But with the holidays came my bi-annual report from all of my ventures.
My legitimate face has been doing well. BonesWorks has been stabilizing in the market as many look to it for work supplies and communication needs.
I am actually in the middle of completing negotiations with the other ministries in Europe: France, Italy, Germany and Bulgaria. They want to have my stores products available urgently. I think I underestimated the appeal of my deskwork quill, it's been even more popular than the vanishing box. This requires extensive negotiations about some incentives they offered and the fact that I need to build my own logging supply to have everything connected to each other properly. I also give priority employment to those in need of it, so they need to accept that, but it's not so hard after seeing the data I gave out. And to avoid any future annoyances like the next ministers trying to renegotiate when my facilities are set up there, or if they start being dicks after voldycunt is back, I made them vow on the ministry itself when we signed the contract. I basically assured that as long as my business runs fairly and legally, they can never take it. And if they even try and mess with the legally part, that will not end well for them. Just stopping greedy dumbasses before they happen.
The vaccine testing has shown extraordinary results so far. We've seen no signs of rejection from any volunteers so far and the excitement over this has been very high. Three of the original successes have also started to transform again after 4 months of not taking any sort of potions and the others and the other 3 lasted 5 months, making the bench mark results phenomenal. We have also found that only one of the original test recipes had noticeable side effect in those injected with it, but it was only an increase in aggression even during the day for about a month after they had received it, after which nothing has happened.
The production and advertisement for the Firebolt and Blackbolt were already underway. The various ministries of the world were already going through with tests they would put it through to certify the brooms officially and let them be sold and ridden legally. Some are already trying to place advanced orders for the brooms and we've been contacted by the department of magical games to sponsor teams in the UK. I've been delegating that to Randolph since he is the one who wanted his name to ring out within the world of brooms and Quidditch.
My other sides businesses are showing great signs as well.
Breaking Grounds has started to expand in other countries and begun with France. I think Tim wants to show off over there a bit because they rejected his ideas there too. We've been getting many people challenging our potions and it has created a boom within the industry, especially when an even better reward was set for the creation of new potions. Waves are constantly happening in the field as people are traveling to find new grounds to break. It made me happy that such things were happening.
Natural Cultivation has meet great success in all of its projects involving magical beings. The Merpeople run underwater farm has been going well, with a steady supply of aquatic herbs and material exchanged for whatever they would need. We've built up a proper relationship of trust between our farms and their tribe, which has apparently allowed them to grow well since they've done so and some other merpeople have voiced a desire to join in. The centaur helped Herbology paradise island has slowly but surely shown progress. The centaurs and our herbologists are starting to show respect for one another as they interact more with each other, and since none of this involves messing with fate, they are usually fine with talking. They've requested some more herbivores be introduced to the island as well as some predators in the hopes of forming a proper ecosystem on the island, but we've been negotiating that one. You need to be very careful when you introduce animals to new environments. I really don't want the project to end up being like Australia's cane toad infestation.
Fortress Protection and Geri's own underground merc force The Dark Moon, are making quite the name for themselves. I've told Oliver that he should try and branch out of the country, which led us to Egypt and Bulgaria. We've decided to focus on Bulgaria because it would give a true battlefield test for anyone stationed there, allowing them to fight Dark wizards, dangerous vampires and werewolves, foreign wizards, general criminals and creatures. It will forge them through fire. Geri's forces will focus on Britain. I want her to be my eyes and ears in the underground world, while helping me with the werewolves I've got employed. Both are making a good amount of money, but I'm letting Dark Moon keep it as they need dirty money to not look suspicious, while I can just fund Fortress if anything happens. There was a funny incident where Dark Moon was tasked to attack a business protected by Fortress, ending up with Geri and Oliver having to plan out how to basically make a movie fight happen between their two groups.
The Herald has slowly surpassed the Prophet in terms of sales and subscribers, something everyone was very happy to celebrate. Its reputation was just too solid compared to the many years of corrupted reporting the opponent has been putting out there. It doesn't help that we've taken in almost every actual journalist, editor and writer who actually wanted to do solid journalism from them. Of course we make sure everything is up to standard. I would rather have less to say than bullshit in the Herald. We also accept donations, but if anyone tries to influence the content then get out. Advertisements are welcomed, but we will research your product so make sure it is good or it will end up being the opposite of an ad. I've actually sent my editor-in-chief Julian two stories for him to print out on my word: Lucius blackmailing the board of directors and Lockhart being an outright criminal. Just waiting for the right moment.
The Muggle Toy Box has actually been an interesting thing to read about. It's the only business I'm not completely involved with because of its very nature. Arthur Norm would be it's head researcher as he brings himself and likeminded individuals, to follow in the steps I've taken with the CD player, Calculator, Voice Recorder and GameBoy. So they've been tinkering with more technology to bring to the wizarding world. They are currently working on home game consoles/functioning TV, portable radios and better cameras. I'm looking forward to what they do.
