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HP Chapter 54: A Trade Secret
🕑 Added 2025-08-25 14:00:18 +0000 UTC"Fred, George?" Anne called softly. As she passed the Gryffindor table, she discreetly flashed a V-sign at the twins. Once she got a knowing glance from both of them, she returned to the Slytherin table as if nothing had happened.
"That’s it? That’s how you contact them?" Fanny whispered as Anne sat down. "You just whispered their names. Are you sure they even heard you?"
"That’s just a beginner-level contact method, Fanny," Anne said with a small smile. "You’ll see the result soon enough."
Sure enough, not long after, Fred and George turned up in an empty classroom on the second floor.
"Whoa, Anne, how’d you even do that?" Fanny asked, wide-eyed as the twins walked in.
"That’s classified business information, Miss Charles," Fred said.
"Can’t give it away so easily," George added. Both of them were clearly in high spirits.
"Anne? Got another brilliant idea for us?" George asked.
"Because we’ve got a few questions for you too," Fred added.
"You two… this isn’t the first time, is it?" Fanny said in surprise.
"Of course not. Most of the good ideas we’ve had recently came from Anne," Fred said.
"She’s got quite the mind for this kind of thing, though she doesn’t like taking credit. But we won’t forget her help," George added.
The way they spoke, one starting the sentence and the other finishing it, was entirely new to Fanny, and she found it absolutely delightful.
"Alright, enough flattery. Fanny reminded me of something today, and it gave me another idea. With Christmas break coming up, I thought this one could help you make a tidy profit before heading home, maybe even raise some funds for your next round of experiments."
Fred and George’s eyes lit up instantly. They sat upright, exaggeratedly pulling out quills and parchment like perfect students ready for class.
Fanny blinked in amazement. Anne tugged her to sit beside her across from the twins.
"First, let me introduce a few fun terms. Pay attention, these terms are the foundation of the business."
Fred and George poised their quills just a centimeter above their parchment, ready to jot things down.
"All students can be divided into ten categories: Study Maniacs, Study Gods, Study Elites, Study Rogues, Study Commons... hold on, I’ll explain them one by one."
"First is the Study Maniac: obsessed with studying to the point that not studying feels like dying. Second, the Study God: cool, brilliant, untouchable, always excelling without breaking a sweat. Third, the Study Elite: hidden geniuses who dominate every subject with calm confidence. Fourth, the Study Rogue: the kind who sleeps in class, plays during breaks, but somehow still scores well. Fifth, the Study Commoner: average intelligence, worships elites, looks down on slackers, and believes hard work will one day close the gap."
Fred and George’s grins grew wider by the second, ideas already spinning in their heads.
"Sixth, the Study Weakling: burned out from cramming all night, body wrecked. Seventh, the Study Struggler: works hard with limited ability, but never gets the results they want. Eighth, the Study Wreck: completely broken by school, hopelessly lost. Ninth, the Study Slacker: doesn’t try, but also doesn’t care, just drifting by. And lastly, the Study Washout: way past help. Long since given up."
By now, Fred and George were doubled over laughing, having dropped their quills. Fanny couldn’t stop giggling either, it was ridiculous, yet hilariously accurate.
"And there’s a special class that transcends the ten," Anne added. "Study Cream Puff. Looks like a Study Elite on the outside, but is actually a Study Struggler inside. Cracks under pressure."
That got another round of roaring laughter from the twins.
Once everyone calmed down, Anne said, "Here’s the plan. I’ve got a basic idea, feel free to improve it. Start with our year as a test group. First, get everyone familiar with the terms, make the definitions free and fun to spread around."
Fred nodded. "Good point. I bet people will remember them after just one read... right, Study Washout?"
George snickered. "I think I’m more of a Study Rogue, actually."
Fanny turned to Anne curiously. "So what about you?"
"Me?" Anne chuckled. "Definitely a Study Cream Puff. I look like a top student, but I’m actually a mess inside."
Fred said, "We could make a ranking board at Hogwarts, like the Quidditch rankings, but for study types! We’d sell it to students who want to know where they stand."
George added, "Or we make badges for each category. Everyone picks their own. Percy would love one that says ‘Study God’ to wear next to his Head Boy badge."
Anne joined in. "What if we team up with Honeydukes in Hogsmeade? They could sell candy themed after each type. For example, Study God Lollipops that clear your mind during exams, just add a touch of mint for focus!"
"And Study Cream Puff Chocolates! Rich chocolate outside, with a surprise yolk-pastry center!"
"You and food..." Fanny said with a laugh, shaking her head. Fred and George cracked up again.
"But those are genuinely great ideas," Fanny admitted. "I want to try the Study Washout flavor. Got anything in mind?"
Anne tilted her head in thought. "Maybe something like a jelly that melts instantly in your mouth into sugary water..."
Fred and George looked at her with admiration. Fanny sighed, Anne really was full of food ideas.
Anne spent the whole afternoon working with the twins, treating it like one of her past-life projects. She reviewed every detail and made them promise not to leak a word.
