Slug Party

Before the end of September, the selection process for Gryffindor's Quidditch team was finally completed.

Ginny Weasley, Demizar Binns, and Dean Thomas were selected as Chaser; Jimmy Perks and Richie Gutt were selected as Beater; and Ron Weasley continued as Goalkeeper.

The day the list was posted on the bulletin board, the Gryffindor Common Room did not erupt in the usual enthusiastic cheers.

Instead, hushed discussions quickly spread.

It's Weasley again.

"Aren't Harry, Ron, and Dean in the same dorm?"

"Ginny too... isn't that too much of a coincidence?"

The voices weren't loud, but they were jarring enough. No one questioned Harry's decision to his face, but whispers were everywhere—in the hallways, on the stairs, even on the other side of the dining table. Even students from other houses began talking about "Harry Potter's own team" with ambiguous smiles.

Harry quickly realized the seriousness of the problem.

This was his first time serving as captain, and his first major decision had already been labeled as "nepotism." No matter how he tried to explain it to himself— that Ron was the most experienced goalkeeper, and that Dean and Ginny had indeed performed exceptionally well in the selection process—these reasons seemed weak and powerless in the face of public opinion.

He knew that if he lost just one game, all the doubts would be confirmed.

By then, no one will look back at the training records or remember the performance during the selection process. All the failures will be attributed to one sentence: Harry Potter abused his power.

This pressure didn't come from the professors, nor from overt punishment, but from a constant, suffocating scrutiny. Harry began to be exceptionally strict with himself on the training ground, almost to the point of being harsh, fearing that any mistake would be magnified infinitely.

In this tense atmosphere, Professor Slughorn hosted the first formal dinner party since the start of the semester in his office.

The invitation list was as dazzling as ever, including Hermione Granger and Melinda Bobin, encompassing almost all the most promising and memorable names from each college.

The only person missing was someone who should have been present.

Harry Potter.

That night, he was locked in solitary confinement in the dungeon by Snape, where he had to pick out the rotting Flobberworm from the healthy ones without the need for protective gloves.

Time flies, and it's already mid-October.

As autumn arrived, Hogwarts gradually took on a somber hue. The perennial mist over the Black Lake grew thicker, and the footsteps echoing through the castle corridors sounded less cheerful than in previous years. The students gradually adapted to this tense daily routine, but found it difficult to truly relax.

During this period, Professor Slughorn hosted two more dinner parties for the "Slug Club".

Harry still did not attend.

It wasn't that he hadn't received an invitation—quite the opposite, Slughorn clearly had high expectations for the "Savior" and had repeatedly sent subtle messages through intermediaries expressing his hope that Harry would attend. But Harry ultimately chose to avoid it each time, always with the same reason: Quidditch training.

In reality, he knew very well that he was deliberately avoiding it.

Ron wasn't invited, and this bothered him greatly. Although Ron said he didn't care, Harry could tell that the disappointment of being excluded hadn't disappeared. If he frequently appeared at those glamorous, celebrity-filled parties, it would only make the gap between them more glaring.

He would rather practice flying over and over in the cold wind than sit at a dining table covered with a white tablecloth and pretend nothing was wrong.

Hermione, however, made a completely different choice.

She accepted the invitation without hesitation and attended every time. In her view, it was a rare opportunity—not only to connect with more people in the high-level Wizarding World, but also to hear a lot of information beyond the textbooks from Slughorn. She didn't see anything wrong with it, nor did she think she was "climbing the social ladder."

It's worth noting that, unlike the original story, Cormac McLaggen was not on the list of invitees.

This once confident name, always at the forefront, seemed to have been deliberately erased this semester. The recklessness and embarrassment of the previous semester had obviously reached Slughorn's ears, enough to make him lose his value as an "investor." No one mentioned him anymore, and McLaggen quietly became one of the background figures, one of the most inconspicuous little figures in Hogwarts.

After the third gathering, when Harry and Ron asked about it, Hermione brought up the events of that evening. She admitted that it was indeed a fun dinner.

Although Professor Slughorn continued to boast about his former star pupils, his tone filled with pride and nostalgia; his attitude towards Daphne, Cho Chang, Morrie, and others was clearly ingratiating, his words implying their limitless future possibilities; none of this offended Hermione.

