Old Man, It's Your Turn to Pay

During dinner, Regulus was still thinking about the book he had just read.

The book is thick, and the pages are also thick. Each page has illustrations, and the content is all standard. It doesn't take much time to read.

But as he flipped through the whole book, he discovered one thing: there was no Magical Plant that could replace the Whomping Willow.

It's not that other plants aren't strong enough.

For example, the idea of Shadow-Light Grass popped into his head when he saw its description.

This plant glows only in absolute darkness, and its Magic Power properties are likely exclusive.

If we could extract this Magic Power and develop it into a spell, it might be able to counter my father's shadow Magic.

The kind of Magic that creates absolute darkness and suppresses all senses is essentially a way of using Magic Power.

If we can turn exclusivity into a spell to repel the father's Magic Power, the next time the father uses that move on him, it should surprise him.

Regulus then thought of Dumbledore's light.

Could that method of dispelling darkness also be explained by exclusivity?

But upon closer reflection, it probably isn't.

Dumbledore so powerful that he doesn't need exclusivity; he might not even need anything else involved.

He can do it if he wants to; that's a different level altogether.

Dumbledore said, he didn't use one attribute to fight another, but rather he simply eliminated the reason for darkness to exist.

Regulus shook his head, deciding not to think about it further; that was a matter for the future.

The priorities are different. Even if Shadow-Light Grass is very useful, it's just another means to use, while the physical crushing of Whomping Willow is something that complements the Severing Charm.

This is what we need most right now.

Moreover, Regulus felt there was something deeper behind Professor Sprout's description of the two Magic Power tendencies, Conduction and oscillation.

Conduction is sending force in; oscillation is igniting it within.

If developed well, combining these two elements could lead to more than just simple physical crushing.

Even the Conduction aspect alone is enough to spark the imagination, but it needs to be verified.

But the prerequisite is that you need to have Whomping Willow).

However, since he promised the professor not to touch the tree at Hogwarts, they had no choice but to look for other solutions.

Regulus was thinking about those distributions.

Bulgarian Magical Reserve, Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, an ancient manor in Southern France, and deep in the German Black Forest.

With his abilities, he should be able to go to those places, and he should also be able to bring the Whomping Willow" home.

But the problem lies with the authorities.

Nature reserves are obviously government-run entities. Regardless of the strength of the government there, if you can obtain one through legitimate means, then it's better to do it through official channels.

Using legitimate methods means no trouble, no one will investigate behind your back, no Auror will come knocking, and no inquiries will be sent by the Department of International Magical Cooperation.

What he has no shortage of right now is trouble.

Voldemort is keeping an eye on things, Dumbledore is watching, and Grindelwald is waiting. It's not worth getting involved with a bunch of official forces just to save a little money.

But if he can't get it through legitimate means, and he's determined to get his hands on it, then we have to go back to the other side of the story.

The professor said it was a wild plant.

Since it's wild, it just happens to grow there, and there's no reason to say it's the property of the local government.

When it really comes to that, it'll all depend on individual abilities.

Regulus pondered these thoughts, swallowed the Lamb Chop in his mouth, and took a sip of Pumpkin Juice.

Try the proper methods first; the best way is to buy it with money, and your father should support that.

Three thousand Galleon of Mandrake were exchanged for the Severing Charm.

My father had personally experienced the power of that spell and had also heard him describe its effects in detail.

They knew it wasn't just a powerful attack spell; it was something that could make the opponent disappear from the very fabric of existence.

Knowing that it represents Regulus's depth of understanding of Magic, his ability to transform Magical Plant into powerful Magic energy, and proof of how far he can go.

Is there anything cheaper than this for 3,000 Galleon?

If any company knew they could get that kind of Magic for that price, no one would refuse.

Nobody's here.

Even if the price of the Whomping Willow" is dozens of times higher now, it's still an opportunity to acquire powerful Magic by spending money.

If this were an opportunity for someone else, they wouldn't even know how to make money from it.

Regulus is not short of money, and neither is the Black family.

Even if you add two zeros to three thousand Galleon, making it three hundred thousand Galleon, it's not a particularly large number for the Black family.

And it's not just about money; the Black family also has political influence and international connections.

Orion probably knows more people than Regulus knows any names.

Those old friends holding sinecure positions in the Ministry of Magic, those distant relatives with whom they had intermarried, those foreign families to whom they owed favors—if they were truly mobilized, their influence would be considerable.

However, if you buy directly from the official source, anyone who isn't stupid will know the value of the Whomping Willow".

If you're simply buying with money, it's a seller's market, and the other party will definitely raise the price, possibly even demanding Lion amount.

Orion surely understood; as the Patriarch of the Black family, he knew the difference between the personal and the official.

What would the father do?

Regulus thought for a moment, then realized it would probably be another way.

Instead of directly saying you want to buy the Whomping Willow, go through an intermediary and ask the Bulgaria Ministry of Magic what their recent needs are.

Are we lacking certain Magic materials? Are we lacking certain alchemical artifacts?

The Black family owns several shops, mines, Herb Garden, and a Magical Creature Farm —things that the Bulgaria Ministry of Magic may not possess.

Then we'll discuss a trade, offering Black family has in exchange for what the other party has.

The Whomping Willow is indispensable to the Black family, but to the Bulgaria Ministry of Magic, it might just be a few trees growing in a protected area.

