Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 59 Win-win cooperation
"The news of Harry Potter joining the team spread quickly. With the help of the fame of the Boy-Who-Lived, the news of the three broomsticks and the memory mirror also spread quickly. Almost half of the wizards in Britain had heard about it."

Borgin's slightly unctuous voice echoed in the room. "But not all tavern owners have good taste. Ordinary drinkers and football fans are just there for the fun. Wright and I counted on the way here, and there are about 19 buyers interested in buying the Memory Mirror. One of them is Old Will from West Overton..."

Borgin and Burke's in Knockturn Alley has a great reputation. When people come across new gadgets like movie mirrors that can't be bought through normal channels, they go to Borgin.

A few knowledgeable wizards, knowing the reputation of the Monks Tully family, also found a repair shop a few streets away. After Borgin finished speaking, Wright immediately added some more names to the list.

"Godric's Ada..."

"Alfie of Dingworth..."

"One-Eyed Jack of Upper Flagley..."

The British wizarding community is so small that the wizarding families with a long history are basically related. Even the pure and ever-victorious Malfoy family has a blood relationship with the shame of pure-blood Weasley.

Monkstanley and Borgin also have their own acquaintances, and each has their own biases when introducing the client list. When they meet ordinary customers, they will just say the name and mention where the wizard is from. When they meet close acquaintances, they will introduce the customer in detail to win the favor of the supplier Lewinter.

Melvin listened quietly to the two middlemen introducing their clients, while in his mind he was silently identifying the clients' backgrounds and selecting a few special, high-quality clients.

"Godric's witch, Ada, runs the Golden Snitch Tavern. They brew their own beer, passed down from generation to generation, and the surrounding villagers all love it..."

This is the average customer.

"Old Will of West Overton used to be an Auror. He went mad with Mad-Eye during the Last Wizarding War and had one of his arms blown off by a Death Eater. Rainy days always made him itch and ache, and he could only rely on whiskey to relieve the pain. After retirement, he simply opened a pub specializing in hard liquor. At first, it was just his fellow Aurors who looked after the business, but later many wizards came to drink there. Many of these customers had relatives who had been murdered by Death Eaters and were grateful to Harry Potter. Some were Quidditch fans too. When they heard that the Three Broomsticks were showing a Hogwarts game, Old Will closed the pub for a week and took his customers to Hogsmeade. Rosmerta almost thought he was there to steal the brewing recipe."

This person has an Auror background and is a high-quality client.

"Alfie from Dingworth is a fast-talking man. He used to be a commentator for the Quidditch World Cup. During the 1986 final, he accused the West German national team of taking bribes to fix the final group stage match. After the match, the tournament committee demanded a public apology in the newspaper. Alfie, who has a hot temper, pretended to apologize, but ended up cursing several officials from the Sports Department and the tournament committee in front of reporters...

"Alfie eventually resigned and returned home to open a Quidditch club. It's usually just retired players and referees hanging out there. Last week, he went to the Three Broomsticks to watch a match. When he paid for his drinks, he directly handed over several thousand Galleons to Madam Rosmerta, saying he wanted to buy the Shadow Mirror. But Malcolm mistook him for a drunk and kicked him out."

This person has a professional background and is also a high-quality customer.

"One-Eyed Jack from Upper Flagley used to be a photographer at Quidditch matches. It was during the 86 Quidditch World Cup. In an effort to capture the best shots, he got too close to the pitch and got hit in the eye by a Bludger. After retirement, he started a magazine dedicated to Quidditch news and articles, but it was too technical, and its sales were worse than The Dissenter's, so it went bankrupt within two years.

"The magazine's editorial office has been turned into a pub, a pub for intellectuals. The customers there are basically all people from publishing houses. The editors and reporters all have the same bad habits. They either always say things based on hearsay and without any evidence, or they just chatter away a lot. You think it sounds very impressive, but go back and think about it carefully. Hey, in fact, he didn't say anything. Alfie resigned because he insulted Ministry officials, but they said it was because he exposed Quidditch corruption and was ostracized and expelled..."

Melvin's eyes lit up. This Jack was a perfect match for the job. His mind must be full of wonderful scenes.

"Oh, and there are a few wizards from pure-blood families. They're not buying them for their own business, they just bought them and put them in the manor for their own enjoyment. Pure-blood families are like this, so I won't mention their names."

Wright's mouth was dry as he spoke, and he took a sip of beer.

