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Chapter 246: Research Requires Funding
🕑 Added 2025-07-17 04:44:05 +0000 UTC"Noah, you’re finally here! I was starting to think about standing you up!"
As evening arrived, Noah stepped into the Ministry of Magic, and Evan and the others immediately surrounded him.
It wasn’t just Evan and his immediate circle—almost every member of the Mage Alliance gathered around, regardless of whether they were in the same class as Noah. Their admiration and curiosity for him were evident.
"How could I stand you up? Am I that kind of person? It’s just that something delayed me," Noah muttered with a hint of dissatisfaction.
He couldn't recall ever being late for anything, let alone skipping classes without a reason. He had always been the model student. In his eyes, he was simply a three-good student—so he couldn’t imagine doing something like that.
Soon, however, this issue was overshadowed by others. Many who had previously formed close bonds with Noah, or who had joined after his departure, were eager to chat with him.
Noah was easy-going and relaxed with his classmates, and they all remembered the key tenets of the Mage Union regulations: All wizards are equal, and everyone should unite. These principles hadn’t changed even after graduation, and their relationships remained strong.
When other members of the Ministry of Magic saw the camaraderie between the Mage Alliance members, they couldn't help but shake their heads in amusement.
After Dumbledore took office, those still working at the Ministry were known to be his most loyal supporters. This gave them a unique perspective on the existence of the Mage Union.
Sometimes, they couldn't help but lament the fact that such an organization hadn’t existed during their time at Hogwarts—or wonder why they hadn’t had someone like Noah around.
"It seems that our Ministry of Magic dinner has turned into a class reunion of the Hogwarts Wizards' Union," joked the current Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to Dumbledore.
"It doesn’t matter," Dumbledore replied with a smile. "These little ones are the future of the magical world."
Dumbledore’s unspoken thoughts were clear to everyone in the room. He didn’t mind the playful remarks; in fact, he likely took great joy in seeing his students maintain such strong bonds after graduation. Each of them had grown and achieved great things.
Although Dumbledore had resigned from his position as headmaster of Hogwarts, everyone understood his personal wishes. They had no objections to him stepping aside. They were also aware of Dumbledore’s plan for the future Minister of Magic.
Had Kamar-Taj University and Noah not been a factor, they might have expressed some discontent, even through unofficial channels. But things had changed. Kamar-Taj, a premier wizarding organization, held a position of influence that was unshakeable. And the fact that Kamar-Taj was allied with the Supreme Sorcerer made it the most strategic partner for any wizard.
It seemed clear now that the future Minister of Magic would likely be someone who had graduated from Kamar-Taj University.
While it wasn't certain, the opportunity to place Kamar-Taj graduates in key Ministry positions was also a viable option. However, in the British wizarding world, those students were still seen as Dumbledore’s apprentices. Therefore, their ties to him made them the obvious successors to his legacy.
Though it caused some resentment, no one could deny that these students were the best fit to carry on Dumbledore's work, and they were thriving in their positions.
After a few light exchanges, Dumbledore officially announced the start of the dinner.
This wasn’t a traditional dinner where everyone sat at a table to eat. It was more of a social gathering, a casual salon where people could move around, chat with whomever they wished, and form connections.
Noah was fortunate. Although a few unfamiliar faces came over to talk to him, they didn’t take up too much of his time. Of course, there was also the possibility that there were simply too many people around him, making others hesitant to monopolize his attention. Instead, they chose to focus on engaging with the younger members of the group.
"By the way, Noah, you still haven’t told me what delayed you. But you arrived just on time," Hermione said, reclining on a sofa with a glass of juice in her hand, eyeing Noah curiously.
Hermione was no longer the young girl she once was. After dressing up, she looked especially stunning.
"I went to see Charles before coming here. Charles Xavier. You know him, right?" Noah answered without hesitation.
"Oh, is it Mr. Xavier, the one who provides us with electricity and supports all those little ones?" Ernie, standing behind Noah, quickly pieced it together.
"Yes, that’s the one. He and I are working on a project—improving the magic of Animagus. Evan and the others are involved too. We might even aim for the Kamar-Taj Magic Award," Noah replied thoughtfully, not hiding the ambitious nature of their work.
"Wait, what? The Kamar-Taj Magic Award?" The other members of the Mage Alliance looked stunned, especially the students who hadn’t attended Kamar-Taj University.
"We’re working on transforming into magical creatures, even mythical ones. But we’re still in the research phase, so it might take a while," Noah explained with a smile, though he was unsure whether they would actually be selected.
"Go for it, Noah! Maybe you can win a second Kamar-Taj Magic Award!"
"Yes, you’re the leader of our group—it's all up to you!"
Noah nodded at their encouraging words, grateful for their support.
Interestingly, none of the Mage Alliance members asked to join this research or put any pressure on Noah. They all understood that while meditation in Kamar-Taj was beneficial, they had other ways to enhance their magical abilities—though none as effective as Kamar-Taj’s methods.
The biggest regret was not having access to Kamar-Taj's knowledge, a disappointment that lingered for many.
Noah, sensing this, smiled and responded, "Whenever you need a break, feel free to visit the temple. While the collection of books there might not compare to Kamar-Taj, I’m sure you’ll find many valuable resources."
"Really?" one of them asked, eyes wide with excitement.
"That sounds amazing!"
"Thank you, Noah!"
Noah's offer was met with enthusiastic praise. The habits and curiosities developed during their time in the Mage Alliance were hard to shake. Even as adults, some of them were married or engaged, yet they still sought out books to satisfy their curiosity.
Noah's promise to provide them with access to his collection was the perfect way to make up for their inability to join Kamar-Taj and to satisfy their unending desire for magical knowledge.
Noah smiled, nodded, and then stood up to leave, as he had other matters to attend to with Professor Dumbledore.
"By the way, do you really have a lot of books in the temple?" Hermione asked, following him.
"It’s okay. While some books are copies from Kamar-Taj, there are plenty of unique ones too. I haven’t had time to read all of them myself," Noah explained, chuckling. "So the quantity won’t be an issue."
"Then can I visit when I have time?" Hermione asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Of course! You can come anytime, but it’s important to finish your work first. And perhaps you’ll get to meet my teacher," Noah said casually.
"Wow, your teacher still visits you often? You must have a really close relationship. By the way, what did you need to see Professor Dumbledore for?" Hermione asked, pausing before quickly shifting the topic.
"You’ll find out soon enough," Noah replied with a smile, heading toward Dumbledore.
Noticing Noah approaching, Dumbledore finished his conversation with a Ministry official and smiled, stepping aside to make way for Noah.
"Is something the matter, Noah?" Dumbledore asked kindly.
Noticing Hermione beside him, Dumbledore assumed it wasn’t a particularly secret matter.
"Well, I spoke with Mr. Xavier this afternoon, and we decided to collaborate on something. However, it still requires your approval, Professor," Noah stated directly.
"Charles Xavier? What sort of cooperation did you discuss?" Dumbledore asked, intrigued.
Noah explained, "You know that Charles bought a villa to house many children. While the Ministry of Magic gives him financial support each month for electricity, the works of Master Ryan Horsman will take time to be fully implemented. So, Charles and I are planning to develop something new."
"Are you trying to make money from this?" Professor Dumbledore asked, slightly embarrassed, while the Ministry officials exchanged glances.
After a long pause, they had expected Noah to bring up some grand proposal—but instead, he was asking for approval to fund his research.
"Yes," Noah said without hesitation. "After all, research requires funding."
