บท 45: shocked Vinda & Abernethy

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After Dyroth's careful persuasion, Vinda finally refrained from clashing with Aberforth, especially out of concern for Dyroth's safety. While Aberforth just watched and didn't take action.

The two then returned to the manor they had recently purchased from the Malfoys.

"Dyroth, how's life at Hogwarts treating you?" Vinda asked, her sharp eyes checking him.

"Dumbledore hasn't given you any trouble, has he?" she added, her voice carrying a hint of suspicion as she arranged a meal Dyroth favored.

"No, the Professors there are... pretty decent," Dyroth replied, trying to keep things light.

Vinda raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "I remember back in Austria, you didn't have the strength to take on seven or eight adult wizards at once, What made you feel dangerous ,so you became stronger" she said calmly.

Sensing the tension, Dyroth quickly said trying to change the conversation, "Anyway you can't blame me for that, Aunt Vinda! I didn't know where you'd be waiting in Hogsmeade, so I had to check each place. Who knew I'd be targeted the moment I walked into the hog's Head Inn?"

Vinda's tone grew more dangerous. "So you're even saying it's my fault now?"

Dyroth knew better than to argue. Especially with Vinda.

(Advice: It's better not to argue with any woman Especially if she's irritated)

"I was wrong, Aunt Vinda! I promise I won't do anything dangerous like that again," he said quickly, trying to smooth things over by taking the blame of something he didn't.

Seeing his earnest expression, Vinda's stern look softened. "I'm not angry, Dyroth. I just worry for you. You're still young and lack experience in these matters," she said, her voice gentler now. "The fate of the Saints rests on your shoulders. If anything happened to you, what would become of us?"

"I understand, Aunt Vinda," Dyroth nodded sincerely.

"It's not about understanding—it's about doing," she said, her motherly concern breaking through her cold demeanor.

The rest of the meal was filled with Vinda's protective yet nagging tone. After the meal, Abernethy, one of Vinda's trusted confidants, arrived. It was time for more serious discussions.

"Dyroth, based on what you've proposed, all our shops in Diagon Alley will give a small portion of their profits to the Ministry of Magic in exchange for their protection," Abernethy said, his voice filled with curiosity. "But I still don't understand why we need to do this."

Dyroth smiled. "I know it might seem unnecessary, Uncle Abernethy, but we've only just entered the British market. We lack the deep connections that the old pure-blood families have. By setting up shops in Diagon Alley, we're encroaching on their territory. Having the Ministry of Magic as our shield keeps us safe, at least on the surface."

Abernethy frowned, still uncertain. "But with the strength of the Saints, couldn't we protect a few shops ourselves?"

"There's an old saying from the East: 'It's easy to catch a thief for a hundred days, but it's hard to guard against a thief for a thousand days.' We can't always station people to guard our shops. That's where the role of Ministry comes in. With their protection, even the pure-blood families will think twice before making a move," Dyroth explained.

Vinda, experienced and wise, interjected. "You're right, but these pure-blood families won't stop at obvious attacks. They'll play dirty, and you can't expect the Ministry of Magic to protect us from underhanded tactics."

Dyroth smiled, prepared for this. "Don't worry, Aunt Vinda. I've already taken precautions," he said, feeling a bit nervous. He knew Vinda despised Dumbledore and had to be careful about how much to reveal.

To change the topic, Dyroth presented a set of boxes he had brought with him, placing them in front of Vinda with a playful grin. "Aunt Vinda, I've got a surprise for you!"

Vinda eyed the boxes, unimpressed. "As long as you're staying out of trouble, that's enough of a surprise for me," she said skeptically. "Don't try to trick me with childish games."

"Trust me," Dyroth said, still smiling. "Open it."

Curious, Vinda hesitantly opened the boxes. Her eyes widened when she saw the contents—the countless valuable magical animal materials that were rare and difficult to come by. When Abernethy saw them ,he gasped in shock.

"These... these are incredible!" Abernethy exclaimed.

"Where did you get all of this?" Vinda asked, her voice filled with surprise.

"I got them legally, from Hogwarts. You don't need to worry about their origin," Dyroth reassured them.

Abernethy, visibly excited, continued. "With these materials, we can stock up ahead of time and launch a price war against the pure-blood families. They won't know what hit them!"

Even Vinda, who had seen much in her time, couldn't hide her astonishment. She looked at Dyroth with a new sense of pride.

In her eyes, Dyroth had grown from a child to a capable young man—one who could contribute meaningfully to the Saints' cause. Yet, Dyroth wasn't finished surprising them.

"And this is just the first batch," he said casually, taking a sip of water. "There's more to come, though the quantity might not be as large."

Abernethy, still processing, asked, "You mean... Hogwarts has a steady supply of these materials?"

Dyroth nodded with a smile. "I have a good relationship with Hogwarts gamekeeper and he is the warden of the Forbidden Forest. There are magical animals whose materials are collected daily. Pure-blood families have always underpaid him for these, so I offered to buy them all at market price. He was happy to sell them to me."

Vinda, still examining the materials, was amazed. "These are extraordinary! You got all this at market price?"

Dyroth grinned. "Exactly. And the quality of the next batch should be even better."

Abernethy and Vinda exchanged glances, their expressions full of admiration and disbelief. Dyroth's achievements at such a young age left them stunned.

Dyroth, seeing their reactions, said with innocent tone. "What's wrong? I'm telling the truth!"