Harry Potter Enshrouded

The day's classes had been cancelled due to the plethora of complaints faced by the teachers as Hogwarts descended into a quiet yet tense atmosphere.

Meanwhile, on the third floor of the castle, next to the one-eyed witch, was Adrian Blackthorn. "Dissendium," he chanted softly as the statue gave way, revealing a secret passage. According to the Weasley twins, this stygian passage led to the Honeydukes store in Hogsmeade.

As Adrian entered and explored the passage, he saw something amiss. There were several fresh footprints in the passage. The Weasley twins had told him that they only visited this passage every two months to buy their prank supplies. So, why were there footprints in the passage? he pondered. 

This prompted him to cast a revelio charm that, upon usage, revealed a peculiar ring that had a faint aura of magic. The lustrous ring was inlaid with a gemstone that shimmered amidst the darkness of the passage. Adrian desperately tried to figure out the secret behind the ring; however, it seemed that ring was inlaid with protective enchantments that required one to have a password. 

After walking for about 15 minutes, Adrian finally saw the trapdoor that led to the Honeydukes cellar. He donned his invisibility cloak, navigating through the store as he made his way into one of the rather secluded alleyways in Hogsmeade. The quaint wizarding town was not very crowded today, as most of the attention had been stolen by the chimavorax.

After removing the invisibility cloak, he made his way to the Three Broomsticks, where Randolph was supposed to be waiting for him. 

He asked the bar owner for the location of the room and ordered a butterbeer for himself. Ms. Rosmerta was a kind lady who refused to report any student who sneaked into Hogsmeade. Throughout her years as a bar owner, she had seen multiple students who had sneaked similarly to Adrian. 

Adrian stepped into the private room, his gaze falling on Randolph, a wiry wizard with experienced eyes who carried an air of barely contained tension. His robes were looking ragged at the edges even though he had to mask it with his gentlemanly demeanour. The briefcase next to him rugged and scuffed as his fingers tiptoed across the table further highlighting his anxiety.

"Ah, Mr. Blackthorn," Randolph said, forcing a tight smile as Adrian approached. "You're punctual, I'll give you that. Sit down, sit down. Let's get to business, shall we?"

Adrian nodded, slipping into the seat opposite him. He wanted to get his deal quickly done with as planned to spend his breaks helping and learning about the production of broomsticks.

"Let's start the conversation, said Adrian.

Before Adrian could start having a reasonable conversation, the tension that had been building up shot out like a pressure cooker.

"I know you are a Blackthorn. I know you have got a hell of a lot of Galleons burning a hole in your vault," Randolph said, "but before we start throwing numbers around, let me make something clear—I've put everything into this project. Absolutely everything. My savings, my reputation… even my house is mortgaged to the goblins. If you're a rich kid looking to boss me around, better head back now.

Adrian smirked faintly. "You think I'd offer to invest without knowing the stakes?You think I would not trust somebody who has worked and developed broomed before. If you're so confident in your abilities, why are you sitting here across from me? Desperation, maybe?" 

Randolph's jaw tightened, but he didn't deny it. "The Firebolt is something revolutionary," he said, his voice carrying a sense of fascination. "The fastest broom in the world. Precision-crafted, enchantments balanced to the last strand of bristle. I've hired goblin artificers—ancient goblin artificers—to perfect it—and you know goblins don't come cheap. But when this broom hits the market, I can assure you that it'll change everything. Every professional team will want one. Every collector, every ambitious kid with a dream of playing Quidditch. This broom will become the face of this wizarding world."

"And it still remains an if as you are weeks away from producing anything," said Adrian.

Randolph's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I don't need you to spell out my problems, boy. What I need is a solution. So, what's your offer?"

Adrian stated his terms. "One hundred thousand Galleons. In exchange, I'll take 20% equity in the Firebolt project. That includes a say in its design, production, and marketing. And I want access to the schematics, so I can study the enchantments and contribute to making it even better."

Randolph barked a humorous laugh. "20%? For a measly hundred thousand? Do you have any idea what the Firebolt will be worth once it's on the market? I'd be selling myself short. How is a kid going to help design a broomstick?"

"Would you?" Adrian countered, his tone sharp. "Let's not sugarcoat things. Who else is willing to invest in your company? Most Quidditch magazines are calling you guys a joke today. The goblins will strip you bare if you can't pay them, and you've already mortgaged your house. Without me, there is no Firebolt. Or if there is, it won't belong to you—it'll belong to the goblins."

Randolph's hand clenched into a fist on the table. "15%. That's the best I can do.

Adrian pondered before offering his hand. "15% and full access to the schematics. Plus, I want my investment to go directly into production—no skimming off the top for your other debts. Every Galleon is for the Firebolt."

"Fine," Randolph quickly accepted the deal that to him was a lifeline."You get 15%, full access to the schematics, and every Galleon goes into production. But you'd better deliver, Blackthorn. If this investment doesn't pan out, you know those goblins. Other than their crafting expertise, they are a bunch of greedy creatures. They will for sure come after you too.

As Adrian left the room, Adrian felt a surge of satisfaction. He knew that he had secured a stake in one of the most promising magical innovations of the decade—and more importantly, this was another step in solidifying his status amongst the wizarding world.