The Rising Phoenix.
Hermione sat at her desk in the pokey rented office alongside Harry. Both of them were working on trying to get the team a sponsor. Everything else seemed to be falling into place for the pair, except for finding a sponsor. Even though they'd had numerous meetings with various firms, none were willing to commit to sponsoring a quidditch team with such a bad past and an uncertain future. To be honest, until people saw the new look Cannons, they weren't willing to commit themselves as sponsors.
Still, it wasn't all doom and gloom for the pair. Over the last few weeks they'd bought the training facilities The Cannons used, as well as some land nearby where they planned to build a stadium. They'd even hired an architect to draw up designs for a new stadium, and in the meantime they were expanding the training facilities to include an office so everything was in one place. Harry and Hermione even knew they could start building a stadium, although they were both aware that without a sponsor they ran the risk of it never getting finished, so for the time being they were holding off on starting the building.
"I can always use more of my money," Harry suggested as they continued to run through options of business they could approach in their search for a sponsor.
"I'd rather not," Hermione replied.
So far Harry had used his own money to buy Theo Nott out of his contract with The Falcons. He'd also used his own money to do the same with a few other staff he wanted to hire. Hermione hadn't been keen on Harry using his own money, but she'd understood that it was the only way they would get the staff he wanted. And of course, there was the possibility Harry would have to use even more of his money to buy out a few contracts of some players that they wanted. Although for the minute, recruiting players was on the back burner. Hermione felt that they would be better equipped to get players to join the Cannons if they had a solid view of how they saw the future.
"Well, we still have a few options," Harry said, glancing at his list of possibilities. "We'll just have to keep networking."
"We will," Hermione agreed. Checking the time, she got to her feet and grabbed her bag and coat.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked with a frown.
"I've got a lunch date," Hermione replied as she pulled her jacket on.
"Business or pleasure?" Harry questioned.
"Business," Hermione answered. "Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it when I get back," she promised her bewildered partner. "You never know, it might just help us with our sponsor problem."
Leaving Harry to mull over what she could be up to, Hermione left the office and apparated to a small bistro where she'd arranged to meet someone she hoped could help. Entering the bistro, she looked around and easily spotted the wizard she was meeting. Tucked in the corner sat her old Gryffindor house mate, Dean Thomas.
"Hello Dean," Hermione said with a smile as she approached the booth her friend was sitting in.
"Hermione," Dean greeted, giving Hermione a quick peck on the cheek before she settled into the seat opposite him. "I have to admit, I'm intrigued. I'm not sure how I can help you and Harry with your new venture."
Dean was an illustrator, and most of his commissions came from publishers wanting pictures added to books. He'd also worked with various wizarding magazines and papers. Although what he could do for a quidditch team was a mystery to him.
"I need your expertise," Hermione said. "I want to redesign the team's logo and shirt, and I don't have an artistic bone in my body. I was hoping you would help. I can pay you."
"Redesigning a logo and a shirt is easy," Dean said. "Just buy me lunch and we're quits."
"Deal," Hermione replied with a grin. "And I'll throw in a couple of tickets for the first match of next season as well."
"That could be considered punishment, not reward," Dean joked.
"I hope that's not going to be the case next year," Hermione said as she picked up her menu. "Harry's confident he can start to turn things around."
After ordering their lunch, Hermione filled Dean in on how she and Harry were progressing with the Cannons and the changes they had planned. Hermione then told him about the stadium, and the name she and Harry had picked. They'd decided to call the new stadium, The Rising Phoenix, as a tribute to the team they were hoping could rise from the ashes.
"And that's the sort of theme I was wanting to continue with the new strips and logo," Hermione said as they lunch arrived.
"I take it you have a firm idea what you're looking for," Dean said.
"I do," Hermione replied with a nod. "For the strip, I'm thinking getting rid of the garish orange. I was thinking a flame design in reds and oranges, with the colour darker at the bottom and lighter at the top."
"That sounds very easy," Dean said with a nod. "I can knock that out in five minutes. Do you have any idea on the logo?"
"I want to stick with the Phoenix theme," Hermione said. "I also want to keep part of our original logo. I was thinking a Phoenix rising from the flames, clutching a couple of cannonballs in its talons."
"Yeah, I think I know what you mean," Dean said enthusiastically as he reached down and grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil from his bag.
As they ate, Dean sketched a few ideas both for the logo and the new team shirt. Once Hermione had then settled on her favourite design for both the logo and shirt, Dean produced a second pencil and using magic he began to fill the sketches with colour.
"These are perfect," Hermione said, looking at the two finished pieces.
The new Cannons shirt had a flame effect, with the bottom of the shirt being bright red and slowly fading to burnt amber by the top. Dean had also sketched the outline of some flames up the side of the shirt in black ink, adding to the effect. As for the logo, he'd designed a purple Phoenix rising from orange and red flames, clutching a golden cannonball in each talon. The Phoenix was then imposed onto a black circle, with thin purple edging and the words 'Chudley Cannons' written in gold around the circle.
"Glad to be of assistance," Dean said with a grin. "Although I have thought of another way you can repay me for my work."
"Name it," Hermione said with a smile. Paying for lunch seemed like a small price to pay for a new logo and shirt which would hopefully grab people's attention and make them realise that The Cannons were a new breed.
"This rebranding is bound to be highly publicised," Dean began. "All I ask if that you drop my name as the designer of the logo. You never know, this could lead to a whole new line of business for me."
"Don't worry Dean, I'll be singing your praises to everyone. Everyone will know our new look is down to your amazing artistic skills," Hermione replied, as another idea about relaunching the club came to her.
"Great," Dean replied with a grin. "I take it that in time, this logo will be on merchandise and all sorts."
