Bagnold tapped her fingers on the desk, thinking. "If the offensive capability is removed," she said after a moment, "then yes, it would be downgraded to MR-level, allowing open sales." Alex nodded. That was exactly what he wanted. "In that case," Bagnold continued, "once you’ve modified the design, bring it back for reassessment. If it meets the requirements, we’ll issue an updated certification for the non-combat version."
"Understood," Alex said.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. "And if you’re removing the attack function," she added slyly, "shouldn’t the price be lowered as well?"
Alex hesitated. ‘Damn, she caught that fast.’ "Uh, well... removing the attack function is a minor adjustment, mostly just taking out a basic wand mechanism," he said cautiously. "So... I suppose I can lower the price by 50 Galleons."
Amelia’s expression didn’t change, but internally, she was thrilled. "Then let’s order the MR-version as well," she said smoothly. "That brings the price per unit down to 700 Galleons."
Alex sighed. "Fine." ‘Merlin’s beard, the Ministry is ruthless when it comes to negotiation.’
As the business negotiations wrapped up, Alex suddenly thought of something important. He looked up. "If foreign Ministries or international organizations, like Gringotts, want to purchase my higher-tier equipment, can I sell to them?"
The room fell silent for a moment. Bagnold and the directors exchanged glances. Clearly, they hadn’t expected him to think that far ahead. Bagnold was the first to speak. "For domestic buyers," she said, "RU-level products can only be sold to approved British entities. Any local business or family wishing to purchase must apply for a Ministry qualification certificate, detailing their intended use and quantity."
Alex nodded, waiting for the real answer, the one about foreign sales. Bagnold took a deep breath before continuing. "As for international sales..." she paused. "in theory, once you're operating outside the UK, the Ministry has no authority over how you conduct business. However, RU and Dangerous-level equipment are inherently high-risk. If these items were to fall into the hands of criminals and be used for illegal activities, it could lead to serious diplomatic issues with other countries' Ministries of Magic." She leaned forward slightly, her tone firm. "Dangerous-level equipment, in particular, is far too powerful to be distributed carelessly. Frankly, I don’t recommend selling it to foreign buyers at all. My decision is to classify Dangerous-level items as restricted, meaning they cannot be sold internationally under any circumstances. However, for RU-level equipment, foreign buyers will be required to negotiate directly with the British Ministry of Magic before making a purchase. As for MR-level items, there are no restrictions."
Alex nodded thoughtfully. ‘This might cut into my profits a little,’ he mused, but having the Ministry’s backing as an official supplier outweighs the loss. Government contracts were stable and politically advantageous. "I understand," he replied simply.
Bagnold observed him for a moment, then nodded approvingly. "Good. You're proving to be quite reasonable to work with."
"Now that the details are settled," Bagnold continued, "let's finalize everything. We’ll sign the order contracts now and begin the registration process for your company under the Ministry’s jurisdiction. Given that many of your products have restrictions, your business will require special classifications and documentation. We’ll send the official paperwork to you by post once the process is complete." She waved her wand, and several magical contracts materialized in the air, floating over to Alex. "Sign here."
Alex didn’t hesitate. With a firm stroke of his quill, he signed his name on each contract, officially securing the biggest business deal of his career. "One last thing." Bagnold pulled out another sealed document and handed it to him. "This is your 30% deposit. You can exchange it for Galleons at Gringotts. We expect timely delivery."
Alex accepted the parchment with a satisfied smile. "A pleasure doing business with you, Minister."
Bagnold gave a small nod. "Likewise." With the deal officially in place, Alex turned to leave, his pockets significantly heavier.
As he stepped out of the office, Moody caught up to him, clapping a hand on his shoulder with a chuckle. "Not bad, lad. Didn’t think you’d impress the Minister this much," he said gruffly. "You really raked it in this time, didn’t you?"
Alex smirked. "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure your cut of the spoils is there."
Moody let out a bark of laughter but didn’t deny it. "You know, I didn't expect Bagnold to go this big either. But I suppose we’re making some serious moves lately. You really walked into a good opportunity."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "That much real combat gear, what are you guys preparing for?"
Moody’s expression darkened slightly. "Can’t say," he replied. "It's classified. But let's just say, we miscalculated something before. Now the higher-ups are tightening control to prevent another screw-up."
Alex nodded in understanding. He’d worked on plenty of restricted projects before, confidentiality was just part of the business. "Fair enough," he said. "I won’t push." Still, the sheer scale of the Ministry’s purchase made him wonder what was coming. "By the way, why is the Ministry suddenly so strict on product classifications? I always thought the main restrictions were about keeping dangerous items away from underage wizards. But now it’s like every piece of enchanted gear needs to be logged and categorized."
Moody snorted. "That’s Bagnold’s doing." He crossed his arms, his tone taking on a hint of amusement. "Unlike her predecessors, Bagnold actually enforces regulations. The old shops in Knockturn Alley never gave a damn about Ministry laws. If the government cracked down on their sales, they’d just ignore it. And since they have connections to old pure-blood families, nobody wanted to start a fight."
Alex nodded. That explained why Borgin and Burkes and other questionable shops in Knockturn Alley still openly sold Dark artifacts.
"The problem is, because the Ministry let things slide for so long, enforcing new rules now is a nightmare," Moody continued. "Bagnold knows she can’t just shut down Knockturn Alley overnight, so instead, she’s cracking down on legal suppliers like you, who actually follow the law."
Alex chuckled. "So I’m getting regulated because I actually listen to the Ministry, while the illegal traders get ignored?"
Moody smirked. "That’s bureaucracy for you." Then his smirk faded slightly. "That being said, the Minister isn’t ignoring Knockturn Alley forever. The clean-up is coming, and when it does, a lot of those shady businesses are going to have a rough time." He gave Alex a knowing look. "Honestly, your timing is unlucky. If you’d started selling your gear a few years earlier, there would’ve been way fewer restrictions. But maybe, if the next Minister is more lenient, you’ll see some of those rules lifted in the future."
Alex shrugged. He wasn’t too concerned. At the end of the day, government oversight was just part of business. More regulations might be annoying, but they also legitimized his work. If the Ministry endorsed his products, he’d never have to worry about being treated like some black-market smuggler. Besides, in a world that was becoming more unstable, security would always be in high demand.