books44 Chapter 125 The Magic Ravens of Hogwarts
Chapter 125 The Magic Ravens of Hogwarts
dong dong.
Knocking on the heavy walnut door, placing his cane beside it, Yoruichi Kuromon tightened his scarf, which had become loose from his movements, and then exhaled a puff of mist into his palm.
Turin in January is in the dead of winter. Before he knew it, this was already his sixth year in this era.
After four years, the organization's UK branch finally gained a foothold, reaching a medium size and being able to operate independently without his supervision.
For outsiders, it was already quite an achievement for the organization to have grown to this extent. The good news, however, was that while the gentlemen of London were unwilling to share the pie, they were happy to encourage the rising powers to exploit others.
Last year, in September of the fifth year, with the help of his British allies, he led a group of his forces to Italy for six months of negotiations.
"Italian food is still the best. I really don't want to go back to London, that culinary wasteland that's been propped up by French cuisine."
However, considering the scene of those mustachioed gentlemen shedding tears at the ferry crossing, waving handkerchiefs and sighing as they bid farewell, Kuromon felt that he still had a need to return.
If nothing unexpected had happened, this trip should have ended in February.
But the accident still happened.
The wooden door slowly opened, and a tall, slightly overweight middle-aged butler stepped forward: "Respected sir, we have been waiting for you for a long time."
He was dressed in a neat and formal tailcoat, with the coat of arms representing the Vineyard family embroidered on the lapel. His manners and etiquette were similar to Rum's—except that the latter didn't have such a well-groomed head of hair.
Influenced by the Japanese samurai head ideology, Rum believed that having less hair was a good thing, so he shaved his head bald at a young age.
After clearing his throat a few times, Kuromon Haruya took off his hat and followed the butler into the Vynyard family's reception room.
The Vinyards, true to their name, are one of the leading wine producers in the Turin region of Italy. They control a third of the vineyards and wineries in the Piedmont region, and their wines are renowned for their exceptional quality. They are one of the key partners he has secured.
However, last December, a sudden fire shattered the family's long-standing peace.
The previous head of the family, Old Man Wenyard, along with his only son and son-in-law, all perished in the fire, leaving only a poor little daughter to survive.
Old Man Vinyard was a devout Catholic, kind and approachable, and much more honest in business than his peers. But his nephew Giuseppe, who took over the family business, was not like that. Heimon Haruya came to confirm whether the original supply contract was valid.
Pushing open the door to the reception room, I found Zhu Peise leaning back on the sofa, sipping a drink, her face flushed pink.
"Good evening, Mr. Vineyard..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Peise glanced at him, curled his lip, and waved him away, saying, "What, just a young punk? Come on, this is serious business, call your parents over!"
Black Gate: ......
Black Gate: ^_^
He gave Jupese a deep look, hung his hat and coat on the coat rack, sat down opposite him, and extended his right hand:
“I’ve long heard that you’re a humorous person, and it’s true. I am the boss of the ‘Organization,’ Lucius Malfoy.”
"Oh?" After a casual handshake, Zhu Peisai craned his neck to examine her closely. "I didn't expect the boss of that nameless 'organization' to be so young. The younger generation is quite ambitious."
"Please accept my condolences for that tragedy. I am here regarding the contract I signed with the former head of the family last December. After this setback, will the terms of the transaction still be fulfilled smoothly?"
When the topic of trade came up, Jupese's lips instantly curved into a smile, unable to even squeeze out a tear; his sadness was so fake it was less convincing than Tom's in Tom and Jerry.
"Sigh, that's exactly what I wanted to say. That unfortunate fire reduced Uncle's room to ashes. Forget about your contract, I can't even tell the ashes of those people!"
Heimen picked up the vermouth on the table and poured himself a glass: "Got it. So, what percentage of profit do you want?"
"Ahem, ahem! That's not what I meant. The details of the transaction definitely need to be verified gradually, but I will not do anything that goes back on my word or is dishonest."
Jupese almost choked on his drink. Wasn't this guy from England? How could he be so blunt and lack any gentlemanly manners?
