The warm summer breeze wafted through the ancient, creaky windows of the Burrow, carrying with it the sweet scent of wildflowers from the nearby meadow.
"We can discuss the shop name later—" Remus moved past the topic and continued eloquently,
"As I just mentioned, we need a shop and a workshop to mass-produce those harmless joke products that can pass the Ministry's approval. My suggestion is to open a shop in Hogsmeade. It's the only all-wizard village in Britain, close to Hogwarts, and most importantly, the rent there is much cheaper than in Diagon Alley."
The twins exchanged a look of intrigue, their identical faces lighting up with the possibilities. Remus, noticing their enthusiasm, pressed on.
"Moreover, by setting up shop in Hogsmeade, we'd have access to a pool of local villagers who could serve as employees. This would significantly reduce our labor costs compared to hiring formal staff in a more urban area.
I'm prepared to take on the responsibility of managing the shop's daily operations and overseeing the workshop. Your task, however," he drawled, his gaze fixing pointedly on Fred and George, "is to focus in your studies at Hogwarts."
The twin's faces fell simultaneously, their enthusiasm dampened at the mention of studying and they protested in unison. "Oh, come off it! What's that got to do with anything?"
Remus's lips quirked into a knowing smile. He'd anticipated this reaction and was ready with a convincing argument. "Consider this: to keep our customers interested and coming back for more, we'll need to constantly innovate and introduce new products. It won't be long before you find that your current knowledge base, impressive as it is, can't keep up with the brilliant ideas constantly bubbling up in those clever heads of yours."
He leaned forward, his voice taking on a softer tone. "That's why it's crucial that you enrich your minds as much as possible during your remaining time at Hogwarts. Since I'll be handling the production side of things, you can dedicate yourselves to expanding your magical knowledge. Think of it as research and development for our future success."
This explanation seemed to strike a chord with the twins. They nodded thoughtfully, their initial resistance melting away as they began to see the logic in Remus's words.
After a moment of contemplative silence, broken only by the distant sounds of gnomes scurrying in the garden outside, Remus cleared his throat. "I have another suggestion," he said, his tone measured and deliberate. "I believe we should consider inviting Bryan to join us."
"Professor Watson?" Hermione, who had been listening to the plan with a furrowed brow and an expression of deep concentration, exclaimed. Her bushy hair seemed to bristle with surprise. "Why do we need him to join?"
Sirius lounging against the wall with an air of casual elegance let out a bark of laughter. His dark eyes sparkled with understanding as he turned to Remus. "You sly dog," he said, grinning. "You want to leverage Bryan's connections within the Ministry, don't you, Moony?"
Remus nodded, a hint of pride in his smile. Though no longer employed as a Hogwarts professor, he couldn't resist the opportunity to impart a valuable lesson to the young wizards gathered around him.
"Indeed, Sirius," he began, his voice taking on the tempo of a lecture. "You see, Fred, George, the world of business is far more complex than simply creating products and selling them. There are numerous hurdles we must overcome.
First and foremost, we must obtain all the relevant legal qualifications. Every single one of our products will need to pass the Ministry's tests. We'll also need to safeguard ourselves against potential sabotage from competitors."
"In short," Remus continued, "we simply cannot continue without the Ministry's support. Now, here's where it gets tricky. You're both still underage, and we can't let Molly know about this for now. This means we can't utilize Arthur's connections within the Ministry."
He paused, allowing the seriousness of the situation to sink in before presenting the solution. "This is where Bryan becomes vital. As a senior advisor to the Ministry and a member of the Wizengamot, he wields considerable influence. Moreover, he has strong personal relationships with several high-ranking officials, including the Minister of Magic himself."
Remus's voice took on a note of confidence. "If we can secure Bryan's willingness to protect our business, many of the obstacles we face will crumble before us."
The room fell silent as everyone absorbed this information. Even Fred and George, typically quick with a joke, seemed momentarily overwhelmed by the complexities of the adult world they were preparing to enter, but at least they understood that Professor Watson could help them solve many troubles.
