My Hogwarts has a serious problem.

Chapter 266, Section 263: The Meeting of the Sixteen Families

Malfoy and Flint watched this scene with indifference.

Just as Dobby was about to faint, Flint finally spoke with a grin.

"Oh dear, I thought I could find the living room myself, that's why I didn't let him lead the way. Why are you making him punish himself? You're being too impulsive, Malfoy."

"Stop Dobby." Malfoy waved his hand, signaling Dobby, whose face was covered in blood, to step back. Dobby's vision was blurred, and he dared not use Apparition. He staggered and bowed as he left the garden.

"We have a common enemy this time: Flint. I hope you won't cause any trouble."

"Of course not, dear Malfoy. I've always been your steadfast and reliable ally," Flint said intimately, as if he were Malfoy's own brother.

Malfoy didn't reply, but turned and led the way toward the living room.

In the Malfoy family's living room, the sofa and the old tables and chairs had been cleared out, and the surrounding windows were covered by heavy, dark curtains, making the whole room seem very dark, with only a small area illuminated by the dim candlelight.

In the middle of the living room was a huge long table, on both sides of which were filled with male and female witches of all ages, each with a steaming cup of tea in front of them. When Malfoy left, it was as if no one spoke; they all waited in silence.

Flint walked in, still sporting that charming smile.

"Everyone's here so early! Oh, Mrs. Selwyn, you're as beautiful as ever, and you, Jacques, seem to have gained quite a bit of weight. Looks like you haven't been eating well lately."

He went on and on, greeting each of the ten people in his seat, but no one responded. Many even frowned at this ill-mannered young nobleman.

"Count Flint, you should sit down."

Sitting in the second row at the very front of the long table was a lady with a black veil covering her face. She wore a vintage dress and her hair was styled in the way European ladies often wore. Her eyes, which were a stunningly beautiful golden yellow, were visible. She looked dignified and elegant, perfectly embodying everything a noblewoman should have.

After the witch spoke, Flint's pupils contracted slightly, and he also put away his licentiousness. He cleared his throat and sat down seriously opposite the lady, in the second row on the right side of the long table.

After entering, Malfoy watched Flint's performance with a cold eye. After seeing someone restrain him, he also walked to the head of the long table and sat down.

After a brief silence, Malfoy's voice opened the meeting.

"It's unusual that all sixteen of us, the leaders of our families, have gathered here today. This should have been celebrated with a grand ball, but due to time constraints, this meeting is rather simple. Please forgive us."

The other sixteen people present, including Flint, nodded slightly and didn't make a fuss about it.

"You have all probably met privately with that person from the German magic investment company. Their appearance has had a huge impact on the magic business in Britain. In order to seize control, they did not consider the losses and consequences at all, and basically took away our domestic market at extremely low prices. If this continues, all of our businesses in Britain will have to declare bankruptcy."

The sixteen wizards sitting here now are all the heads of sixteen families who control the British magical world market. Their businesses cover every aspect of the British magical world, and they monopolize almost 70% of the market on the island of Great Britain.

"Why not ask the Ministry of Magic to take action? Their violent intrusion into the British wizarding world's commercial market is already a diplomatic incident," someone suggested.

But Malfoy quickly rejected it.

"Don't forget the original purpose of the Ministry of Magic. Back then, we restricted their power to interfere in commerce for our own convenience. Now, unless we are willing to hand over that power to them, they are unlikely to do anything."

Most people shook their heads; these people were pure businessmen, and businessmen are naturally most sensitive to profit.

Money lost can be earned back, but if the power to make money is handed over, then they are all just a bunch of pigs in a sty, fattened up and then any butcher the Ministry of Magic can easily send out to slaughter them.

Therefore, they would rather go bankrupt than relinquish control of their businesses.

Flint scoffed, looking at those who were shaking their heads with a mocking smile.

"You old fogies are really laughable. At this point, you're unwilling to give up either money or power. You vampires are the most greedy of all."

The people present were all seasoned veterans, and of course they wouldn't get angry easily over a few words from Flint. One of the old men asked calmly and expressionlessly.

"Then what insightful opinion does Earl Flint have?"

"Me? What brilliant ideas could I possibly have? Anyway, I have no interest in running those family businesses. When those Germans come, I'll just sell all the assets to them, turn them into Galleons, and live a life of luxury with a lot of money. Wouldn't that be great?"

"Then how will your descendants live?" someone asked coldly. "Will you let them starve to death after you've squandered your wealth?"

Flint leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and looked completely nonchalant.

"Descendants? I have many illegitimate children outside. I don't know which one you're referring to?"

His appearance left everyone speechless.

This guy is a classic example of someone who's beyond saving.

Everyone at the long table fell silent. Faced with the Germans' mindless spending and price war, they really had no countermeasures.

"Tell me about their demands. I haven't been in England before, so I don't know much about this matter." In the midst of the silence, Mrs. Rowe, who had initially pinned Flint down, sat to Malfoy's left and asked softly.

Although the sixteen people present were all prominent businessmen in the British magical world, their businesses varied in size, as could be discerned from their seating order. Among them, the Malfoy, Flint, and Roll families had the largest businesses.

The three families are roughly equal in size, and Malfoy is only able to sit in the head seat because it is his home.

In other words, if a decision is ultimately made on this matter, all three parties must agree.

The current head of the Flint family is a good-for-nothing who only knows how to eat, drink, gamble, and whore, so the only ones who can truly make decisions now are the Rolle and Malfoy families.

In terms of family businesses in Britain, the Malfoy and Rolle families were similar, but the Rolle family moved to the United States at the end of the 19th century. They mainly developed their businesses in the United States, and the businesses they left in Britain were entrusted to relatives to manage.

The Mrs. Roll who is attending the meeting today is the current head of the Roll family, who has traveled all the way from the United States.

(End of this chapter)