Chapter 304: Alastor Moody
"My Lord, the potion factory is operational, but the name of the potion has never been decided. We are currently in the trial phase, and quite a few people are already interested in purchasing our potions," Borgin said. "Do you think we should establish a formal brand? The name, of course, must be decided by you."
Dylan considered it, then nodded. "It will be called X·Y. The first series can be named 'Gilded Dreams.'"
Borgin immediately smiled. "My goodness, the name you've chosen is absolutely magnificent! So pleasant to the ear, I'm certain it will be a huge seller once we officially launch!"
Dylan spoke again. "That Lupin, since he was a Hogwarts professor and has skills, what is his current salary?"
"Reporting to My Lord, 50 Galleons a month," Borgin replied instantly.
"That's not particularly high." Dylan pondered for a moment. Given his current monthly earnings, that amount was negligible.
"Then raise it to 100 Galleons a month for him. Have him take on more responsibilities."
If the man was too short on money, he might not even be able to afford the Wolfsbane Potion. Yes, even though he was no longer at school, he could still purchase Wolfsbane Potion from Professor Snape. And, in a sense, Dylan was still the one making the potion.
Thinking of this, Dylan curled his lip. "I have another potion formula here. You can take it and have the researchers look into it."
Borgin's eyes lit up again at the news. Every potion formula was a golden-egg-laying hen! It was precisely because he saw the bright future of following Karsus that he so wholeheartedly became his financial advisor. He was willing to do anything, to the point that he wasn't even managing his shop properly anymore, working on and off. This left many Dark Wizards who came to buy things complaining bitterly. But it didn't matter—anyone who dared to make trouble would just become a black worker at the factory.
"As you command."
Dylan then added, "Furthermore, raise the salaries of the skilled workers by 30%, and the ordinary workers by 15%."
"Also, change the working hours. Six days a week, with Sunday as a full day off for everyone. Each person also gets one day of paid leave per month, and the leave can accumulate."
As Dylan's words fell, a system notification suddenly popped up.
[Achievement]: Conscientious Entrepreneur
[Description]: A Dark Lord with such a conscience? Unbelievable!
[Requirement]: Show concern for your employees, improve their benefits, and earn their gratitude.
[Achievement Reward]: Increase enterprise profit speed by +20%!
"Uh." Dylan blinked.
He then urged Borgin to start making preparations for temporarily relocating the factory abroad and carefully explained a series of precautions. After all, the Ministry of Magic was constantly hunting for him, although it was virtually impossible for them to find his actual location. But Borgin and Delphini were not exactly innocent either; they were generally under the Ministry's surveillance. If they conducted their business aggressively on native soil, they would only be affected by the Ministry. It was even possible that someone might try to demand a share of the profits.
Having finished these instructions, Dylan left the factory. He had no intention of letting the wizarding world know that he was the true owner of X·Y Potions.
Upon returning home, Dylan immediately entered his pocket dimension. With a flash, he arrived in front of the small wooden cabin. Close behind, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helena appeared beside him. Yes, Dylan had successfully brought Helena back. She gave Dylan a look of quiet resentment.
Ravenclaw smiled. "Dylan, I didn't expect you to bring my daughter here."
Helena stiffened her neck, turned her head away, and lowered her gaze shyly. She had already cried heavily last night. She had been on the verge of dissipating when Dylan brought her directly here. Before she could even grasp the situation, Dylan had left. Then, her mother suddenly appeared before her, which truly startled her. Naturally, a tearful reunion between mother and daughter followed—though neither could actually shed tears.
"No big deal. I just thought that instead of letting her dissipate on her own, she might want to stay if she got to see you," Dylan said with a smile, then looked at Helena. "Well, do you still want to dissipate now?"
Helena instantly gave Dylan a playful glare. "No, why would I leave? I'm staying here!"
Dylan shrugged. "That's your choice, but since you're in, you can't leave anyway. Unless absolutely necessary, I won't let you out of this world."
