Alex shook his head. "No. If we used the Imperius Curse on someone from Silver Wand, we'd risk exposure.
The club has protections in place to shield their minds. When I say we'll let him help us, I mean we'll use him without him even knowing."
He gave Fang a sly smile and turned his attention to the surveillance screen. "Which one's Claremont's office? I want a look."
Fang, still trying to wrap his head around the idea of using someone as a pawn without them realizing it, quickly pointed out the office on the monitor. Alex stared at the screen for a few seconds before a faint grin crept onto his face.
"There are three griffin statues on his shelf. Looks like the man has a soft spot for those creatures."
"Huh?" Fang blinked, clearly confused by the sudden interest in interior decorating.
But Alex didn't elaborate. He just gave a final order for Fang to keep watching the monitors and quietly slipped away, heading back to his alchemy lab, the smile never quite leaving his face.
The next day, dressed in a sharp formal outfit, Alex arrived in front of the "Claremont Magic Supply Store," located in the West German section of Dudden House. He had received an invitation earlier that morning. While Alex had already guessed Claremont would make a move soon, he hadn't expected it to happen this quickly.
As he stepped inside, a witch in elegant robes greeted him with a polite, professional smile. "You must be Mr. Wilson. Sir Claremont has been expecting you. Please, follow me," she said smoothly.
It was clear her instructions were to treat him with the utmost respect. Alex gave her a calm nod, smiling faintly as he followed her deeper into the store.
From the start, it was obvious that Claremont was no ordinary shopkeeper, this place was massive, spread across two full floors with high-end magical decor throughout. The shelves were filled mostly with imported magical goods, broomsticks, enchanted cases, and specialty robes, though there was a noticeable lack of in-house alchemy products.
The witch led him upstairs to the second floor, where Claremont himself was already waiting just outside the office door. Dressed neatly in a finely tailored wizard's robe, Claremont wore a warm smile and stepped forward with an outstretched hand.
"Welcome, Mr. Wilson. I truly didn't expect you to come all the way to Germany personally. It's an honor," he said with practiced enthusiasm.
Alex shook his hand and returned the smile. "You're too kind, Mr. Claremont. Please, just call me Alex, I'm still quite young. And really, I should be the one honored. I didn't expect such a warm welcome."
From the corner of his eye, Alex took in the details of the office, fresh flowers in tall vases, delicate pastries and finger foods neatly arranged on fine porcelain trays, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee in the air. Clearly, Claremont had gone out of his way to make an impression.
Claremont gave a good-natured chuckle. "Haha, Alex, you're being too modest. You're the youngest wizard to ever win the Pioneering Contribution Gold Award at the International Alchemy Conference.
Your name has been the talk of Europe's magical circles all year. How could I treat you like just any guest?"
He gestured warmly. "Come in, come in, I've already prepared tea for us. Please, make yourself comfortable."
Though Claremont carried himself with the ease of a veteran businessman, full of charm and social polish, he showed no hint of arrogance. In fact, he seemed to be treating Alex with the same level of respect one might give to a visiting Minister of Magic. If Alex hadn't already known the truth about Claremont's background, he might have been completely taken in by the man's pleasant act.
Once Alex was seated on the plush sofa, Claremont dismissed the staff waiting outside the room with a wave, then leaned forward to personally pour a cup of steaming coffee.
"Here," he offered kindly, holding out the delicate cup.
"These beans were grown by Roman wizards using their own unique magical cultivation. First-class quality. I guarantee you won't be disappointed." His tone was warm and genuine, as if sharing a prized secret between friends.
"Thank you, Mr.Claremont," Alex said with a polite smile as he accepted the cup of coffee. "Sorry for showing up so suddenly and taking up your time."
"Nonsense," Claremont replied warmly. "You came all the way to Germany as the head of Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Company. Of course, you deserve a proper welcome."
His tone was casual, but his eyes gleamed with a friendliness that made it seem like they were longtime acquaintances rather than business contacts meeting for the first time.
"I appreciate the hospitality," Alex said sincerely. Then, his expression grew a bit more serious.
"I have to say, I'm impressed by your magic supply store. I wasn't expecting it to be this large-scale. And I saw the latest Egyptian magic camera on display, too, that caught me off guard."
Claremont raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised. "You recognized that just by looking? I'm impressed, you've got a sharp eye."
Alex chuckled modestly. "Pure luck, really. Our company actually worked with Ms.Nefira this season to design that model. It's part of the same product line as our newest magical lamp and phonograph.
The entire set was released together, featuring enhancements from several Egyptian alchemy firms. Though, I didn't spot the other items here, were they sold out? Or maybe they didn't suit your shop's market?"
For the briefest second, Claremont's smile tightened. Inside, he was cursing. This young man was clearly trying to probe him, deliberately steering the conversation toward product sourcing and business ties.
Still, Claremont couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration. Alex wasn't just some showpiece figurehead, he was clearly sharp, strategic, and well-prepared. There was nothing random about his casual questions.
Claremont recovered quickly, his trademark charm returning with a bright laugh.
"You're miles ahead of us, Alex. We're lucky just to be introducing a few new items into our stock.
Maybe in the future, we'll need to count on Wilson Alchemica to help bring in more from Egypt. Otherwise, I might have to give up and start drinking Mistral to cope."
Alex's smile remained unchanged, but his brow lifted ever so slightly in thought. Claremont was as cunning as the rumors said, quick to adjust, always ready with a clever deflection.
This joke of his wasn't just small talk, it was a veiled move, backing off while planting seeds for future negotiation. Was he really this good at playing both sides? Or did he already have a plan in mind to gain the upper hand?
The more they spoke, the more it became clear that this wasn't going to be a simple business chat. Both men had arrived prepared, with sharp minds, practiced manners, and more than a few tricks up their sleeves.