"There were sixteen showings of the Four Wands, ten of the Life of Merlin, and The Hag and the Hatran for three weeks straight. All of this was at the Astral Theater in Vertic Alley," Cyrus replied. "I am unsure of how many plays were put on at the Little-Bigg Theater in Diagon Alley. Though I can't imagine it was more than that."
"And there you have it," I said with a nod. "We desperately lack culture. In Muggle London alone there were hundreds, possible even thousands of shows this past year! There are over two hundred theaters in London! What about literature? How many books were published? And I mean new ideas and tales and words, not reprints, edits, or updates?"
"There was a new Charms book for OWLS and above that had a few new charms and theories, along with two new books in the Adventures of Harry Potter series," Cyrus replied after thinking it over. "And of course the new Lockhart book. I'm sure there were others, but I don't think there were more than two dozen, all told."
"Again, the Muggles in England blow that number out of the water," I said. "The future of our society is not here, in this isolated, insular community, but out there, in the wider world."
"And you want me to risk my standing in the Wizengamot for a potential cut of the profits?" Cyrus inquired.
"Your standing is already at risk," I told him bluntly, causing him to look taken aback. "In a few years, all your wealth and power and neutralitywill be meaningless."
"I beg your pardon?" Cyrus uttered, glaring at me furiously.
In response, I took out an Ofuda and slapped it onto the table, creating a bubble of quiet. My talisman based Silencing Charm cut the two of us off from being overheard. Cyrus may have put up his own wards, but I was just adding a bit of extra protection.
"Do you really think Malfoy or Dumbledore will allow you to continue as you have?" I asked. "The Grey Faction is not tenable in the current political climate. You will have to make a choice to support Dumbledore or Malfoy – Light or Dark – sooner than you'd think. I give it just a few years, five at most, before matters in the Wizengamot turn… complicated. Before powerful men start pressuring you and demanding commitment one way or another."
I then threw my arms wide. "But here I am, giving you a way out. A way to keep your neutrality. Support me, and I can be your bridge into the largest market in the world. There are six billion Muggles on Earth right now, and you and I could become absurdly wealthy through selling to them."
"Why would I need to work with you?" Cyrus demanded, even though he looked taken aback by my claim of how many Muggles there were. "What exactly is stopping me from starting my own venture in the Muggle side without you?"
"Because you wouldn't be able to navigate the Muggle world. Not like I can. I've got things set up. I have connections amongst the Muggles. You, unfortunately, don't know how to talk to Muggles. How to do the paperwork that would be required. How to use the technology that's been developed."
I looked at Cyrus sharply. "I am your gateway to a better life. A fourth faction. One that isn't White, Black, or Grey, but gold plated instead. And speaking of…"
I took out two items and placed them on the table in front of the businessman. One was a potion bottle, the other was a piece of stainless steel with runes carved into the surface with inhuman levels of precision.
"Please, take a look at these samples of what I've been able to produce using the resources of the Muggles," I requested. "The potion is an ordinary Calming Draught, made with non-magical materials commonly found in the Muggle world. The rune slate is a simple example of a Lumosrune sequence, but I made it with Muggle tools and technology. Test them. See how they compare to what the Magical World can produce. And then get back into contact with me."
I then stood up and ripped apart the Ofuda, breaking the Silencing spell. "Thank you for the meal. I hope to hear from you soon. And that my latest order will be ready for pick up at the usual time and place."
And with that, I confidently strode out, leaving Cyrus Greengrass dumbfounded behind me.
This may have seemed extreme, but I'd studied the man. Learned about his habits and opinions. He was a man who despised weakness and respected men who had a spine and valued people with genuine talent. If I had trembled in front of him and backed down, it would have been harder to earn his attention or his respect.
However, Cyrus was also a man who wanted to protect his family. He had not sided with either faction in the previous war because neutrality had, at the time, been the easiest way to keep his family safe. He hadn't even tried to make money by playing both sides, as many of his political opponents like to claim.
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