𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗲, george weasley

˗ˋ 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
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-: the beginnings :-

── IN WHICH THEIR 
HEAD OF STAFF MAKES
HER BEGINNINGS

. . .

Several days later and everything was official. Fred and George had a contract drawn up and she signed it with ease, she had sent her father a letter with the news, as well as one for Fleur - who had written and let her know that she would be coming to England once school was over because of none other than Bill Weasley - and everything had been sorted out for Mrs Bixby and if she ever needed assistance. 

George had actually made sure to put a special clause in the contract for that. He had seen just how worried Rhea was about it and ensured her that he would take care of it. And he had done just that, easing any of her frets. 

Since then, the shop seemed to have come alive with her renewed and guarenteed presence.

The colours that she had helped the twins paint, whether it was the walls, the display cases, the desk, front door to their apartment, windows or even the bloody stair railings, just seemed so much more vibrant. Even the packaging for their many products burned brighter than Fred or George remembered making them. 

Just having that reassurance that she was staying made the place seem happier, as if it could sense the feelings of the inhabitants and reflected them back. 

Rhea had been by their side as they put the last of their pre-made products onto the shelf, helped them choose more staff - she didn't feel as if that was right for her to do, but because she was their first staff member who they were putting in charge of a lot of things, they thought she should at least have some input.

They did a couple more final coats of paint in a few places and managed to put together the back offices, complete with a small area to let Fred and George do their experimenting; Rhea came up with the novel idea of mixing a fire resistance potion with paint and a red dye and putting together the sectioning, which almost completely seperated the workshop from the desks. 

After Rhea had been called back to the Apothecary by Mrs Bixby - she had freshly cooked a casserole and sent an owl to ask her to come back early - Fred and George had decided to set up a desk near the door especially for her. 

She was their head of staff after all - a title that Rhea was yet to understand really; how could her, an eighteen year old girl, help run a shop full of staff. But then again, two eighteen year olds had created the entire business and the products within it. 

George had put himself in charge of the decorating of it; he had the chance to explore Rhea's apartment and tended to know what sort of decoration she liked. It wasn't hard - bright colours, plants, odd little statues and he even got a couple second hand books from the nearby shop. 

All in all, compared to the boring desk they had set up for themselves and the few others for the new workers, it was quite brightly coloured and fit perfectly. And when she came the next morning the smile on her face made all the extra effort worth it. 

Within the next few hours she had made it her own, even with a little drawer ready for if Clover wanted to come with her one day - Fred was all for the idea, George was a little more wary of a miniature dragon being amongst so many products which would very easily set on fire even with the tiniest little flame escaping from the tiny Common Welsh Green.

Rhea was yet to bring Clover though, and that morning George was admittedly rather grateful for it. But whilst she didn't bring Clover, she did bring a rather long, flat cardboard envelope. 

"Good morning!" She sang as she pushed open the door into the office, her set of keys swinging around her fingers. 

Fred poked a slightly singed head of ginger hair out of the product experimentation section and George looked up from the sheets of parchment. His eyes landed on the envelope.

"What's in there?" George asked, swinging back on his chair.

"Well... I used to be the illustator for my dad's newspaper." Rhea faced her desk as she put down her stuff, bag sliding off of her shoulder and being hung on the back of her chair. Fred had stepped out of section and was trying to brush out the singed hair. He met George's eyes, both thinking the same thing. 

They knew Xenophilius and his two daughters were particularly eccentric, but from their time with Rhea, it was quite clear she wasn't as much. But the Quibbler did fit the family perfectly, and it was a little concerning to hear that Rhea had been just as much involved - there was some strange views and beliefs shared in that newspaper.

"And so I decided that I would make a couple of posters." The Lovegood girl smiled, the ice blonde hair framing her face bouncing as she turned towards them, using a rather intricately decorated letter opener to release the seal. "I sent them off to a place to get them duplicated and they only just came back."

She pulled out the posters, the back facing towards the boys. 

"Oh - and George, you wouldn't mind helping me put them up, would you?"

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