Chapter 396: Observations in Hogsmeade
Chapter 396: Observations in Hogsmeade (Request for Subscriptions, Favorites, and Votes)
"I heard that Harry, on Ginny’s suggestion, wants to form a Defense Against the Dark Arts study group and an extracurricular club. These past few days, Ginny and Ron have been helping him recruit members. Unfortunately, I have to help with the Study Group, so I had to politely decline", Hermione said to Liam during breakfast on Hogsmeade Day.
"Harry also approached me, but I told him I couldn’t spare the time", Liam replied, feeling a bit guilty. According to his calculations, the original core members of the D.A., such as Neville, Luna, the Weasley Twins, and Hermione herself, had all declined Harry’s invitation. Most of them felt it was unnecessary to join two similar extracurricular groups, so they naturally chose to continue with the Study Group, which they had been part of for several years.
"Of course, their reasons for declining are varied. For example, Neville told me he was worried about not keeping up with Harry and the others and feeling embarrassed. In that case, he prefers to practice magic with people he knows well."
"I hope Harry doesn’t get discouraged because a few of us declined", Hermione said to Liam as they passed through Filch’s inspection and stepped into the cold but sunny outdoors.
"He probably won’t", Liam shook his head, trying to shake off the strange sense of guilt. "There are plenty of people supporting Dumbledore this year. With Harry’s reputation, he should be able to gather a fair number of members. I’m just worried about what Umbridge might do when she finds out. If only those photos had already been released; they might have distracted her."
"Let’s not think about that. Being a Prefect is already exhausting in our O.W.L. year, let alone all the other things we have to worry about. Let’s just take a break today", Hermione said, taking Liam’s hand and leading him towards Hogsmeade.
They followed the main road, passing Zonko’s Joke Shop, where Fred and George seemed to be in deep discussion with the gray-haired Mr. Zonko. As they squeezed in, they overheard the Weasley Twins and Zonko talking about the shop’s transfer.
"I’m willing to sell my shop", Zonko’s voice sounded somewhat aged. "When I first opened this place, it was to make money while bringing joy to everyone. Unfortunately, as I’ve grown older, I’ve lost the inspiration I once had. Producing the same items day after day has become tiresome. I’m glad to see you two continuing to bring joy to people, but my shop has been open for a long time, and I hope you can be generous with your offer. I need this money to retire."
"But why do we have to buy the property as well? Can’t you just rent it to us?" Fred asked, looking a bit dejected. "We’re just starting out, and while the future looks promising, we can’t afford to buy this place outright."
"My shop must be sold along with the property", Zonko insisted. "The weather in Britain is hard on my legs, so I plan to retire in warm Greece and never return to Britain."
Liam saw this and gestured for Hermione to call the Weasley Twins out. Soon, the twins joined Liam in a quiet corner of the shop.
"How much is Zonko asking for the shop?" Liam asked straightforwardly.
"You heard him, right?" Fred and George both looked troubled. "He wants us to pay 80,000 Galleons upfront."
"That’s a lot of money", Hermione whispered, even by Gringotts’ official exchange rate, it equaled 400,000 pounds. In this era, that amount could buy a two-story house in Manchester’s wealthy district. However, considering it was one of the few bustling shops in one of the two main economic centers of the British Wizarding World, and wizards generally didn’t pay property taxes, the price was somewhat reasonable.
"It’s not cheap, but Mr. Zonko is giving us a discount because he likes us", Fred and George looked disheartened. "Unfortunately, we can’t afford it right now."
"How about this—let me buy the property and rent it to you", Liam suggested confidently. "I just need to know if you have any safe way to liquidate some magical jewelry, as I don’t have that much cash on me."
“This, this is too much for you to pay.” The Weasley Twins said in a low voice. “I feel like we can do so little in return.”
“It’s fine. I’m not just giving you the money; the house will be mine after you buy it. I’m planning to live in the Wizarding World after graduation, and I can’t do that without a place to stay,” Liam said with a smile, trying to reassure them. “The house isn’t free for our shop, either. Even if we’re partners, you’ll still need to pay me rent. Don’t worry, I’ll charge the average rent for this street.”
“Thank you.” The Weasley Twins gripped Liam’s hand, knowing what his decision meant.
“Once I get back to school, I’ll give you the items, but you’ll need to figure out how to turn them into Galleons,” Liam changed the subject to ease the tension.
“Don’t worry about that. As long as it’s jewelry, no matter where it comes from, the Goblins at Gringotts will convert it into Galleons. They don’t care about the history behind the items,” the Weasley Twins patted their chests, assuring everything would go smoothly.
“Wait, where are you getting all that jewelry from?” After saying goodbye to the Weasley Twins, Hermione asked Liam quietly on the Hogsmeade street. “Did you get a share of the treasure from Lonely Mountain during your last trip to Zhongtu?”
“I didn’t take that treasure, but I found a way to generate wealth sustainably,” Liam leaned in close to Hermione’s ear. “I didn’t explain it in detail last time. In that world, I’m the King of Dale. After mediating the conflict between the Dwarves and the Elves, my kingdom can now trade with both. My warehouse is filled with jewelry from the Elves and the Dwarves. Taking a small portion for investment is quite normal.”
“It sounds good, but I hope you’re not exploiting the residents of Rivendell’s Ruins to get this wealth.”
“Trust me, I wouldn’t do that. I’m bringing advanced knowledge and technology to them, improving their lives. Naturally, my share of the wealth has increased significantly.”
“That’s good.” Hermione nodded. As expected, her first concern upon learning about Liam’s wealth was its moral source, and that was one of the things he loved most about her: her strong sense of right and wrong.
“Hog’s Head? I hope Harry and the others remember to bring their cups. I’ve been interested in this place ever since Hagrid told me about it in first year, but Professor Mcgonagall thought it wasn’t suitable for students. Luna told me that their head, Professor Flitwick, says it’s actually quite safe, the only issue being the questionable hygiene,” Liam and Hermione found a seat by the window at the Three Broomsticks. Through the glass, they saw Harry, Ron, and Ginny turning onto the path nearby, with Harry and Ron holding dusty Butterbeer bottles.
“Judging by their expressions, their meeting seems to have gone well. I just hope Umbridge doesn’t find out, or she’ll come up with some scheme. Our Study Group might suffer as well,” Liam observed, noting the smiles on Harry and the others’ faces. “If only everyone had seen our photos, then Umbridge wouldn’t have a chance to stick her toad’s head in everywhere.”
When they returned to the castle that day, Liam immediately handed over a large bag of Elven jewelry to the Weasley Twins. Although they were a bit curious about where Liam had gotten these items, he simply said they were from his Alchemical Master, which dispelled all their doubts.
This was the first time the Weasley Twins had heard Liam mention his teacher, but they could easily infer the level of his master from Liam’s abilities. It made sense that a powerful Alchemist would leave a significant fortune to their disciple. For many Wizards, a thousand Galleons and a hundred Galleons were practically the same.
Thanks to their imagination, Liam could transfer a portion of his wealth to this world, laying the groundwork for further transfers in the future.
(End of Chapter)
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