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66.85% Marvel's Hogwarts Professor / Chapter 232: Chapter 232

Chapter 232: Chapter 232

"Teacher, the number of Kamar-Taj masters visiting the Vientiane Book Cafe has significantly decreased recently. To be precise, it's the decrease in the number of Sorcerers who come to trade."

"From my observations, I've noticed that the Sorcerers who used to come to us to buy potions have hardly appeared lately. We have reason to suspect that they've made an agreement with some other Sorcerers not to visit the Vientiane Book Cafe, leveraging their advantages in potions and alchemy."

Hearing this, Lockhart nodded slightly and continued to ask, "Anything else you've discovered?"

Vera paused, as if trying to organize her thoughts, and then said solemnly, "Teacher, I spoke to some of the Sorcerers from Kamar-Taj and learned something that I'm not sure is true or false. If it's true, it could be very problematic."

"When a friend was talking with me, they mentioned that there's a teahouse in Kamar-Taj that completely imitates the Vientiane Book Cafe in every aspect."

At this point, Vera hesitated, glanced at Lockhart, and then continued slowly, "Including the magic card you created, I heard that they've copied it as well. The effects are exactly the same, but the name has been changed. The magic card has become a 'Sorcerer Card,' and magic points have been renamed 'Sorcerer Points.'"

Lockhart showed no expression after hearing this but nodded to indicate his understanding.

In fact, he had already asked Kaecilius and Morin to investigate the situation.

After all, he had only been involved with Kamar-Taj for less than two months, whereas Kaecilius and Morin had lived there for many years and were well-connected.

Based on their feedback, Lockhart had determined that the rival teahouse had a premeditated plan to counter Vientiane Book Cafe.

After Lockhart refused to cooperate with them, they opened the teahouse in a very short time. The most important thing was that, except for the name, everything was an imitation of his establishment.

Lockhart believed that if Kamar-Taj didn't already have a library, the rival might have directly chosen to open a book cafe instead.

If that had happened, it wouldn't just be imitation—it would be outright copying.

"Vera, did you gather any other information?" Lockhart continued to ask.

This time, Vera shook her head, and Lockhart encouraged her by saying, "Vera, do you have any good solutions to the problem?"

"Mentor," Vera hesitated, but seeing Lockhart's encouraging eyes, she expressed her thoughts: "I personally don't have a perfect solution. Although the other party imitates us, their advantage is that they are located in Kamar-Taj, which is a natural gathering place for Sorcerers."

"And we're in New York. Because of your relationship with Master Kaecilius, the Sorcerers from the New York Temple tend to visit us, but there are very few others."

"But..."

"I discussed this with Ms. Peggy, and she gave me a suggestion that sounded promising. She suggested rebranding the Book Cafe, raising the threshold for entry, and specifically catering to elite Sorcerers with strong abilities or special talents."

"This would allow Kamar-Taj's teahouse to become a gathering place for ordinary Sorcerers, while we would become the trading hub for high-end Sorcerers. At that point, if the other party tries to compete with our Book Cafe, they won't be able to."

Vera's tone became more excited as she continued, "According to Ms. Peggy, the advantage of this approach is that it would completely change how Sorcerers perceive us."

"In their minds, the Sorcerers associated with the other shop would be seen as ordinary or low-level, while we would host the elites. This would immediately set us apart. Those elite Sorcerers would consciously avoid the other side and choose our Book Cafe. The most important thing is that elite Sorcerers are more powerful, wealthier, and have more valuable items to trade, which could further increase the income of the Vientiane Book Cafe."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

After listening to Vera, Lockhart gently clapped his hands, his eyes filled with approval.

Peggy, being the founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., indeed had a wealth of experience.

This plan was very effective and could completely help the Vientiane Book Cafe overcome its current predicament.

It aligned almost perfectly with what he had been thinking.

If they were to compete directly with the rival teahouse, even if they won, it would likely be a costly and bitter victory.

So, he didn't want to directly confront them head-on.

"But..."

Lockhart detected the concern in Vera's tone and instantly understood her worries. He reassured her, "Don't worry, Vera. Don't be concerned about resources."

"I won't boast, but when it comes to money and magical resources, even the average pure-blood family can't compare with me."

After all, he had emptied the Lestrange family's treasury and taken many of Voldemort's precious magical items.