"Alright, let's think about how to drag that gentleman into this!" George's right fist slammed into his left palm.
Remus nodded approvingly. "I'll find an opportunity to chat with Bryan. If he's willing to get involved, then I can start preparing for the shop in earnest."
Ron, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the discussion, suddenly spoke up. His freckled face wore an expression of stunned disbelief as he stared at his older brothers. "Blimey," he muttered, shaking his head slowly. "Opening a joke shop in Hogsmeade... It's like I'm in some kind of dream."
He blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear his vision. "Just a few minutes ago, when we came into this room, you were trying to figure out how to smooth things over with Mum. And now..." He gestured vaguely at the air around him. "Now you're planning to go head-to-head with Zonko's Joke Shop!"
Fred and George exchanged a glance, their eyes twinkling with mischief and determination. "Ah, yes," Fred acknowledged, nodding. "Zonko's is indeed a tough competitor."
"But—" George chimed in, his voice rising with excitement.
"We'll knock them out of the park eventually!" the twins chorused together, their voices ringing with confidence.
"This sounds really interesting—" Harry grinned, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Say, if I wanted to invest in your venture too, would you be open to it?"
Before Fred and George could respond, Remus held up a hand, his expression suddenly serious. "No, Harry," he said firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "I know James and Lily left you a considerable sum of galleons in your Gringotts vault, but that money is currently reserved to ensure you can complete your education at Hogwarts without any financial worry. Until you come of age, I don't want you using those funds for anything else."
Harry's face fell, a mixture of disappointment and frustration clouding his features. "But Fred and George aren't of age either," he argued, his voice taking on a stubborn edge. "And you're willing to help them!"
George, sensing the potential for Remus to reconsider his investment, quickly intervened declining Harry's offer. "Now, now, Harry," he said, his voice soothing but with an undercurrent of anxiety. "Let's not go messing up our business plans, shall we?"
After a moment's pause, during which he seemed to be considering something, George turned to Remus with a shrewd smile appearing on his lips. "So, Remus," he began, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. "We're partners now, right? Perhaps we should have a little chat about our respective shares in this venture, don't you think?"
Sirius, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were all shooed out of the room because the twins believed the following discussion would involve core business secrets, and outsiders had no right to know.
Out in the hallway, Ron's face flushed with indignation. "I've half a mind to tell Mum about all this!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the worn wooden walls. "Business secrets, my foot! As if anyone would want to pry into their silly schemes. If I wanted to, I could bring their whole plan crashing down right this second!"
Sirius, leaning against the handrail, silently smiled at Ron's outburst. Meanwhile, Harry stood off to the side, his arms crossed and a sullen expression on his face. He was still sulking about Remus's refusal to let him invest his own money.
"I suggest you don't do that, Ron—" Hermione wholly agreed with Remus's point about Fred and George not sneaking around producing things at Hogwarts and instead spending more time accumulating knowledge. However, she still felt Remus shouldn't be dragging Fred and George, who were still students, into business.
Even knowing that Ron was speaking out of anger and frustration, Hermione felt compelled to give him a rational warning. "Unless, of course, you're keen on becoming mortal enemies with Fred and George," she continued, her brown eyes boring into Ron's. "Is that really what you want to see happen?"
There was silence in the hallway. After a moment, Harry broke the silence. "Come on, Ron," he said, some of the sullenness leaving his voice. "Let's head out to the open ground and play some Quidditch. It'll do us both some good."
Ron hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
The two boys made their way outside, leaving the others behind.
Hermione watched them go, then turned and headed back to Ginny's room. With the new school year rapidly approaching, she was eager to return to her annual tradition of memorizing all of the upcoming year's textbooks.
As the afternoon deepened, Sirius was sitting in the Weasley's overgrown yard. From his vantage point, he could see Harry swooping and diving on his broomstick over the distant hill. A faint smile appeared on Sirius's lips as he watched his godson, free and joyful in the air.
