"Capacity, capacity, I need more capacity! Tell those lazy folks in the production department that before June arrives, they must increase our output capacity by another three full percentage points, or I'll personally recommend to Mr. Lupin that he fire those who are holding us back and replace them with people who actually want to work!"
"Oh, damn it all to hell, those greedy Swiss suppliers want to raise the price of raw materials by five percentage points. Five percent! That's absolutely impossible, completely unacceptable. I need to negotiate with them face-to-face as soon as possible. I can't wait any longer, Rydell—every day of delay costs us money.
Tonight—I'm going home right now to pack my bags and head directly to Switzerland. You go to the Ministry of Magic first thing tomorrow morning and help me apply for an emergency cross-border Floo Network usage permit! Tell them it's urgent commercial business!"
"What?! That entire shipment to Hungary was confiscated by the local Ministry of Magic? The whole thing? Why? Oh, 'suspected smuggling,' needs to be 'inspected for compliance.'
Oh, don't think I don't know exactly what's going on here—those corrupt bastards just want to pocket some galleons for themselves, want their bribes. We should really have Mr. Watson toss a fireball at their greedy heads. Oh, I know, I know—Mr. Watson wouldn't actually do that, more's the pity.
Fine, we can't breach the contract terms or risk our reputation. I'll write to Anya in Budapest right now and let her satisfy those bastards' appetites!"
"Those damn Americans changed the terms of our contract—again! Unilaterally, without consultation! Oh, just you wait—I'll make them understand the serious consequences of doing that. Unless they pay the full penalty fee specified in the original agreement, their goods can sit at the border customs house for another half month for all I care! Let them explain to their customers why deliveries are late!"
"People? More staff? Sorry, Santos, I genuinely don't have anyone to spare for your department right now. Forget people—I can't even spare a single gnome at this point, and don't even think about borrowing me. Mr. Lupin has arranged for me to develop the Egyptian market personally, and I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning on the early portkey. Damn it, when will we ever get some additional help around here!"
Office after office with doors standing wide open, wizard after wizard with faces red from stress and sweating profusely.
Percy felt as if he were standing on a different kind of battlefield—not one of wands and spells, but of commerce and ambition. Every wizard who appeared before him, who rushed past clutching documents or shouted into communication mirrors, was radiating raw passion and energy. Each one seemed filled with an uplifting, progressive emotion, a sense of purpose and mission.
This vigor, this intensity, this genuine commitment to their work couldn't even be seen in the Ministry of Magic, which supposedly gathered the most elite wizards from across Britain. Having worked at the Ministry for nearly a year now, Percy knew how most Ministry officials operated—how they "dragged their feet" through their days, doing the bare minimum, watching the clock, living for weekends and holidays.
The scene before him was quite chaotic indeed, with people shouting, rushing, papers flying. But within this apparent disorder there was a fatal charm, an intoxicating appeal that deeply attracted Percy.
Watching those busy wizards dart in and out of offices, gesturing as they argued over schedules and budgets and logistics, Percy's eyes revealed a trace of faint infatuation and envy. He stood engrossed, absorbing it all, until Sirius spoke up and he snapped abruptly out of his daze.
"The people here are quite passionate about their work, aren't they?"
Watching another group of alchemy experts in protective gear rush out a door and down the stairs in hurry, Sirius said with a knowing smile, observing Percy's reaction.
"Yes, everyone is so incredibly focused, and so committed—"
Percy said this instinctively. He looked at Sirius and found Sirius staring at him with unusual intensity, as if trying to read his thoughts. Percy's cheeks flushed slightly with uneasiness, and he took a small breath.
"But how does Professor Lupin do it?"
Percy asked with genuine puzzlement, his voice carrying real curiosity.
"How does he make everyone here so enthusiastic?"
"Oh, this actually comes from some of Bryan's specific suggestions and business philosophy—"
Sirius led the way toward the stairwell at the end of the first-floor corridor. He clearly came here often.
"First principle: generous compensation is absolutely essential, non-negotiable. According to what Bryan told Remus when they were setting this up, most people simply don't possess lofty beliefs and great dreams about changing the world.
That's just reality, not criticism. People work hard mainly to improve their own lives and make things easier and more comfortable for themselves and their families. So, if you can provide genuinely generous salaries that exceed what they could earn elsewhere, you can directly inspire their enthusiasm and loyalty."
Hearing these words, Percy fell into genuine confusion again—was he among that rare minority that Professor Watson had mentioned who actually did possess lofty beliefs and dreams?
"Second principle—"
Sirius took three steps at once with his long legs to reach the second-floor landing, then turned around to face Percy.
"Maintaining fairness and justice in all dealings. This place isn't the slightest bit like other pure-blood family businesses, where the inside is filled with incompetent core family members and their useless relatives doing the easiest work while drawing the highest salaries because of their names and connections."
His voice took on an edge of contempt for such places.
"Bryan specifically reminded Remus to create smooth, transparent promotion pathways for all employees—merit-based advancement, not nepotism. Most of the people you just saw working in those offices, the ones managing major contracts and international deals, were originally selected and promoted from the production line workers when Remus first took over this workshop.
They're exceptionally capable and genuinely love learning, love improving themselves, so they quickly became able to handle complex things independently."
Fairness, justice, smooth promotion pathways based on merit.
A bitter, melancholy smile appeared at the corner of Percy's mouth. This was exactly the environment he dreamed of having at the Ministry of Magic, what he'd hoped to find there. Instead, he'd found politics and nepotism and endless frustration.
