The exam went smoothly. The Weasley twins didn't act foolish or cause any trouble, because they had finally designed one hundred little inventions. With that, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes could officially open for business.
"Mr. Regulus Black, please come in! You are our first customer and also our biggest shareholder. Since your shares make up exactly half, everything in this store is half-price for you."
Fred and George Weasley, putting on an air of formality, led Regulus Black into the newly decorated shop.
Shelves were filled with dazzling products. Anti-theft charms had been placed throughout the shop, ensuring only purchased items could leave. Every single product here had been personally inspected by Regulus Black to guarantee they were fun yet safe, and, just as importantly, unique. Copyright had risen to an extremely important level in the wizarding world. A potion, a tool, or a spell could ensure its creator lived comfortably for life.
Unless the creator chose to sell those rights, of course. Just like the copyright to the "Crimson Ruby" potion, which Regulus had bought from a student. That was a hefty sum of Galleons, enough to lift an impoverished wizarding family out of ruin.
That family had hoped to secure his favor further, but Regulus Black had no interest in young boys.
Regulus held half the shares of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and provided the shop free of charge. The Weasley brothers, in turn, handled product development and shop management. Their partnership was working out extremely well.
Opening a storefront was far better than hawking products one by one at Hogwarts. Back then, they had earned Sickles and Knuts one at a time, all just to fund the creation of one hundred different products so that they could open a shop. But even so, without Regulus Black's long-term loans funding their development, it would have been impossible. The money they had scraped together at school was nowhere near enough.
And Regulus's long-term investment paid off. Half the copyright of all their products belonged to him. This kind of investment was anything but a loss.
"If your father Arthur had even half of your business sense, the Weasley family wouldn't be in such dire straits."
Regulus Black said this without hesitation when he saw Arthur Weasley enter the shop, striking him right where it hurt.
"Oh, heavens! Regulus, you shouldn't say such things about me in front of my children."
Arthur always felt uncomfortable facing Regulus. The ties between the Blacks and the Weasleys ran too deep.
Ginny Weasley had already declared that she wanted to spend her life with Regulus.
Ron Weasley had been pushed by Regulus into the Muggle chess world and was now a very famous young chess champion, popular and prize-winning—though most of the money actually came from gambling victories.
Percy Weasley, thanks to Regulus's recommendation, now worked as the Minister of Magic's secretary. It wasn't a high-ranking position, but it placed him very close to the Ministry's inner circle. At home, Percy even referred to Regulus as his mentor.
Now Fred and George Weasley's shop had opened, fulfilling an agreement they had made with Regulus years ago. It had only come to fruition after the brothers' graduation.
The other two sons, having had little contact with Regulus Black, were unaffected by him.
But the truly awkward part was elsewhere. Regulus Black had been a Death Eater, while the Weasley couple were members of the Order of the Phoenix. To turn such enmity into the tangled relationship they now shared made things deeply uncomfortable.
Well, at least Regulus was Sirius's younger brother. That much they could tolerate.
"Ginny! Are you happy at school?"
The grand opening of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes came right after Hogwarts exams ended. Regulus Black had personally brought Ginny, Ron, and the freshly graduated twins straight from Hogwarts to the shop.
Molly Weasley, upon seeing her daughter, immediately forgot all about her sons. She hugged Ginny tightly, showering her with kisses.
"Of course! Every day with Regulus is wonderful. It's just that he's often so busy I can't find him."
Ginny answered her mother with a blissful smile, her eyes fixed adoringly on Regulus Black.
"Oh… woo… hoo hoo…"
Several of her brothers made teasing noises behind her, which made Ginny blush.
Molly Weasley had always opposed Ginny's relationship with Regulus. Strictly speaking, they were distant relatives. Molly and Regulus were cousins, which technically made Ginny his niece.
Worse still, Regulus Black was notorious for keeping a "harem" at Hogwarts, which Molly found utterly unacceptable.
"So then, are you getting along with your 'other' classmates?"
Molly desperately wanted to know what place her daughter held among the other girls in this so-called harem.
Ginny had been part of Regulus's circle for quite some time and immediately understood her mother's pointed question.
"I'm actually very popular among the other girls, Mom. You really don't need to worry."
She spoke with confidence, then glanced at Regulus, who was inspecting the shop. Her smile turned sweet.
Molly looked from her daughter to Regulus, who was surrounded by her sons. She realized she would never be able to separate them. With a trace of helplessness, she thought, As long as my daughter feels happy, that's enough.
"You and he… have you already… well…"
Molly pulled her daughter aside, asking her final, awkward question.
"No! Regulus is very strict about this. Until our final year of graduation, he refuses to touch us. Many of the girls have tried to get ahead of schedule, but every single one was turned down."
Ginny spoke with genuine admiration. Few men could resist such temptations, yet Regulus had.
This surprised Molly greatly. She had assumed her daughter was already intimate with him and had been preparing to give her certain warnings. To learn otherwise left her both relieved and astonished.
In truth, though Regulus Black had never crossed that line, he gave the girls plenty of guidance on such matters. He often held them, letting them fall asleep safely in his arms, providing warmth and comfort.
Ginny herself had climbed into his bed before, sleeping soundly in his embrace.
Even such innocent intimacy was enough to deepen the girls' affection for him, and it only strengthened his bond with those who had already become his lovers. The girls nearing graduation were even beginning to quietly arrange an order among themselves.
Of course, none of this could be shared with her mother. Otherwise, Molly's opposition would only grow fiercer.
"Regulus says we're still too young. He won't reject our feelings, but until we're of age, these things are out of the question. He's held to this rule for years."
Ginny even bragged a little, showing off her choice of man.
"Well then! What if, during this time, you or the other girls fall for some other boy?"
Molly pressed on, still clinging to hope that her daughter might choose someone closer to her age.
But Ginny only rolled her eyes.
"Mom! Do you really think any boy could be more attractive than Regulus? I know what you're thinking. Regulus has already said this himself—if any of us ever fell in love with someone else, we'd be free to leave. He wouldn't stop us. Because if we don't love him anymore, then walking away is also a choice."
Ginny had never once considered leaving. She intended to stay, to give herself to him when she came of age. For her, this period was nothing more than a test of time.
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