"It's nothing major, just some small alchemy gadgets I've been working on recently that need the Ministry of Magic's help. Of course, this will also be very beneficial to the Ministry of Magic," Alan said, then took a few identical documents from the nearby coffee table and handed them to the others, including Dumbledore, who was listening in.
"Full-Coverage Magic Real-Time Communication System?" Fudge looked at the title on the document, a puzzled expression on his face. He knew absolutely nothing about alchemy. He recognized every word in the name, but put together, he couldn't understand it at all.
"That's right, this is a set of alchemy systems I've recently organized. It has undergone preliminary trials, and the results are very good," Alan replied with a smile.
"Uh… Mr. Wilson, could you please explain it to us? The content of this document is really… a bit obscure and difficult to understand," Fudge complained helplessly after flipping through a few more pages.
"Indeed," Bagnold chimed in at this point, "don't make it difficult for us alchemy illiterates. Can you say something we can understand?"
"My apologies, I was being presumptuous," Alan nodded apologetically, then explained, "The so-called Full-Coverage Magic Real-Time Communication System is a real-time communication network that can cover a large area. It includes three important components: the Alchemy Relay Base Station, the Rapid Response Alarm Module, and the Communication Terminal."
After saying this, Alan looked at the two people in front of him, but Fudge and Bagnold at this moment had expressions as if they had heard something, but also as if they hadn't understood anything at all. Seeing this, Alan knew he had to explain it more simply. "I'll give a simple example. You should all know about the Communication Amulet sold by the Silver Lightning Trading Company, right?"
The two in front of him immediately nodded. Of course, they knew about the Communication Amulet. With this convenient equipment, the Ministry of Magic had saved a lot of trouble. At this moment, Fudge was carrying several Communication Amulets to contact various departments.
"Although the current Communication Amulet is still functional, its limitations and drawbacks are still very obvious," Alan said, taking out an amulet from his body and explaining, "Even a multi-to-multi Communication Amulet can only communicate with about a dozen other amulets at most, and someone has to constantly carry the main amulet. If that main amulet has a problem, it can even cause the entire communication network to collapse. And my Real-Time Communication System is actually about establishing a large main amulet, connecting all other amulets in series, and then providing the other sub-amulets with a number. As long as the person holding the Communication Amulet knows the other party's number, they can communicate in real time, so there's no need to bother carrying several amulets on them."
Speaking of this, Alan looked at Dumbledore next to him. "Headmaster, you should know what this means, right?"
Dumbledore, also an Alchemy Master, naturally understood Alan's document and his meaning. "If it's truly as you say, it means that within the radiation range of the large main amulet, anyone with a Communication Amulet can communicate conveniently. But achieving this would probably not be a small undertaking. Is what you call the Alchemy Relay Base Station referring to…"
"Precisely," Alan nodded with a smile. "The so-called Alchemy Relay Base Station is actually similar to the Alchemy Room in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes that can monitor magic fluctuations in real time, except its purpose is to establish a communication network and connect all Communication Terminals. And the so-called Communication Terminal is a new type of Communication Amulet, only its functions are more powerful than before." Alan said, then took out several items and handed them to the others. The styles of these alchemy items varied; some were bracelets, some were rings, pendants, and there was even one shaped like a modern tablet phone.
"You can inject some magic into these terminals to see the effect," Alan raised his hand, making a gesture of invitation.
Fudge and the others exchanged curious glances, then began to operate them. After injecting magic, the surface of these alchemy items quickly lit up with a magical pattern, and then a translucent light screen suddenly popped up, with buttons for Contacts, Call History, Messages, and Settings. Clicking on them would display a new interface.
Bagnold, seeing this, clicked on the Contacts interface with interest, and then saw about ten numbers stored there: 1, 2, 3, 4… She tentatively clicked on number 1 at the top, and the terminal in Fudge's hand next to her suddenly vibrated, emitting a cheerful tune. Fudge, seeing this, also clicked the receive button on the interface, and then saw Bagnold's surprised face in the translucent light screen. The two then began to communicate happily through the interface.
