“Using Galleons is of course possible, but Rayleigh, you need to consider this carefully.” Poli lowers herself and quietly whispers in Rayleigh’s ear: “The compensation payment is no small pressure for the Ministry of Magic.”
Rayleigh turns to look at Jessica, and the latter nods to encourage him to make his own decision: “Thank you, Sister.
We have decided to use Galleons to pay the difference.”
“How about 60,000 Galleons?” Rayleigh quotes a price.
Poli has no objection yet, but Thompson beside her jumps to his feet.
“Impossible.
If the market is good, this villa can sell for 200,000 Galleons.
Even after deducting the compensation portion, you should at least pay another 100,000!”
“All right then.
I choose my 100,000 Galleons.
Now, immediately, at once, give it to me!” Rayleigh tosses over the unsigned supplementary agreement.
It does not have legal effect.
“Miss Poli!” Thompson turns to the secretary lady for help, sweat cannot help but appear on his forehead.
“The property assessment is in your Finance Department’s hands.” Poli shrugs and goes to the side to pour herself some coffee.
“Mr.
Rayleigh, the price of 60,000 really will not work.
It is too little.” Thompson hurriedly smiles ingratiatingly.
If the installment compensation agreement falls through, he can already imagine the Department Head’s expression.
Perhaps he will be kicked off to the Arctic to guard a forest farm.
“I understand your difficulty, Mr.
Thompson.” Rayleigh says understandingly.
“Why not readjust the method for calculating the property’s value?”
“For example, this villa’s location, decoration, depreciation, and so on.
I think as a financial expert, this is not difficult for you.”
“It is only a reassessment, is it not?”
Rayleigh’s suggestion makes Thompson’s eyes light up.
As an official of the Finance Department, he knows the valuation system like the back of his hand.
Slightly changing a few parameters can make the property perfectly reach expectations.
“I…
I think this property really does need to be reassessed.” Thompson has an epiphany.
He hurriedly takes out blank parchment and begins writing a report in extremely beautiful cursive.
“I will go to the restroom for a moment.” Miss Poli smiles and congratulates Mr.
Thompson on his future outstanding prospects.
[Property Assessment Report for the Riverside Villa (No.
TW13, Lishiman Riverside)]
Thompson looks at the magical map and writes:
This property is a three-story modern minimalist-style villa located on the edge of London.
Although it has certain living facilities and a transportation network, because it is relatively far from the city center, the surrounding facilities are rather lacking and transportation is relatively inconvenient.
The property has certain room for appreciation, but because it is close to a key river channel, the surrounding environment is damp, noise pollution is severe, and maintenance costs are relatively high.
Thompson reads as he writes.
No one can deny that the villa’s location is remote.
No one can deny that the Thames occasionally sounds with ship whistles.
“Mr.
Thompson, considering the future swelling Muggle population in the London area, we should also list the pollution situation of the Thames as an important indicator.”
“You are absolutely right.
Those Muggles simply do not understand how to protect the environment!”
Thompson hurriedly adds this part and nods in satisfaction at the first section.
He uses his wand to cut open the villa and inspect its internal structure.
The property has a relatively large area, including a spacious garden, a dock, and other ancillary facilities.
The floors of the living room and dining room are severely cracked, exposing the underlying bonewood, and need complete replacement.
Estimated cost: 10,000 Galleons.
Rayleigh completely agrees with Thompson’s view.
The house has been cut in half, so of course the floors are severely cracked!
They must be severe, and extremely severe!
Thompson magnifies the floor maintenance cost to 20,000 pounds and converts it into equivalent Galleons at the official exchange rate.
As a Ministry of Magic’s official, especially as a financial officer, he must strictly abide by the official exchange rate.
The report continues: the ceilings of the second-floor master bedroom, guest bedroom, and third-floor study are severely leaking and need complete renovation.
The walls and roof of the property have large amounts of fantastical ivy, deer fern, and other vine plants.
