There was no table prepared for the presentation, but that didn't matter. With a flick of his wrist, Alex summoned a large table directly from his space ring, setting it down effortlessly in the center of the hall. Murmurs of approval rippled through the gathered officials. Opening his suitcase, he carefully arranged his alchemical items across the table, ensuring everything was neatly displayed. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to introduce you to the products of Wilson's Arcane Alchemica." His voice carried confidently across the room.
Several Ministry officials nodded in silent approval, his composure under scrutiny was commendable. "Our alchemy tools are designed to provide frontline wizards with enhanced convenience, communication, and protection. I'll be demonstrating each product's functionality one by one."Reaching into the suitcase, he retrieved a sleek, rune-engraved metal amulet. "This," he held it up, "is a Communication Amulet. It allows for seamless magical communication between users, covering the entire British mainland."
Several heads turned with interest.
"The amulet operates in two modes, one-to-many communication and many-to-many communication. In one-to-many mode, a lead amulet is designated, connecting it to multiple sub-amulets. This enables a stable network where the lead amulet can transmit messages to all sub-amulets simultaneously. Let me demonstrate." He activated one of the amulets, channeling magic into it. Instantly, a soft glow pulsed through the matching amulets on the table, and a faint vibration emitted from each.
Alex took out five communication amulets, keeping one for himself while handing the remaining four to Minister Bagnold, Amelia Bones, Cornelius Fudge, and Barnabas from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. "The one in my hand serves as the main talisman," he explained, holding it up. "The ones you're holding are sub talismans. Before deployment, users can assign specific command signals. For instance, activating it once might indicate 'all clear,' twice could mean 'enemy sighted,' and three times could confirm 'mission proceeding smoothly.' This allows for silent, pre-arranged communication during operations." He let them absorb that before continuing, "Additionally, there's an emergency communication module. If a talisman is broken, or if a large surge of magic is channeled into it, an emergency signal is immediately transmitted to the entire communication network. This triggers a series of responses, the affected talisman will flash red, heat up significantly, and vibrate intensely. Meanwhile, all connected talismans will indicate the last known location of the distress signal."
To demonstrate, Alex infused his talisman with magic. Instantly, the amulets in the hands of Bagnold and the directors pulsed with a soft glow, vibrating lightly. For the final part of the test, he poured a large burst of magic into his talisman. Immediately, the others' amulets grew hot, glowed red, and vibrated aggressively. "Now that I've sent an emergency signal, you should all be able to sense my location," Alex said, his voice steady. "Even if a wizard is low on magic or lacks strong perception abilities, they can simply hover the talisman over their forehead, and it will point toward the last known location of the distress signal."
The gathered officials tested his claim, following his instructions. Just as promised, the amulets reacted accordingly. Minister Bagnold's sharp eyes lit up, clearly impressed. The surrounding officials murmured in approval. The Hit Wizards in particular were highly interested, many of them had firsthand experience with how difficult field communication could be.
While the Patronus Charm was a standard communication method, it had its flaws. It was noticeable, required significant magical skill, and not every Auror or Hit Wizard could execute it properly. Apparating between locations to relay messages was an alternative but was often impractical during live operations. "This could change the way our teams coordinate in the field," one of the Hit Wizards muttered, nodding toward Moody.
Minister Bagnold, equally intrigued, turned back to Alex. "How long does each talisman last? And what's its resistance to magical interference?"
"A standard communication talisman lasts for three months, regardless of usage," Alex replied. "However, once an emergency signal is sent, the talisman is rendered unusable." He allowed that information to sink in before adding, "Replacements are simple, returning an expired talisman will allow you to purchase a new one at one-third of the original cost. But completely spent talismans, those that have triggered emergency signals, must be repurchased in full. As for interference," he continued, "the talismans can penetrate standard shielding charms, but particularly strong jamming spells, like powerful Confundus Wards, may disrupt communication. However, I can create enhanced talismans with stronger signal penetration specifically for the Ministry, though naturally, those will be more expensive."
Bagnold nodded, then motioned for him to proceed. Alex smiled slightly. "Now, let's talk about the many-to-many communication feature." He placed another set of talismans on the table. "This function allows several talismans to be linked into a network where every member can communicate freely with each other, either with the entire group or specific individuals." He raised a small leather-bound booklet. "To enable this, an accessory called the Communication Manual acts as a relay station. Each manual can manage up to 20 talismans, allowing users to assign numbers to each member for direct communication." He let the information settle before adding with a perfectly composed expression, "Of course, this manual isn't free. However, if the Ministry orders at least 20 communication talismans, I'll throw one in as a complimentary addition."
There was a beat of silence before Fudge, who had been playing with the talisman in his hand, finally asked the question on everyone's mind. "So… how much are these going to cost?"
Alex's smile widened. "Fifteen Galleons per talisman."
"Fifteen Galleons?" Fudge repeated, tilting his head. He glanced at Bagnold, a silent exchange passing between them. "That's a bit steep, considering these only last three months. If we include replacement costs, that's an annual expense of 30 Galleons per user."
Bagnold nodded slightly, indicating she shared the concern. "Can the price be negotiated?"
Alex was prepared for this. "If the Ministry places an order of 50 or more at a time, I can lower the price to 13 Galleons per talisman."
Bagnold looked intrigued, clearly considering the offer. "Thirteen is an unlucky number," Amelia Bones, the ever-practical head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, cut in. "Make it twelve Galleons."
Alex inwardly smirked. 'Director Bones, you're as sharp as your sister.' Pretending to think it over, he placed a hand on his chin. "Twelve Galleons?" He sighed dramatically before nodding. "Fine. Since this is the first product I'm introducing, I'll consider it a gesture of goodwill, half business, half a gift."
Bagnold, clearly satisfied, nodded approvingly. "Twelve Galleons it is, then."
Alex knew she thought she had bargained him down. But the truth? The actual production cost of each talisman was far lower than they realized. He was still making an excellent profit. "Well then," Alex said, smoothly transitioning. "That concludes the demonstration of the Communication Talisman. Now, let's move on to the Defense Talisman."