It was just perfect. Absolutely perfect! It had taken months to get the okay from the Ministry to add the building to Diagon Alley, a rather laborious process which involved literal miles of parchment in requests and proposals and signatures and....and....
But there she was. Just 'round the bend from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, which was so popular that it was sure to draw the crowds all that way, stood an unassuming brick building that was Alberic's new pride and joy.
"I still don't like the name," squawked his sister at his elbow. She was bundled up in a heavy winter cloak against the cold. They hadn't managed to open before Christmas, but Hogwarts was still out on break so just maybe he'd see some sales from first years who were tired of bribing the school owls to delivery their post.
"What's wrong with it, Miranda" Fantastical Familiars," he spread his hands as his spoke, underlining the name. "It describes exactly what it is."
"It's boring. And so is your sign."
"You're such a supportive sister," he told her before linking arms and heading in to check out the interior.
* * *
Those first few months had been hard. Business had been slow, and Alberic wasn't sure that his shop was going to be able to compete. Summer had hit with far too much red in his ledger and apprehension twisting his stomach into so many knots that he was making daily visits to the Potion shop.
July had hit and fortune had shifted into his favor. The school letters had started to go out and plenty of excited students flooded into the magical marketplace. There had been a trickle of business at first, but when people started to hear about his specially bred animals, they had shown up in flocks!
It was just wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
Then one night in the middle of August something happened.
Being so close to the joke shop was a boon, but a hazard as well. When George and his developmental staff were working on new gags, things could get a little messy.
There had been a bang and suddenly there was a tall, gangly ginger man in the middle of his shop. Alberic nearly had a heart attack. Thanked his lucky stars it was after the shop had closed and no customers had heard the girlish scream he'd let out.
That could have been the end of it. He and George had laughed over a cup of tea and then a glass of Firewhiskey from a bottle the Weasley twin had given him to greet him as a neighbor. George had explained that they were working on short-distance Apparition charms, but they hadn't quite gotten the knack of it.
"The first try sent me clear across the pond," George had told him. "It was fun visiting America, but I got into a bit of trouble with their Ministry."
The next attempt had cleared a room. Where the items had gone, no one knew.
They were both feeling pretty good by the time George had left, and it was far later than Alberic wanted to be up. He'd hurried through the last of his tidying and found an odd glass orb.
"Must be George's..." He started to say. That was when Rudolph, a very sweet cat with an oddly red nose who had a habit of escaping from his cage, brushed up against his legs. It was enough of a surprise and his senses dulled just that much that the orb dropped.
And when it shattered"
Something went very wrong. Just absolutely wrong.
But there she was. Just 'round the bend from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, which was so popular that it was sure to draw the crowds all that way, stood an unassuming brick building that was Alberic's new pride and joy.
"I still don't like the name," squawked his sister at his elbow. She was bundled up in a heavy winter cloak against the cold. They hadn't managed to open before Christmas, but Hogwarts was still out on break so just maybe he'd see some sales from first years who were tired of bribing the school owls to delivery their post.
"What's wrong with it, Miranda" Fantastical Familiars," he spread his hands as his spoke, underlining the name. "It describes exactly what it is."
"It's boring. And so is your sign."
"You're such a supportive sister," he told her before linking arms and heading in to check out the interior.
* * *
Those first few months had been hard. Business had been slow, and Alberic wasn't sure that his shop was going to be able to compete. Summer had hit with far too much red in his ledger and apprehension twisting his stomach into so many knots that he was making daily visits to the Potion shop.
July had hit and fortune had shifted into his favor. The school letters had started to go out and plenty of excited students flooded into the magical marketplace. There had been a trickle of business at first, but when people started to hear about his specially bred animals, they had shown up in flocks!
It was just wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
Then one night in the middle of August something happened.
Being so close to the joke shop was a boon, but a hazard as well. When George and his developmental staff were working on new gags, things could get a little messy.
There had been a bang and suddenly there was a tall, gangly ginger man in the middle of his shop. Alberic nearly had a heart attack. Thanked his lucky stars it was after the shop had closed and no customers had heard the girlish scream he'd let out.
That could have been the end of it. He and George had laughed over a cup of tea and then a glass of Firewhiskey from a bottle the Weasley twin had given him to greet him as a neighbor. George had explained that they were working on short-distance Apparition charms, but they hadn't quite gotten the knack of it.
"The first try sent me clear across the pond," George had told him. "It was fun visiting America, but I got into a bit of trouble with their Ministry."
The next attempt had cleared a room. Where the items had gone, no one knew.
They were both feeling pretty good by the time George had left, and it was far later than Alberic wanted to be up. He'd hurried through the last of his tidying and found an odd glass orb.
"Must be George's..." He started to say. That was when Rudolph, a very sweet cat with an oddly red nose who had a habit of escaping from his cage, brushed up against his legs. It was enough of a surprise and his senses dulled just that much that the orb dropped.
And when it shattered"
Something went very wrong. Just absolutely wrong.