Hogwarts: The Exemplary Wizard I Am Chapter 894: In Cahoots - Novel Cool

Chapter 894: In Cahoots

Chapter 894: In Cahoots

"Those newspapers, you must have sent them to Gringotts on purpose," Chris said with interest after leaving the Ministry of Magic. "If I'm not mistaken, the content isn't the original, but a hastily put-together version, right?"

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

"But it seems her skills aren't that impressive."

"Yeah, the content is too monotonous. Not only me, but Scringer also saw through it."

"If the elves could keep their cool and wait for the owls to deliver the real Daily Prophet, they would have realized they were fooled," Chris commented.

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

The elves looked down on wizards, and naturally, they also looked down on wizard newspapers. Even if they read them daily, it was only to gather necessary information.

It was impossible to expect them to understand the Daily Prophet as thoroughly as Chris and Scringer did.

So, when the elves saw the familiar newspaper, layout, and font, they didn't suspect that the Daily Prophet was fake.

"Nice move," Chris couldn't help but smile, "But you've tricked the elves, and Gringotts probably won't welcome you anymore."

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

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

Chris looked on with curiosity, not understanding what this meant.

But before he could ask, a dark shadow shot past and pounced on Kyle's hand.

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

"Yeah." Kyle lifted Snidget by the back of its neck, holding it up. He stuffed the ruby, which was transfigured from a stone, into its pouch on its belly and simultaneously retrieved his box from the pouch.

Chris's eyes twitched.

He seemed to have figured out the truth.

"You said you lost a Galleon, but you didn't..."

"Ah, I didn't lose it. It's all here," Kyle opened the box, and the pile of gleaming gold almost blinded Chris.

But before he could take a closer look, Snidget eagerly rushed out, stuffing the Galleons into its pouch.

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

On their way to St. Mungo's, Kyle took the opportunity to release Snidget with the box.

This magical creature could squeeze into any small space, and neither an Auror nor an elf could find it even if they searched every inch of the ground.

Soon, the little guy finished stuffing all the Galleons into its pouch and then sat on the ground, looking blissful and tipsy, as if it had drunk too much.

Chris pursed his lips and frowned, "You're taking advantage of the elves. Aren't you afraid they'll retaliate?"

"I'm not afraid. They won't find out anyway," Kyle said matter-of-factly. "And I'm specifically targeting the elves."

"Because of their attitude?" Chris asked.

that these elves' topic, but I almost saw through it at a glance. But the elves didn't.

"This might be their negligence, or there might be other reasons, but I don't believe they're innocent."

"You mean the elves and Death Eaters..."

"Unlikely." Kyle shook his head. "The mysterious man looks down on the elves. In his eyes, whether it's elves, house-elves, or werewolves, they're no different from livestock and not even worthy of being servants.

"Take Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf leader; he's a significant figure, yet he doesn't even have the Dark Mark, proving that the mysterious man doesn't take them seriously. The elves are probably in a similar situation; the mysterious man wouldn't bother recruiting them."

"And the elves 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 elves probably want the mysterious man to win."

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

"Yes," Kyle said. "The Death Eaters are brutal and arrogant, and more importantly, they despise Muggles. When the Muggle Protection Act becomes worthless, it'll be easier for the elves to make a fortune."

"You've got quite a plan there," Chris glanced at Kyle. "This is practically Ministry of Magic's work, isn't it?"

"Just a part of it, a reason I can openly state," Kyle spread his hands.

"What about the other part?" Chris asked with interest. "What's the reason you can't openly state?"

"To cause trouble for the elves," Kyle didn't hide it. "This time it's me, but what if it were another wizard? Would they be silenced by the Death Eaters after losing their use?"

"Besides, I went through all that trouble to withdraw money, and I'm not getting any benefits? Impossible. These six thousand Galleons are my compensation."

"My services don't come cheap. The elves won't lose out."

Six thousand Galleons and they won't lose out?

Chris raised an eyebrow. Honestly, even inviting Professor Dumbledore wouldn't require this much money.

Donating two thousand Galleons to Hogwarts... Professor Dumbledore would never refuse such an offer.

