Chapter 33: Investment

"You two want me to invest?"

Luke looked at Fred in surprise, not expecting that answer.

He had guessed that the twins might be strapped for cash; after all, the Weasleys' financial struggles were well-known among the pure-blood circles.

And he knew the twins had a hobby of inventing things. Their little inventions were popular at school, and eventually, they even managed to open a successful shop.

But let's not forget, every invention comes with early failures—and failures still require funding.

Right now, the twins were practically penniless.

Luke had already braced himself to be hit with a steep price. Money, to him, was just numbers.

If a bit of cash could earn the twins' friendship—and perhaps the goodwill of the entire Weasley family—he'd consider it more than worthwhile.

Honestly, in the original story, after the war, if the Weasleys were inclined, they could have easily become the new leaders among the pure-blood families.

But he hadn't expected Fred to bring up an investment. That was a completely different concept from selling the map for some quick cash.

This intrigued Luke.

George, aware that although he was on par with Fred when it came to pranks and inventions (and even handled certain details better), he wasn't as good as his brother in big-picture decisions.

So, though curious, he simply watched the conversation unfold between the two.

Fred looked at Luke and nodded seriously.

Luke met Fred's steady gaze, then spoke after a brief pause: "If you're willing to sell me the map, I could offer you a price you'd be happy with. This way, you wouldn't need to share any profits with me and would keep full control over your business."

Luke offered a gentle reminder, wanting to prevent any future conflicts over money or misunderstandings.

He admired the twins, and their personalities from the movies and the conversation they just had left a good impression on him.

After all, if he were later forced to withdraw from the business due to disputes, he couldn't guarantee how he'd react.

"I've already thought about it, and I believe bringing you in as a partner is the smarter choice," Fred explained confidently.

"First, you have enough funds. Even if you say you'd give us a fair price, we don't know yet how much money we'll need when we start producing finished products. Second, the Gaunt name alone will save us from a lot of trouble with competitors in the business world—of course, we'll only need to worry about that after we graduate."

Fred knew the reputation their family had within the pure-blood community. If they actually opened a shop, some families would go out of their way to cause them trouble, even if they didn't openly show it out of respect for "pure-blood" ties.

"Plus," Fred continued, looking down at Luke with a grin, "I think you're someone we can trust."

That line made Luke feel a bit flattered, and he was grateful for his spontaneous speech at dinner.

It must have struck a chord with Fred.

Though his main goal with that speech had been to show his stance to the professors and pull Draco to his side, it seemed he'd also managed to win some hearts, improve his image, and find like-minded allies.

"I have no problem with this at all," Luke replied, smiling. "It's only a bit of money—no big deal."

Luke didn't decline any further and continued, "If you do come up with some popular inventions, there's no need to wait until graduation to open a shop."

"In a few days, the Lance family will be transferring some properties to me. I'm expecting there'll be a few decent stores in Diagon Alley. We could set one aside to sell your inventions."

"If you're interested, you can run the shop yourselves after graduation. If not, we can hire someone to manage it so you both can focus solely on your inventions."

Luke's offer made George and Fred ecstatic. Prime retail space in Diagon Alley was incredibly expensive—even renting, more so if bought outright.

Luke's proposal meant they wouldn't have to wait until graduation to start earning big. As long as they could create something worthwhile, they could start selling immediately, which could help ease their family's financial situation sooner than expected.

George looked at his brother with newfound admiration. His own idea had been to sell the map and use the money to fund their inventions. But Fred's approach—getting an investment—had taken care of nearly everything they'd need, even allowing them to push their plans forward by a few years.

Fred himself hadn't anticipated such a generous offer from Luke.

He suddenly realized that the person before him wasn't just the heir of the Gaunt family. Luke was the 'sole' member, which meant he had free rein over all of its considerable wealth without needing approval from any adult.

"Let's split future earnings evenly among the three of us," Luke suggested, not too concerned about the shares but wanting to clarify things upfront.

Fred instinctively wanted to argue, but Luke interrupted him, "Don't refuse. I have faith in both of you to make money, and… a bit more or less of it doesn't make much difference to me."

That left Fred and George at a loss for words.

"Alright, it's settled then," Fred said, deciding not to argue with their generous new partner. Their family genuinely needed the money, and ideally, they'd produce something by the end of the school year. That way, Ginny wouldn't have to rely on hand-me-downs, and their parents wouldn't have to stretch their limited savings further.

A seven-Galleon wand might be nothing to Luke, but for the Weasleys, it meant making some sacrifices.

"We'll draw up a contract later. Now, lend me the map. I want to take a look around the Forbidden Forest."

Luke didn't hold back with them anymore. He'd earned the right to be a little assertive now that he was their main investor!

Fred handed the map over and explained how to use it.

Of course, Luke already knew—"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" and "Mischief managed" were phrases he knew by heart.

Then he looked at the twins and asked, "So, where were you planning to go before this?"

The twins exchanged a glance before Fred replied, "Now, we're planning to go to the Forbidden Forest."

Luke chuckled and said;

"Alright, let's go together then."

*****

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