This whole idea was Remus's doing. When Harry had been stuck at the Dursleys, Remus had been living in the mundane world for the most part. He'd worked in a large bookstore right in the heart of London's shopping district. With careful planning he managed to have off on the day before and after the full moon. Most Muggles didn't pay attention to the lunar cycle that closely so no one ever commented and the store was large enough that there was always plenty of staff to pick up the extra hours. But what the job had also given the werewolf was time to read freely on any topic that interested him. He'd become fascinated how certain cultural items could cross boundaries even between nations that were unfriendly at best. Even during the late Cold War, many teenagers and young adults in the Soviet Union were seeking black market sources of American cinema and blue jeans. Remus didn't want to destroy the culture of the magical world, but he did want to introduce more awareness of the mundane world than what was offered in Hogwart's Muggle Studies class. Pop culture seemed an excellent avenue to do that.
Sirius thought it was an excellent prank on the wand-up-the-arse Purebloods - like his mother. The fact it was going to make them a shit load of Galleons was simply the frosting on top. The old dog was a simple creature at heart.
To Harry, this whole incident spoke to the short-sightedness of modern witches and wizards. For centuries magic users let their imaginations run wild and then developed the magic to do it. Then once they reached a comfortable level they simply stopped. Harry wondered if Muggles would do the same thing. He'd watched some of Star TrekL The Next Generation. If Muggles ever actually developed transporters, replicators, and holodecks would they stop also? When all of your basic needs are answered with the wave of a wand or press of a button, what motivation do you have to advance further?
Harry's philosophical musings were stopped when he noticed Fudge approaching with a full entourage that included Auror bodyguards, a cluster of sycophants that included Percy Weasley, and of course the Toad herself, Umbridge.
"Minister," Sirius gushed as he appeared out of the crowd. "What a delightful l surprise to have you grace us on our opening day!" Harry drifted down during the greeting to stand slightly behind Sirius.
"I - I am not here to support this!" Fudge stammered as Umbridge turned red at the mere sight of Harry.
"Oh, that's too bad," Sirius sighed. "We are offering Ministry employees half off the first year of a premium package with a Mirror purchase." Fudge and Umbridge looked angrier at that but two of the sycophants actually looked interested. "That of course includes all of the Quidditch regular season matches and the national Gobstones championship!" Sirius added. Now a few more of Fudge's cronies looked to be considering the offer.
Fudge puffed himself up and then started in his pompous fashion, "Black, I am here to tell you that you must stop this business at once! As Minister for Magic, I am ordering it! You have no right to be bring such Muggle filth into our world nor have you paid the proper business start-up taxes to the Ministry! So, this must all stop at once!" Umbridge looked extremely satisfied at Fudge's 'firm' stand. Harry wanted to laugh.
Sirius smile broadened at Fudge's statement. Purebloods two generations earlier would have been reminded of just why the Black family was so feared by that smile.
"Au contraire, my Minister. First off, I am fully licenced by Her Majesties Government to provide the mundane programing. Under the Ministry of Magic Charter, the sale of goods and services of Muggle origin are controlled by Muggle laws as it is beneath the Ministry of Magic to monitor non-magical trade. This was upheld by the Wizengamot when they fined the Wizarding Wireless Network 1,000G for broadcasting the 1956 football World Cup without proper Muggle licences.
"As to the taxes, why you signed a law into place five years ago exempting the Most Ancient and Noble families from all Ministry business taxes. As the Head of the Most Ancient and Noble Family of Black and the financial backer of Marauders Inc, we fall under the purview of said law." Harry almost giggled at the display of Pureblood Noble haughtiness Padfoot was putting on.
Fudge gaggled in indignation at Black's statement. That law was meant to support his own backers, not this nobody!
"Plus, the good Minister is in error here," Sirius continued. "There is absolutely no Mundane technology in use here. Our Mirrors are powered and exist solely on magic - no electricity is use what-so-ever. Unlike say - the Hogwarts Express or the Wizarding Wireless, that use Muggle technology combined with magical elements. MME Mirrors are completely technology free."
"But it is based on Muggle technology!" Umbridge yelled. "You are corrupting our society with their filth! Don't deny it! We've had three more applications for securities from your company alone in the last week! And four more from other sources but also with Muggle influence! You will destroy all that makes the Magical World great if we don't stop you!" The toad-like woman was purple in her fury. Harry wondered if she would have an aneurism if she got any angrier.
"Really, four potential competitors?" Harry asked as he joined out of seemingly nowhere. "That is incredible. We didn't expect that before Yule at the earliest. Between our eleven applications and these four that is double what you had all of last year."
"These changes disturb our society!" Umbridge raged back. But Harry went off in a whole different direction.
"Pardon me, madam but your title is properly the Undersecretary of Magic, correct?" Harry asked.
Umbridge reined in her anger to puff herself up importantly. Beside her Fudge nodded his agreement.
"I happen to hold that honour." Harry smiled in a way that would have made his friends nervous.
"Well, I've always wondered. If you are the Undersecretary and Mr Fudge here is the Minister for Magic, then where did you stick the Secretary of Magic? Wouldn't that be the title of the person above you? Undersecretary sort of implies that there is a secretary above you. Or are you just a glorified administrative assistant? I've looked at the Ministry organizational chart and no one seems to report to you. What is it you do working under the Minister here?" Harry stopped and looked at the pair of Ministry officials with an innocently curious gaze. Fudge and Umbridge looked ready to burst with indignation at Harry's question.
Ironically, it was the painfully earnest Percy Weasley that answered.
"Madam Umbridge serves as the Minister's executive assistant for Wizengamot affairs. As such she is responsible for coordination between the Ministry and the Wizengamot including the drafting of laws and setting session agendas. Mr Malcolm Shaw is the Permanent Secretary of Magical Administration and as such is responsible for the running of the day-to-day affairs of the Ministry, its facilities, and staffing." If Harry thought Percy was in love with Fudge, it was nothing compared to the light in middle Weasley son's eyes when he spoke of Mr Shaw.
.....
Join my p@treon and read ahead by more than 60+ chapters.
Link : [email protected]/InfinityWeaver
Free members can read the next two chapters for free on my p@treon