Harry Potter: Red Weasley The Strange Red Wizard

In the dining room of a mansion in France, Gabrielle was excited, playing eagerly while waiting for the arrival of her friend and savior. His visit had been somewhat sudden; although there was a warning, it had been quite informal. The little girl was greatly surprised in the morning when she learned he would be coming for lunch, unable to contain her happiness.

The Delacour couple also seemed surprised by my unexpected visit. With Fleur at Beauxbatons, they assumed I would be at Hogwarts, so my presence in France was unusual. However, they quickly realized there must be a special purpose behind it, especially when I told them not to worry about the food.

As expected, despite the suddenness of my arrival, I was warmly welcomed at the Delacour house, especially by Gabrielle. As soon as I crossed the door, the girl was ready to drag me to her room to play with her dolls, run in the yard, or do any of the thousand things she had enthusiastically planned all morning.

Much to her dismay, I could only spend twenty minutes with her before it was time for lunch. As promised, I took care of all the food. The table was set, and the family was left speechless as one by one, extravagant dishes began appearing out of nowhere, filling the table to overflowing. Although the portions were small, the sheer variety could have satisfied even three times the number of diners.

With the air of a good host, I took the time to describe each dish, inviting the Delacours to try them. Though bewildered by the display, they didn't decline my offer; it would have been rude after so much effort. However, this only confirmed their intuition: there had to be a reason behind my visit.

The effects of the food manifested quickly. While some were more subtle than others, the family soon realized there was something magical about each dish.

"Did Gabrielle mention I fed her some things the day of the kidnapping?" I asked rhetorically.

It was then they understood: the effects of the food and drinks they were consuming had magical properties. One of the most evident cleared the mind, but there were others equally surprising, which they discovered as they tasted each dish.

Before long, the three Delacours were slumped in their chairs, rubbing their swollen bellies. The thrill of experiencing magic in the food had led them to overindulge, unable to resist the extraordinary flavors and effects of the dishes.

Lunch ended, marking itself as one of the strangest meals in the Delacour family's memory. Now, we were all gathered in a lounge, with the house-elves serving tea to help alleviate the heaviness after the feast. I was the only one who seemed completely at ease, while the others, though empowered by the effects of the magical food, couldn't shake their bloated discomfort.

I took the opportunity to pull out several items and place them on the small table in front of us.

"Please, no more food," Apolline lamented, barely holding back a burp to avoid embarrassment.

"Everything was delicious, but I think we'd better save it for later," Alain added, quickly shaking his head without even glancing at what I was putting on the table.

"Je veux plus manger… à part de la glace!" Gabrielle murmured, sprawled on the couch, too full to move.

I chuckled, shaking my head as I continued filling the table with a variety of items. Cans, jars, alchemical artifacts, clothing, wands... little by little, the space became filled with an array of curiosities. Despite their discomfort, even the Delacour adults began to pay closer attention to my movements.

"What is all this?" Apolline asked, eyeing some of the items with curiosity.

"Gifts," I replied with a smile as I began describing each of them with the enthusiasm of an experienced salesman, highlighting the charms even of the simplest articles.

"Gifts?" Alain repeated skeptically. My tone in presenting them seemed more like that of a merchant than someone giving genuine presents. It was clear he didn't entirely believe me.

"Well… we could call them samples," I admitted, handing Gabrielle a delicate linen hairpin, which she tried to take without lifting herself off the couch.

"What's going on?" Alain interrupted, losing patience. In his current state, even speaking felt uncomfortable.

"Mr. Delacour, I was wondering if you might be interested in considering mutual cooperation," I responded calmly.

"What kind of cooperation?" Apolline asked, carefully examining some of the items. None were particularly dazzling, but their variety captured her interest.

"You see, all these products, just like the magical food you enjoyed today, come from a friend of mine. He has a business in Diagon Alley, in England. However, he's been facing some issues lately," I began explaining.

"What kind of issues?" Alain inquired, scrutinizing the objects more closely, looking for possible irregularities.

"Let's just say the English Ministry of Magic wants more than its fair share…"

"Comme d'habitude…" Alain murmured, though he seemed to regret his involuntary comment.

"Exactly. My friend is dealing with numerous obstacles hindering his business. But, as you can see, his merchandise has enormous potential. He offers unique items, and you haven't even seen the prices yet. Plus, there's the magical food, which is unparalleled. The problem is that the Ministry, especially Fudge, the Minister, has repeatedly interfered, blocking opportunities such as a contract to supply food for the Aurors. That's why my friend believes other countries might appreciate his work more," I explained while opening a can to reveal its contents.

"And you want us to sell these things here as intermediaries?" Alain deduced, surprised at the can's contents.

"Not exactly. Although, if you were willing, it would be a tremendous help, and my friend would be delighted. However, what I'm truly seeking is your support to establish a shop here in France, where he can operate without interference. We believe other countries could value these magical innovations much more than England."

With that, I speared a piece of the can's contents with a fork and brought it to my mouth.

"Hmm… roasted dragon meat. Delicious, though I must admit it's not as good as when freshly prepared," I commented, savoring the flavor while awaiting their reactions.