They were overjoyed when someone was willing to trade scarce resources for it.

Even if the other party realizes the value of the Whomping Willow and wants to raise the price, the Black family's connections are not just empty words.

A director in the Bulgaria Ministry of Magic may have owed the Black family a favor in his youth.

The manager of a certain nature reserve might be related to the Black family in some way.

Even without all of that, my father could still find someone influential to speak to through several layers of connections.

If all else fails, there's an even more direct way.

Who owns the Whomping Willow in the Bulgarian Magical Reserve?

Should it belong to the Bulgaria Ministry of Magic? Or to the Master of that land?

If it's the latter, then things are even simpler: find the Master of the land and talk to them privately.

No one will turn down Galleon as long as the price is right.

My father will take all of these things into account. He will calculate which method has the lowest cost, the least risk, and the fewest potential problems.

This is what a mature Patriarch should look like.

With Orion around, Regulus didn't need to worry about these things. He just needed to explain his needs, and his father would handle the rest.

After dinner, he went back to his Dormitory, took out parchment and a quill pen from his drawer, and began to write a letter.

"Father:

I need a mature, Whomping Willow tree.

This creature is found in several locations: Bulgarian Magical Reserve, Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, a manor in Southern France, and deep in the German Black Forest.

Mature plant, not seedling.

If possible, I hope to get it before Christmas.

The reason is the same as for Mandrake; Whomping Willow complement it.

Regulus

After writing it down, he looked it over, folded it, took out his wand, and tapped it lightly. The Black family crest appeared on the parchment.

I left the Dormitory, walked through the Corridor, and went up to the Owlery next to the Astronomy Tower.

The Eagle Owl in the house was dozing on the shelf when it saw Regulus. It opened one eye and tilted its head to look at him.

Regulus tied the letter to its leg. "Give this to my father."

The Eagle Owl cried out, flapped its wings, and flew away, disappearing into the night.

Regulus turned and went downstairs, heading towards the Room of Requirement.

The next day at breakfast, the Great Hall was as lively as ever.

The long table was laden with food, owls Accio, and newspapers were scattered everywhere.

Regulus sat down and had just picked up a slice of toast when he heard people talking nearby.

Look at this.

A fifth-grade boy pointed to a small section of the Daily Prophet and read it aloud to the person next to him.

"The Ministry of Magic rejected the appeal to liberate House-elf; it's the same old story."

The person next to him glanced at it and scoffed.

"Are those guys just bored? What do House-elf need freedom for?"

"Who knows? Maybe they're trying to curry favor with certain people."

"Who are you trying to please? Those poor wretches who don't even have House-elf?"

Several people laughed.

Regulus glanced at the newspaper.

The subheading was indeed insignificant, sandwiched between a long report about the Dark Wizard Attacks and Quidditch league scores, like a trivial matter.

Avery picked up a newspaper from the side, glanced at the news, and threw it back.

He didn't speak, but his lips twitched slightly.

Suddenly, a loud voice rose from the Gryffindor table.

"You say they take pride in labor and are ashamed of freedom? I ask you, when did they begin to speak? When did they begin to learn to read?"

"From when did you start being told that value is service?"

The surroundings quieted down.

The voice continued, "You keep a life locked in a cage from birth, and then say it doesn't want to go out. This only proves that your cage is sturdy enough."

On the Gryffindor, some agreed, some disagreed, and an argument broke out.

Regulus didn't turn around; he knew who had spoken.

That kind of resentment, that kind of rebellion, that kind of desire to smash all traditions—you won't find another like it at Hogwarts.

Continue eating breakfast.

The idea of House-elf is not worth paying attention to.

Because it is unimportant, and more importantly, because it is impossible for it to succeed.

The word "enslavement" is wrong when used to describe people; in fact, it is wrong in itself.

However, in the Wizarding World, the relationship between wizards and House-elf cannot be simply described as enslavement.

House-elf and wizarding families are deeply intertwined.

They know the family's deepest secrets; they are recognized by the manor's Magic as part of the family.

They resemble furniture, walls, and ancestral Portrait hanging on the walls.

Kreacher knew everything about the Black family, from Walburga's secrets from his youth to Orion's personal belongings hidden in the Study, to the Magic Regulus practiced in his Training Room.

They were enslaved, but it was more like a symbiotic relationship.

Those who think they can free them through legislation are being naive.

They believed this was justice, progress.

But they didn't consider where those freed House-elf could go or what they could do.

Suddenly push them out and say, "You're free," and then what?

They'll go crazy.

Even if all the House-elf were to awaken free will, the wizarding society would be greatly impacted.

Once they recall their past enslavement, they desire revenge.

Many adult wizards are no match for a House-elf; they can even be disarmed by the House-elf.

And even if this bill were to pass, so what?

Pureblood families won't hand over their House-elf; would the Ministry of Magic dare to come knocking and steal them?

Those families that have been around for hundreds of years have connections in Wizengamot, in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and in various departments of the Ministry of Magic.

Even if the Ministry of Magic could pass this bill, they could also make it impossible to implement.

So just take this kind of thing with a grain of salt and treat it as a joke.

Don't say it's impossible now, it will be the same in twenty years.

Regulus finished his breakfast, wiped his mouth, and stood up.

Avery and the others followed suit.

As I left the Great Hall, the debate among the Gryffindor was still going on.