Standing outside Andy's room, Sean observed his friend. Andy was slumped against the doorframe, his face pale and drawn. His usually meticulously styled hair was disheveled, and his expensive robes were rumpled, reflecting the turmoil of his mood. Blaise had been right; something serious had happened.
"Sean. Blaise. You're here..." Andy's voice was flat, devoid of its usual energy.
Without waiting for an invitation, Sean and Blaise stepped past him into the room, closing the door firmly behind them. Sean walked directly to Andy's desk, pulling up a chair and sitting opposite his friend.
"Andy," Sean began, his voice quiet and direct. "Is this about your business?"
Andy's eyelids drooped, and a bitter, humorless smile touched his lips. "If only it were just a simple business problem, Sean, I wouldn't be this... distraught." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Even if the business failed, if I didn't pass the family assessment... so what? I don't need to inherit the family's enterprise. I'm confident I could start my own venture after graduation and still live well. My ambition to compete, to succeed on their terms, was really just because I was... unwilling to concede defeat."
He paused, a flicker of raw pain in his eyes. "I expected setbacks. I expected failure, even. But I never imagined that the one who would ultimately cause my ruin would be my friend. A friend since childhood, who grew up with me. To betray me for such a paltry sum, to conspire with them to set a trap for me..."
Sean looked at him, a cold understanding dawning. He knew the general contours of Andy's operation. Andy had established a network of students within Hogwarts who brewed potions for him, and Sean was one of the key contributors. Sean's brewing speed and success rate were unmatched, and he could even handle more complex, high-level potions. He also knew that Andy had a partner in this venture, a childhood friend who had been instrumental in starting the business.
But there were pieces of the puzzle Sean hadn't known.
Last year, this "friend" had started making excuses, citing heavy academic loads to reduce his potion output. Andy, trusting and naive, had accepted it, which was why he'd sought out new partners like Sean. What he hadn't known was that his friend had already been compromised by Dorian—the same Dorian who had been involved with the deceased Tarkun. Andy's friend had accepted benefits from Dorian to deliberately sabotage Andy's potion supply. Yet, unwilling to relinquish the profits Andy's business brought him, he had continued to pretend friendship.
This year, Sean's increased contributions had fueled Andy's expansion, making the business flourish. But Dorian, operating under a "death order" from Andy's brother to deliver a fatal blow to Andy's enterprise, had escalated his tactics. Unable to directly disrupt Sean's output, Dorian had once again turned to Andy's treacherous friend.
Dorian had convinced the friend to push Andy to expand the business as much as possible, promising that he could supply a massive quantity of potions through "special channels." To alleviate Andy's natural caution, the friend had even used last year's excuse, claiming he needed to compensate Andy for his prior lack of help, threatening to end their friendship if Andy didn't trust him.
Andy, swayed by sentiment and a desire for reconciliation, had taken the bait. He placed enormous orders, including many high-level potions. The friend, claiming he needed capital for his "special channels," even extracted a significant sum of money from Andy upfront. Then, just before the delivery deadline, he vanished. Andy, using his own contacts, eventually uncovered the entire, devastating truth, leaving him utterly devastated.
Sean listened to the entire story, his initial anger at Andy's naivete slowly giving way to cold fury at the friend's blatant betrayal. "Andy," Sean said, his voice laced with exasperation, "I don't know whether to praise your unshakeable faith in your friend or throttle you for being so gullible. It's like your brain is stuffed with Troll saliva. I truly want to punch you and knock some sense into you."
As for Andy's friend, Sean felt nothing but utter contempt. If that despicable traitor appeared before him now, Sean knew he would struggle to resist the urge to physically rearrange his face.
"Andy, listen," Blaise continued, his tone softening slightly. "Don't worry about the money. I'll cover the funding gap for you tomorrow. You can pay those people back and settle your debts. As for my money, there's no rush. You can return it to me before you graduate."
Andy looked at Blaise, his lips trembling. He knew of Blaise's family's immense wealth, knew that the sum he needed was a pittance to Blaise's mother. But he also knew that Blaise had always lived off his biological father's inheritance, refusing to touch his mother's acquired fortune. For Blaise to offer this meant he was prepared to ask his mother for money, a testament to his loyalty. Andy tried to speak, but no words came out.
Sean looked from Blaise to Andy. He knew the complexities of Blaise's family situation, too. He sighed, his eyes hardening with resolve. He had made a decision. "Alright. If we lose money, it means we admit defeat. And I refuse to lose to those two despicable things."
"Andy, give me the list."
"The list?"
"The list of potions you need to deliver!"
"What do you want it for?"
"Just give it to me! Stop wasting time with questions! If you don't hand it over, I'll hex you myself!"
Startled by the ferocity in Sean's voice, Andy scrambled, pulling the crumpled list from a desk drawer and handing it over.
Sean scanned the parchment, his eyes widening. He took a sharp breath. "That guy is absolutely ruthless. He wants to ensure you're completely ruined." He shook his head. "He's not just playing games; he's playing to destroy you."
Andy could only offer a bitter, helpless sigh.
Sean folded the list and tucked it into his pocket. He stood up. "Alright, Blaise, come with me. Andy, you get some rest. If anyone comes looking for potions tomorrow, tell them they'll be delivered sharp at twelve noon. Ask them to wait."
Andy suddenly understood Sean's intent. His eyes widened. "Sean, there are too many! You can't possibly—"
"Just do what I tell you, and stop talking nonsense!" Sean snapped, cutting him off. "You get some rest and prepare to deal with those who've wronged you tomorrow. Leave the rest to me and Blaise!"
With that, Sean wasted no more time. He grabbed a still-confused Blaise and strode out of Andy's room, then out of the Slytherin common room, heading straight for Snape's office.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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