PRIVATE PREVIEW at Finnigan's of Diagon Alley

[safinnigan]

Date: Wednesday 30 May 2001
Time: 8 to 11 p.m.
Location: Finnigan’s of Diagon Alley
Characters Involved: Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Charlotte Aurelius Finnigan, Severus Snape, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Aurin Helm, Katie Bell, Oliver Wood, Pitch Malbum, and NPC’s at Q.U.A.C.K., NPC Solicitors Thompson and Blake of Thompson, Bingley & Blake

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[safinnigan]

Seamus came out from ‘round the bar to greet the first of what he hoped would be many, many arrivals. He watched Professor Snape enter and become entranced by the screen of his own manufacture with unabashed delight. He approached the man with the first truly genuine smile he had probably offered him since age eleven. He threw one arm around Char, one arm around Dean as he greeted the small group gathered under the screen.

“Aye, Professor, ‘tis a thing of rare beauty, and mostly then of your making. Well then, would you be caring for some small libation to celebrate this auspicious occasion? An Arthurs? Some Firewhiskey? A mild ButterBeer? Right, or perhaps you’d join us in some champagne and we could discuss a right proper and dignified nameplace to be added to the side of the lot; perhaps with the script ‘Screens by Snape’?” He laughed aloud, with the jubilance he felt well deserved at the sight of his idea from months ago made reality with the help of all present.

Then he somberly addressed the rest. “Aye then, you lot should be after helping me convince the Professor to take proper pride in his accomplishments, but on no account be forthcoming about his contributions without his express permission. ‘Tis confidentiality I’ve promised and that he shall have if he insists on remaining uncredited.”

Then he nodded confidently to the Professor and just barely stopped himself from winking. “Be after corralling your helpers, Professor, sir. After tonight there’ll be orders a plenty and us hard pressed to keep up with demand!” After seeing Professor Snape’s reaction, how could he doubt it?

[subtle_simmer]

Shaking his head again, Severus offered Finnigan a faint smile of his own - not much of an improvement in his usual appearance, but still more than his usual smirk.

"Mr Finnigan - you have completely astounded me, and this is no small thing. I still wonder at the practical applications. What use as the average witch or wizard for such a thing in their homes? But I no longer doubt your ability to make it something far more than I could imagine simply from what you described."

Turning back to the screen, he shrugged off the warning Seamus had just given to the others.

"I am far too Slytherin to wish to avoid approbation. I retract my earlier request - name the thing what you wish - though I suspect you would have more orders if it is not 'Snape's Screens or anything of the sort. I have been Professor to a large percentage of the demographics you likely wish to reach. The majority of them have been idiots of the worst sort, and treated accordingly in classes. With that in mind, they are unlikely to want anything with my name in their sitting rooms.

"Nonetheless, I have no further objections to my involvement being widely known. Though, in a rare moment of fairness, I must ask - though I presume you have thought of this as well - those who produce the images playing on the device will also receive due recognition? We all know the device is nothing but a milky, blank picture-frame without the images placed inside it."

[about_abbott]

Hannah was a bundle of nerves as she returned to Finnigan's for the evening. Her look, though hid the butterflies in her stomach. In light of the occassion she wore a simple navy blue dress with a simple gold chain around around her neck. Any other colors simply would not do considering this was a Quidditch themed pub and Puddlemere was her favorite team.

She carried with her a portfolio full of forms she had finalized with the guys. Working at Weasley's had helped her immensely. She'd taken a few blank order forms from their supply and used it as the model for the forms she'd presented to Seamus and Dean. Of course, the pride she felt at her small contribution to this endeavor was nothing compared to what she was sure the others felt.

Upon entering the pub she couldn't help but hear Professor Snape state he too had been a part of making this dream come true. "Professor, I didn't know you were part of all this," she stated with actual admiration in her voice. Then again, Seamus or Dean might have mentioned it, but with two jobs she had truly only focused on her part in the scheme.

[safinnigan]

Seamus was delighted to hear the surly reticent Professor Snape actually change his mind and agree to acknowledge his own participation in this new venture, and to do it openly before Dean and Charlotte was enough that he could not doubt that he’d heard him correctly. He nodded his agreement and was about to respond when Hannah joined their circle and remarked on the Professor’s involvement.

He reached out to touch her arm in greeting, giving her a warm and welcoming smile. She was part of their team now, and would become a much more important part of assuring their success after tonight, of that he was certain.

