The days continued to pass according to our new routine.
Classes.
The Study Club.
Midnight research.
Weekends spent studying memory magic under Professor Snape.
Day after day, the routine rarely changed.
Progress was no longer measured in dramatic breakthroughs but in countless small improvements. One enchantment became slightly more efficient. A rune was repositioned. A projection became clearer. The voice commands responded a little faster.
Each improvement was insignificant on its own.
Together...
They slowly transformed the projector from a prototype into a finished product.
It took us nearly three months.
By the time we finally completed the first fully functional projector, complete with interchangeable projection discs, synchronized sound, and voice commands, March was drawing to a close.
I looked at the small device resting on the workbench and couldn't help smiling.
It had started as a vague idea inspired by memories from another life.
Now...
It existed.
Blake looked just as exhausted as I felt.
"So..."
"We actually did it."
I nodded.
"We did."
Of course, the projector itself was only half the achievement.
We had only produced a handful of projection discs for testing.
There were still very few recordings available, and without content, even the greatest invention would eventually lose its appeal.
Fortunately, neither of us had intended to release the projector immediately.
There was still plenty of work to do before it reached the public.
Ironically, one unexpected event had helped us finish earlier than expected.
Around the middle of February, the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor suffered an unfortunate accident while supervising a practical lesson for the seventh-years.
Although no students were seriously injured, the professor himself was admitted to St. Mungo's for treatment and ultimately decided not to return for the remainder of the school year.
Since most of the Defence curriculum had already been completed, the affected lessons became supervised self-study periods.
Those extra hours had proved invaluable.
Without them, the projector might not have been completed before the end of term.
Now the device itself was finished, however, Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall both insisted that Blake and I shift our attention toward our upcoming examinations.
Neither of us argued.
There was little point continuing to rush.
We had already decided that the projector wouldn't be released until the summer holidays.
That gave us several months to prepare everything properly.
There was another problem as well.
A single successful prototype did not mean we could suddenly begin selling thousands of them.
We still needed a reliable method of mass-producing both the projectors and the enchanted discs.
More importantly...
We needed people we could trust.
The question of manufacturing left me with another problem.
Employees.
Not just skilled employees...
People I could trust.
The projector represented months of research & insight into muggle world. Until it was released, I couldn't risk the blueprints or enchantments leaking into the hands of competing families.
I leaned back in my chair, absentmindedly tapping my quill against the desk.
There were many groups marginalized by magical society.
Squibs struggled to find respectable work, but they couldn't use magic.
Muggle-borns often lacked connections, but they were less likely to sign a non-disclosure contract magic which was similar to unbreakable vow.
One particular group stood out above all the others.
Werewolves.
Ever since Fenrir Greyback had begun building his pack, public opinion toward werewolves had deteriorated even further. Most employers refused to hire them, regardless of whether they had ever harmed anyone.
The children bitten by him and his pack suffered the most.
Many eventually found themselves forced into the criminal underworld simply to survive.
If given stable employment...
Perhaps some of them could escape that cycle altogether.
It was an attractive idea.
But attractive ideas weren't always good ones.
I knew far too little about the current state of Britain's werewolf community.
How many remained independent?
How many had already fallen under Greyback's influence?
How many could actually be trusted?
Without answers to those questions, making any decision would be reckless.
I picked up a fresh sheet of parchment.
Dear Griphorn,
I require detailed information regarding Britain's werewolf population. In particular, I wish to know about independent werewolf communities, their current living conditions, and any individuals or families who may be seeking legitimate employment.
If necessary, hire a reputable intelligence agency to investigate the matter discreetly. Accuracy is more important than speed.
Additionally, determine whether any organizations currently provide aid or employment opportunities for werewolves.
Please keep this investigation confidential.
— Alastair Salvius-P.
I read through the letter one final time before sealing it with wax.
I pulled another sheet of parchment toward me.
The next matter was just as important.
Patents.
The projector represented months of work by Blake and me. The moment it was demonstrated publicly, every major family with competent enchanters would attempt to reproduce it. Even if they couldn't match its quality immediately, they could still flood the market with inferior copies.
That was something I couldn't allow.
Fortunately, Magical Britain had a fairly robust system for protecting magical inventions.
It wasn't perfect, but it was enough.
I dipped my quill into the ink.
Dear Uncle Ted,
I hope you and your family are doing well.
Blake and I have recently completed a magical invention, and I would like to begin the patent application process before making any public announcements.
I would appreciate it if you could handle the legal formalities on our behalf. The patent should be registered jointly under Blake Black and Alastair Salvius-P., as the invention was the result of our combined efforts.
Since the Projection Spell was officially recognized and published in the January edition of Charms Monthly, I believe establishing prior authorship of the underlying enchantments should not present any significant difficulty.
I will forward the technical documentation and demonstration materials once everything has been finalized.
Thank you for your assistance.
— Alastair
After reading through the letter once more, I sealed it beside the one addressed to Griphorn.
With any luck, the legal protections would already be in place by the time we unveiled the projector during the summer holidays.
Only then did I allow myself to lean back in my chair.
The invention was complete.
Now came the far more complicated task...
Turning it into a business.
__________________________
Members for daily release: 15/20
Support me on p@treon:
[email protected]/blaze98