"No, sir, that figure won't do... It's a bit too much... Professor, please consider my position too. Business is bad these days. Couldn't we both give a little..."
"The idea is clever, but it's actually easy to copy... You know how rampant piracy is... If the cost is too high, people would rather buy counterfeits... I wouldn't make much money either..."
"Two-Way Mirrors and Floo Powder can both serve the same purpose. It might not be as popular as you think. We're only testing the waters ourselves; nobody knows how it'll sell once it really hits the market... If your price is too high, I'll have no choice but to give it up..."
Everyone crowded around Professor Murray, talking over one another as though they were laying siege to him.
When Marchioni began making offers, Wade finally understood that Professor Murray's party had really been a product launch for his Book of Friends.
No wonder he had not let Wade sell the Book of Friends at school himself—if information about a similar product had leaked beforehand, it might not have achieved today's effect. Besides, Wade could only earn a little of the students' pocket money by doing small-scale business at school. How could that compare to the efficiency of these "multinational corporations"?
Every unfamiliar wizard in the little garden could be called the head of a "multinational corporation." With the Floo Network and Portkeys, it was far easier for wizards than Muggles to travel between countries. And with the Undetectable Extension Charm, shipping costs could practically be ignored. Wizards could easily sell goods in different countries, even on different continents.
Wade stayed beside Professor Murray, watching him trade verbal blows with the wizards over how much they should pay for the patent license to use the Book of Friends. One