Their growth speed is fast and they are extremely difficult to clean.
The garden is overgrown with weeds and must be completely turned over and cleared.
Considering the negative effects of some magical plants and possible magical animals, when clearing the garden, additional consideration must be given to medical costs caused by accidents.
Estimated total cost for this item: 5,000 Galleons.
The magical facilities in the house are long out of repair, the carpets are severely damaged, and most spells need to be recast…
Thompson unknowingly writes to the fifth page.
All the miscellaneous items in the report add up to a deduction of 45,000 in additional fees, exceeding Rayleigh’s expected target.
“Mr.
Thompson, for the sake of our friendship, why not also include this 5,000 Galleons as the procurement cost for Muggle equipment and electrification renovation?” Rayleigh brings over a cup of coffee and smiles at Thompson.
“Friendship?” Thompson asks in confusion.
“Yes.
A friendship of 5,000 Galleons.”
Jessica on the hospital bed has a somewhat complicated look in her eyes.
She knows clearly in her heart that the friendship Rayleigh gives away has problems.
At least at his age, he should not understand this kind of friendship.
But she is also very comforted, ‘The Travers Family has such a mature heir, and it will welcome revival again.’
‘Perhaps it is the experience of Azkaban.’ Jessica secretly blames herself.
These things should originally have been done by her, the mother.
“Ah!
Too much…
I…” Thompson stammers.
“I understand what you want to say, Thompson.
For our friendship!”
Mr.
Thompson cannot believe it, ‘I actually gained 5,000 Galleons so easily?’
The Finance Department is a small department in the Ministry of Magic.
Its power cannot compare to authoritative departments like the Department of Magical Law, so staff treatment is relatively worse.
He has worked in the Finance Department for many years, and his monthly salary is only 50 Galleons.
A friendship of 5,000 Galleons is enough for him to work bitterly for 9 years.
“I will clearly write out all kinds of special budgets, such as for purchasing equipment and books from the Muggle World…
to prevent young wizards from being misled by pure-blood ideology.” Thompson hurriedly stands up and respectfully asks Rayleigh’s opinion: “Do you think this is acceptable?”
“Mr.
Thompson, I believe in your professional competence.”
“I will not disappoint Mr.
Rayleigh!
Cars and small boats should also be added…” Mr.
Thompson becomes more and more energetic, fully giving play to his personal subjective initiative, comprehensively investigating the entire property without any blind spots.
…
“We also need to redesign the underground rooms, such as converting them into a potion-making room…” The two nod to each other and reach a consensus.
Half an hour later, Thompson finishes organizing the report and binds it neatly, waiting for Miss Poli to review it.
In this report, our dear Mr.
Thompson has already devalued this three-story villa by the Thames to the point of being worthless.
A property with a market price of 1.5 to 1.8 million pounds is worth only 600,000 pounds in black and white.
This is still considering exchange rates and inflation.
In fact, if Rayleigh had not stopped him, Mr.
Thompson could have pressed the valuation even lower, possibly to the point where the Ministry of Magic would owe Rayleigh money instead.
“It seems you two chatted very happily.” Poli flips through it casually and sighs at Thompson’s boldness.
Once an ordinarily honest person awakens, the power that bursts out is indeed astonishing.
“The report is written very professionally.” She closes the report and does not comment further.
The report is reviewed by the Finance Department, and the house is Ministry of Magic’s property.
What does it have to do with her?
She is merely an innocent Minister’s secretary and completely cannot understand these professional valuation systems.
“Only after Mr.
Rayleigh’s reminder did I realize the shortcomings of this property in terms of location, structure, decoration, and various other aspects.
I firmly believe this report completely, detailedly, and unreservedly reflects the property’s true value.”
Mr.
Thompson’s eyes shine with a dazzling light.
He understands why colleagues at the same level can live luxurious lives while he can only work busily until the moon comes out.
Perhaps the Finance Department has always had unwritten hidden rules.
Unfortunately, he did not know before.