"Apart from that, I can't stand seeing them torment the dragon," Kyle said softly. "You didn't see how miserable Ironbelly looked, not a single good scale on its body. Despite being the largest dragon, it was trembling with fear at the sound of a metal sheet.

"If Hagrid were there, he'd tear those elves apart and stuff them into rock crevices."

Chris's expression turned cold.

Although he hadn't witnessed it himself, Kyle's description was enough for him to imagine the torment Ironbelly had endured.

As Newt's student and the Director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Chris also felt a strong distaste for the Elves' behavior.

Surprisingly, he and Kyle shared the same opinion on this matter.

Six thousand Galleons... that's too little.

"How's the dragon doing now...?"

"I don't know," Kyle replied, "but it should be on its way to Romania with the dragon keeper by now. I'll donate six hundred Galleons to the Fire Dragon Reserve later. I hope it recovers."

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

"Is six hundred Galleons not enough?" Kyle turned around in disbelief, "That's equivalent to three months of your salary as a director, more than enough to treat and nurse a fire dragon back to health."

Chris was left speechless.

It seemed that was indeed the case.

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

With the Galleons in the box and the compensation from the Elves, Kyle would have twelve thousand Galleons.

Twelve thousand?

That number seemed a bit off.

His monthly salary was just 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 dizzy and wondered if he was dreaming.

"Where did you get all that money?" he couldn't help but ask.

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

"Hmm... alright."

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

No, he just 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 couldn't find a single gold coin on him. He had to carefully calculate his expenses even when buying a gift for Diana.

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

It was indeed more than him... Chris hadn't calculated Kyle's savings precisely, but it was probably just over ten thousand Galleons.

Diana's savings might be even more, as it was well-known that Silencers received the best treatment and salaries in the Ministry of Magic, more than double his own.

But the issue was, Kyle had just graduated. This couldn't help but make Chris feel a sense of defeat.

Kyle was unaware of Chris's thoughts and, seeing that he remained silent and was walking further away, asked, "Dad, it's not time to leave work yet. Is it appropriate for you to leave now?"

"Huh?" Chris snapped out of his thoughts, "Oh, it's fine. The work in the Hebrides isn't easy, and I'm taking a break today."

"Where are you going then?"

"I don't know, I'll head 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, would you like to come with me to Diagon Alley? I've opened a shop there, and as a director, you know a lot of people. Maybe you can introduce some customers to me."

"Oh, sure..."

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

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

Chris paused for a moment.

So, Kyle not only had over twelve thousand Galleons in savings but also owned a shop!

How did he come by all this money? Chris began to doubt.

With a desire to find out more, he followed Kyle to Diagon Alley.

...

Chris had considered many possibilities, and in his mind, Kyle might be similar to the Weasley brothers, running a magical goods shop.

After all, this was Kyle's specialty, and even during his school days, he had made quite a profit from selling maps and other trinkets, not needing any allowance.

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

Especially after noticing the price tags beneath the items, he fell silent for a while.

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

And thirty Galleons for a quill? What's so special about it... oh, it's a Thunderbird's feather, never mind then.

As an expert in magical creatures himself, Chris immediately recognized the light brown feather as belonging to a Thunderbird, specifically the longest feather from the first pair of wingtips.

The price was reasonable... but wasn't this item prohibited? How could it be displayed so openly in front of him, the director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?

And Manticore Ink, that's even worse. Together, these items don't even require a fine; they should go straight to Azkaban.

"My mistake, my mistake..."

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

"This is not for sale, it's for display only."

Chris turned, looking skeptical.

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

Chris let out a cold laugh.

Legal? Unless it was obtained sixty years ago, it wouldn't be considered illegal, but Kyle couldn't have gotten it then since he wasn't even born yet.

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

"I will," Chris said sternly.

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

However, he also believed that Kyle had the confidence to display those items boldly, just like some of Kyle's past actions, which were unethical but never illegal.

He had faith in that.

But then again, how did Kyle get these items? Could it be from Professor Dumbledore?

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

Given Dumbledore's age, it's not surprising that he has some unique items in stock.

