A wave of astonished gasps spread through the audience. Even Minister Bagnold and several department heads exchanged surprised glances. Everyone knew Moody was one of the strongest Aurors in the Ministry, but no one had ever quantified just how powerful he really was. Some speculated he might be as strong as three or four Aurors combined, but that was just talk, until now. To put things into perspective, an average Ministry employee had just registered a score of 40 moments ago. That meant Moody’s spell was nearly nine times stronger.
“Haha! Alex, I barely put any effort into that! Your little target almost couldn’t handle it!” Moody barked out a rough laugh, clapping Alex on the back with a force that nearly made him stumble.
Alex wiped the sweat off his forehead. ‘This guy… Minister Bagnold asked you to test the target, not try to blow it to pieces.’ Thankfully, today’s demonstration used the second-generation model, an improved version he had personally designed. He had tested it himself and knew it could withstand spells up to 500 points. But if the power went beyond that… well, even he didn’t know what would happen. After all, he’d never managed to hit 500 in his own tests. Alex forced a confident smile and said, “No need to worry. The humanoid target has an advanced self-repairing function. As long as you don’t completely incinerate it with something like Fiendfyre, it should be fine.”
Moody grinned at that. “Good! In that case, let’s push it a little further, Confringo!” This time, Moody took his time, focusing his energy before launching another devastating spell.
Boom!
The explosion was even louder than before, echoing through the hall. Several wizards instinctively covered their ears. Unlike last time, the humanoid target didn’t go flying. The spell wasn’t about impact, it was about pure destruction. The audience watched in shock as deep, jagged cracks split across the target’s surface. The entire structure groaned, looking as if it might shatter at any moment. A heavy silence followed. Most of the Ministry staff, including Moody himself, turned to Alex with awkward expressions. ‘Did he just break it?’
Even Amelia Bones took a step forward, ready to discuss compensation. If this thing broke during a Ministry demonstration, there was no way they were paying for it. Before she could say a word, someone shouted, “Look! It’s… it’s repairing itself!”
All eyes snapped back to the target. Sure enough, the fractures were slowly closing, the surface smoothing over as if the damage had never happened. At the same time, a new number appeared in glowing red text. 489!
A sharp hiss of breath swept through the room. The second one was impressive, but this, this was unbelievable. Moody’s power alone was shocking. But the fact that the humanoid target had withstood such a devastating attack and was still functioning? That was just as impressive.
Even Alex was taken aback. ‘489?! ‘He had only ever reached similar numbers when using Severing Curse at full strength, and Moody just casually pulled it off.
Moody let out a hearty laugh, clearly pleased. He gave Alex an approving nod. “That’s some damn fine craftsmanship! Remember to set one aside for me after this demo.” Hearing that, the rest of the Aurors and Ministry staff surged forward, eager to test their own strength against the target. Excitement buzzed through the room as wands were drawn.
It took Minister Bagnold stepping in to bring order back. She raised a hand, stopping the growing crowd. “There will be plenty of opportunities to test yourselves later,” she announced. “For now, let’s discuss business with Mr. Alex.”
That one statement made it clear, the Ministry was very interested in the humanoid target. Seeing the enthusiastic response, Alex knew he had to take advantage of the moment. He had originally planned to price the targets at 500 Galleons each. But after this demonstration? He could ask for more. “With its durability, advanced resistance, and precise power-measuring system, each humanoid target is built to last at least five years,” Alex explained with a slight smile. “The price per unit is 800 Galleons, and orders must be placed a week in advance.”
A few murmurs ran through the audience. Expensive. But no one protested. Even Amelia Bones, who had been ready to argue just moments ago, said nothing. Instead, the final negotiation settled at 750 Galleons per unit, a huge success. Just when it seemed like the demonstration was over, Alex reached under the table and pulled out two more items. “Before we wrap up, I’d like to introduce you to two newly developed magic tools,” he said smoothly. “I believe they’ll be invaluable for Aurors working on the front lines.”
Everyone’s attention immediately shifted to the two one-meter-long metal rods now resting on the table. They weren’t anything flashy, just polished silver cylinders. But something about them felt important. “Oh?” Minister Bagnold raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly do these do?”
Alex smirked. “These are called Interference Generators.”
At that, the entire room leaned in, waiting to hear more. “Interference generator?” The crowd exchanged puzzled glances at the unfamiliar term. No one seemed to grasp what Alex meant, so they simply waited in silence for him to explain. Alex picked up one of the metal rods and held it up for everyone to see. “The concept is actually quite simple,” he began. “This first one is what I call a Shielding Jammer. It generates a protective field that casts shielding spells and Muggle-repelling enchantments. All you need to do is channel magic into it and plant it into the ground. Once activated, it covers an area of about 100 meters in every direction. No matter what happens inside the barrier, whether it's a duel, an explosion, or an all-out battle, Muggles won’t be able to notice a thing.”
His words piqued the interest of several Ministry officials, who were now listening intently. “For example,” Alex continued, “if a fight breaks out in a Muggle-populated area, activating this jammer ensures that Muggles remain completely unaware. It also prevents them from wandering into danger. Additionally, after an incident, the device can secure a crime scene, preventing interference while Aurors conduct their investigation.”
Minister Bagnold turned her head slightly and exchanged a knowing glance with Fudge, who was standing nearby. The Reversal Squad, officially known as the Accidental Magic Reversal Department, had long been saddled with the tedious job of cleaning up magical messes. Every time an incident occurred, they were responsible for clearing debris, modifying Muggle memories, and patching up the damage. The department’s unofficial nickname within the Ministry was "the Ass-Wipers", because they were constantly tidying up after everyone else. Fudge’s eyes lit up as he processed the potential of Alex’s invention. ‘This thing was brilliant.’