72

Chapter 72: Correspondence and Photographs

A slim letter arrived from Gringotts.

It detailed recent income and expenditures, revealing a withdrawal of Gold Galleons by Wade's father, Ferdinand Grey. Wade glanced over the figures before casually setting the letter aside.

The package, from Marchionne, included a letter detailing recent sales of the Friend Book, Wade's entitled income, and future marketing strategies—despite subpar productivity, Marchionne expanded the market into Asia and Africa.

Marchionne also enclosed drafts of new Friend Book versions, inviting Wade, as the inventor, to provide "invaluable insights" for a more successful launch.

Reading Marchionne's earnest words, Wade understood Professor Murray's advice: "Leverage his skills for profit, and ignore any undue harassment."

Undoubtedly, Professor Murray had received similar owls from Marchionne in the past.

But for Wade, Marchionne not only delivered a substantial sum of Galleons but also a package of alchemical materials—mostly common, yet including rarities like African tree snake skin, hardly purchasable.

Wade responded earnestly with a letter.

It wasn't superficial commentary on design preferences; Wade proposed alchemical enhancements for the Friend Book:

For instance, overcoming the limitation of connecting only two or three users in advance. By modifying the magic loop, a simple spell could link multiple blank Friend Books.

Additionally, integrating emojis on the final page could express emotions effectively through symbols—popular among the youth for adding warmth and humor to otherwise formal text.

Furthermore, a location tracking feature could be added selectively, allowing users to locate one another through their Friend Books—a feature most suitable for parent-child relationships or sincere lovers, respecting privacy concerns.

Wade mused, adding a final paragraph:

"I propose highlighting the location feature prominently on the Friend Book's cover, ensuring its appearance differs distinctly from standard models. While a communicative tool with location tracking might raise privacy concerns among ordinary users, it's likely to find acceptance among parents and committed couples..."

Could his invention inadvertently strain relationships?

Wade imagined future scenarios:

Once, lovers asked, "Do you love me? How much?" with vows.

In the future, loyalty might be tested by, "Can we swap positions in the Friend Book?"

Hmm...

Unexpected challenges lay ahead.

Reflecting on his own situation—unconcerned if his parents knew his whereabouts, indifferent to nonexistent lovers—Wade affirmed his stance against early marriage. Magic offered boundless wonder; alchemy, endless fascination; but love? A waste of precious time...

The arrow he shot today wouldn't return.

Wade signed off confidently, dispatching the letter with modified Friend Book samples, watching the owl fly off.

...

From the auditorium to the Great Hall, the Umbrella Room to the library, Black Lake to the Forbidden Forest, Quidditch pitch to Ravenclaw Tower—Wade captured them all in photographs. Familiar faces of classmates and professors joined him, smiles bright.

Though never a parent, Wade had been a son for years. On travels, he photographed unique buildings and natural landscapes, hoping to share these sights with his parents. Eventually, he learned they preferred seeing him amidst the scenery.

Thus, his lens now focused on people. Beside the greenhouse, he stood with a professor, their expressions kind and smiles gentle; by Black Lake, classmates huddled, arms draped over shoulders; inside the Umbrella Room, SSC members laughed and chatted.

Fear often stems from the unknown—like walking in endless darkness, hearing only your heartbeat. But with a lantern to illuminate, revealing thorns and bogs, fear dissipated slowly.

...

Hogwarts' film cameras boasted a classic style; developing photos remained a lengthy, intricate process—magic expedited it.

Wade transformed the Room of Requirement into a darkroom, developing the negatives, then immersing them in solutions for developing, stopping, washing, fixing, and printing. At last, he held a stack of moving photographs.

In a well-lit space, Wade reviewed each photo.

The camera had not merely captured moments but emotions too. Smiles seemed brighter, expressions livelier. Professor Sprout playfully tousled his hair; Professor Flitwick, at times, leaped atop a pile of books, excitement evident.

Professor Murray, often gentle and wise, appeared the same in photos—until sipping tea. His face contorted, eyes shut, brows furrowed, as if the tea's bitterness shocked him.

—Was the tea unusually bitter? Could American black coffee have been mistakenly used?

Wade pondered, recalling he hadn't noticed the tea at the time. Chuckling softly, he decided to keep this photo private; surely, Professor Murray would destroy it upon seeing.

Flipping through, Wade's hand halted abruptly, eyes softening.

It depicted his family on Christmas, cozy on the sofa. His parents leaned close, hands intertwined, sharing tender gazes and occasional kisses; sometimes, they lowered their heads to kiss Wade's forehead.

Leaning against the window, Wade traced their faces with a finger, a warm glow in his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.