Mr. Weasley looked as though he had been struck by lightning. He stared at Richard in astonishment, unable to believe that this was the very same Lord whose letter he had received. And yet there was so much strength, authority, and conviction in the boy's words—in the way he spoke and what he said—that Mr. Weasley's legs seemed to carry him of their own accord toward the indicated chair.
Glancing back, Arthur found no servant, as if the man had vanished like a house-elf. For a fleeting second, Mr. Weasley even wondered whether it might be some new breed of house-elf, but he dismissed the thought at once.
"Mr. Weasley, please don't let my age unsettle you. I have been involved in large-scale business for quite some time, so I understand perfectly well how adults react to those they must work with. Believe me, this is no game. It's all quite serious."
"Ah?" Weasley turned his head in confusion. "Forgive me."
Richard took his seat opposite the guest and set an example by helping himself to salad and taking a steak.
"Jane outdid herself with the steak today. Don't miss the chance to try it, or the marbled beef will have gone to waste."
Mr. Weasley felt uneasy. He could see that the boy was dressed expensively, which made him self-conscious about his own old, threadbare suit. Overcoming his embarrassment, he placed a steak on his plate and cut himself a piece.
"Oh, Merlin!" he exclaimed. "This is delicious! It really is beef? I've heard that meat this tender can only be found from a Dromarog, but the price for that is astronomical."
"No, sir, it is certainly not Dromarog. Marbled beef is prepared in a special way. First of all, specific breeds of cattle are selected—those whose meat is not overly fatty. They are then fed carefully chosen fodder and kept in conditions that limit their movement. Once they mature, the young bulls are suspended in soundproof stalls so that they move as little as possible and their meat becomes exceptionally tender. In a standing or hanging position, the muscles remain under tension, and the layers of fat distribute evenly through the flesh. That is how this marvelous meat is produced."
"How dreadful!" Mr. Weasley's eyes widened, though he continued devouring the steak with great enthusiasm. "The things Muggles come up with!"
"Human imagination is multifaceted and inexhaustible… The weather is lovely today."
"Y-yes… Er, Lord, forgive me, but may I ask why you invited me?"
Richard remained coolheaded and, despite Mr. Weasley's desire to get to the point, did not rush to lay everything out at once.
"Madam Marchbanks mentioned that you are fond of enchanting ordinary people's devices. A worthy hobby for a wizard."
Mr. Weasley straightened in his chair. It was the first time he had ever heard praise for his hobby. Usually, wizards treated such interests with disdain.
"Yes," he said proudly. "I truly enjoy experimenting with charms on Muggle devices."
"I have even heard rumors that you managed to create a flying car."
"Oh, yes! My pride and joy." The wizard slipped into familiar territory and relaxed somewhat. "I enchanted a Muggle automobile. It can fly and turn invisible. I also cast an Extension Charm on the interior. The Ford can fit my entire family."
"Remarkable!" Richard exclaimed, without a trace of pretense. "You have a large family, Mr. Weasley—a wife and seven children. That is worthy of respect. It is rare to encounter such a family these days."
Mr. Weasley's lips spread into an involuntary smile.
"Oh, yes! My youngest daughter, Ginny, will turn nine this year, and Ron will be starting Hogwarts next year. My eldest, Bill, works at Gringotts as a curse-breaker. Charlie is finishing school this year and plans to become a dragonologist."
"What a coincidence! I'll be starting Hogwarts next year as well. You have very fine children, Mr. Weasley. But it must be difficult to provide for such a large family."
"We don't complain," Arthur said with a slight frown. "At least we have a close knit family."
"I am not judging anyone in the least. But you do wish the very best for your children. Don't you?"
"Of course," Arthur agreed.
"As a good father, you would surely like to provide your children with homes of their own, to give them the very best?"
"If I could… But I'm certain they will achieve everything on their own."
"No doubt your children have a worthy example to follow, and they will surely accomplish much. But… Mr. Weasley, if you had the opportunity to gift each of your children a plot of land and build them houses, would you do it?"
"Without hesitation," Arthur nodded.
With the gesture of a magician, Richard produced an elegant leather folder, opened it, took out a photograph of a picturesque landscape, and handed it to his guest.
"What do you think of the view?"
"A beautiful meadow."
"Fifty acres of excellent land. Most importantly, it borders a new magical settlement in Scotland. The Ministry of Magic recently built two dozen houses there, now occupied by young wizarding families. Quite respectable neighbors."
"Yes, I would agree. What are you getting at, Lord?"
"This land is yours, Mr. Weasley. At a preferential lease rate. More precisely, it can be yours—all you need to do is sign here." A contract lay on the table, Arthur Weasley's name already written into it. "Ten Galleons per hectare, a lease for members of the Weasley family for fifty years without the right of sublease, with an exclusive right to extend the agreement. The property can be divided into seven plots of seven acres each, with respectable homes built for your children and gardens laid out. A splendid investment in the future."
(End of Chapter)
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