Chapter 178: Chapter 177 " Snake Court Returns"
After gaining control over this captivating female subordinate and with no immediate need for her assistance, Skyler decided to allocate her to Ravenclaw's secret room.
There, she could delve into the extensive collection of books left by Ravenclaw, and Skyler had instructed a house elf beforehand to gather recent mainstream newspapers from various European countries.
This would enable her to stay abreast of the latest developments in the wizarding world, augment her magical knowledge, and occupy her time productively.
The last point held particular significance. Recalling the intense emotions reflected in her gaze when she looked at him, Skyler resolved to limit direct interactions with her for the time being. Essential provisions, including food and daily necessities, were consistently delivered to her by diligent house elves.
Given that Sarff still lacked a wand, obtaining one through conventional means might pose challenges due to her mysterious origins. Skyler was cautious about revealing her existence prematurely, and he refrained from procuring a wand for her through public channels.
Fortunately, during his second year at Hogwarts, Skyler managed to secure a basilisk horn from the remains of a deceased basilisk. Additionally, he owned an herbal medicine trading company holding an international trade permit approved by the Ministry of Magic.
Guided by Dobby's Apparition skills, he reunited with his long-lost partner, Ali Bashir, and held a meeting with him.
Ever since Ali and Skyler joined forces, benefiting from a continuous flow of financial support and the favorable stance of the Ministry of Magic's Department of International Cooperation, they have thrived and are leading a comfortable life.
In contrast to the gloomy atmosphere in the original narrative (where the introduction of flying carpets faced obstacles and failed), in this world, Skyler had successfully carved a niche in the international trade realm. He was now considered a luminary in various European countries, and his fame had even reached as far as Africa, North America, and South America.
Ali harbored immense gratitude towards Skyler. Despite possessing a distinctive business acumen and an acute foresight into future trends, he lacked the political acumen and networking skills needed to navigate the complexities of the wizarding world.
This deficiency had led to his past failures. In his professional journey, he frequently found himself in a predicament – he could clearly envision a lucrative market but was often ensnared by legal provisions imposed by the authorities, preventing him from capitalizing on the opportunity, leaving him to watch potential business ventures slip through his fingers.
The decision to form a collaborative alliance with Skyler marked a watershed moment in his life. It was a pivotal juncture that altered the trajectory of his destiny and became the bedrock of his steady ascent to success. When he learned that Skyler needed his assistance, he prioritized Skyler's request without a second thought.
Skyler tasked him with two assignments, which were not particularly challenging given his current standing. The only significant aspect was the need for extensive travel across continents, making the tasks time-consuming.
The initial task involved traveling to North America to procure the finest snake wood, specifically chosen for crafting wands. Given Sarff's affinity as a snake whisperer, a wand constructed from snake wood and basilisk horn would be most suitable for her.
Historical records from Hogwarts indicate that one of the institution's founders, Slytherin, initially wielded a wand made of snake wood and basilisk horn. This combination, paired with his proficiency in serpent language magic, rendered him virtually invincible. Slytherin obtained the snakewood for his wand during an expedition across the Atlantic Ocean to North America.
The process of crafting wands involves a nuanced understanding of wood properties. Apart from considering the tree's age, a skilled wandmaker can discern magical conductivity from the lines present on the wood. Consequently, not every branch growing on a snakewood tree is suitable for crafting wand shafts.
Consider, for instance, the snakewood trees within the Ilvermorny School grounds. Planted unintentionally in the early 17th century with Slytherin's wand, these trees are only considered barely qualified for staff body material, although less than four centuries old.
The snakewood that Skyler entrusted Ali to collect must exhibit dark golden lines, indicating an age of no less than six centuries. The pinnacle of quality lies in thousand-year-old snakewood.
The second task involves a journey to South America to negotiate an exclusive European agency agreement with the Pollachi Alchemy Factory in Peru. This agreement pertains to the sales of Peruvian dark powder in Europe.
