Alex, who had borrowed the concept from Muggle alarm systems, shared this with two wizards who weren't usually close to him.
Bagnold nodded appreciatively, saying, "I see. In the past, the Auror Command mostly relied on monitoring magic from the Magic Accident and Disaster Department to spot trouble.
Having an active alert system like this will definitely help the Law Enforcement Department stay calm and react more effectively."
Fudge, standing nearby, looked pleased too, no doubt thinking about how this new office would boost the Ministry's reputation.
Alex's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Bagnold then asked curiously, "But why involve me in this? Why not just discuss it directly with Fudge?"
"Currently, the United Kingdom and Germany have adopted this communication system, but expanding further means reaching out to other countries. This is a huge project that requires direct talks with each country's Minister of Magic, but I'm not planning to approach just anyone. The Ministers of Magic are well-known to me," Alex smiled knowingly at Bagnold as he spoke.
"Oh, so you want me to be your lobbyist," Bagnold suddenly realized that Alex wanted her to work for Wilson's Arcane Alchemica and pitch this system to other countries' Ministries of Magic.
After all, she had been a Minister of Magic for ten years.
Known for her tough style and efficient handling of business, she was well respected in the international wizarding community and had close ties with many Ministers.
Bagnold lowered her head thoughtfully.
Though she had retired and was enjoying her free time, she looked back at Alex with a teasing smile.
"I never thought you'd be the one recruiting me. So, what kind of salary are you offering?"
"If you agree, I'm ready to pay you a base salary equal to a Minister of Magic's, 2,000 Galleons a year. Plus, for every successful negotiation, you'd get a commission based on the wizarding population of the country. Big countries like the United States and France would earn you 3,000 Galleons, medium-sized ones 2,000, and smaller countries 1,000 Galleons. How does that sound?" Alex grinned as he laid out his offer.
When Alex made his proposal, the reaction was immediate and widespread.
Bagnold, Fudge, and even Dumbledore, who had been quietly listening, all wore expressions of surprise.
At first, Bagnold thought Alex was joking.
But seeing the determination in his eyes, she couldn't help but ask, "Are you serious?"
With a confident smile, Alex pulled out a document he had clearly prepared in advance and slid it across the table toward Bagnold.
"If you agree, I can sign the contract right now. Everything we discussed will be included in the terms."
Bagnold glanced over the agreement and immediately fell into thought.
The offer was incredibly generous, almost too good to be true.
Given Bagnold's connections and experience, convincing several magical governments to set up a communication network wasn't easy, but it wasn't impossible.
In fact, for someone like Bagnold, completing this project would almost feel like a publicly funded trip.
Her extensive network was part of her value, which is why Alex was so eager to bring her on board.
Still, the deal made Bagnold feel like the money was almost too easy to earn.
Fudge, standing nearby and watching Bagnold hesitate, couldn't help but feel a bit amused.
After hearing Alex's terms, Fudge himself would have been tempted to quit and jump at the opportunity.
Of course, Fudge wasn't Bagnold, and who knows if Alex would want him.
Finally, Bagnold exhaled deeply and admitted, "I really can't think of any reason to say no."
She was clearly won over by Alex's generous offer.
"You won't regret this," Alex assured her. "This project benefits both Wilson's Arcane Alchemica and the Ministry of Magic. Once other wizarding communities see how popular these communication terminals become in the UK, it'll be a huge success."
Alex knew the project would take years to fully launch, even after Bagnold's lobbying was done.
But in his mind, it was a win-win, though more so for him than anyone else.
Bagnold shook her head in frustration before muttering, "You guys seem to find a way to stir up trouble at the Ministry of Magic every day. First Moody and Azalea, and now it's all falling on me."
Alex responded with an innocent look, "You're really blaming me unfairly. Azalea doesn't hold a significant position in the Ministry, and Moody, like you, only took up my offer to rehire him after retirement.
Besides, he's a shareholder in"
"Wilson's Arcane Commercial Bank," Bagnold smirked, unimpressed.
"Don't try to act pitiful in front of me. I've known for a while now that you took out countless wanted criminals in North America two years ago as a bounty hunter for the 'Death Bird.' You even made the U.S. Congress president send medals to the UK, that doesn't quite fit your harmless image."
Alex shrugged helplessly.
"I was just here on business. Those purgers came knocking on their own, and yes, the bonus from the U.S. Congress was a nice surprise."
Bagnold shook her head and laughed.
"Boy, you've really let money cloud your judgment these past two years."
Despite her complaints, Bagnold still trusted Alex deeply and didn't push the issue further.
Soon after, Alex wrapped up detailed plans with Fudge and Bagnold, covering timelines, locations, and personnel assignments for building the alchemy lab.
Once everything was settled, Bagnold and Fudge left the office happily, leaving Alex alone with Dumbledore.
At that moment, Dumbledore realized the request he wanted to bring up felt harder to voice. After all, Alex had been busy with others.
This was a project worth millions of Galleons!
Still, Dumbledore steeled himself and said, "Alex, I never expected you to accomplish so much just a few years after graduation. You've truly put an old man like me to shame."
"You flatter me, Headmaster," Alex replied confidently.
With his current standing, he no longer felt the need to be as reserved around Dumbledore.