Knockturned for The Better (Harry Potter Shopkeeper Quest)

[It's time to find a builder]
Once one is located, setting up the place is relatively easy with magic. It is, however, not something Nikola knows how to do. A Magical Architect should be around however.

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

There were, in fact, architects around. In fact, there were an even dozen by Nikola's reckoning. Well suited in a central location for all of Wizarding England's needs. Some promised refitted Muggle homes, some promised ruined castles refitted, others promised only the deepest and darkest dungeons where one could get up to whatever devious dalliances drive men mad. None however, fit two criteria in particular.

The first, of course, being within his price range. Those that would be willing to take the job started in the hundreds of Galleons, and even those he could afford of those… it would leave Nikola so destitute that he would be unlikely to keep the shop open longer than a month once he concerned himself with such basic necessities as food and water. Perhaps he was greedy, expecting such things would be simple. At this point the best offer he had was… three hundred galleons and he'd have what amounted to an empty first floor beyond some shelving, and a second floor that had little more than running water and a carpeted floor. Nikola has stayed in worse, much worse in fact. But it's not exactly a glorious start either. The others, of course, refused to build on 'cursed' property.

Turning his head towards the sky, Nikola sighed, moving a hand to rub at his eyes beneath the sunglasses. A slight kick against his chest caused him to look down again, and his eyes met Fluffi's. "Yes?"

Fluffi's nose twitched.

"We'll be fine."

Fluffi's nose twitched again.

"If you think it's so easy then why don't you try breaking back into Serbia you little-"

"'Scuse me!" a high pitched, yet strangely rough female voice cuts through the crowd noise in Diagon Alley, and Nikola turns around… finding himself face to face with… a penned up snake hanging just outside a petshop. Nikola stares at it, observing the magenta scal-

"Down 'ere!"


View: https://i.imgur.com/FRxLGD4.jpeg

Standing, roughly at the height of Nikola's knees, is… a Goblin. Wearing children's suspenders over a baggy green shirt. It and the suspenders were smudged and dirtied by what appears to be a one to one mixture of sawdust and paint. Brown eyes twinkled with obvious delight as the female goblin looked up at Nikola from underneath a mop of messy brown hair, pencils poking out of it at various angles almost like hair-curlers. Her mouth opens in a wide grin, revealing very sharp teeth as she does so. 'Eard you were lookin' for an architect!" She does a hasty bow, causing a pencil to fall out of her hair and onto the pavement. "Trimsy, at yer service!"

"I am." Nikola replies, leaning against his staff. "I wasn't aware that I was already drawing attention to myself."

"I saw you goin' to them… second-rate architects, you gone under contract?"

"No, though I am thinking over offers." Nikola replies.

Offer, singular in truth. But one didn't need to look desperate.

"Well, you've got that lovely vacant plot o' land in Knockturn, right?"

Nikola nods.

"I'll build whatever you need there, no cost!"

"Free?"

Trimsy made a face like he had said something particular disgusting."Free? Nah, don't talk daft. I'll build the buildin', an' you'll borrow it from me. I'll just take it back when you're six feet under an' I get to lodge there."

Nikola's smile dims. "Apologies, I have been cursed more than once, did you state that… I am borrowing the building?"

"And I get to stay there, yes."

Nikola stares at the goblin for several moments, saying nothing. Goblins had a different opinion on 'ownership' that much he knew. But this is, regardless, unusual. The business model made little practical sense. Which meant… "Are you homeless?"

"I'm temporarily lodgin' challenged." Trimsy replies."Look, you get yer shop, I get a place to kip while I get me firm up an' runnin'. Deal?" she sticks a hand up, offering it to Nikola, only to pause, her gaze moving to Fluffi curiously as the rabbit partially phased through my clothes to try and sniff at her hand.

… Wizarding England is proving to be a fascinating place so far.

—

350 Galleons remaining.

[] [Refuse - 300 Galleons]
Have a basic place with little in the way of accommodation or comfort, but you have to start somewhere. It's yours to do with as you see fit however.

[] [Accept - Free]
A more complete structure… complete with a roommate. However, this space won't be fully your own, and wizarding culture looks down on Goblins, which might not be helpful for sales.

—

Next chapter in two weeks, my normal writing schedule is biweekly chapters. Most are a good deal longer than this, just the vote was so one-sided and this one was going to be so short there was no reason to make ya'll wait. Hope you enjoyed!