Chapter 251: A Cozy Family (Part 1)
Chapter 251: A Cozy Family (Part 1) (Please Subscribe, Favorite, and Vote)
"Kids, your classmates are here. Come down and join us for afternoon tea", Mrs. Weasley called out as she prepared the snacks, after Liam and Hermione had taken their seats at the table.
Mr. Weasley also took off his coat and sat down, using his wand to guide Liam and Hermione's trunks upstairs. "Since our two eldest sons are back, it might be a bit crowded. Liam, you can stay in Ron's room, and Hermione, you can share with Ginny."
"Thank you, Uncle", Liam and Hermione said in unison.
"By the way, what about Harry?" Liam asked, recalling that Harry had mentioned he would be attending the Quidditch World Cup.
"Heard that Harry's godfather bought a house near his aunt's place, so he'll be attending the World Cup with him. We agreed to meet up at the venue", Ron said as he descended the stairs, overhearing Liam's question.
"Harry wrote to me saying he's had a good summer. It seems that Sirius Black's appearance on Muggle TV as a wanted criminal has had a deterrent effect. He told me that for the first time, he's been getting enough to eat this summer."
"Harry should have reported the abuse. Even in the Muggle world, such treatment is a serious offense", Hermione said, her tone tinged with anger. She had been unaware that Harry was not getting enough to eat at his aunt's house, and Harry himself had never mentioned it.
As everyone trickled down from upstairs, the table soon filled up. Apart from Percy, who was working late, there were two young red-haired men Liam didn't recognize.
But he quickly realized they must be the Weasley brothers, Bill and Charlie, the two eldest.
"You must be Liam and Hermione. As the youngest recipients of the Order of Merlin in decades, we've heard of you even from abroad", Charlie said. Liam imagined that if the world were digitized, he would see a +10 reputation boost on his Order of Merlin badge.
Knowing that Charlie worked with Fire Dragons in Romania, Liam easily identified the freckle-faced man with burn scars on his hands and body as Charlie.
"Indeed, we've always wanted to meet the young wizards who have brought such honor to our alma mater and Britain. We didn't expect you to be friends with our younger siblings", Bill added.
Bill, who now worked for Gringotts in Egypt, was tall with long hair tied back in a ponytail and a small fan-like pendant hanging from his ear. His appearance was so different from the serious, somewhat rigid student council president Liam remembered from his school days.
Before Liam could respond, the doorbell rang. Percy, with dark circles under his eyes, walked in.
"What happened to you?" "Who hit you?" "Who did this?" Everyone started asking questions in a flurry.
"Percy, don't you work in the Accident Reversal Squad? How did you get injured?" Mrs. Weasley raised her voice, which echoed through the kitchen.
"I didn't expect this. Wizards from all over the world are here, and the Ministry of Magic is short-staffed. We were pulled in to maintain order. I was trying to stop a group of drunk Russian wizards from casting spells, and after disarming them, one of them still managed to punch me", Percy said, sounding dejected. He wasn't an Auror, so he usually wouldn't expect to have to deal with physical combat after disarming someone.
"There's nothing we can do. The Ministry is short-staffed, and everything is in chaos", Mr. Weasley quickly defended himself, looking at his wife's angry expression. "Several field workers like Percy have been sent to St. Mungo's in the past few days."
"So you need this, the Defensive Bracelet." Fred pulled out a brass bracelet that looked familiar to Liam and handed it to Percy. "Once activated, it can defend against minor spells, even a few Stunning Spells. I'll give it to you, but you need to help us promote it among your colleagues."
"Where did you get such valuable items?" Mrs. Weasley crossed her arms and stared at the Weasley Twins. "I don't think you have the skill to make such alchemical items."
"Mom, you're really underestimating us", George said, but seeing his mother's stern expression, he quickly changed his tone. "Of course, we didn't make them. We met an Alchemist who asked us to help sell these items. We get a good commission for each one we sell." George then took out two more identical bracelets to prove his point.
"Seems fine to me", Mr. Weasley said after examining one of the bracelets closely. "But why did such a good deal fall into your lap?"
"Because the Alchemist thought some of our gadgets could inspire him, and he's not from around here, so he's not familiar with the British Wizarding World. After we hit it off, he asked us to help sell his products", Fred explained, following the plan he and Liam had discussed. He then produced a contract as evidence.
The contract was written in Bird-Insect Script by Liam, so Mr. Weasley didn't notice anything amiss. After checking the contract and finding it fair, he instructed the Weasley Twins to work hard and not betray the trust placed in them. Strangely, Mrs. Weasley didn't object to the Twins doing something unrelated to their studies.
Seeing the confusion on Liam and Hermione's faces, Ginny explained. In the Wizarding World, Alchemists, unless they were extremists, were highly respected. Having a good Alchemist as a partner could bring many benefits and a lot of knowledge. That's why her parents didn't object to the Twins working with the Alchemist.
After afternoon tea, the Weasley parents chatted warmly with their two sons who worked away from home, while Liam was dragged upstairs by the Weasley Twins to see where he would be staying.
After climbing three narrow flights of stairs, Liam arrived at his room: a door with peeling paint and a small sign reading "Ron's Room."
The room was small, with a sloping ceiling that almost touched Liam's head. Four beds were crammed inside, and a fish tank on the windowsill housed a giant frog. Orange and yellow Quidditch posters covered every inch of the walls, hiding the worn wallpaper.
"It's a bit cramped", Ron said, a bit embarrassed. "Fred and George also stay here because Bill and Charlie have taken their rooms, and Percy often needs to go out at night to handle emergencies, so he sleeps during the day. No one else can share a room with him."
"It feels just as cozy as my home", Liam said with a smile.
At this, Fred closed the door and made sure no one was outside. Then he turned to Liam and said, "Our new product is a huge success, and we'll soon have a ton of orders. By the way, do you still have those bracelets? I think a lot of people will want to buy them."
"Wait—what?" Ron looked at his brothers in surprise. "Are you saying Liam is the Alchemist?"
"Yep, little Ronnie", George said. "Remember to keep it a secret from Mom and Dad."
"It's fine", Liam waved his hand. "We just need to keep it secret for now. Once school starts, I'll be able to reveal my identity. Otherwise, I wouldn't have given the bracelets to your brothers."
After all, for Liam, keeping it secret for now was beneficial for distribution. Once school started, he would definitely need to reveal his identity.
(End of Chapter)
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