“Aye, Hannah, lass. 'Tis the Professor here was the genius behind the viewers, luv.” He gave another side-long glance in the Professor’s direction, just to be certain he would not retract his last words and follow them up with a smack to his unruly student and disavow his partnership with their lot. It was only then that Seamus realized that the most unusual expression the Professor was wearing might actually be considered some form of a…..smile?

Turning his attention back to one of his major contractual partners, he knew it was time to let the Professor in on the other half of the equation that would lead to success and Galleons for all of them.

“Aye, Professor Snape, sir.” One could not be too certain that was actually a smile. It might have been a grimace or the prelude to some as yet unspoken disapproval. “Dean and I have contracted fully with Q.U.A.C.K., the Quidditch owner’s association, to take over complete production, sales, rental and servicing for all Quidditch cubes of the matches of the English and Irish League.” He paused and then realized he’d not fully answered the Professor’s question. That would not do at all! “Aye, sir, indeed, sir. Q.U.A.C.K, and thereby the Owners and Players will be compensated for each use, either rental or sale, of the cubes.” Whew! A quick exhale escaped Seamus rather quickly. He had too much experience with failure to answer his Professor’s questions adequately to wish to revisit those days.

Then he turned back to Hannah, giving her another warm smile. There was no doubt she and the Professor would need to exchange owls and information at the very least. He needed to know of her new role with the venture. “’Tis pleased we are to announce that Miss Abbott has consented to handle our ordering process and Customer Service for all orders placed for both viewers and cubes, now. Well then, she’ll be the busiest witch in London by the close of tonight’s Preview, I’ll warrant.” And YOU the busiest wizard, he thought, but had the sense of preservation not to add.

Suddenly, he realized that he had not introduced his wife to the Professor! He was not exactly sure of just whom she might have previously met at Trésor Littéraire. Better to err on the side of courteousness.

“Forgive me, Professor Snape. Allow this errant Irishman to introduce you to his wife. Char, love, this is Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master of Hogwarts, and the wizard responsible for providing the most excellent viewers for our pub. Professor, my new bride, Charlotte Aurelius Finnigan.” There, that ought to keep him out of trouble with Char and polite society!

[beautesolitaire]

She smiled and nodded in greeting to Professor Snape, "We are already somew'at acquainted." she explained to Seamus, though she wasn't sure how to act around Severus Snape. He didn't seem like a very open or friendly person. She did have some measure of self-preservation. Cool and professional, especially after the cool reception she had recieved during the holidays over a completely innocent present.

She stuck close to Seamus, Socrates grumbling at Snape. He still didn't like Snape. Charlotte shushed him, wondering what was getting into him lately. Granted she was pregnant, but between Socrates and Seamus, she was feeling a little closed in. "Merci, Monsieur Snape, for coming." she added at the end as explaination, giving him aa small smile.

[subtle_simmer]

Severus raised a brow in surprise as he was introduced to Miss Abbott, but then decided it was not his place to question how the business would be run. Moreover, his surprise at the end-result had left him feeling quite a bit more than usually cheerful, himself. There would be many people who he cared about who would benefit from the success of this venture.

"Miss Abbott," he greeted with a nod of his head. "Mr Finnigan shows his wisdom in removing me as far from anything related to 'customer service' as humanly possible. I have no patience for such nonsense, and would cheerfully drive away business if it risked intrusion on my privacy."

Following the direction of the next introduction, he offered a more formal bow. "Mrs Finnigan, now, then. Congratulations on your marriage." To her husband, he explained, "I've patronised her bookshop on more than one occasion, and one of my housemates was her employee for a time, though I believe," turning back to the blond woman, "that Mr Derrick has resigned to pursue his dueling circuit? It is a bit difficult to keep track of his doings and none of my business in any case."

Realising, based on the assemblage, that this business was already shaping up to be of a rather larger-scale than he had anticipated, he returned his questions to Finnigan.

"I believe I will require more information regarding the scope of your plans and the volume of production."

He was still hoping Ginevra would arrive soon - she was his first choice for aid in creating the viewers. The additional income would go a long way toward helping to support her werewolf-clinic.

