Haggling Should Start by Cutting the Price in Half / You Can Reveal Your Connections During Negotiations ...

Hermione could understand Harry's excitement at this moment, because this problem had really troubled him for too long, and today, he unexpectedly saw a glimmer of hope for a solution.

So she placed her hands on Harry's back and, in front of everyone in the room, whether surprised or teasing, returned a gentle hug to Harry.

"Yay!"

"Haha, those two really are having an affair!"

This action completely ignited the atmosphere in the teahouse, and a large group of people who loved watching the excitement stood up and applauded, with many even starting to whistle.

Just then, the Weasley Brothers also pushed open the door and entered, as if they already knew Harry and Hermione would be there, and quite naturally joined in the fun.

"Hehe, I told you, those two would definitely come here, and they absolutely couldn't resist!" Fred clapped and laughed.

"That's right, but what about Ginny?" George was thinking about another problem. If today's events became widely known, his sister would definitely be very upset.

"We can talk about her later; right now, the most important thing is to join in the fun!"

"That's right! Go Granger!" Hearing his brother say that, George immediately stopped caring about his sister's girlish feelings and started cheering.

The farce in the teahouse lasted for several minutes before gradually dissipating. After glaring at the Weasley Twins who had been egging them on, Ha and H glared at them and left Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop with them.

However, they were unaware that the turmoil surrounding this incident was far from over.

The rumor that "the Granger Siblings had a tryst at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop and ended up having an orgasm while discussing their studies" will definitely spread like wildfire throughout the school in the next few days.

Of course, all of that is a story for later. The Weasley Brothers had already arranged for the village council to be headed by the Three Broomsticks, and now Harry was off to negotiate a big deal.

Chapter 381 Bargaining Starts with Cutting Prices in Half

When Ha and his brother arrived at the Three Broomsticks with the twin brothers, the person they were supposed to meet had already booked a private room.

There were two men and one woman; Harry had never seen any of them before.

"Harry, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Hengist, the Honorary President of the Hogsmeade Village Council." Fred pointed to the kind-looking old man among the three and introduced him. "Hogsmeade Village was originally founded by the wizard Hengist from Woodcroft. In memory of him, his descendants are elected as honorary presidents to oversee all matters, big and small, in Hogsmeade Village."

"Hello, Mr. Hengist." Knowing that the other party was the main person he was negotiating with today, Harry greeted him politely.

"Potter ...no, Mr. Granger, it's a pleasure to meet you too." Old Hengist looked very excited when he saw Harry, like a fan suddenly meeting their idol.

To be honest, over the years, Harry has become immune to that kind of expression... Of course, it's also possible that the other party is genuinely just eager to sell the land.

"This lady is Madam Rosmerta; she owns this bar. My brother really likes her; he even blushed when he first met her. As for the remaining gentleman, he's the owner of the Hog's Head Inn..."

George introduced the remaining two women to Harry. Madam Rosmerta was very well-preserved and could be described as still charming. She must have been a beauty in her youth.

As for the last person, George hesitated slightly when mentioning him, because the other man was an eccentric fellow who rarely participated in village affairs, and he didn't know why he would suddenly be interested in the land acquisition.

However, Harry didn't need the Weasley Brothers to introduce him; as soon as he heard the title 'Hog's Head Inn's Head,' he immediately recognized the man's identity.

The tall, thin old man with a wisp of metallic gray hair had bright blue eyes similar to the headmaster's. As he sat there, his eyebrows and shoulders twitched slightly and restlessly, giving him an air of anxiety.

Aberforth Dumbledore Dumbledore... This man is the Headmaster's younger brother and a former member of the Order of the Phoenix.

Out of a sense of foresight, Harry had been gathering intelligence on the former Order of the Phoenix through various channels, and the owner of the Hog's Head Inn's Head was naturally among those he was keeping an eye on.

However, the other party seems to be very mysterious; it is said that even Sirius has only seen him once.

The reason he's here today is probably because he's the main person involved in the land sale, and he's just curious and came to take a look.

