Harry Potter: The Bard of Hogwarts

Quidditch Training Field.

Draco kept watching everyone's performance repeatedly. Although he didn't know much about filming, he always remembered something Ino had once said:

"A good story is never a product of deliberate effort."

This simple statement set a standard for Draco: he couldn't let people easily see that they were acting out a story.

But it had been two whole months, and a single short story was still not finished.

This not only greatly diminished everyone's enthusiasm but also steadily decreased Draco's popularity.

"It doesn't matter! I'll recruit in Diagon Alley during the summer!"

After another unsatisfactory attempt, Draco stopped stressing.

"Perhaps you've encountered a problem!"

"Would you like to try our method?"

George and Fred seized the opportunity and stepped out from the crowd of onlookers.

"The problem isn't with me; it's with them!" Draco shook his head.

Even though he was facing two Gryffindor Weasleys, he didn't have the energy to argue anymore. Their appearance instead gave him a chance to vent his pent-up frustration.

"We know!" George shrugged naturally.

"So, the key is to make sure the mirror is not visible." Fred quickly pointed out the crux of the issue.

"Invisibility Cloak! Just drape it over the mirror, and it will blend into the surroundings for a while."

George took out a folded-up old tablecloth from his pocket.

Faced with Draco's silent doubt, Fred didn't hesitate and directly covered the mirror with the cloth.

The three-foot diameter mirror was perfectly concealed.

Seeing this 'coincidence,' Draco thought for a moment before asking, "Why are you helping me?"

"First of all! We're not helping you." George clarified their stance.

"We're friends with Ino, and since he's not at Hogwarts now..."

Fred didn't finish, but the mention of being Ino's friends lowered Draco's hostility.

Moreover, he didn't have the energy to differentiate things further now because the mirror, under the cover of the tablecloth, indeed became transparent.

Although it still seemed noticeable up close, from a distance, it was definitely invisible.

"How much does this thing cost? I'll take it!" Draco reached into his pocket.

"No charge." Fred clasped his hands, indicating he refused payment.

Surprising! The Weasley twins not asking for money! Draco clearly remembered them selling fireworks for several Knuts during the last Quidditch match.

"No charge? Then what do you want?"

"We want to watch up close." George and Fred spoke in unison.

"Alright! But no causing trouble." After a brief thought, Draco nodded and then stood up to address the others.

"Everyone get ready! Let's do it again. This time without the mirror, just relax and practice…"

Hogwarts was always bustling with life.

Meanwhile, far away on Brioni Island, the atmosphere was solemn.

On the island were not only the returning Dren and the dragon trainers but also Lucius and a group of Croatian pure-blood wizards.

Croatia, a coastal country with a population of only 4 million and an area of about 50,000 square kilometers, had mobilized its entire force.

Including the Minister of Magic, a total of 30 Croatians had come.

"I respect your sovereignty, but I do not recognize your capability." Lucius calmly glanced over the Croatian delegation.

"A total of 23 wizards! Today they dare come to my dragon farm; tomorrow they could attack mainland Britain, and the day after, they could raid the International Confederation of Wizards."

The Croatian Minister of Magic, a bald man in his fifties, wiped his sweat while forcing a smile.

"Mr. Malfoy! This is a misunderstanding!"

He couldn't let Lucius continue; otherwise, Croatia would be painted as a dark wizard haven.

"Misunderstanding?" Lucius pointed his wand at the ground, where 23 wizards were tightly bound, making his point clear.

"These people have nothing to do with us!" someone from the Croatian entourage couldn't help but refute.

This one rebuttal changed the expressions on both sides. The middle-aged minister sighed helplessly, while Lucius broke into a bright smile.

"Since they have nothing to do with you…"

Lucius was interrupted mid-sentence by the minister:

"I agree to lease Brioni Island to the Malfoy family! Let's end this matter here."

Ino watched their exchange the entire time, clearly seeing that Lucius had skillfully maneuvered the conversation to make the minister admit that the invaders were not under their control.

The best response to such an incident would have been to take responsibility and promise to find the culprits. They might face compensation, but future taxes would still come in. Now, by denying responsibility, they lost everything.

Though the minister hated the wizard who spoke out of turn, he also realized it might be better for Croatia to distance itself from the situation. They had 23 wizards involved, while their entire ministry had only 30 staff.

As the minister felt relieved, Lucius spoke again:

"Not leasing to Malfoy, but to Swinburne! Brioni Island will be leased for one Galleon a year, with no time limit!"

Seeing the 23 wizards on the ground, Lucius had made up his mind. Forget about earning money; he was determined to tie Malfoy and Swinburne together even if it meant spending money.

Ino, who had been a bystander, was astonished to find that he now owned an island. He looked at Lucius, who smiled without explanation.

Apparently prepared, Lucius quickly produced a magical contract, a standard one from the English Ministry of Magic.

Signing the contract.

Thus, Ino legally acquired an island, officially recognized by the authorities.

As the Croatian delegation left, Lucius immediately explained before Ino could speak:

"Without your help, this dragon farm would have ceased to exist long ago, and we'd be facing huge compensation."

Lucius's words were passionate and reasonable.

Had this been two months ago, Ino might have believed it. But after two months at the dragon farm, he knew the real value lay not in the land, buildings, or even the dragons but in the market share.

"Uncle Lucius, although I accept the island, Draco's shares remain unchanged!" Ino decided to accept the goodwill.

Knowing the true intentions, refusing further would imply something else.

Sure enough, Lucius beamed when he heard Draco's shares wouldn't change.

"Haha, then I'll leave this place to you two. I'll handle the initial construction and the salaries for Dren and the others."

A tacit understanding was thus reached.