Harry walked into the shop one morning looking even more exhausted then normal. He had large bags under his eyes, his hair looked like a worse disaster than usual and he looked like he'd been dragged through hell and back.
George watched his friend walk in and had to stop himself from falling over in shock at the mans appearance
"You alright there mate?" He asked cautiously, afraid that Harry might explode if be applied to much pressure
"Never better." Harry's drawl dripped with sarcasm as he replied.
"Well good to know, we've got lots of things to get done today! Now how bought you perk up or better yet... You wait here I'm get some of them laughing poppers I've been playing with and we'll have a little experiment"
"Oh knock it off George" Harry said as he walked over to the chair behind the main desk and sat down putting his head in his hands.
It had been three years since the war and things were going wonderfully in the wizarding world. People were happy. The lives lost during the war were an often remembered and commemorated tragedy, but for the most part people were slowly moving forward in their lives. The Weaslys still mourned for Fred but the pain was slowly healing. Hermione was now training to be a medi-witch and was at the head of her class. Ron had gone straight into the Aurors program after the war and everyone who met him all expected wonderful thing for him. Harry on the other hand had not.
While it seemed everyone else was moving forward it felt like Harry was constantly frozen in the past. And don't get me wrong; he had tried to move forward, to live his life. But it seemed that no one really wanted him to. It felt as If the whole wizarding world wanted him to stay frozen in the past as their 17-year-old hero. No one outside of his small group of friends would let him forget the war. He was frozen back in time and the stress from it was starting to show.
Since the war Harry had done very little with his life. He and Ginny had broken up soon after the war, quickly realizing they made better friends than lovers. And Harry's life consisted of getting up going to the shop and then going to see and take care of Teddy.
After Fred's passing George had no idea how he would go on running the shop. Not because of the missing manpower after his brothers passing. But just out of sheer depression. Harry had gotten him out if that. He forced him to open up, to brighten the world just a little bit with the items in his shop. The way they had during the war. And George agreed to do it on one condition. That Harry would do it with him as a full business partner. Harry had refused at first but George was good at blackmail so he didn't have much of a choice.
In this way the two of them saved one another, George from his crippling sadness and Harry from his.
But since the war George had continued to grow and expand the business as Fred would have wanted. He even had shops in America now, which were being run by his best friend Lee Jordan. And he was planning to open a few more internationally as well as opening a whole new muggle branch of stores.
Harry had a huge part in this since, as George quickly learned, Harry is a damn good business man and well adept to dealing with the banks and other such big bodies.
Everything in their lives should have been going according to plan. Harry should be happy like the rest of them. But he wasn't.
"What's wrong Harry?" George asked as he knelt down in front of him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder
"I ... I just can't. I just can't do this anymore George." Harry sighed, there were tears in his eyes but George didn't comment on them
"Can't do what Harry? Talk to me; tell me what's wrong. I'm right here for you, you know that right?" George said as he peeled Harry's hands from his face and made him look up at him.
"This! All of it! Look around us George the worlds moved on, and everyone's moving forward and being happy and I'm… I'm stuck! It's just not fair…" Harry stopped for a moment to try to gain some composure. After taking a deep breath he continued, "Why can't I move forward and be happy too?" Harry finally couldn't stop the tears and let them fall freely. "It's like everywhere I go there's a reminder of the war. Or there's someone whose there just watching me, waiting for me to do something like I'm some sort of animal. And to make matters worse both the ministry and Rita Skeeter have people fallowing me."
"Wait! What the bloody hell! Why?" George looked around almost comically checking if there was anyone in the shop. He then locked and warded the doors and cast a muting spell on the room so their conversation couldn't be heard.
"There are rumors floating around that my magic ability has been steadily increasing beyond capacity and there's a fear that I'll either loose control of it or learn to harness it. That and Skeeters just a bitch."
"You're joking! They can't be serious about this! It's absurd!" George said in anger and shock.
"They are and it's driving me insane. I need to get away from here but I don't know what to do any more! I don't know where to go. I'm just so lost." Harry admitted for the first time that he could not handle this anymore.
Just as George was about to reply there was a knock on the door.
"George? It's me Kaito! Hey are you in there? We have an appointment remember?" Someone yelled outside the door.