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

Under the guise of collecting evidence, of course.

But Kyle knew in his heart that he would likely never get those items back... There was no other reason than his pure understanding of Chris's character.

Oh well, he thought, considering it a payment for advertising.

Kyle sighed and continued to accompany Chris on the tour of the shop.

Fortunately, aside from the quills and ink, he hadn't displayed any of the more sensitive items. At most, there were a few borderline items, but Chris merely glanced at them without saying anything further.

Five minutes later, he turned to Kyle again and asked, "Tell me honestly, what hold do you have on Professor Dumbledore?"

"Huh?" Kyle blinked.

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

Kyle opened his mouth to speak.

So Chris thought that all these items were given to him by Dumbledore?

Well, fine, it would save him the trouble of explaining, as it would be quite a complicated story if he had to.

"Are there many people who buy these things?"

"Not many," Kyle shook his head. "Because of the uncertain origins, many people are afraid to buy them, fearing repercussions from the Ministry of Magic."

"That's understandable," Chris frowned. "Hasn't anyone from the Ministry come to inspect this shop since you opened it?"

"Yes, they have."

"Then why is this shop still open?"

"Because the ones who came were Fred and George," Kyle replied. "They came a week ago, and I had Dobby give them fifty Galleons each, and they left."

"..."

I see, they're in cahoots.

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

Chris's teeth ground audibly.

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

This was a silent understanding between friends.

But despite the logic, he still felt a bit uneasy about it.

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

Kyle's lips curled up slightly, then quickly returned to their usual position, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

"To avoid unnecessary trouble, I want to obtain a certificate to legally sell these items," Kyle stated, revealing the purpose of his visit. "Just do me this favor."

"Sure, I can do that," Chris replied without much hesitation. "But I need to know the origins of these items first.

"There's still some time before the Ministry closes for the day. I'll make a trip to Hogwarts, and if Professor Dumbledore is willing to vouch for you, I can have the paperwork ready by tomorrow morning."

Chris's gaze shifted, and he spotted a familiar packaging.

It was a candy he used to eat when he was 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.

He checked the price... three Galleons per box, marked up by more than twenty times.

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

The taste was exactly as he remembered, unchanged.

Chris was a bit surprised.

He started to believe Kyle's words, and in a way, obtaining this discontinued candy was far more challenging than acquiring prohibited items. Moreover, the taste remained the same.

Normally, candy couldn't be preserved for twenty years, not even with magic... and no wizard would attempt such a feat.

"But I can only provide the documents..." Chris popped another jellybean into his mouth, "...Manticore Ink is a Category C prohibited trade item, and I'll need the Minister's signature to make it official."

"That's not a problem."

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

In a short while, Chris had finished the box of jellybeans and skillfully grabbed a second one.

"Speaking of which, how did you get your hands on these items?"

"I bought them in 1899," Kyle replied.

"Pfft!" Chris couldn't help but laugh. "If you don't want to tell me, it's fine. I'm not insisting on knowing, but do you have to tell a joke?"

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

"Never mind, it's nothing," Kyle shook his head.

He recalled that Chris had been busy lately, and Professor McGonagall probably didn't have time to tell him about this.

"Aren't you going to see Professor Dumbledore? He should be able to tell you," Kyle said.

Strictly speaking, his rescue of Dumbledore was classified, but Chris was his father, and Dumbledore had no reason or right to keep it from him.

Once he went there, he would naturally find out.

"Fine, I'll go now," Chris said and started heading for the door.

But as he reached the door, he turned back again and grabbed two buckets of Chocolate Frogs and three boxes of jellybeans.

"That's a bit much," Kyle's expression soured.

"They're for your mother," Chris said matter-of-factly. "She likes these too."

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

Without hesitation, Kyle took all the candy from the shelf, put them in a bag, and handed it to Chris.

"Don't eat them all," he warned. "I'll ask Mom, and if the quantity is off, you'll have to pay the full price."

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

"So?" Kyle stared back. "Why should I give you a favor when you're following the proper procedures?"

...

(End of Chapter)

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