𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗻, cedric diggory

˗ˋ 22

"I think Dumbledore might have hoped that I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends." Lupin continued. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."

Harry, who seemed to be rather disappointed that he hadn't gotten prefect seemed a lot happier at this. His dad hadn't got the position either.

"And hey - it looks like his son is heading the same way." Rosie piped up, taking a sip of her butterbeer. Harry looked up at her. "If you think that you're not going to be captain next year then you're sorely mistaken." 

The grin on Harry's face only seemed to get wider, but Rosie couldn't try and cheer him up any further before Fred caught her eye and tilted her head towards the corner, and she slipped away from the conversation to join the twins and Mundungus in the corner. "Got anymore ingredients for me?" She asked, glancing at the bulging pockets of Mundungus's coat.

"Venomous Tentacula seeds." The man grunted, pulling out what looked like a matchbox, sliding the cover off and showing them what looked to be shrivelled black pods. 

"Perfect." George beamed, Rosie taking the box off of the man before he could try and cheat them out of any extra money. "That's a big help for the Skiving Snackboxes." The twin continued, taking a handful of the pods and examining them.

"I went to a lot of trouble to get 'em - mind you." Mundungus was telling them. "Really, almost got caught by that ministry witch - wots-her-name.. the one who works with the minister. She were sniffin' around Knockturn and.." The man trailed off, his eyes setting on someone.

It was Harry, Fred winking and beckoning the Potter boy over. "It's okay." He told Mundungus, "We can trust Harry, he's our financial backer."

"Look what Dung's gotten us." George said, holding out his hand to Harry, showing him the shrivelled black pods. A faint rattling noise was coming from them, even though they were completely stationary. Harry looked up from the pods to Rosie, confused.

"Venomous Tentacula seeds." Rosie began her explanation. "We need them for the Skiving Snackboxes but they're a Class C Non-Tradeable Substance so we've been having a bit of trouble getting hold of them. Ten Galleons the lot, then, Dung?" She looked back over to the man, an expression that gave Harry the impression that she couldn't be argued with.

But it seemed Mundungus would try anyways. "Wiv all the trouble I went to to get 'em?" Mundungus repeated,his saggy, bloodshot eyes stretching even wider. "I'm sorry, lads - and lady of course-" He added hastily when Rosie's eyes flashed, "-but I'm not taking a Knut under twenty."

"Dung likes his little joke," Fred turned to Harry. 

"Yeah, his best one so far has been six Sickles for a bag of knarl quills." George said.

"How he thought he could get us to pay that for knarl quills of all things is hilarious." Rosie added. "I'll slip one into your butterbeer if you're not careful." She threatened, but Mundungus once again tried it, shaking his head. He didn't believe her, but when Rosie took one of the pods and placed it between her thumb and forefinger he began to exclaim.

"Be careful." Harry warned them quietly, George hurrying to shut up Mundungus.

"What?" Fred asked. "Mum's busy cooing over Prefect Ron, we're okay." 

"But Moody could have his eye on you," Harry pointed out. 

Mundungus looked nervously over his shoulder. "Good point, that," he grunted. "All right, lads and lady, ten it is, if you'll take 'em quick."

"Cheers Harry!" Fred said delightedly, when Mundungus had emptied the rest of his pockets into the twins' outstretched hands and scuttled off toward the food. 

"We'd better get these upstairs..  Rosie you need to stop threatening with our ingredients- one day you'll actually ruin something." He hissed to the girl, who had stuffed the matchbox up her rather loose sweater sleeve. 

"How else should I get through to him?" The girl asked, slipping past Sirius and trying to look less suspicious, offering the man a smile. Sirius just shook his head knowingly, stepping aside to cover the door as the twins and Rosie slipped out.

Not that they really needed it - Mrs Weasley was far too caught up with fussing over Ron. And so, the three of them could return to their room in peace, hoping that the seeds would help with their products.

Because they really needed them sorted for the time that term came - Skiving Snackboxes were set to become their best-seller, and they couldn't pass that up.

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