"Shit I forgot about that! Ok Harry go upstairs and get yourself cleaned up there's someone I want you to meet! And don't your dare worry about any of this! We'll figure it all out before the days done! I promise Ok?" George asked Harry gently as he wiped the tears off his face. Harry nodded slowly and went to get up but George caught him in a tight hug that reminded him a lot of Molly.
"Don't worry we will figure this out ok?" George asked him again to which Harry nodded and walked up the stairs.
Once Harry was out of sight George ran over to the door and opened it for the young man who had been knocking on the door furiously.
"Kaito my friend I have been waiting for you. Sorry to keep you waiting!" George said happily to the man in front of him.
Kaito was much shorter then George, but then again, who wasn't? He was around 5'7 and looked to be around 27 years old with dark brown hair and eyes. He walked into the shop and looked completely out of place in his simple black suit in comparison to the bright and colorful shop. He smiled up at George, already use to his cheerful disposition.
"How are you doing George? Well I hope?" Kaito asked to which George just smiled happily. They soon walked over to the back room of the shop behind the front desk and stairs where the office was and both took a seat.
"I guess we should get down to business. Since we last spoke I have gotten full permission from both the wizarding and muggle authorities to open both the shops in Japan. The only conditions they have placed is that a disillusioning spell must be kept on the muggle shop at all times just in case a muggle sees something curious." Kaito said, quite pleased with him self that he had managed to get all this done in such a short amount of time.
"Wow Kaito you're a miracle worker! I didn't think we'd be ready for another year." George said pleased
"What can I say? I'm just that good!" He replied making both of them laugh.
"So now that we know this is happening how are you planning on running this thing? Everything worked out well for the American shops but that only because Lee has been there this whole time. I don't know how we're going to pull it off this time." Kaito had spoken to George about this before but he usually was forced off the subject by George's enthusiasm for other things.
"Well this shop does run itself for the most part. Plus Harry-" George stopped mid sentence
"Harry? Who Harry? What's Harry?" Kaito asked only to jump back in his chair as George jumped up and ran to the stairs.
"HARRY! HARRY COME DOWN HERE THIS INSTANCE I HAVE AN AMAZING IDEA AND I NEED YOU HERE RIGHT NOW." George yelled at the top of his lungs.
"I am not going to try those stupid laughing poppers George! I am a man NOT A GUINIE PIG!" Harry yelled back as he came down the stairs.
George saw Harry come down and all but dragged him to Kaito by the sleeve of his shirt.
"Harry meets Ryouji Kaito. My business partner who has been helping me expand and internationalize the business. Kaito, meet by friend, investor and co-owner Harry Potter." Harry blanched at the business title that George liked to pin on him but smiled at the man in front of him regardless of his mood a few minutes ago.
"Mr. Potter! It's a pleasure to finally meet you. George never shuts up about you." Harry and Kaito both laughed at that one.
"The pleasure is mine I assure you." Harry replied back politely.
"Well?" George asked, the excitement evident on his face
"Well what?" Kaito and Harry responded at the same time, only to smile at each other at the action. It seemed they both had dealing with George as a good point of similarity.
"Don't you see Harry? Kaito is the answer to all of our problems! This is perfect! We can kill two birds with one stone!" George went on to explain, but not really.
Kaito sighed and rolled his eyes at the red head. "George how many times must I tell you this. I'm very flattered but the truth is I am married and therefore must turn down your advances." Kaito stressed dramatically as Harry burst into laughter at the sheer hilarity of it. George froze for a moment in confusion then laughed realizing what he'd jut said.
"See Kaito, this is why I like you" George explained extravagantly motioning what he said with his hands.
"George, what the fuck are you on about?" Harry asked through the laughing fit. It had been a while since he had laughed this hard and increasingly liked Kaito.
"Kaito is helping me open a wizarding AND muggle shop in Japan!" George explained
"Really? That's wonderful! Why didn't you tell me sooner this is great news! Have you told the others? Molly and Arthur will be out of their minds with joy!" Harry exclaimed
"He said he wanted it to be a surprise" Kaito elaborated, a smile still placed on his face. Harry responded with another smile in return. "We've gotten permission to open them earlier today."
"Yes but there still a lot to do! We still need to find a place for the shops!" George said with a groan just thinking about the amour of things that they still had to do.
