Chapter 11:

I traveled back and forth to Albania to watch over my business interests in both Britain and Albania.

In Albania I started factories with hidden uses of magic improving quality and efficiency. The economy of Albania was essentially in free-fall, with the shutdown of the communist economy. That meant that factories, resources, and labor were available at low prices. I acquired some of these resources and found products that could be produced that were competitive in the world economy. Hidden uses of magic can do wonders to improve quality.

I advised the Prime Minister, who now tended to listen to my advice, to revive trade ties with China for bilateral manufactured goods trade, in addition to the earlier mineral exports from Albania. We weren't looking for China to resume foreign aid to Albania, but were looking for a growing trade in manufactured goods, particularly components of larger items that might be made in China or Albania.

Agriculture was a mess in 1992 Albania, and it wasn't ready for my assistance. There was too much uncertainty about property ownership, and much of the remaining farms were tiny. There was no desire among the farmers to recombine to larger farms. Some larger communist farms were divided up suddenly, and buildings used by it were divided up into piles of bricks for the now individual farmers to use.

My factories were bringing in world currency to Albania, which built an economy around them of support services. In 1992, just before my enterprises made an impact, their entire GDP was $650 million, which would be $1.5 billion in 2024 dollars. Per capita was $200, less than $500 in 2024 dollars. Those were officially estimated statistics, in reality it was a little higher with remittances from Albanians abroad not being fully known.

My directly controlled operations in Albania, at the end of 1992, were moving about $200 million per year. My personal profits were a small portion of that total revenue, but that total revenue was a large part of the Albanian economy. Anywhere else that amount would be a tiny part of the local economy.

My mass production of enchanted objects started reaching the British markets. I was undercutting the prices in Britain a little, and taking huge profits since my cost of production was so much lower. My intention was to scale up production to supply world magical markets that didn't have too many trade restrictions. For those that did, smuggling would be profitable for goods that weren't illegal, but whose source was restricted to protect local markets.

There were well feared organized crime organizations in Albania and by Albanians throughout the world. One group decided, as a test case, to get some payment from one of my factories. That factory was visited by a group that resembled mobsters in old American movies, which they probably had been watching. They demanded cash and goods, and roughed up the people there to make their point, and said that they would be back monthly and that a payment in dollars to the collecting agent would preclude the need for any unpleasantness.

I asked the chief of non-magical Operations, Mjaltor Sapunxiu, who was a squib, his advice on how to respond. He said, "If we start paying, we'll keep paying and lose much of our profits. Maybe it would be better if they went to the same place that the wolf man so eagerly went to."

I asked "What if we eliminated the chief of that group and asked the next in line to cooperate?"

Mjaltor answered, "No can do chief. They all are clans. Kill one and you've got a blood feud on your hands. You'd have to get rid of the whole clan."

I said, "OK, in that case we will need to make a point that will not be forgotten in Albania."

I hired the Ninjas again. They had affiliates in other countries and sent a team from Taiwan, pretending to be a mainland Chinese trade delegation. The ninjas used the fact that they demanded protection money in cash as the means to find them. They added magic trackers to the cash that would be given to them, and just watched where the cash went.

The ninjas wiped out the entire related group that had any involvement in organized crime. They were careful to determine if those who wound up with the cash were part of the mob. Eventually the cash would be spent at normal stores or deposited in banks.

I then called a meeting with an organized crime family in my region that had a level of affiliation with the original one. We met in a warehouse. They were decently cautious, and were well armed and alert. I used one of Snape's inventions, an aerosol potion mixture that froze them in place, while leaving them able to talk, and which also had a truth compulsion component.

I dispersed the remaining fumes and strolled in with my team and said, "Good evening gentlemen. We are here to do business together, but I am giving a little demonstration on why you should never cross me after we make our agreements here today.

I would like you to introduce yourselves. Each state your name, and if you are related or still loyal to the former family that made a tragic mistake of attacking my business. Of the 24 of them, two were related to that family. I asked each if they would be compelled to commit revenge for the others in that family, and one did, and was summarily executed.

I told the others, "New rules for a new economy. None of my enterprises are to be bothered. For that matter you don't let anything happen to them. Your activities in Albania no longer include shake-downs, extortion, etc. You can profit with smuggling, and activities abroad, some of which my organizations will contract you for. With your extensive contacts in Italy, Greece, and the US, you can also help move items that would violate patents which will be more a part of our operations than you would expect, as well as more traditional smuggling. I am open to hearing business ideas you have. Are we agreed?"

Their leader said, "How about a fixed consulting fee in addition to payments for jobs?"

I activated the antidotes to the potions and answered, "Bold thinking. Agreed. With more money going to you, you will be available for additional security type jobs that might be called for. Not only that, but my other operatives will help you with difficult situations. This partnership will go deep. My region of Albania is going to be peaceful and my businesses will prosper, and you will prosper. You'll help keep it that way, and use your world-wide connections for jobs which will be profitable for me and for which you'll be paid."

Releasing them from the potions was a bit of a test. My team was ready for betrayal, but they stayed calm. Myself and other mind readers also could see their intention to follow through on the agreements.

Back in Britain, the legislation I co-sponsored with Dumbledore passed, with some modifications. I lobbied to add to the non-discrimination laws based on birth status, cultural tests that can be imposed. Newcomers to magic were to be expected to learn and conform to cultural norms before being considered equals in the economy. Political leadership would remain unchanged, with many hereditary roles.

I also introduced legislation at the same time to enshrine the rights of family magic and family artifacts. The wording of the law encompassed all possession and knowledge as being legal, and only the use to cause harm as being illegal.

I met with Dumbledore, "Don't bother saying that dark rituals make you evil, magic normal at the time of the founders needs to be kept from the delicate witches and wizards of today.

Some say that you want to preserve your own esoteric knowledge as being unique, and not let anyone else learn of them."

Dumbledore answered, "My goal is to prevent the rise of future dark lords."

I answered, "And a pitiful way to try to do so. The truly motivated will continue to find ways of learning illegal magic. The general public will be hobbled by the limited amount of magic taught at Hogwarts.

From the perspective of being on the opposite side of the last war from you, how did our small group manage to overwhelm opposition? It is because the average wizard lacked the knowledge, training, and inclination for common defense."

Dumbledore said, "You would work towards improving the defense against dark lords?"

I answered, "Yes. I have had enough of them. They are bad for business, and general health. It takes more than aurors to fight them. It takes a community of the wizarding world ready to defend themselves and others. However, that is not the legislation I'm pursuing now, it simply to allow people to study magic as they will, to do what they will with it, as long as they are not attacking others."

Dumbledore said, "I can agree to pass the three-part law. We can get back to this other point you are making at a later time."

The laws were passed together as a multi-part law to be voted up or down, and in fact were passed.