[safinnigan]

Seamus was all smiles for the Professor and everyone else on this grand evening. He was quite delighted with the Professor’s responses, although he knew better than to give away any indication of that to the taciturn man. Snape’s inquiry as to his plans for production could not have been more satisfying to the younger man; it was as likely an agreement with his concept of their chances for success as he could expect to receive. He kept his rising spirits to himself, adopting the more appropriate serious tone and demeanor expected for business transactions - a countenance he was becoming more comfortable with after the serious and complex negotiations with Q.U.A.C.K.

“Aye, Professor, sir,” he began, taking a quick breath, “all of the owners represented by Q.U.A.C.K. have been invited to this preview tonight. They, representing our potential customers with the most disposable income, may be expected to purchase viewers for both their personal and team use.” He had high hopes that many of the Players in the League would do the same, but did not wish to overstate his own enthusiasm until these hopes were bourne out by the orders. “Other pub owners may be expected to be early purchasers of the larger size screens as well. The smaller size screens should appeal to the less prosperous Quidditch enthusiast, as well as for individual table viewing at pubs or at smaller private gatherings.” He didn’t want to overstate, fearing that the Professor would discount his youthful enthusiasm, but it would be foolhardy not to be more forthcoming with his supplier. Snape had to be prepared for the onslaught he was sure would follow the initial introduction of the viewers.

“’Twood be prudent to expect those with the means to purchase the viewers for home and recreational use, Professor. Just as ‘tis prudent for Dean and I to be seeking to expand our reach to include other sports, other Leagues and other wizarding endeavors. ‘Twood be a fair way to enjoy wizarding activities from music to memories, with sports, politics and history to be caught in the mix ‘fore we’re through then.” He couldn’t help smiling at the thought of it. Everyone from grandmothers wanting viewers of their little tykes to the Minister of Magic seeking re-election would find a way to make use of their exciting new venture.

[gryffndean]

Dean stood back and listened as Seamus added to the compliment he had given Snape, and their usually-grim professor actually seemed pleased with the results. As well he should be! thought Dean. He was still somewhat amazed that they were actually working with Snape, but there was no doubt that the product was quite impressive.

Dean greeted Hannah with a wide smile- they'd both been so busy lately that he hadn't been able to spend as much time with her as he would have liked, aside from the few meetings they'd had with Seamus over the order forms and such. And even though this would technically be a "working" evening for them both, that was no reason not to enjoy it! As Seamus was introducing Charlotte and Snape, Dean sidled over to greet Hannah with a hug.

"This is exciting, isn't it? You look great, by the way."

[about_abbott]

Hannah was standing on the sidelines of the conversation. She felt highly privileged to have been included as part of the team. This night belonged to Seamus and Dean and she was more than happy to step back and let them bask in the glory of their accomplishment.

She listened intently as Seamus described how their contract with Q.U.A.C.K. fell into being. That was one part of the rental and sales that Hannah was nervous about setting in play. Working with the every day customer was bound to be a breeze compared to dealing with the stars of the league. She was running over the forms yet again in her mind when Seamus elaborated on her part in the business. She barely had time to bring herself back into the conversation when any words were cut short by Seamus' quick jump to Charlotte.

However, Hannah was not disappointed by losing her chance to speak as she suddenly found herself wrapped up in Dean's arms. Carfully, she returned the friendly hug while making sure the portfolio she carried didn't slap against his back. "Yes, it is," she agreed as she stepped back. "You look wonderful as well."

[gryffndean]

Dean winked at Hannah when she complimented his outfit. "Well, we have to impress our business associates, don't we?"

Dean looked around the pub, taking in the last-minute things that had been added since he had brought the viewers over a few days ago. He drew a deep breath, again impressed at the amount of work Seamus and his family had put into making Finnigan's of Diagon Alley a reality.

"So, are we ready for this? I have a feeling the next few days are going to be a bit mad."

[about_abbott]

"Hence the reason I'm not sporting a jersey and foam finger," Hannah joked when Dean mentioned impressing their VIP guests for the evening. Not that she would ever actually wave a foam finger.

As Dean gazed around the room, Hannah followed suit. Each dramatic play that flashed across the viewer pulled her attention back to the viewers leaving her very little time to focus on the details around the room. She would have to take time to focus on the little things during non-broadcast hours.

His other question transformed her from curious patron to employee. "I don't think we have much of a choice." She then lifted up the portfolio in her hand and stated. "I should probably stake out a staging point that will allow me to get contact information and allow those interested to pick up and review paperwork."