it."
(End of Chapter)
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