The peaceful scene was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Remus emerged from the back door of the Burrow; his face bearing signs of fatigue from the intense negotiations he'd just concluded.
"How did the talk go?" Sirius asked, his voice casual. "Those two little rascals aren't exactly pushovers, are they?"
Remus let out a weary sigh as he settled himself next to Sirius. "You can say that again," he replied, his voice tinged with both exasperation and admiration. "It certainly wasn't a walk in the park."
Like Sirius, Remus's gaze was drawn to Harry's distant figure. The cool breeze ruffled Remus's graying hair, exposing more of the premature wrinkles that lined his face. Perhaps it was the strain of the recent negotiation, or maybe the weight of their shared past, but in that moment, Remus looked older than his years.
A comfortable silence settled between the two old friends, broken only by the occasional distant shout of excitement from Harry or Ron as they played their game. After a while, Sirius turned to face Remus, his expression suddenly serious.
"Are you planning something, Remus?"
"Just as I said, Sirius—" Remus didn't seem at all surprised by Sirius's question. His gaze never left Harry, and his voice sounded a bit weathered, "Fred and George's talent in joke products is as outstanding as Harry's talent in Quidditch. It's worth my help, and coincidentally, I also need a job with income."
"And?" Sirius pressed, tilting his head to catch Remus's eye.
Remus was silent for a long moment. Finally, he turned to meet Sirius's gaze, his amber eyes filled with a mixture of determination and resignation.
"We all feel it, Sirius," he said softly. "Voldemort is returning. It's only a matter of time. And when he does come back, his first move will undoubtedly be to target Harry."
Remus paused, his gaze drifting back to the distant figure of Harry on his broomstick. "Of course, Hogwarts has Albus, and there's Bryan as well. I have faith in their ability to keep Harry safe. But I can't just sit idly by, can I? I need to do my part."
His voice took on a note of quiet resolve. "By being in Hogsmeade, I'll be perfectly positioned to hear any news or rumors immediately. This can give Albus some help, and if anything, unexpected happens, I can immediately rush to Harry's side.
Lily and James, they gave their lives for Harry and you Sirius – you've suffered more than most could bear, I can't do nothing, can I?"
Sirius reached out, clasping Remus's shoulder firmly. "You've borne no less than any of us, Remus—"
The two friends sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. The once vibrant and seemingly invulnerable Marauders – now reduced to this. One a fallen hero, another a despised traitor, a third who had endured twelve hellish years in Azkaban, and the last who had struggled daily against prejudice and poverty.
The whims of fate and the harsh realities of their world, when considered deeply, could bring even the strongest wizard to tears.
After a moment of melancholy, Sirius straightened up, a familiar glint of determination in his eye. "I can help you, Remus," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Those two mischief-makers still have their studies to focus on. If you're partnering with them, there's bound to be a mountain of work to handle. I could help you look after the shop or manage the workshop."
Remus chuckled, shaking his head fondly at his Sirius's enthusiasm. "I appreciate the offer, Sirius, but I'm not sure this kind of work would suit you," he said gently. "Let's be honest – you'd find it terribly dull after a while. Running a shop and managing a workshop require a level of patience and attention to detail that, well... let's just say they've never been your strong suits."
Sirius opened his mouth to protest, but Remus held up a hand, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Remember that time in our fifth year when you tried to organize our dormitory? Within a week, it looked like a Hippogriff had rampaged through it."
A bark of laughter escaped Sirius as the memory surfaced. "Fair point," he accepted, running a hand through his shaggy black hair. "But surely there must be something I can do. I can't just sit around twiddling my thumbs while everyone else is working towards protecting Harry."
Remus's expression softened, understanding the restlessness that plagued his friend. After years of forced inaction in Azkaban, Sirius was desperate to be useful, to make up for lost time.
"If you're set on finding something productive to do, something that allows you to fulfill your duties as Harry's godfather," Remus said thoughtfully, "I suggest you have a chat with Alb... I mean, Bryan. He's bound to have some ideas that would suit you."
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