Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 352 Even the Little Witch Needs an Internship

Fowler Props Workshop, a suburb of London.

The sun had just dispelled the morning mist, and the temperature was gradually rising. The factory under the sunlight smelled of paint and gasoline, and amidst the noisy roar of machinery, the printers spitting out paper was the most pleasant sound.

A corridor runs through the entire factory area. The rooms closest to the entrance are also the most exquisitely decorated departments. A sign for the design department hangs at the entrance. They are mainly responsible for receiving clients, communicating concepts to understand needs, and then using a series of software to create engineering drawings and provide prop designs.

Behind it is the production workshop, which has both advanced manufacturing and processing rooms, using CNC lathes and laser cutting machines for processing, and traditional woodworking and metalworking workshops, where milling machines and welding machines make a piercing noise when they start.

"Furthermore, there are sculpture and modeling workshops, casting workshops, painting workshops... where metal, wood, plastic, foam, and even clay parts can be processed."

The corridor was bright and spacious, and a group of people slowly passed by, observing the busy workers inside through the transparent windows.

At the front of the line, a portly middle-aged man wearing a tie, holding a folder, described the workshop in great detail.

This is a prop workshop located in the suburbs of London, responsible for producing film and television props and theatrical supplies for various theaters and production crews in London. Its business covers metal processing, sculpting, casting, painting, soft textiles, and even the production of firearms and explosives.

Kingsley, as a commissioner of the Ministry of Magic, was visiting the Muggle workshops to assess the next phase of business cooperation between wizards and Muggles. George and Fred accompanied him, their eyes wide open, listening intently, not wanting to miss a single detail.

The factory area only includes the design department and production workshop. The workshop also has an office in the City of London, and the purchasing and sales departments work in an office building, which is quite close to Downing Street. I don't know how they got on the list of people to be inspected.

Apart from a very small number of people in the Prime Minister's Office, others thought it was just a regular foreign trade inspection, but it covered a wide range of products and had a large demand.

Melvin stood next to Kingsley, his gaze passing over the transparent glass as he observed the production process of film and stage props with great interest.

London was once a world-renowned industrial city, but its wastewater pollution of the Thames River has yet to be cleaned up, and its air pollution that created dense smog earned it the nickname "Fog City." Even now, its air quality is not much better.

At this time, London had begun to shed its heavy industrial character, with many factories relocating. Car manufacturing, oil refining, and chemical industries all moved away, leaving behind only some high-tech companies, food, consumer goods, and printing plants. This film and theater prop workshop, however, had a complete range of workshop types.

Sending George and Fred here for internships will allow them to quickly and comprehensively understand how a Muggle factory operates.

"Wood is used to make doors, windows, furniture, and stage props such as carriages; metalworking mainly produces weapons, armor, and some special props; silicone molding can be used to mass-produce props using resin, plaster, and foam rubber..."

The middle-aged man was the workshop manager. Although he didn't know Melvin and Kingsley's specific identities, only that they were members of the newly formed business team, it didn't stop him from currying favor with the people from Downing Street.

He knew several food factory managers, and they had drinks together last week. He learned that Downing Street was organizing a special export trade, with a small range of products but a large profit margin. It was said that the food factories' orders had increased several times, and the other party was very decisive in settling payments.

They are definitely a high-quality customer!

Melvin looked away from the workshop, turned back to meet the middle-aged man's ingratiating smile, and, sensing the manager's undisguised cheerfulness, smiled back.

“There are two months of summer vacation. I don’t want George and Fred to be confined to the workshop. If possible, arrange for them to rotate through the purchasing and sales departments for a few weeks. What do you think?”

"no problem!"

The middle-aged manager readily agreed.

It's just arranging internships for two young boys; it's not like they're committing any illegal or criminal acts like child labor. Even if it were illegal, it would be illegal under the direction of Downing Street.

However, considering their ages, it's still a bit strange to send two 16-year-olds to the factory for an internship.

Seemingly sensing his confusion, Melvin offered to explain, "Their academic performance... I can't say for sure, but getting into a higher education is unlikely. I want these two children to learn something truly useful."

"I understand the importance of training children!"

The middle-aged man patted his chest and assured them, then enthusiastically led the twin brothers to complete their onboarding procedures.