Helena shook her head. "It doesn't matter where I stay."
Dylan nodded. "That's good."
Ravenclaw's face was continuously beaming. Then, she said to Dylan, "The two vampires you captured have been disciplined."
Dylan raised an eyebrow at the mention of the vampires. He had caught them in the Forbidden Forest earlier; they had somehow wandered in. Since he was very interested in these pseudo-immortal creatures, he had simply captured them.
"Where are they?"
"Near the Basilisk."
Dylan nodded, then waved his hand at them. "I won't interrupt your reunion." Ravenclaw nodded gently, then vanished with Helena.
Dylan walked straight toward the Basilisk's habitat. It was a small valley, or rather, an indentation scraped out by the Basilisk itself. The Basilisk was absent now. Dylan found the two vampires in a shaded spot. The two creatures were huddled motionless.
Dylan raised an eyebrow. "You seem very obedient."
Hearing the movement, the two vampires looked up. Seeing Dylan, their eyes lit up. It's the Master!
They instantly slid forward on their knees. "Master, we know your greatness!"
"Yes, Master, you are so powerful and wise! We wish to be your most loyal servants!"
"We were blind not to see that you are the true deity!"
"We dared to be disrespectful to you! We deserve to die! But Master, we are willing to dedicate everything we have!"
"That's right! If you need us, we will sacrifice everything for you! We will gladly face death!"
Watching the two vampires scramble to show their devotion, Dylan smiled. He liked creatures that were obedient.
Dylan handed two blood-flavored lollipops coated in dark red frosting to Cullen and Renold. Smelling the fresh blood, they eagerly took the candy. This was the blood Dylan had collected from randomly popping some small creatures like cockroaches and mice. Just as he could directly provide life force to Voldemort, he could also extract blood.
Cullen and Renold continued to flatter him effusively. "Master, you are truly benevolent and mighty. It is our honor to serve you!"
"Having a Master like you is a blessing to the vampire race!"
A trace of pleasure welled up in Dylan's heart. These vampires were truly sweet-talkers, much more pleasant to listen to than that dullard Voldemort, who couldn't squeeze out a word to save his life.
"Your vampire bodies seem to have less blood than other creatures. How do you normally increase the blood volume in your bodies?" Dylan conjured a lounge chair, leaned back, and gently tapped his fingers on the armrest, asking leisurely.
He had his own plan. To develop a longevity potion that extended life, vampire blood was clearly a key ingredient. He had to find a way to sustainably obtain this material to support his continuous experiments.
"Master, it's very difficult for us to increase our blood volume now," Cullen spoke first, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "For us vampires to increase our strength and blood volume, we must rely on consuming the blood of other magical creatures or human wizards..."
As he spoke, the eyes of both Cullen and Renold were fixed on Dylan's wrist, filled with longing. Their silent plea was obvious: they hoped the Master would grant them a little of his blood.
Dylan remained silent for a moment. Asking him to bleed for them was absolutely impossible. As for magical creatures, he barely had any in his world, and ordinary creatures had no effect on them. Besides, he needed most of the magical creature blood for his own experiments.
However, he then had a thought. The production of many advanced potions in his factory required Dragon Blood. Borgin had already established that supply chain. Therefore, there might be quite a few scraps left over each time the Dragon Blood raw materials were processed. Even just these remnants, given the scale of the X·Y Potions production, would be enough for Cullen and Renold.
"Don't worry, I will arrange for you to receive the blood of magical creatures," Dylan said slowly.
"Thank you, Master!"
"We are grateful for the Master's kindness!"
Cullen and Renold immediately bowed, their voices full of gratitude. They then actually knelt down and lowered their heads to kiss the hem of Dylan's robe. Dylan's mouth twitched as he watched their actions. These two are certainly clever.
Dylan collected a bit of blood from the two of them—under their mournful expressions. Then, he dismissed them and left the dimension. Today, he had a guest to receive.
