516 Beginning the process

(Normal POV)

Fudge stared at the bottle Nick had placed on the desk in shock "Is that what i think it is?" he asked with a greedy expression. "Felix Felicis or liquid luck if you'd prefer. Brewed by Severus Snape and given to me in exchange for a considerable sum of potion recipes that no other than I and now he know. I will give this to you in exchange for Hermiones crime being nullified and all records of it being expunged." Nick said calmly. Salazar Slytherin never did anything by halves and so developed a great many potions with wonderous or even terrible effects.-

For example he created a potion that caused fruit trees to produce magical fruit that had random effects based on the tree itself. His proudest accomplishment with this potion was an apple tree that produced apples that had the taste and effects of fine red wine. A tree that he eagerly shared the bounty of to show off whenever he could before a freak bolt of lighting destroyed the tree. Anyways the point is the man had a lot of potion recipes that Nick could trade to a potioneering zealot like Snape.-

In truth Nick got the liquid luck for a steal if one considered the difference in value that the fifty potion recipes he gave Snape had compared to it. Then again he could understand how Snape might consider the value the same after remembering the rarity of the knowledge itself. Fudge seemed hesitant despite the very valuable offer as waving away a crime like that was something with a bit of risk to his reputation. Nick didn't press the matter however and stood there silently with Dumbledore who also chose to ignore the fact Nick was openly if a bit aggressively bribing the minister.-

If it was something politics or money alone could get the potion wouldn't be so tempting but the thing about liquid luck was that nearly every part of it's creation had luck involved. The ingredients were a matter of luck , the conditions were so strict that one needed luck to fulfill them and even if they were met if one was unlucky the potion would fail anyways for seemingly no reason. This meant that not only was it very expensive to even attempt making but required such a high amount of skill that the potioneers who did very rarely sold it afterwards or attempted it a second time after succeeding.-

"Hmm I suppose I should be able to pardon Miss Granger due to her clear love of her parents though the parents in question need to be obliviated of the whole matter of course." Fudge said with a smile as he slowly pocketed the bottle of golden potion. "Then we have no more reason to take up your time isn't that right professor Dumbledore?" Nick asked and Dumbledore smiled and nodded "Indeed , please do have a good afternoon Cornelius." he said before leading the way out of the ministers office.-

"I must admit that it is at least a small amount refreshing to see Cornelius so compliant for once. Normally it's much more back and forth before we both get something we want." Dumbledore said once they got back to Hogwarts. "Its all about presentation , first I acted as though I was threatening him to get him in a fearful state of mind then hit him with a high value offer to take advantage of his innate greed to get him to act simply and straightforward." Nick said with a grin. "He certainly seemed to dance upon your palm if nothing else." Dumbledore said with a nod.-

Nick left Hogwarts after reassuring his friends that Hermione will be fine and went to the island where he set up several protective barriers around himself in a room before entering the realm , it was time. "@*&$*$%@*" he started to speak but it was not words that came out of his mouth but strange sounds that defied comprehension. With the sound of his voice wisps of energy wafted out of his soul and body before dissipating into the atmosphere of the realm. This was the first step of binding a realm , essence dispersal.-

Binding a realm was a bit like poisoning a body one cell at a time as you first needed to convert a small area of the realm with your essence before slowly expanding that area like a corrupting influence. Once the entire realm is corrupted with your essence the next step came , true conversion. The second step was all about turning the corrupted parts of the realm into genuine parts and extensions of ones own being which was obviously not a fast or easy process. Realms innately resist this process as well much like how a body will try and fight off a disease or poison.