Chapter 9 - Improvements.
The next morning I was back to Black Manor to scour through the library and to utilize my newfound wealth.
I had a few dozen mind-related potions lined up to help me learn the mind arts. The estimated time with the potions was around half a week non-stop. While I could do that, I am not yet that desperate. Hogwarts is a long way away yet and I still have a week and a half before a teacher shows up to take me to Diagon Alley.
Actually, now that I am a member of a noble house and no longer a stranger to the wizarding world like other muggle-borns, would a teacher even come to guide me?
I'll just ask Narcissa about that. As for the library, I found a few class activation quest books and some rather interesting artifacts.
!Found a Space ring!
!Inventory unlocked!
Another item of notice was an old Tome.
!Black Magic Grimoire found!
The tome was able to change its pages to be a page from any book in the Black library or Black Vault or even a book it was previously linked to. It was literally the Black family library in a book past and present.
The only issue was that I couldn't read the book and every time I tried to read it, I just got error messages in my vision. I am willing to bet that it's like that because it's a skill book and I need to absorb it instead of just reading it.
I was reluctant to do that because no information was offered on it. Would I get all the skills and classes in the book or would I just have some skills? Did the book even offer skills?
Ah fuck it, the book is useless to me otherwise anyway.
Taking a leap of faith I use the book and it vanishes.
!Magical WIKI unlocked!
!Database Created!
!Puppeteer and Advanced Necromancy classes unlocked!
!Enchanting unlocked!
!Warding unlocked!
!Nerd Title Gained!
NERD Title Passive
HAh…...NERD!
The more you learn the better you get. Gain proficiency in all magical arts by just reading about them.
Well, hellllooooo there god-hood!
With that title and magic wiki and some time, I could very well match the top existences with ease here.
The boost this will give me in all arts of magic due to the sheer amount of knowledge in the magical wiki is immense.
But it's time to learn the mind art at a whole new level.
Three hours later in the magical wiki, I had learned 5 types of mind arts. That is not to say I could use or even practice them, I just learned them.
It won't be long before I knew everything about them and thus knew how to easily practice them to be proficient.
With this thought and some potions, I could easily get the basic Occlumency shields up within the week. They were still weak and bypassable but I would at least know of a mind attack now.
When I returned home from my little vacation to the black manor I learned that by this time Catherine had recovered enough and was now my new neighbor. Mother was slowly catching onto things and starting to suspect that I wasn't gonna be a goody-two-shoes anymore.
If she had any opposition to that she certainly didn't show it or state it.
It was also a bit scary when I found that my mother was also being affected by my passive aura, it was porn logic after all.
It was another reason why I will now stay over at Black manor and arm's length from mother.
Back to Catherine, she had moved in close to our house and was becoming fast friends with mother. She had also brought me everything from Diagon alley that I would need for Hogwarts except my wand. I would have to go and get that myself.
Also, a good thing to note is that while she was affected by my 'PORN LOGIC' skill, she wasn't averse to being my pet and that helped in taming her and reducing the blowback.
'PORN LOGIC' works more like a powerful aphrodisiac, it's just that most girls want to have natural babies and thus will not care as much as long as the male is interested.
Catherine was not an actual worker in that 'recreation' center but was called there as she was a friend of Narcissa's and as such, she was offered the job of the 'Ritual of Puberty'. She knew what she was getting into when she accepted the job, the only difference my skill made was making it enjoyable for both sides rather than just me.
I do not doubt that Catherine had gone through with it because I would in return 'have to have kids with her specified people.
I don't mean to toot my own horn but being one of the very few males still interested in females in today's society, made me invaluable to the females that cared about having kids naturally and fast. The adoption procedures took around 2 -3 years after all.
The 2 to 3-year long time was due to Voldemort and his followers as this was an effective way to keep the wizard population in check until they could take over. Clever fucks.
