The Halloween of my third year went by without trolls breaking in, and instead we had the usual Slytherin team tradition, the pumpkin pie eating contest.
Flint, our captain, showed impressive determination and won, giving the event a terribly low IQ sort of excitement. However, the moment we returned to the common room, an incident occurred.
Sirius Black, the dangerous criminal, attempted to break into Gryffindor House.
"In first year it was a troll, second year a basilisk, and third year Sirius Black! Does this school have a rule that something terrible must happen every Halloween?"
Pansy grumbled in exasperation after being told to assemble in the Great Hall, and the surrounding students nodded along.
Just ten minutes earlier, Professor Snape had summoned us, saying, "Sirius Black has broken into Gryffindor House. There is a possibility he is still in the castle, so everyone must gather in the Great Hall." All Hogwarts students, ourselves included, were ordered there.
"All faculty must thoroughly search the castle. I am sorry, but for your safety, you will all remain here for the night. Prefects will guard the entrance to the Great Hall. Let the two heads lead the command here."
When Headmaster Dumbledore announced this, the two Heads of Year showed opposite reactions. Percy Weasley, the male Head Boy, puffed out his chest with a stern expression, while Penelope Clearwater, our Head Girl, muttered, "Staying up late is terrible for my skin…" clearly less enthusiastic.
"Oh yes, there is something else."
Dumbledore waved his wand and all the tables flew to a corner of the Great Hall. With another flick, hundreds of fluffy purple sleeping bags appeared and spread across the entire floor.
"Sleep well."
Once Dumbledore left, the Great Hall immediately filled with noisy chatter.
"Do you think Black is still in the castle?"
"Dumbledore seems to think so."
"How did he even get inside?"
The topic was Sirius Black, spreading anxiously from group to group. Soon the whispers turned into speculation over how he entered.
"Maybe Apparition?"
"You can't Apparate into the castle. Maybe a broomstick?"
"No, there is always the possibility of Polyjuice Potion…"
The whispering rippled outward like a game of telephone, only growing in volume until Percy finally snapped.
"Everyone into sleeping bags! Quiet! Lights out in ten minutes!"
While Percy dutifully tried to shepherd everyone to bed with increasingly desperate shouting, Gemma Farley, one of the prefects in charge of Slytherin, gathered us with a mischievous grin.
"Now then, Slytherins. The time has come."
With exaggerated theatricality, Farley made her announcement.
"Tonight, a wicked wizard has broken into the castle and danger draws near. Therefore we must unite and become one."
Farley pressed her palms together in a prayer-like pose and spoke gently.
"Love thy neighbor. Should you have someone you cherish even more, love them all the more. Take each other's hands. In fact, why not share a single bed and spend a wonderful night together until morning?"
Some pairs of students suddenly began fidgeting…
"When two people in love hold hands and deepen their intimacy, comforting each other, sometimes vigorously joining bodies and spending the most perfect night, surely the Lord would bless—"
"He absolutely would not!"
Penelope burst through the pink-tinted atmosphere, swung a pillow down on Farley's head, and put a stop to the students shifting beds.
"Students will sleep according to year group and divided by gender! Improper relations are forbidden!"
Zabini, Bletchley, and others let out groans of disappointment such as "No way" and "So boring," but Penelope chased them away with sharp "Shoo!"s. Even Daphne, who had been pulling Pansy toward the boys' side, returned reluctantly.
"Too bad, Pansy. It was your chance to make something happen with Draco."
"Whaaa!?"
Pansy wrapped herself in a blanket, face burning red and muttering, "Shut up!" Millicent and I exchanged a weary sigh.
"Well, expecting Pansy to pull that off was impossible."
"And we are kind of surrounded by people."
"If anything, that might make it more exciting."
"You three over there! Go to bed!"
＊＊
For the next several days, the entire school could talk about nothing but Sirius Black. The story grew wilder and larger every time someone repeated it, and rumor piled onto rumor.
