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Chapter 699: Anti-Dementor Necklace, Two Extra People at Home
🕑 Added 2025-04-15 11:32:33 +0000 UTC“Unicorn horns and Dragon blood?”
Chris looked at Kyle, puzzled. “What do you need these for?”
“Not me—Fred and George need them,” Kyle replied, repeating what they’d told him in the office.
“I think it’s a good idea to protect yourself with magical items. It might buy you some time to escape in a critical moment.”
“If those things really work, then it’s not a bad idea,” Chris agreed. “There are probably ten Unicorn horns left in the Ministry. They were supposed to be donated to St. Mungo’s, but if you can get the Minister to sign off on it, I can give them all to you.”
“That’s a lot,” Kyle said, surprised.
Unicorn horns weren’t banned from trade, and Kyle had assumed the Ministry would be lucky to have five or six.
“This stuff is worth more than its weight in gold, and it’s always popular with smugglers,” Chris added casually. “We always manage to seize some.”
“And the blood of Dragons?” Kyle asked.
“Not an ounce,” Chris replied with a shrug. “If you’d come three days ago, there would’ve been a pint, but it was all donated to St. Mungo’s—they’re in desperate need of Dragon blood for their potions.”
Chris suddenly changed the subject. “But if you really need it, I can help contact Romania.”
“The Dragon Reserve in Romania?” Kyle asked, momentarily stunned. “They sell Dragon blood?”
“No, they only provide the service of renting Dragons,” Chris clarified. “But I have a good relationship with them. If there’s a good reason, I don’t think they’d mind selling me some Dragon blood at a low price—about half the market rate.”
“Then I’ll take ten pints,” Kyle blurted out.
Dragon blood was a treasure, valuable for brewing potions and alchemy. Stocking up seemed like an excellent idea, as it could always be stored for later use.
However, Kyle waited a long time for Chris’s response. When he glanced up, he found Chris staring at him with an odd expression.
“Ten pints?” Chris’s voice cracked. “Do you think that’s Pumpkin juice? Even if Mr. Scamander himself came along, it’d be impossible to buy ten pints of Dragon blood.”
“There’s only one pint. If that’s not enough, you’ll just have to figure it out yourself.”
“That’s all there is? Your connections aren’t worth much,” Kyle muttered. “Forget it—I’ll just go find Newt.”
With that, Kyle turned and left, leaving an irate Chris gasping for breath behind him.
A pint of Dragon blood, and he thinks that’s not enough? Does he seriously think it’s Pumpkin juice?
After leaving the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, Kyle returned to the Office of the Minister for Magic and explained the situation to Fudge.
Fudge agreed to the proposal almost immediately, though he confirmed it once more for clarity.
“Are you sure they’ll sell the magical items at cost?”
“Yes, Minister,” Kyle assured him. “Fred and George said they wanted to do something for the wizarding world and have agreed to it.”
“They’re Arthur Weasley’s sons, so they’re certainly not joking about this.”
“Oh, Arthur—no wonder those names sounded familiar,” Fudge muttered.
Mr. Weasley’s good reputation seemed to work in their favor, and Fudge agreed without hesitation.
Although it was unprecedented, the Ministry could afford to pay for only one Galleon at a time. Besides, Fudge wasn’t foolish. This initiative promised real benefits and could significantly enhance the Ministry’s reputation. Naturally, he had no reason to refuse.
Ten minutes later, Kyle left the Office of the Minister for Magic with two pieces of parchment.
One was the Ministry’s announcement of the subsidy, to be published later in The Daily Prophet.
The other was an approved application for Kyle to use the Ministry’s Unicorn materials.
When Kyle returned to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, Chris had already prepared the Unicorn horns.
However, he wasn’t in the best of moods—his expression remained sour, and he didn’t crack a smile. He simply shoved the items at Kyle and curtly told him to leave.
Kyle didn’t mind. Taking the elevator, he headed off to meet Fred and George, who had been waiting for him for quite some time.
“So...”
Fred and George were already bursting with curiosity the moment Kyle stepped out of the elevator.
“Of course, there are no problems,” Kyle replied, casually handing them one of the bags he was holding.
Inside were ten Unicorn horns and a pint of Dragon’s blood. Since the new shipment from Romania would take some time, Kyle had used his previous stock to tide them over.
“Great!” Fred exclaimed, his excitement palpable. “Is it all free?”
“Dragon’s blood is 50% off,” Kyle said.
“That’s more than enough,” George said, doing a quick calculation. “This will last us a long time. Based on this, I think we can reduce the price for about two Galleons.”
“Well... set the price at seven Galleons,” Kyle said after a moment’s thought, “and increase the Ministry subsidy to five Galleons.”
“Huh?” Fred blinked in confusion. “Isn’t that the same thing?”
“No,” Kyle shook his head. “The Ministry is providing the materials, so the cost needs to be reflected in the price.”
George smirked at Kyle. “Fudge will be so happy, he might just jump for joy.”
Fred nodded in agreement. “It’s not unreasonable, though. You could end up as Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic at this rate.”