"Mr. Granger, I heard from two of your classmates that you want to buy the land at the Shrieking Shack?" After the group introduced themselves, old Hengist got straight to the point. "You must still be a student, you know, buying and selling land is no joke."

"Mr. Hengist, rest assured, I never joke about serious matters," Harry replied politely. "I just took a look at the land for the Shrieking Shack, and it basically meets my requirements. If you're really in a hurry to sell, why don't you give me an offer?"

"That's right, Mr. Granger. Once the land in Hogsmeade Village is sold, the right to use it belongs to you for life. Unless you or your subsequent family members move out of Hogsmeade Village with all your property, the village council will not forcibly reclaim your land for any reason."

"Furthermore, you have complete freedom to use this land. Whether you build a house or use it as a shop, the village council will not interfere. As for the price, it will definitely be very reasonable, and you won't lose out at all!"

It was obvious that Mr. Hengist was an honest man who wasn't very good at negotiating. He was so eager to settle the Shrieking Shack deal that he practically spilled the beans after Harry asked him just a few questions.

After his description, Harry finally understood what the "right price" Old Hengist meant.

"Five square meters for one Galleon, Mr. Granger, what do you think of this price?"

A five-square-meter plot of land in Galleon... well, the price... it's not even a question of whether it's reasonable anymore...

This is practically a steal!

Think about it, five square meters of land only costs one gold coin. In other words, even if Harry bought a 100,000 square meter plot of land, the final total price would only be 20,000 Galleon.

If converted to pounds, it's roughly equivalent to one pound per square meter.

You should know that in some of the border counties of Britain, even the cheapest plots of land can cost more than three pounds per square meter, and once you buy such land, you are basically only allowed to use it for agriculture and livestock, and you can forget about building houses on it.

However, the land in Hogsmeade Village, a location that is extremely popular in the Wizarding World, is priced at only one-third of that in the Borderlands. Moreover, once purchased, it belongs to the owner for life, allowing them to use it as they please and even pass it on to their descendants. This is truly a fire sale.

So, with such a great deal... Harry naturally felt a little embarrassed and tried to haggle a bit more.

Whether it can be cheaper is another matter. As a China citizen, what we enjoy most is the thrill of bargaining... Besides, what if we actually manage to get a better price?

"Excuse my bluntness, Mr. Hengist," Harry began calmly after a brief rehearsal, "The site of the Shrieking Shack is indeed decent, the flat terrain is suitable for building houses. But there's one problem: this is the most haunted house in all of Britain. Even the villagers of Hogsmeade Village don't dare to go near it. Any shop opened here is basically guaranteed to lose money, it's difficult to attract enough customers, do you agree?"

"This...this is indeed the truth." Old Hengist looked embarrassed; he hadn't expected Harry's words to be so sharp.

Harry said it was definitely true; if the place weren't haunted, why would he be in such a hurry to find a buyer?

Even if it were a kid like the Weasley Twins, he would be willing to meet Harry, a third-year student, if they asked him to.

Because he knew very well that with the 'notoriety' of the Shrieking Shack, and the speed at which Hogsmeade Village had attracted new residents and shops in recent years... if he couldn't sell this land soon, it might never be able to.

"So your price is definitely too high. If you really want to sell, then I won't be coy... one Galleon for ten square meters, what do you think of this price?"

From five to ten, Harry simply chopped it in half!

Chapter 382 It's acceptable to proactively reveal your backing during negotiations.

"Ten... ten square meters for one Galleon? Mr. Granger, are you kidding me?"

Sure enough, Harry's slash was so powerful that old Hengist was both angry and anxious, and he couldn't sit still on his stool.

"Never before in recorded history has a land sale in Hogsmeade Village been offered at such a low price! I'm sorry, Mr. Granger, I absolutely cannot agree to your offer!"

"Mr. Hengist, please don't be so quick to refuse." Seeing that the other party was about to leave, Harry quickly and kindly persuaded him, "Actually, you should understand that the Shrieking Shack is a burden to you and to the entire Hogsmeade Village. By selling it to me, you are essentially getting rid of this burden."