"That's our ambition," Hermione said with a nod. "Hopefully by this time next year, we'll nearly have a stadium ready to go and when that's sorted, we can really look into the merchandising."
"I hope everything works out for you and Harry," Dean said.
"So do I," Hermione said as she placed Dean's sketches in her bag.
After paying for lunch, thanking Dean again, and promising him a couple of tickets to the opening match of the next season, Hermione headed back to the office. When she arrived, she found no sign of Harry, so she settled down at her desk to start working on the latest idea that had hit her over lunch with Dean. By the time Harry appeared in the middle of the afternoon, Hermione was buzzing to tell him about what she'd sorted.
"At least someone's got some good news," Harry muttered as he slouched down on the small sofa in the corner of the room. "I'm still getting nowhere with the sponsor."
"Let's leave that for the time being," Hermione said, grabbing Dean's pictures and the notes she'd been making and joining Harry on the sofa. "It's time to tell you what I've been up to."
"Come on then, dazzle me with your brilliance," Harry said, smiling at Hermione's enthusiastic attitude. He had no idea what his partner had been up to, but whatever it was, it clearly excited her.
"First of all, I thought over the summer we should do a total revamp with the team," Hermione began. "We need to put our mark on the team. We need to show people The Cannons of old are gone, we're a new team with new ambitions."
"Sounds good to me," Harry said. "What exactly did you have in mind?"
"This," Hermione announced as she placed Dean's designs down on the battered coffee table with a flourish.
Harry picked up the papers, and was surprised to find designs for a new strip and logo. He was blown away by the designs, and he loved how they incorporated their theme of rising from the ashes, but still held the traditional Cannons roots with the cannonballs and the general colour scheme. Although Harry was pleased to find that while the new shirt designs were all still orange based, they weren't the garish colour they were now. It was more subtle, and the fire effect really added a different dimension to the strip.
"What do you think?" Hermione asked nervously as Harry studied the designs but remained quiet.
"I think these are great," Harry declared with a grin. "I didn't know you had such artistic talent, Hermione."
"I don't," Hermione snorted. "This is the work of Dean Thomas."
"Dean did this?" Harry asked with an impressed nod. He knew Dean was a talented artist, but he'd had no idea his friend was in the business of designing logos for people.
"He did," Hermione replied with a nod. "Aside from the lunch I bought him, and the tickets I'm going to give him for the first match, all he wants is to be mentioned as the designer of the new shirt and logo. I think he's hoping someone else might spot his talent and employ him to do the same for their business."
"Dean can have all the publicity he wants," Harry said. "I'm more than happy to give him credit for the revamped logo and strip. To be honest he probably deserves more than just credit."
"Probably," Hermione agreed with a nod. "But I'm sure if he can expand his business on the back of this, he'll be happy."
"I guess he will," Harry replied with a nod. "So, now we've got a new strip design and logo. All we need is the team to wear them."
"We can discuss that in a minute, but I've got another idea to help with the relaunch of the team," Hermione said.
"You're full of bright ideas today," Harry chuckled. "Go on then, what's your second brainwave of the day."
"A magazine," Hermione announced. "In time I was actually thinking we could publish our own team magazine every month or something, keeping the fans abreast of latest news and gossip. But for now, I was thinking a one off deal with a magazine or a paper. Basically once we've got the squad in place, I'm thinking they all sit down for an interview and have some pictures taken, and we'll have to do the same as well. The magazine then features and interview with us, and mentions our plans for the future, before introducing the squad. Everyone on the squad gets to feature, and it's great publicity for our new look team."
"That's a brilliant idea, do you think you can pull a deal like that off?" Harry asked.
"Isn't that why you wanted me as your partner?" Hermione asked with a grin. "I'll certainly do my best to get a deal together. Although, I do think an exclusive interview with you will help sell the deal. Let's be honest, people are dying to see what you can do with the club."
"What we can do with the club," Harry corrected. "I can't do any of this without you. I never would have thought of rebranding the team, and I certainly never would have thought about a big launch in a magazine."
"Yes, but without you, I wouldn't have a clue about who to get to play for us," Hermione returned. "I think it's fair to say, we work better together. And together we can turn this club around."
"Yes we can," Harry agreed. "Although we do need to press on with getting the squad together. I know which current players I want to keep on the books, so I think it's time we spoke to them one at a time and discussed their future."
"The offices at the training ground will be finished next week," Hermione said. "We can start trimming the fat then. How about the fresh blood? We need to start looking at convincing players to join us."
"I know," Harry said. "I can get Theo to arrange for us to meet with Malfoy and Zabini, and we can set up a meeting with Angelina and Alicia through the twins. I can then contact other people through their agents."
"And Ginny?" Hermione asked. Harry had been quiet about his girlfriend potentially joining the club, but every time she'd seen Ginny the redheaded seemed convinced that a change of club was in her imminent future.
"I'm going to give her a chance," Harry said. To be honest he still wasn't sure he was making the right call, but he didn't see how he could refuse to sign Ginny without ending their relationship, and even though things were hardly perfect between them, he loved Ginny and he knew he didn't want to end things with his girlfriend.
"It's your call," Hermione said as she got to her feet and headed back to her desk. "And I'll get back on with finding a new sponsor. Maybe our new look will encourage someone to take a chance on us."
"Let's hope so," Harry said, as he also returned to his desk to start making lists of players he wanted for The Cannons.
The season was drawing to a close, and he needed to nab some players before they all singed new contracts and it would cost him a fortune to buy them out. If he wanted a new team together by next season, he would have to get a move on or else it would be another season at the bottom of the heap for The Chudley Cannons.