"Already done. I got the land permits for both before I got here. I had already placed a reservation on the plots I wanted ages ago." Kaito bragged with a smirk. He was the best in the business and he liked for everyone to know it. Harry stared in surprise that he'd managed to do such a thing so quickly. It had taken them ages to set up the first shop in the states.
"What? Well then we better hurry and find contractors!" George said excitedly. Kaito gave him a bored look and pulled some papers out of his inner jacket pocket.
"What do you take me for George? Here sign this they start tomorrow." George stared at him with wide eyes and hugged him without warning as tightly as he could.
"You are my Merlin! I will worship the ground you walk on forevermore my king!" George said while still hugging Kaito, to which he laughed and with Harry's help eventually pried George off.
"The wizarding shop will be open by mid April, the muggle one will take a bit longer since it has to be done without magic so it doesn't cause suspicion." Kaito explained as George signed all the necessary paperwork.
"That being said I was hoping we could go to Japan in March to make sure everything is ready for the opening and we'll stay there till July when the shops will be running under control." Kaito explained
"Wait, staying there?" Harry asked in surprise
"Yes, in America Lee handles everything but he wont be available for this so we'll do all of the opening business ourselves." Kaito continued, to which Harry nodded in silent shock, not knowing what he would do without George for that long.
"Yup" George said as he looked up from the paperwork. "Except slight change of plan. I won't be going to Japan." George said happily.
"WHAT?!" Kaito stared at George in shock waiting for him to continue. When no explanation came he started almost shaking with anger.
"Are you INSANE?! George I know I'm extremely capable of handling most of the insane things you ask me to do but this!? This I cannot do! It's just not possible!" Kaito shouted as George got up and went back into the shop, getting it ready for the store opening. "Listen to me George I am not handling the set up for all of these crazy contraptions" He ranted as he pointed to some of the more dangerous store items "Or the storage of some of those insane potions of yours! I am not some lunatic who would have a suicide wish like that. I am NOT doing this alone!" Kaito said as he literally and figuratively put his foot down.
"I never said you were doing it alone." George said with a smirk clearly enjoying Kaito's anger.
"I know where you're going with this George and I don't like it." Harry said in response as George smiled even wider. Kaito looked between the two of them, obviously confused by Harry's
reaction.
"Harry my boy! Don't you see? This is everything we've been waiting for!" George said as he squeezed Harry's shoulders.
"Oh! Is that so?" Harry asked sarcastically.
"Listen, it's simple! You need an escape route and I'm giving you one! This is perfect!" George said enthusiastically.
"George! This is not what I meant! I was thinking a cabin in the middle of the Canadian wilderness or something along those lines! This is insane!" Harry responded
"What's insane about it? Give me one good reason!" George proclaimed
"Oh I don't know! Maybe the fact that I don't speak a word of JAPANESE!" Harry shouted
"Well you could learn it." Kaito interjected, finally catching on to their train of thought.
"You are supposed to be on my side! This is crazy" Harry sighed in exasperation.
"Hey I'm on whatever side gets me through this with as little stress as possible and I think out of the two of you, you are the better option." Kaito explained.
"Bullshit." Harry replied
"Harry! Why are you fighting this? It's perfect! No one would think of looking for you or going after you there!"
"Wait who's going after him?" Kaito asked
"The ministry" Harry replied
"What the hell? Why?" Kaito said looking at Harry in surprise
"I am apparently such a risk to society that they are now keeping a constant eye on me" Harry said with irritation
"See this" Kaito pointed, "This is why I don't like the British ministry. This is why I live in America, and sometimes in Japan, these people are crazy!"
"Well what do you think Kaito" George asked "Is it a good idea to send him there or not?"
He could tell this was serious so he stood silently for a second thinking over the options.
"Well it's better than sending him to America. The ministry has a consulate there so they might still be able to fallow him but they don't have one in Japan." Kaito explained finally.
"That doesn't solve the language problem." Harry pointed out in resignation
"Oh we can just find you a memory tutor! There are a lot of good magical ones that use memory charms and other sorts of magic to get you to learn to read and speak in record time! I'd say you could just use a translation spell but if you're going to be living there for an extended period it might be better it you just learned it." Kaito explained
Harry sighs as he looked at the two of them. "So I'm actually doing this?"
Both just smiled and nodded back in response.