0501 Venus

0501 Venus

"It appears I may have indeed arrived at a rather inconvenient moment."

Bryan stopped in the middle of the office, observing everyone's expressions. Everyone in the office noticed the obvious confusion on Bryan's face.

"Perhaps," Bryan continued, his voice taking on a considerate tone, "it would be best if I were to wait outside for a while. At least until you've concluded your urgent business."

Bryan's display of confusion was so convincing that even Sirius and Fudge were unsure of what was going on with him.

Fudge, his round face already flushed from the earlier confrontation, now took on an almost comical expression of bewilderment. He stared intently at Bryan's unique light purple eyes and after a moment of tense silence, he finally spoke. His voice came out hesitant, almost squeaky with nervousness. "Don't you... don't you know what's happened, Bryan?"

"What?" Bryan's response was instant, his brow furrowing even deeper. His gaze flicked from Fudge to Sirius, then back again, a perfect picture of growing concern. "Has something happened that concerns me?"

"Oh, well... ahem—" Fudge's hesitation was apparent. He shifted uncomfortably in his plush chair. He took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, he had managed to plaster a smile on his face, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's nothing, Bryan. Nothing at all. We were just discussing a task for Rufus's department, you see. Routine business, very dull stuff."

Fudge's attempt at nonchalance was about as convincing as a Flobberworm trying to pass itself off as a dragon. Nevertheless, he pressed on, gesturing with his one chubby hand. "Come, sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

His tone shifted to one of forced joviality as he changed the subject. "I must say, I thought you'd be as busy as I am these days! What with Durmstrang and Beauxbatons visiting Hogwarts next week for the Triwizard Tournament and all."

"Your assumption is quite correct, Minister," Bryan replied smoothly pretending to not notice the inquiring look Sirius was giving him – a look that practically screamed for some kind of explanation. Instead, he let out a soft chuckle, filling the tense atmosphere of the office with a momentary lightness.

Ignoring the vigilant gazes of Rufus and Kingsley, Bryan moved to take a seat opposite Fudge. His robes rustled softly as he settled into the chair. "These past few days have indeed been something of a whirlwind," he continued, his voice taking on a more serious note. "In fact, there's an urgent matter that I felt I simply must brief you on—."

"Oh? Is that so?" Fudge's expression shifted again, a flicker of unease passing across his face. He paused for a moment, his fingers drumming nervously on the polished surface of his desk.

Then, seeming to come to a decision, he turned to address the Aurors. "Perhaps you gentlemen would care to join us at the conference table?" he suggested, gesturing towards the large table that covered one side of the spacious office.

As the Aurors moved to take their seats, their chairs scraping softly against the luxurious carpet, Fudge turned his attention back to Bryan. He took a slight breath, his chin quivering with the effort, before asking, "Could it be that you've encountered some difficulty in preparing for the Tournament?"

"I assure you, Minister, everything is progressing smoothly," Bryan replied, his tone confident and reassuring. A small smile appeared at the corners of his mouth as he continued, "This is, after all, the first Triwizard Tournament to be held in centuries. You can trust both myself and Headmaster Dumbledore; Hogwarts will not make any mistakes in this matter."

Bryan paused for a moment. "In fact, well... perhaps it's best if I begin with a somewhat more personal matter." As he spoke, he reached into an inner pocket of his robes. From within, he picked out a folded piece of parchment, which he placed on the desk in front of Fudge.

"You see, Minister," Bryan began, his voice taking on a slightly sheepish tone that was so at odds with his usual confident demeanor that it immediately captured everyone's attention. "The salary provided by Hogwarts, while generous, can hardly be expected to fully support my ongoing magical research." He gestured towards the parchment, which Fudge was now eyeing with undisguised curiosity. "What I have there is an application. I'm planning to open my own alchemy workshop to produce a new gadget I've recently invented."

Bryan leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a more light tone. "I was rather hoping, Minister, that you might be able to... well, to put it bluntly, pull some strings to accelerate the approval process."

He showed a smile that managed to be both charming and slightly embarrassed. "I have to do this; I'm afraid my funds won't last much longer."

A hush fell over the office following Bryan's unexpected statement. Every eye in the room was fixed on Bryan, expressions ranging from astonishment to disbelief etched on the faces of those present.

"At this point," Bryan explained, "the machine would draw your consciousness into an illusory realm."

Noticing Fudge's increasingly engrossed expression, Bryan smiled before continuing. "Within this illusion, you would encounter a wizard whose appearance I've set in advance. This illusory tutor possesses the majority of Professor Flitwick's experience and insights regarding the Shield Charm. He will guide you through customized practice sessions, pointing out any mistakes in your technique and offering specific advice on how to improve. Just imagine the possibilities, Minister!

With just one of these machines, you could have unlimited private lessons with a virtual Professor Flitwick - a wizard who, as you may recall, was a formidable dueling champion in his youth - guiding you step-by-step to learn the Shield Charm."

Bryan's gaze swept across the room, making eye contact with each person present as he continued. "Or perhaps you'd prefer to delve into the mysteries of Transfiguration under the guidance of Professor McGonagall with her profound expertise in the field teaching you advanced transfiguration. And of course, if you wished to learn my own Spirit Fire Charm, that option is readily available as well. I've personally encoded all the relevant knowledge into the system."

Fudge's eyes had grown wide as saucers, his mouth slightly open as he considered the impact of such a device. Even Rufus Scrimgeour, fixed his eyes on the device and unconsciously clenched his fists after Bryan's sales pitch!

"Now, I should mention," Bryan added, his tone becoming slightly more businesslike, "that for some basic, standard spells, users can begin learning immediately as soon as you buy the device. However," he held up a finger, his expression growing a bit more serious, "for certain special, advanced magics, there may be a need for... shall we say, a modest additional payment."

"What price are you planning to set for this marvelous device, Bryan?"

Although Fudge's personality had some fatal flaws, he couldn't have been a fool to have held the position of Minister for Magic for so many years. He immediately saw the value of this device and asked eagerly.

"As I'm sure you're all well aware, knowledge is very precious,"

Bryan said with a smile,

"I'm planning to price each machine at fifty thousand Galleons."

Fudge's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline.

Seeing his reaction, Bryan quickly continued. "I understand that the figure may seem shocking at first glance, Minister. But I assure you, it's a fair price when you consider the device's immense academic value and the complexity involved in its manufacture." His voice took on a tone of quiet confidence as he added, "I firmly believe it's worth every Knut."

"Of course, Minister, in recognition of the Ministry's support, I would be more than happy to donate one machine to the Ministry free of charge once the workshop begins production." Bryan said smiling warmly.

"Is that true?" Fudge asked, his voice quivering with barely contained excitement.

"Of course—" Bryan smiled gently, "The Ministry's strength is the guarantee of peace and prosperity in the Wizarding world. As the Senior Advisor to the Ministry I believe I should contribute a little of my own strength."

"This machine of yours, Mr. Watson," Rufus, who nominally controlled the Ministry's elite armed forces, also narrowed his eyes and stared at Bryan, "You mentioned earlier that it would even be capable of teaching others the magic you yourself have created. Is that correct?"

"Indeed—"

Bryan looked back at Rufus Scrimgeour, nodding with a smile,

"But you know, Rufus while the machine can indeed provide instruction in advanced magic; most high-level spells have rather stringent requirements when it comes to magical talent. It's not something one can learn just by spending more money."

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