The Delacour family was thoughtful in response to my sudden proposal, but, as expected, they maintained their composure and continued the conversation attentively. I knew how to pique their interest, so I began discussing my friend and his business, describing the opportunities it offered. Though they initially listened with a hint of skepticism, their expressions brightened as I detailed the impressive variety of products available. I made them see that what was on the table was merely a small sample, just a drop in a vast ocean of possibilities.

However, as I continued my explanation, disbelief became apparent. The idea of such a wide range of products, available without limitations other than cost, seemed absurd to them. When I finally mentioned the prices at which the products could be acquired, they completely lost faith in my words. It was hard for them to conceive that something so varied and abundant could be produced at such low costs without incurring losses.

I understood their skepticism. In the magical world, industrialization hasn't progressed as much as in the Muggle world, and the production of goods remains limited in many areas. But what I was proposing shattered that paradigm completely.

Determined to earn their trust, I offered them a demonstration: they could request something sufficiently exotic, and I would take care of acquiring it, provided they could gather the necessary amount of Galleons to pay for it. Although my proposal surprised them, they didn't hesitate to set me a challenge. My eyebrow twitched slightly upon hearing their list of requests: runespoor eggs, billywig wings, and unicorn horns. Nothing too strange, but I couldn't help recalling all the unicorns I had to sacrifice to enhance Elise, and how many horns I could have kept from those encounters.

"Alright," I said calmly. "Tell me how much you're willing to invest, and I'll calculate how much I can get you."

Mr. Delacour mentioned a figure, not very high, probably equivalent to what he had available in cash at home. Still, for him, that amount represented a calculated risk, a test to determine if what I said was true.

With that information, I pretended to send a message while, in reality, one of my clones was already arranging the purchase with the appropriate merchant. Barely five minutes passed before I turned to them with a smile.

"We can step outside. What you asked for is ready to be delivered."

My words took them completely by surprise, but they didn't hesitate to follow me outside, where I would prove that everything I had said was true.

Outside the mansion stood a short man with a large, red nose and irregularly cut auburn hair. In reality, he was one of my clones, who, using his Metamorphmagus abilities, had adopted that appearance. He carried a briefcase with him.

The Delacour family, though not accustomed to receiving strangers in their home, allowed him inside. In the parlor, the small man opened the briefcase with an expansion charm, revealing several jars and containers that held the billywig wings, unicorn horns, and runespoor eggs. Alain looked at the quantity in surprise and, after asking permission, examined the items. He wasn't an expert, but he knew enough, with the help of his wife, Apolline. Together, they inspected the materials thoroughly and found no irregularities.

"The payment," said the man with the prominent nose in a nasal tone that fit perfectly with his disguise.

Without hesitation, Alain summoned a house-elf and ordered it to bring the money. Although he hadn't planned on purchasing everything in the briefcase, he ended up taking half. The price was simply too tempting. In the magical world, those materials, especially in such quantities, are typically exorbitantly priced due to middlemen. Alain knew that, while he'd need to launder the transaction to avoid raising suspicions, he could make a good profit reselling the products.

After this, the atmosphere changed. The subsequent conversations were very different. Alain and Apolline were much more receptive to my words, and as I explained more about my plan, they started to show genuine interest. They now understood how a shop like the one I described could cause trouble for more traditional establishments, and they also realized why my friend was facing so many challenges in England. Even so, they decided to take a chance and try.

I mentioned that my friend, Tenebrius, might contact them soon if they decided to collaborate. Although I was authorized to speak on his behalf, I told them it would be better to discuss the details directly with him. I was merely acting as a temporary spokesperson.

The visit concluded with the Delacour couple intrigued by the proposal. Partly motivated by the potential benefits, and partly as a way to strengthen ties.

...

At the Dragons of Albion, Tonks observed her boyfriend—or rather, one of his clones. They had been working together, just as they had in those days at Hogwarts, to create Tenebrius and develop his plans.

In front of her stood what appeared to be a girl about 160 cm tall, slim, with long, straight hair, though noticeably lacking in shine. Her figure was slight, with little chest and narrow hips. While not ugly, her features barely qualified as above average, and her pale, lifeless complexion didn't help.

"What do you think? Believable?" asked the girl in a voice that tried to sound high-pitched but clearly betrayed the effort of a man forcing his tone. She moved her hips and arms with exaggerated femininity.

Tonks frowned.

"I guess…" she replied, skeptical. "Please tell me you're not doing this for a threesome. Even I'd suggest inviting a real person before doing something this… weird."

"I already told you this is for opening another branch of the shop! Duhhh!" he complained, mimicking the tone of a "bad girl" from the movies.

"Well… then it's okay… or at least acceptable," Tonks said more calmly, analyzing the fake body in more detail. Though the flaws were evident, she thought they might go unnoticed if not closely examined.

"Now we just need to work on the attitude," replied the new 'girl', spitting into a nearby vase after gathering saliva.

*Clink.*

"How's that?" she asked, puffing out her chest with pride.

"Hey! That's my tip jar," Tonks exclaimed, looking at the vase in exasperation.

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Sorry, friends. This week, there will only be this additional chapter. Unfortunately, the person who covered 60% of the support for the chapters didn't renew their contribution this month, so… I'm sorry, but I need to take care of myself and not let myself starve (though, honestly, with what I was earning, it barely covered my monthly food expenses). Thank you for understanding!