Chapter 421: 0420 Remus's Reason
BANG!
The deafening explosion shattered the tense silence of the room, its resounding force so powerful that it sent Fred and George tumbling head over heels. The others in the room were also affected, stumbling and staggering backward as the shockwave hit them. The scattered materials on the floor flew everywhere.
As the dust began to settle, revealing the aftermath of the magical mishap, it became clear that Fred and George's latest experiment had gone spectacularly awry. The twins' faces were smudged with soot, their expressions a comical mixture of surprise and irritation. They had been working tirelessly on their long line of magical prank products, But Remus's unexpected words had shattered their concentration, causing their carefully controlled magic to spiral out of control.
Fortunately for all involved, the twins had learned from their previous close calls. They had cleverly woven containment charms into their rooms creating an invisible barrier that kept the worst of the explosion's effects from spilling out into the rest of the house. Without these precautions, they might have had to consider a life on the streets.
As everyone regained their footing, Hermione immediately shot an angry glance at Harry and Ron. The two young wizards clearly understood her meaning and shrank back.
Fred plucked a lettuce leaf from his hair and glared angrily at Remus. If Remus hadn't been his former professor, he might have cursed out loud. After all, Mrs. Weasley had confiscated most of their previously produced items, and they were now strapped for cash and time to ensure delivery.
"If this is some kind of prank," George fumed, his face nearly as red as his hair, "I'll admit it's bloody brilliant. But there's just one teensy problem, Remus!"
The twins shouted in perfect unison: "You'll have to compensate us for our losses, Remus!"
"Investment?" Sirius interjected before Remus could speak, eyeing him oddly. "Are you serious, Moony? You want to invest in Fred and George?"
"Why not?" Remus simply smiled and replied.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances, all knowing what the others were thinking. Investment wasn't the issue, but money was. And everyone in the room knew all too well about Remus's financial situation.
"So, how much are you planning to fund these two young ones?" Sirius asked bluntly, no longer needing to beat around the bush with Remus.
By now, the initial anger and confusion had begun to fade from Fred and George's face and they seemed to realize that Remus wasn't joking or playing a prank on them. However, knowing Remus's dire financial situation, they couldn't help but remain skeptical. They temporarily swallowed their anger and eyed the smiling Remus suspiciously.
"Well—" Remus pondered briefly before saying cheerfully, "This is a business proposition, right? I can't tell you immediately how much I'm planning to invest. I need to evaluate the value of your products and future potential. But I estimate it won't be less than a thousand Galleons—"
"Bloody hell! Did I hear that right?" Ron immediately jumped up. "How much? No less than a thousand Galleons?"
The twins blinked, wearing expressions that showed they must be dreaming.
Sirius, however, was less amazed and more suspicious. His dark eyes narrowed as he scrutinized his Remus's face, "A thousand Galleons?" he said bluntly, his tone flat with disbelief. "Where did you get that much of money, Remus?"
Remus was clearly aware of the confusion his words had caused for everyone. He looked at each person in turn, finally fixing his gaze on Sirius's face. He pursed his lips, barely suppressing a smile as he said, "Oh, this matter, well, it has something to do with you, Sirius—"
Sirius's brow furrowed, his mind racing through possibilities. "I don't recall ever lending you money, Remus," he said slowly, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. "I'm not trying to pry into your personal affairs, but... well, there should be some explanation, right?"
Remus's expression softened, understanding the root of Sirius's worry. He knew that Sirius was just worried he might do something unethical due to his impoverished life.
"This is actually your bounty money, Sirius—" Remus finally explained, his smile widening at the look of utter bewilderment that spread across Sirius's face. "Remember when you first escaped from Azkaban? The Ministry put out that enormous bounty to the wizarding world. At that time, people didn't know you were innocent, so, uh... some people secretly had their eye on that hefty reward."
Harry looked at Hermione in confusion, but he saw the same bewilderment on her face.
'Some people... who could that be referring to?!'
Sirius first blinked in bewilderment, but a few seconds later, his face visibly darkened, even appearing to 'grit his teeth'.
"Well, well—" Sirius stepped forward, his voice dropping to a near-whisper as he 'glared fiercely' at the still-smiling Remus. "So, you all had already... But didn't the Ministry eventually withdraw my wanted status? Are they really that generous?"
"Yes, we all know the Ministry's credibility has always been questionable, but the problem is, if they went back on their word, you know, Sirius, some people wouldn't let it go, would they?" Remus's smile faded a bit. "And even though you're innocent, Cornelius Fudge still had to pay up."
Sirius's indignation was palpable, his voice rising with each word. "Oh, alright—" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "I suppose I should be grateful. But Remus, don't you think the actual fugitive deserves a share of his own bounty?"
Sirius and Remus never mentioned the person's name, but from the context, even Neville should have guessed who they were talking about!