Firstly, the dinner itself was indeed prepared with great care, and the several small yet exquisite magical dishes left a deep impression; secondly, and most importantly, Slughorn solemnly introduced a guest to everyone that evening.

Gwenog Jones.

Captain of the Holyhead Harpies, and one of the most talked-about Quidditch stars in the British wizarding world, she makes no secret of her contempt for male players, publicly declaring that women are better suited to Quidditch Match in terms of speed, stamina, and tactical execution. This stance has made her both controversial and has garnered an astonishing number of female fans.

She sat there, back straight, chin slightly raised, her eyes carrying an almost self-assured confidence, as if the entire table was meant to revolve around her. Her responses to Slughorn's greetings were perfunctory and brief, but her gaze kept sweeping between Cho Chang and Ginny.

Slughorn immediately beamed, eagerly adding to their introduction with a tone full of hints and sales pitches, as if connecting with them guaranteed a bright future.

Hermione noticed that Gwenog almost completely ignored the male students present, even merely nodding politely when Zabini spoke before looking away. That undisguised selective attention made Hermione feel somewhat uncomfortable, but she couldn't deny that this captain did indeed possess an undeniable sharpness.

She knew very well that it was no coincidence that such a person would appear in the Slug Club.

Slughorn is showing off his connections, while Gwenog is looking for a future worth betting on.

Hermione's voice still held a hint of excitement as she recalled that moment—she knew very well that this level of interaction was no longer just a small circle of students.

The new work by the Wind of the Sleep God is here! Cola Novels is the first to update it online!

Let's switch the focus to Skylar.

The transformation of the Cultivated Fungus Trade into a "Rare Treasures and Exotic Herbs Trade" proceeded exceptionally smoothly. Ali Bashir handed over all decision-making authority to Elaine almost without hesitation.

It wasn't that Ali didn't covet the power and money of the trading company, but after years of navigating the business world, he had long since learned to distinguish between what was important and what was not. Everything he possessed was Skylar, and he would never go against Skylar's wishes on such matters.

Elaine took over the trading company with astonishing speed.

Her past experience overseeing smuggling operations in Cairo Black Market gave her an intimate understanding of every link in the gray trade chain: how to distinguish between suppliers' lies, how to drive prices down to the bone, how to navigate between the various Ministry of Magic... These skills were almost ingrained in her. Now, coupled with her Eye of Discernment that could see through all disguises and her Hundredfold Clever Tongue that could instantly discern the age and quality of herbs, she handled her business with remarkable ease.

Everything is proceeding smoothly and in an orderly manner.

Over the years, Ali has also accumulated a lot of connections in the international business circle. Most suppliers and buyers are not a problem. Even rare herbs and plants can be found in the Magic Garden on Avalon Island, and they are the highest quality wild species.

Each of these wild species retains the most original and purest magical concentration, far surpassing any artificially cultivated or smuggled goods on the market. Elaine can simply use Apparition or Kreacher's teleportation to bring in fresh supplies directly from the island every week, often making both new and old customers willing to pay more than three times the price.

In just a few weeks, the trading company transformed itself from a "niche fungus supplier" into a "global giant in the trade of rare and exotic herbs." Orders Accio, and profits rose almost linearly. Even Ali himself couldn't help but exclaim, "Ms. Elaine... if you had taken over earlier, I estimate I could have earned three times more in the past few years."

Elaine merely smiled faintly, her azure, Eye of Discernment sweeping over the ledger without any emotional fluctuation. "Making money is secondary. What Skylar wants is distribution channels and control."

She closed the ledger, her voice low but firm. "From now on, I will make the Rare Treasures and Exotic Herbs Trade the world's premier exchange for magical plants, and control the global market for such plants."

[The main character's asset Cultivated Fungus Trade, has been upgraded to Rare Treasures and Exotic Herbs Trade!]

Meanwhile, progress in Egypt is going even more smoothly than expected.

After the Twelve Tomb Keeper Families officially returned to power with Skylar's support, they quickly completed the reconstruction of power and order. As the situation stabilized, this once-forgotten force returned to everyone's sight, becoming an undeniable force in Egypt.

