Harry Potter: The Rise Of Malfoy

Chapter 69.

Amelia's connection with Dumbledore is rather intricate.

Initially, the Bones family shared a very close bond with Dumbledore. During the First Wizarding War, Amelia's brother Edgar Bones became a member of the Order of the Phoenix, which Dumbledore led, fighting alongside him against Voldemort.

However, Edgar's sacrifices did not yield any benefits for the family; instead, they brought them misfortune. Edgar had a wife and three children, enjoying a happy family life, but they were all murdered by Death Eaters. To make matters worse, after killing Edgar's family, the Death Eaters targeted other innocent relatives within the family.

Amelia's elderly parents were also killed, and another brother of hers, who was kind-hearted, uninterested in worldly matters, and devoted to saving lives at St. Mungo's Hospital, met the same fate. Their entire family was pureblood and was not a target for Voldemort, yet they were all innocently ensnared in this brutal conflict.

The only positive aspect was that her brother's daughter, Susan, fortunately escaped the tragedy. Now, the entire Bones family consists solely of Amelia and her niece Susan, who depend on each other for support.

Amelia did not hold Dumbledore responsible for this, nor did she feel any animosity towards him. After all, her brother Edgar died for noble principles; it was ultimately his own decision.

However, in 1990, when former Minister of Magic Millicent Bagnold stepped down, the leading candidate for the Minister position was Bartemius Crouch, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Unfortunately, the unfortunate old Crouch, who had worked tirelessly throughout his life, was ultimately betrayed by his own son.

His son, Barty Crouch Jr., was not only a Death Eater but also committed the atrocious act of torturing two Aurors to insanity. Consequently, old Crouch's reputation in the public eye plummeted, and he lost his competitiveness for the ministerial role.

The situation became quite evident; at that time, Amelia, who was the head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, was undoubtedly a strong candidate. What no one anticipated was that the eventual victor would be Cornelius Fudge, the head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, who had accomplished little.

Fudge's ascent to power was not due to any remarkable abilities of his own, nor because he had achieved anything commendable during the war. Ultimately, the circumstances at the time required a Minister of Magic who could balance the interests of pureblood families with those of half-bloods and Muggle-born wizards.

Fudge, who maintained a good relationship with the Malfoy family and was also acknowledged by Dumbledore, thus rose to power leveraging Dumbledore's reputation.

During his campaign, Fudge emphasized his connection to Dumbledore—he frequently visited Hogwarts under the guise of seeking Dumbledore's counsel, making it known to everyone that he had Dumbledore's support, utilizing Dumbledore's prestige and political influence to secure the election, and Dumbledore was more than willing to assist.

From Dumbledore's viewpoint, Fudge could better mediate the class disparities between pureblood families and Muggle-born and half-blood wizards. Thus, Amelia's influence was sacrificed, even though she was the superior candidate in terms of both skill and reputation... As if to compensate, she was promoted to the position of head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, succeeding old Crouch, appearing to hold a position of power, but no one realized that in reality, she had lost much more.

It is evident to anyone with insight how close Dumbledore's relationship with the Weasley family is, and as the Weasleys' arch-rivals, the Malfoy family could not escape Dumbledore's suppression. Amelia understood perfectly the intricacies behind Lucius Malfoy's removal from the Hogwarts Board of Governors.

At Dumbledore's faction's request, she had collaborated with Arthur Weasley to approve the search warrant for Malfoy Manor, believing at the time that Dumbledore was at the peak of his power. While the Malfoy family might not suffer a catastrophic blow, they would certainly face significant losses.

However, she did not foresee that the Malfoy family indeed experienced considerable losses last year. It was said that they not only lost their position on the Board of Governors but also a house-elf, which drew mockery from other pureblood families. Yet, the Malfoy family's decline was reversed by a boy who was not even 14 years old.

This young man has not only made a name for himself in academia but has also become a representative for a well-known international organization. It is said that he is a business prodigy and has formed connections with several influential figures in the political arena, such as the Wizengamot member, Tiberius McLagan, who insisted on accompanying him today.

It is rumored that even the notoriously difficult Rufus Scrimgeour has taken a liking to this young man. Amelia is not naive; she quickly recognizes the value of the young man before her.

"Soren, I hope you don't mind me calling you that? Don't worry, just based on your achievement as a student in defeating the Basilisk to save your classmates, you deserve these awards from the Ministry of Magic. Moreover, you have brought such great honor to the wizarding community in Britain. In my opinion, awarding you the Third Class Medal of the Order of Merlin is well-deserved."

"As for matters related to wizarding law, you need not worry. I'll have Susan send you a few books on legal knowledge. With your intelligence and learning ability, it will definitely not be a problem. If you have any questions in between, you can come to my house during the summer vacation to consult me; I would absolutely welcome you."

Seeing Amelia's genuine invitation, even suggesting that Soren come over as a guest, it would seem quite ungrateful for him to completely refuse.

"Aunt Bones, I truly appreciate your recognition and support. How about this: I'll shamelessly accept the Third Class Medal awarded by the Order of Merlin first. As for the substitute seat in the Wizengamot, please allow me a few more years to refine my skills and learn some wizarding law knowledge before we discuss it again. How does that sound?"

Soren has already made a superficial gesture for Dumbledore to see. The Ministry of Magic's award is indeed difficult for him to decline—whatever Dumbledore thinks afterward is beyond his control.

