Harry Potter: The Bard of Hogwarts

Slytherin Dormitory.

No one would have expected that two third-year wizards would be talking about smuggling before bed.

Ino fundamentally disagreed with Draco's naive proposal.

Recently, while buying feed for the Acromantula, he had learned that the smuggling business in England's magical world was actually monopolized by the Avery family.

Perhaps the initial purpose of establishing the Leaky Cauldron was to facilitate the exchange of information.

Don't be fooled by old Tom's toothless, bald appearance and his constant cheerful demeanor as he wipes glasses; if anyone dared to touch the Avery family's cake, his smile would disappear in an instant.

Compared to smuggling, Ino was more concerned with another matter.

"Draco, how much stake do you have in that dragon farm? I mean, do you have any decision-making power or just dividend rights?"

"Of course, I have decision-making power!" Draco jumped out of bed, a bit excited as he envisioned:

"We start with a small amount. The Aurors won't check on two students. And once we've earned five thousand Galleons, we stop. By then, we can each get a Firebolt."

"Hold on!" Although touched by this daydream-like vision, Ino decided to throw cold water on it:

"Even if you safely bring the dragons in, how do you sell them? To whom? Without sales channels, you'll have to sell them at a low price to Knockturn Alley peddlers, and we might end up losing money."

"So, what do we do?" Draco's head drooped.

He's not dumb; he understood the problem once sales channels were mentioned.

Smuggling wasn't just about quietly bringing things back.

"There is a way." Ino affirmed.

"It's just that we need a venue and supporting processing services, and your dragon farm is the best choice. Most importantly, it's legal."

"Legal?" Draco's eyes lit up at this word.

"Yes, legal! And it's an exclusive business." Ino reiterated the legality and emphasized the monopoly aspect.

These two words together made Draco unable to sit still; he directly got out of bed in his pajamas.

"Tell me quickly! If we can't handle it alone, we can bring in partners like Pansy, Daphne, Blaise..."

"We can manage it ourselves!" Ino interrupted: "I have a group of trained Acromantula, and their venom is always a valuable potion ingredient."

Actually, when he heard about smuggling and the dragon farm, he thought of the Acromantula in his suitcase.

Although he would leave some for Lina, considering the Acromantula's breeding speed, it was a drop in the bucket.

The growth of Acromantula is always limited by food, specifically meat infused with magic.

This point, however, perfectly complements the dragon farm.

Valuable parts of a dragon include its blood, skin, heartstring, and even its liver and dung, but dragon meat has never been known for its economic value.

Acromantula, as a 5X magical creature, is dangerous to ordinary wizards, especially when surrounded by a group of them; one wrong move and you're done for.

The venom is precious likely because capable wizards disdain earning money this way, while those who aren't capable can't earn it.

...

In the dormitory.

Ino detailed his plan, but there were two main issues: obtaining legal breeding permits and sales channels.

The second point was easier to handle; he planned to contact some branded potion shops through Snape. A reliable and stable supply would likely not be rejected.

However, the legal breeding permits would require the influence of the Malfoy family.

Of course, contacting Newt or Dumbledore would also be more convenient.

But during their previous conversation, when he heard about the two Firebolts, he had an idea.

Put yourself in someone else's shoes: just by putting in some effort without any capital, being promised a broom worth 2,500 Galleons already revealed many things.

After more than two hours of discussion.

Finally, overwhelmed by drowsiness, Ino had to end the conversation.

"Let's sleep. Some things need careful planning! Rome wasn't built in a day."

Compared to Ino's sleepiness, Draco was still excited, his cheeks flushed, almost as if he had "ready to do big things" written on his forehead.

Despite his excitement, Draco tentatively asked:

"Can I tell my father about this?"

Pleased but cautious, Ino nodded secretly.

"Of course, it's meant to be told to Uncle Lucius through you!"

"Alright! I'll write a letter tomorrow."

Draco's tone was a bit disappointed, but he was used to it; after all, he wasn't the decision-maker in the Malfoy family yet.

...

The next morning.

Upon waking up, Ino didn't rush to get up but leaned against the bed frame, quietly staring at the ceiling.

Unlike the original story, Draco had chosen four elective courses in the third year.

Therefore, the dormitory often felt empty.

Thinking about the original story, he was surprised to realize how much had changed, to the point where his memories of it were becoming blurred.

Many things were slowly fading; without a Pensieve, he couldn't remember many details of the original story.

For instance, what happened in the second half of the third year; how many courses Draco took in the story... too many things.

Although many details were forgotten, he still remembered the major events.

The chaos at the Quidditch World Cup, the Triwizard Tournament in the fourth year, even Cedric's sacrifice and Voldemort's resurrection.

"No one in the castle will be sacrificed..."

Leaning against the bed, Ino made a silent vow.

He didn't dare to dream big, but at least in his years at Hogwarts, he wouldn't let those tragedies repeat.

As for the plan, he had already thought it through: if Barty Crouch Jr. dared to come, he would be caught on the spot.

This wasn't arrogance; as time passed, he increasingly felt that there weren't many strong fighters in the magical world.

Unlike his first year, when he was terrified of facing Quirrell possessed by Voldemort. Now, only the four house heads made him feel a slight pressure.

However, in these peaceful times, he couldn't find someone to test his strength against. Although Dumbledore had said his magic was close to Snape's, that was just a general description.

He was now looking forward to next year, eager to use Barty Crouch Jr. as a test.