A meeting at the top
// THIS IS AN OLD CHAPTER. THE NEW CHAPTERS ARE IN VOLUME 2. YOU CAN READ THESE CHAPTERS IF YOU WANT SOME INSIGHT ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN LATER BUT SOME EVENTS CAN BE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW CHAPTERS.
The climb to the top floor seems to take forever and being crushed against the walls by the crowd that has packed into such a small cabin doesn't make it any more pleasant. My father tries to make a barrier between me and the crowd so that I don't find myself completely flattened like a pancake, but he is only one man.
But luckily when we get to the top floor all that's left in the elevator is us, everyone else has gone down long before.
The long corridor we have just arrived in reminds me more of a large hotel lobby than the top floor of a building. The walls are covered in marble, long red carpets run down the middle of the hallway, gold and opulence are visible everywhere to remind us who really holds power in the world.
As the secretary told us, we had no trouble finding the door to the MACUSA president's office. A huge door with a Greco-Roman style archway to decorate it, I believe I've never seen anything that screams 'final boss of the game' that much.
My father is about to knock on the door when it opens by itself.
"I think that means come in." he whispered to me.
We walk into the room that looks like the libraries of an old house, a very large square room with two library floors separated by a balcony in black wood, ebony I would say at first sight, but I am far from being a woodwork expert. The room is richly decorated with couches and sofas around the fireplace. There is also a large world map like you see in the movies, I bet it can open and is filled with alcohol, each one more expensive than the other. And right next to this world map is a large, rather old-fashioned office right in front of a window with a stunning view over the city. Sitting at this desk awaits a man in suit, my hairs stand on end just from being next to him. Since I absorbed the wampus cat my instinct has become sharper and everything about this man screams death.
"Hello, welcome to our offices. I hope you were received well."
"Perfectly, sir. We were very happy and also very surprised to receive your order."
"My order? ... Oh yes, my order! I completely forgot about it, let's see what you made up for me."
I take out a small box that I used to protect the device during its transport, just with the materials that make it up we could buy a building in the city center.
"The shell is made of titanium and painted black with premium pigments; it is decorated with a MACUSA logo in solid 24 carat gold. The crystal that serves as the screen is a diamond plate created by binding and cutting smaller diamonds. Like the latest models, you have a personal number in addition to being able to call by magic imprint and you also have our latest innovations in preview. I took the liberty of recording the numbers of all the leaders of the magic governments in it in advance. "
He takes the object and examines it for a few short seconds before placing it on his desk.
"I am very satisfied with my order, deposit the bill at the reception when leaving."
"Aren't you going to look at how much we're charging you?" My father is amazed at such behavior, even Fudge would not have been so casual about the amount I intend to charge him.
"No, although I'm happy with your performance, I didn't bring you here just to deliver this to me. I'm much more interested in your son." He pulls a fairly thick file out of his desk and begins to leaf through it. "So, oh yes, here it is. Exemplary academic result, sporting hope in the world of Quidditch, metamorphmagus, parselmouth and inventor of the magiphone at 11 years old."
"Ten actually, it's just that I didn't have the financial means to launch the project before." I see him making an amendment to the file with his pen.
"I continue, very sociable with most of the students with the exception of some Gryffindors like for example, the hero of the British wizarding world, Harry James Potter."
"You keep doing the summing up of my son's life, or you're going to tell us where you're going." He closes the file.
"Yes, you are right, I think you understood that I have a special interest in young talent, and your son is one of those young talents. That's why I would like to convince you and your family to come and settle permanently in the United States. I have been told that you already own a house in a small town in Virginia, if you wish, I can have a mansion prepared within the week with all the enchantments and protective spells you deem necessary, as well as opening a safe in our bank with a more than generous sum awaiting you." I am shocked, the offer is far too generous for an inventor who has only one successful invention under his belt.
"Excuse me if I sound rude but your offer seems a bit excessive. I can understand that you were looking to bring young talented people to your side but I don't think I am worth the amount you are willing to spend." The smile displayed by the president makes me really uncomfortable, I have the impression of being a painting in a museum facing an avid collector.
"In most cases, that would be true. But my intelligence services believe that the magiphone presents a major strategic opportunity. We would like you to create a device that would capture the communications of all magiphones around the world so that we may have ears everywhere. The confidences of all the rulers on the planet are well worth the sum we are willing to spend. In addition, I have received a message from the director of Ilvermorny who is eager to recruit the descendant of Salazar Slytherin who defeated a wampus cat in single combat. He would even be willing to return a family legacy that is in the school, the wand of Salazar Slytherin himself. "
My father is red with anger.
"How dare you pervert the creation of a child?! Do you have no ethics!" Does he realize he is talking to the leader of a country?
I fully understand the president. When such a strategic resource is in the wild, you have to do whatever it takes to get it first. Ethics do not play a role when one has to assert the interests of a nation.
"Dad this is enough." My father watches me dumbfounded. "Thank you for your offer, I am very interested in it, but I still have things to settle in England for the moment. However, it is not excluded that I will accept it in the future."
"I can afford to wait, but not too long. According to my record you're in second year, so I'm fine with waiting another five years at the most." It's even more time than I need, I don't plan on spending time there if I can't manage to prevent Voldy's return.
"And what makes you think I won't repeat this conversation when I return to the ministry?" Seriously?! Now is not really the time to play the honor card!
"Just the fact that I'm going to be very generous and add a zero to the bill for this device, and also the fact that if this conversation ever becomes public, the next headline of The Daily Prophet will be the discovery of two corpses in a ditch. " He kept smiling the whole time, but his eyes were cold, I think it's the first time since I was born that someone has scared me so much.
My father is as white as a sheet, he tries to control himself, but I can see his hands shaking slightly on his knees.
"Well, if you'll excuse me gentlemen, I have other meetings waiting for me."
We don't have to be begged to get out of the room. I, who thought that the wizarding world was only filled with idiots focused on the past, I have never been so wrong in my life.