The FIRM center will hold off on its expansions until my other businesses can establish themselves in the targeted countries. It will then do what it can to recreate some of the effects felt in Britain, but every one has its own history and political which will certainly make things difficult. But my dreams lay in magical Britain, and if things get great here, then it should set an example for others.
Overall, as I spend money to invest in my businesses I am still making more than I'm spending by a lot. Even if I calculate all the salaries and benefits I offer across the board, my vaults keep filling at unbelievable speeds. I even made some goblins jealous at how much gold I was making.
As everything was basically on auto-pilot for me anyway, I decided to spend more time relaxing with my family. I only have 2 1/2 years until Voldemort returns and I want to make happy memories with everyone properly.
So I spent some time helping Susan finish her homework quickly and took her out with Victoria to have fun on the muggle side of things. I used a credit card under Scotts name to really experience muggle luxury. I took the girls to high-end stores for them to buy as they please. Brought them to a spa which they absolutely loved.
'I don't remember if I've ever heard of a wizard spa. With the beauty products and proper enchantments one could make a place of otherworldly relaxation.' I thought to myself as I was getting a massage.
After that I brought them to have a high class meal for the novelty. It's not like we were out of place too. We were wearing new designer clothes, were properly educated magical nobles, except for Susan who was still less mature, Victoria and I had auras of nobility and superiority making many treat us properly even with our age. It was pretty interesting seeing nervous shopkeepers or waiters in our presence, I could feel Victoria get a bit giddy at the sight. Like predator before its prey. The supper was fantastic and we decided to head to the cinema to finish the evening off. I kept giving Victoria sneaky kisses or grabs, which she reciprocated playfully as we watched the movie. Felt a bit wrong doing this during Aladdin, but I just kept the mentality of being ahead of my time since Netflix and chill isn't a thing yet.
It was a wonderful day of luxury for the three of us and I got a smile from aunty when she saw how happy the two girls were.
I spent time with Amelia simply talking. We would sit in the common room and talk as she drank some Firewhisky to relax. Talk about school, the Ministry, some funny events in both, scandals, rumors, memories of when Susan and I still lived at home, and I let her talk about the lost members of the Family. She talked about my uncle and aunt, Susan's father and mother, how they were when they went to school, fell in love and got married before the war. She told me about how they would bravely stand against Voldemort and even during those times he wasn't afraid to live. He was so happy when Susan was born that he tried to thrown a party apparently. He sounded like a fun guy. She also told me stories about my parents, whom I obviously didn't know, but I respected, so I listened and memorized their tale. It was one of love and struggle to marry due to mom being muggle-born and dad being the heir, until they convinced my grandfather to accept their feelings and then I came along as the next generation. But she also told me about how she felt about the order of the Phoenix as her glasses of Firewhisky got to her.
"Although Dumbledore is a brilliant and powerful wizards, he is too respected. And when he and his order decided to never kill the death eaters in combat, many Aurors and Hit Wizards followed suit. This resulted in the death eaters almost never losing any of their numbers for long and making casualties rise in the Ministry and even his Order. And to my great regret, that was my last conversation with my brothers. I argued that things were getting worse and to keep going as we were would only led to all of us dying, but neither were budging so i stormed away. They followed the man and believed in him until death. And I've always regretted not being able to help those two fools. I just hoped I could do right by you and Susan, but I'm always gone and nothings changed. I'm always away when i should be here, treasuring all that I have left from them." She started to get too emotional as she was tearing up in frustration at herself.
"You know Aunty, I know you sometimes talk to their portrait. But I want to let you know that although there were times when Susan and I could feel lonely, we never believed you were doing wrong by us. We were the ones who felt guilty for putting so much strain on you. We were so thankful for you being there to take us in and loving us that we wanted to do something for you. That's why I took over most of the duties of a lord. That's one of the reasons why I'm hell bent on making BonesWorks name resound in the magical world. It's why I'm so openly showing off, to make you see how well you raised me. Susan herself is well on her way to becoming a potions master in all honesty as her grades and abilities in the field are beyond fantastic. So please don't blame yourself. Fights will happen, but you've more than shown how sorry you are Aunty. We love you and cannot begin to say thank you enough for all you put yourself through for us. And if I can be completely honest, to us you are the closest thing to a mother we can imagine, so look at who we become because of you and feel proud, and never ashamed. Because we will never let you be ashamed of us." I say as she starts to have tears of gratitude, relief, happiness, fulfillment and probably with a lot of memories behind them, running down her face as she lets everything out properly.
"Thank you Aedan. And just so you know. You and Susan are very much like my own children. I love the two of you as well." She said gently as she wiped her tears away and we silently kept each other company.