***
Two tall wizards appeared in Lutno and, climbing the stone steps in the alley, threw open the front door of the White Wyvern pub. Inside, there was a low hum of voices, and smoke from burnt tobacco hung like a grey shroud in the stale air.
The big men approached the bar and one of them leaned towards the bartender and said in a deep voice:
"Where can we see Mr Ferguson?
Lyal Ferguson was the unspoken leader of the largest gang in Lyutny, which was involved in all kinds of criminal activity in the magical part of London. They didn't even shy away from contract killings and trading intelligent beings. The gang included wizards living in the slums of Luton, werewolves, vampires, and others who wanted to live the high life, even if it was short-lived.
The bartender glanced at a large table in a separate side alcove, where a motley crew of gangster-looking men and women were sitting, but quickly looked away and, without changing his expression, said:
"I don't know who you're asking about, sir." "Crabbe," he said, smiling and looking in the same direction, "that's him. Come on, let's go," and he and Goyle moved towards the table where the group was sitting and drinking.
"Yeah. So that's where he's sitting. Let's go, mate," and he and Goyle moved towards the table where the group was sitting and drinking.
Entering the alcove, Goyle immediately cast a spell on the ceiling, hiding everything that was happening there from the main hall, while Crabbe, with a flick of his wand, knocked a man off his chair and brazenly sat down in his place, opposite Ferguson.
"Are you Lyal the butcher?" Crabbe asked immediately, staring intently at the bandit.
"Who's this who's come to visit us?" the man snarled, immediately grabbing his wand.
"Shut up, scum!" Crab snorted. "My lord has a proposal for you, and he will not tolerate a false answer. From today, your entire gang will work for us and only on orders that we approve. Otherwise, new masters will appear here.
Ferguson, utterly astonished by such insolence, couldn't hold back and shouted:
"Beat them, brothers!"
The bandits, who had their sticks at the ready, immediately tried to unleash a barrage of dangerous spells, but Goyle, who was leaning against the wall near the entrance, lazily waved his armed hand, and all the sticks, protective artefacts and other various items that could be used as weapons were swiftly snatched from the hands, pockets and under the arms of all the gang members present, sometimes even tearing their clothes with a crack, and fell in a messy heap at the feet of the black-haired wizard.
"Silence," said Crabbe with a kind of evil joy. "Crucio!"
The bandits fell silently as a crowd under the table and began to convulse and writhe in unbearable pain. After enjoying torturing them for a while, Crabbe reluctantly cancelled the spell.
"Get up, scum," he growled again, and the bandits, groaning and moaning, began to pick up the overturned chairs. "You, you dromarog rejects, should know your place in this world, you're almost squibs yourselves, but you have the pride of lords," Crab continued pompously. "Or do I need to explain to you who's boss here?"
"No, sir," Ferguson wheezed, "no need, we understand everything now."
"That's great," concluded the former devourer with a smirk. "So, starting today, bring half of your monthly earnings to the Gorbyn and Berks shop and give it to the owner. If I find out that you've dared to hide anything or cheat us in any way, 'Crucio' will seem like tickling. We'll feed your whole gang to the Dementors. You'll answer for this, Mr Ferguson," Crabbe growled mockingly.
Goyle had already removed the protective curtain from the door, and his partner, rising from his chair, moved majestically towards the exit, ostentatiously stepping on the pile of wands lying on the floor.
"Clean this up, will you?" he said as he left.
Ferguson looked dejectedly at his companions and exhaled angrily:
"Damn... We were hoping that with the Dark Lord gone, we'd have a free life. But no, these wolves are taking everything for themselves. I heard that the Irish, who ran the gambling business and brothels, tried to kill the strangers when they came to negotiate with them. But these big guys, damn them, only seem like slow-witted slackers. In fact, they are part of the elite Death Eaters from ancient families, and they always walk around covered in protective artefacts like Christmas trees, so it's unlikely that anyone will be able to do anything to them. They can hardly be considered ordinary people. Oh well, they didn't live well, so there's no point in starting, sighed Layal sadly.
