Acquiring a Quidditch Team.
True to his word, Harry set up a private meeting with the current owner of The Chudley Cannons. Despite his own financial struggles and eagerness to sell the team, Kenneth Jacobs, the wizard currently in charge of the bottom of the league team, was honest about the state of things with Hermione and Harry.
"Running a quidditch team isn't what it used to be," Jacobs told the pair. "Once upon a time, all the teams got equal treatment by the league and the magazines, but not these days. These days, stars sell the magazines and the successful teams are the ones that make the league the money. We're basically there to make up the numbers, and sadly our players just aren't good enough to make an impact on the league."
"And you can't get any decent players because you're stuck at the bottom of the league," Harry concluded.
"Precisely," Jacobs replied. "Maybe you can do more with the team than the people I've got in charge have managed. But that's not your only issue. Teams rely on sponsorship these days, and our sponsors aren't as willingly to splash the cash on a team that's going nowhere. Just look at these new stadium deals, and how we've been left behind."
"What stadium deals?" Hermione asked with a frown.
"It used to be that stadiums were erected somewhere quiet whenever a match was scheduled," Harry explained. "However, over the last few years more teams have been investing in permanent home stadiums. It increases the fan base, and makes the attendance at matches higher than ever before. The Falcons had just signed a contract for a new stadium just before my accident."
"It also gives the clubs more revenue," Jacobs added. "Take The Tornadoes for example, they were the first team to build their own stadium. Their profits have shot through the roof thanks to the stadium. They make money on food and drink on match days, not to mention the official merchandise they sell at the on-site club shop."
"So a stadium is a must," Hermione noted.
"As things stand for me, it's a pipe dream," Jacobs admitted. "I just don't have the money to finance a stadium, and as I said, no sponsors are interested in backing a stadium for a team seemingly destined for failure."
"Do you think it can be done, turning the team around and building a successful club?" Hermione asked. She'd been taken aback by the older wizard's honesty so far during their meeting, and she suspected he would tell them the truth, even if it meant losing a deal to sell the club.
"I believe it can be," Jacobs answered. "At least I sincerely hope it can be. It kills me that The Cannons are in such disarray, but sadly, I've reached the end of the line with them. I can't help them anymore, what the club needs is new blood. New people, with fresh ideas, and money to spend on the team."
"And we are just the people," Harry announced with a grin. "Or at least I hope we are."
"I hope you are too," Jacobs replied quietly, hoping the two youngsters in front of him were going to solve his problems before he ended up bankrupt and The Cannons ended up dead and buried.
Following their initial meeting with The Cannons owner, Harry and Hermione had more meetings as the club was officially valued and negotiations got underway for the pair to purchase the club. They also set up a joint company, and transferred the money they were going to use for their business into one account. As Hermione had predicated, Harry put in more money than her, but they sorted a contract that gave Harry a sixty percent share in the business, compared to Hermione's forty percent. Although, even with the agreement, Harry was adamant that they were equal partners and all decisions would be made together.
Until the deal was in place, neither Harry or Hermione wanted the news to leak out about their interest in the club, so all the meetings and negotiations were done in private. Finally, eight weeks after their initial meeting with Jacobs, the contracts were signed and Harry and Hermione were the proud owners of The Chudley Cannons. However, before the news was officially announced, Harry and Hermione wanted to break the news to the Weasleys.
With informing the Weasleys the pair's first priority, Harry arranged for them to visit The Burrow on the Friday evening of the day the final contracts had been exchanged. Harry had mentioned that he had a big announcement to make as to ensure all the family were present, and when he arrived with Hermione, the entire family seemed to be present. Even Bill and Charlie who both lived abroad, had ventured home for the weekend to find out just what Harry's big news was.
Unfortunately, before Harry and Hermione had even finished greeting the Weasleys, Ron stormed into the kitchen in a foul mood.
"What's wrong with you?" Ginny asked her brother, not at all impressed with his mood lately.
"I've just been talking to one of the lads on the first team, and apparently Jacobs has sold the club," Ron answered moodily. "It'll be announced first thing on Monday morning."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Fred asked. "From what I've been reading, if he didn't sell the club it would go under."
"Yeah, at least this way the club survives," George added, backing up his twin brother.
"I guess," Ron reluctantly admitted. "But now we've got new owners to contend with. Who knows what sort of arseholes we're going to be dealing with."
"I can answer that one for you," Harry said. It wasn't exactly how he'd planned on making the announcement, but now Ron had brought the topic up, it would seem strange to say nothing now and announce their news later on.
"You've heard something?" Ron asked his best friend. "Please say we haven't been bought out by some rich git looking for a hobby."
"He's rich, but he's not a git," Harry answered with a grin. "Or at least I hope he's not a git."
"Don't worry, Harry, you're not a git," Hermione chuckled.
"You?" Ginny gasped, gazing at her boyfriend in surprise. "You've bought The Cannons?"
"Technically, we've bought the Cannons," Harry said, throwing his arm around Hermione's shoulders. "Hermione and I are the new owners of The Chudley Cannons."
Harry's announcement was met by differing reactions from the Weasleys. Bill, Charlie and the twins immediately congratulated the pair and thought the entire thing was great. Percy was less enthused, and his reluctant congratulations came with a warning that they had a struggle ahead of them if they actually wanted to make money with the club. Molly and Arthur also seemed to share Percy's wariness, and the first thing Molly asked was if the pair knew what they were doing.
"We've thought this through," Harry reassured Molly. "After all, it's taken us eight weeks to finalise the deal. We know what we're doing."
