Small Business, Senior Newt

"Acting store managers…?"

"That’s right, acting store managers."

Adam nodded.

"You’ll run the shop for me, and I’ll provide the products. You can decide the opening hours yourselves, as long as they stay relatively fixed—twice a week, at least four hours each time, or until everything sells out."

"So basically, you want us to watch the shop for you? No problem~"

After Bernard said that, Eugene nodded as well.

"Don’t rush. I’m not finished yet. Your wages will be paid monthly—two hundred Galleons a month."

"Two hundred Galleons?!"

Eugene and Bernard were both rather shocked.

"Isn’t that a little too high?"

Bernard could not help saying.

He did not mind Adam paying them wages. After all, this was not a one-time favor. But the pay for a part-time job that only took eight hours a week was nearly half his parents’ income, which was a little absurd.

"It is a little too high."

Bernard had merely converted the amount into pounds, but Eugene had some understanding of income levels in the Wizarding World.

Although prices in the wizarding world were high—textbooks were generally priced in Galleons, and food was expensive too—the basic cost of living was not particularly high, so most wizards did not earn much.

Aside from Dobby’s ten-Galleon weekly wage at Hogwarts in the original story, which was probably the minimum wage in the Wizarding World, the average monthly income of most full-time working wizards was only around one hundred to three hundred Galleons.

And now Adam was offering them two hundred Galleons…

"Is it high? Not at all. I’m not asking you to simply take money and hand over goods. There’s plenty more to do. I gave this careful thought."

Adam gestured for them not to worry. He had not set the wage so high on a whim just because of their relationship.

Bernard and Eugene thought it over and accepted Adam’s offer.

There was simply no reason to refuse that kind of pay. Besides, they really had nothing important to do in their spare time anyway. They played games, watched Quidditch, occasionally flipped through books, and when Black Lake was not frozen over, Eugene would even go fishing there. Other than that, there was nothing much.

"Wow, two hundred Galleons a month for such an easy job. I’m tempted myself."

Klon could not help remarking, and Adam glanced at him.

"If you’re interested, you can come too~"

Klon and Uther could not possibly continue as his acting store managers after graduation, but Adam did not mind if they wanted to experience it for themselves.

Two hundred Galleons a month was pocket change.

"I can too?"

Uther raised an eyebrow.

To his surprise, Adam waved a hand grandly.

"All are welcome!"

"…Just how much do you make in a month?"

When it came to desserts, as long as Adam was willing, it was practically a business with no costs at all. The flavors were endlessly varied and delicious. After so much time, the business had even spread to the relatives of young wizards who were not at Hogwarts. The students would buy desserts that were easy to store and transport, then mail them out by owl.

With that foundation, Adam occasionally held little events to stimulate spending, along with the banquet orders from Hogwarts…

Adam smiled faintly.

"Just a small business. I only make a little, just a little bit~"

The next day, Adam had planned to let the four interns experience what a store manager had to do. Unexpectedly, an owl flew in through the open dormitory door.

There was no helping it. Adam had made breakfast in the dormitory himself that day, so the owl could only wait outside the door.

Adam glanced at the envelope, and his eyes immediately lit up.

It was a letter from Senior Newt!

The portrait was rather special. Even with a contact book, Adam could not use it as a messenger to speak with Newt himself. So after getting Newt’s address through the portrait, Adam had sent him a letter. He had not expected a reply so soon.

"Is something wrong? We’re not in a hurry. You won’t be busy until next school year anyway, so we have plenty of time before then."

Though the pay was not low, no one was actually that concerned about being an acting store manager… They mainly wanted to help Adam ease the pressure on his time.

"Mm, let’s do it another day. Senior Newt replied to my letter."

"Senior Newt… Senior Newt?!"

Klon’s eyes lit up.

"Is it Senior Newt Scamander, the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? My whole family are his fans!"

Eugene also stared at Adam with shining eyes.

"Mm, that’s right, so I need to read it quickly."

The activity was canceled. Uther and Bernard went off to play, while Klon and Eugene stayed behind, wanting to know what Adam and Senior Newt had discussed.

They did not look at Adam’s letter. Adam sat down and opened the envelope, while the two sat across from him and waited eagerly as he read.

"…Senior Newt really is such a pure person."

After reading the entire letter, Adam could not help sighing. The tone of it did not resemble that of an elderly man at all; it was brimming with vitality and love for magical creatures.

After sighing, Adam looked at Klon and Eugene.

"There actually isn’t much in the letter. Senior Newt said he has a lot he wants to discuss, and he’s also curious about the basilisk. So once he settles the magical creatures at home, he’ll come over. Judging by the timing… he should already be on his way to Hogwarts."

Adam’s estimate was actually a little off. There was no helping it—although Newt’s owl had been replaced long ago, it was getting on in years too.

In fact, Newt himself arrived at Hogwarts before his owl did. He simply went to see Professor Dumbledore first.

And once he went, there was no turning back…

"Professor Dumbledore, I really can’t teach Defense Against the Dark Arts to the children… I’m simply not good at it."

Newt said helplessly.

"I didn’t even graduate from Hogwarts back then. If it were Care of Magical Creatures, then it would be…" more logical.

"Then Care of Magical Creatures it is! It’s settled!"

Professor Dumbledore had been waiting for exactly this. His original intention had not been to make Newt a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor anyway. The man was already over ninety—what if something happened to him?

He had already been agonizing over a candidate for Defense Against the Dark Arts when Professor Kettleburn submitted his resignation as well, leaving him utterly overwhelmed.

He had not expected Newt to deliver himself to his door at this very moment. It was like rain after a long drought!

Newt opened his mouth. No, what had he just wanted to say…

"But I’m already ninety-five this year. I passed the age when I had the energy to teach children long ago."

"It’s fine. I can find several people to serve as your teaching assistants. There is no one in this world more suitable to teach Care of Magical Creatures than you!"

Seeing that Newt still wanted to refuse, Professor Dumbledore sighed.

"You’ve probably heard the rumor that Defense Against the Dark Arts is cursed? Last year’s professor died, this year’s professor turned himself in… and now the original Care of Magical Creatures professor has suddenly resigned too. I have to find two professors in under six months. The pressure on my end is enormous."

"Help me one more time, Newt. Just one year—at least give me time to properly search for candidates."

If Newt still refused, Professor Dumbledore would not truly force him to stay. But then he would have no choice but to put Rubeus Hagrid in the position. The teaching quality of Care of Magical Creatures could not be guaranteed that way, but at least Hagrid’s character was beyond question.