Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 770 Theodore Nott

Dappled sunlight filtered through the branches, casting a warm glow over the leaf-strewn courtyard.

It happened to be during the morning break, and some students took advantage of the free time to come out and bask in the sun. A lazy owl postman stood on the treetop, and Mrs. Lawrence, the caretaker, lay on the roadside with her eyes squinted and her tail swishing lazily.

"Why would we need to seek refuge? Won't the crimes committed by the Death Eaters implicate our families?"

Looking at Theodore Nott's serious face, Loren was curious and carefully recalled the newspaper articles he had read recently.

The trial of the Death Eaters is proceeding smoothly and is nearing its end. Occasionally, the judgment documents issued by Woolworth's in New York will appear in the newspapers. The sentences are basically finalized, so there is no need to worry about hefty fines or hope that they will be able to leave prison in their lifetime.

Kouhausen served as a commissioner responsible for liaising on the extradition of criminals.

Although the Magical Congress of the United States still retains the death penalty, the laws on collective punishment have been abolished, so the relatives of these Death Eaters will not be implicated.

"It'll be a bit wordy to explain..."

Nott seemed to have anticipated his question, and gave a bitter smile. As he sat down on a nearby rock, he said, "Ever since the Dark Lord... Voldemort returned and the Death Eaters regrouped, we Death Eater relatives have been caught in the storm and vortex. First, there was the huge release fee two years ago, then the travel expenses they took when they fled England; more than half of our family's wealth has been depleted."

The Death Eater relative seemed to have left things unsaid, but Loren could tell that the other party didn't want to dwell on the details, so he didn't press further. He simply nodded calmly: "It's just that more than half of the cash has been depleted. The wealth accumulated by pure-blood families over thousands of years is mainly concentrated in land, shops, and monopolistic businesses... With your resources, you should be able to make up for this deficit in about ten years and restore the former glory of the pure-blood families."

"Pure-blood glory is a thing of the past. The Voldemort and Death Eater affair is over, and no wizard will mention it for many years to come." Nott shook his head. "Pure-blood families associated with the Death Eaters will only gradually shrink and decline, never to regain their former status. We don't yearn for those past glories; we just want to survive normally and pass on our family traditions."

"Has the situation of pure-blood families deteriorated to this extent?" Loren asked with some curiosity.

"The 'Pureblood Twenty-Eight Clans' is just a self-proclaimed title. In fact, there are far more than twenty-eight wizarding families whose surnames are known. There are countless wizards in the entire magical world, and we are not the only ones doing business on this land. We are just a group that has come together because of common interests."

Nott's expression was calm, and his voice was steady, revealing a maturity beyond his years: "After the Death Eater trial, Minister Scrimgeour had to take responsibility for his past wrong decisions. He was an upright wizard, and even though he was about to be dismissed, he wanted to do more despite the criticism. So, the Ministry of Magic launched an internal investigation... Originally, our businesses were already struggling due to the influence of the Death Eater relatives, and Minister Scrimgeour's investigation only added fuel to the fire for our pyres."

"Always talking about business, business..." Loren raised an eyebrow slightly, asking curiously, "What kind of business are you doing, and how does this business relate to the survival of your family?"

"Before Voldemort's return, our business was huge. Our main businesses were in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, including clothing, cauldrons, stationery, sweets, taverns..."

"Do you own a shop?"

Loren was immediately delighted.

They kept talking about business, but it really was just business.

These pure-blood families are less prestigious than I thought.

"..."

Dracommer silently looked away, feeling slightly guilty.

Nott paused for a moment: "We rent and sell shops, hoard raw materials, and collude to manipulate product prices, keeping their profits within a certain limit. We buy low and sell high year after year to make a profit."

"Tsk..."

Loren twitched the corner of his mouth, silently suppressing his earlier感慨 (feelings of emotion/reflection), and continued to ask, "This is just legitimate business, so what's illegitimate?"

Draco and Nott secretly observed his expression, and upon confirming that he did not show any hatred or disgust, Nott breathed a sigh of relief.

"You should have heard Professor Snape mention this part of the business; there was a time when we worked closely together." Nott paused here, "These businesses ceased after Voldemort reassembled the Death Eaters."

"The potion business..."

Loren nodded knowingly, recalling the potion business the professor had mentioned.

In the early years, in order to get closer to the Death Eaters, Professor Snape collected potions made by some of his students in class, added his own to make up the difference, and gave them to Lucius Malfoy and others to resell in those backward regions. The wizards in those places, of course, couldn't afford to pay enough gold, so they used potions and alchemical ingredients to settle their debts.

Goods are exchanged for raw materials, which are then processed and sold back at a higher price. This is how all of humanity, whether Muggles or wizards, does it.

"Including potions, but not just potions."

Draco immediately added, "The Malfoy family mainly deals in potions. Because we have extensive channels and Professor Snape's help, we can make enough profit just from potions, while other pure-blood families can only get a share. They each have their own main business."

"Other businesses include smuggling and selling magical creatures. These magical creatures don't refer to rune horses or Thestrals, as those are legal and compliant animals and don't generate much profit. What they traffic in are magical creatures that are explicitly prohibited by the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizarding Arts, such as dragons, hippogriffs, boggons, and so on..."

"Level 5X dangerous creature".

Loren's eyes widened slightly, a mixture of surprise and a touch of melancholy. He'd bought a batch himself if he'd known they were reselling these things. "I remember these are strictly inspected animals; breeding deaths have to be reported, and there are strict procedures for import and export. Plus, Newt Scamander does random checks occasionally. You haven't had any problems all this time?"

Nott said softly, "During the tenures of both Millicent Barnard and Connelly Fudge, we received information even before the minister's office."

"So that's how it is..."

Loren nodded calmly, intending to immediately inform Granger, the prospective minister, so that she could investigate and confiscate the illegal gains once she took office.

"As you say, pure-blood families have deep roots. Even if Minister Scrimgeour launches a purge, eliminates your spies, and cuts off your channels... even if you lose these shady businesses, you'll still be richer than most wizarding families. Why do you say your family is about to perish?"

"It's not just these businesses; someone has their eye on us and is preparing to devour us, these rich but weak folks."

Nott's usually steady voice was tinged with a hint of hardness: "The newspapers published detailed information about the Death Eaters. Some wizards noticed their surnames and connected them to pure-blood families... It started with the Quidditch Supplies store in Godric's Hollow, which was owned by the Parkinson family. Last week, someone opened a new broomstick resale shop next door and started spreading baseless rumors that the Quidditch Supplies store was owned by that Death Eater from the Parkinson family, and that someone bought a broomstick from their store, which exposed their location, and eighteen years ago, the Death Eaters found their doorstep and murdered them."

"Then there was the wizarding district of Westoverton, Wiltshire, where a bakery owned by a distant relative of mine was being slandered. Rumors were being spread in the taverns that a dark wizard had been controlled by Voldemort and the Death Eaters after eating bread from there, and coincidentally, my father was a Death Eater..."

Loren listened quietly without speaking, his thoughts slowly churning as he carefully analyzed the connections between these examples.

In Theodore Nott's account, many shops associated with the pure-blood family were slandered, resulting in poor business, while similar shops in the vicinity benefited as a result. The stories were basically similar, but based on the details, it was not an organized or premeditated collective action. In fact, the owners of the similar shops did not even know the person spreading the rumors.

The previous incidents were just coincidences. Recently, there have been many news reports about Death Eaters in the newspapers. Those shops are all old establishments that have been around for over ten years. The local residents are familiar with the situation and spread some strange rumors while drinking and chatting, which affected their shops.

If things remain at this stage, and the Death Eater controversy subsides after a while, the public opinion crisis will also subside, similar to what happened sixteen years ago.

However, the later incidents are more intriguing. It seems that someone discovered the pattern and began to spread and replicate similar incidents.

If this trend continues, more shops will slander their competitors for profit, until all the shops associated with Death Eaters go bankrupt.

"Such slander initially only affected close blood relatives, but recently it has spread to distant relatives several generations removed. Some wizards who only rent our shops have also been slandered and defamed by rumors, and their businesses have become unsustainable."

Nott's voice echoed under the tree, waking Loren from his thoughts. His tone was calm and deep. "We can and are willing to pay the price for the mistakes we have made, but that doesn't mean that we, or the wizards associated with us, should close our shops, go bankrupt, liquidate, or even sell our family businesses at a low price and move to other countries... We also want to live on this land."

Loren remained remarkably calm, even somewhat cold: "Why did you find me? What do you all know?"

Seeing Loren's expression, Draco felt inexplicably flustered and quickly explained, "I didn't reveal your identity; Theodore guessed it himself."

"Oh?"

Turning to look at Nott, he saw him calmly nod: "I noticed it a long time ago. When you returned to school after the first year Christmas break, you exchanged gifts. Later, Vincent Crabbe complained that Draco had betrayed the purebloods... At the time, I was just curious and noticed that there seemed to be some secret connection between Draco and you, so I secretly tested him a few times, but to no avail."

I'm currently reading the error-free version! This is the first time I've published this novel.

"..."

Draco looked somewhat helpless.

If Theodore hadn't brought those things up, he wouldn't have noticed the probing, let alone realized that what he thought was a secret was actually full of flaws.

"Then there were the clubs run by the professors, the Animagus classes, the Patronus Charm classes, the warrior training during the Goblet of Fire... Even standing next to the dazzling Granger, your brilliance couldn't be overshadowed."

Loren raised his eyes, thinking that this person might be trying to win him over by praising Hermione.

I have to say, it's somewhat effective.

"After Voldemort's resurrection, the situation became tense. There was a group of students in Slytherin who did not want their relatives to return to the Death Eaters, and I was one of them. So I planned to unite some Slytherin students to establish a secret organization. At this time, Draco took out the Galleon communicator."

"Alchemy is not a field in which the Malfoy family excels, and there are probably very few alchemists in the entire wizarding world, so I started thinking about who was most likely to provide the communicator... Later, a similar product appeared in the Weasleys Wizarding Joke House."

"..."

Draco remained silent.

He still remembers the details of that resale. He thought he was making a fortune, but it turned out to be the exposure of his true colors.

"Finally, it was during Professor Bagshot's Defense Against the Dark Arts class that I noticed the wand you were using..."

Nott paused briefly: "That's the wand that Dumbledore used to use."

Loren scrutinized Theodore Nott, his eyes filled with surprise.

In his past impressions, Theodore Nott wasn't particularly special. Like Vincent and Goyle, he had a Death Eater relative in his immediate family, his words and actions often reflected pure-blood supremacy, he excelled in Potions, and he was quiet and reserved, unlike others who fawned over Draco...

Unexpectedly, these seemingly insignificant clues led to the discovery of such a truth.

"Before news of Voldemort's downfall spread, I extended invitations to those people from the past, to transform our loose connections into a tighter organization. I didn't reveal your identity either; I simply told them that I could contact the mysterious wizard who defeated Voldemort and that I wanted to seek some protection..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Nott glanced at his expression. No matter how wise and mature he appeared, he was still just a seventeen-year-old boy. He would still feel nervous at such an important moment.

Loren pondered quietly for a moment, then looked up but didn't answer him. Instead, he turned to Draco and asked, "What is your father's opinion?"

Draco blinked. "I haven't told him yet. He's been spending time with my mother since he came back, and he seems reluctant to get involved in these things anymore. Without Professor Snape's help, our potions business couldn't continue, and the channels for smuggling living creatures have been sold off. We disposed of the businesses we could handle when the situation was tense, leaving only some properties held on behalf of others for rent or sale."

"..."

No wonder the Malfoys have been passed down for a thousand years.

Loren paused for a moment, then looked calmly at Nott: "I'm sorry, I can't offer you protection. I'm still just an ordinary student at Hogwarts. I have no power and can't influence the Ministry of Magic. Those illusory positions in the International Wizarding Association and Wizengamot are not guaranteed. Perhaps I'll consider revealing my identity after graduation, but I have no such intention at the moment."

"Okay... I understand."

Nott's eyes dimmed instantly, and he forced out a pale, bitter smile.

"If the situation is truly serious enough to threaten the survival of the family, I suggest you go to Headmaster Dumbledore, or ask someone to introduce you to Minister Scrimgeour; they might be able to offer assistance."

"OK, thanks."

Nott had gone to great lengths to win over Draco, showcasing the value of these remnants of the family and even flaunting his intelligence. He had prepared himself mentally before speaking, but when he actually heard the answer, he still found it hard to accept.

He staggered and turned to leave, but then he heard a sound behind him.

"If, and I mean if, you are still willing to trust me after you get through this crisis, I have a business opportunity that needs a partner."

Nott turned around, his eyes shining brightly.

(End of this chapter)