Alex gave her a polite nod, though he was more interested in why someone from the Creatures Department was attending his product demonstration.
Arthur seemed to have the same thought, frowning slightly. "Why would the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures be called to attend this display?"
Azalea tilted her head slightly. "I was only informed at the last minute. Maybe someone spotted me in the office and decided to bring me along. I don’t have many details, do you know what the demonstration is about?"
Arthur let out a chuckle. "You’re asking the right person. This has everything to do with our ‘Wizard Hero’ here. You’ll find out soon enough at the practice hall."
Azalea raised an eyebrow, glancing at Alex once more before nodding. "Interesting. Well then, I’ll see you both there." With that, she turned and walked off toward the practice hall, her posture as composed as ever.
Alex watched her go, then turned to Arthur with a questioning look. "Why didn’t we just walk in with her?"
Arthur smirked. "Because we need to register first. We can’t exactly waltz into a room full of high-ranking officials with an unknown suitcase. We have to go through a standard security check."
Alex blinked. "Then why not just do the check in the entrance hall?"
Arthur shrugged. "Ministry bureaucracy." Alex sighed. ‘Maybe there’s a business opportunity in this.’ He made a mental note to look into creating alchemical security screening tools. The Ministry of Magic’s so-called security check was laughably inefficient in Alex’s eyes.
An old wizard, apparently in charge of inspections, stood in front of him, waving his wand as he performed spells like Detect Poison and Reveal Curse, one by one. The man lacked the skill to cast broad-range detection spells, forcing him to go through each item individually. Alex was astounded. ‘This is the level of security for the Ministry? No wonder things keep slipping through.’
It took over ten minutes before the wizard finally lowered his wand, looking exhausted and wiping the sweat from his brow. "Everything’s clear," Perkins muttered, clearly out of breath.
Arthur, ever the gentleman, handed him a handkerchief. "Appreciate the effort, Perkins."
"Effort? Why'd you pack so much stuff? Nearly killed me." The gray-haired wizard huffed, sending Alex a mildly annoyed glance.
Alex rolled his eyes. ‘It's not my fault you’re inefficient.’ He had been debating whether to design an alchemical tool for security screening, and after this experience, he was convinced it was necessary. If the Ministry insisted on keeping such outdated methods, he might as well create something to render them obsolete.
Once the security check was finally complete, they made a quick stop to leave Ginny and Fang with Vanessa, taking them into a formal Ministry presentation wouldn’t be ideal. As they continued toward, a lingering thought nagged at Alex. "By the way, is Azalea an ordinary witch?"
Arthur gave him a knowing look and chuckled. "You’re wondering if she’s part Veela, aren’t you? No, she’s fully human. But you’re not the only one who’s been misled by her looks. Plenty of people at the Ministry have taken a fancy to her. She only joined the Ministry a few years ago. She’s a year younger than Lily, actually. After Hogwarts, she traveled across Europe for two years before joining the Ministry, so she’s still relatively new here."
Alex hummed in thought. "Her last name, Rowle. That’s the same as one of the wanted Death Eaters, isn’t it?"
Arthur’s expression became more serious. "You mean Thorfinn Rowle? Yeah, they’re from the same family, but the blood ties are pretty weak. Honestly, if you’re a pure-blood working in the Ministry, chances are you’re distantly related to at least one Death Eater. That’s just how these old families are."
Alex absorbed the information silently. Arthur leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a juicy secret. "Between you and me, Azalea wasn’t exactly the top of her class back in school. Some people say she got into the Ministry because of her looks rather than her talent."
Alex gave him a deadpan stare. "Arthur, when did you start sounding like Vivian?"
Arthur chuckled. "Hey, I’m just passing along what I’ve heard. Not saying I believe it. But, well… let’s just say there’s been some speculation."
Alex frowned slightly. Somehow, he doubted it. There was something about Azalea that didn’t quite fit the image of an empty-headed beauty. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something about her seemed… out of place. Still, he had bigger things to focus on.
***
The space resembled a grand banquet hall, brightly illuminated, with towering ceilings and enchanted dummies stationed throughout for testing spells.
A sizable group had already gathered. At the center stood Minister Millicent Bagnold, flanked by two key figures: Amelia Bones, the formidable Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Cornelius Fudge, head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. A group of Hit Wizards, led by Moody, stood at attention nearby. Fudge, whom Alex had met once before, offered a polite nod and a smile.
Other Ministry officials were scattered throughout, each representing various departments. Among them, Alex spotted Azalea Rowle, standing beside a middle-aged man, likely an official from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Arthur led Alex toward the Minister. "Apologies for the delay, Minister. The security check took longer than expected."
"It’s no trouble, we only just arrived ourselves," Minister Bagnold replied, her expression composed yet commanding. Her sharp gaze settled on Alex. "I’ve heard from Moody that your equipment is of great importance to our upcoming operations. I’ll admit, I’m curious to see if you can impress us yet again."
Alex inwardly sighed. ‘Moody, what exactly have you been telling them?’ A quick glance at Moody confirmed his suspicions. The old Auror smirked at him, his magical eye spinning mischievously.
Alex chose his words carefully. "I appreciate the faith, but I should be upfront, I can’t guarantee everything will meet expectations." Best to manage expectations before Moody’s hype led to disappointment.
Bagnold waved a hand dismissively. "Moody’s letter didn’t go into specifics. This presentation is being handled with a degree of confidentiality, so we ask that nothing from today’s meeting be discussed outside these walls."
That explained why the letter had been vague. Clearly, the Ministry was dealing with a sensitive issue. "I understand," Alex said smoothly. "In that case, should I begin the demonstration?"
The Minister gave a short nod, then turned to the gathered officials. "Amelia, Cornelius, Barnabas, pay close attention. Assess whether these tools are of value to our operations." The three figures acknowledged her words, and Alex took note of the unfamiliar name, Barnabas, the man standing beside Azalea. He was clearly a high-ranking member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. With all eyes now on him, Alex exhaled lightly, then got to work.