Hogwarts: The Exemplary Wizard I Am Chapter 894: A Conspiracy of Two - Novel Cool

Chapter 894: A Conspiracy of Two

Chapter 894: A Conspiracy of Two

"Those newspapers, you intentionally sent them to Gringotts, didn't you?" Chris asked curiously after they left the Ministry of Magic. "If I'm not mistaken, the content wasn't the original, but a temporary fabrication."

"Ah, you figured it out?" Kyle smiled. "It was Rita Skeeter's doing. She said she had wanted to publish a solo issue of the newspaper for a while, and this was the perfect opportunity."

"But it seems her business skills aren't that great."

"Yes, the content is too monotonous. Not only did I notice it, but Scringer did too."

"If the goblins could keep their cool and wait for the owls to deliver the real Daily Prophet, they would realize they've been tricked," Chris commented.

"They can't keep their cool," Kyle shrugged.

Goblins looked down upon wizards, and naturally, they also looked down upon wizard newspapers. Even if they read them daily, it was merely to gather necessary information.

To expect them to understand the Daily Prophet as well as Chris and Scringer did was impossible.

So, when they saw the familiar newspapers, the layout, and the fonts, the goblins didn't suspect that these Daily Prophets were fake.

"Not bad," Chris couldn't help but laugh. "But by letting the goblins eat such a big loss, Gringotts probably won't welcome you anymore."

"It doesn't matter." Kyle said, "Anyway, my money is in my own hands, and I don't need Gringotts..."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Kyle patted his forehead, then took out a ruby from his pocket and waved it.

Chris looked at him with some confusion, not understanding what this meant.

However, before he could ask, a black shadow rushed past in front of him and hugged Kyle's hand.

When Chris saw the shadow clearly, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Snuffles?"

"Yeah." Kyle lifted Snuffles by the back of his neck and put him down, casually throwing the ruby made of stone into his belly pouch, while taking out his own box from the pouch.

Chris' eyes twitched.

He seemed to understand the truth of the matter a little.

"You said you lost a Galleon, it can't be..."

"Ah, I didn't lose it, it's all in here." Kyle opened the box, and the pile of golden light almost blinded Chris.

But before he could even look properly, Snuffles beside him eagerly rushed out, pressing against the gold coins and stuffing them into his pouch.

Kyle didn't intend to stop him, considering it a reward.

On the way to St. Mungo's, he took the opportunity to release Snuffles, who was carrying the box.

This magical creature could squeeze into any gap, and even if the Aurors and goblins dug three feet deep, they wouldn't be able to find him.

In no time, the little guy had stuffed all the Galleons into his pouch and then sat on the ground, looking blissful and dizzy, as if he had drunk too much.

Chris smacked his lips and frowned, "You're taking advantage of the goblins like this, aren't you afraid they'll retaliate against you?"

"I'm not afraid," Kyle said matter-of-factly. "Anyway, they won't know."

"Because of their attitude?" Chris asked.

"Yeah." Kyle nodded.

"Orren's Transformation Charm isn't that clever. I almost saw through it at a glance, but the goblins didn't."

"Perhaps they were careless, or maybe there's some other reason, but I don't believe they're innocent."

"You mean, the goblins and the Death Eaters..."

"It shouldn't be." Kyle shook his head. "The Dark Lord looks down upon goblins. In his eyes, whether they are goblins, house-elves, or werewolves, they are no different from livestock and not even servants.

"Like Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf leader, who should be considered an important figure, yet he doesn't even have the Dark Mark, which proves that the Dark Lord doesn't take them seriously. The goblins should be the same. The Dark Lord doesn't bother to recruit them."

"And goblins aren't stupid either." Kyle continued, "They know that maintaining neutrality is the best choice. No matter who wins, Gringotts won't be affected."

"But their attitude and thoughts might be different." Kyle narrowed his eyes, "The goblins probably prefer the Dark Lord."

"Because the Death Eaters don't follow the rules?" Chris asked.

"Yes." Kyle said, "The Death Eaters are brutal and arrogant. More importantly, they despise Muggles. When the Muggle Protection Act becomes obsolete, it will be easier for the goblins to make money."

"You've thought a lot." Chris glanced at Kyle. "This is part of the Ministry's work."

"Only a part of it, the reason that can be openly stated." Kyle spread his hands.

"What about the other part?" Chris asked with interest. "What's the reason that can't be openly stated?"

"To cause trouble for the goblins." Kyle didn't hide it, "This time it's me, but if it were other wizards, they might be silenced by the Death Eaters after their usefulness is over.

"Besides, I went through all this trouble to get the money, and if I don't get any benefit, it's impossible. These six thousand Galleons are my reward."

"My help doesn't come cheap. The goblins aren't at a loss."

Six thousand Galleons and they're not at a loss?

Chris raised his eyebrows. Honestly, even if they invited Dumbledore, they wouldn't need this much money.

Donating two thousand Galleons to Hogwarts... Dumbledore would definitely not refuse to make a trip.

"Apart from that, I can't stand the way they tormented that Ironbelly." Kyle said softly, "You didn't see how miserable that dragon looked. Its entire body didn't have a single good scale, and as the largest dragon, it was trembling with fear because of a piece of iron."

"If Hagrid were there, he would have torn those goblins apart and stuffed them into the stone crevices."

Chris' expression quickly turned cold.

Although he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, just listening to Kyle's description, he could imagine the torment the Ironbelly had endured.

As Newt's student and the Director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Chris also felt disgusted by the goblins' behavior.

On this matter, Kyle and his father were surprisingly in agreement.

Six thousand Galleons... that's a bit less than expected.

"What about the dragon now...?"

"I'm not sure," Kyle replied, "but it should be on its way to Romania with the dragon handlers by now. I'll donate six hundred Galleons to the Dragon Reserve later. I hope it recovers."

"Just six hundred Galleons?" Chris raised an eyebrow, "You earned six thousand."

"Is six hundred Galleons not enough?" Kyle turned in disbelief, "That's more than your salary for three months as a Director. It's more than enough to treat and care for a dragon."

Chris was left speechless.

It seemed that was indeed the case.

And with Kyle's reminder, he suddenly remembered something important.

The Galleons in the box, plus the compensation from the goblins... Kyle now had twelve thousand Galleons.

Twelve thousand?

The number seemed a bit off.

His monthly salary was only a little over two hundred Galleons, and it had only increased to this amount after becoming a Director.

Yet his son's savings were equivalent to fifty months of his salary?

Chris felt a bit dizzy, as if he were dreaming.

"Where did you get so much money?" he couldn't help but ask.

"It's a long story, I can't explain it in a few words," Kyle said, "But rest assured, I obtained it all through legitimate means. Professor Dumbledore can vouch for me."

"Well... alright then."

Hearing Kyle mention Dumbledore, Chris didn't ask further, trying to accept the fact that Kyle was wealthier than him.

No, he couldn't accept it! Chris sighed, mainly because the contrast was too stark.

Back when he had just graduated, he wasn't exactly poor, but he didn't have much in terms of money. Buying gifts for Diana required careful consideration.

Kyle, on the other hand, had more savings right after graduation than Chris did.

Kyle did have more... Chris hadn't calculated his savings precisely, but it was probably just over ten thousand Galleons.

Diana might have more, as it was common knowledge that Silvertongues received the best treatment in the Ministry, with a salary more than double his.

But the issue was that Kyle had just graduated. This inevitably made Chris feel a bit defeated.

Kyle didn't know what Chris was thinking. Seeing that he remained silent and was walking further away, he couldn't help but ask, "Dad, it's not even time to leave work yet. Is it appropriate for you to leave like this?"

