70 Chapter 70 "Miraculous Alchemy"
Having successfully dealt with the Black House and Ravenclaw's secret room, Skyler embarked on the establishment of his shop.
Lucius exceeded Skyler's expectations by not only selling him the Hogsmeade shop for a mere two thousand Galleons but also facilitating the acquisition of the Malfoy brand from the Ministry of Magic's Magic Equipment Control Bureau.
The registration of a patent for the "anti-stun bracelet" further demonstrated Lucius's commitment. With ample funds remaining, Skyler directed the surplus toward enhancing the shop's décor.
(Note: The Magic Equipment Control Bureau, originating from the Daily Prophet, does not appear in the original work. The author added a management and patent setting to it.)
(Note: The author does not fabricate the existence of "patents" in the wizarding world. In the original work, there is a "Comical Product Patent Office" in the Sports Department's subordinate department, handling patents for hoax props.)
In naming his shop, Skyler chose to deviate from the conventional approach of many wizarding businesses, eschewing a clichéd name like "Malfoy Alchemy Shop."
Drawing on his Muggle background and sales principles, he named the establishment "Miraculous Alchemy," signifying the creation of miracles through alchemy.
Most wizarding retail stores in the UK are typically named after the owner's last name, such as Ollivanders Wand Shop, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Borgin and Burkes, etc.
Exceptions include The Leaky Cauldron, Magical Menagerie, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Honeydukes, and Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, which is a fictional addition.
Skyler wanted to establish a name for himself. He thought that if he put "Malfoy" into the store's name, then most of the clients would be someone who entered the shop simply for the sake of seeing Malfoy's name.
Just like how the possible clients who despise the Malfoys would possibly evade the shop for particular reasons.
Lucius, demonstrating his trust, assigned the management of the alchemy workshop to a young couple, the offspring of the Malfoy family.
Skyler, unaware of Lucius's potential machinations, chose not to delve into the means used to ensure their loyalty.
Although the couple lacked prior exposure to alchemy, Skyler opted to personally engrave the Runic symbols on the anti-stun bracelets.
The subsequent steps of beautification, carving, and perfection were delegated to the couple.
Skyler enlisted Draco, Daphne, Meredith, and Pansy's assistance at Hogwarts, producing a thousand initial supplies and entrusting them to the shop assistants.
Skyler's trust in the first three individuals was unwavering, while Pansy's evolving personality, influenced by Draco, secured her place as a valued collaborator.
This semester marked a notable change in Pansy's demeanor, shedding the mean and aggressive traits seen in the original book. Skyler considered her akin to a sibling, given her connection to Draco.
Draco, who becomes more mature and popular, influences Pansy's transformation. Recognizing the need for change to maintain her position in Draco's affections, Pansy alters her attitude hoping to stay by Draco's side for life.
Skyler doesn't distrust Astoria but acknowledges her youth and lack of experience in alchemy and runes. According to Skyler's calculation, Her inexperienced knowledge would bring more losses than profit.
The Alchemy Workshop, conveniently located not far from Hogwarts, boasts a direct secret passage allowing Skyler seamless entry and exit.
While this operational choice consumes some of Skyler's valuable time, it represents only the initial phase of his plan.
Once the business gains traction and the capable couple prove their mettle in the early stages, Skyler intends to impart the full production process's steps and secrets.
Naturally, a new unbreakable vow will be established to guarantee their discretion.
On the shop's grand opening day, media outlets across the UK and Europe enthusiastically advertised the Miraculous Alchemy Shop.
Other media outlets promoted Skyler's venture for free beyond the modest discounted advertising fee Skyler paid in the Daily Prophet.
This widespread coverage owes much to the presence of the beautiful Giuliana Cleopatra standing behind Skyler.
The shop experienced a constant influx of people on its first day, with entire village side roads teeming with eager customers.
The anti-stun bracelets provided relief from the lingering effects of Floo travel, and wizards could finally bid farewell to the days of dizziness and disorientation.
Minister Fudge promptly placed a substantial order of 500 bracelets at Amelia's suggestion, significantly contributing to Skyler's profits.
This single transaction alone allowed Skyler to recoup all the opening expenses.
"An anti-stun bracelet with a gross profit of 4 Galleons is quite reasonable. I think this would be a great price to start. Because it will only lead to more promotions which will rake more customers in." Skyler mused to himself.
Subsequently, Skyler took a day to consult Professor Borgin about the vanishing cabinet.
Although Professor Borgin did not harbor a particular fondness for Skyler, his test performance stood out among his classmates.
For Skyler, this opportunity represented a rare chance for learning. Repairing the vanishing cabinet was a secondary goal; the primary focus was gaining a deeper understanding of its structure and the contained space magic, offering the potential for significant insights.
The inventor of the Vanishing Cabinet initially aimed to create a secret escape passage.
However, Skyler contemplated alternative uses for the technology.
If a smaller vanishing cabinet could be created with manageable manufacturing costs, it could replace owls, becoming a conduit for delivering letters and parcels.
