Once he was sure that using magic here wouldn't alert the Ministry of Magic, the first thing Avada did was spend two nights using his mental power to grind the Trace out of his wand.
He wasn't going to compete in the Triwizard Tournament, and nobody would be checking his wand, so there was no problem with doing this.
After spending a few days together, Avada had not only gotten along well with the Shafiq family but also formed a preliminary impression of them. Unlike the Slytherin Pure-blood aristocrats depicted in the original story, they weren't haughty like the Malfoys or deranged like the Lestranges. Nor did they despise blood status like Sirius Black, a Pure-blood outcast. Instead, they were deeply proud of their surname and bloodline, while fully understanding where those honors came from.
The Shafiq Family was not only a Pure-blood aristocratic family, but also a renowned business family in the United Kingdom's Wizarding World. Several companies they owned or had invested in were well known for producing and improving alchemical products. The famous Flying Broomstick companies Nimbus Racing Broom Company and Comet Trading Company both had Shafiq investments. There were even rumors that the Shafiq Family was behind the mysterious factory that produced Floo Powder, the Floo-Pow.
Mr. Shafiq had clearly stated, however, that this was just a rumor.
One benefit of investing in companies that made alchemical products was getting to try out products as soon as they were developed, before they went on sale. Like this one—
"Children, look! A sample that just arrived from Nimbus Racing Broom Company—the latest achievement of their research, the Nimbus 2000!"
Mr. Shafiq was holding up a beautiful-looking Flying Broomstick, waving it excitedly at Avada, Baron, and Mrs. Shafiq.
"2000?!"
Mrs. Shafiq clearly already knew something about it, so she remained calm. Baron, on the other hand, stared wide-eyed. "Wasn't the last model the 1705? Why jump straight to 2000? Have they made a breakthrough?"
"Exactly!"
Mr. Shafiq gripped the broom handle tightly, looking as if he could hardly wait to take it for a spin. "The brand-new propulsion valve technology can easily regulate six hundred propulsion rods, bringing them into perfect synchronization without any interference. That gives it an unprecedented top speed of 150 miles per hour, and it takes only ten seconds to reach full speed!"
"Wow!"
Avada and Baron exclaimed together. Six hundred propulsion rods! What did that even mean?
History of Magic in their first year had covered the invention and evolution of Flying Broomsticks, so Avada knew roughly how they were put together: a control handle, a balancing spine, a stabilizer, a propulsion valve, and a cluster of propulsion rods.
The control handle let the rider steer the broom; the balancing spine kept the whole broom balanced and airborne; the stabilizer ensured the rider's comfort and safety— the Cushioning Charm was one part of it; the propulsion valve regulated the power, while the cluster of propulsion rods... were the things at the very end of the broom that looked like broom bristles.
According to historical records, the inventor of the Flying Broomstick had wanted to make the vehicle as fast as possible. He carefully applied Repelling Charms to a series of small wooden rods, tied them together, then used a specially designed core—the propulsion valve—to regulate their output and eliminate interference. This created a powerful engine, concentrating an enormous number of Repelling Charms into a small area, and became a revolutionary invention of its time.
Unfortunately, after he had completely assembled this great vehicle, everyone's first reaction was, "Isn't that thing just a broom?"
And so, over the long course of history, the name "Flying Broomstick" gradually replaced its original name, "Cluster-Powered Flying Staff," and became the familiar official term.
Before the Nimbus 2000 came out, the fastest broom, the Nimbus 1705, had only 420 propulsion rods!
"It's going to dominate every Quidditch pitch!"
Baron praised it excitedly.
"Ah, no, it might only dominate professional Quidditch..." Mr. Shafiq said with a laugh and a shake of his head. "The new propulsion valve is very expensive to make, and they haven't figured out how to mass-produce it yet, so there will only be a limited number. That means the price will probably be outrageous—only professional teams will be able to afford it."
"But there's an upside. Only professional players can get the most out of this broom anyway. Amateur players would struggle to control it, and they'd be wasting its potential. They'd be better off sticking with a Comet or a Cleansweep... Enough talk. Let's give it a try!"
Before he had even finished speaking, Mr. Shafiq eagerly mounted the broom and shot off into the distance with a whoosh. Luckily, Shafiq Manor was vast, with a wide, deserted grassland outside, so they could have fun without risking a breach of the International Statute of Secrecy.
After Mr. Shafiq had had his fill, Baron and Mrs. Shafiq each took the broom for a few laps. Finally, after the family urged him to give it a go, even Avada—who wasn't very interested in Quidditch—climbed aboard. It felt wonderful to ride, but when he neared top speed, he got too nervous to push it any further. That was 150 miles per hour! Almost as fast as a high-speed train!
"Whew—the letter from Nimbus Racing Broom Company says this broom should go on display and be available for preorder in about two days. We'll be going to Diagon Alley then to buy supplies for the new school year, so we can check out their counter while we're there..."
After taking another lap because he couldn't resist, Mr. Shafiq wiped the sweat from his brow. He walked back with the others, discussing their plans for the coming days, then suddenly turned to look into the distance, curiosity in his eyes.
"Hoot!"
An owl was gliding swiftly toward them from the direction Mr. Shafiq was looking. As it passed overhead, it loosened its claws and dropped an envelope, which drifted down into his hand.
"Is that the Malfoys' owl?" Mrs. Shafiq asked uncertainly. "What are they writing to us about now?"
"Let's see..."
Mr. Shafiq opened the envelope, took out the letter, and unfolded it. After reading it through, his expression turned a little odd. "They want to visit us in two days and have invited us to go shopping in Diagon Alley together."
"Hm? Why?" Mrs. Shafiq and Baron also looked puzzled.
Mr. Shafiq lowered his eyes to the letter in his hand. "It says the Malfoys' son, Draco Malfoy, is going to Hogwarts this year. So they want him to meet Baron, who was top of his year last year, and make friends with him, exchange some experiences, and so on..."
"They also say they've cultivated a new kind of magical wood at Malfoy Manor. It's a variant of mahogany that might greatly reduce the strain on the Nimbus 2000's propulsion valve, allowing them to start mass-producing it sooner... They're pretty well informed."
"If it's as they say, that would be a good thing." Mrs. Shafiq nodded gently, then added with some concern, "But aren't they..."
"It shouldn't be a problem." Mr. Shafiq shook his head. "Voldemort has been gone for over a decade, and Lucius wasn't held accountable. He even became a School Governor at Hogwarts. Whatever happened in the past, what matters is whether they can contribute to society now..."
"Besides,"
He gave a derisive chuckle. "Harry Potter—the one who defeated his master at birth—is starting at Hogwarts in the same year as his son. Lucius must be worried sick, which is probably why he's trying to win us over."
"But then, what about K?" Baron asked. "I remember the Malfoys are fanatical Pure-blood supremacists. What if they find out K is Muggle-born..."
"Then when I introduce K, I'll tell them that even Dumbledore avoids saying his name."
Mr. Shafiq replied calmly.
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