Do You Want to Witness a Miracle?

Starting with potions, combining production and research, establishing a Potion Research Institute, and then recruiting Muggle scientists to help him study magic.

That was Murphy's general idea.

Compared with spells, which were too intangible for Muggles to have accumulated any corresponding technology at all, potions had far more traces to follow, allowing the advantages of Muggle science to be brought out to a greater extent.

He had already completed the preliminary research on "making Essence of Dittany through non-magical methods," and it was the most suitable starting point.

After making up his mind, Murphy Apparated to Charing Cross Road, then had a taxi take him to the Medicines Safety Committee's offices.

If he wanted to sell medicine in the Muggle world, he had to obtain approval and permission from the Medicines Safety Committee. Murphy knew nothing about this, so he planned to ask for advice first.

However, once he arrived at the committee's offices, Murphy was shocked by the low efficiency of the British. A long line had already formed in front of the consultation window, but the clerk was still sipping coffee, calling numbers unhurriedly at an average speed of one person every fifteen minutes.

Murphy hesitated for a moment, but in the end decided to sit down and wait. He could not very well use magic on Muggles in public just because he did not want to queue.

Without a phone, Murphy was terribly bored. He looked around and discovered that a row of newspaper and magazine racks had thoughtfully been placed beside the waiting area. He pulled out a magazine and casually flipped through it, but was soon drawn in by one report.

"Patrick Duncan—Ace Pharmaceutical Sales Specialist."

In the center was a photograph of a thin man with a slightly balding head, wearing a Jobs-style black turtleneck sweater, his gaze deep as he looked into the camera.

The article spent several hundred words describing how Patrick Duncan had gone from a lowly salesman at a pharmaceutical company to one of London's top pharmaceutical sales specialists.

The article mentioned several of his sales cases. The man was extremely good at grasping a product's characteristics and could find the corresponding optimal promotion plan, rendering outstanding service to the pharmaceutical company he worked for.

Murphy skimmed through the article in a few glances and immediately grew excited.

This was the man!

He needed exactly this kind of fellow who knew pharmaceutical sales inside and out.

Murphy tore that page straight out of the magazine.

Leaving the consultation office, he found a phone booth and used the phone book inside to look up the pharmaceutical company Patrick worked for, then called them directly.

"Hello, Blue Mountain Pharmaceuticals."

"Hello, may I ask if Patrick Duncan is an employee of your company?"

"Yes. May I ask what this is regarding?"

"I'd like to speak with him."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Patrick is very busy. If you have any business, you can make an appointment first, and I'll arrange a time for you."

"Make the appointment now. When can I see him?"

"Please wait a moment... I'm sorry, sir. Mr. Patrick has a meeting this afternoon, and tomorrow he is leaving for France to attend a project. If you want to see him, you may have to wait until after he returns."

"I can't wait that long. Tell him I have a product that can increase his worth tenfold. He absolutely cannot miss it!"

There was silence on the other end for a while, then the person asked, "I'm sorry, sir, may I ask if you're from a headhunting company?"

Murphy noticed that the other party's tone seemed to have cooled considerably. "You wouldn't happen to be from Black Mountain Pharmaceuticals, trying to poach Mr. Patrick, would you?"

"Uh..."

"Beep, beep, beep..." The call was hung up.

Damn it!

A mere receptionist was actually this vigilant.

It seemed this Blue Mountain company valued Patrick highly.

But that only proved the man really was capable.

He dialed the number again.

"Hello, Blue Mountain Pharmaceuticals."

"Hello, this is David Stick from Jelida Pharmaceuticals," Murphy lied outright.

"Hello, Mr. Stick. May I ask what this is regarding?"

"Our company previously owed your company a sum of money. My boss asked me to go to your company to reconcile the accounts and settle the payment while I'm there. May I ask where your company is located?"

The receptionist was a little puzzled. He sounded like an old client, yet he did not even know the address?

But he was coming to repay money, so there was naturally no reason to refuse. "891 Greenford Road..."

"All right, thank you very much."

After hanging up, Murphy hailed a cab and went to Blue Mountain Pharmaceuticals.

As a wizard, having to take a taxi to get around felt inexplicably comical.

But first, he really was not familiar with London. Knowing only an address was not enough for him to locate the place precisely.

Second, he did not much like flying on broomsticks either—especially after breaking his leg during the summer holiday of his fourth year when he used an old broom from home, he had never been very confident in their safety.

Before he developed flying magic and intelligent navigation, he would have to make do like this for now.

Arriving at the front desk, Murphy glanced at the girl who had answered the phone. She noticed him too. "Hello, sir. What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for Patrick Duncan."

The receptionist looked him over warily, unable for a moment to decide whether he was the person on the phone who had tried to poach someone.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No. Your boss told me to come see him. Where is he?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but Mr. Patrick isn't at the company right now."

"Doesn't he have a meeting this afternoon?"

The receptionist stared at him. "How do you know Mr. Patrick has a meeting this afternoon?"

"All right, you win." Murphy smiled. This young lady at the front desk really was quite vigilant; it seemed it would be hard to bluff his way through with mere words.

"Actually, I only wanted to get to know you, beautiful miss. I'm sorry for using such a clumsy method to get your attention. To make up for it, please accept my gift."

As he spoke, Murphy took his wand from his pocket. "Legilimency!"

Patrick really wasn't at the company; he was at another pharmaceutical factory, meeting with two employees from the Medicines Safety Committee.

"Thank you for letting me know, Miss Pani."

While using Legilimency, he had also learned her name in passing.

"I... what did you do to me..." Pani was a little dazed.

"Don't worry, I only looked at a little of your memory. I didn't pry too much. However, this brief and interesting meeting has to end, and I'm afraid you can't remember it. Obliviate!"

More than half an hour later, Murphy arrived at the factory, only to learn that Patrick had already finished accompanying the inspection and gone back to his office.

Damn it!

Fortunately, this time he didn't have to take another taxi.

Murphy Apparated straight back to Blue Mountain Company.

Glancing at Miss Pani at the front desk, Murphy considered whether to hit her with Legilimency again, but just then, he caught sight of a figure stepping into the elevator.

Finally got you.

Using a Disillusionment Charm to slip out of Miss Pani's sight, Murphy squeezed into the elevator at the very last instant before the doors closed and followed Patrick upstairs.

Then, one step ahead of him, he walked into Patrick's office, sat down on the sofa for receiving guests, and lifted the Disillusionment Charm.

The moment Patrick entered, he saw Murphy sitting boldly on the sofa, looking for all the world as if he had been waiting so long he was bored out of his mind.

"Who are you?" Patrick asked in confusion. How had a guest arrived without his assistant notifying him?

"Patrick?" Murphy took out a bottle of Essence of Dittany and placed it on the table. "Do you want to witness a miracle?"