Watching their figures disappear around the corner, Kingsley took out a document from his pocket. Page after page were factories waiting to be inspected, all kinds of canned goods, Muggle snacks such as potato chips and shrimp crackers, drinks such as cola, yogurt and beer... Flipping to the last few pages, he finally got to the Fowler Workshop, which they were visiting today.

Melvin watched the Auror scribbling on the paper, looking every bit like a government official, and found the scene amusing: "I heard the previous trade attracted a lot of attention."

"Those guys from Gringotts, huh?"

Kingsley didn't even look up: "They think all the gold in the world belongs to them, and the wizards are just temporarily holding onto it. Now that the wizards' gold has flowed to other places, of course they're anxious. They sent a goblin duke to cause us trouble, but Lady Burns ignored him."

"Was it the Department of Fantastic Creatures Management or the Department of International Affairs and Cooperation that received them?" Melvin asked with great interest.

"Mr. Crouch received..."

Kingsley was speechless: "Professor Levent, if the Fairy Duke knew about your question, he could sue you for discrimination. Fairies have their own independent kingdom. As early as the Third Wizarding Council, fairies, as intelligent beings, were already classified as humans."

"The Fairy Liaison Office is clearly a subordinate agency of the Department of Fantastic Beasts."

Melvin indicated that the Ministry of Magic discriminated first: "How did the talks go in the end? What did the Fairy Duke say?"

"They said they would file a complaint at the International Wizarding Federation meeting in the summer, arguing that the British Ministry of Magic had violated the Statute of Secrecy and that the Federation must impose a severe penalty."

"Hopefully it will convince Dumbledore." Melvin shook his head.

Muggle food is very popular in the magical world, and the Muggle government is very satisfied with the new gold added to its treasury. This marks the success of the first trade cooperation under the Law of Secrecy and will gradually expand the scope of cooperation. Other countries' ministries of magic will follow suit.

"The original plan was to move on to home appliances, but the wizarding village's electrical infrastructure isn't up to par, so we switched to clothing and accessories. We buy the clothes they weave with gold, and they're incredibly cheap," Kingsley muttered. "Mrs. Burns learned about their development from Jenny's spinning wheel and concluded that this is the Muggle's textile magic."

At this point, Kingsley looked up: "I heard the Magic Mirror Club is having a Quidditch advertising sales event at the end of the month?"

Melvin nodded: "Is there a problem?"

"Mr. Crouch asked me to have you ask around to see if any wizards have anything that they can easily sell to Muggles. Trade can't always be one-sided."

Melvin shook his head and refused: "I'm not a Ministry of Magic employee. Send your own people to the meeting and ask them yourselves."

"Professor! Professor!"

The two were chatting casually when the onboarding process was completed, and the middle-aged manager returned with two new employees, all three of them beaming with smiles.

George and Fred received a set of work clothes and some protective equipment. Before they even had a chance to try them on, they were happily gesturing at them.

As lunchtime approached, the business here was finished, and the staff meals were almost ready. The middle-aged manager warmly invited them to stay and eat at the canteen next to the factory. The food was mostly high-calorie items like hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizzas—prepared semi-finished products that had been heated and reassembled. Melvin didn't care much about the taste, Kingsley had lived in the Muggle world for a long time and was used to it, only George and Fred found it novel and even wanted to pack a few to take home.

Considering the current weather, the middle-aged manager dissuaded them, claiming that they would be able to eat as much as they wanted every day during their internship, and the two reluctantly waved goodbye.

……

My impression of the Muggle world, whether from classroom books or from firsthand experience, is completely different from what I learned there.

The roads and streets are flat and wide, but almost all of them are used by vehicles, and the exhaust fumes from burning gasoline are everywhere. Pedestrians can only walk on the side of the road because strange smells can be smelled from garbage cans and sewer pipes from time to time.

Most subway platforms are old and dilapidated, with scattered garbage, plastic bags, or food scraps in corners and turns, where rats rummage around without restraint. Because the carriages are old and there are too many passengers, the carriages are filled with a pungent smell.

In the summer, a half-hour bus ride can leave you feeling dizzy and almost suffocating from lack of oxygen. Upon arriving at the station and getting off, most people will take a deep breath.

