The remaining procedures went far faster after Charlie.
By the time Sean finished operating on the fourth volunteer, the entire viewing room had already descended into complete chaos.
When Charlie and the others finally stepped out together, every person present stared at them in disbelief.
It was hard to process what they were seeing.
Just a short while ago, the four had looked painfully ordinary—awkward pure-blood features, crooked teeth, uneven faces, and dull appearances.
Now?
The transformation was absurd.
Charlie looked like a confident Quidditch captain straight out of a romance novel. Steven's previously awkward face had become sharp and elegant, while the two girls looked refined enough to pass as daughters of ancient noble families.
Even they themselves looked dazed.
From beginning to end, they had simply followed Sean around in confusion.
First dragged to Gringotts.
Then shoved into some bizarre magical hospital.
Then knocked unconscious for surgery.
And after waking up…
…they nearly didn't recognize the people staring back at them in the mirrors.
Charlie kept touching his own face in disbelief.
"This is actually me?"
The flashes from the cameras never stopped.
"Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!"
The reporters looked like starving vultures who had suddenly discovered a mountain of fresh meat.
Every single one of them understood immediately.
This was headline material.
No.
This was historic.
Magical cosmetic surgery alone was enough to shake the entire wizarding world.
"Mr. Sebastian!"
One reporter squeezed desperately to the front.
"Will the prices truly remain this high? A half-reconstruction procedure costs more than an entire year's salary for most Ministry employees!"
Sean remained perfectly calm.
"The pricing will not be reduced."
Then he added lightly:
"In fact, it may increase in the future."
The crowd erupted instantly.
Sean ignored the noise and continued smoothly.
"After all, I don't have unlimited time to perform surgeries personally."
That sentence alone nearly made several reporters faint from excitement.
Personally perform surgeries?
So the young Gringotts manager himself was the core of the entire business?
At that moment, Rita Skeeter suddenly stepped forward again.
"Mr. Sebastian."
Her smile looked far warmer now than before.
"Would you mind accepting a private interview? I believe we could discuss things… more comfortably."
Her tone carried obvious implication.
Sean smiled faintly.
"Of course."
He gestured politely toward the office upstairs.
"This way."
The two entered the private office together.
The moment the door shut behind them, a Quick-Quotes Quill suddenly flew out of Rita's handbag and began scribbling furiously across a floating piece of parchment.
"You don't mind if I use my self-writing quill, do you?"
Even though she phrased it like a question, Rita clearly had no intention of waiting for permission.
Sean simply sat down calmly across from her.
"Ask whatever you like."
Rita crossed her legs elegantly before smiling brightly.
"First question, Mr. Sebastian."
"Since you're apparently the true manager behind Gringotts' new projects, why have you remained hidden until now?"
Sean thought briefly before answering.
"Because I've had other matters to handle."
He folded his hands casually.
"Gringotts will launch many more products in the future."
"All of them were designed personally by me."
Rita's eyes immediately brightened.
"So insurance was your idea as well?"
"Of course."
Sean smiled naturally.
On the surface, the atmosphere seemed peaceful.
But Sean's eyes gradually turned colder.
Because the Quick-Quotes Quill floating beside Rita wasn't writing his actual answers at all.
Instead, it scribbled furiously across the parchment:
"The mysterious young manager behind Gringotts is only twenty-one years old. Can someone so young truly protect the public's money?"
"What dangerous secrets hide behind the Cosmetic Magic Hospital?"
"How can the wizarding world guarantee that criminals will not use facial reconstruction to escape justice?"
"What conspiracy lies behind Mr. Sebastian's refusal to answer difficult questions?"
Sean stared silently at the parchment.
Then he smiled.
This woman really wouldn't stop unless someone buried her alive.
"Miss Skeeter," Sean said suddenly, "I actually prepared a little gift for you."
Rita's eyes immediately lit up.
"A gift?"
She looked delighted.
"What is it? A complimentary surgery voucher?"
Internally, Rita was already pleased.
At least this young man understood how things worked.
Over the years, countless interviewees had quietly bribed her to avoid negative coverage.
Money.
Jewelry.
Exclusive stories.
Expensive gifts.
Rita had long since grown used to twisting the truth however she pleased.
As for people who couldn't afford to buy her silence…
Well.
Most of them ended up destroyed by public opinion.
Rita eagerly grabbed the small box Sean handed her and opened it immediately.
Inside rested a single black ticket.
Her smile vanished.
"…What is this supposed to mean?"
Her voice instantly turned cold.
"You want Gringotts ruined?"
Sean slowly stood and walked toward the office window.
With one hand in his pocket, he gazed calmly down at the bustling crowds outside Hogsmeade.
"A ticket," he said softly.
"A one-way ticket to Azkaban."
The room instantly fell silent.
Rita's expression froze completely.
"…Excuse me?"
Behind her, the Quick-Quotes Quill continued scribbling wildly.
"The mysterious Gringotts manager became enraged after difficult questioning and openly threatened poor reporter Rita Skeeter in private."
"Despite the danger, the brave reporter continues seeking truth for the wizarding public."
Sean glanced casually at the parchment before chuckling.
"Interesting story."
Then he turned around slowly.
"Almost as interesting as your illegal Animagus form."
Rita's pupils contracted violently.
For a moment, she completely lost her balance and stumbled backward against the sofa.
"What… what are you talking about?"
Her laugh sounded stiff and unnatural now.
"I don't know anything about Animagus transformations."
Sean ignored her completely.
Instead, he spoke almost conversationally.
"Illegal Animagus transformation carries a sentence of life imprisonment."
Rita's face instantly turned pale.
Still, she tried forcing a smile.
Sean decided to finish it completely.
"It's hard to imagine," he said softly, "how miserable a tiny beetle would feel trapped inside Azkaban surrounded by Dementors."
The moment he said the word beetle—
Rita's legs gave out entirely.
She collapsed directly onto the floor.
Her face had turned ghostly white.
Sean slowly approached her.
Then he looked down at Rita from above with a faint smile.
"So."
"Do you know how to write your report now?"
Rita nodded so hard it looked painful.
"Yes."
"Mr. Sebastian is a once-in-a-generation genius."
"The Cosmetic Magic Hospital will improve happiness throughout the wizarding world."
"Wonderful."
Sean's smile widened slightly.
"Don't disappoint me."
The moment those words left his mouth, Rita scrambled to her feet and practically fled the office.
Only after the door slammed shut did Sean finally exhale quietly.
That had been dangerous.
If he hadn't read the original story and known Rita Skeeter's biggest secret, today could've become a disaster.
This woman was poisonous.
And thanks to her connections with the Ministry and the Daily Prophet, very few people dared offend her openly.
Fortunately for Sean…
…he now held a leash around her throat.
More importantly, he finally had someone inside the Ministry's information network.
Technically, the Daily Prophet remained independent from the Ministry of Magic.
At least on paper.
Reality, however, was another matter entirely.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Hart entered respectfully.
.....
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