Old Tom and Borgin, both from the pure-blood family, smiled awkwardly. Borgin cleared his throat, his expression somewhat lacking in confidence. "Finally, we have Knockturn Alley. There's a group of wizards and witches there who are reluctant to show up. Some of them are Quidditch enthusiasts, and some are Harry Potter fans. They usually hide in the basement of Knockturn Alley, and in their spare time, they'll have a few drinks to relax... Anyway, we need a shadow mirror too."

Melvin pondered for a moment. Knockturn Alley was quite complicated. They were channel dealers and also high-quality customers.

Old Tom, who had been listening to the other buyers, compared himself to them and suddenly realized that his family had no competitive advantage. He quickly stated, "The Leaky Cauldron is willing to cooperate with the school. As long as they have a mirror like the Three Broomsticks, I will give the school team a share of the profits, as well as a commission for teaching you."

"Like the Three Broomsticks..."

Melvin looked at him darkly. "You don't have to pay for the memory mirror. I'll provide the content for free. The tavern only provides a venue. I don't have to bear the operating risk. It's almost a zero-cost deal. Anyone would be willing to do it."

Old Tom scratched his head and smiled shyly, and the scene was a bit scary.

"The Memory Mirror costs 30,000 Galleons. How much of a share will your tavern get? A few hundred Galleons a month, and it will take more than ten years to recoup the investment..." Melvin briefly explained the situation and concluded, "The Three Broomsticks is a special example of promoting the Memory Mirror. The price won't be the same for future taverns that want to join."

Old Tom and Bogin nodded thoughtfully, without much doubt. There were similar products on the market that displayed memory, and the prices were indeed over ten thousand. They were all businessmen and knew that no one would do such a loss-making business.

Only Wright blinked, his expression subtle.

What thirty thousand Galleons? How could he not know that the last time we made a large-scale mirror, it cost nearly ten thousand Galleons, mainly because of the R&D and trial production costs. Even including these, it was only nine thousand Galleons. How could Melvin talk about thirty thousand Galleons in an instant?

Forget it, thirty thousand is thirty thousand.

Wright, who didn't understand business, drank beer silently.

As a veteran businessman in Knockturn Alley, Bogin vaguely guessed that the young professor would not sell at the price. "Professor, what do you mean?"

"The Memory Mirror can be sold to you at a discount. The cost is 30,000, and we can give you a 70% discount. The image content can be discussed separately. The price is guaranteed to be favorable."

70% off on 30,000... saving 20,000 directly!
Old Tom gulped down the entire glass of beer, stunned by the surprise price.

“But there are strings attached.”

"What additional conditions? Professor, just ask!"

"Tavern owners who purchase Shadow Mirrors need to join our Magic Mirror Club."

Without waiting for their questions, Melvin began to explain, "This club was founded by Wright and I. It's primarily responsible for the production and review of film content. Subsequent club members must abide by the relevant regulations and cooperate with us in developing and producing more interesting film content."

Old Tom and Borgin glanced at Wright subconsciously.

Wright remained silent and drank his beer silently.

Don't look, don't ask, he just found out about this news now.

Old Tom had drunk a bit too much beer tonight, and his head wasn't clear. "Professor, I still don't quite understand. Can you tell me specifically what this club does?"

Melvin patiently explained, "The Memory Mirror is a magic mirror that can play back memories. It's not just the memories I provided, it can play back all of your memories. Old Tom, you heard the identities of those people just now. They must have memories of previous Quidditch World Cups, even insider perspectives, exclusive perspectives, and insider insights. They can also analyze the game while playing the images..."

Melvin turned his gaze to Borgin: "And you, Borgin, Knockturn Alley is frequented by merchants from all over the world. Their footprints are all over the world. They must be able to get their hands on memories of other Quidditch events, the World Cup group stage, the intercontinental tournament, the teams' regular training matches, and even the school matches of other magic schools..." As the three present listened to the young professor's slowed-down words, it seemed as if a door was slowly opening before their eyes, behind which lay an even more expansive world.

"I know you don't care about business, Old Tom, but you definitely want to see those exciting games with your own eyes." Melvin, like a good and patient professor, guided them to imagine a beautiful future. "Join our club and collect exciting Quidditch matches from around the world. We'll centralize resources and produce content, so that time and space will no longer be a constraint on viewing. Then you can watch Hogwarts games, Charlie Cannons games, and Armenian Youth National Team games without leaving home..."