During this, I began to sense a suspicious odor surrounding the break-in incident. To be specific, the odor was money.
That happened on a Hogsmeade weekend, so almost all third-years and above were already out in the village. But I saw something.
Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Hagrid, and none other than Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge walked into the Three Broomsticks.
"Everyone, something urgent has come up."
"Elaina!? Wait!"
It was terrible to abandon Daphne and the others, but I could not miss such a tremendous business opportunity.
I dashed into the Three Broomsticks. I could see the four of them already seated at a table with Madam Rosmerta.
"Did you know that the Dementors have twice come searching through my pub?"
Rosmerta's voice was edged with anger.
"All my customers ran away in fear. Minister, my business is in ruins!"
"My dear Madam Rosmerta, I dislike them as much as you do. But there are those even worse than they are. With the power Sirius Black possesses…"
"What if there were a way to protect yourself from Sirius Black?"
My sudden interruption drew the full attention of everyone present.
"Miss Celesteria?!"
Professor Flitwick nearly toppled out of his chair and Hagrid caught him.
"Please look at this."
Moments like this require momentum.
I did not give the astonished professors or the Minister a chance to speak. I reached into my robes and pulled out a black, sturdy-looking vest, spreading it proudly before them.
"This is our new product. The Anti-Curse Vest!"
The inspiration had struck while I was passing the Weasley twins and overheard their usual plotting.
"Hey George, what if we use a Shield Charm on a hat, get someone to wear it, and have someone else cast a spell at them, just to see their face when it rebounds?"
"That's it!!"
"Wh-what is it, Elaina?"
"Fred, George. You two reek of money!"
"For real, Fred?"
"Do we really smell that rich?"
From then on, the three of us drafted designs and plans, and as part of the conditions to repay the makeover costs from the other day, we got Professor Lupin.
So that is how things came about.
"At present, Hogwarts and the entire British wizarding world are completely terrified of Sirius Black. And what people desire right now is only one thing: safety and peace of mind."
With the Anti-Curse Vest placed on the table, the professors were visibly intrigued, and Minister Fudge stood there momentarily stunned. This was my chance.
"According to what I heard from Sheila of the Aurors, because Minister Fudge's policies have kept things peaceful for nearly the past ten years, many witches and wizards have practically forgotten how to use the Shield Charm. Even Auror Office Head Scrimgeour has apparently lamented this."
When familiar names were mentioned, Minister Fudge's expression softened slightly, as if to say, "Well, that is true." When you want someone to trust you instead of viewing you with suspicion, bringing up a mutual acquaintance first is essential. It is a fundamental technique.
"However, the peace that lasted for over a decade was shattered by Sirius Black's escape. What if, by some unfortunate chance, you suddenly run into one of the worst criminals in history? If that thought troubles you, then with this Anti-Curse Vest, you no longer need to worry!"
As I spread out the parchment containing the blueprints on the table, I noticed even Professor McGonagall adjusting her glasses with interest.
"This vest has been enchanted with the most powerful form of the Shield Charm, Protego Horribilis, which means 'Protect from dreadful things.'"
I went on to explain the advantages, such as how additional enchantments like Fianto Duri, meaning 'Endure,' had been layered on, followed by fixing charms to preserve the magic, allowing the effects to last for up to five years.
"Is that really true?"
Minister Fudge looked unconvinced. In truth, the fact that many Ministry employees could not properly cast the Shield Charm had long been a source of concern.
Madam Rosmerta, merely a pub owner, and Hagrid, the gamekeeper, were no exception. Neither was proficient with such magic, and both stared intently at the Anti-Curse Vest.
"So just wearing this means you are protected by the highest-level Shield Charm?"
"I cannot believe such a thing is possible…"
"But if it is true, then this is a magnificent invention!"
Professor Flitwick exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Of course, it is neither false nor exaggerated. Admittedly, it would be difficult against the Killing Curse, but that also means that all other forms of Dark Magic can be repelled. Furthermore, by referencing explosive reactive armor used in Muggle tanks, layering multiple vests into a multi-layer structure could further increase defensive capability."