As twilight descended, Dylan was sitting at the oak table in his study, organizing his herbology notes. In the courtyard outside the window, the evening breeze made the white rose petals rustle and fall, landing on the flagstone path like a dusting of broken snow.
Suddenly, there were three gentle knocks outside the courtyard gate, the rhythm steady and unhurried, distinctly different from the rushed knocking of ordinary visitors.
Dylan put down his quill, stood up, and headed to the front hall. He pulled open the heavy, carved wooden door.
The person standing outside was Albus Dumbledore. His dark grey wizard robes shone softly in the twilight, and his silver hair and beard were meticulously groomed. He wore his trademark half-moon spectacles, and his blue eyes behind the lenses were like sapphires soaking in warm water, conveying a gentle smile. Dumbledore held a wand with a phoenix feather embedded in the tip and carried a bulging brown paper bag in the other hand, with the wrappers of a few lemon drops visible at the opening.
"Good evening, Dylan," Dumbledore said. "I hope I haven't interrupted your dinner time."
"Professor Dumbledore, please come in." Dylan stepped aside. He watched Dumbledore step over the threshold, his wide robe sweeping past the door, bringing with it a faint scent of lemon mixed with sandalwood.
Dumbledore did not rush to sit down. He stood in the center of the hall, his gaze slowly scanning the interior of the manor. The ceiling of the hall was high, with a crystal chandelier hanging from it. The light filtered through the exquisitely cut crystals, casting scattered specks of light on the marble floor. The walls were adorned with several landscape paintings depicting the manor's four seasons. The brushstrokes were delicate, the colors vibrant, as if one could smell the fragrance of spring flowers and the crispness of winter snow within the paintings. The staircase railing was carved from walnut, twined with patterns of vines and flying birds, every detail reflecting the refinement of accumulated history.
"I must say, your manor reminds me of certain corners of Hogwarts—but with a unique warmth added," Dumbledore's gaze fell on a bronze ornament in the corner of the hall, a dove holding an olive branch. "The craftsmanship of this piece is exquisite. Is it a family heirloom?"
"It was bought by my father and given to my mother," Dylan replied, leading Dumbledore toward the living room. "Professor, please have a seat. I'll make a pot of tea."
"No need to trouble yourself," Dumbledore waved his hand, his gaze turning toward the courtyard outside the window. In the twilight, the fountain in the courtyard continued to burble, with a few water lily pads floating on the surface of the pool. The shrubs on the bank were neatly trimmed. The distant greenhouse emitted a warm yellow light, with the faint outlines of rare herbs growing inside.
He couldn't help but chuckle softly. "The gardening is also very dedicated, especially that patch of white roses. I recall that this variety is very difficult to maintain, yet it's blooming so profusely here. It's clear that a lot of effort has been put in."
"My mother likes them, so my father hired quite a few people to look after them."
Old Dumbledore blinked. "It seems you live in a very loving family."
Dylan's mouth twitched slightly. "Indeed."
Dumbledore walked to the window and gently pushed one pane open. The evening breeze blew into the living room, carrying the scent of roses and the dampness of the earth. He turned back to Dylan, his eyes full of approval. "To manage a manor so meticulously, preserving its historical weight yet maintaining the warmth of life, is a remarkable feat in itself. Your parents are very capable."
If having a group of housekeepers do the work while you're out every day counts as capable...
"That is certainly the case." The light from the crystal chandelier fell upon Dumbledore's silver hair and also on Dylan's smiling face. The atmosphere in the living room grew warmer.
"Since that's the case... you seem to be home alone." Dumbledore's white beard swayed gently with his movement, and he transitioned to the main purpose of his visit. "Do you have any other plans right now? I'd like to take you to meet someone."
"Nothing important," Dylan looked up at Dumbledore, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Who are we going to see?"
"Alastor Moody, the former Auror, and a long-time friend of mine."
.......
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