Chapter 358: Persuasion
Chapter 358: Persuasion (Request for Subscriptions, Favorites, and Votes)
After eating two pastries, Mrs. Weasley finally got to the main reason for her visit today.
"Liam, I know their grades have improved a lot with your help. But I hope their grades can be even higher, so they can easily enter the Ministry of Magic in the future. Not just me, Arthur thinks the same. If they start a shop, it will distract them too much."
"Hmm, Mrs. Weasley." Liam thought for a moment after hearing Mrs. Weasley’s words, then nodded seriously. "I understand your expectations for them. As parents, you naturally want your children to have a better future. However, I must be frank; you should ask your two sons what they think. Not everyone is suited to work at the Ministry of Magic."
"But Arthur, and Percy—” Mrs. Weasley was cut off by the Weasley Twins. "Mom, we're different from Dad and Percy. Working at the Ministry of Magic from morning till night would suffocate us, and we might end up causing all sorts of trouble. We might even end up paying more in fines than we earn in salary each month."
"Indeed, Mrs. Weasley." Liam looked at Mrs. Weasley and said, "Fred and George are older than me and are almost adults. They should have their own mature thoughts. Forcing them to do something they don’t like or to pursue a career they don’t enjoy isn’t a good idea."
Liam saw the Weasley Twins nodding vigorously, their faces showing strong agreement.
Mrs. Weasley might not have been very firm in her stance on this, so she moved on to her other concern. "But they only make toys for children. While they’re in school, it’s fine, but how will they support themselves after they graduate?"
It seems parents in all worlds are similar, especially when their children are pursuing emerging or unconventional careers. They always believe a stable job is better for their future.
"You don’t need to worry about that, Mrs. Weasley." Liam explained carefully. "Fred and George have a very high talent for inventing new magical toys and even magical artifacts. They’ve even mastered the basics of alchemy in a short time. In this situation, opening a magical artifact shop has a very bright future."
Mrs. Weasley’s expression began to soften after hearing this. Liam seized the opportunity to drive his point home. "For example, there’s a shop called Zonko’s Joke Shop in Hogsmeade. Because the shopkeeper, Zonko, is quite old, the items in the shop haven’t been updated much in the past decade. Even so, the shop’s daily income in Galleons is probably equivalent to a month’s salary for a regular Ministry of Magic employee. I believe that with Fred and George’s new inventions and some of my own creations, surpassing Zonko’s Joke Shop won’t be very difficult."
"Besides", Liam spread his hands. "As a Muggle-born wizard, I’m willing to invest most of my wealth in the wizarding world in them. As their mother, please give them more trust."
"Have you really thought this through? Are you really determined to open a magical artifact shop as your life goal?" After hearing Liam’s persuasion, Mrs. Weasley looked at the Weasley Twins seriously. "In this area, the family can hardly help. Are you prepared to face all the challenges and difficulties on your own?"
"Yes, Mom. We’ve thought it through." The Weasley Twins exchanged a glance and then spoke in unison. As they said this, their faces showed unprecedented seriousness and determination.
"Very well, remember your choice today. As a mother, I wish you all the best. This weekend, when the shop opens, I, your father, and Percy will all be there."
After finishing a cup of tea, Mrs. Weasley and the twins left. Before Apparating away, Liam could see the Weasley Twins smiling happily.
The weekend arrived, the day before they were to go to Sirius’s ancestral home. After packing their bags early in the morning, Liam and Hermione went to Diagon Alley to attend the grand opening of Weasley’s Joke Shop.
"If it weren't for some Wizards' distasteful obsession with blood purity, your name should also be on the store's sign", Hermione said as they watched the fireworks begin at the shop.
"Doing business is about making money. Fame isn't that important", Liam replied. "Anyway, let's go inside. Although I'm the major shareholder and helped a lot with the opening, I've never actually seen all the items in the store."
The shop had been completely renovated, looking much brighter and more vibrant than its former Warehouse days, perhaps even a bit too much so. The walls on the first floor had been replaced with large display windows. The left window displayed a colorful array of items that spun, twitched, flashed, jumped, and screamed, while the right window showcased more serious products. Liam noticed that the Brass Bracelet he had made was placed at the top of a pile of items in the right window.
"Liam, Hermione, welcome, welcome." Because the store had just opened, a large crowd had surged in. Liam and Hermione had to squeeze their way to the back to see the Weasley Twins and the Weasley family, who were busy with the opening.
Before they could exchange a few words, they were called away by the staff. Liam and Hermione decided to browse the various items in the store on their own. The first floor mainly featured joke products, such as prank candies and sweets, trick wands, and enchanted writing quills. There were even one-time Rune Stones that the Weasley Twins had created after learning the basics of Alchemy. Each rune stone could induce a perfect half-hour daydream.
"Really, only a genius—” Liam recognized it at a glance. He and the Weasley Twins had previously restored an ancient illusion defense array found in the Library. Liam had used this knowledge to create a complete set of illusion arrays that could be quickly deployed for fixed-location defense. It was surprising to see that the Weasley Twins had simplified this knowledge for their own purposes. They truly had a talent for mischief.
The second floor was dedicated to Magic Artifacts, primarily Dark Arts Defense Items. Unlike the first floor, this level was mostly occupied by adults and was much quieter.
"Hey, Liam, Hermione." George greeted them as they ascended the stairs.
"Thanks to you, the market for these Magic Artifacts is doing quite well", George said after calling a staff member to take over. "Even though the Ministry of Magic keeps boasting about how peaceful everything is, the escape of those ten Death Eaters has made many people seek out items to protect themselves, and we can provide them."
"Do you require real-name registration for some of the more important items?" Liam asked, addressing his concern.
"Absolutely. We don't want our goods falling into the hands of Death Eaters who might use them against our loved ones. Even if it means losing some business", George said, picking up a few items from the shelves that looked similar to coal. "For example, this Invisibility Smoke Bomb, which can only be dispelled with a specific spell, and your Defensive Bracelet, which is highly useful in combat, both require customers to purchase them with their real names. Of course, items like decoy bombs that distract people or clothing that only protects against minor hexes don't need such strict measures."
"By the way, we have an opening gift for you." Liam reached under his Wizard Robe and pulled out a wooden box, handing it to George. George opened the box to find a pair of headbands that seemed to be made of patterned steel. He looked at Liam with confusion.
"These are made from Arcane Metal. On one hand, as a defensive item, this headband can withstand up to ten Stunning Spells cumulatively over a week. On the other hand, it allows the user to enter a Mechanized Mind state for half an hour every three days, ensuring that they can make judgments free from any emotional influence. This is particularly useful in combat and can even save lives."
"That's too valuable; I can't accept it. Some so-called Pureblood Families with shorter histories might not even have heirlooms of this quality", George said, surprised after Liam's explanation.
"It's fine. I'm the main investor in this shop. In the current situation, I believe that only by ensuring your safety can my interests be protected."
In the end, Liam convinced the Weasley Twins to accept the gift by emphasizing the protection of his interests, and then they left the store.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
