Chapter 85: A Joyous Occasion, A Bright Future
Ryan descended the staircase and took a seat among the Hogwarts students. He was immediately met with a barrage of excited, hushed questions from the younger students and questioning glances from the older ones. In response, he gave a slight nod, then a slight shake of his head. The nod was an admission: Yes, that was my doing. The shake was a dismissal: I'm not going to explain, so don't ask.
His presence had commanded the attention of the entire room, even overshadowing the host, Vaisey. Nearly every politically astute guest noticed the subtle exchange.
"Was that the Imperius Curse?" Penelope mouthed silently.
"Of course not," Ryan whispered back. "I'm not yet capable of modifying an Unforgivable Curse of that level. It was just an altered version of the Choking Charm and a Confundus Charm."
Simplifying or modifying the Imperius Curse was a monumental challenge. Dark Arts were called dark for a reason; they inflicted irreversible damage on a wizard's psyche and the very nature of their magic. The three Unforgivables were the pinnacle of dark magic—they had no counter-charms, caused immense harm, and left a permanent stain on the caster. Ryan's talents did not lie in the Dark Arts; using them offered him no significant advantage over his own brand of powerful magic. It was a path he had no interest in walking. Besides, if he had actually used an Unforgivable on Carrow, Dumbledore would have known before the banquet was even over.
He recalled a conversation he'd had with the Headmaster once, about the nature of dark magic. Ryan had argued that any spell could be destructive; a well-placed Blasting Curse could cause far more damage than Voldemort's Killing Curse. Dumbledore, who was still in the process of evaluating Ryan's character at the time, had simply nodded noncommittally.
Hearing that Ryan hadn't crossed that particular line, Penelope visibly relaxed.
Vaisey, meanwhile, had not taken a seat. He stood at the turn of the grand staircase, one hand on the banister, and addressed the hall. "I am Vaisey Selwyn," he announced, his voice clear and steady. "As of today, I am the new patriarch of the House of Selwyn."
The room erupted in applause, some genuine, some feigned.
"I have one more announcement," Vaisey continued. "Effective immediately, I will also be taking over the management of the communicator business operating out of the Tower of Wonders."
This news was met with more polite, if less enthusiastic, applause. Most of the guests had only heard rumors or seen the magical user manual for the communicator. They didn't yet grasp its true significance. Vaisey wasn't concerned. Their tune would change soon enough, once they understood the colossal profits the new industry would generate.
He then delivered a brief, improvised acceptance speech, thanking Hogwarts, the Headmaster, his Head of House, and, most pointedly, the other members of his family for "stepping aside for the next generation." He droned on until the guests were nearly lulled to sleep before finally concluding.
As the banquet began in earnest, the high-society wizards mingled, their glasses clinking, but their eyes kept drifting back to the boisterous table of Hogwarts students. Normally, such loud and unrestrained behavior at a formal gathering would be considered uncivilized and improper. But tonight, no one dared to say a word. With the Carrow incident fresh in their minds, no one was willing to test the waters.
"Lucius, aren't you going to control your son?" a wizard asked, sidling up to Lucius Malfoy with a glass of wine. He gestured toward Draco, who was laughing and roughhousing with the other members of the Adventurers' Club. "Such behavior is hardly befitting of a nobleman."
Lucius didn't even glance at his son. His gaze was fixed on Ryan, who sat at the center of the student group.
"Surely you're not intimidated by a fifth-year with a bit of a reputation?" the wizard prodded. "That's not the proud Lord Malfoy I know."
But the goad had no effect. "Draco is still just a boy, after all," Lucius said with a dismissive wave. "Why must you be so serious?"
The other wizard was flabbergasted. Wasn't this the same Lucius Malfoy who demanded absolute and unwavering obedience from his son at all times? Before he could press the issue, he caught Snape's cold, emotionless stare from across the room and promptly forgot what he was going to say.
"Thank you for coming, Professor Snape," Vaisey said, approaching his Head of House.
"You are a Slytherin student," Snape replied, his tone noticeably warmer when addressing one of his own. "It was my duty to be here." He glanced at the raucous group of students. "Though it seems you had the situation well in hand without my presence." A flicker of something that might have been surprise crossed his face. "When they all stood up together, even I was startled for a moment."
"I almost thought you had all been sorted into Gryffindor," he drawled, his eyes inevitably landing on Harry. "A pity for Mr. Potter, though. Even his reflexes for righteous indignation are slower than everyone else's."
Ryan just shrugged. There was nothing he could do about Snape's deep-seated animosity toward Harry. Vaisey, unaware of the history, made a move to defend his fellow student. "Professor—"
Snape held up a hand, cutting him off. "You are the host tonight. Come, I will introduce you to some of these... well-dressed... members of high society." It was a clear gesture of support, a way of legitimizing Vaisey's new position. Others might dismiss a fifth-year student, but they would not dare disrespect a promising young wizard personally endorsed by the most renowned Potions Master in Britain.
A look of gratitude flashed across Vaisey's face. "Thank you, Professor. That is most generous."
As the two of them went to network, the conversation at the students' table was buzzing.
"Merlin's beard! I had no idea Vaisey's family was this rich."
"Look, there are high-ranking officials from the Ministry here!"
"Well, I suppose if we can't find jobs after graduation, we won't have to worry about going hungry," someone joked.
"Find jobs? I have a feeling our jobs have already been arranged for us."
All eyes turned to Ryan. The other wizards in the room might not understand the significance of the communicator, but these students, who had participated in its design, knew exactly what it represented. And a business of that magnitude had just been handed over to Vaisey. They also knew that the Tower of Wonders in Diagon Alley had nine floors, and Ryan had explicitly stated that more business ventures would be coming, ventures that he would need their help to manage. For them, unemployment was no longer a concern unless the entire wizarding world collapsed.
"George, Fred," Ryan said, basking in the looks of adoration from his followers. "If you're planning any late-night strolls tonight, drop by the Adventurers' Club first." He decided to strike while the iron was hot. "I have a challenging new project for you: game development and operations."
Once the communicator went on sale, it would come pre-loaded with the game Hogwarts: The Betrayal. Tonight, he would teach the Weasley twins the secrets to making that game a resounding success.
~~~
Get early access to 50+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn