Pulling Off a Big Heist

"George, get rid of the runic snake head in this sack. Leave only the bones." Oren handed over the blood-dripping sack.

"Fred, go to Filch and borrow some metal ingots from him."

"Once we pull this off, I guarantee you'll have the richest Christmas your family's seen in eight generations."

"Oren, what about me? I'm no worse than my brothers." Ron put on a mature expression with his childish face.

Oren, the newly minted capitalist, examined Ron. This guy had no surplus value at all. In summary, he was worse than a house-elf.

"And who is this?" Oren pointed at Ron and pretended not to know him.

"Boss, don't mind him. He's our next-door neighbor."

Ron...

"Alright, I'm heading to the owlery. Meet at your secret little base later."

Before long, Oren arrived at the twins' secret base with Mige the owl in his arms.

"Take a look at this blueprint."

The twins took the bow blueprint and studied it carefully.

"This shouldn't be too difficult for you, right?"

Fred stroked his nonexistent beard. "It's not that difficult, but it's just a metal bow. It doesn't look all that special."

George said, "The patterns are just a little more complicated."

"That's where you're wrong. Metal makes it sturdy, so it won't snap when you draw it. And these patterns were specially designed around centaur aesthetics. I'd dare charge 888 Galleons for this skin alone."

The twins: Ruthless!

"Enough nonsense. Make a prototype first."

Ten minutes later~

Oren carefully examined the bow in his hand, drew it, nocked an arrow, aimed at a wooden crate in the distance, and let fly.

The arrow struck the wall beside the crate with perfect accuracy.

"Not bad. It's powerful. It sank at least three inches into the wall."

The twins...

He handed the bow and a written piece of parchment to Mige.

George whispered, "He's really strong."

"Just like his owner," Fred whispered back.

The twins asked, "What should we do now?"

Oren gazed out the window, then put on his top hat and monocle. "Wait for news."

"Alright."

The twins breathed a sigh of relief. After hauling over a pile of metal ingots and turning them into bows, even the landlord's donkey should have been tired by now.

"No. I mean I'll wait for news. You two keep working."

Oren glanced at the pair who seemed ready to slack off. "Have you forgotten your dream of opening a shop? This is a business worth three or four thousand Galleons."

"It's one thing if you don't want to work hard, but how can you slack off? How can people your age even bring themselves to slack off?"

Seeing the two reignite their fighting spirit and grit their teeth as they got back to work, Oren nodded in satisfaction.

Five minutes later~

Holding the parchment Mige had brought back, Oren said, "It's done. You two, work faster. Try to finish before dark."

After ruthlessly exploiting the two red-haired house-elves, Oren decided to take a nap first.

"Wake up, Oren. We're done."

"Alright, grab the goods. We're leaving."

In the Forbidden Forest, at the centaur camp.

Bane asked, "Did you bring the goods?"

"I did. How many do you want?" Oren said, leaning against a tree.

"How many do you have?"

"If you centaurs want a lot, we can price them by weight. How about a ten-percent discount if you buy a ton?"

"Ahem, let's inspect the goods first."

"Come on, I sell weapons. Would I sell you oversized toys? Fred, give him a demonstration."

"Damn it~ Ignore that." Fred drew the bow and nocked an arrow, looking quite convincing—then the arrow fell to the ground.

Silence filled the Forbidden Forest tonight.

"Let me do it." Firenze took the bow and fired an arrow into a distant tree trunk.

"Well, Bane? Powerful enough?"

"Not bad. How many do you have? We'll take them all."

"Twenty bows. That'll be four thousand Galleons."

Firenze curled his lip. "There's no special magic on these bows. Isn't four thousand a little too expensive?"

Oren immediately realized Firenze was no ordinary centaur. His gaze was clear, unlike Bane's, whose clarity carried a hint of stupidity, like someone who had never been tainted by knowledge.

This wouldn't do. I had to stand up and haggle with him. Oren adjusted his top hat and monocle. "Mine are powerful, and they can effectively solve the problem of certain centaurs taking hours and still failing to kill one snake."

"But these are just alchemical items made from ordinary metal. Four thousand is still too expensive."

"How can they be ordinary? Even the bowstrings are metal. Their durability is absolutely guaranteed, and they still work in the rain. Plus, they solve the problem of certain centaurs snapping three bows in a single draw."

Bane, who had been called out, said, "Ahem, ahem, ahem."

"But..." Firenze wanted to say something else.

Oren cut him off. "Look at these exquisite patterns. Imagine hunting in the Forbidden Forest. Other centaurs are all using bows made of broken wood, while you pull out these beautiful metal bows. I guarantee you'll be the sharpest-looking guys for miles around."

"The skin on this bow alone is worth 888 Galleons."

Bane said, "Fine, fine. Deal."

The centaurs brought out several sacks and poured out potion ingredients and some precious metal ores.

