After everyone had exchanged gifts, the conversation naturally shifted to the Society of Erudition Lewis had established at Hogwarts.
"Come to think of it," Lewis said to Gianna, "there are quite a few outstanding seventh-years in the Society of Erudition. Many of them plan to join the Ministry of Magic after graduation."
"If you're willing, I can recommend them to you."
"So your plan is to use the Society of Erudition to recruit talent while they're still at Hogwarts, then have them work for us the moment they graduate?" Gianna nodded thoughtfully.
"That's an excellent strategy."
"It would allow us to secure nearly all of Britain's finest young talent."
"Even the so-called Dark Lord never managed to accomplish something like that."
"That's because he couldn't offer the kind of advanced magical knowledge I can," Lewis replied confidently.
"The little bit of Dark Magic he knows isn't enough."
"And besides..."
"He doesn't have several older sisters serving as high-ranking Ministry officials."
As soon as Lewis added that, Tonks proudly puffed out her chest.
"In that case," Gianna said after a moment's thought, "Tonks, next year I'll have you oversee Auror recruitment."
"Those graduates can start by working under you."
"No problem!"
Tonks nodded seriously.
"Me too! Me too!"
Onyxia eagerly raised a paw.
"I also need a few capable assistants in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
"When the time comes, remember to recommend a few students with talent in that area."
"Of course."
"How could I possibly forget my Onyxia?"
Lewis gently stroked the black cat's head.
Onyxia impatiently twitched her cat ears before continuing.
"And another thing."
"I'm running low on gold again."
"You'll have to give me another batch."
Lewis immediately frowned.
"Didn't I just give you five kilograms of gold last month?"
"How have you already spent it?"
"Did you buy more ridiculously expensive antiques?"
"If we were still following the original plan, that amount would have been enough," Onyxia answered matter-of-factly.
"But things are different now."
"You've established the Society of Erudition."
"You're preparing to recruit graduates."
"You're obviously planning a major expansion of our influence throughout the Ministry."
"That requires money."
"If those graduates are going to work for us, we have to give them promising careers."
"That means using money to obtain key positions..."
"...or simply subsidizing them until they establish themselves."
Lewis thought it over.
Her reasoning made perfect sense.
He immediately approved the additional funding.
He understood very well...
If he wanted to rapidly expand his influence within both the Ministry and the wider magical world...
He couldn't afford to be stingy.
With the Philosopher's Stone in his possession...
There was no point hoarding meaningless piles of treasure like a stereotypical dragon.
After all...
Even the real dragon sitting beside him no longer did that.
Only by converting wealth into status...
Influence...
And power...
Could money truly fulfill its value.
Among wizards, aside from personal magical strength...
Wealth was the greatest form of power one could possess.
That wasn't just true for Muggles.
It applied equally to the magical world.
"Besides expanding our influence within the Ministry," Onyxia continued excitedly, "we also need to control public opinion."
At the mention of expanding their power, she completely stopped trying to hide her darker instincts.
Instead, she enthusiastically began offering Lewis one strategy after another.
"Unfortunately," Gianna replied, "the Daily Prophet is effectively controlled by the Ministry."
"Given my position, maintaining a good relationship with them—or even influencing them somewhat—isn't difficult."
"But completely buying them out..."
"That's another matter."
Lewis immediately thought of Rita Skeeter.
The chief reporter of the Daily Prophet.
He still held the secret that she was an illegal Animagus.
Perhaps...
There would be opportunities to cooperate with her again.
Someone like Rita wasn't suitable for praising his own people.
But when it came to destroying someone else's reputation...
She was an exceptionally useful weapon.
The Daily Prophet was simply too closely tied to the Ministry.
Manipulating the newspaper itself would be difficult.
But controlling Rita Skeeter alone...
That was entirely possible.
"What if we founded our own newspaper instead?"
Tonks suggested.
"We have more than enough money."
"We could simply hire professional journalists."
"No."
Onyxia immediately rejected the idea.
"A brand-new newspaper openly supporting us would attract far too much attention."
Among everyone present, the Black Dragon Princess understood propaganda and public opinion better than anyone else.
After all...
She had once used nothing but public opinion to split Stormwind from within...
Eventually provoking the conflict that led to Queen Tiffin's death.
"I think..."
"It would be better to quietly acquire an existing publication with a modest reputation."
That was Onyxia's recommendation.
Suddenly...
Lewis remembered Luna's Christmas invitation.
Perhaps...
It was exactly the opportunity they needed.
"If we're talking about an established publication..."
"I actually know one."
Everyone turned toward him.
"My Ravenclaw friend, Luna Lovegood."
"Her father, Xenophilius Lovegood, is the editor of The Quibbler."
"Perhaps..."
"We could bring that magazine over to our side."
"You're incredibly lucky, Lewis."
Onyxia's eyes lit up.
"Since you already have a personal connection, everything becomes much easier."
"With that relationship..."
"We could quietly bring the magazine under our control without leaving any obvious traces."
"People wouldn't suspect it had any close ties to us."
"And that would make shaping public opinion far more effective."
Gianna recalled what she knew about The Quibbler.
"I've heard of it."
"If I remember correctly, it mainly publishes articles about imaginary creatures and bizarre conspiracy theories."
"I once hoped it might contain information about visitors from other worlds."
"But after reading it..."
"I discovered that most of its stories were completely unfounded."
"It ended up being a complete waste of time."
After recounting her disappointing experience, she added,
"Among mainstream readers, The Quibbler doesn't enjoy a particularly strong reputation."
"But..."
"It does have a fairly loyal readership."
"I think it would make a suitable partner."
The discussion continued for quite some time.
Together, they explored how to maximize the Society of Erudition's influence over Britain's magical world.
Gianna proposed funding outstanding graduates who wanted to start businesses, allowing them to gain greater control over commercial resources.
Lewis, however, shook his head.
"Not yet."
"The magical world is still too stable."
"Every industry is operating normally."
"If we entered the market now..."
"The cost would be enormous."
"The real opportunity will come next year..."
"Or perhaps the year after."
"When the Dark Lord returns..."
"The entire British magical world will descend into chaos."
"That..."
"Will be the perfect time to buy everything at rock-bottom prices."
"Exactly..."
Onyxia quietly murmured.
She hadn't realized it herself...
But while curled up in Lewis's lap in her black cat form, she was looking at him with unusually complicated eyes.
It's that confidence...
That certainty about the future...
That ability to see the bigger picture...
That's why everyone follows him.
Even Gianna does.
When he's like this...
The little guy really is...
Remarkably charming.
The Black Dragon Princess, unknowingly suffering from an ever-worsening case of Stockholm syndrome...
Failed to notice that her eyes had already begun to glisten ever so slightly.
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