“No chance...” Kyle said calmly. “Right now, it’s important to appropriately enhance the Ministry’s reputation.”
“Never mind, it’s all the same in the end,” Fred said, shrugging it off. George agreed, and the two immediately turned to head back to their office.
“Oh, one more thing,” Kyle called after them. “You don’t need to worry about the Ministry’s other work for now—just focus on making those magical props.”
“Got it!” they called back with a wave, disappearing down the corridor without a second glance.
With everything finally settled, Kyle felt a wave of relief as he returned to his own office.
...
The next day, a small purple booklet was delivered to every wizard via Owl Post.
“What is it?” Harry asked, examining the booklet in his hands as he ate breakfast at Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
“It’s something good,” Fred said with a mysterious grin. “I didn’t think Kyle would finish it so quickly. I figured it would take him a few more days.”
“Kyle did this?” Mrs. Weasley asked as she entered the room, also holding a copy of the booklet.
“Yes, Mum,” George said excitedly. “Take a look—there are some surprises in there.”
Mrs. Weasley eyed the booklet skeptically before opening it.
[Published with the authorization of the Ministry of Magic]
[Protect Yourself and Your Family from Dark Magic]
There is currently a self-proclaimed group of Death Eaters active in the wizarding world. The following safety guidelines will help you better protect yourself and your family:
Do not leave home alone. If you must go out, try to return before dark.
Ensure your home’s safety. If possible, set up an Anti-Disapparition Jinx.
Learn the following spells:
Shield Charm (see incantation and wand gestures on page 3)
Disillusionment Charm (instructions on page 6)
Patronus Charm (detailed guide on page 12)
Young children in the family should be taught to summon companions for safety.
Muggle-born wizards in Muggle families can apply to the Ministry of Magic to activate a temporary Floo Network connection.
...
The booklet wasn’t very thick, only about twenty pages, with the first page filled with warnings to heed. The rest delved into a detailed explanation of various Charms.
“It’s really comprehensive,” Mrs. Weasley remarked, flipping through the booklet repeatedly. “The Ministry of Magic did a good job this time. It seems like they’ve thought of everything, considering both wizarding and Muggle families.”
“Ha! Fudge could never have come up with something like this. He’d just spout some cliché and tell everyone to watch out for the Death Eaters,” Moody snorted. "I bet Kyle had a hand in this too", he added under his breath.
“Didn’t we already discuss this?” George said, taking a bite of his sandwich. “It was Kyle’s idea.”
“Professor Dumbledore was right to let him work at the Ministry,” Tonks said, thumbing through the booklet. “He’s lightened our workload considerably.”
“Enough chatter,” Fred interrupted. “Hurry up and read it—there’s a surprise at the end.”
“What surprise could there possibly be?” Ron asked dismissively, though he still began skimming through the pages.
That is, until he reached the penultimate page:
P.S. As Dementors pose a significant threat to the safety of every wizard, and as the Patronus Charm is a complex spell, magical objects offer an effective form of defense.
If needed, starting July 11th, visit 37 Diagon Alley, where the owner of the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes has partnered with the Ministry of Magic to sell Anti-Dementor Necklaces at cost. Additionally, you can get five Galleons off the price with a magical scroll.
“Thirty-seven Diagon Alley?” Ron thought aloud before suddenly jumping to his feet. “Wait, isn’t that where you—”
“Yes, the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes Shop,” Fred said with a grin.
George pulled out a small box. “Limited quantities, first come, first served... But as family, you have priority.”
“How much?” Ron asked, his interest piqued.
“Seven Galleons,” Fred replied, “but with the magical scroll, it’s only two.”
“How much?” Kingsley, who had been silent until then, asked sharply.
As an Auror, no one in the room understood the value of magical items better than him. An ordinary Anti-Jinx Hat cost more than ten Galleons, let alone something effective against Dementors. If this was legitimate, even seven Galleons sounded like a steal.
“Where’s this magic scroll?” Ron asked suspiciously.
“If you’d be so kind as to use your noble fingers…” George said impatiently, “you’ll find it on the last page.”
Ron blushed slightly as Harry silently flipped to the final page.
Sure enough, there was a whimsical note bearing a golden signature.
“Cornelius Oswald Fudge,” Kingsley murmured, leaning closer. “It’s the Minister’s signature.”
“Geminio,” Moody said, pulling out his wand and tapping the note.
The note ignited instantly, crumbling into ash in seconds.
“Not bad—there are at least five anti-counterfeiting Charms on it,” he said with approval, seemingly unbothered about losing five Galleons.
“Of course,” Fred said with a broad smile. “Each one of those costs money, so naturally, we have to be thorough.”
“I’ll take one,” Kingsley said, tearing off the note and handing it to Fred along with two Galleons.
“Thank you very much!” George said cheerfully, retrieving a necklace from the box and handing it over.
Kingsley examined the necklace briefly, then crushed it in his hands. A thick, shimmering silver mist erupted, filling the small kitchen. The warmth was immediate, washing over everyone present.
“Impressive. That’s definitely a Patronus Charm,” Kingsley said, clearly impressed.
