Rewards According to Merit

Compared to the lively atmosphere inside the Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley outside was unusually deserted, with the magic lamps on both sides of the street flickering slightly, illuminating Rowdon Burke's gloomy face.

His steps were heavy, and his mind was in complete turmoil.

The outcome of this conference was even worse than he had anticipated—not only was a Diagon Alley Commercial Alliance, which was dissatisfied with the Ministry of Magic, successfully established, but judging from the content of the conference, this so-called business alliance was no longer a simple business organization, but a civilian self-defense force with real combat capabilities.

The Ministry of Magic was already losing its prestige, Fudge would certainly not let this go easily after hearing the news.

"Damn it..." Poker cursed under his breath, kicking a pebble hard at the ground.

He could already picture Fudge's angry face in his mind.

Fudge despised anything that might threaten his authority, but Skylar Malfoy wasn't just threatening him; he was tearing the Ministry of Magic's mask off, publicly announcing to all the merchants—"The Ministry of Magic can't be relied on; you can only rely on yourselves!"

Poker gritted his teeth, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Would he lose his job because of this? Would Fudge pin all the blame on him?

Disturbed, he walked into a quieter alley, trying to avoid the wizards on the main street who were discussing the conference results in twos and threes. Just then, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows.

Ludo Bagman.

That once glorious face, now haggard, carried a sly smile.

"Yo, Poker." Bagman said lightly, his hands in his robe pockets, as if he were still living in those glorious days.

Poker frowned and glanced at him impatiently. "You dare to loiter around here? If the Debt Collection Alliance saw you, they'd probably tear you to pieces."

"Isn't that exactly what I wanted to say?" Bagman shrugged, forcing a casual laugh. "If it weren't for them, the Diagon Alley Commercial Alliance might not have been formed so smoothly, right?"

Poker's face darkened; his anger had finally found an outlet.

"That's right! The reason these businessmen were able to be incited by him is because of you! If you hadn't run away with your debts, why would they have united? Without the support of the Debt Collection Alliance, the situation wouldn't have tilted so overwhelmingly in Skylar Malfoy's favor!" He said through gritted teeth, his tone full of resentment.

Bagman's smile didn't disappear; instead, it became even more sinister. He looked at Poker meaningfully and slowly said, "So, it seems I've done Skylar Malfoy a great favor after all..."

Poker scoffed, "You're still laughing? Once the Ministry of Magic has dealt with Skylar, you'll probably be next."

He turned away, too lazy to pay any more attention to Bagman, and continued walking forward. However, in that instant he turned, a Silencio green light flashed in Bagman's eyes, and his wand slipped silently into his palm—

"The Imperio."

Poker's body jolted violently, his steps faltered, and the light in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a deathly gray.

Bagman slowly put away his wand, a cold smile playing on his lips. He walked forward and gently patted Poker on the shoulder, his tone light as if chatting with an old friend.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of harming you." His voice was low and cold. "On the contrary, I need you to continue to play your role in the Ministry of Magic..."

Poker stood frozen in place, the anger on his face gone, replaced by an empty submission.

Bagman smiled with satisfaction and patted his cheek, as if inspecting a tool that had just been calibrated.

"Let's go, old friend," he said softly. "We need to find a place and have a proper talk about your new mission..."

Under the cover of night, one figure followed stiffly behind another, slowly disappearing at the end of the alley.

The Diagon Alley Conference concluded successfully.

The Debt Collection Alliance's mission was officially completed, and it was disbanded by Eagle Eye on Skylar's orders. Bagman took full responsibility for Skylar's debts to all members, so no one raised any objections. Everyone took a bag of Galleon and left happily.

Although Skylar was the nominal leader of the Diagon Alley Commercial Alliance, he was still a student and didn't have much time to devote to alliance affairs. Therefore, Eagle Eye, who had made great contributions, was appointed by Skylar as the "acting leader" to handle all affairs of the Diagon Alley Commercial Alliance on Skylar's behalf.

Inside the conference room at the Black Rose Society headquarters in Knockturn Alley.

Skylar sat in the main seat, his hands folded on his lap, looking down at Night Cat and Eagle Eye kneeling before him.

Night Cat lowered her head, her slender fingers pressed tightly against her knees, as obedient as a tamed black cat, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her inner joy. Eagle Eye, as always, remained silent, his back straight, like a falcon waiting for its master's command to charge into battle.