"Incredible…"
Minister Fudge sucked in a sharp breath, while Professor McGonagall pushed her glasses up once more.
"But it must be expensive, surely?"
"It is true that because very few wizards can cast Protego Horribilis, the highest-grade defensive charm, the retail price is not exactly cheap at nineteen Galleons. However, for those thinking, 'There is no way I can afford that right now,' I have some good news."
Hagrid leaned forward eagerly, eyes shining.
"Even without a large sum upfront, as long as you have a skill and steady income, there is no problem. Starting from just one Galleon a month, you can choose your own monthly payment amount through an installment plan."
When I enthusiastically explained the benefits of the 'revolving payment' system that my Uncle John in the American wizarding world had introduced after taking inspiration from Muggles, Hagrid nodded along.
"If it is just one Galleon a month, I reckon even I could manage that if I tighten my belt a bit…"
"If you cut back slightly on dining out or drinking, what you gain in return is a safe, secure, and comfortable life protected from Dark Magic. When you think of it that way, does it not seem rather cheap?"
"That is true…!"
"And that is not all! For those who still find it expensive, we offer multiple versions. The T Series uses Protego Totalum, meaning 'Complete Protection.' The M Series uses Protego Maxima, meaning 'Powerful Protection.' And the P Series uses the standard Shield Charm. With four options, H, T, M, and P, customers can choose based on their budget!"
In reality, at that point only the standard P Series prototype had been completed, and the others existed only as designs. However, in business, sometimes bold bluffing is required to seize an opportunity.
"Oh!"
As expected, Minister Fudge now showed genuine interest. Cost really does matter.
"And Minister, here are the results of arithmantic projections calculated by four seventh-year prefects, including the two Head Students who assisted me."
I handed Minister Fudge several sheets of parchment and flipped through them until the very last page.
"We simulated several scenarios using Arithmancy, accounting for the negative economic impact of Dementor deployment following the Sirius Black escape, as well as the increased personnel costs from expanding the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol and Auror forces."
The simulations showed that Dementor deployment had a negative effect on the economy. Increasing Magical Law Enforcement personnel strained budgets, required long training periods, and excessive expansion would burden future finances.
Above all, security personnel could not be assigned to every individual, which inevitably created gaps in protection.
"However, with the Anti-Curse Vest, there is no need for such worries! Compared to deploying Dementors or expanding the magical police force, it is faster, cheaper, and fairer! Every wizard can protect themselves!"
Like a fast-food commercial boasting cheap, fast, and delicious, I drove home the product's appeal, pushing Minister Fudge right to the brink.
"Furthermore, our projections show that if the Ministry provides a certain subsidy, opens manufacturing licenses to competitive bidding, and once orders exceed two hundred units, economies of scale will reduce costs, making this the most efficient scenario!"
"Incredible!"
"So what do you say, Minister? Will you buy them? Shall we go ahead?"
"Hm…"
Cornelius Fudge took a deep breath, closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and assumed the posture of a dignitary deep in thought. After a long silence, he finally spoke with great authority.
"Very well. Let us hear the details."
It seemed the deal had been successfully concluded.
In the end, I handed over the prototype and patent application to Minister Fudge that same day, then quietly excused myself so as not to interrupt the adults' private discussions. The Ministry would issue an official notice with further details later.
Incidentally, after that, Harry seemed unusually angry about the Sirius Black situation, but I have no idea what that was about.
＊＊
So, what became of the sales of that Anti-Curse Vest?
"Well… an absurd amount of patent royalties and licensing fees are pouring in…"
Proper compensation for legitimate business flowed month after month into the accounts of myself as the originator, the Weasley twins, Percy, Penelope, Farley, Annerlotte, and Professor Lupin, who had all contributed to the project.
The Weasley brothers moved one step closer to their dream of opening their own shop, and Professor Lupin apparently treated himself not only to a new suit, but also a new bag and coat.
(End of chapter)
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