Little did they know, this was already the result of being imbued with a genuine London accent. To Kuromon Haruya, talking obediently without resorting to violence was like whining.
"Come on, let's talk while we drink... Hmm? This bottle is empty, why hasn't it been replaced yet!"
Holding the empty wine bottle, Jupese pulled the call button and shouted, "Shalang, quickly pour your dear uncle some wine, hurry!"
"Uncle Ma Shang!"
A crisp, sweet response came from outside the door; red leather shoes stomped on the floor, as clear and crisp as Christmas bells.
The door to the reception room was pushed open with difficulty, and a girl of about ten years old, carrying two heavy wine bottles, slowly stepped forward on tiptoe.
Her hair was unkempt, her golden locks cascading loosely over her shoulders. She wore a Christmas-themed dress that made her look both clumsy and adorable, exuding a charming innocence. This was precisely the result of the family's deliberate styling.
The thin layer of lip rouge on her lips was the most obvious flaw, the length of her dress was insufficient for her current needs for warmth, and the material of her lace stockings was so rough it was almost unbearable—with just a few glances, Kuromon Haruya could see her current status—a commodity whose main attraction was her beauty.
But her name held a greater attraction for Kuromon than her appearance.
"Sharon? Her name is Sharon Vineyard?"
Since Sharon entered the house, Mr. Malfoy had not looked away.
Zhu Peise grinned with satisfaction, patted her belly, and proudly introduced, "Hahahaha, isn't she beautiful! This is my niece, poor little snowflake. After losing her parents, she only has me as her family to rely on."
"Yes, she is simply a sacred pearl in the heart of a lily."
Kuromon Haruya stood up, took the two bottles of wine, and then untied his scarf, gently draping it over her shoulders: "It's an honor to meet you, little angel."
"Thank you, sir." Little Sharon neither resisted nor responded, but simply lowered his head and whispered his thanks.
A wine glass was suddenly placed between the two of them. Jupese, with her arm around Kuromon Haruya's shoulder, said with feigned distress:
“She is, after all, a girl, and I, a grown man, do not know how to take care of children. I plan to send her to the Colombo family, with whom I have previously worked, to be raised. They are wealthier and more willing to put effort into caring for children.”
To put it bluntly, Jupese meant that the highest bidder wins; whoever is willing to offer a larger discount can take Little Sharon home.
Kuromon Haruya raised an eyebrow, grasped his hand, and looked very interested: "Then I would like to ask you to be my introducer between Colombo and me. I am looking forward to cooperating with them! I wonder if you could tell me about Colombo's requirements, so that I don't fall short of them."
Jupese held up a few fingers, indicating a number: "Their minimum deal is this standard."
"Bullshit!" Heimen Yaoye cursed inwardly. "With Colombo's impoverished state, which is on the verge of bankruptcy, would they be happy to change their surnames to yours if you offered them this amount of money?"
Such a large transaction is a considerable burden for the organization's various branches! They really take advantage of any slight!
"This..." Kuromon Haruya rubbed his hands together, looking helpless. "This is too difficult. Isn't there any way to soften their attitude?"
"No, no! The market is currently saturated with demand but no supply; there are plenty of people willing to cooperate with them!"
Ultimately, after a tug-of-war between the two sides, Kuromon Haruya got back the initial prepayment, and the two parted on bad terms, with no further mention of Sharon.
......
Night had fallen, and the stars could be seen through the windows of the Vineyard manor. Sharon Vineyard, now living as a dependent in this cramped quarters, was counting the stars, trying to pass another sleepless night.
dong dong dong.
Suddenly, a faint, light tapping sound came from outside the skylight. Before she could act, a figure slid through the glass and squeezed in through the window opening.
The older brother she had seen in the reception room earlier that day was now dressed in magnificent attire, just like the one she had seen in the picture book. He wore a long black robe, held a black twig in his hand, and cleared his throat.
She heard Mr. Malfoy announce in a gentle voice:
"Miss Sharon Vineyard, it is with great pleasure that I inform you that you have been officially accepted into Hogwarts..."