Hogwarts Lion Girl

When Salina returned to Swinburne Manor, night had fallen and the deep blue sky was dotted with stars.

The fire in the fireplace was still burning, illuminating the entire living room with warmth and brightness. Salina sat down on the sofa next to the fireplace, and Donald brought her a cup of steaming milk.

"Thank you, Donald," Salina took the milk and took a sip. The warm milk flowed down her throat into her stomach, dispelling the chill of the night. "Did anything happen today?"

"Everything is fine, Miss," Donald replied respectfully, "but Mr. Terrence called this afternoon and said he had something important to discuss with you."

"Oh? Did he say what it was?" Salina put down the cup of milk in her hand and asked curiously.

"It's about the cooperation with the Higgs family," Donald paused and continued, "The family has almost occupied the market share in the United States. Mr. Terrence hopes to meet with you again as soon as possible to discuss the follow-up cooperation between the two families."

Salina frowned slightly and thought for a moment, "I see. Tell him that we will meet at the coffee shop near the Ministry of Magic tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay, miss." Donald bowed slightly, turned around and left the living room.

Salina looked out the window at the dark night sky and fell into deep thought.

……

The coffee shop where Salina and Terrence were to meet was hidden at the corner of a cobblestone street, mostly obscured by tall sycamore trees. It would be easy to miss it if you didn't look for it deliberately.

The mottled wooden sign has "The Crooked Kettle" written in cursive, exuding a sense of quaint mystery.

A small window was filled with warm light, and a pot of blooming hyacinths was placed on the windowsill, adding a touch of vitality to the slightly cold alley.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, it's like stepping into another world, filled with the aroma of coffee and cinnamon, making you want to find out more.

Warm yellow light shines on the dark wooden floor, casting a soft glow.

Several small round tables are scattered around the room, paired with comfortable velvet chairs, creating an intimate and warm atmosphere.

Behind the bar, an old coffee machine made a low roar. An old gentleman with a white beard was carefully grinding coffee beans, and the air was filled with rich aroma.

The walls are decorated with old oil paintings and yellowed photos, recording the history and stories of this coffee shop.

The bookshelves are filled with a wide variety of books, from classic literature to modern novels, for guests to while away the time while waiting for their coffee.

The roaring fire in the fireplace dispelled the chill of early spring and added a bit of warmth to this small space.

When Salina pushed the door open, she saw Terrence sitting by the window.

He was wearing a well-tailored black suit, his silver-gray hair was neatly combed, and he was reading a newspaper with his head down.

Hearing the noise, Terrence raised his head and smiled warmly: "Salina, you are here."

"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Salina smiled and sat down opposite him. "I ran into a little trouble on the way."

"It's okay. I just got here too." Terrence waved to the waiter, "Would you like a cup of your favorite mocha?"

Salina nodded, "Thank you."

After the waiter brought the coffee, the two officially began their conversation.

"To be honest, my knowledge of the American wizarding world is limited to textbooks." Salina gently stirred the coffee, and the liquid in the cup glowed under the light. "You really helped me a lot."

"It's a matter of mutual benefit. It's the nature of businessmen. But..." Terrence put down the newspaper, crossed his fingers and leaned on the table, his tone was a little solemn: "You should know that the current situation in the European magic world is not optimistic."

Sharina understood what he meant and nodded slightly.

Voldemort's return cast a shadow over the European wizarding world, causing panic among the people, and even the Muggle world was no longer as peaceful as before.

"More and more people are worried about the future, and this sentiment has also affected the economy," Terrence sighed. "Many families are considering moving their industries to America to seek a more stable environment. The Higgs family is no exception."

"I understand." Salina pondered for a moment, "Does the Higgs family have any specific plans at the moment?"

"We plan to start with some high-end magic supplies, such as alchemical tools, potion materials, etc.," Terrence explained. "The Higgs family has rich experience and resources in these fields. I believe they can gain a foothold in the American market."

"It sounds like a good plan." Salina put down her coffee cup, leaned forward slightly, looked at Terrence sincerely, and said slowly: "Terrence, I have also been thinking about developing some side businesses recently."

She paused, observing Terence's reaction, and then continued, "I learned that the Weasley twins, Fred and George, opened a magical joke shop, and their business is booming."

Terrence raised his eyebrows, obviously very interested in this topic, and motioned for Sharina to continue.

Salina continued, "Their products are very creative and popular, especially the prank candies, which are students' favorites. I think these products will have great potential in the U.S. market."

Her tone was firm and full of confidence.

"So," Salina paused and made her request, "I would like to invite you to work together to help me promote these products. You know the American market very well. With your help, I believe we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

She observed Terrence's expression and put forward her conditions: "In return, I am willing to give you 10% of the shares."

After hearing Salina's proposal, Terrence did not agree immediately. Instead, he smiled solemnly and said, "Only 10%. It seems that your sincerity is not enough."

Salina smiled confidently and responded, "Don't underestimate this 10%. When these products are selling well in the US market, you will find that this 10% stake is definitely worth the money."

Terrence couldn't help laughing when he saw Sharina's confident look. He raised his coffee cup, took a sip, and said, "Okay, Sharina, I'll help you."

He paused and added: "However, this is just a personal favor from my personal friendship, so the support won't be too great."

Salina knew that Terrence had agreed, and she said happily: "That's enough, Terrence, thank you!"

Terrence put down his coffee cup, leaned back in his chair, smiled and said, "Nothing."

He paused, as if recalling the scene at that time, and then continued: "Speaking of which, it was really thanks to your family's help that we were able to successfully open up the European market during that period."

Salina smiled and responded, "Let's put it this way. You also helped us enter the American market, didn't you?"

She elegantly placed the coffee cup in her hand on the table, making a crisp sound, and then continued: "Our two families can be regarded as helping each other and developing together."

When Terrence heard what Salina said, he smiled and nodded in agreement.

He stretched out his right hand, crossed the table, and said to Salina: "Well, Salina, I wish us a happy cooperation!"

Salina also stretched out her right hand, gently held Terrence's hand, and said with a smile: "Happy cooperation!"