Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was packed with custors; Chris could not get near the shelves. She stared around, looking up at the boxes piled to the ceiling: Here were the Skiving Snackboxes that the twins had perfected during their last, unfinished year at Hogwarts; Chris noticed that the Nosebleed Nougat was most popular, with only one battered box left on the shelf. There were bins full of trick wands, the cheapest rely turning into rubber chickens or pairs of briefs when waved, the most expensive beating the unwary user around the head and neck, and boxes of quills, which ca in Self-Inking, Spell-Checking, and Smart-Answer varieties. A space cleared in the crowd, and Chris pushed her way toward the counter, where a gaggle of delighted ten-year-olds was watching a tiny little wooden man slowly ascending the steps to a real set of gallows, both perched on a box that read: REUSABLE HANGMAN — SPELL IT OR HE'LL SWING!
"'Patented Daydream Charms . . .'"
Hermione had managed to squeeze through to a large display near the counter and was reading the information on the back of a box bearing a highly coloured picture of a handso youth and a swooning girl who was standing on the deck of a pirate ship.
"'One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic, thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens.' You know," said Hermione, looking up at Chris, "that really is extraordinary magic!"
"For that, Hermione," said a voice behind them, "you can have one for free."
A beaming Fred stood before them, wearing a set of magenta robes that clashed magnificently with his flaming hair.
"Like you won't give her a discount just for being your girlfriend," said Ginny coming forward.
Hermione went pink and Chris laughed.
"Thanks for the Dragon jacket," said Chris hugging Fred.
"Hey what happened to your eye, Hermione?" Fred noticed Hermione's black eye as he reached to hug her next.
"Your punching telescope," she said.
"Oh bliy, I forgot about those," said Fred. "Co on, we have a great bruise remover — Oh, that reminds , Chris, find George, he has sothing to show you. Follow , Hermione, I will dab it on your eye, it'll be fine."
Fred led Hermione away as Harry caught up with Chris and Ginny.
"What could be it?" said Chris surprised.
"Knowing Fred and George, sothing fun obviously," said Ginny.
"This is so great stuff, isn't it?" said Harry grinning.
"I still don't know where did they get the money to do this?" said Ginny looking at a label, EDIBLE DARK MARKS — THEY'LL MAKE ANYONE SICK!
Harry and Chris looked at each other then Chris spoke, "Well, Harry helped them to start and Sirius gave the rest."
"Really?" said Ginny surprised.
"Yeah. Sirius said, he and my Dad always wanted to start sothing like this when they were kids," said Harry smiling.
"C'mon, let's look for George," said Chris and they pushed their way to back of the shop.
"Hey!" George ca into view before they had to look for him anymore.
"So what's the thing you want to show ? Fred told to look for you," asked Chris after Harry and Ginny had greeted George.
"Oh, yes," George led them a little deeper in the shop where Chris saw a stand of card and rope tricks.
"Muggle magic tricks!" said George happily, pointing them out. "For freaks like Dad, you know, who love Muggle stuff. It's not a big earner, but we do fairly steady business, they're great novelties. . ."
"That's it?" said Ginny looking disappointed.
George chuckled.
"Well, here's the thing. . ."
George pushed back a curtain beside the Muggle tricks and Chris saw a darker, less crowded room. The packaging on the products lining these shelves was more subdued and it was labelled as DEFENSE DELIGHTS BY — CHRISTINA NORTON
Chris stared at the label.
"All of your creation and ideas," said George beaming. "We are still developing them but your inventions are already helping people a lot."
"What kind of inventions?" asked Harry curiously.
"Shield Hats, Shield Cloaks, Intruder Detector, Unyielding Locks, Bruise Remover, Cut Healer, Quick Disguise. . ." said George. "This is the Defense collection, there are a few products in our WonderWitch collection too, like Eye-colour Changers, Sneaky Jewelry and Perfect Perfu."
