Sullivan could feel the genuine worry in Tonks's hug. He ruffled her hair and grinned. "You know how strong I am. I wasn't even scared of that vampire count—what's a little street scuffle gonna do?"
"Oh really?" Tonks shot back, eyes sparkling. "Then who was the guy I remember running for his life with me on his back while a vampire count chased us?"
"That definitely wasn't me," Sullivan said with a straight face. "I was the hero in golden armor who dropped out of the sky on a rainbow cloud and rescued you from the evil vampire."
"You're full of it!"
While the two of them flirted off to the side, Kingsley had already rounded up the ringleaders—including Filius. The guy was smart enough to try running, but his magic was too weak for Apparition and he wasn't fast on foot. One Binding Charm later, he was trussed up like a Christmas goose.
After dealing with the troublemakers, Kingsley walked over. "Professor Sullivan, you're gonna have to change how you sell these phones or this circus is just going to keep happening."
Tonks crossed her arms immediately. "Captain, this isn't Sullivan's fault. His store is running a normal business—just like every other shop in the village. Why aren't the other stores getting mobbed? It's these scalpers who are the problem."
Kingsley gave a helpless smile. Tonks had always been the fearless one on the team; now she was going full mama-bear mode for her boyfriend.
Sullivan gently pulled her back. "It's fine, Kingsley. I'll figure something out and make sure it doesn't happen again."
At that moment the bound Filius suddenly lunged toward Sullivan, struggling against the ropes. An Auror hit him with a Stunning Spell and he dropped like a sack of potatoes—but the guy was tough. He lifted his head just long enough to gasp, "Professor Sullivan—I've got a solution! I know how to fix this!"
Then he passed out.
Sullivan had heard Lupin mention Filius a few times. Weak magic, but a sharp mind. He turned to Kingsley. "What are you planning to do with this one?"
Kingsley shrugged. "Nothing serious. He's not a dark wizard. We'll haul him in, give him a talking-to, and let him go in a couple of days."
Sullivan's eyes lit up. "Any chance I could take him off your hands?"
"Sullivan, what are you thinking?" Tonks yanked him aside and whispered fiercely. "Yeah, he caused trouble at your store, but you can't just go full vigilante on him!"
Sullivan laughed. "What's going on in that head of yours? I just think the kid's clever. I might have a job for him."
They talked a little longer. Kingsley took the rest of the scalpers away but left Filius with Sullivan as a courtesy.
Lupin and Teemo carried the unconscious man inside. A quick Healing Charm later, Filius blinked awake. The second he realized he wasn't in an Auror holding cell, he understood exactly what had happened. He scrambled to his feet and bowed deeply.
"Respected Professor Sullivan, thank you for your help."
"I've known what you've been doing for a while," Sullivan said, sipping the tea Teemo had brought. "I could've shut you down anytime. Any idea why I didn't?"
Filius knew this was the moment that could change his life. His brain spun at full speed. "Professor, your reasons are your own. All I can do is guess with my limited perspective.
"You let us keep reselling at higher prices because it makes the Magic Phone seem even rarer. People want what they can't easily get. It drives demand."
Scalping and hunger marketing weren't exactly common concepts in the wizarding world, but Filius had come pretty close.
Sullivan hadn't planned on official hunger marketing, but since wild scalpers had already appeared, he figured he might as well use them to build the Flying Feather brand's premium image. Of course it couldn't last forever—he planned to add one or two more production lines over the summer. Until then, Filius could keep playing middleman.
Sullivan nodded. "Not bad. Starting today, the Flying Feather store switches to real-name purchases. After you buy once, you can't buy again for three months."
Filius's face fell—he was about to protest when Sullivan raised a hand.
"Don't worry. From now on you can take ten phones directly from us every day—at fifty-five Galleons each. Deal?"
"I'm in! Thank you, Professor!" Filius looked like he'd just won the lottery and started to drop into the deepest wizarding bow imaginable.
Sullivan stopped him. "Save the ceremony. Just take an Unbreakable Vow that you won't tell anyone about our arrangement."
"You have my word, Professor. This stays between us."
Sullivan wasn't desperate for the extra five Galleons per phone. He mainly wanted to test Filius. If the guy proved reliable, he could become CEO material down the line.
After Filius left, Sullivan went over the latest accounts while Lupin and Teemo set out a proper lunch. The three of them ate and talked.
Lupin looked like a different man these days—sharp new suit, healthier, even a little rounder in the face.
"How's factory life treating you?" Sullivan asked.
"Better than I ever expected," Lupin said, cutting into his steak. "After James and the others… I hadn't had days this comfortable in years."
"Anything you need, just say the word. I'll make it happen. Same goes for you, Teemo."
"Teemo has no requests," the little elf said quickly. "Teemo is very happy here. Teemo wishes—to keep serving you forever!" He almost added the part about wanting Sullivan as a new master, then caught himself.