The more Oren looked at the ores, the more familiar they seemed. "Well, well. Who'd have thought you thick-browed centaurs had started raiding Niffler nests too? Morals really are declining these days."

Bane rolled his eyes so hard they nearly reached the top of his skull. "We learned it from you, alright?"

"Ahem. You two, pick out materials worth four thousand Galleons. Pick more potion ingredients so I can sell them to Snape."

Oren kept rubbing his hands together greedily as he stared at the sizzling, grease-dripping venison roasting over the campfire.

Half an hour later.

The exhausted twins said, "All done, Oren."

"Then let's go." Oren tossed away a bone, tore off two more deer legs, cast a warming charm on them, and packed them to go.

Watching their retreating backs, Bane thought, Foolish little wizards. They traded some scavenged junk for so many high-quality weapons.

Oren thought, Foolish centaurs. They traded all these potion ingredients for a bit of scrap metal.

"Oh, right. You two remember to buy some copper ingots and return them."

Outside Snape's office.

"You two stay here. I'm going to trade the materials to Snape for Galleons."

Fred watched Oren walk away. "George, do you think he'll make it out alive?"

"Probably. Let's hope the old bat doesn't rob a little wizard."

Bang! Oren kicked the door open and strode into the office.

Snape!!!

What was going on? Did he insist on dueling me today? Was he taking advantage of my illness to finish me off?

"Oh, Filch is here too. This is the first time I've discovered you provide medical services as well."

Filch gritted his teeth. "You..."

"Alright, Professor, don't be nervous. I'm not here to finish you off." Oren locked the office door behind him. "I'm here to do business."

"Professor, what do you think of these potion ingredients? I won't ask for much. How about eight thousand Galleons?"

"Tsk, tsk. A dog bit you, didn't it? You didn't go to Madam Pomfrey, so there must be something wrong with that wound. You wouldn't want word getting around Hogwarts that the Head of Slytherin was bitten by a dog, would you?"

Snape said darkly, "Five thousand Galleons at most."

"Deal. Cash for goods."

Filch...

The twins stared wide-eyed as Oren emerged from Snape's office completely unharmed, carrying a large bag of Galleons.

"You actually came out alive." ×2

"What kind of thing is that to say? You think I'm scared of that old man? Come on, let's go split the loot."

In the Gryffindor common room, the trio stared dumbfoundedly at the neighboring table, where the three were weighing out gold and stuffing themselves with meat.

"Alright, we split it fifty-fifty. I take fifty percent, and you two split the other fifty percent."

"Don't look at me like that. You two are such close brothers that I've always considered you one person."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... What, is your brotherhood made of plastic? Are all twins like this these days?"

The twins...

"Fine, fine. The two of us can split fifty percent."

George asked, "So what was that snake skull even for?"

"For nothing. Didn't I see that you had surplus value—no, I mean, ability? So I had you help me with a small favor."

"What kind of look is that? I only asked because I think you're capable. Otherwise, why wouldn't I exploit—no, request Fred's help instead?"

The twins: Their fists clenched.

Oren decisively fled and plopped down beside the trio's table.

"Oh, is Hermione acting like your mum and checking your homework?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at Oren.

Ron complained, "Oren, help us out. Let us copy your homework. Hermione absolutely refuses to let us copy, and even after we finish it ourselves, she checks it."

Hermione said, "Don't let them copy. What would they learn that way?"

"Ron, you're asking the wrong person. I don't write homework at all. The twins do it for me."

Hermione said, "They've had a tiring day too, haven't they? They look pretty sleepy..."

"It's fine. They'll voluntarily stay up late and work overtime."

Ron asked, "How do you do that?"

"What do you mean, how? I pay them Galleons. There's nothing shameful about making money."

Ron...

Harry quietly asked Oren, "Can we copy the Potions essay on your desk?"

"Hehe, Draco Malfoy wrote that. Copy it if you're not worried there might be problems. I only use it to line the owl nest anyway."

Harry cried out, "Oren, how did you do that?"

"Last time, when he tricked you into that midnight duel, I convinced him he'd run away at the crucial moment and betrayed pure-blood honor. Though I doubt it'll take him long to figure it out."

Harry gave Oren a thumbs-up.

"Alright, stop writing. Come try some roasted deer legs, a Forbidden Forest centaur specialty."

Oren took out the roasted deer legs and slapped them onto the table.

The two boys' eyes lit up. They threw aside their homework and grabbed utensils to eat.

Hermione said, "Can't you two finish your homework before eating?"

"I suggest you eat some first too, or there'll only be bones left soon." Oren pointed at the two, whose knives were moving so fast they left afterimages.

The young witch hesitated for a moment, then tossed aside her homework and joined the eating army.

"Oh, right, you should've seen Snape's expression when he saw me. It was like I was about to finish him off."

Ron swallowed a piece of roasted meat. "Oren, did you really duel Snape?"

Harry asked, "Can you beat Snape?"

"Of course... not."

The trio...