Anyway, Catherine will try to stay out of my way all the while trying to gain my favor. She has no desire to fall pregnant anytime soon so having herself out of my way is more beneficial for her in the long run.
It's also in my best interest to not forget that while the game makes everything feel, well...like a game, they are in fact real people.
On the off chance, they aren't real people and just rather realistic AI's or simulations then I might as well enjoy the immersion that provides and play this game like it's a reality.
Enough about that, mundane days are behind me now and it's about time I head off to one last trip to Diagon Alley before my year at Hogwarts.
I had a deal to adhere to after all.
In Diagon alley
I make my way to the bookstore first, to see if I can spot a skill book or two. It would be beneficial.
Prowling through the shelves I find a few books that resonate with the magical wiki and seem to be rather concentrated with instructions rather than theory, thus classifying them as skill books.
There was no way to read them and gain the spell immediately though. There were some hoops I would have to jump through first.
I buy all the skill books I found and head out to Molly to hand over the shrunken trunk with the brand spanking new collection of Hogwarts first-year books. Having a deal with Molly was rather moot at this point as I no longer needed her help obtaining items due to my Aunts nor did I need more information due to the very same reason.
I will still go through with it, no point in backing out of a deal and losing reputation over a few dozen Galleons.
As I enter the rundown shack I see something I'll probably get myself obliviated for later. I most definitely did not need an image of Arthur Weasely getting spit-roasted by his twin sons.
Not long after I had caught a glimpse of THAT, Molly had quickly and efficiently cast a spell chain, one which made them outside of my notice in sound and vision but my instincts along with my mind shields told me something was off. As soon as the alarm had gone off in my head, it had gone silent again just as quickly. I'm guessing she banished them through the archway into the back of the store/shack.
"Apologies, I told them not to engage in intimate acts in such a place but they wouldn't listen. Probably because no one ever comes here," she says slowly but is also blatantly staring at my privates, no doubt thinking that a show like that may have aroused me.
After a good minute had passed in total silence and she was still staring, I decided to comment on it.
"I'm not turned on by that show if you're wondering. I prefer women." I informed her.
She was not expecting such bluntness from me. The tinge of red on her cheeks is a clear indicator of her embarrassment at being caught.
"Enough about me, how about we complete our deal now?" I asked her and by now I was not playing pervert stealthy, no, I was also staring at her assets blatantly. She can't say anything about it now after all and I get to enjoy myself watching a hot milf with no holds barred.
I hand her the trunk and surprisingly she hands me 4 skill books and 3 normal textbooks. Apparently notes about how to cast a spell, brew a potion, etc count as a skill being passed. I was starting to understand how this game system worked.
After the trade, I look around to see a few extra things on the shelves. The reason they caught my eye was that they were enchanted and rune'd. The craftsmanship of the items themselves could use some work but the enchantments and runes seemed to be knitted in a near symphony that was obvious to the naked eye.
"The enchanted items, what are they for?" I asked her pointing at the shelf with the 3 items on.
"They cost 100 galleons each, no more no less." she tries to ward me off from them Thinking me some poor muggle-born brat.
Raising an eyebrow at her, I decided to reintroduce myself as my cover as a muggle-born is no longer needed."I am Taurus Black, Heir to the house of Black." I give it a moment for that to sink in before I ask her. "Still think I need to know the price of an item lady?"
Granted, my smirk and taunting tone was a bit much but come on. I was better than most and I knew it but still.
Hearing a jeering comment from her about my previous visit and bartering so hard with her for a few books was a bit jabbing when I was in actuality Heir black.
"They are rune'd items I personally enchanted. The runes give them properties and their enchantments make sure the runes work in every condition." she relents and starts.
"The first one is a storage pouch but in bracelet form. The second one is a potion bottle that keeps any potion kept in it fresh till the bottle is opened again. This one was also enchanted to be unbreakable and mostly resistant to any other form of damage. The last one is an attempted replica of an ancestral relic. It's also my best piece for that very reason too." Molly seemed proud and rather put off about the last one. After all, having to sell off your best work to date must suck.
