On the morning of their departure, Alex stood in the center of the living room, dressed sharply and holding a large suitcase. Before him, Ginny was busy ruffling Fang's fur, despite the poor dog's clear lack of enthusiasm. "Ginny, it's time to go," Alex said, patting her head gently. "We need to head to the Ministry of Magic, and we're on a tight schedule."
Ginny pouted instantly. "Nooo, godfather, just a little longer! I want to play with the dog!" She pinched Fang's cheek a little harder in protest.
Fang's eye twitched. Alex sighed in amusement. His original plan had been to let Ginny discipline Fang a little, but from the looks of things, she had gone too far. "Alright," he relented with a chuckle. "How about this? We'll take Fang with us, and you can have one last day together."
Ginny's eyes lit up. "Really?! Okay! But the dog has to be big! Bigger! Bigger!" Excited, she threw Fang onto the floor and began urging him to transform. The dog, on the verge of tears, turned his pitiful gaze to Alex, as if pleading for salvation. But when he saw the smirk on his master's face, he knew there would be no mercy today. Resigning himself to his fate, Fang obediently shifted into his larger form.
Ginny clapped her hands in delight and skillfully rolled onto his back. "Let's go, dog! Drive!" Fang let out a low, defeated woof before trotting toward the door with Ginny perched happily on his back.
Alex followed behind, leading his little "knight" toward the Ministry of Magic.
***
"Alex, you made it," Arthur greeted as soon as they arrived. He stepped forward, only for his expression to shift when he spotted his daughter riding a massive dog.
"Ginny," Arthur sighed, rubbing his temple. "Stop tormenting the poor thing. Come down."
"No! Godfather said I could bring the dog today!" Ginny whined, tightening her grip on Fang's fur. She had been thoroughly spoiled in Alex's care over the past few days and was now acting like a little princess.
Arthur shot Alex an exasperated look, to which Alex responded with an easy grin. "It's fine, Arthur. Let her have her fun. We had a deal."
Arthur shook his head. "You're spoiling her too much. She'll turn into a little tyrant if you keep this up."
Alex chuckled, leaning back slightly as a wistful look crossed his face. "Maybe. But I used to know a girl like that... raised with all the love and luxury in the world. She turned out just fine, or at least, I like to think so." His voice held a trace of nostalgia before he smoothly shifted gears. "Anyway, in your letter, you only mentioned bringing my products today. Are we handling the company registration first, or the product classification?"
Arthur's expression shifted slightly. "No, didn't Moody explain it in the letter?" He looked at Alex curiously. "Moody and I mentioned your products to Minister Bagnold, and surprisingly, she was very interested. She wants to see a live demonstration in person."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "That was… fast."
Arthur nodded. "She's gathering the heads of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, along with all members of the Strike Team. The demonstration will take place in the Law Enforcement Department's practice hall. They'll assess the risks and effectiveness of your products on the spot."
Alex's fingers tapped lightly against his suitcase. "This is a good opportunity."
Arthur smiled. "It is. If they like what they see, you could land some major contracts. You should really thank Moody, he's been hyping up your alchemy tools non-stop."
Alex, however, was already thinking ahead. 'This was moving a little too fast.' He had expected some back-and-forth, maybe some bureaucratic delays. But Minister Bagnold-'s eagerness to see his products personally? That suggested urgency. "Has something been going on at the Ministry lately?" he asked, his tone thoughtful. "Or has someone been causing problems for Bagnold?"
Arthur gave him a surprised look. "What makes you think that?"
Alex smirked. "It's obvious, isn't it? It's only been a few days since I mentioned this to you. No matter how efficient Minister Bagnold is, she wouldn't normally act this quickly. I was prepared for a slower process." He crossed his arms. "And she's taking this very seriously. I know my products are good, but for a Minister to be this eager to see them? That means she's looking for something specific. Something that can solve a problem she's dealing with."
Arthur let out a low chuckle, shaking his head in admiration. "You're sharp, I'll give you that." After a moment of consideration, he added, "There has been some trouble recently. I don't know all the details, but it seems to involve smugglers. From what I've gathered, it's not a huge crisis, but it's certainly becoming complicated."
Alex nodded thoughtfully, his mind lingering on Arthur's mention of smugglers. He couldn't help but recall Griffin, the werewolf wizard, and the Silver Wand organization. 'Coincidence?' He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to get lost in speculation.
With Ginny riding on Fang's back, he followed Arthur toward the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. They took the elevator down to the second basement floor, a familiar route for Alex. Having been here before, he walked alongside Arthur with ease, navigating the halls without hesitation.
"Arthur!" A sharp, composed voice cut through the air, making both men pause mid-step. Turning toward the source, they saw a tall woman in professional robes approaching from a side corridor. She was striking, long, golden-blond hair coiled neatly atop her head, sharp yet delicate facial features, and eyes as clear and green as polished glass. She carried an air of intellectual grace, the kind that commanded attention effortlessly. Her poised smile was strictly professional, but there was an undeniable allure to her presence.
Alex, for a brief moment, was reminded of the Veela he had heard about in rumors.
Arthur, meanwhile, sighed and shook his head slightly before putting on a more relaxed expression. "Azalea, what brings you down to the second floor?"
"I was ordered by the director to attend a demonstration," she replied smoothly. Her sharp gaze shifted to Alex, assessing him with mild curiosity. "And this is…? He looks familiar."
Arthur snapped his fingers. "Right, I forgot to introduce you. This is Alex Wilson, Wizard hero and recipient of personal honors from Minister Bagnold herself. You've probably seen his face in the papers before."
Azalea's expression flickered with surprise. "Ah, that's why I recognize him. I didn't expect you to be so young, though." She covered her lips slightly, an amused look crossing her face.
Arthur grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. "Azalea Rowle, chief secretary of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures under the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She's one of the Ministry's most well-known beauties."