Lessons About A Price Too High
Chapter 06 Marauders Inc. (Part II)
(A/N: As noted in chapter 5, this chapter is dedicated to Cataclysmic, HarrySlytherinson, and ScrewyLouie12)
"Oh you two!" cried an irate Mrs. Weasley. "Just look what you've done! Ooohh, I have half a mind to…" "But mum! It wasn't OUR fault! We didn't know it was going to happen." It was a lovely peaceful night in Britain; the skies were clear and warm, but you'd never would have known it if you were living in the Weasley household. Mrs. Weasley was in a rage at the ruined carpet in the room of the twins. Honestly! Bill and Charlie were never like this, and little Ronald was young, but THOSE TWO... Only two years until they take their OWLs and they were still going on with those pranks and all that malarkey. "Probably won't get 6 OWLs between the two of you!" Mrs. Weasley raged on aloud, still too angry to see the two hurt expressions on her boys' faces. "Oh! And you might have noticed, but that brown owl has been following you two around all afternoon! And what am I going to say to your father when he gets home! A rain cloud for Merlin's sake! Where do you boys get these ideas? Where will we get the mo…" The twins quickly tuned their mother out and turned to the bird. After all, it's not as if they had never heard this lecture before. George grabbed the package from the now very irritated owl deftly and snuck quietly away with Fred at his side. "To the lake," he mouthed.
"Oye Gred, now that was totally uncalled for wasn't it?" "Darn right Forge, I mean, honestly, we didn't know what was going to happen." "But I still can't believe that we didn't see that owl, Gred." "Well with all the running…"(Fred) "The explosions…"(George) "Wrestling with the cloud…"(Fred) "The lightning…"(George) "Oh! Don't forget the fire."(Fred) "I suppose we got"(George) "a little distracted," they finished together. "What do you think this package's about though?" George asked. "Dunno… read the letter first…"
Dear Misters Fred and George Weasley,
Marauders Incorporated cordially invites you as full-members to enjoy the Marauder's catalogue shopping experience. You were hand-picked, along with four other members, by a few of our select representatives. Congratulations! To accept this invite, please place your hand in the indicated place and say your preferred nick-name.
Sincerely,
Shifter
Marauders Inc.
Secretary of Accounts
Fred and George stared at each other with bewilderment. "Do you think…?" "No, it couldn't be…" "But what if…? Then they both scrambled for the package. It turned out to be an oval mirror encased in steel with an elegant 'M' embossed at the top. The image on the mirror was the outline of a left hand. The twins turned to each other again, this time with identical grins on both of their faces. If this catalogue was invented by the same people that had invented the Marauder's map, well, it would be something special and they would accept their invites. Little did they know that miles away, five other people were doing exactly what they were about to do.
As Harry had expected, after the first couple of days of hesitance, business began booming. He was really glad that he had spent those first days making magical replenishing potions because the week after that was his most tiring ever. It was so magically exhausting, in fact, that Harry had to forge sick notes in his uncle's name so that he could keep up with the demand. The dualis ring has its charms, Harry thought, but it's magically draining for me at this stage. Sometimes it was difficult to get his intent right (like differentiating one fabric or material from another). This was especially true with big items or items that he had never conjured before. Often times he had to modify what he conjured or reconjure the item completely. His biggest customer had been Ledrago who was ordering healing and magical replenishing potions almost everyday. Then there was Maniacal Duo, who almost always ordered potions ingredients. Only the categories 'Robes and Clothing for all Occasions' and 'Potions and Ingredients' were made available as Harry didn't have the magical reserves to open the rest yet. He explained their unavailability by stating that the heads of those specialized categories had gone on a well-deserved vacation which happened every year. Only the Potions Master and Dress Maker had stayed behind. Because Marauders Incorporated never sent out substandard items, the other categories couldn't run without their head and so employees there were also taking some time off.
Harry down at the digital watch on his wrist, which he had treated himself with after his first sale, then looked up at his separate workstations. A blue velvet robe which he had just conjured was self folding and packaging itself on one table while a row of spoons was stirring a row simmering cauldrons on another. Harry himself was at another long table running up and down adding ingredients to another row of cauldrons. It was hard work, keeping all of the cauldrons going at once, but hopefully, he wouldn't have to make anymore magical replenishing potions or the minor bruises and cuts healing potion for the next month. He had done the same thing yesterday with Skelogrow and a nerve healing potion both of which Ledrago had ordered twice so far. Suddenly, feeling weak and light-headed again, Harry walked over to a near by shelf, took an already bottled magical replenishing potion off and downed it. This was the fourth and last magical replenishing potion he could take that day without slipping into a coma. The potion acted like an enzyme to speed up the rate at which the cells in his body could replenish his body but if his cells were overworked too often, then his body would shut down for repair.Thank Merlin tomorrow's the off day, Harry thought.
