More Important Than Any Broomstick [Harmione]

22. Announcements

The next few days passed quickly with training, getting ahead in classes, games (video games as well as the many other activities Potter Manor was equipped for), and of course, snogging. They did manage to visit Buckbeak one more time the day before school began. Before they knew it, Harry and Hermione were sitting in a compartment of the Hogwarts Express, competing against each other in yet another game of Mario Kart. Harry was improving, and was not as easily beaten by Hermione anymore. The door to their compartment opened and Hermione immediately paused the game to look at who had opened the door. She smiled as she said, "Hello Fred, George. How are you?"

"Hi Gred, Forge," said Harry with a grin.

"We're both fine," said Fred.

"But we do want to know," said George.

"If you accept our offer of two-thirds of the profits," said Fred.

Harry smiled broadly and said, "Yes. You handle the marketing and bookkeeping..."

"And we'll charm the devices," finished Hermione.

"That's good news," said George.

"Hopefully, we'll make enough money to develop our own joke products," said Fred.

"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," said George proudly.

"Are those muggle devices in your hands?" asked Fred, now eying their Game Boys.

"Yes," said Hermione. "These are portable muggle video game systems called "Game Boy Advances. Harry and I are playing a racing game called Mario Kart against each other."

"How are you playing each other?" asked George.

"There's no cord attaching those Game Boy Advances," said Fred.

Hermione sighed, "Honestly. There are some muggle devices that do work together without being attached by a cord. However, you are right about these. Muggles need to use a cord with them, but I charmed them so they don't need it. If people get those, they need to know not to let muggles see them competing without the cord."

"Wicked," said George. "Do you mind if we try out the products?"

"I guess not," said Harry, who'd let Hermione explain the Game Boys, "I was probably going to lose anyway."

Fred and George took seats across from Harry and Hermione, while Hermione explained how to play the game. Fred and George were already absorbed in their competition when Ginny walked into their compartment. She said, "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, Ginny," said Hermione. Ginny took a seat next to Hermione (Harry was against the window on Hermione's other side). Hermione then asked, "I'm surprised Ron's not with you."

Ginny sighed, "Oh that git," causing her brothers to chuckle while still intently playing their game. "He said, 'I'm not spending the train ride with that show off!' and went to find a seat somewhere else," Ginny said with a grin. "Good riddance!" Ginny then noticed that Fred and George were absorbed in some weird devices she'd never seen before. "What are Fred and George doing?"

"They're playing a muggle video game," said Harry.

"Oh," said Ginny, "Don't those need ekle-tricity?"

"Normally they do require electricity," said Hermione patiently, "But those are charmed to work on magic instead."

"Wow," said Ginny, "Isn't that illegal?"

"No," said Harry, "We asked your dad. He said that as long as they're not doing anything out of the ordinary, it's not illegal. They're functioning the same as always, so if a muggle used them they wouldn't notice the difference."