When George and Fred returned to Hogwarts, they felt as if they had returned from one world to another. Everything looked somewhat surreal: the candlelight floating in the air, the torches on the walls, and the spiral staircase.

They leaped up several steps to the eighth floor, then squeezed into the portrait cave. The lounge was filled with students gathered in twos and threes; the party last night had gone on too late, and many people were still asleep.

The two stopped behind a single sofa, peering around. Several classmates sat upright in front of them, looking rather listless. To their left were Angelina and Spinnet, and to their right was Lee Jordan—all familiar friends.

George and Fred exchanged a glance and leaned close to their ears:

Hey friends!

"We're back at work!"

The deafening shouts rang out in the lounge, making several people's ears ring and attracting the attention of the others in the lounge.

The twin brothers, well-versed in the art of pranks, took advantage of the others' dazed state before they could react, reached into their backpacks and pulled out work uniforms: "Look, these are the uniforms we'll be wearing for our internships!"

Angelina's attention was immediately drawn: "Let me see, let me see."

The plastic bag containing the packaging worker's uniform was torn open, revealing a navy blue, utilitarian garment. The fabric was thick and durable, the cut loose to suit various body types, and the muted color was dirt-resistant, exuding an industrial aesthetic.

Several pairs of gloves, a safety helmet, and thick-soled shoes were also provided, as the workshop environment is complex and these were all to prevent accidents.

"And this..."

George pulled out a few square cards, clearly Muggle creations: "These are our work badges and bank cards. When we get paid, we can receive a check, or it can be mailed to our home. We can exchange them directly for Muggle currency or deposit them into our account."

"An account? Is it a Muggle's vault?"

“No, the bank doesn’t have a vault…” Fred tried to explain, but couldn’t quite make it out. “Anyway, the bank doesn’t set up a vault for its customers. An account is just an account, a string of numbers.”

How much are your salaries?

Fred was confused again and hesitated for a moment: "A thousand pounds, but that includes taxes and insurance."

“I asked Kingsley, and if we exchanged it for gold, it would mean we wouldn’t have to worry about food for two or three months!” George proudly puffed out his chest.

"Wow!"

The break room erupted in gasps. The Muggle internship had sparked a lively discussion among the students, who had many questions that George and Fred couldn't answer well, chattering on and on for a long time.

"..."

In fact, if you buy Muggle food, you might be able to cover your food expenses for five months.

A Muggle-born know-it-all girl muttered to herself. She had been listening for a long time, and the idea in her heart took root and grew stronger and stronger, her eyes sparkling with a bright light.

……

The office quieted down, the window was open, and Hermione sat at her desk, looking at her third-year report card. The candlelight illuminated the first name on the list, followed by a perfect O (Excellent).

That's a very pleasing result, but the results for the other courses are still unknown.

“You’re first in your grade again this year.” Melvin, sitting across from him, looked up.

"..."

Hermione pursed her lips, trying to appear indifferent to her grades, but the smile she couldn't suppress betrayed her true feelings.

She guessed that the professor hadn't used Legilimency, but could see through her thoughts based solely on his psychological knowledge. However, she still wanted to conceal it and act as if she didn't care so much about her grades or how competitive she was.

“Professor, George and Fred said you went to the Muggle factory yesterday to complete your onboarding process. They will be interning at the workshop during the summer.”

"It's not an easy or fun job. They want to open a magic shop after graduation, so this is kind of an early learning experience. They might give up halfway through. Mrs. Weasley doesn't seem to support it much..." Melvin said casually.

“I also want to do an internship,” Hermione suddenly said.

"what?"

"I'd like to intern at the Prophet's Daily this summer, is that okay?"

Melvin paused briefly, not understanding Hermione's meaning.

“Since wizarding children can intern at Muggle factories, then Muggle children can also intern at wizarding businesses,” Hermione said, looking the professor straight in the eye and mustering her courage.

"Why not the Ministry of Magic? I remember you wanted to go to the Ministry of Magic after you graduated, right?"

Hermione's face was slightly childish, but her expression was very serious: "I want to stay in the wizarding world in the future. The newspaper is the best choice. It can help me understand all aspects of the wizarding world, even the places that the Ministry of Magic cannot reach."

(End of this chapter)