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Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Summary of Events

[Third Person's PoV] 

The following month of August had become quite hectic for Arthur.

For starters, just days after meeting with Dumbledore, Arthur was led towards the Ministry of Magic. There, he even had the pleasure of meeting Cornelius Fudge, the Minister himself.

Upon learning that Dumbledore's visit had been to endorse Arthur and support the publication of his book, the Ministry officials were both skeptical and confused by the unusual move.

However, Dumbledore's influence within the Ministry was immense. His words carried great weight, and his requests often inspired immediate action. Because of his status, the officials had no choice but to comply, no matter how unorthodox the situation seemed.

They accepted Arthur's manuscript and began following the necessary procedures required for publishing any book intended for public release. However, due to the nature of Arthur's work, the process took far longer than usual.

The Ministry had to ensure that the information within the book wasn't spreading misinformation or dangerous knowledge.

The entire review process dragged on for over a week. Given that it was Dumbledore's request, a panel of renowned witches and wizards—specialists in Runes—were summoned to evaluate the contents of the book.

This stirred quite the commotion within the Ministry, as those same scholars, upon reading Arthur's work, demanded to meet the author in person.

When they finally met Arthur, they were stunned. Expecting an elderly scholar, they were shocked to discover that the writer was just a ten-year-old boy.

Skepticism turned to amazement the longer they spoke with him. Arthur explained the context of his work in far greater detail than what was written, and it became clear that he was indeed the author. Even more surprising, his understanding of Runes surpassed their own. Some even encouraged him to write a dedicated book on the subject.

Once the review was complete and the book had passed every test, it was officially approved for public release.

When The Daily Prophet heard that Dumbledore had endorsed the work of a young, wandless wizard, they jumped at the chance for a story. After all, anything tied to Dumbledore was guaranteed to draw attention.

By mid-August, Arthur found himself standing before dozens of magical cameras, his picture and charming smile splashed across every single page of The Daily Prophet.

However, there was one crucial factor Arthur had failed to consider in his sudden rise to fame—something that would have an unexpected impact.

He was cute. Too cute.

With his bright golden hair like a lion's mane and his dazzling blue eyes that sparkled like gemstones—not to mention his noble demeanor—Arthur quickly became famous for reasons unrelated to his writing.

His appearance alone caused the hearts of witches, young and old, to swoon.

Still, Arthur handled the attention with surprising ease. To him, any publicity was good publicity—especially if it meant his books would sell faster.

Whether it was Dumbledore's endorsement or Arthur's looks, the books flew off the shelves. However, not all the attention was positive.

Some within the magical community believed the entire event was a publicity stunt—that Arthur was just a poster child chosen for his looks.

Many bought the book out of curiosity, expecting propaganda… but were shocked by the depth of knowledge contained within.

Toward the end of August, Merlin suggested hosting a book signing event. Arthur agreed, and with help from Nicholas Flamel, Perenelle, and Dumbledore, the plan was set into motion.

Nicholas and Perenelle were instrumental in organizing the event. Dumbledore, busy with the start of a new term at Hogwarts, couldn't offer much assistance during the event itself.

The book signing took place at the beginning of September.

Arthur wore a nervous smile as he realized the crowd lined up to see him consisted mostly of young witches eager to find out if he was just as adorable in person as in the photos.

Merlin found the situation far too amusing and doubled over in laughter at Arthur's embarrassment.

Thankfully, there were also scholars and curious witches and wizards genuinely interested in his work. Arthur was delighted to speak with them, answering their questions with enthusiasm.

After the event, Arthur's celebrity status within the wizarding community solidified.

His face kept appearing in The Daily Prophet, even when he hadn't done anything newsworthy.

Bizarre rumors swirled, including theories that Arthur was Dumbledore's secret son.

Arthur paid them no mind.

Even with his newfound fame, he continued his training and studies with unwavering focus.

From September through the end of October, Arthur managed to write another book—this time a simpler one focused solely on the art of Runes.

He titled it: "Understanding and Deciphering the Language of Magic"

By Arthur King.

This only earned Arthur more fame, firmly establishing him as a renowned author with three books already to his name.

He continued promoting his works through the Daily Prophet, making appearances here and there throughout the remainder of the year.

Despite the whirlwind of attention, Arthur never once ceased his alchemical research. With each passing month, he edged closer to his goals, his knowledge in alchemy and its related fields deepening significantly.

November seemed to have passed the quickest, during this time Arthur had spent his time more or less with the Flamels. Growing closer and viewing them as more than just people that could be of use to him. He had come to care about them and view them as close family. 

He was deeply thankful to them, as they had consistently supported him throughout his chaotic and eventful months. Their bond had grown so close that both Arthur and Merlin had begun referring to them fondly as Penny and Nick.

Then December arrived, bringing with it an unexpected surprise that left Arthur bewildered—and Merlin in tears from laughter.

Arthur had been nominated for an award based solely on his appearance… and he won first place.

It was a unanimous decision.

Arthur was horrified. The idea of growing up to become another Lockhart made his skin crawl.

As the end of the year approached, award season arrived, and to Arthur's surprise, his books began receiving accolades as well. Due to their popularity and sales, they were recognized across the magical community.

What made Arthur's books stand out was how, over time, more readers began to truly comprehend the complexity of what had been written. The depth of the systems he described and the potential behind them astonished many. Even skeptics who doubted Arthur was truly the author couldn't deny the value and brilliance of the content.

Arthur never expected such recognition—his only goal had been to share his knowledge with the world.

Unfortunately for him, this meant even more pictures, interviews, and book signing events, causing his fame to skyrocket once more.

And on top of it all, Arthur had earned a considerable amount of money. Even without an inheritance, if he were to attend Hogwarts, he would have no trouble affording the highest-quality materials available.

Still, Arthur had no intention of spending the money on himself. He had far greater plans for how to use the income from his books—but that would come later.

Christmas came and went joyfully, with Arthur spending the holiday with the Flamels. Even Dumbledore dropped by for a short visit. Gifts were exchanged, and warmth filled the home.

Before he knew it, the New Year had arrived—and with it, Arthur's birthday.

He had turned eleven, a pivotal age for every witch and wizard.

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