In the original work, this product, eventually introduced by the Weasley twins, gained popularity due to its utility as an escape tool during the tumultuous period of Voldemort and Death Eaters. Securing exclusive agency rights before the onset of war while eliminating all competitors ensures a highly lucrative business venture.
After parting ways with Ali, Skyler returned to Hogwarts and received a report from Daphne. The disappearance of the head of the Ghost Society and the offspring of several pure-blood families, coupled with Draco intentionally receding from the public eye, has led to a prevailing sentiment within Slytherin House – Skyler must be respected!
Even those students who were once loyal to families like Selwyn and Fawley and attempted to form an alternative faction within Slytherin now find themselves in the minority. They can no longer sway the majority with their limited numbers and influence. Over 80% of Slytherin students have rallied behind Skyler.
In the Slytherin chamber, Skyler sat authoritatively on the throne atop the seventh-step high platform, exuding the aura of a powerful leader. His gaze descended upon the six individuals standing beneath the platform with an air of indifference.
Below the elevated platform, three males and three females stood upright, demonstrating utmost respect with lowered heads and submissive postures. Observers might be surprised to learn that all the Slytherin House prefects were assembled here.
Some had held the position previously, while others were newly appointed to fill the vacancies left by the disappeared students.
The newcomers included Guile Peasegood, the seventh-grade male prefect, Venia Pillsworth, the seventh-grade female prefect, and Nariele Wakanda, the sixth-grade female prefect.
The existing prefects were Cassius Warrington, the sixth-grade male prefect, Terrence Higgs, the fifth-grade male prefect, and Serona Osbert, the fifth-grade female prefect.
Guile Peasegood's father, Arnold Peasegood, originally served as a memory canceller in the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters. In a remarkable turn of events, he had recently experienced rapid promotions and was now the captain of the Law Enforcement Reconnaissance Team, wielding authority over both the reconnaissance team and the strike force.
Venia Pillsworth's father, Bernie Pillsworth, previously worked as a staff member overseeing weather spells in the Ministry of Magic's maintenance department. With unexpected speed, he ascended to the position of head of the intelligence department in the Auror logistics force, holding sway over all investigators, informants, and intelligence sources in the Auror department.
Mrs. Wakanda's role within the Ministry of Magic remained unchanged; she still held the position of Director of the Office for the Abuse of Magic. However, backed by deliberate support from certain high-ranking officials, the influence of this Office continued to grow, solidifying its authority.
Young wizards who violated the International Secrecy Law and the Trace Alert received warnings. Rumors circulated that Willy Widdershins, notorious for causing numerous incidents of toilet sewage backflow, had been sent to Azkaban by Mrs. Wakanda. It was said that Mrs. Wakanda's former superior, Umbridge, attempted to intervene on Widdershins's behalf, but Mrs. Wakanda steadfastly rejected any such interference.
The Warrington family had willingly aligned itself with the Malfoy family from an early stage, particularly when Cassius formed a connection with Draco.
Following the resolution of differences between Skyler and Draco, Cassius, wielding the authority of a prefect, shifted allegiance to Skyler under Draco's orchestration. While the Warrington family's influence ranked lower among pure-blood families, Cassius demonstrated personal strength, which was evident in his selection as the Slytherin representative for Merlin's test a few years ago.
Terrence established an early connection with Skyler. His father, initially serving as the Director of the Pest Consultation Division in the Department of Biological Management and Control, had since ascended to the role of Director of the exotic branch.
This position granted him control over all exotic creatures in the UK, overseeing departments such as the Human Liaison Office, Goblin Liaison Office, House Elf Resettlement Office, Werewolf Registration Office, and Vampire Registration Office.
Under his direction, all information and records concerning Skyler's house elves, werewolves, vampires, and hags were systematically expunged, effectively erasing their existence from the annals of Great Britain.
(Note: The Department of Biological Management and Control serves as the second-largest administrative agency within the Ministry of Magic. It comprises three levels of job hierarchies: the Director, who holds the highest authority and oversees the entire department; the three Directors, ranking second, each supervising a branch; below them are the directors of major offices.)
