"You flatter me," Alan said, shaking his head politely. "That was all handled by Professor Flitwick and Professor Bones. It's still up in the air, and it's best not to be overly optimistic about things that are still uncertain."
"You are too modest," Amelia interjected with a smile. "I often hear my brother talk about you. He believes that even within the Alchemy Research Center in Egypt, you are the most talented alchemist of the past decade. He often mentions in his letters from Cairo that your Echo Charm and Tracing Charm are highly sought after in scholarly circles. The only reason you didn't win the last International Alchemy Conference was due to your young age."
"Is that so? Professor Bones rarely mentioned that to me. He's been busy with the rune restoration work on ancient ruins lately, and we haven't been in touch for a while."
Since Professor Bones resigned from Hogwarts, he had been living in Egypt, the global center of alchemy. They used to be in frequent contact for academic exchanges. Through his connections, Alan had met many Alchemy Masters from Cairo, and their help had been indispensable to his rapid progress.
The International Alchemy Conference is held every three years; the last one was two years ago. Alan hadn't won then, and the rumor was that it was because he had co-published with Professor Bones. He hadn't expected there to be other reasons.
"Our British wizarding world is half an alchemy desert. It's been a long time since we've cultivated a true master. The last time we won an award at the conference was Bones himself, but unfortunately, he ultimately chose the path of charm optimization and repair," Minister Bagnold said, shaking her head with regret.
"It's a pity that our world has the most renowned master, Dumbledore, but no other presentable talents. So, Alan, you need to work harder. If you can shine on the international stage, it will be an honor for all of Britain." Minister Bagnold considered for a moment before adding, "If you can win an honor at the next conference, I can personally nominate you to the Wizengamot for a Order of Merlin, Third Class."
Alan pursed his lips. *Is there a need to put so much pressure on me?* He hadn't cared about the awards before; his interest was purely academic. Now it was being treated like a political mission.
"I will do my best, Minister," Alan replied politely. The Ministry was his client, after all.
Once they entered the Minister's office, the casual conversation ended. Minister Bagnold asked Alan to wait for a moment while she signed a document and sent it to the fifth floor, requesting the paperwork for the new company. Then she pulled the department heads and Moody aside into a small conference room to determine the order quantity.
"Our budget is limited. Magic-Suppressing Handcuffs and Tracking Glasses must be supplied sufficiently. We came here specifically for these items; don't forget the recent operation…" Amelia emphasized at the start of the discussion.
"Indeed, although this matter isn't a huge problem yet, the damage caused is considerable. Perhaps we should push for a joint operation involving multiple Ministries," Bianca, the head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, seemed even more eager than Amelia.
"Oh, please, don't drag other countries into this, or else it will be nothing but bickering. They haven't even cleaned up their own messes yet," Moody scoffed.
"Alright, the current situation is still under control, so this is our own business. What we need to discuss now is the procurement," Minister Bagnold quickly reprimanded them when the topic veered off track.
"Yes, Minister," the group responded, snapping back to attention.
"The two items that need to be purchased in advance are indeed urgent, especially the Tracking Glasses. This won't cost too much of the budget since Alan gave us such a discount. The problem is, what about the other equipment? They are also very valuable," Fudge spoke up.
"What do you mean by that? Are you eyeing those Shielding Jammers? If you ask me, those are useless. It would be better to order more Anti-Apparition Jammers than to buy that kind of fluff," Moody barked, snapping as if he had eaten gunpowder.
"You!" Fudge, usually good-natured, turned red with anger at the sarcasm.
"Alright, Moody," Amelia glared at him. "The Ministry requires cooperation between departments; it's not all up to Law Enforcement. Besides, the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes has its own difficulties. Allocating budget for a few Shielding Jammers is not unreasonable."
*A few? Are you kidding me?* Fudge thought, rolling his eyes. *You two scoundrels from Law Enforcement are playing good cop, bad cop and ignoring our needs entirely. Just wait until I catch an opportunity.*
"I'm well aware of the value of this equipment. Stop arguing; every department will receive an allocation," Minister Bagnold mediated, then looked at Fudge. "Of course, the needs of frontline combat are the priority right now, so resources must go toward the Aurors and Hit Wizards first. You must be understanding."
"Yes, Minister," Fudge replied reluctantly.
"If we prioritize the frontline, shouldn't we also purchase more amulets and protective gloves? They directly influence the outcome of a battle. Oh, and the Tactical Vests!" Bianca added.
"No, the prices of the vests and boots are too high for large-scale outfitting. Let's prioritize amulets and gloves instead," Amelia suggested.