Official times that Marauders Inc. was open were from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 12pm. The rest of the time was 'off time'. 'Off time' didn't mean that the orders customers made would definitely not be answered. In the 'help section' it clearly stated that some times, employees would stay after hours or work extra days to help keep things running. To Harry, off time meant that he could ignore an order if he wanted to though he never did ignore Ledrago's orders of healing potions during the few times he did order during the off time.
A Ping ran in Harry's ear where the digital wireless cell-phone headset with microphone currently resided. He had charmed it to ring whenever something was done or a new order had arrived and he nearly always wore it now. Harry looked up at his master set, now thoroughly expanded and hanging on a wall to see if a new order had come in. There wasn't a new order, only a request from Fudge Is A Hippotomagi asking if an order for a small gold pendant could be made even though the jewelry category wasn't available. Pressing a button on his headset, Harry said, " Ven,(pause) 4, (pause) If there are no charms on it, yes. What are the specifications?" Then pressed the button again. Immediately, his message appeared on the mirror as "Ven: If there are…" A moment later, Fudge Is A Hippotomagi, replied with the exact specifications, and Harry, who had been waiting, immediately conjured the small pendant, engraved the Marauders logo on the back and put it on the "wrapping table". Another Ping in his ear made him realize the robes were already finished and Harry imprinted the Marauders logo on the front as he had done on the collar of the robe as well, then scrolled back to the conversation with Seeking Victory to see when he had said the robes would be ready. Six minutes to spare, Harry thought. He was getting more efficient. Another Ping, then, he imprinted the Marauders logo on the wrapped pendant and sent the message "Ven: Available. 15 galleons". The next second, 15 galleons appeared, floating in front of the master mirror until Harry reached up and took it. Then, he floated the wrapped pendant in front of the master mirror, and ordered "Send, 4," and the package disappeared.
At first, Luna was skeptical about the mysterious mirror and letter that had arrived at her home. The fact that she was 'chosen' for anything special made her suspicious, and probably, she thought, it was a scam designed to steal people's gold. However, that day when her father had passed out from overwork on the Quibbler and needed a replenishing potion badly, she found that she had no choice but to try using the Marauders Inc catalogue. The help section was well, very helpful, and she had no problem ordering a magical replenishing potion for her father. The employee member of Marauders Inc (called Proverbial Laughter) was very nice as well and responded immediately when she had said it was an emergency and had gotten the potion to her even before she had paid. From that day onwards, Luna Lovegood never doubted the honesty of Marauders Incorporated again and frequently asked for Proverbial Laughter if he/she was available. A glow emitted from her mirror indicating that something had been received and Luna immediately reached over and tore open the Marauders packaging. This pendant is perfect. Luna thought. It followed her specifications to a dot. They must have hundreds of workers if they were able to get the specifications that quickly…
(A/N: A short chapter, but not surprising as it's only wrapping up Marauders Inc Part I. Harry's business management skills will become more organized and less harried as he gains experience.)
Dave-Gerecke
LOL, Harry hasn't been 'back' for more than 2 weeks and he has to get accustomed again and solve his own financial problems before he gets Sirius. Sirius will be in Chapter 07 The Nonexistent Ones.
Jenniyah
Yes. Harry will find out.
Maliaphire
Thanks! I try to make it easier to understand when he's switching bodies in the future.
LoLeLiA
Is this soon enough for you? ;)
Salazara
Interesting idea. Ron will gain a secret power later on.
Never Odd Or even
Harry won't befriend Draco in Hogwarts but they won't hate each other like they do in canon. Unfortunately, Harry has to convince the Sorting Hat to place him in Griffindor again and pretend to be the Griffindor Golden Boy. Also, Harry only froze the Potter Family Vault so that no more money could be taken from him but he's eleven and in no political position to oust Dumbledore. He can't stop Dumbledore from sending money to the Dursleys and he has to repay the gold he "borrowed" which is why he started Marauders Inc." in the first place. Harry will just have to let Dumbledore take gold from his trust fund until he gains enough power to stop him.