"Whew… what a magical item! If we can contact others who have terminals through this item, wouldn't it be even more convenient than a Two-Way Mirror?" After a brief experience, Fudge couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"Indeed, this Communication Terminal does incorporate some of the magical principles of the Two-Way Mirror," Alan nodded with a smile. "These terminals are currently just samples, and their functions are relatively simple. Their performance will be even stronger after continuous updates. And…" Alan paused here, "once this system is built, in addition to real-time communication, it can also relay other signals, such as broadcasts, and even images!"
"Images? Do you mean images like magical photographs?" Fudge thought this powerful communication function was already strong enough, but he didn't expect more surprises.
"It's not that simple," Alan shook his head with a smile. "It's a magical image that can be continuously broadcast for a long time, similar to how you just saw each other's appearance on the interface, but it also needs to be used with another alchemy device called a Magical Projector. This is still in the testing phase, so please allow me to keep you in suspense." Alan added, "I've already communicated with the Wizarding Wireless Network. Once this equipment is mass-produced, they will record video programs and open video channels, entering thousands of households just like the Wizarding Wireless Network."
"This magical image you're talking about… why does it sound so much like Muggle world television?" Bagnold, after hearing Alan's explanation, didn't show a happy expression. Instead, she frowned tightly. "Alan, you should know about the magical broadcasting venture that briefly appeared, right? They wanted to create a television channel for wizards, but it ultimately failed halfway."
"I know," Alan nodded. "At the same time, I also know that the reason they failed halfway was because they violated the Statute of Secrecy. When Muggles accidentally heard wizarding radio, they could easily think they misheard. But when they accidentally saw a wizarding television program, it wouldn't be so easy for them to believe, right?"
"Precisely. Your invention, which imitates Muggle electronics, not to mention whether it involves the illegal use of Muggle artifacts, simply violating the Statute of Secrecy alone could severely impact your career," Bagnold, as someone who had always thought highly of Alan, didn't want him to go down a path of illegal activity.
"You're overthinking it," Alan smiled kindly. "I know what you're worried about, but that's precisely my original intention for establishing the Magic Communication System. The reason wizarding television channels would violate the Statute of Secrecy is because their signals would have to be set up on the Muggle world's network. And this magic system I've established is a special signal network independent of the Muggle world. Compared to Muggle wireless radio, it's more similar to the Floo Network, so they couldn't possibly see all of this on television. And after subsequent upgrades, it can even present three-dimensional images. Do you expect those Muggles to see three-dimensional images on television?"
"This…" Bagnold was stunned by the words. She didn't understand anything about systems or networks. Left with no choice, she could only turn to Dumbledore beside her. "Albus, you are the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. Do you think this would violate the Statute of Secrecy?"
"If all of this is as Alan says, it truly would not violate the Statute of Secrecy," Dumbledore perused the document in his hand with interest. The intricacies within were far more complex than what Alan had explained. Dumbledore had already realized that Alan's inventions not only didn't violate the Statute of Secrecy but were, in fact, preparing to use the cover of the Statute of Secrecy to build his own mobile network!
After all, once the International Confederation of Wizards allowed the connection of Muggle electronics like telephones and televisions in the wizarding world, Alan's current inventions would lose their competitiveness. Those Muggle devices are so much cheaper, and they don't even require wizarding currency to buy. What Alan was doing now was essentially taking advantage of the Statute of Secrecy, monopolizing the communication market in advance to avoid future changes in international law! If he truly succeeded, Alan would probably be the person in the entire wizarding world who most upheld the Statute of Secrecy, just like during Prohibition in the early twentieth century, where the biggest supporters of Prohibition were actually the bootleggers who got rich by selling illegal alcohol.
However, Dumbledore, upon discovering this, did not expose him. After all, in the current environment, he truly wasn't breaking any laws, was he?
Upon receiving the authoritative affirmative reply, Bagnold and Fudge finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At this point, Alan, to solidify their confidence, immediately added, "To establish such a communication network, I hope to be able to open an independent Alchemy Room in the Ministry of Magic, where I can build the Alchemy Relay Base Station. Of course, since maintaining the base station uses the Ministry of Magic's magic as energy, none of this will be without compensation."
"Oh?!" Upon hearing about money, Fudge's eyes immediately lit up.