"Mr. Regulus Black! This is the document for the transfer of the Black family property. Please sign here." Regulus Black had only just
"Mr. Regulus Black! This is the document for the transfer of the Black family property. Please sign here."
Regulus Black had only just arrived at the Ministry of Magic for work today when a clerk was already waiting for him at the entrance.
The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures usually only handled matters related to magical beasts, yet this clerk was here to deliver documents.
Some of the Black family's assets had not yet been fully reclaimed, and the bureaucratic process took time. For Regulus Black, now a senior official at the Ministry, what had once been a matter he could push along with urgency had instead become something inconvenient to hurry due to his position. As long as the process moved forward without dragging on, that was already good enough.
A change in status meant a change in many things. Where once he had to personally visit every department, now those departments came to him. That was also an advantage.
"St. Sabbath Psychiatric Hospital? I remember this particular property was supposed to take much longer before it could be transferred. Didn't it require approval from the Muggle government and authorization from medical institutions before it could be handed over to me?"
Regulus flipped through the file. All the previously missing procedures were now complete. All that remained was the applicant's signature.
Faced with a question from a department head, the clerk dared not hide the truth.
"That's right, Mr. Black. Just yesterday, a Muggle refugee camp was attacked by Dementors. While no one died, the damage was severe—both mentally and spiritually. The British government is aware of certain matters concerning the wizarding world, so the Prime Minister handed this unusual incident over to the Ministry for handling. After all, with 2,018 people simultaneously affected, and since Dementors fall under the Ministry's jurisdiction, the Ministry could not shirk responsibility and had no choice but to take on the task."
The clerk explained cautiously. What else could the Ministry do with these people? Naturally, they had to be sent to a relevant facility for treatment.
But those attacked by Dementors could not be healed even at St. Mungo's. These people were essentially broken, with no possibility of recovery. The only option was to classify them as mentally ill and send them to the Ministry-run St. Sabbath Psychiatric Hospital.
Upon investigation, it turned out that this very hospital was among the Black family assets Regulus had been applying for. Conveniently, this gave the Ministry an excuse to expedite the process and hand off the burden.
Regulus shook the file lightly in his hand. This hot potato couldn't be accepted casually. If things weren't handled properly and he had to deal with losses himself, that would be disastrous.
"I recall this hospital has stood empty since World War II, with no staff or updated facilities. In truth, it was little more than a title and some property. I had originally intended to reclaim it and turn it into a hotel."
He tossed the file onto the desk, showing no intention of signing.
"If I take back this property, it's supposed to be remodeled for profit. Now you expect me to take in 2,018 lunatics? How could I renovate it? And if it remains a psychiatric hospital, how do I make money?"
At that, the clerk fell silent. Blocking a man's source of wealth was akin to killing his parents. This was not something a low-level clerk could solve.
Of course, the clerk also realized that the Ministry had delayed approvals on Black family assets for far too long. This was a perfect chance for Regulus to apply pressure.
"In fact," the clerk added carefully, "both the Ministry and the Muggle government provide subsidies for St. Sabbath Psychiatric Hospital. Renovations, equipment, and staffing can all be funded by them, and the ongoing treatment costs will also receive significant support."
The clerk had been instructed by his superior before coming: if they wanted Regulus to take this hot potato, some concessions had to be offered, and he'd been told exactly how far he could go.
"In that case, the burden isn't unbearable. Bring me both sets of documents, and I'll sign."
If it meant profit, of course Regulus would be willing to sign and reclaim the property. As long as those patients remained alive inside the hospital, both the Ministry and the Muggle government would continue sending subsidies.
"Wait a moment! On second thought, I feel something is missing. Let the Muggle government grant an additional authority: allow St. Sabbath Psychiatric Hospital to admit patients independently, including those sent by the government as well as voluntary admissions."
A wicked smile tugged at Regulus's lips. With that, the hospital would become a base for experimental purposes. Anyone could guess how the Muggles would make use of such an institution.
Oftentimes, a psychiatric hospital was little different from a prison.
The clerk had no idea why these three additional conditions were necessary, but he quickly reported Regulus's demands. The Muggles who saw the report understood at once—Mr. Black intended to use this to extend his influence into government affairs.
For individuals who could not legally be imprisoned, yet were inconvenient for the government to deal with, being sent to a psychiatric hospital was the perfect solution. In time, even those who were not insane would become insane.
Soon, the Muggle government's letter of authorization was delivered.
It permitted St. Sabbath Psychiatric Hospital to admit patients independently, including those sent by the government and those who came voluntarily.
This eased both the government's burden and the hospital's financial strain.
The hospital itself occupied a vast area near a landfill on the outskirts of town. Originally a factory complex during World War II, it later became a refugee camp for those fleeing Europe, then a hospital for war casualties. Afterward, when those patients either recovered or died, it shifted to admitting people suffering psychological trauma from the war.
The entire history of St. Sabbath Psychiatric Hospital was steeped in suffering: first exploited laborers, then displaced refugees, followed by war casualties, and finally the deeply traumatized. With such layers of misery, and located beside a landfill, the place accumulated heavy negative energy.
The hospital was eventually auctioned due to debt. After failing to sell for more than ten rounds, the Black family bought the land at a bargain price. The buildings came attached, tax-free, since the Muggle government assumed the buyer would demolish them to construct new real estate, which could then be revalued for taxation.
But if the buyer merely renovated instead of demolishing, no taxes were due.
Thus, the Black family had left the land untouched for over a decade, the buildings magically reinforced to stand unyielding while the Muggle government could do nothing.
This Dementor attack on the refugee camp finally gave them leverage. The government dumped 2,018 psychiatric patients there, while Regulus went further—accepting them all and even demanding partnership, effectively becoming a force within government circles.
As for staffing, he stationed one of his Hecatoncheires squads there.
Currently, Regulus had already formed three Hecatoncheires squads through forced servant contracts, corresponding to the three giants of myth.
The Hecatoncheires were the children of Gaia and Uranus—Briareos, Cottus, and Gyges.
Funds from both the Ministry and the Muggle government arrived swiftly. With Gyges's help, Regulus personally oversaw the renovations, completing them within a week. Meanwhile, forty-one buses waited outside the gates.
From the refugee camp, 2,018 people—men, women, children alike—were bound in straitjackets and escorted off the buses by staff.
"At last, they're all here. I must admit, the Muggle government is more efficient than I expected."
Regulus Black had even requested leave from Hogwarts today to handle these matters.
Looking at the rows of restrained individuals, to Regulus, each one represented money.
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