Under the watchful eyes of Rhys as well as witnessing two piles of flesh besides him, Bagman readily settled the gambling winnings owed to Rhys and the Weasley twins.
The eerie quiet of the forest clearing only heightened the tension in the air, with distant echoes still drifting from the main campgrounds.
With Rhys present this time, Bagman naturally could not pull any tricks by passing off fakes as genuine. However, he never stopped trying to persuade the three of them to reinvest the money into his betting schemes for greater profit. His voice carried that same oily charm that had drawn so many wizards into his web before.
"You don't need to do anything. Just wait for the dividends."
Rhys interrupted him without hesitation.
"I have no interest in participating in your investment. As for the two of them, whether they join is their own choice."
Rhys knew very well that Bagman had no real connection to him, and his true identity had not been revealed. There was no reason such an easy opportunity to make money would fall into his lap without some hidden cost. He had learned long ago that deals sounding too good usually hid sharp teeth beneath the surface.
Fred immediately said, "Thank you for your kind offer, but we're not interested either."
He was a smart man. Seeing that Rhys had no interest at all, he quickly dropped the idea as well. George nodded in silent agreement, his usual mischievous grin tempered by the caution Rhys had shown.
Bagman wanted to say something more, but Rhys glanced at him. Those black eyes reminded him of the unfathomable depths of the Black Lake at Hogwarts. The look carried a quiet warning that needed no words.
He shuddered and fell silent.
By the time Bagman came back to his senses, Rhys had already led Fred and George into the shadows of the forest. The trees seemed to close in around them, their branches whispering in the cool night breeze as leaves crunched softly underfoot.
"His offer actually didn't sound that bad, did it? The share seemed quite reasonable," George muttered once they were far enough away.
"Then you can go find him later. I guarantee I will personally send you to him."
Rhys's words immediately left Fred speechless. A short laugh escaped George, but it died quickly when he realized Rhys was not joking.
"Mr. Bagman still owes the goblins money. Those short-legged bloodsuckers just now were here to collect a debt," Rhys continued.
"How could a bookmaker running a gambling operation lose money?" George frowned, feeling both confused and puzzled.
A bookmaker earns from the commission. Even accounting for variables like himself, Fred, and Rhys, it should have been very difficult for Mr. Bagman to lose money. Yet the evidence had stood right in front of them in the form of those furious little creatures.
"Is it possible that he already owed the goblins a large sum before organizing this betting pool?" Rhys felt that the goblins showing up had little to do with tonight's wagers.
"Does that mean that Mr. Bagman's cash flow has completely collapsed?"
Fred and George immediately reached a conclusion. Thinking of this, both of them broke out in a cold sweat. If they had not followed Rhys to confront Bagman tonight, they would have lost everything. The weight of that realization settled heavily on their shoulders.
The attitude of those goblins had made it very clear. The financial hole Bagman was facing was no longer something he could cover with charm or clever words.
With lingering fear still prickling at the back of their necks, the two of them returned to the camp with Rhys. The path back felt longer in the dark, but the distant glow of lanterns and the warm scent of woodsmoke guided them safely.
"What were you doing?" Harry asked curiously as soon as they stepped into the circle of tents.
"Settling accounts." Fred's face lit up with a smile again. Opening a joke shop had been his and George's dream since childhood, and they were now closer than ever to achieving it. The excitement in his voice was impossible to miss.
Both groups present were familiar with each other. After chatting for a bit, they simply gathered together to drink tea and have a late-night meal.
The capable Mrs. Weasley had prepared an incredibly abundant spread for her husband and children. Platters of sandwiches, roasted vegetables, warm pies, and steaming pots of tea filled the air with comforting aromas that made the whole clearing feel like home.
"So after this, you've saved enough money?" Rhys asked in a low voice, keeping the conversation private amid the lively group.
Fred first glanced at his father and saw that he was discussing the events of the night with Bill and Charlie. Percy had not come to watch the World Cup final at all. It was said he was involved in a top-secret Ministry assignment. Fred believed his brother was probably chasing down some flying carpet smuggling case or another minor bureaucratic headache.
Seeing that his father's attention was elsewhere, Fred quietly told Rhys that he and George were still just a little short of the funds needed to open their shop. He spoke with a mix of hope and practicality.
"If we want to open a shop in Diagon Alley, we need at least a thousand Galleons. The minimum cannot be lower than eight hundred, otherwise the cash flow will be very risky. We clearly cannot afford to open a shop in Diagon Alley. Knockturn Alley is cheaper, but if Mum finds out, she will personally come and smash the place," Fred said seriously.
The two of them had placed a heavy bet of 42 Galleons, 15 Sickles, and 3 Knuts with Bagman. Bagman had given them extremely high odds of ten to one, so afterward they received a substantial return of 428 Galleons.
But this amount was obviously not enough for them to open a shop in Diagon Alley.
"However, with the Dark Lord appearing again tonight, it might cause panic in the market, leading to a drop in Diagon Alley rents."
"Don't dream," Fred rolled his eyes at George. "We cannot base our hopes on something like that. Besides, I have already heard that the Dark Lord was driven off by another mysterious figure. I do not think there will be any panic."
After dismissing George's speculation, Fred continued, "So we thought of Hogsmeade. That is clearly a good option too, but the rent there is not cheap either."
"How much are you short?" Astoria, sitting beside Rhys, suddenly asked. Her voice cut through the conversation with quiet confidence.
"If we are opening a shop in Hogsmeade, we would need at least seven hundred Galleons."
"I will cover it. Four hundred Galleons. Just give me thirty percent of the shares," Astoria stated her terms.
Fred's heart suddenly started racing. A rich and beautiful junior had stepped in, offering exactly the boost they needed at the perfect moment.
Astoria's terms were very fair. Although she was contributing nearly half the funds, she would not be involved in operations, and all the joke shop's products came from Fred and George's ideas. Taking only thirty percent of the shares was entirely reasonable.
With Astoria's investment, Fred and George could even open their shop right away.
Originally, Fred had planned to spend another two years at school saving money with George. Their prank products were quite popular at Hogwarts, and saving up a hundred Galleons before graduation would not have been a problem.
The thought of finally turning their inventions into a real business filled the air with new energy around the fire.
Fred was instantly tempted.
He actually did not want to continue studying at Hogwarts. He and George had already obtained their O.W.L.s, and skipping the N.E.W.T.s would not be a big issue.
"Alright, it is a deal!" Fred and Astoria reached a verbal agreement.
"Where are you planning to open the shop? Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade?" Daphne joined the conversation as well, her interest clearly piqued.
Fred hesitated a little. With insufficient funds before, he could only consider Hogsmeade. But now, with Astoria's investment, he could think about opening a shop in Diagon Alley.
Compared to Hogsmeade, although the rent in Diagon Alley was higher, the customer flow was clearly much greater. The bustling streets there promised steady traffic from witches and wizards of all ages.
"I have an idea!"
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12 Chaps ahead at Patreon.com/HornyFBI