"And also—"
Sirius carefully carried the cloth-wrapped lunch box, protecting it from jostling, and quickly walked up the stairs from the second floor to the third, then the fourth, reaching the fifth floor without pausing for breath.
"Bryan taught Remus many other management principles and techniques. For example, letting employees clearly see the workshop's development prospects and growth trajectory to inspire genuine pride in the workshop itself, in what they're building together. Making them feel part of something successful and growing."
Sirius continued as they climbed.
"Strict supervision and punishment measures to prevent corruption and theft and laziness, to prevent the kind of rot that happens at the Ministry of Magic to the greatest extent possible. Oh, and genuine care for employees as human beings, not just workers."
He paused on the landing to catch his breath briefly.
"You probably don't know this, Percy, but for all employees of this workshop, if their spouse, children, or parents fall seriously ill, the workshop will fully reimburse all the costs of treatment at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Medical bankruptcy isn't something that happens to people who work here."
Percy's eyes widened at this revelation. Such generosity was unheard of.
"And if an employee's child awakens magical talent, the workshop will also subsidize their education expenses at Hogwarts books. You know, Percy—"
Sirius's voice became gentler.
"Hogwarts has very limited subsidies available for children from poor families—that limited amount of galleons is only enough for them to buy some cheap secondhand goods, hand-me-downs and cast-offs."
Percy felt his throat tighten. He knew. He knew exactly.
"But if you work at this workshop and your family circumstances happen to be difficult, then after your child enters Hogwarts, they can not only enjoy whatever Hogwarts provides but the workshop will also provide an additional substantial stipend. This ensures your child can study at Hogwarts with genuine dignity, with new robes and new books, without shame or embarrassment."
Percy followed behind Sirius in stunned silence all the way to the sixth and highest floor of this office building, listening in growing amazement to what Sirius was describing.
The layout of this floor was basically the same as the floors below—a long corridor with offices on either side. Except that most of the spacious corridor was currently occupied by a long line of wizards waiting patiently, or not so patiently.
"They're all here to see Remus—"
Sirius gestured with his chin toward the group of wizards clutching documents and folders, occasionally stamping their feet in frustration and anxiously glancing at the watches on their wrists, clearly stressed about time passing.
"If they queue normally and wait their turn, it would probably take at least two hours to see Remus for even five minutes. He's that busy. Fortunately, I have a bit of privilege."
The last time Percy had seen Professor Lupin in person was during last summer's holiday, nearly a year ago now.
At that time, Professor Lupin had spent several months recovering at St. Mungo's due to serious injuries sustained fighting with Greyback's pack of werewolves in that ambush.
During the brief time he had stayed at the Burrow to attend the Quidditch World Cup together with the family, Professor Lupin had seemed like a middle-aged wizard who felt somewhat lost and directionless after losing his teaching job, uncertain about his future.
But now...
Now, at the far end of the simply and plainly decorated office, the wizard sitting behind the large desk giving crisp instructions to a subordinate had developed a dignity and imposing presence on his face that even made Percy, who frequently saw many high-ranking Ministry officials, feel somewhat intimidated.
Sirius and Percy's sudden appearance in his field of vision made Remus's expression freeze briefly in surprise. After glancing quickly at the lunch box in Sirius's hand, Remus instinctively looked across the office toward the young woman with a slightly flushed face sitting behind another desk. A somewhat complex smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"I apologize, but I need some private time now."
Remus said to the wizard who'd been reporting to him. "Shall we continue discussing this matter later this evening?"
The man promptly agreed, understanding when his boss needed space, and hurriedly left Remus's office, thoughtfully closing the door behind them to give privacy.
"What do you think Bryan would do if I wrote him a letter telling him that you personally deliver dinner to Amelia every single night without fail?"
Remus came around from behind his desk with a tired smile, speaking to the broadly grinning Sirius with amusement.
"I think you must be seriously misunderstanding something, Remus—"
Sirius walked casually to Remus's desk as if he owned the place, took out a generous portion of still-warm dinner from the cloth-wrapped lunch box, and set it consciously in front of Remus with exaggerated care.
"I'm just worried, as any good friend would be, that my old friend is so obsessively busy with work that he consistently forgets to eat dinner—"
As he spoke, Sirius carried the remaining food across the office to Amelia, who was pretending to be calm and focused on her paperwork but whose neck had already flushed red.
"Here, I brought you a portion too, Amelia. Bryan entrusted both Remus and me to take good care of you when you first came to Britain. But Remus is clearly far too busy running this massive operation to look after your daily life here properly, so naturally it falls to me as the less busy friend to pick up that responsibility."
Even Percy could clearly see the "ulterior motives" hidden in Sirius's smile. He curiously observed Amelia a few times with interest. Based on their brief conversation and earlier mentions, this pretty young woman seemed to have some kind of relationship with Professor Watson but they clearly weren't a romantic couple.
"Percy, how did you end up coming here with Sirius tonight?"
Remus's curious call turned the distracted Percy back around.
"Oh, we ran into each other by chance in Diagon Alley—"
Percy said somewhat stiffly. Everything he had seen and heard from the workshop entrance through the security, past the busy workers, through the passionate managers, all the way to this executive office had filled Percy with profound reverence for this former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
Percy handed the sealed document folder to Remus.
"It's like this—well, I went to Hogwarts today for some Ministry matters and Professor Watson asked me to bring this to you when I returned to London. Oh, and Professor Watson also specifically asked me to tell you that he has no objections to the people listed inside."
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