"But why my na?" Chris finally found her voice. "I just helped you both because I liked it, why on earth you ntioned my full na at your labels? It's your shop and your things, you are making them."
"Of course we are," said Fred coming towards them with Hermione, who's eyes were back to normal. "But we have to give credit to the inventor. People should know how talented you are."
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe how many people, even people who work at the Ministry, can't do a decent Shield Charm," said George. "Let alone brew a decent healing potion."
"The Ministry had bought five hundred for all its support staff! And we're still getting massive orders on these stocks," said Fred.
"So we thought we'd get into the whole area of Defense Against the Dark Arts because it's such a money-spinner," continued George enthusiastically. "This is cool. Look, Instant Darkness Powder, we're importing it from Peru. Handy if you want to make a quick escape."
"But —" Chris began.
"Shut up," said Ginny suddenly grinning. "This is great."
"This is brilliant!" Harry exclaid. "I never knew you invented so much."
"Yeah, too," said Hermione. "That's very advanced and useful, Chris."
"Mr Weasley!"
A young witch with short blonde hair poked her head around the curtain; Chris saw that she too was wearing magenta staff robes.
"There's a custor out there looking for a joke cauldron, Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley," she said.
Ginny nudge Chris and Chris followed her gaze to see Hermione glaring at the blonde-haired witch. Chris and Ginny chuckled.
"Right you are, Verity, I'm coming," said George promptly. "So Harry, Chris you help yourself to anything you want, all right? No charge."
"I can't do that!" said Harry, who had already pulled out his money bag.
"Yeah, I can't either," said Chris reaching for her purse.
"You don't pay here," said Fred firmly.
"But —"
"Harry, you gave us our start-up loan, we haven't forgotten, and Chris, you are one of us, you have helped us to put this business up, we can't take money from you," said George sternly. "Take whatever you like, and just rember to tell people where you got it if they ask."
"What about ?" asked Ginny. "I encouraged you two to make this shop, didn't I?"
"Well, when you put it that way," George chuckled. "But only because it's the first ti."
George swept off through the curtain to help with the custors, and Chris, Ginny and Harry grabbed so stuff before following Fred and Hermione to the special WonderWitch section.
Near the window was an array of violently pink products around which a cluster of excited girls was giggling enthusiastically. Chris, Hermione and Ginny hung back, looking wary.
"There you go," said Fred proudly. "Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere."
Ginny raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Do they work?" she asked.
"Certainly they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a ti depending on the weight of the boy in question —"
"— and the attractiveness of the girl," said George, reappearing suddenly at their side. "But we're not selling them to our sister," he added, becoming suddenly stern.
Ginny rolled her eyes.
Chris looked up to a shelf where the label said, "CHRISTINA CREATIONS", and there were three things George ntioned before: Eye-colour Changers, Sneaky Jewelry and Perfect Perfu.
"What so special about these Perfu?" asked Harry taking one from the shelf.
"It will sll whatever you wanted it to sll," said Chris smiling, eyes fixed at the shelf. "Spray it on yourself then imagine what you want to sll."
"Wow!" Harry pocketed one. "I am not going to pass that up. You are great, Chris."
"Thanks."
"What are those?" ca Ginny's voice. She was pointing at a number of round balls of fluff in shades of pink and purple, all rolling around the bottom of a cage and emitting high-pitched squeaks.
"Pygmy Puffs," said Fred. "Miniature puffskeins, we can't breed them fast enough."
"They're really cute," Chris said looking at the cage.
"They're fairly cuddly, yes," conceded Fred.
"Now, I want to buy one that too," Ginny sighed.
"Make up your mind, Gin," laughed Chris. "I also want to take all of the creatures ho but that's not possible."
"Yeah, but hey!" Ginny turned to Chris looking excited. "You can buy one. In that way, we both can play with it. I an, you like it too, right?"
Chris laughed.
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To be continued. . .
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