The bandits ordered more drinks to drown out their fear and the unpleasant feeling of helplessness from the negotiations. A month later, the vassals reported to Malfoy that all the big businessmen in Lutny were working for them again, only now not for the Death Eaters, but specifically for Lucius Malfoy, even if they themselves did not know it. Old Gorbyn, whose shop also belonged mostly to the Malfoys, would control the incoming cash flow and transfer everything through Gringotts to special storage facilities. And if anything unusual happens, he will inform Crabbe. The former Death Eaters were particularly interested in dark artefacts and ancient manuscripts that occasionally found their way into the shop through dealers in stolen goods.
***
In an ancient, magical castle, Albus Dumbledore sat in his favourite armchair and reflected on last week's regular, but rather significant for the cause of Light, meeting of the highest judicial and legislative body of magical England — the Wizengamot. No, there used to be a so-called Council of Wizards, but only very old people or wizards dissatisfied with the activities of the Wizengamot remembered such ancient times.
At the last meeting, one of the former members of the Order of the Phoenix and an old friend of Dumbledore, Elphias Doge, raised the issue of allocating quotas for Muggle-born wizards to work in the Ministry of Magic. Dumbledore, presiding over the Wizengamot, graciously gave permission to pursue the matter.
Elphias passionately convinced the noble assembly of wizards that Muggle-borns currently have no rights in the wizarding world and can only hope for the lowest-paid jobs. Masters of magic never took such graduates as apprentices, and there were not even cleaning jobs for Muggle-borns at the Ministry. The vast majority of such wizards were forced to return to the Muggle world or join the gangs and dens of Luton and other such places in magical England, where all sorts of riff-raff gathered.
Elphias Doge claimed that there were many good people among the Squibs who could prove themselves in the wizarding world and be of great use to it. To this end, he believed it was necessary to allocate special quotas for Muggle-borns in various state and private magical institutions. Several wizards, including Augusta Longbottom, applauded approvingly.
"Honourable assembly," Lucius Malfoy rose slowly from his seat, "I consider this proposal somewhat premature. After all, in the wake of the civil war, we have problems finding jobs even for normal wizards. Forcing private businesses to hire Muggle-borns will definitely not benefit our shops and factories, and I am not just speaking for myself here," he said, raising his hand preemptively.
"Most of them, 'dirty-blooded...' — Lucius corrected himself — magizoids, have a poor command of even the simplest everyday spells. After all, they have no opportunity, and more importantly, no desire to continue their studies with masters.
'Spend another five or ten years running errands for some old man? No way,' they think.
"Why would I need such a worker in my potion shop? So that he messes something up and then ordinary wizards get poisoned by simple 'bodrperts' in pharmacies? Remember, please, the Muggle-born Nobby Leech as Minister of Magic. That dim-witted man caused such chaos in the sixties that we are still cleaning up the mess he left behind. Lucius Malfoy, whose father had orchestrated that charming little intrigue with Nobby Lich in the past, smiled slyly.
"I have nothing against Muggle-borns," Malfoy bowed his head, pretending to be respectful, "but until they integrate into our world and assimilate with normal wizards, allowing them anywhere, even in the most menial jobs, is simply dangerous. I repeat, it's deadly dangerous! They are ignorant, stupid, and for the most part know nothing about our world. Therefore, I believe that Muggle-born children should be taken into our world immediately after the first magical emissions are detected and raised in magical families. And not invite them to study at the age of eleven, when they already have Muggle thinking and, for the most part, are simply incapable of accepting our laws and worldview," Malfoy concluded to growing applause from the audience.
Most of the Wizengamot applauded the speaker, but there were also a few shouts of opposition, mainly from Dumbledore's supporters.
"Quiet!" Albus used Sonorus to get everyone's attention. "Now, I'll put the question to a vote:
"Who is in favour of providing Muggle-borns with compulsory jobs in both private enterprises and government agencies?" No more than a few people in different parts of the auditorium raised their hands.