Serona, hailing from the Osbert family, was originally a subsidiary branch of the Malfoy family. Her great-great-grandfather, Unctuous Osbert, held the position of Minister for Magic from 1789 to 1798.
However, historical accounts suggest that he was merely a puppet under the influence of Skyler's tenth-generation ancestor, Septimus Malfoy. During that era, widespread belief held that Osbert was a mere figurehead, with Septimus Malfoy effectively serving as the de facto leader of the Ministry of Magic.
As the Malfoy family reasserts its influence in the political realm, the Osbert family, having gradually retreated from active politics, once again finds itself thrust into the public spotlight. Serona's father, Unctuous II, has entered the Department of Biological Management and Control, assuming a position focused on magical creatures.
As the Director of the magical creature branch, he oversees the breeding, research, and trade of all magical creature species in the UK. Under his directive, the Greengrass family gained approval for several projects aimed at cultivating new species of magical creatures, including the pygmy cattail.
The purpose behind the visit of these six prefects is clear and significant. They not only represent themselves but also convey the stances of their respective families.
Upon pledging allegiance to Skyler, he imprinted a magical seal on each of them. A pure black dragon-shaped crest was engraved on their arms, capturing the essence of a lifelike sculpture. The black dragon, with its wings outspread and teeth and claws, bared, appeared ready to take flight.
The foundational concept of this curse seal magic was derived from the "Advanced Dark Magic Revealed" text and originally shared similarities with Voldemort's infamous "Dark Mark." However, Skyler, unsatisfied with the functionality and deterrent effect of the Dark Mark, decided to temporarily set aside his ongoing projects to intercept the curse affecting Sarff.
In his assessment, the blood curse on Sarff held a much more potent and intimidating quality compared to the Dark Mark.
According to Skyler's conjecture, Nagini, Sarff's predecessor, was likely a subordinate of a dark wizard concealed in Borneo, Southeast Asia.
The blood curse on Nagini's body was likely a mechanism employed by the dark wizard to ensure the loyalty of his subordinates. Nagini left Borneo independently, relying on her own magical abilities to suppress the onset of the curse. Unfortunately, she ultimately failed, resulting in her transformation into a snake.
Upon studying the "Gorgon's Curse" intercepted from Sarff, Skyler amalgamated the characteristics of both curses, creating a new curse seal magic. He named it "The Sleeping Serpent Seal."
Apart from its ability to track the curse holder's location at any time and summon all curse holders together using specific spells, the Mark of the Serpentis Vigil can function similarly to the Dark Mark as a means of life and death control by the spell caster.
Skyler has the power to manipulate their destinies, and with a single thought, he can transform them into beasts, rendering them irrational and inhuman, virtually eliminating the likelihood of betrayal by these individuals regardless of when or where they are.
Skyler acknowledged that despite his extensive precautions, the potential for an undiscovered traitor still existed. To further safeguard against this, he implemented an additional layer of security—an enchantment known as the forbidden word curse.
If anyone outside Skyler's secret base utters the words "Serpentis Vigil," Skyler would immediately sense it, serving as an alert for a potential leak within the organization.
However, Skyler recognized that these measures were supplementary. He understood that the most reliable method often lies in forging close relationships based on shared interests.
By intricately aligning the interests of these individuals' families with his own agenda and forming an alliance where prosperity and losses are collective, the likelihood of betrayal diminishes significantly—unless these individuals are willing to sacrifice their entire families.
While the six prefects were a relatively small group, each possessed unique connections and supporters. Their allegiance signaled the official entrance of Slytherin into an era dominated and controlled by Skyler.
Skyler orchestrated their induction into the Serpentis Vigil Club, where they would actively participate in recruiting senior students. These students, poised to graduate in a few years, could subsequently be placed strategically within various sectors of the business and political realms for internships. As they ventured into the outside world, they would serve as Skyler's allies and mentors, contributing to his influence.
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