"Besides, I'm not just buying the small plot of land where the Shrieking Shack located; I'm also buying the surrounding land. That way, once my house is built, it will connect the remote outskirts of the village with the village center, and the original site of the Shrieking Shack will be completely isolated from the village, never to be seen by any villagers again. Don't you think this solution is perfect?"

"This... this must require quite a lot of land, right?" After hearing Harry's description, old Hengist couldn't help but feel a little doubtful, but he was also genuinely intrigued. "Mr. Granger, just how big of a plot of land do you want to buy?"

"No problem, I want to buy the entire plot of land extending 500 meters horizontally and vertically into the village, bounded by the Shrieking Shack!"

As he spoke, Harry pulled out a sketch he had drawn earlier and pointed out the plot of land he had marked out to everyone.

Upon seeing the square outline on the sketch, even Harry's side stared in astonishment.

It turns out that Harry wasn't talking about a small business deal involving the Shrieking Shack at all, but a huge business deal spanning twenty-five hectares!

Upon hearing Harry's true intentions, Madam Rosmerta, who had initially intended to say something, immediately changed her mind.

"We've been chatting for so long, you must all be thirsty. I'll go get some Butterbeer; it's on me today!"

She quickly got up, swaying as she walked out of the room, not forgetting to give Harry a flirtatious wink.

"Please just prepare a regular juice for me; I can't drink alcoholic beverages." Harry returned the gesture with a kind smile.

Butterbeer is a favorite drink among wizards, said to be sweet and not as cloying as butter, and has consistently enjoyed good sales and reputation.

However, due to the influence of his profession in his previous life, Harry himself does not drink alcohol, so he could only regretfully miss out on this popular beverage.

"No problem, I'll have the waiter bring it over later." Madam Rosmerta nodded and hurriedly pushed open the door and left.

It seems she has no intention of coming back to advise Hengist.

He truly is a shrewd and calculating person; he immediately grasped the current situation.

If it were just a small shop deal, Madam Rosmerta would certainly not mind giving old Hengist advice; but Harry is now negotiating a huge order worth tens of thousands of Galleon, and he's clearly going to haggle with old Hengist, so it's best for her not to interfere.

After all, if she interrupted, she would likely offend Harry regardless of whether the deal went through or not.

The Three Broomsticks are, after all, a business that needs to operate. Making enemies of someone as wealthy, famous, and well-connected as Harry Potter would definitely not be a wise choice.

However, not everyone can protect themselves as wisely as she did.

"Five hundred meters on each side, twenty-five hectares of land... If you want to buy such a large piece of land, then the price you mentioned is even more impossible." After Madam Rosmerta left, Aberforth Dumbledore suddenly spoke up, "According to your calculations, if Hogsmeade Village were to sell this land to you, you could only get twenty-five thousand Galleon. That's practically robbery!"

"Mr. Dumbledore, you must be joking. Have you ever seen a robber eager to hand over money to his victim?" Harry chuckled, meeting Aberforth Dumbledore's gaze without flinching. "Whether it's 50,000 Galleon or 25,000 Galleon, it's better to lose than to gain nothing, right? Besides, given the state of the Shrieking Shack, buying it would mean taking on a huge risk no matter what I do with it in the future."

"You... well, you're pretty good, kid."

Aberforth Dumbledore was defeated in just one round; there was no way he could argue better than his brother.

Originally, she was just annoyed that Harry kept bringing up the Shrieking Shack, so she spoke up for Hengist, but she didn't expect Harry to immediately retort.

But on second thought, Aberforth found Harry's style of doing things quite interesting. This way of exploiting the other party's weaknesses and taking advantage of them was very different from his own brother.

So he simply stopped talking and decided to quietly watch Harry continue his performance.

"Mr. Granger, would you mind telling me what you plan to do with such a large piece of land?" Old Hengist asked tentatively at this point.

A plot of land of twenty-five hectares could be used to build more than one ultra-luxury villa; and if it were used to open shops, it would certainly be the largest in the entire Britain wizarding world!