"Who is against?" Dumbledore continued, and then the entire hall rose. "The motion is carried," he declared, banging his gavel on the table.
The entire room was flooded with applause from the majority of the wizards.
After the Wizengamot meeting, Malfoy stood in the Ministry atrium, politely chatting with Millicent Bagnole, the acting Minister of Magic. Millicenta, a Ravenclaw graduate, was a very intelligent, confident woman with piercing dark eyes and gorgeous chestnut hair.
"Share your opinion, Lord Malfoy," she continued the conversation she had started earlier. "What do you think about the Ministry raising the price of flying powder this year and slightly increasing the import duties on ingredients for potions?"
"I can inform you," Lucius said importantly, "that most of the noble magical families will support the Ministry of Magic's decision without objection. Now, after the war, times are hard for all wizards, and we need to actively develop the economy of our homeland. The Ministry will receive additional funds by raising duties on imported ingredients, thereby stimulating their production in our own country, which will increase the competitiveness of our goods. For my part, as a representative of the old aristocracy, I can offer to double the funding for St. Mungo's Hospital for a period of fifteen years. We need to increase the birth rate and improve the quality of life for wizards. What better way to help than for wealthy wizards to care about the health of society?" Lucius's eyes lit up with inner strength.
His enthusiastic expression made it clear to everyone around him that he sincerely believed what he was saying.
Bagnold nodded in agreement and, surrounded once again by her assistants and secretaries standing a little further away, moved towards her office. Malfoy, feeling very important, confidently headed for the lifts.
Behind him, Arthur Weasley, the head of the department for combating the illegal use of Muggle inventions, glared at him with hatred. Glancing once more at Malfoy's back with hatred, Arthur let out a breath through his teeth and quickened his pace towards the lifts. He had to go up from the atrium to the second floor, where his modest department's office was located at the end of the corridor opposite the storeroom.
Arthur was as poor as a church mouse and envied people like Malfoy, whom he also hated personally for ancestral reasons. Weasley sincerely believed that it was because of the Malfoys that his family had become impoverished and had been branded with the humiliating nickname "blood traitors." The blood feud with the Malfoys, which had begun for reasons unknown, was certainly not as intense as in the old days, but Arthur was ready to take any opportunity to harm the hated family of arrogant peacocks.
Dumbledore awoke from his heavy thoughts and remembered his visitor. Yes, the wizarding world was not yet ready for even such minor changes, but even weak blows in large numbers could bring down the strongest oak tree. Pushing away his heavy thoughts, Dumbledore sent his Patronus to Snape, and half an hour later, the future Hogwarts professor was sitting in a chair in front of his desk.
He curiously examined the numerous buzzing artefacts, portraits of former headmasters, who looked at him with interest. The visitor's attention was particularly drawn to the phoenix, sitting proudly on its perch and pecking intently at a bowl in front of it.
Dumbledore's throne-like chair was quite impressive and pompous, but the elderly man sitting in it did not look silly at all, but rather formidable and confident. Albus folded his hands in front of him on the table and looked at Snape again through his half-glasses. Today, Severus was nothing like he had been at their last meeting, collected and serious. Most importantly, he was completely sober, clean-shaven, and generally looked like a rather presentable young wizard.
"So, Severus, I see you are ready to accept my offer," Dumbledore stated. "My old friend Horace Slughorn, who taught you in his time, has asked to be relieved of this difficult burden in the new year. He wants to live a little for himself, dreams of travelling to different countries to enrich his sense of beauty. And to try new varieties of cakes and candied pineapples," Dumbledore smiled, leaning back in his chair. "Therefore, Severus, you will take up the position of Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin House. As you understand, after the war with Voldemort, many of his supporters' children were traditionally assigned to the snake house. And now I am seeing an unpleasant picture: Slytherin has become a pariah at Hogwarts. The children are forced to socialise only among themselves, as the others treat Slytherin too negatively. Too much," Albus even shook his index finger in front of him, as if to emphasise his words.