"I'll take the bottle and I want more information on the last one," I say as I pull out the 100 Galleons from my inventory. To others, it looks like it was skillfully pulled from the storage ring on my hand, and perhaps it was, but to me it was inventory.
"It's based on an old druidic necklace that was passed down my family through generations. The replica can allow one a certain attunement with an animal of choice." The description of the item tells me it's worth more than 700 Galleons alone if I was to get something similar from a renowned enchanter from Romania. Yet here was a desperate woman selling her masterpieces for soo low yet still no one bought from her.
It made me laugh at how depressing that situation was.
"If that is the skill you can offer in enchanting then I must say that you would be better off working full-time as the Black family's personal enchantress. If you're interested in the offer then let me know and we can talk shop. If not then as a show of goodwill I'll take the item off you at half of the market price and thus give you 358 for it.'' I knew there was no way she would refuse. She will just ask one of her sons to take over the shop all the while working as my personal enchanter.
Man, it was good to be rich.
Speaking off, if I carry on spending like this I might bring the house of Black to the streets. I need to find ways to generate revenue and fast.
"How much?" It was a simple small question but it would change everything, for her, for her family, and how everyone saw them.
"20 Galleons a week, for being available whenever and wherever I want. Materials will be provided, tools will not be '' I know full well that I was lowballing this but I knew just how to swing it in my favor.
The frown on her face changed into a defeated sigh and she was ready to accept. As I said, the Black name held power. A Weasley working personally for Blacks would result in higher customers at their shop because people would be curious about what made a Black of all people interested. Another reason was that it was now another source of revenue for them. One that could finally bring them out of living paycheck to paycheck and afford new things now and then.
"I accept." She closes the verbal deal.
"Good, I have a few projects you need to get started on immediately. If the projects are completed beyond expected then you can expect a bonus." I address my new employee about her new roles and work.
"The first project is an enchanted piece of glass that can play a memory like a pensive can." a magical TV was going to be a hit if wizarding wireless is an indication.
I would have asked for a marauders map type artifact but I already had a built-in mini-map.
Actually, the magic mirrors would be a better start but I don't need instantaneous information traveling throughout the world so fast. I have to build a worshiping cult first after all.
A TV with strict propaganda and restricted content would go a long way to make me divine in a short amount of time.
"Something that complex could take me years..." she says slightly pissed, I'm guessing she thought I was being an ass hole and teasing her with a 'bonus' thing.
"How is it that complex, pensieve's already existed after all." I didn't outright tell her to rip apart a pensive and plagiarize it but I did tell her to do exactly that. It can't take a year to plagiarize an item after all.
"Pensive use, Mind mist in liquidized form, and the pensive cauldrons themselves have runes etched everywhere." Molly is slightly irritated at her new boss telling her to do something complex like it was the same as baking or something.
"You are not the brightest are you?" I ask and see her immediately frown.
"Did you hire me to abuse me, tease me just so that you can laugh about it later brat?" The anger was now becoming quite noticeable.
"Alright, 3 strikes and you're out of a job missy. Speaking to me like that was strike one. I may be younger but I'm the one paying." Seeing her about to retort and argue back. I start again.
"I didn't say you had to enchant only, etch runes onto the glass as needed or get someone else to etch the runes. As for the Mind mist, create a hollow rectangle and fill the middle with the mist. I am willing to sacrifice the immersion into a memory a pensive can provide. So the enchanted item doesn't need a feature for shoving your head into it." I tell her of a rough plan/ blueprint of the end item and I can see that it holds merit as Molly is now contemplating the item rather than contemplating insults to hurl at me.
"Remember, Molly, you have 2 more strikes left." The warning tone and the penalty on her would start making her more obedient to me and question me less from here on out. It's never too early to start training your workers or better known as bitches.
I just had to get myself a Familiar now.