Not to mention, he had made a significant profit by reselling magic potions and items from the Marvel universe earlier.

In short, he was wealthy, with no concerns about resources.

Hearing this, Vera nodded silently, feeling somewhat relieved.

Immediately afterward, she heard her mentor ask with a testing smile, "Vera, aiming for a high-end market is a very good idea, but Ms. Peggy should have mentioned that to be a high-end cafe, the most important thing is to raise the threshold and decline entry to unsuitable Sorcerers. If you don't know how to refuse, it will be difficult to maintain a high-end standard."

"Secondly, you must increase the price. The most obvious difference between high-end and low-end is the price, which is also a key factor in many people's judgment. Currently, we have quite a few members, most of whom are ordinary Sorcerers."

"So tell me, how would you handle these ordinary Sorcerers when we raise our standards and fees?"

At this point, Lockhart smiled lightly and continued to ask, "One more thing: have you thought about how, if we go high-end, we can ensure that the other party can't imitate us?"

After hearing her mentor's series of questions, Vera felt excited, sensing that her mentor supported the direction she was proposing.

So, she organized her thoughts and spoke slowly but clearly, "Mentor, I think the first thing we need to do is redecorate the Book Cafe environment."

"..."

"To make it impossible for the other party to imitate or dare to imitate, we could..."

"..."

As Vera continued to speak, her tone grew more excited. Lockhart nodded slightly, looking at her with eyes full of admiration.

Peggy was right—Vera truly had a talent for management and should be nurtured.

In the future, Vera might become his right-hand woman.

That night, at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, the Triskelion Building...

Nick Fury, sitting in his office, looked at the old boss in front of him with a dazed expression.

It was as if he had been transported back more than 20 years, to a time when Director Peggy Carter was at the height of her power, leading S.H.I.E.L.D., along with Pierce and himself, under Chief Howard.

Step by step, they had fought against the FBI, CIA, military, and other forces, winning each battle and gradually growing to become the world's top organization.

Soon, Nick Fury came back to his senses, his tone tinged with excitement, or perhaps with a hint of respect that he wasn't even aware of.

"Director Peggy, congratulations on your return to youth. I wonder how the Wizard Professor's affairs are being handled."

 

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[Read up to 100+ chapter ahead and more Weakly Chapter Update at p@treon.com/goldengaruda]

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Chapter 233: Chapter 233

"Fury, after all these years, I see you're still the same—straight to the point, never one for formalities." Peggy looked at Director Nick Fury in front of her and said with a touch of emotion.

Hearing his old boss's sigh, Nick Fury didn't show the usual cold face he reserved for his subordinates. Instead, he managed to squeeze out a smile on his typically stiff face and responded, "Ms. Peggy, you know I've always done things efficiently. Even after becoming the director, that hasn't changed."

Though his tone was gentle, during the conversation, Nick Fury subtly shifted his address from "Director" to "Ms.," perhaps implying something.

Hearing this, Peggy smiled and replied, "It's good that you haven't changed. I always liked that about you. I gave you many tasks, and you always completed them well. As expected of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agent—I remember your completion record was even higher than Pierce's, almost close to 100%."

Nick Fury silently smiled at Peggy's compliment and chose not to respond.

During the long period of Peggy's administration, he had indeed gained her trust and handled many missions successfully. This was something he couldn't deny.

If he were to deny it, his reputation among the various agencies in the United States would surely suffer.

Seeing Nick Fury's silence, Peggy seemed to recall something and suddenly said, "By the way, Fury, I should also thank you for taking Steve to find Professor Lockhart. Otherwise, I might not have the opportunity I have today."

Well, asking her boyfriend to seek out a wizard of unknown strength for her—although the outcome was good—was certainly a risky move. And taking advantage of Steve's slightly unclear state of mind to deceive him was definitely bold. It was a move befitting Pierce's promising successor.

As if he didn't catch the underlying meaning in Peggy's words, Nick Fury shamelessly and modestly replied as if he were being praised, "This was mainly due to Professor Lockhart's abilities and the captain's deep affection for you. Without them, how could you have returned to youth?"

Peggy looked at Nick Fury with a half-smile, observing the thick skin he had developed over the years.

Immediately, Peggy's demeanor straightened, and she decided not to dwell on these topics any longer.