Under Professor Borgin's guidance, Skyler surpassed expectations and successfully repaired the dilapidated Vanishing Cabinet in a single day.
In the original book, Draco spent most of the semester achieving this feat during his sixth grade, highlighting Skyler's advanced alchemy skills.
Professor Borgin's expertise in the vanishing cabinet also played a pivotal role, as Draco, in the original book, had only learned a minimal amount from Mr. Borgin. Mr. Borgin once mentioned that seeing the real object and the damage could potentially expedite the repair process.
Mr. Borgin is unrelated to the Burkes family; the Borgin shop is a joint business of two families.
In this life, they have been destined as the Borgin family as a vassal of the Borgin family due to the latter being one of the 28 sacred families.
Both families are renowned for alchemy.
After the restoration of the vanishing cabinet, Skyler requested its removal under the pretext of conducting a more in-depth study of its structure.
Although the cabinet technically belonged to Hogwarts, it had been abandoned and disregarded since Pippi's destructive actions, prompting Professor Borgin to generously grant Skyler permission.
The Vanishing Cabinet has been obtained!
Skyler planned to visit Knockturn Alley later to purchase the vanishing cabinet from the Borgin and Burkes store, establishing another secret route directly to Hogwarts.
With all other matters settled Skyler had one final task: dealing with Harold Dingle, allowing him to fully immerse himself in reading Ravenclaw's collection. Astoria's animosity towards Dingle had not faded.
The following day witnessed a sensational event at Hogwarts: Harold Dingle attempted to intrude into the women's bathroom to spy but was thwarted by a senior girl, failing to achieve his ill-intentioned goals.
"Hahaha... Laughing at me!" In Skyler's dormitory, Daphne couldn't contain her laughter, clutching her belly.
Witnessing Dingle's battered state as he was taken away by Filch, Skyler, with a glint of amusement in his eyes, said, "Tolly, I'll avenge you for your grievances. I bet this guy never dreamt of finding a girlfriend at Hogwarts before graduating."
Skyler subtly cast a Confundus Charm on Dingle as he passed the women's bathroom.
To their amusement, he mistakenly entered, resulting in a chaotic scene of screams and a group of girls chasing the pervert, causing a commotion throughout the castle.
While being pursued, Skyler silently and endlessly lifted the Confundus Charm.
Finally, Schuyler Fawcett, a fifth-grade Ravenclaw girl, caught Dingle and handed him over to Filch.
It wasn't until Filch, informed of the incident, arrived that Dingle, looking defeated, was escorted away.
Note:Fawcett is a character from the original book, and the college and grade are official establishments, with the name assigned by the author.
Filch handed Dingle over to Professor McGonagall, who was incensed upon learning the whole story.
Dingle, attempting to use the Confundus Charm as an excuse for entering the women's bathroom, faced Professor McGonagall's scrutiny, which revealed the falsehood.
Unaware of the events preceding Dingle's attack, Astoria was genuinely moved by Skyler's actions. Ignoring her sister's presence, she rushed to kiss Skyler on the cheek.
After this, Astoria felt her face grow warm, and her neck turned red. "Thank you, Senior Skyler. You... you're so kind to me!"
Observing the scene, Daphne seemed to grasp something, casting a bitter look at Skyler that conveyed, "She's my sister! How could you do this...".
A cold sweat broke out on Skyler's forehead.
He felt wronged; he hadn't intended for this to happen. Only Skyler knew the truth in his heart.
However, the matter was far from over.
During breakfast the next day, the hall echoed with the resounding impact of a roaring letter.
Harold Dingle's mother believed he had disgraced the Dingle family and, through the letter, vehemently expressed her disappointment.
This incident significantly affected Gryffindor's standing among the other houses.
While Gryffindor had a history of pranks, the likes of the Marauders and the Weasley twins, they had always adhered to an invisible boundary.
Dingle's actions had clearly crossed that line, earning widespread disgust.
Subsequently, Dingle's life took a challenging turn.
Schuyler Fawcett's boyfriend, Stebbins from Hufflepuff, confronted Dingle over the incident.
The unity and support within Hufflepuff became evident as fellow badgers stood firmly behind Stebbins.
If they encountered Dingle in the corridors, even if they refrained from uttering insults, they would cast him disdainful glances.
Ravenclaw's members, led by Schuyler Fawcett and Roger Davis, began distancing themselves from Dingle and his friends.
Cormac McLagen initially pledged to handle the matter for the Gryffindor cubs in his class, assuring a swift resolution.
However, to everyone's surprise, the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students involved showed no regard for Cormac's authority.
Skyler even witnessed Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe, usually gentle and amiable, walking away indifferently when Dingle approached.
Dingle, left with no support, faced an embarrassing situation.
Under this mounting pressure, Dingle found himself facing discontent even within Gryffindor.
Voices of complaint emerged among his fellow Gryffindor cubs, forcing him into silence and a low-key existence.
He even resorted to bringing his meals back to the dormitory, avoiding public spaces.