"You have a difficult task ahead of you, my boy. You must restore Slytherin to the friendly family of Hogwarts houses, or at least weaken this unnecessary rivalry. The war is over, and we must build a peaceful society, not set wizards against each other from childhood. I'll be waiting for you at school at the end of the summer. There will be a faculty meeting. You will meet your colleagues not as a talented student, but as a professor and dean. We have a lot of work ahead of us, so I want you to take it seriously from day one. Right away, see what ingredients you need to order for your potions lessons. In addition, I would ask you to contact our nurse, Poppy Pomfrey, to discuss with her which potions would be desirable to make for our school infirmary. Some simpler ones can be brewed with the help of senior students, while you will probably take on the more complicated ones yourself. In general, you will work it out with her. And since we are colleagues now, you can call me Albus at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said with a cheerful smile. "Would you like a slice of lemon, Severus?" He took the tea set out of the table and continued smiling.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Snape grimaced in disgust, "maybe another time.
"As you wish, my boy, as you wish," Dumbledore said without insisting. "Then I won't keep you any longer." And the headmaster happily took the first sweet out of the box.
The dining room of the Chibuzo Inu manor was more crowded than ever today. The owner himself, with a white-toothed smile shining on his black face, sat at the head of the table and cheerfully watched the guests. His student's relatives were exceptionally respectable and well-mannered people. Without any fuss, they sat down together at the table and began to enjoy the wonderful feast. The women asked Cassius about his life on the estate, while his little brother curiously turned his head from side to side, clearly unfamiliar with but impressed by the African atmosphere.
Lucius put down his cutlery and turned to Chibuzo Inu:
"I have a question for you, my dear friend. It may even be mutually beneficial," Chibuzo bowed his head curiously.
"The thing is," Lucius continued, "that in our wonderful country, there is an extremely high demand for magic diamonds. Unfortunately, my suppliers have decided to close their business in England, and I thought that perhaps you might have some connections in this field?
Chibuzo furrowed his brow in thought:
"You know, dear Lucius, the first diamonds in our country were discovered at the beginning of this century, and little by little, more and more are being found. I think our Zaire could become a major diamond producer in the world. Of course, there aren't many magical stones among all the royal stones found here, but at the Miba mine, among the many small precious diamonds, there are some excellent magical stones. There are several more developments in the south-west of the country in the Kasai region and in the east in the Bakwanga region, but there are mainly just ordinary precious stones. And by a strange coincidence, — here he flashed his eyes maliciously, — most of the developments belong to me. So, just redirect the flow of precious stones from the United States to your country and all your problems will be solved. As long as you and your partners have enough galleons to pay for it all.
"Oh," smiled Lucius, "our safes are full, and with such help, they may soon become even fuller.
"If there's anything truly unique," Abraxas interjected, sipping light palm wine with ice cubes in a wide glass, "then old Europe will also find good buyers for your curiosities.
While the adults switched to their important topics, Cassius and Draco went for a walk in the garden. The younger boy was curious about everything. What were these unusual sausage trees, and were there crocodiles in the pool? Were the snakes in the garden dangerous? Why were his teacher's house spirits so strange and more like lemurs?
Forgetting his arrogance in public, little Draco sincerely showered his brother with all his unspent love and affection. It was nice to know that he was not alone. And even though he had so few friends among his peers, and only a handful of equals, he had an older brother. None of his friends had ever seen him, but he could always brag about him. Cassius was also interested in his brother.
He may have considered himself a grown-up, but he enjoyed chatting about everything with his brother. After convincing Draco that the pool was enchanted and that crocodiles and snakes couldn't get in, Cassius laughed cheerfully and jumped into the pool. After hesitating at the edge for a moment, Draco, a little embarrassed, thought for a moment, then took the plunge and jumped into the water after his brother. While the adults continued to chat in the manor's dining room, the boys had time to swim and sunbathe.
