Chapter Ninety-Eight

Business and Friendship

Harry smiled a little nervous as the Weasley twins flooed into their home. They would have read by now that he had killed Dumbledore. Harry couldn't help but remember their horror when they had realised that he had killed Hermione. His father and Lucius may have tried to convince him that it wasn't his fault, but they were hardly the best people to understand his guilt for killing Dumbledore even after all the man had done.

'Hey,' Harry said weakly. 'Father is in his office. I'll take you up.'

But before he could say anything else Harry found himself being enveloped in twin bear hugs. Harry smiled and leaned into the hug which meant more to him than they could imagine. So much in his life after everything – they still treated him as a younger brother. They were probably his best friends and were some of his few real friends.

'What was that for?' Harry asked.

'We are just-' George began.

'-glad that you-'

'-are okay-'

'Even though I killed-'Harry began.

'Dumbledore would have killed you,' Fred said.

'Or worse,' George added darkly.

'After everything-'

'that man has done-'

'-would you honestly-'

'-think we would care-'

'-that you killed him-'

'-in self-defence,' finished Fred.

Harry was quiet, 'you were pretty appalled about Hermione-'

'She was a child-'George said quietly.

'Plus, you used us-'

'-to do it,'

'-and didn't give us-'

'-the choice to-'

'-not be part

'-of murder,' finished Fred.

'But after-'

'-everything that-'

'-Dumbledore-'

'-and our family-'

'-have done-'

'-we get it-'

'-not agree-' Fred said harshly.

'-but understand,' George said gently. 'Are you doing, okay?'

Harry sighed, 'I'm getting there. Well, you should go up and see father.'

Fred and George shared a look.

'Okay,' George said.

'But we'll-'

'-talk later-'

'-okay.'

'Okay,' Harry said warily.

Tom was in his office when Hadrian showed the Morant twins into his office. Tom had done his research on the twins and had heard only good, if questionable things about the "demon menaces" as Severus like to call them. The three teenagers were smiling brightly when they walked in but became instantly serious when they entered.

Tom couldn't help but remember that their brother had been the one to put young Marcus Flint in contact with Dumbledore and trick him into sending Hadrian away. Never again! Hadrian would be remaining close to him until he could guarantee that no one would threaten his son again!

'Ah, Misters Morant if you would take a seat,' Tom said. 'Hadrian, if you would leave us.'

Hadrian nodded, 'yes, father, just listen to them – they are really good at what they do.'

'Lord Slytherin,' greeted the first twin.

'Thank you for-'

'-agreeing to meet-'

'-with us.

'We can assure you-'

'-that funding our-'

'-start-up will be-'

'-more than worth it.

'Currently, there is-'

'-but one shop for-'

'-joke products in Britain-'

'-and they have not-'

'-produced anything new-'

'-since 1983!

'Children are crying-'

'-out for something new!'

'We have been in operation-'

'-for only a year-'

'-and already we have-'

'-turned a profit of almost a thousand galleons.'

'If you would like to see a copy of financial report.'

They passed over a stack of parchment. Tom went through the documents with great interest. They had done a lot in a short period of time. Of course, Tom knew how far an ambitious, genius teenager (or in this case two) could do. After all, he was about the Morants age when he had formed the Death Eaters.

'May I see examples of your produce?' asked Tom.

The second twin nodded placing a suitcase onto the desk in between them and with a wave of his wand it clicked open revealing what seemed to be a random assortment of objects. Rubber wands, teddies, sweets and items of clothing.

'We have the very basic products-'

'-such as trick wands-'

'-which will turn into-'

'-different objects if-'

'-you try to use magic.'

'If you would like to give it ago?'

Tom nodded picking up the wooden wand that felt no different than any other wand did. He didn't even really cast a spell just forced some magic through it. The second that it did it transformed into a floppy, brown toy fish.

'Compared to other-'

'-trick wands on the-'

'-market these are-'

'-much more advanced-'

'-other trick wands are-'

'-clearly made of rubber-'

'-and have only one change in them-'

'-ours, however, will keep changing-'

'-all you have to do-'

'-is put try to cast any spell with the toy-'

Tom did the same and was once again holding a wooden wand.

'Also, the wands on the market-'

'-only will transform into-'

'-a snake-'

'we have a range of seven different forms-'

'chicken, owl, lion cub, badger, kitten, puppy, as well as snakes.'

Tom nodded, 'you said there were other trick wands on the market. Are there any problems with patenting it?'

Twin one shook his head, 'the shape of a wand-'

'-nor are animal patented.'

'Yes, they have similar mechanisms-'

'-but they are completely different magics on them.

'Hence, why they are able to keep going for-'

'-well the first one we created-'

'-over a year ago-'

'-is still operational.'

'And we submitted a patent-'

'-for the trick wands-'

'-and others in April-'

'-when we came of age.'

'The patent was accepted on the fourth.'