Even though he’d already assumed it was genuine, witnessing it firsthand still left him in awe. It was practically unheard of to purchase a magical object containing a Patronus Charm light for only two Galleons.
“What a waste,” he muttered as the mist began to dissipate. “Alastor and I already tested it.”
Tonks, who had been watching with interest, suddenly realized something. “Hey, Alastor and I didn’t pay this much for the necklaces we bought. Are you trying to rip us off?”
“Don’t be absurd!” Fred said, feigning offense. “The Ministry of Magic wasn’t partnering with us back then. It was the standard price.”
“I don’t care!” Tonks retorted dramatically. “You owe me a refund.”
“Not a chance!” Fred and George said in unison, their expressions equally serious.
To be fair, the necklace Tonks had purchased had been crafted with materials the twins had sourced themselves. At the time, the price couldn’t have been as affordable as it was now.
"Then just give me another one, okay?" Tonks said, tearing off another note and handing it over.
"Thanks, two Galleons," George replied smoothly.
Tonks’ expression froze momentarily before she angrily tossed two gold coins onto the table.
"Ah, I want one too," Harry said eagerly, tearing off a note for himself.
Ron looked at Harry with envy. Although two Galleons was a bargain, it was still beyond his budget.
"I’ll take three," Bill said as he walked in, setting a stack of gold coins on the table. He glanced at Ron and Ginny with a smile. "What are you waiting for? Tear off your magic scrolls."
Ron’s excitement was palpable, and in his enthusiasm, he nearly ripped the entire booklet in half.
Before long, the suitcase was empty, every necklace claimed.
"Are you sure you’ll be okay?" Bill asked, holding his necklace and casting a skeptical glance at Fred and George.
"I think a lot of wizards are going to need these necklaces," Bill continued. "The day after tomorrow is July 11th. Do you have enough in stock?"
"Honestly? We're a bit short," Fred admitted with a frown. "Kyle only suggested this yesterday afternoon, so we’ve had barely any time to make them."
"But we’ve got help," George added. "Kyle's too busy, and Kanna’s swamped with her test for the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers, so we’ve asked Cho and Hermione."
"They’ve agreed and will be at the shop on the second floor at nine o’clock today."
"We’ve got two days. That should give us enough time to make a decent stockpile," Fred said optimistically.
"Nine o’clock today?" Mrs. Weasley frowned. "But your other work..."
"It’ll be fine, Mum," Fred assured her. "This is something we have to do, and Minister Fudge already approved it."
Mrs. Weasley hesitated at the mention of Fudge, but eventually, she said no more.
"If you don’t mind, I’ll help too," Bill offered after a moment’s thought. "I got good marks in Runes. And Charlie’s surveillance mission should wrap up soon; we can get him to pitch in as well."
"That would be brilliant!" Fred said enthusiastically.
The Anti-Dementor Necklace wasn’t overly complicated to produce, but the materials were expensive. Having extra hands was a huge relief.
"I’ll help too," Ginny volunteered, raising her hand. "I might not be much help, but I can draw runes. I got an ‘O’ in Ancient Runes this year, so this could be a good chance to learn some practical applications."
"You’re more than welcome," George said warmly.
Harry and Ron exchanged glances. If anyone in the family had spare time, it was definitely them.
They had been wanting to contribute for a while, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Besides, Harry was particularly intrigued by Fred’s earlier mention of Cho being involved. Though his feelings about competing with Cedric had waned, he couldn’t help but wonder what if…
"We can help too," Harry blurted out quickly.
This time, Fred and George didn’t immediately agree. Instead, they exchanged skeptical looks.
"Sorry, did you two happen to take Ancient Runes?" Fred asked.
"If I’m not mistaken," George added, "neither of you did."
"Ancient Runes?" Harry blinked, his enthusiasm faltering. "Er... no, not exactly."
Ron scratched his head, looking equally confused. "Why would we need Ancient Runes just to help out?"
The lively chatter in the room abruptly died, and everyone turned to look at them with a mixture of amusement and pity.
Mrs. Weasley, without a word, quietly left the room, muttering some excuse.
"Ah, it’s nothing," Fred said after an awkward pause, forcing a smile as he patted Harry and Ron on the shoulders. "You don’t need to worry about helping. Just enjoy your holiday at home."
Even Harry and Ron, oblivious as they could sometimes be, understood what that meant. Their faces flushed crimson.
"We can help with the cleaning," Ron suggested desperately.
"Yes," Harry nodded quickly. "Or we can carry supplies, pass tools—anything, really."
They were determined to go to Diagon Alley. Staying home while everyone else was busy contributing was unthinkable. It was embarrassing enough that Ginny was already more useful than either of them.
George hesitated, weighing his words carefully. "Well... I appreciate the sentiment, but our shop already has three House-elves handling cleaning and stocking. Are you suggesting we need someone else to help clean?"
"That feels a bit... insulting, don’t you think?"
The words stung more than intended. Harry and Ron’s blush deepened as they realized even House-elves were proving more capable than them.
Ginny sighed quietly and turned her head.