The next two weeks were a whirlwind. Fred and George created magical flyers with animated stick figures. Fanny designed fun, eye-catching badge styles. Anne gave them all the candy concepts, and the twins used their secret ways to get in touch with Honeydukes, who responded fast and delivered prototypes. Anne tirelessly taste-tested and tweaked the recipes.
The last week of term arrived, and the third-years were allowed another Hogsmeade visit. Two days before the weekend, Anne, Fanny, and the twins finalized everything in their usual empty classroom.
At breakfast the next morning, Fred and George unleashed a shower of animated flyers all over the Great Hall. Each house table was littered with parchment, stick figure animations showed different "study types" in action: in class, at exams, goofing off... At the two-minute mark, the stick figures even started visiting and teasing each other. Laughter echoed across the entire hall.
At the bottom of the flyer was a note:
6 p.m. sharp, Limited release of 110 badges in the Great Hall. First come, first served. 5 silver sickles each.
In tiny print: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
By noon, the whole school was buzzing. Students debated which type they were and planned to get in line early. Fred and George were nowhere to be found, mobbed all morning by eager buyers trying to sneak an early badge.
By 5 p.m., a massive line had formed by a plain wooden table. Peeves and the Bloody Baron had shockingly been recruited to keep order. Anyone who tried to cut was swiftly chased off by Peeves. He even counted 110 people exactly, then stood at the end of the line to block any more.
Malfoy tried to cut in but got driven off, he didn’t dare argue with the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin house ghost.
"Wow, Anne, Hogwarts really has this many students?" Fanny said, standing off to the side.
Anne looked toward the noisy, crowded corner and laughed. "Guess everyone was bored stiff in this castle until now."
Ron and Harry walked over. Ron crossed his arms with a huff. "Can you believe this? I’m their brother and they still wouldn’t let me buy a badge early!"
"Haha!" Fanny giggled. "Wait, Ron, you wanted a Study Elite badge? Did you even read the descriptions? You’re totally a Study Struggler."
Harry laughed too, easing the sting a bit. "Oh yeah? And what are you then?" Ron challenged Fanny.
"I’d like to be a Study God, but realistically? Just a Study Elite." Fanny grinned. Ron turned away, grumbling, he knew he couldn’t argue with her grades.
"And Anne? What do you think you are?" Harry asked, smiling.
Anne laughed. "I aim to be a Study Rogue, but I think I’m a full-on Study Cream Puff."
"I don’t agree with that," came Hermione’s voice from behind them. She had just returned from the library, backpack over her shoulder.
"Uh oh, the real Study Elite has arrived," Fanny joked.
"You mean Study Maniac, surely," Ron said. "You’ve spent every spare moment this week in the library!"
Hermione just nodded matter-of-factly. "The homework’s brutal. Is the line already full? It's not even six."
"‘Not even’?" Ron groaned. "It filled up at five! How did Fred and George get Peeves and the Bloody Baron to help? Malfoy got kicked out and didn’t even complain!"
Fanny glanced at Anne, who just smiled. Hermione noticed the look.
At exactly 6 p.m., Fred and George entered the hall with a big box. The line craned their necks.
"STUDY GOD BADGES, SOLD OUT!!" Fred shouted a minute later. Groans erupted from the back.
"STUDY ELITE, SOLD OUT!"
"STUDY ROGUE, SOLD OUT!"
"STUDY MANIAC, SOLD OUT!"
In under ten minutes, they were completely gone.
Fred announced, "Tomorrow, same time, 250 badges! First come, first served! Thirty each for Study Gods, Elites..."
Those who got badges wore them proudly, they were the only 110 in the school with them for 24 hours.
Next morning, Friday, Malfoy strutted into the Slytherin table with a Study God badge pinned proudly to his robes. Anne and Fanny exchanged amused looks.
At lunch, another batch of animated flyers appeared. This time, stick figures told "The Untold Stories of Study Elites, Gods, Rogues, and Strugglers (Part 1)." They acted out scenes of class, cramming, and cheating, each with little internal monologues above their heads, full of hilarious commentary.
The back featured a sneak peek of Honeydukes' 11 new candy flavors, each named after a study type, fueling Saturday’s hype.
Even first- and second-years were begging upperclassmen to buy them some.
By 5 p.m., students rushed to line up after class. Harry and Ron were among them. The badges sold out in under half an hour.
Ron wore his Study Struggler badge proudly, while Harry got a Study Commoner one. Anne, Fanny, and Hermione stood in the corner watching the chaos.
"Hermione makes sense, she’s always in the library," Ron said. "But Anne, Fanny, why didn’t you two buy badges?"
"Heh… well…" Fanny glanced at Anne.
Anne replied seriously, "I’m more interested in the candy!"
Hermione and Fanny burst out laughing, they knew exactly how much Anne loved food. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance and nodded, yep, that tracked.
"I’m excited for the Study Struggler candy," Ron said, holding up the flyer. "It says it fights on your tongue! Like the stick figures!"
"Don’t ask me. Maybe go ask your brothers?" Anne said.
Fanny stared dreamily at Ron’s flyer.
"They won’t tell me! I asked like ten times this afternoon!" Ron huffed.
When the topic turned to Honeydukes, Harry stayed quiet. They all knew he couldn’t visit Hogsmeade yet, so they let the subject drop.