So... this is no longer a question of whether or not to sell the land, but whether Hogsmeade Village will miss out on a super-large landmark building!

"I'm going to build a retirement home." Harry didn't hide his plan. "Once I get the land, I'll build a garden villa-style retirement home here, and then invite some highly respected people to live here. For example, my teachers, Nicolas Flamel and his wife, and of course, Newt Scamander and his wife too. I've already spoken to them."

"At the same time, given that I am a student of Hogwarts, I will also give some preferential treatment to the teachers at Hogwarts. For example, Professor Kettleburn, who just retired last year, can move in after the retirement home is completed. In short, in order to make these elders more comfortable, the space I need will naturally be larger."

"Mr. Granger, you just mentioned... Nicolas Flamel, and... Newt Scamander?"

Now, old Hengist was completely flustered. He even downed the Butterbeer that had just been delivered, but it did nothing to calm him down.

This was actually one of Harry's little tricks. After all, his connections didn't have to expire. Only by letting old Hengist clearly understand his power could he gain the upper hand in this negotiation.

Similarly, this also served as a deterrent to Aberforth Dumbledore.

My connections are much stronger than your brother's, so whether you're curious or for any other reason, you'd better not pry into my affairs!

Chapter 383 Peeves is capable of bringing big surprises.

"In short, that's roughly the situation. It's a plot of land totaling 250,000 square meters. I can't possibly pay you 50,000 Galleon; 25,000 would be more reasonable. Of course, Mr. Hengist, you can take your time to consider it; I have plenty of time."

After finishing his drink in one gulp, Harry stood up and said goodbye, "Let's call it a day. Come back and talk to me again when you've thought it through."

When negotiating business, you can't be impatient for quick results. If you appear too eager, the other party will notice your weakness and might try to raise the price, causing unnecessary complications.

So it's better to leave it at that and let Hengist go and discuss it further with the other village councilors who didn't come.

In any case, Harry was certain that old Hengist wouldn't refuse, and neither would the other members of the Hogsmeade Village Council who hadn't come.

After all, no one would willingly offend Harry and the powerful figures behind him for a piece of wasteland that was destined to rot in their hands.

Of course, the final transaction price for this plot of land should be more than 25,000, so I can just add a little more.

Whether it's 30,000 or 40,000, I'll definitely be the one who benefits.

"Hey, kid!" Harry was about to head back to school after leaving the Three Broomsticks when Aberforth Dumbledore called out to him from behind.

"Mr. Dumbledore, is there anything I can help you with?" Harry asked, turning around.

"Nothing special, just that I find you quite amusing, and you can be really ruthless when you get going." Aberforth Dumbledore winked at Harry. "You've been bringing up the Shrieking Shack the whole time; I don't believe you don't know what's going on with that house."

"Of course I know. The Shrieking Shack is just a haunted, headache-inducing house, nothing special about it," Harry replied casually to Aberforth Dumbledore. "Mr. Dumbledore, if you really feel sorry for Mr. Hengist, you can always ask your brother to make up the difference. After all... I wasn't the one who started the rumor that the Shrieking Shack is haunted."

"You...hey, interesting. You're quite an interesting fellow." Aberforth Dumbledore didn't seem offended by Harry at all. Instead, he laughed and patted Harry on the shoulder. "Your personality suddenly feels a bit familiar. And you just said...you're also a student of Nicolas Flamel?"

"It's just that I'm grateful for your appreciation, teacher." Harry nodded, then shook his head. "As for your sense of familiarity, I think it's just an illusion."

"Fine, I'm not talking to you anymore. Come visit the Hog's Head Inn sometime, it's on me~" Noticing Harry's somewhat cold attitude, Aberforth Dumbledore shrugged listlessly and then turned and left.

Harry, however, had no intention of apologizing or responding to the invitation.

Not every 'celebrity' is worth befriending, especially when your true nature is easily exposed.

That damned sense of familiarity... it was obvious that I had seen that person in my previous life!

Harry already has enough on his plate, and he doesn't want to complicate things by bringing up the Aberforth Dumbledore subplot over something as simple as buying land.