Sullivan didn't push. Lupin, however, set his knife down and looked serious.
"Su, my biggest hope right now is that we find Peter Pettigrew soon. If he's really still alive, then Sirius was framed. He doesn't belong in Azkaban."
Ever since Sullivan had planted that seed, Lupin had been turning it over and over. Sirius's personality made betrayal impossible. Peter's "body" being nothing but a finger never added up. Every time he thought about it, he burned to clear his friend's name.
Sullivan nodded. "I know you're eager, Remus, but we can't rush this. If Peter really is hiding in some wizard's house like we suspect, we only get one shot. The second he realizes we're onto him, he'll disappear into the Muggle world and we'll never find him again."
Lupin sighed but agreed. What he didn't know was that Sullivan wasn't in any hurry for another reason: he was perfectly happy letting his old rival Sirius rot in Azkaban a little longer. Payback for all those years of rivalry back at school.
"By the way," Sullivan changed the subject, "have the Americans been in touch? When are they coming for the next shipment?"
"Today," Lupin said. "Should be any minute now."
As if on cue, the shop door opened. Two people stepped in—a man Sullivan didn't know and a woman he knew very well.
Yuna.
"Sullivan!" She lit up the second she saw him.
Sullivan shot to his feet, suddenly nervous. He discreetly flicked the casting ring on his finger and hit himself with a Cleansing Charm. Tonks had hugged him that morning, and Yuna's nose was legendary.
"Not happy to see me?" Yuna asked, smiling as she looked around the store.
Lupin sensed the tension immediately. "Su… who's this?"
"Yuna Chen, Auror with MACUSA and a very good friend of mine," Sullivan said smoothly. "This is Remus Lupin, factory manager and the man who actually runs this place."
"I know—we've already spoken," Yuna said. She walked behind Sullivan, placed both hands on his shoulders, and firmly pushed him back into his seat. "You two keep eating. I don't need a tour guide."
"Have you eaten lunch yet?" Sullivan asked, trying to sound casual while he cut another piece of steak. "If not, Teemo can whip something up. His cooking is excellent."
"Teemo? That house-elf you told me about? Sure, I'll take a plate. We drove ten hours to get here."
"Ten hours?" Sullivan raised an eyebrow. "You're still using that five-year-old clunker? Tell old man Stewart to order my new model. Five-hour trip, only five thousand Galleons."
Yuna rolled her eyes. "You know Stewart. If it still runs, he won't replace it. I'd have better luck asking you to give me one as a gift."
"I'd give you one in a heartbeat," Sullivan said, "but it'd be a personal car. You couldn't use it on official business. The Ministry needs to buy them—why's he being cheap with government money?"
"You two are exactly the same level of cheap!" Yuna huffed.
Sullivan opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. Never argue with an annoyed girlfriend.
"How are the phones selling in America?" he asked instead.
"The last batch sold out in three days. This time Stewart's giving the entire shipment to MACUSA. They want to equip every active-duty employee first."
Sullivan whistled. Old Stewart played hardball—securing half a year's sales in one go.
"Wait," he said, "MACUSA is giving every Auror a free Magic Phone?"
Yuna laughed. "Of course not. They're still three hundred and fifty Dragots each. Employees just get a five-percent discount."
Sullivan's eyes widened. "Three hundred and fifty Dragots?! The exchange rate is about three-point-five Dragots to one Galleon, right?"
Yuna had already seen the fifty-Galleon price tag in the store, so she wasn't shocked. "You sell them for fifty here. Add shipping, tariffs, American markups… it's normal for the price to double."
Normal? Sullivan did the math in his head. Stewart was buying at thirty-five Galleons and selling at the equivalent of a hundred. The man was making more profit than Sullivan himself.
Still, the contract was clear: Sullivan didn't control Stewart's resale price. The guy could charge whatever the market would bear.
They finished lunch. Yuna stowed the new shipment in her undetectable extension bag, then asked Sullivan to show her the factory. She immediately fell in love with Teemo, exchanged FlyMessage contacts with the little elf, and then turned those bright eyes on Sullivan.
"You live here?"
"No, I've got quarters at the castle—professor housing."
"Can I see it? I've only ever been to Ilvermorny. I'd love to check out the famous Hogwarts."
"Of course," Sullivan said. "I've actually got a class this afternoon. Want to sit in?"
"Perfect! Let's go!" Yuna grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward the door.
Sullivan's smile froze for half a second. "Hang on—one thing I forgot to tell Lupin."
He ducked back inside, motioned Teemo over, and whispered, "Go find Jingjing and have her clean the room Tonks stayed in. Make it look brand new."
Lupin watched the whole exchange with a worried fatherly expression. Once Sullivan turned to leave, Lupin caught his arm.
"Tonks is a good girl, Su."
"I know," Sullivan sighed.
"Then don't hurt her," Lupin said, sounding exactly like a dad lecturing his player son.
"Don't worry," Sullivan answered. "I never hurt the good ones."