As part of the alliance, the Tomb Keeper Family soon sent someone to personally deliver half of the spoils obtained from the raid to Skylar.

As the sealed boxes were opened one by one, even Skylar remained silent for a moment, a rare occurrence.

The box contained dozens of Fantastic Beasts eggs of varying sizes, their magical energy layered upon each other, almost making the air thick and viscous. Dragon Egg were the most numerous, of diverse types, clearly from different lineages and origins; but mixed among these Dragon Eggs were several creatures that should almost never have been there—

A Thunderbird egg, its shell crackling with tiny arcs of electricity; a Phoenix egg, its crimson-gold shell radiating a subtle warmth even when still; and a Runespoor eggs, its surface naturally adorned with ancient and dangerous Ancient Runes, seemingly breathing on its own.

It's important to understand that if any one of these items were to enter the black market, it would trigger a diplomatic crisis on an intercontinental level.

Phoenix are extremely rare species, traditionally dwelling only in secluded deep mountains and often responding only to the call of specific bloodlines; Thunderbird are considered strategic magical creatures by the Magical Congress of the United States and are strictly guarded in protected areas in Arizona; as for Runespoor, they have long been kept by the Ministry of Magic in Burkina Faso in an unmarkable protected area, under extremely strict supervision, Runespoor material in the world comes from here.

Since completing her research on the Werewolf Inferius Giant Inferius, Sarf had found herself in a rare period of leisure. Skylar decided to entrust her with the three most troublesome and precious eggs, giving her full responsibility for incubating and observing them.

If all goes well, once these magical creatures successfully hatch, Skylar plans to borrow experienced professionals from the Greengrass Family to establish a rare Fantastic Beasts breeding farm on Avalon Island, independent of the regulatory systems of various countries.

Once Rolf Scamander, who is under the control of his Imperius Curse, graduates next year, he can be arranged to take over the care of magical creatures. As Newt Scamander's grandson, he should be quite capable in caring for Fantastic Beasts.

(Note: In the original story, Rolf inherited his grandfather's reputation and career after growing up and became a famous Care of Magical Creatures.)

As for the remaining Dragon Egg, since Skylar has already invested in two Fire Dragon farms, there's no need to keep them. He plans to hand them over to the Black Rose Society and sell them all on the black market for cash.

Meanwhile, good news also came from Elusi's side.

The Egypt branch of Shield Security Consulting Company has been successfully established and is now operational.

With the introduction and guarantee of the Tomb Keeper Family and the International Alchemy Research Center, the company not only successfully won several security and defense system orders from the Egyptian Ministry of Magic, but also established a deep cooperation with the Goblin group stationed in the area by Gringotts, officially entering the high-return business of "exploring ruins" and "digging for treasures" that had long been monopolized.

Egypt is dotted with ancient ruins that have not yet been fully explored. The pyramids, lost temples, and underground royal tombs contain a wealth of treasures and knowledge left behind by the ancient wizarding civilization. These places are priceless, but equally dangerous, riddled with curses, traps, and remnants of magic, requiring a continuous investment of professional Curse-Breaker to decipher and excavate them.

The Sleeping Dragon Society does not have professional Curse-Breaker. They are responsible for funding, alchemical equipment, and logistical support, while the actual development of the ruins and risk-bearing are handled by Goblin and local professional teams. Ultimately, all unearthed knowledge, artifacts, and magical heritage are distributed according to the magical contracts signed beforehand.

With this, Skylar had made a crucial move on the Egypt chessboard. Using S. H. I. E. L. D. as the visible fulcrum, and with multiple collaborations with the Tomb Keeper Family, Goblin, and even the Ministry of Magic as its framework, a network integrating intelligence, security, resource acquisition, and magical research had been quietly woven.

Like an undercurrent beneath the Nile River, it appears calm on the surface, yet it has deeply embedded itself in the power structure and economic lifeline of this ancient land, completing the crucial first stage of establishing itself.

[Obtained the "Phoenix Egg"!]

[Thunderbird Egg Acquired!]

Obtained "Runespoor eggs"!

["Egyptian Branch of Shield Security Consulting Company" Established!]