"Why is there so little of it?"
When Kael found Minister Bones with the finished item in hand, these were the words of questioning he was greeted with.
"Minister Bones, there are so many people in the Ministry of Magic, surely you can't expect me to make all their identity badges?"
"Didn't I already send Cedric to help you?" Bones looked up from a mountain of documents, adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose, "If that's not enough, I can get you another helper. How about one of the Weasley kids? I remember they are also part of your little team... um, collaboration partners."
"Your memory is excellent, but that's beyond the scope of our transaction." Kael shook his head, insisting, "My job is merely to handle the communication devices used by the Aurors, or rather, the magical signal inside the identity badges."
"As for the rest... Strictly speaking, those are duties that belong to the Ministry of Magic, not something I should be doing, nor can I do. After all, I'm technically no longer part of the Ministry of Magic. If there are some mistakes with the badges in the future, it'd be troublesome to fix, and surely you can't call me back multiple times."
In fact, what Kael previously spent over three hours making could only be considered a semi-finished product. If the Ministry of Magic really wanted to use it as an identity badge, there would need to be a series of arrangements on it, including Name Magic, to verify identity.
Although this work isn't difficult, it's very tedious and requires being very familiar with all the people in the Ministry of Magic.
Kael didn't know how many people there were here, but surely not less than a few hundred. He didn't want to take on such a troublesome task.
Lately, Ron hadn't stopped complaining at home about how hard his work was. Just listening to him exhausted Kael... that's something best left just to listen to, no need to experience it firsthand.
"In that case... well then, I'll find someone else for this matter."
Bones thought for a moment, seemingly recognizing the point, and with Kael's insistence, she didn't press further.
"So, our collaboration this time?"
"Consider it initially reached," Bones said with a smile, putting her documents aside and pulling out a box, opening its latch.
Inside was filled with shiny Galleons.
"You came for this, right?" Bones pushed the box towards Kael, "Eighteen hundred Galleons, it's yours."
Kael liked Bones' decisive character, especially when it came to giving money.
Another hefty sum of Galleons in the account, time to nicely decorate Norbert's nest... Kael cheerfully stowed away the box.
"Not going to count it?"
"No need," Kael waved his hand, "I trust Minister Bones wouldn't make a mistake over such a small matter."
Though those were his words, Kael just found counting money a hassle in reality.
Besides, he didn't need to personally handle this task.
In a spot unseen by Bones, a furry little creature was maneuvering its body, squeezing through the gap next to the latch into the box.
That gap wouldn't even fit a piece of paper, but the Niffler got in. It lay like a flatfish on top of the Galleons, its little short arms moving quickly, scooping the coins into its pocket.
Moments later, there was only a flat Niffler left in the once-heavy box,
After scooping all the coins, it puffed up as if someone blew air into it, re-inflating to a round shape, then contentedly lay in the corner, patting its belly with a satisfied look.
Suddenly, a beam of light appeared at the top of the box, followed by a big hand reaching in, grabbing the Niffler.
"Fast, aren't you?"
Kael had already left the minister's office, standing alone in the lift.
He held the Niffler in front of him, watching its little legs flail, and asked, "How many in total?"
The Niffler squeaked twice.
"The count seems right." Kael nodded, then casually tossed the Niffler up, opening his box as it fell.
The little creature dropped straight in.
Kael snapped shut the box, quickly spinning the latch twice.
Anti-Niffler device, these little things can squeeze through any gap, no matter how narrow, even the perfectly sealed vaults of a Muggle bank couldn't stop it.
To stop it, you must use specific magic.
The Gringotts Vault and Newt's box both have this feature.
Gringotts uses it for theft prevention, while Newt uses it to save trouble.
Catching a Niffler a dozen times a day is exhausting; even at Newt's young age, let alone at a hundred.
Kael didn't return directly to the main hall but instead visited the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures first.
"The Kelpie materials you wanted are on the third shelf to the left."
"The report sent by Dean is on the table."
"Cedric? Cedric hasn't been in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures these past two days."
"How should I know where he's gone? Can't you ask him yourself?"
"Don't move, that's not where the reports are kept..."
When Kael got there, a group of people were busily at work inside, going in and out, looking very busy.
Ron was among them, and it was clear he was gradually getting accustomed to the work here, doing quite well.
Kael stood at the doorway for five minutes, and no one noticed him.
Until Fred and George returned from outside.
"Kael, you dare come to find us!" The two men approached fiercely, lifting their arms as if to wrap them around Kael's shoulders from both sides.