"Eight weeks," Ginny gasped. "You've known about this for eight weeks, and haven't said a word."
"We wanted everything sorted before we told anyone," Harry replied.
"But I'm not just anyone, Harry," Ginny whispered, and Harry winced as he clearly heard the hurt in his girlfriend's voice. "I'm your girlfriend. You made this life changing decision, and you never once discussed it with me."
"I'm sorry Ginny," Harry apologised. "But it really doesn't affect you, or our life together."
"Seriously?" Ginny snorted. "Of course it affects me. This is a major decision you've made without me. You've bought a quidditch club with someone else, and didn't even think to inform me."
As Ginny continued to rant, Harry began to see what her problem truly was. It had nothing to do with him not keeping her in the loop, her problem was the fact he'd brought Hermione on board with his plans. Ginny clearly didn't like it that Harry was going into business with Hermione. For as long as Harry could remember, Ginny had been jealous of Hermione and his friendship with her, and clearly this was just something else for her to be jealous of. It didn't matter how often Harry and Hermione had told her that they were just friends, it had never ended her jealousy.
"Ginny," Harry snapped, interrupting Ginny before she said something rude that she couldn't take back. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you my plans, but it's done now so let's move on."
"I guess I have no other choice," Ginny said with a sigh.
"So what do you think?" Harry asked his girlfriend, holding his breath as he waited for her opinion.
Ginny's opinion was important to Harry, since he very much hoped they had a future together. Harry loved Ginny, but he didn't love her childish attitude and her diva like behaviour. The reason they didn't live together was that he wasn't sure if Ginny would ever mature and drop her petty jealousies and stroppy behaviour. Harry knew that if Ginny could just grow up, he would ask her to live with him in a second and their relationship could finally turn into the one he so desired.
"I think if you're happy, I'm happy," Ginny said with a slight smile. "You never know, I could always come and play for you."
"Maybe," Harry replied as Ginny looked at him expectantly.
While Ginny was a competent player, Harry wasn't sure she had the desire and work ethic to truly become a great player. He'd captained Ginny during his last few years at Hogwarts, and while she'd been one of the better chasers on the Gryffindor team, she certainly hadn't been the most hardworking player. However, if she applied herself, Harry suspected she could unlock her potential and become a top class chaser. He just had to decide if he wanted to have her in his squad considering their personal relationship.
While Harry had been dealing with Ginny, Hermione had been watching Ron. Like his sister, she suspected he was jealous of the partnership. Knowing Ron, he was probably put out Harry had come to her to be his partner, rather than him. It probably hadn't even occurred to Ron that he wouldn't have had any money to put into the partnership.
"Ron?" Hermione asked once Ginny had finished with her dramatics. "What do you think?"
"This is bizarre," Ron confessed. "My two best friends have bought the quidditch club I play for. I don't really know what to think."
"Look on the positives," Molly urged her youngest son. "Now Harry and Hermione are in charge, your full potential can be unlocked. You'll get to play for the first team."
Molly's words had Ron beaming widely and Harry mentally grimacing. One of the only downsides Harry had found with buying the club was Ron's association with the team. While Ron may be his best friend, more like a brother really, Harry didn't think he had what it took to be a top class player. Unlike Ginny, who was lazy and didn't make the effort, Ron put a lot of work into his game, sadly he just wasn't naturally gifted at quidditch. Harry had always been surprised that Ron had even gotten a professional contract upon leaving Hogwarts, but he didn't want to be the one to break his best friend's heart and dash his dreams. Now he was faced with the dilemma of either telling Ron the truth about what he really thought of his quidditch skills, or keeping him on the squad and not playing him in the first team while trying not to ruin their friendship.
"Now this is good news," Ron beamed. "You know what Harry, this is the best news I've had today. We need to celebrate."
"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, we can celebrate afterwards," Molly declared as she turned to check on the dinner.
Hermione helped Molly set the table and sort dinner, and once everyone was sitting down at the table, talk returned to the Cannons and their new owners. Now everyone was over the initial shock, they began to wonder just what sort of role Hermione was going to play in things. After all, it was no secret that she wasn't the biggest quidditch fan.
"For the next few months, nothing will change," Harry explained. "For the rest of the season, things will run the same as always while Hermione and I see where the club stands. But by next season, I'm going to be in charge of the team, while Hermione runs the business side of things."
"So you're not going to be running training sessions with the players then, Hermione?" Charlie asked with a chuckle. Even though he didn't know Hermione as well as some of his brothers, her hatred of flying was well known throughout the family.
"Most definitely not," Hermione replied with a smile. "That's all down to Harry. He's going to turn the team into a winning one, and I'm going to turn the club into a profitable one."
"Such big ambitions," Percy said pompously. "You make it sound so easy."
"I wish," Hermione replied. "We both know it's not going to happen overnight. The Cannons are in a mess, both on and off the pitch. We're well aware of the hard work in front of us, aren't we Harry?"
"We are," Harry confirmed with a nod. "It's not going to be easy, and it's going to take time, but we can turn the club around."
"Of course you can," Ginny purred as she placed a possessive hand on Harry's arm. "And I'm going to do everything I can to help. Just give me the word, and I'll switch teams."
"How lovely, my two children playing on the same team," Molly said with a happy sigh. "I can't wait, it's going to be so exciting."
"Yeah," Harry muttered, sharing a concerned look with Hermione.
At the moment it seemed as though the Weasleys were intent on taking over the Cannons, and Harry wasn't sure how to stop them. After all, how was he going to tell his best friend and his girlfriend that he wasn't sure he saw a place for them on the successful team he wanted to build?