Chapter 51: Limited Edition
Chapter 51: Limited Edition
Kona didn't know why she had agreed to Kyle's proposal.
Perhaps she really needed some Galleons, or perhaps it was because of what Kyle had said—prove to everyone that you can survive on your own.
In any case, Kona found herself agreeing to the plan.
In the common room after dinner, Kyle, Cedric, and Kona gathered around a table to discuss their entrepreneurial plans for the next day.
"Anyway, Gryffindor has the Weasley brothers to help, so it should be fine. The main issue now is Slytherin."
Kyle turned to Kona and said, "Tomorrow, find an opportunity to 'accidentally' meet with that Ro... what's her name again?"
Kona softly prompted, "Roe and Yaxley."
"Ah, yes, those two. Find a way to bump into them and greet them casually."
Kyle thought for a moment, then continued, "The corridor on the first floor would be perfect. Both Hufflepuff and Slytherin students have to pass through there on their way to the Great Hall, so it would be very natural to 'accidentally' meet them there. You can just come up with any reason to walk with them."
"Mhm." The little witch nodded, taking quick notes, her expression serious.
After she finished writing, Kyle continued,
"Then, I'll be ahead of you, complaining to Cedric about how complex the castle's layout is and how easy it is to get lost. That's when he'll take out the regular version of the map to show off.
Your job is to feign disdain for us and then whip out the limited edition map."
"Disdain?"
Kona paused, pen in hand, and tried out a few expressions... before Kyle abandoned that idea altogether.
"Forget it, just take out the map and show it off to them. Tell them it's a limited edition that's not for sale to the public, and there are only ten copies."
"Make sure you remember that line."
"If they ask you about it afterward, tell them you have connections to get these maps, and if they want one, you're willing to help them out as a friend."
"Okay." Kona finished taking notes and began to silently memorize the plan.
At this moment, Cedric asked curiously, "What if they don't ask?"
Kyle shrugged. "Then we sell it to someone else.
The whole idea is to make the regular maps seem like limited editions. Those pure-bloods will eat it up."
With Kona's help, everything would seem more legitimate.
Once Roe and Yaxley got their hands on the maps, they would surely show them off, becoming the perfect spokespeople.
If they didn't take the bait, they would simply revert to the original plan.
They could still create a 'limited edition' map, distinct from the regular ones, and the little snakes would come looking for them once word got out.
However, this approach might attract the attention of the professors. While ten Sickles might not be a big deal, five Galleons was a substantial sum. They might get banned from selling before they even made a single sale.
So, it was better to keep things discreet. Even if they were discovered later, it wouldn't matter since the Galleons would already be in their pockets. What could the professors do then? Take back the money? At most, they'd get a deduction in house points, and Hufflepuffs were the least concerned about those anyway.
Upon hearing Kyle's explanation, Cedric's perspective underwent a transformation.
So, this was possible too? He knew that pure-blood families loved exclusivity, which was why he had originally planned to embellish the parchment with gold trim.
But his initial pricing had only been one Galleon.
It wasn't that pure-bloods were all suckers; they just had money and weren't foolish enough to spend it on anything common. They sought uniqueness.
Even Kyle himself had been longing for a quill made from an Augurey's feather. Though it was no different from regular quills in functionality, it was beautiful and a pleasure to behold. He was sure that having one would make him more inclined to write his essays.
Cedric smacked his lips. "Are you sure about only making ten copies, Kyle?"
"Yep, ten," Kyle nodded.
He'd made inquiries and learned that while there were thirteen first-years in Slytherin, not all of them were wealthy pure-bloods. So, ten copies would be perfect; those who didn't buy one could still save face with a plausible excuse.
After finalizing this matter, Cedric chatted with Kyle some more about the afternoon's Quidditch tryouts.
As expected, Fred and George had also joined the House team as Beaters.
Additionally, a second-year witch named Alicia Spinnet had made it as a reserve player.
"This year's Gryffindor team is definitely a formidable opponent," Cedric said gravely. "Their lineup is fantastic. I've watched Alicia train, and her performance is no worse than our Chaser, Matt Blington, but she's only a reserve player in Gryffindor.
And then there's Oliver Wood. His save rate is the highest among the four goalkeepers. With him on the field, it'll be hard for us to gain an advantage."
"Oh well," Kyle responded nonchalantly from the sidelines. "Then you'll just have to work harder."
So what if the Gryffindor team was strong? He was just a first-year without a broom, who wouldn't even get to play. He could only cheer from the sidelines.
Cedric didn't notice Kyle's lack of enthusiasm and continued on to discuss Slytherin, focusing on their brooms.
With five Nimbus 1700 brooms, they had a significant advantage.
However, when Cedric mentioned Ravenclaw, he suddenly paused and then smoothly skipped over the topic.
"We must give our all in every match from now on; we can't afford any carelessness."
Cedric spoke solemnly. "No one wants to end up in third place at the end of the term. That's why Harris has increased our mandatory team practices from three times a week to five."
As he spoke, Cedric's voice unconsciously rose in volume, but Kona beside him remained unaffected, still staring blankly at the parchment in her hand.
Every time she thought about having to talk to strangers tomorrow, her heart raced with anxiety. She wasn't paying attention to what Cedric was saying at all.
In fact, during Kyle's earlier discussion of the specific plan, she had countless thoughts about backing out.
But each time the word "back out" reached the tip of her tongue, a voice in her heart told her not to say it.
Kona didn't know why she felt this way, but in the end, she chose to listen to that inner voice.
Not long after, Kyle and Cedric yawned and headed back to their dormitory.
The common room was now empty except for Kona, who continued to pore over the parchment in her hands.
(End of Chapter)
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