Soren did not entirely refuse the Ministry of Magic's award and also assured Amelia that he would visit her home to learn about wizarding law, which made Amelia very pleased and agreed to Soren's proposal. However, she also stated that if Soren made any outstanding contributions again, he would not be allowed to decline joining the Wizengamot.

Soren secretly smiled; this was the best outcome, and he certainly wouldn't refuse then!

After leaving the headmaster's office, Soren wrote a letter to Lucius and sent it home via the school's owl.

It was now the Easter holiday. Although Lucius was no longer a member of the board of governors, as a parent, he still had the right to visit the school during the holidays. A few hours later, Lucius appeared in Soren's dormitory, looking travel-worn.

Upon seeing Soren, Lucius immediately praised, "You truly are my son! Your father is very proud of you!"

Even the usually aloof father took the initiative to compliment him, which made Soren feel a bit smug. Soren humbly replied, "This is all thanks to your past teachings, which have allowed me to achieve a little today. At least I can contribute to the glory of the Malfoy family."

Lucius couldn't hide the smile on his face. "Speak! You've called me all the way here; with your personality, it must not be just to hear a few words of praise. What is it really about?"

"Father, I've heard that the recent disturbances caused by Dementors have greatly affected life in Hogsmeade, and even property prices have dropped significantly. I have my eye on a shop and would like to ask you for help in acquiring it."

Soren then took out a map of Hogsmeade and marked the location of a shop. "This shop is located on a side street of the main commercial area, close to the mixed clientele of the Hog's Head Inn. It has been unleased for several years and is probably worth around 2,000 Galleons. Given the situation with the Dementors, if you were to intervene, there's a good chance it could be acquired for 1,500 Galleons."

Lucius frowned. "Soren, you know that the location of this shop is not very good. Why did you suddenly think of buying it? Most of the residents in Hogsmeade are from the older generation of wizards who are unwilling to leave. Younger wizards prefer coastal areas like Dinwiddie, St. Catchpole, Godric's Hollow... The population of Hogsmeade may shrink in the future, and businesses will have to rely on students and tourists for income..."

Soren certainly couldn't reveal that there was actually a secret room beneath the shop, which contained a hidden passage directly leading to the large mirror on the fifth floor of Hogwarts. Soren was concerned that one day the shop might be bought by someone else, exposing the passage below, and he also found the shop to be of great use to him.

Soren took out an anti-nausea bracelet from his pocket and handed it to Lucius. "Father, my plan is to open a shop in Hogsmeade, specifically selling some alchemical products I've invented, like this anti-nausea bracelet—"

"It can effectively prevent discomfort symptoms such as dizziness and vomiting caused by apparition, floo powder, and portkeys. I believe that as long as you, Father, negotiate with the officials in the Department of Magical Transportation who are responsible for controlling portkeys and the floo network, sales will definitely not be an issue, so the location of the shop is not too important. What's more troublesome is that I need someone trustworthy to manage it… You are already busy, and I am still in school…"

After listening, Lucius took the anti-nausea bracelet from Soren and examined it carefully, falling into deep thought.

After a while, Lucius slowly spoke, "You really have given me a big surprise, Soren." A shrewd glint flashed in Lucius's eyes. "This anti-nausea bracelet—it's your invention, right? That's amazing! Leave this matter to me! I need to have a word with Fudge first, register a patent at the Ministry of Magic, and then make it a standard accessory for floo powder and portkeys… As for the staffing issue, you don't need to worry too much; we can draw personnel from the branch. Your great-grandfather's line is reliable in work, and loyalty is not an issue…"

Soren spoke up, "Then I'll thank you in advance, Father. As for the money, I just received a reward of five thousand Galleons from the Medieval Wizards' Association. I think taking out two thousand Galleons should be enough to buy the shop, cover the renovations, and apply for the patent, right?"

Lucius sneered, "Have you forgotten that you also need to grease the palms of those parasites at the Ministry? Fudge will need a sum, and the Department of Transportation will also require some funds. But don't worry, I'll cover this bribe for you; consider it a reward for your outstanding performance! I think we should have results within a week, so wait for my good news!"

The Ministry of Magic had recently been in disarray due to the Black situation, with overtime pay for the investigation team and Aurors, as well as compensation for merchants, all being significant expenses. Lucius's donation came at just the right time; he could think of no reason for Fudge to refuse.

After speaking, Lucius hurriedly left. He was acutely aware of what a great business opportunity this was and how it was an excellent chance to expand the family's influence. Just think, when everyone needs to use the Malfoy family's products, the Malfoy name will surely become well-known, just like every British wizard knows the name Ollivander.

Soren watched Lucius's departing figure and breathed a sigh of relief. Over the past few years, he had had some contact with the business world and realized that it was fraught with many hidden rules and complex interpersonal relationships. Being able to hand this matter over to Lucius indeed saved him a lot of trouble.

Opening a shop and doing business was just the first step in Soren's plan; his true goal was to penetrate the business world—step by step, establishing influence in the wizarding commercial sector. He had already gained some recognition in academia and international organizations, and it was time to extend his reach into other fields— the anti-nausea bracelet was just the beginning. Next, he also planned to venture into protective gear for combat and the field of international trade.

Having read the original story extensively, how could he not know that within the next three years, the wizarding world would face the next war? At that time, there would be a huge demand for combat protective gear and alchemical tools for escape, making it a guaranteed profit business.

Stopping Voldemort and defeating him was the task of the savior Harry; Soren set his own task to ensure that the Malfoy family rises in the political, business, educational, and academic realms during this chaotic time!

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