Chapter 10: Slynn Wants to Exploit the Contract's Loophole
Looking at Mrs. Weasley’s enthusiastic gaze, Douglas found it impossible to refuse.
Originally, Douglas had planned to go to the Leaky Cauldron, and Percy clearly had no interest in shopping either.
The two of them chatted about their experiences over the past few years.
Mainly, Percy talked about what had happened at Hogwarts over the past few years.
When they passed Flourish and Blotts, they saw a crowd gathered around the entrance from a distance.
And on the upper floor of the bookstore, a large banner hung.
'Gilderoy Lockhart Autograph Session for His Autobiography, "Magical Me," Today 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM'
The entire queue seemed to be made up of people Mrs. Weasley's age.
A tired-looking Wizard stood at the entrance,
saying over and over again:
"Ladies... Ladies... Quiet, please, no pushing..."
Douglas peered through the bobbing heads and saw Slynn standing at the front.
So he squeezed through with Percy.
He put one hand on Slynn's shoulder and asked with a smile:
"I thought you'd be in the office checking manuscripts..."
Slynn was startled and quickly turned around, discovering it was Douglas.
"How could I be? This is all valuable learning experience. What if one day I also need to hold a signing event?
Look at Jarvis next to Lockhart, he's his editor...
However, I thought you didn't like joining in such lively events.
It's good that you came to see, to learn from the experience.
I think if you held a signing event, the scene would definitely be bigger than this...
You don't know how much your fans are... What's wrong?"
Although Slynn lowered his voice for the latter part of his speech, it was clear that Percy, who had been following him, still heard some of it.
Douglas saw a pair of surprised eyes and quickly interrupted Slynn's incitement.
He introduced the two to each other:
"This is a good friend of mine, Mr. Slynn.
This is Percy, a Weasley."
But Percy was full of surprise, ignoring greeting Slynn.
He asked excitedly:
"Does Boss write books too? What are the titles? Why have I never seen them?"
Slynn heard Percy's address, looked at Douglas in surprise, and blinked.
Douglas rolled his eyes at the mischievous fellow, guessing that he was doing it on purpose.
He wanted to pretend to accidentally leak his identity without violating the contract terms.
This way, he could fulfill his wish of holding various large-scale signing events.
He should have made an Unbreakable Vow earlier.
The main thing was that Douglas didn't take it to heart. He used to worry about his reputation being too great in the Wizarding World.
It would be troublesome if Lord Voldemort, after his resurrection, targeted him.
However, he had now become a Professor at Hogwarts.
Facing Lord Voldemort was only a matter of time.
The prerequisite was that he could accumulate ten thousand points before the end of the school year.
To lift that curse.
Douglas lowered his head and said to Percy with a smile:
"This isn't the place to talk. Later, I'll have Slynn send you a complete set of my books.
I guess Bill and Charlie definitely didn't give you the books I gave them.
But you have to keep it a secret for me!"
Then Douglas looked up at Lockhart, who was surrounded by his large photos.
And Percy seemed to have thought of something, his eyes widening as he stared at Douglas's back.
But then he shook his head, thinking it impossible.
If he remembered correctly, when that set of books first appeared, Douglas should have been in his first or second year...
But he remembered that Bill and Charlie did have two identical sets of books, and he had even borrowed them to read.
However, when the two left home, they took the books with them.
They said they were for leisure.
The magical photograph of Lockhart winked at the crowd in unison, revealing his dazzling white teeth.
Looking at the real Lockhart, he was wearing a forget-me-not blue robe that perfectly matched his blue eyes.
Douglas nudged Slynn with his elbow:
"Do you think I look good like this?"
Slynn turned his face to look at Douglas and asked in confusion:
"Don't you think it looks good?"
Douglas immediately felt that he should continue writing books under a pseudonym.
He didn't want to end up like Lockhart one day, like a peacock displaying its feathers.
Then Douglas squeezed through the crowd to the bookstore counter.
He bought a set of first-year textbooks and came out.
Slynn looked at the textbooks in Douglas's hand and asked curiously:
"Who are you buying textbooks for?"
Before Douglas could speak, Percy said in surprise:
"Boss, you're not buying these for Ginny, are you? Did you trick Mom?"
Douglas handed the books in his hand to Percy, then patted his shoulder meaningfully and said:
"Young man, it seems you've forgotten the little stories I used to tell you.
This isn't deception; it's just a different way of saying it, so the other person can accept the gift with a clear conscience.
Don't let it slip later."
Slynn snorted from the side.
"Hmph! A politician's trick, don't corrupt this child.
No wonder you can write those novels; you know so much. It's a pity you're not the Minister of Magic..."
Amidst their casual chat, they soon saw Mrs. Weasley, pulling Ginny, running over in a hurry.
On the other side, Arthur was walking over with a couple from the direction of the Leaky Cauldron.
Douglas bid farewell to Slynn, who was still observing and learning.
He squeezed out of the crowd with Percy.
Upon seeing Douglas and Percy, Mrs. Weasley quickly handed Ginny over to them.
Then she took a copy of "Magical Me" from the bookshelf.
She quickly joined the autograph queue.
Percy also put the books he was holding into the cauldron Ginny was carrying.
At this moment, Arthur and the couple also walked over.
"Hi, Douglas, are you done with your business?
I wanted to have a good chat with you. Mr. and Mrs. Granger just told me a lot about Muggle World cars."
Before Douglas could speak, Ginny, from the side, held up the cauldron.
She quickly said to her father:
"Dad, Professor Holmes gave me a set of textbooks..."
Percy also said:
"That's right, Dad, Mom invited Boss for dinner to congratulate him on becoming a Professor at Hogwarts."
Mr. Weasley wasn't surprised by his son's address for Douglas.
He had heard it before at The Burrow.
He glanced at the new textbooks in the cauldron, then heard that Molly had already made arrangements.
He quickly nodded:
"Of course, of course."
At this moment, the couple beside them asked cautiously:
"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt.
Mr. Weasley just said you're a Professor at Hogwarts, is that right?"
Mr. Weasley slapped his forehead and said with a smile:
"I forgot to introduce you. This is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts, Douglas Holmes.
These are Mr. and Mrs. Granger, oh, they are Miss Granger's parents, the one who was just at the entrance of Gringotts.
They are Muggles..."
Arthur Weasley knew Douglas's background, so he didn't shy away from the latter part of the sentence.
Looking at Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were trying to act composed in the Wizarding World, Douglas winked humorously:
"Hello, don't be nervous.
Actually, I'm also Muggle-born, just like Granger."
Hearing Douglas's explanation, Mr. and Mrs. Granger secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although Mr. Weasley had been accompanying them, they could still feel some malice from the Wizards.
When they heard that the other person was like their daughter, an ordinary person who became a Wizard,
and had even become a Professor at Hogwarts.
They immediately felt much closer.