After all, she had stepped away from her original position, and Nick Fury was now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Fury, I've started cooperating with Professor Lockhart. Due to the magical contract, I can't disclose specific information," Peggy said seriously. "However, I now need S.H.I.E.L.D. to arrange for some business experts to help with creating a high-end cafe."

"I want to discuss with them how to elevate the Book Cafe to a high-end standard."

After hearing Peggy's request, Nick Fury tapped his fingertips on the table thoughtfully.

Hearing the mention of a magical contract, Fury felt a slight disappointment, but he didn't let it bother him too much.

For agents like them, being restricted by confidentiality agreements or other means was all too common.

Just like most agents, they trained themselves to navigate these situations, and experienced superiors like Peggy were no exception.

Sure enough, Nick Fury understood what Peggy said next.

What did it mean to create a high-end Book Cafe?

That revealed a lot of information.

Why aim for high-end? Doesn't that suggest there's competition?

And the fact that there wasn't a direct conflict indicated that either both sides were equally powerful, or there was a very stable order in the magical world that no one dared to disrupt.

With these thoughts in mind, Nick Fury nodded slightly and said, "Okay, Ms. Peggy, I'll immediately arrange for business consulting experts related to cafe management to be brought in."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. will cover the costs, and you can hold your discussions wherever you like."

Having said this, Fury lightly tapped his fingertips on the desk, as if implying something.

In response, Peggy shook her head, indicating that it wasn't possible.

This left Nick Fury slightly disappointed, but he didn't dwell on it.

After a moment of silence, as if he had thought of something, he tentatively asked, "Ms. Peggy, now that you've returned to your youthful state, are you interested in returning to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Hearing the suggestion in Nick Fury's words, Peggy looked at him with a teasing expression and slowly said, "I don't plan to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. for the time being. After all, it's been a long time, and many things have changed. Right now, I just want to relax and teach my students—a break from the busy schedule."

Hearing this, Fury breathed a sigh of relief.

Peggy Carter was an agent active during World War II and later founded S.H.I.E.L.D.

He couldn't fully anticipate the political resources and connections she might still have at her disposal.

Not to mention Peggy Carter's lingering influence in S.H.I.E.L.D., which extended to both him and his superior, Alexander Pierce.

It could be said that if Peggy decided to return to S.H.I.E.L.D., there was a real possibility that she could oust him from his position.

Although Fury was confident he could retain his role as director, it would undoubtedly require significant effort on his part.

Now that Peggy had made it clear she wouldn't interfere with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s affairs, he was naturally relieved.

The next moment, something surprising happened to Nick Fury.

He saw Peggy take out something resembling a branch. If his guess was correct, it should be a wand—a wizard's tool.

Sure enough, he heard Peggy say, "Besides, Professor Lockhart mentioned that I have strong mental talents and could become a wizard. So, I'll be focusing on practicing magic in the future."

"As for S.H.I.E.L.D. matters, they'll be in your hands. You're someone Pierce and I trust, and I believe you'll make the right decisions."

Magic? Peggy is actually learning magic?

At that moment, Nick Fury's mind was racing as he processed this crucial information. With the most gentle smile of his life on his face, he said kindly, "In that case, I'll try not to disturb you while you're teaching your students and practicing magic. However, since you were once the founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., if you ever encounter any troublesome situations, S.H.I.E.L.D. is obligated to assist you."

"In this way, as the director, I can grant you the authority of a Level 7 agent. On the one hand, I'll try not to disrupt your life, and on the other hand, if you need any information, you can access it directly through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence system."

Hearing the goodwill in Nick Fury's words, Peggy smiled faintly.

But at the same time, she sighed softly in her heart.

Now that she could practice magic, she had made the decision to align herself with Lockhart.

In the future, she wouldn't only be responsible for teaching students but also for organizing and constructing the wizarding world, and even conducting wizard training.

On top of that, she'd have to maintain communication with S.H.I.E.L.D.

While it wasn't impossible for Nick Fury to achieve his goals, based on her understanding of Lockhart, if he wanted something, he would have to pay for it.

So, to accomplish Fury's objectives, S.H.I.E.L.D. would undoubtedly have to pay a steep price in the future.

 

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[Read up to 100+ chapter ahead and more Weakly Chapter Update at p@treon.com/goldengaruda]

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