"Huh?" Chris snapped out of his thoughts, "Oh, it's fine. The work at the Hebrides Islands is no easy task. I'm taking a break today."

"Where are you planning to go then?"

"I don't know, let's go home first. I'll have a drink with Arthur after he gets off work and then take a good nap."

"So, you're free now?" Kyle asked.

"I should be, what's up?"

"Nothing," Kyle said, "If you're free, do you want to come with me to Diagon Alley? I've opened a shop there. You're a Director, you know a lot of people, maybe you can introduce some customers to me."

"Oh, sure..."

"Wait a moment," Chris abruptly stopped, his expression odd, "You also opened a shop in Diagon Alley?"

"Yes, it's been some time," Kyle said calmly, "It's just that you and Mom have been so busy lately, I couldn't find the right opportunity to tell you."

Chris paused for a moment.

So, not only did he think Kyle had less money, but Kyle also had a shop in addition to his savings of over ten thousand Galleons!

Did Kyle come by this money honestly? Chris began to doubt.

With a curious mind, he followed Kyle to Diagon Alley.

...

Chris had considered various possibilities, and in his opinion, Kyle might have opened a magical goods shop, just like the Weasley brothers.

After all, this was his specialty, and even during his school days, he had earned quite a bit by selling maps and other small items, to the point where he didn't need an allowance.

But when Chris stepped into the shop, he realized how wrong he was.

Especially after seeing the prices below the items, he remained silent for a while.

Ten Galleons for a 'grape'? Are you sure the price is correct?

And thirty Galleons for a quill? Oh, it's a phoenix feather, that's fine then.

As an expert in magical creatures himself, Chris immediately recognized the quill as a phoenix feather, specifically from the tip of the primary wing.

The price was reasonable, but this item was forbidden, and it was displayed so openly in front of him, the Director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Was this appropriate?

There was also Mobula squid ink, which was even more problematic. With these two items, they wouldn't need to pay a fine; they'd have to report directly to Azkaban.

"My mistake, my mistake..."

Following Chris's gaze, Kyle quickly walked over and removed the price tag.

"These are not for sale, they're for display."

Chris turned, looking skeptical.

"I assure you, the origins of these items are completely clean and legal," Kyle declared.

Chris let out a cold laugh.

Legal? Unless they were obtained sixty years ago, which wouldn't be considered illegal, but he wasn't even born then, how could Kyle have gotten them?

"Professor Dumbledore can vouch for me," Kyle said, "If you don't believe me, ask him."

"I will," Chris said firmly.

Even if Kyle was his son, he couldn't openly sell forbidden items.

However, he also believed that Kyle had the confidence to display these items so boldly, just like some of the things Kyle had done before, which were not moral but definitely legal.

He had faith in this.

But then again, how did Kyle obtain these items? Could it be that Professor Dumbledore gave them to him?

If that's the case, then it's not a big deal.

Given Dumbledore's age, it's normal to have some special stock.

With a certain thought in mind, Chris confiscated all five quills and eight bottles of ink from the shelf.

Under the pretext of evidence.

But Kyle knew in his heart that he wouldn't get those things back... there's no other reason, it's just a pure understanding of Chris' character.

Forget it, it's just advertising expenses.

Kyle sighed and continued to show Chris around the shop.

Fortunately, besides the quills and ink, he hadn't displayed any of the more sensitive items, and at most, there were only a few jumping around on the edges. Chris only glanced at them and didn't say anything further.

Five minutes later, he looked at Kyle again and asked, "Tell me honestly, what did you catch Dumbledore with?"

"Huh?" Kyle blinked.

"Don't play dumb with me," Chris said, "If you didn't have something on him, would he give you all these good things?"

Kyle opened his mouth.

So Chris thought all these things were from Dumbledore?

Well... fine, it saves him the trouble of explaining, after all, it would be quite a hassle to explain this situation.

"Are there many people who buy these things?"