Old Tom finished another beer without noticing it, shoved the glass on the table, and shouted, "The Leaky Cauldron wants to join!"

Bo Jin was keenly aware that there was a business opportunity there, a very promising business opportunity, so he quickly agreed.

The only person left at the table was a repair shop owner who was drinking silently.

Wright looked up and met their gazes, speechless. "Why are you looking at me? I can't agree on behalf of those tavern owners. At most, I can convey to them our conversation tonight, but that will have to wait until the Christmas holidays are over. Some of them are traveling abroad."

"..."

After some discussion, the four reached an agreement.

Old Tom and Bogin got a 70% discount on the price and were grinning from ear to ear. Although Wright had to go back to convey the message, he received two handsome wages and could earn more in the future.

Only the young Professor Lewinter, who sacrifices his own interests for the benefit of the wizarding world, is admirable.

Everyone has a bright future.

"...That's it, then. Interested customers can arrange a meeting with me this weekend." Melvin put down his glass and stood up. "That's all for today. I'm going back to school first."

"Professor, let me take you there..." Old Tom stood up and followed.

Wright and Bogin watched the two men walk away, then looked away and were about to say something, when they suddenly realized that Melvin's beer was still the same, not a drop had been touched, and they had already drunk half a glass.

Remembering what they heard when they entered the room, the two looked at each other and fell into silence.

……

The Christmas holiday is slowly coming to an end.

Wizards who were on vacation returned home to prepare for the new year of work and study. Wizarding settlements in Britain resumed their prosperity, and wizarding pubs reopened for business.

As night fell, two figures emerged from the alleys of Hogsmeade. Malcolm and Tucroft walked side by side on the road, exchanging pleasantries and sharing interesting stories about their holidays. Passersby sat silently, glancing at the two, secretly wondering in their hearts.

But soon, the familiar dispute was heard again on the street.

"Whether a Seeker can catch the Golden Snitch has nothing to do with finger length. Harry Potter's victory is proof of that! Lamont lost, and that's because his skills weren't good enough! Don't blame his teammates! Don't blame his parents!"

"How can they be the same? One is a college competition, the other is the World Cup!"

"What a difference! His fingers are shorter than Lamont's, and he still won the game!"

"How can it be the same? He's Harry Potter!"

"So what!?"

"He beat that guy while he was in his crib!"

"..."

Watching the two people starting to push each other, passers-by breathed a sigh of relief. It was still the familiar voice, still the familiar movements. The neighbors before Christmas were all back.

Listening to the two people's quarrel, the residents came all the way to the Three Broomsticks. Suddenly, they found that the tavern had a brand new sign. On the glass window was a poster from a year ago. It showed Lamont riding a broom with high spirits, and the title was written below:

Scotland vs. Canada: The Final Battle of 1990!

……

eight pm.

Charing Cross in London's Westminster district looks a bit deserted from the outside, but once you step into the Leaky Cauldron, the bustling sound immediately fills your ears.

Fanatical fans crowded in front of the silver mirror, and every goal would cause the audience to cheer deafeningly. Old Tom squeezed into the front row to watch the game and cheered along with the customers. However, several of the Abbott family's nephews and nieces were busy carrying wine jugs.

"..."

Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt stood quietly in the corner at the edge of the counter, a position that was not likely to attract attention, but where he could still keep an eye on the situation in the room.

This was a regular customer of the bar. The waiter recognized this tall, dark-skinned, bald Auror and handed him the butterbeer he had asked for, teasing him about ending his vacation so early.

Shaker gave a helpless smile and said that he didn't want to work either.

Hearing the wizard's deep and slow voice, the clerk, who was a little irritated due to being too busy, calmed down and gave an extra serving of fish and chips.

Shaker leaned against the counter, watching the clerk go away and taking in the situation in the store.

There were still a few days of vacation left, and actually he didn't want to return to work so early, as he still had enough vacation time saved up in recent years. However, his job responsibilities were extremely special, and while the Ministry of Magic had holidays, he needed to be at work early at 10 Downing Street.

At the Ministry of Magic, he was the captain of the second Auror team in the Department of Law Enforcement, and in the Muggle Prime Minister's Office, he was an assistant secretary who was about to be promoted.

Shacklebolt's eyes swept across the image displayed by the silver mirror, his gaze calm.

The Memory Mirror looks like a magical improvement on a Muggle TV. If Director Umbridge gets to know about this, the Department of Law Enforcement will be busy again...

(End of this chapter)