He stepped outside, took Yuna's hand, and Apparated them both to the edge of Hogwarts grounds.
Extra: Teemo's Blind Date (Free)
"Hurry up, Teemo! Stop dragging your feet!" Sullivan called from up ahead. They were almost at Hagrid's hut.
Teemo trailed behind him, looking extremely nervous. He kept smoothing down his butler uniform, checking for any wrinkles. "P-Professor Sullivan… Teemo is… a little nervous!"
"You're a guy—what's there to be nervous about? Come on, pick up the pace. We don't want to keep the lady waiting!" Sullivan urged.
"I… I've never met any female house-elf except my mom before!" Teemo admitted.
Truth be told, even his memories of his mother were blurry. He had been sold to the Anthony family when he was only three and had grown up alongside young Master Anthony.
"Hey, it's no big deal. Just think of it as making a new friend. It's not like you have to end up together. Relax," Sullivan comforted him.
By the time they reached Hagrid's hut and knocked, the half-giant opened the door with a big, goofy "matchmaking-auntie" grin. "Su! You're finally here. I've been dying for this!"
Three days earlier, Sullivan had asked Hagrid to act as Jingjing's guardian and help set up a blind date between her and Teemo.
Hagrid knew Jingjing well—she was a wonderful girl. He had no children of his own and had never played the role of parent arranging a date before, so he was thrilled and agreed immediately.
Now he looked Teemo up and down like a proud mother. "Oh, what a sharp-looking young fellow! Come on in!"
Inside the hut, Teemo immediately spotted a small female house-elf sitting nervously on the sofa. She had soft pink skin and wore a sky-blue apron. Her big head was lowered, and her tiny hands were twisting together.
"Hey, Jingjing! Nice to see you," Sullivan greeted her first.
"Professor Sullivan! Hello!" Jingjing jumped up from the sofa as if she'd been shocked and gave a deep bow.
"No need to be so formal. Sit down. Let me introduce you—this is Teemo. Teemo, this is Jingjing. Why don't you two get to know each other?" Sullivan and Hagrid casually took seats nearby.
Teemo was momentarily stunned by how pretty Jingjing was. Only when Sullivan called his name did he snap out of it.
"H-hello, Jingjing… It's… it's very nice to meet you," Teemo stammered.
"Hello, Teemo… It's very nice to meet you too," Jingjing replied shyly. She had never seen a house-elf dressed as elegantly as Teemo.
The living room fell into awkward silence.
Sullivan broke the ice. "Oh right, Hagrid—you said yesterday you wanted me to check on something?"
"Oh! Yes! Su, I wanted you to take a look at how the magical melons are growing!" Hagrid caught on quickly.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go! You two chat for a bit—we'll be right back!" Before the two little elves could protest, Sullivan dragged Hagrid out the door.
The moment they were outside, the two grown men cast Disillusionment Charms on themselves and crept over to peek through the window.
"Your clothes are really beautiful!" Jingjing said.
"Th-thank you," Teemo replied.
"Do you have a job?" Jingjing asked—the house-elf equivalent of asking if someone owns property.
"Yes! Yes, I do. I currently work for Professor Sullivan. I'm in charge of security at the Flying Feather Magic Phone Experience Store," Teemo answered quickly.
Jingjing frowned slightly. "Just that? Every day I prepare meals for ten people—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I clean five student dormitories, five classrooms, and take care of Professor Sullivan's living quarters here at Hogwarts."
She said it with obvious pride. Teemo immediately tried to keep up. "I'm also responsible for meals for twenty-one people at the factory and take care of Mr. Lupin's needs!"
"Wow, that's amazing! I could never handle meals for twenty people!" A hint of admiration appeared in Jingjing's eyes.
From there the conversation flowed easily. They talked about cooking, making beds, cleaning, and home repairs. The more they chatted, the more they clicked, and the happier they became.
Outside the window, Sullivan and Hagrid were both smiling. This blind date was clearly going very well.
Suddenly Jingjing asked, "So… is Professor Sullivan your master?"
The question hit Teemo like lightning. He froze, struggling to speak. "N-no… I… I don't have a master right now…"
"You don't have a master?! Oh my goodness!" Jingjing looked horrified. She stood up abruptly. "How can you not have a master?!"
"My previous master passed away. He had no heirs, so… But I work for Professor Sullivan now!" Teemo tried to explain.
"I'm sorry, Teemo. I just remembered I have some things I need to take care of. I should go." Jingjing took a step back, her tone suddenly polite but distant.
"But—" Before Teemo could finish, Jingjing had already Apparated away.
Teemo sat there, devastated, head hanging low. He didn't react until Sullivan patted his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Professor… I think I ruined it," Teemo said sadly.
"It's okay," Sullivan said with a smile. "I could tell Jingjing actually liked you. Once you have a proper master, I can arrange for you two to meet again."
"Really?!" Teemo's eyes lit up with new hope.