"Not many," Kyle shook his head, "Many people don't dare to buy them because they're unsure of their origins, fearing repercussions from the Ministry of Magic."

"That's only natural," Chris frowned, "How long has this shop been open, and has no one from the Ministry ever come to inspect it?"

"Yes, they have."

"Then why is this shop still open?"

"Because Fred and George came," Kyle said, "They came a week ago, and I had Dobby give them fifty Galleons each, and they left."

"..."

I see, colluding, huh.

No wonder Kyle was so keen on sending Fred and George to work at the Ministry.

Chris' teeth ground audibly.

However, he also understood that the Weasley brothers didn't do it for the fifty Galleons; they also believed Kyle wouldn't openly provoke the Wizard Law.

This was a mutual understanding between friends.

But despite this logic, he still felt a bit uneasy.

"I'll tell Arthur about this," Chris said.

Kyle's lips curled slightly, then quickly returned to their neutral state, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

"To avoid unnecessary trouble, I want to get a permit to legally sell these items," Kyle stated the purpose of his visit, "Just doing you a favor."

"Sure," Chris didn't hesitate, "But I must first understand the origins of these items."

"There's still some time before the Ministry closes," Kyle said, "I'll go to Hogwarts, and if Professor Dumbledore vouches for you, I'll have the documents ready by tomorrow morning."

Chris glanced at the corner of his eye and suddenly spotted a familiar packaging.

It was the candy he used to eat in school, a classic that had been a bestseller for nearly a century. But after Honeydukes changed owners, it was discontinued, and he never expected to see it here.

Looking at the price... three Galleons per box, a markup of more than twenty times.

Chris reached out and naturally took the box of jelly beans, popping one into his mouth.

The taste was still the same, not a bit changed.

Chris was a bit surprised.

He started to believe Kyle's words; in a sense, getting this discontinued candy was more difficult than acquiring forbidden items, not to mention the taste was unchanged.

Normally, candy can't be preserved for twenty years, not even with magic... and no wizard would do such a thing.

"But I can only provide the documents..." Chris popped another bean into his mouth, "...Mobick Squid Ink is a Class C Prohibited Trade Item, and it requires the Minister's signature to take effect."

"That's not a problem."

Kyle wasn't too concerned. He had just secured thirty thousand Galleons from the Ministry, and with Dumbledore's assurance, Amelia Bones wouldn't give him a hard time.

In a short while, Chris finished the box of jelly beans and skillfully grabbed another one.

"Speaking of which, how did you get these things?"

"I bought them in 1899," Kyle said.

"Pfft," Chris couldn't help but laugh, "If you don't want to tell me, it's fine. I don't have to ask, but do you have to make a joke?"

"You don't know?" Kyle looked at him curiously.

"Know what?"

"Never mind," Kyle shook his head.

He thought about how Chris had been busy recently, so busy that people couldn't even see him. Probably Professor McGonagall didn't have time to tell him about this.

"Aren't you going to find Professor Dumbledore? He should be able to tell you."

Strictly speaking, his mission to rescue Dumbledore was confidential, but Chris was his father, and Dumbledore had no reason or right to hide it from him.

Once he went, he would naturally find out.

"So mysterious... fine, I'll go now," Chris said and started walking towards the door.

But just as he reached the door, he turned back, grabbing two buckets of Chocolate Frogs and three boxes of jelly beans from the shelf.

"That's too much," Kyle's expression turned a bit sour.

"It's for your mother," Chris said righteously, "She likes these too."

"Really?" Kyle blinked, "Then take them all."

Without hesitation, Kyle packed all the candy on the shelf into a bag and handed it to Chris.

"Don't eat any," he reminded him, "I'll ask your mother, and if the quantity is wrong, you'll have to pay the full price."

"You, you're serious?" Chris stared at him, "I'm helping you here."

"So?" Kyle stared back, "I'm following the proper procedures, why should I give you a favor?"

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end

Report