Skylar spoke slowly, his voice unhurried yet carrying an imposing air. "You all performed well this time."

Night Cat looked up, her eyes gleaming with barely suppressed excitement. "Thank you for the compliment, Master." She licked her lips, her eyes brightening slightly. "Those Diagon Alley merchants are so easily influenced. If you even slightly affect their interests, they'll rush to your side."

Eagle Eye also said in a low voice, "I was merely acting on Master's orders. The smooth running of the conference is entirely due to Master's brilliant planning."

Skylar smiled faintly, flipped his hand, and two black boxes suddenly appeared in the air.

"I see your loyalty, and I won't let you work for nothing." He waved his hand gently, and the two boxes floated slowly to Night Cat and Eagle Eye's front.

While Agatha Tim spearheaded the effort to so easily incite the merchants' emotions, it was Eagle Eye who truly planned and organized the entire Debt Collection Alliance from scratch and transformed it into a formidable force.

Meanwhile, Night Cat led the forces of Knockturn Alley to intervene forcefully at a crucial moment, completely tilting the scales of the conference, and the election of the leader was finally settled as Skylar wanted.

Those who make contributions will be rewarded.

The two boxes contained the rewards that Skylar had prepared for the two of them: new equipment that he and Gadelle had designed and developed together in the laboratory over the past few days.

Night Cat received a black leather bodysuit that covered every inch of skin below her neck. The close-fitting cut outlined smooth lines, and the smooth leather was like a shadow in the dark, so soft that it was almost imperceptible.

Her gaze was immediately drawn to it, and her fingertips couldn't help but touch it; the leather was smooth and soft, as if it were a perfect match for her.

When the clothes were unfolded, several other small accessories floated in the air—a pair of pointed cat ears, a slender cat tail, and an exquisite cat-shaped eye mask.

"This is Cat Mimicry Suit specially designed for you," Skylar said softly. "It's made of black Occamy skin, so stretch and breathability aren't an issue. Furthermore, its light-absorbing properties allow the wearer to blend seamlessly into their surroundings in the dark, making them undetectable."

"Not only that," Skylar's fingers lightly traced the tight leather suit, revealing faint, gleaming black patterns, "It's engraved with alchemical techniques that enhance the wearer's jumping ability and agility, and the special design on the soles of the feet allows you to move Silencio."

Then, Skylar took down the components one by one from the air, his gentle gaze seemingly admiring his perfect creation. A slender black cat tail twirled deftly in his hand. "This is the cat tail that attaches to the hip. It increases balance and agility. With it, you can easily scale walls and rooftops without using any magic."

"These cat ears can enhance your hearing, while this eye mask gives you night vision."

Night Cat took a deep breath, her eyes glazed over. She lowered her head and kissed Skylar's hand, saying in a soft, seductive voice, "Night Cat thanks her master for his kindness."

Skylar ignored her reaction and turned his gaze to Eagle Eye.

The black metal armor hovered silently in the air, cold and sharp, its sturdy armor and sharp wing blades resembling a falcon about to take flight.

"This is the Flying Eagle Armor," Skylar said slowly. "It provides high-intensity defense, and its Black Gold wings can help you fly and also transform into shields to block attacks. It's not only your weapon, but also your armor."

With that, Skylar touched the armor with his fingers, instantly activating it and unfurling a pair of three-foot-long black metal wings.

The Flying Eagle Armor is a set of metal inner armor that can be worn under a wizard's robe, and it looks no different from other armor. Once activated, black Black Gold wings will spring out from the wearer's back, allowing for flight. The sharp edges can be used for close-range attacks, and the indestructible wings can also unfold in front of the wearer, transforming into two wing-shaped shields to block attacks from all directions.

Eagle Eye took the armor with both hands, looked down at it with a fanatical awe in his eyes. "Master... this is an incredible masterpiece."

"Whether it's good enough for you depends on your performance," Skylar said calmly.

Eagle Eye immediately knelt on one knee, placed his right hand on his heart, and said firmly, "Your subordinate swears to serve your master to the death!"

Skylar gave a light snort, his authoritative gaze sweeping over the two of them. "I won't give this gift away for nothing. I expect you to realize its full value in the future."

Night Cat and Eagle Eye lowered their heads and respectfully replied, "Yes, Master."