Chapter 247: Stocking Up
By the time the three of them sneaked over to the fireplace, Mrs. Weasley—that is, Molly—was busy in the kitchen, humming a tune as she worked.
A wizarding wireless was playing a song, and the Weasley twins bobbed their heads along to the rhythm.
"Great Mr. Green, do you know what song this is?"
Fred wore an expression that said, Just ask me, and I'll explain it all.
"Oh, no, we have to go, quickly—the high notes are coming!" George warned in a panic.
"It's too late—George, put the earplugs on Sean."
Fred shoved earplugs onto George, and before Sean could react, his own ears were covered too.
He looked toward the kitchen in confusion.
Mrs. Weasley tilted her head back slightly, as if gathering strength. With a flick of her wand, potatoes peeled themselves and leaped into a basin of water; carrots lined up to hop onto the cutting board, where they were expertly chopped into uniform cubes. A stew pot bubbled on the stove, beef tumbling in the thick broth, releasing a rich, savory aroma.
"Oh, my poor heart, where has it gone? It left me, hooked by magic... and now you've torn it apart, please give my heart back to me—!"
Sean heard nothing; the earplugs seemed to have been enchanted. But he saw even the glass tumblers trembling on the shelf.
"There are always a few days a month..." Fred, also wearing earplugs, spread his hands helplessly.
"Probably because Dad insists Mum sings beautifully, even if his ears are bleeding..." George had already stepped into the fireplace.
Not far in front of the fireplace stood an old but clean sofa, and Sean was standing on the other side of it.
"Diagon Alley!"
Sean watched as George vanished in a burst of green flames.
"If Mum's male idol is Gilderoy Lockhart, then her female idol is Celestina Warbeck. She's loved Celestina Warbeck's songs since she was young, and she's been listening to them for over a decade," Fred explained as he gestured for Sean to go ahead. "Great Green, we should go, but keep it quiet."
This was Sean's first time using a normal fireplace for transportation—after all, the portable fireplace at the Alchemical Symposium hardly counted as normal.
He paused for a moment to clearly visualize the name Diagon Alley in his mind, ensuring he wouldn't be transported to Knockturn Alley by mistake.
That was a gathering place for Dark wizards, and for a young wizard... well, it was a bit dangerous.
"Diagon Alley."
Sean took a pinch of Floo powder from the pot, threw it into the flames, and soon disappeared as well.
When he emerged, the colorful array of shops had already lit their lanterns.
"Let's go!" George led the way excitedly. "Ah, coming here as a shop owner feels much better than coming as a customer!"
"I don't think anyone can deny that," Fred agreed, stepping out of the green flames behind them.
Weasley & Green's Wizard Wheezes had finished its renovations. Above the door was a moving sign of a clown taking off his hat; as the hat was lifted, a white rabbit popped out.
The crowds were gone, and the queueing time was long over, but occasionally a young wizard would walk by and ask the adult beside them in disappointment:
"Is it still not open?"
So Sean and the others had to sneak in through the back door.
"Twenty Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder bombs ready, George?" Fred asked.
"Of course. Thirty Ton-Tongue Toffees?" George checked the list proficiently.
"All set—"
"Then—what about sixteen Moose Biscuits, twenty-three Squirrel Biscuits, one hundred and thirty-six Kneazle Biscuits, and three hundred sets of Weird Wizard's Chess?"
A ghostly voice drifted from the unlit shop.
Sean slowly turned his head. Looming above him was shop manager Gertie, sporting extremely heavy dark circles under her eyes.
"Are we short that many?!" Fred jumped in shock.
Gertie switched on the lights. The window display arranged by Fred and George attracted attention like a fireworks show, and soon several fascinated wizards gathered in front of the shop.
"Mr. Green, if you don't restock before the opening, I'll have no choice but to resign. You know what crazy wizards are capable of—especially in Diagon Alley where magic can be used freely," Gertie said resentfully.
"I'll handle it," Fred said with a solemn face.
"And me," George added, unusually serious.
"Oh—oh?" Gertie perked up instantly. Rubbing her dark circles, she sat down next to a row of dazzling pink products, waiting for the show to begin.
Pity there's no popcorn... she thought with a tinge of disappointment.
The scene that followed, however, made her jaw drop.
"Make some! Great Green!"
Fred didn't hesitate to wail like a banshee, practically howling right into Sean's ear.
"Great Green, oh Great Green—"
George squeezed his eyes shut frantically, though not a single tear came out.
Sean was used to the Weasley twins' antics by now.
He struggled to push Fred off his leg, then took out numerous biscuit boxes from the Undetectable Extension Bag Professor McGonagall had given him.
The Weird Wizard's Chess sets had also been shrunk and stored inside.
"Are they always like this?" Gertie asked, bewildered.
Upon returning to The Burrow, Fred and George were still obsessing over their business plan.
"The rent for a shop in Diagon Alley is seven hundred Galleons, and we made enough in six months to cover the rent for ten shops—and that's before opening... Do you know what that means?"
Fred stepped out of the fireplace.
Sean looked behind him, where a furious, steaming Mrs. Weasley stood.
"Shh—" George whispered a warning.
"George, what did you say? It's strange, clearly it means we can open shops all over Britain—Mum!"
Fred turned around stiffly, speaking in what he thought was a relaxed and cute tone.
"Good evening, Mum."
"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Mrs. Weasley said in a dangerously low voice that made hearts skip a beat.
"Sorry, Mum, but we had to—"
Mrs. Weasley's two sons were taller than her, but when her anger erupted, they both trembled.
"Beds empty! No note! Gone... and you took Sean with you... I was worried sick... did you ever think about that? ...I've never in my life... just wait until your father gets home, Bill and Charlie and Percy never did anything like this..."
"Perfect Percy," Fred muttered.
Mrs. Weasley stepped forward and pulled Sean out of the fireplace.
"Poor child, Fred and George have never been reliable. Don't listen to them next time."
"Oh, Mum, we have to tell you a tragic truth. If anyone listens to anyone, there's only one voice—The Great Green—"
Fred made a gesture of bowing down.
"You dare push the blame onto Green?!"
☆☆☆
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