[157] The Price of Allegiance

"However, there's one drawback," Hall said, pulling another silver coin from his pocket.

George's gaze followed Hall's hand intently. "A drawback? What drawback? Easy to trigger? I don't think that's a drawback at all!"

Hall glanced at him. That mindset and idea — no wonder he'd be a future shrewd businessman. "No, that's not what I mean."

Hall had been working on the stability issue. It wasn't a knowledge problem — it was a technical problem. Proficiency, precision in execution, familiarity with spells — all these came together to form this small silver coin. If any aspect was off, the final effect suffered.

Troublesome. But Hall was willing to put in the effort, because if he could produce a stable coin, he'd have mastered the silent spell with it. A win-win.

So what if it meant grinding? He'd already spent on upgrades. A bit of grinding was nothing.

"The drawback I mentioned is..." Hall's lips curled. George's heart skipped.

Only I can make this thing. You two probably can't learn it.

In other words, the supply chain would be completely controlled by Hall. How many could he make by himself?

George looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. "No —"

Hall shrugged. "That's how it is. Talk to Fred after he wakes up, discuss whether to sell it, and we'll figure out profit sharing later —"

"Sell! Absolutely!" George said quickly. "It doesn't matter if the quantity's low — we'll make it a star product! High demand! Pre-orders require payment, you wait in line for production. If you regret it and want a refund, fifty percent deposit deduction!"

Hall stared. Wait. He hadn't taught George this scheme. Was George a business prodigy? Self-taught?

Hall, serious, patted George's shoulder. "I believe in you, George."

George grinned.

"But if you want investment from me," Hall's tone shifted, "you'll need to develop more competitive products that are irreplaceable. Understand?"

George nodded frantically. He might not understand other things, but he knew this better than anyone. "Fred and I will start researching right away!"

Halloween was fast approaching.

"This holiday was way too short!" Ron, hair a mess, grumbled as he walked out of his room. Less than two weeks of vacation — it felt like he'd barely been home before heading back to school. The thought of Potions and Herbology again made him dread it.

"Enjoy the last few days," Hall said, walking out in a suit.

Ron did a double take. "Hall, where are you going?" Why else would he dress up so nicely? He and Hall really were twins — that face was just so handsome.

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"Our little Ron doesn't know, does he?" Fred and George appeared from nowhere, their voices ringing in his ears.

Ron's face flushed red. He couldn't shake off his older brothers.

"Hall accepted the invitation from the evil Malfoys!" they sang in unison. "Tonight, he'll venture alone into the wicked snake's den!"

Hall walked past and smacked them both. "Shut up, George, Fred."

They laughed and ran off.

Ron looked at Hall with worried eyes. "Hall, you..."

"I can't not go." Hall knew what he was going to say. "Ron, I'm a Slytherin, just like Draco."

"That's not what I meant... I have no prejudice against Slytherins..." Ron made a vomiting face. But for Hall, he could tolerate it. "Then you have to come back soon! School starts tomorrow!"

Hall made a no-questions-asked gesture.

Malfoy Manor. By the time Hall arrived, it was already late. He could see the twinkling lights inside, a scene of bustling life.

Lucius Malfoy, in a suit with a serpent-headed cane, stood at the manor gate, waiting for Hall's arrival. "Mr Weasley, it's been a long time." He flashed his usual perfectly fake smile.

"Hall, you're here!" Draco ran out of the manor, waving.

Lucius's perfectly masked smile cracked.

"Draco," Lucius called.

Draco, who'd been striding towards Hall, slowed to a brisk walk. Stopping wasn't an option. He was dying of boredom this holiday. The party hadn't even started, and he'd already been forced to socialise with people he didn't want to see. Now that Hall had finally arrived, he couldn't wait.

"My apologies for making you uncomfortable, Mr Weasley." Lucius pursed his lips, a somewhat helpless expression — more genuine than the forced smile.

"It's alright. I was eager to see Draco too." Hall smiled. "Besides, given my relationship with Draco, I don't need to worry about such things."

Hall and Lucius exchanged a glance. The Weasley and Malfoy families — or rather, Hall and the Malfoys — were now in the same boat. Business partners. And then there was the matter of the golden cup.

"You're right, Mr Weasley." Lucius turned to Draco. "Have fun with Hall."

Hall smiled as Draco walked up. It was good to cooperate with smart people. Not everyone knew he and Malfoy were doing business together in the Muggle world. Even fewer knew he'd invented the Squib Potion. So how to explain a Weasley at a Malfoy party?

No explanation needed. He was Draco's friend. Nothing wrong with that.

Draco had no idea what Lucius and Hall were actually thinking. He grabbed Hall's arm, looking both reserved and proud. "Hall, you're finally here. If you hadn't come, I'd have eaten all the cakes Mum made, leaving none for you."

Hall, recalling Narcissa Malfoy's cooking, blinked. "Draco, my good friend, I believe you wouldn't do that to me, right?"

Draco met Hall's sincere eyes and couldn't speak. "Hmph... because you're my friend!"

"Draco, I've wanted to say this for a long time." Hall looked at his hair. "Your hairstyle's fine now, but when you're older, it'll make you go bald."

Where was Hogwarts? England. British men, especially blond ones, went bald. Draco's hair gel since childhood was stacking buffs against him.

Draco's eyes widened. "Oh no! You're trying to scare me!" He glanced at his father. "My dad has a lot of hair!"

"Mr Malfoy doesn't use hair gel, and his hair's tied low."

Draco considered this. He looked at Hall, then at Lucius. "I know... the hair gel..."

Lucius, overhearing the hair loss talk, frowned. "Why not use a hair growth serum?"

Draco paused.

"If a hair growth serum was a cure-all," Hall said, "why are there so many middle-aged bald men?" He wanted to discuss this rigorously from a practical perspective. "It's not what it sounds like. It works on all the hair on your body. Everywhere."

Lucius and Draco understood. There were other places.

"And the stopping charm makes all that wild hair fall out instantly."

Draco shuddered. A bit scary.

Lucius wore a thoughtful expression. "Mr Weasley, you mentioned the hair growth potion. Can it be improved?" Unlike the Squib Potion — a desperate remedy for those who longed for magic — this was a genuine necessity. If a potion with zero side effects and rapid results could be made...

He could already picture Muggles opening their wallets.

Hall paused. As expected of Malfoy. He connected everything to business. "I'll look into it when I have time and contact you."

Lucius's face broke into the most genuine smile he'd shown all evening. "Thank you for your efforts, Mr Weasley. Malfoy is with you."