Tom nodded.

'We also have the House Bear range-'

'-that I am sure-'

'-you remember from Harry's birthday.'

'So far we have the four house mascots which can shift between two forms-'

'-they also have calming and cheering charms placed on them-'

'-perfect for those with trauma or anxiety-'

'-or children who won't go to bed-'

'-this is our newest invention-'

'-and we have submitted a patent application for it-'

'Then we have Canary Creams-'

The second twin took a bite and promptly turned into a large, bright yellow canary.

'And macaque macaroons.'

The first twin took a bite and turned into a brown monkey.

'Badger snaps,'

The second twin took a bite of a black and white biscuit and turned into a large badger.

'Baboon Bourbon,'

The first twin took a bite out of an apparently chocolate biscuit and turned into a brightly coloured baboon.

'Jelly Dodgers,'

The second twin took a bite out of a jammy dodger and turned into a jellyfish which his brother quickly transfigured a bubble of water around them.

'Macaroni Macaroons,'

The first twin took a bite out of macaroon and promptly turned into a penguin with yellow feathers on their heads.

'These are quite impressive for two people who have eight OWLs between the two of them,' Tom said.

'We,' said the second twin, 'made the decision-'

'-to each focus on-'

'-a few areas of magic-'

'-so George focussed on Potions, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures-'Fred Morant apparently said.

'-and Fred focussed on Charms, Transfiguration and Ancient Runes.'

'We both studied intensively,'

'-and took them as NEWTs-'

'-as well as Defence-'

'-in the July alongside home-schoolies.'

'We received our results two days ago.'

'I got an outstanding in Potions and Herbology and exceeds expectations in Care of Magical Creatures and Defence,' George Morant said.

'And I got outstanding in Charms and Transfiguration and Defence and exceeds expectations in Ancient Runes,' Fred Morant said.

They passed a copy of their exam results. Four NEWTs each was rather impressive given that they had never been taught seventh year and sat their exams early. And their impressive merchandise did bely that they had skills. Tom could see why Harry had such faith in them they were not people to be underestimated.

'So, what are your plans for this year?' asked Tom.

'We would like to purchase a business space,'

'There is currently a space up for grabs in Diagon Alley,'

'Of course, we would need funding to do so,'

'Then we want to capitalise on our owl delivery service-'

'-as we get things up and running-'

'-our aim would be to get the shop-'

'-open for the Christmas holidays-'

'-perfect time for parents to wanting-'

'-to buy something for the little nippers-'

'-and teenagers to be back home-'

'-and visiting Diagon Alley.'

'Our eventual plan is to-'

'-open a store in Hogsmeade-'

'-so that we can capitalise-'

'-on Hogsmeade weekends as well-'

'Will the owl delivery service be something you are planning to keep going after you get a physical shop?' asked Tom.

'Yes,' they said together.

'It is a good earner-'

'-and not everyone-'

'-can get to the shops-'

'-or even want to-'

'Why would we stop doing-'

'-something that earns us money?'

Tom nodded looking through their patents, their plans and grades once more. Yes, these two were innovative entrepreneurs that this country needed far more of. They may not be academically inclined like Tom was but when they found things interesting, they were driven to learn everything they could.

Tom nodded, 'then I would be very interested in financing this exciting new venture. I would be willing to offer you 1300 galleons for thirty percent of Morant's Magical Mayhem.'

Of course, Tom was expecting the twins to turn down his initial offer. He was expecting the final offer to be something in the area of two thousand galleons for fifteen percent of Morant's Magical Mayhem. In fact, if the twins did accept his offer, he would likely take back his offer as it showed that they had bad business sense.

The twins were sharing a look and obviously communicating telepathically. Tom looked at them curiously – he had never seen a twin bond in action. As a legimens Tom could, of course, break into their conversation but that would be unnecessary and would likely alienate the twins.

'We can't accept that,' Fred Morant said.

'What would you accept?' asked Tom.

The twins shared another long look of silent communication.

'Four thousand and five percent of the business,' Fred Morant said.

Tom shook his head careful to keep his face impassive but was enjoying himself.

'Two thousand and twenty percent,' Tom said.

Another shared look.

'Three and a half thousand, and seven percent,'

'No deal,' Tom said. 'No more than three thousand and ten percent of the business.'

The twins shared a look and as one nodded.

'Pleasure to be doing business with you,' Fred Morant said.

'How did it go?' asked Bill.

Fred shared a look with George putting on the dourest expression that they could manage. They lasted for approximately two seconds before they couldn't hold the expression and broke out into a grin.

'We got it,' Fred grinned.

'Brilliant,' Percy said.

'Congratulations,' Bill said.

'This calls for some Firewhiskey,' Charlie said.

'You were right,' Fred said.

'Perce,' George said.

'Having NEWTs-'

'-really did seem-'

'-to impress Lord Slytherin.'