Professor Watson and Remus had teamed up to pursue Sirius, and then, after succeeding, they shared the bounty money on Sirius.
Why did this sound so funny?
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all held their breath, their shoulders slightly twitching with barely suppressed laughter. Ron's gaze, however, held more than just amusement as he looked at his older brothers. To describe his expression as 'mild envy' would be a gross understatement.
"Fine, Remus, it's your money, you decide," Sirius stepped back, folding his arms and pouting. But after a moment's thought, under Fred and George's disgruntled glares, he still asked curiously,
"But why do you want to invest in these two youngsters? Of course, the things they make are indeed interesting, but Remus, Aren't these galleons more precious to you?"
Remus knew that Sirius was actually subtly trying to remind him that the wizarding world was still unfriendly to werewolves. For him personally, finding a job to support himself was indeed too difficult, so he should be more cautious with his wealth, rather than giving it to two youngsters to mess around with.
Remus's smile faded, replaced by a look of calm resignation. When he spoke, his voice was steady, devoid of self-pity or bitterness. "You've probably noticed, Sirius, that my job interview this morning ended in failure... again."
"Yes, I do have some Galleons in hand now," Remus continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "But I can't rely on this money forever. It will run out sooner or later, won't it? I need to find a way to generate income, to be self-reliant." His gaze drifted to the twins, a spark of enthusiasm returning to his eyes. "I have high hopes for Fred and George's products. They're innovative and they happen to need support and guidance right now. This isn't just investment – it's an opportunity for me as well."
Remus paused, taking a deep breath. For a moment, the weight of years of struggle and disappointment was visible on his prematurely wrinkled face. "To be honest," he said softly, "apart from Fred and George, people outside might not even be willing to accept an investment from a werewolf." He turned to the twins, a hint of helplessness tinging his voice as he asked, "Oh, I assume you are willing, right?"
Fred and George exchanged a glance, and in the next second, their faces suddenly lit up with excitement.
"Are you kidding?" Fred exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "Of course we're willing!"
George chimed in, his voice filled with earnest enthusiasm, "Who gives a toss about that werewolf nonsense? Dear Remus!"
In a flash, Fred had grabbed Remus by the arm, guiding him to sit on the edge of the nearest bed. The twins crowded around him, their eyes shining with a mixture of excitement and disbelief. "You really want to..." Fred began, his voice trailing off as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening. "I mean, a thousand Galleons. At least?"
Remus couldn't help but chuckle at their enthusiasm. His years of travel and hardship had given him a perspective that far surpassed that of Sirius, who had lost over a decade of his life to Azkaban. When it came to matters of business and the real world, Remus was far from a novice.
"An investment of a thousand Galleons is the minimum," Remus said, his tone shifting to one of gentle authority. The twins leaned in closer, hanging on his every word as if he were about to reveal the secret recipe for liquid luck. "You see, the way you're doing things now simply won't work in the long run, Fred and George."
The twins exchanged a quick glance, a flicker of uncertainty passing between them. Remus continued, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"You must understand, if you want your products to be truly popular – and I believe they have the potential to be – you need a proper shop. And that's just the beginning. Your products – I mean the mature, thoroughly tested, and safe ones – need to be mass-produced in a proper workshop. You can't keep brewing potions and casting charms in your bedroom forever, especially not if you want to meet the demand."
The twins sat back, slightly overwhelmed by the scope of what Remus was suggesting. It was clear that they had been so focused on inventing new products that they hadn't given much thought to the logistics of running a full-fledged business.
After a moment of contemplative silence, George's face lit up with excitement. "We've actually thought about the shop issue!"
"We've even come up with a name," Fred added, his eyes sparkling with a reverence never seen in any Hogwarts classroom.
The twins' voices rang out in perfect unison, filling the room with their infectious enthusiasm: "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes!"
Remus nodded appreciatively, recognizing the marketing potential of such a catchy name.
It was Sirius, however, who burst the twins' bubble of excitement. He had been watching the exchange with a mixture of amusement and concern, his arms still folded across his chest in a posture of mock disapproval. "Hate to break it to you, lads," he said, his tone teasing, "but that name won't work."
Fred and George's faces fell, their expressions a comical mixture of confusion and indignation. Before they could protest, Sirius continued, as a mischievous glint flashed in his dark eyes. "If Molly finds out that Remus's shop is called that, she'll sue him for copyright infringement faster than you can say 'Quidditch'."
Fred slapped his forehead in distress. "Merlin's pants, I forgot about Mum!"
If Mrs. Weasley discovered that not only had they not abandoned their 'frivolous' pursuits, but had actually escalated them to the point of opening a shop... Well, it didn't take a Seer to predict that their mother-son relationship might reach a breaking point.
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