Draco looked admiringly at his brother, who was unusually strong and powerful for his age. Of course, he didn't have bulging muscles all over his body like an eleven-year-old, but Cassius was very sinewy and agile, like quicksilver. He tossed Draco into the air from his shoulders, helping him jump higher and dive, swam underwater like a fish, imitating a shark attacking a defenceless swimmer. Then he showed how telekinesis could be used to make a model yacht float, and Draco promised himself that he would learn to do the same in time.
In short, when the adults finally came out into the garden to breathe the fresh evening air, the brothers, having splashed and played for a long time, were sleeping peacefully in comfortable deckchairs scattered around the pool. Touched by the scene before them, the adults asked the house spirits to carry the boys to their bedroom and put them to bed.
The next day, early in the morning, it was decided to go through the portal to Uganda to the magical market. The women were interested in the bright, magical fabrics, which were available in huge quantities on all kinds of stalls. Abraxas wanted to buy some wooden masks, which, according to legend, ward off evil spirits, to scare away the French tax inspectors from the French Ministry of Magic, who were constantly dreaming of drinking the blood of elderly British men.
Malfoy and Chibuzo Inu intended to buy the best things for the boy's school, while Cassius and Draco looked at birds and other pets that could be taken to school. Little green monkeys and large horned snakes angrily bristling their scales, knights and owls, Cassius couldn't make up his mind on anyone in particular.
Finally, at one of the market stalls, he saw the most amazing bird. The bird was quite large, though young, and stared intently at Cassius with both eyes, which were located straight ahead like a human's, rather than on the sides like all other birds. It had grey-blue plumage, a massive wide beak, a funny crest on its head, and long, stork-like legs. Its entire appearance spoke of the seriousness of these unusual birds.
"Teacher, who are they?" Chibuzo touched Cassius's arm. He turned away from the tray where he was buying self-writing feathers and looked where the boy was pointing.
"Ooh!" was all he said. "This is a rather rare representative of the magical branch of the Kitoglav breed. This one is still very young, but they grow to over a metre in height and can weigh up to seven kilograms. If you feed it well, you can even fly with it by holding on to its paws. They can also talk a little, communicate telepathically with their owners, and carry letters. I heard that five hundred years ago, a bird like this even taught flying in Uagadu until it retired due to old age," said Chibuzo, clearly teasing the boy.
Cassius and Draco stared wide-eyed at the magical bird. As if sensing that the conversation was about her, she fluffed up her dark blue feathers and looked even more important.
"I'll call him Bora, because he's the best," Cassius smiled.
The seller quickly placed the bird in a small cage with extra space. The chick, now walking around inside, looked like a toy. Placing a bag of food in the cage, Cassius asked the friendly seller if the Kito-head mainly ate fish, but could also eat young crocodiles if necessary, and was generally a fairly versatile predator.
"A dark wizard among birds," Chibuzo smiled. "It'll suit you perfectly, Cassius.
Draco also wanted one of these beautiful creatures, but Narcissa said that these birds do not live in England. However, when it was time for him to start school, they would choose the best bird in England for him. At first, the little one pouted indignantly, but when he received a wand with some sweet treat, he immediately cheered up.
There were quite a few African wizards walking around the market, and they looked at the Malfoy family, who looked extremely out of place here, and just shook their heads:
"N'ype."
However, no one even tried to approach them to find out what they were doing there. As soon as the curious glances shifted from the white people to the black sorcerer walking imposingly beside them in rich national dress, all the negativity vanished. Chibuzo Inu and his far from good reputation were known to too many people here. But even those who did not know him were in no hurry to draw attention to themselves, consciously or unconsciously making way for the old sorcerer.
Finally, having bought everything they needed for school, the whole company decided to return to the estate for a snack, and, leaving the market, headed west towards the portal platform. Tomorrow, Cassius would have to return here with his grandfather and grandmother Walburga to use another portal to reach the magical village located on the edge of Murchinson Falls, and from there Cassius would travel alone to Uagadu with the help of his moonstone.
***
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