“Hey, Scarlet, what’s your house called?” Ron asked as they strolled through the manor’s vast garden.

“Called?” Scarlet looked puzzled at first, then remembered that most wizards named their homes for ease of travel through the Floo network. “Do you think I need one?”

“Of course!” Fred exclaimed, “Otherwise, how are we supposed to visit you during the summer holidays?”

Scarlet thought for a moment before jotting something down in her schedule. Percy managed to catch a glimpse – she had noted it for April, around Easter break, with the words: First thing, apply for Floo network.

As she scribbled down her thoughts, she asked William, who was leading them toward the orchard, “William, does the house have a proper name?”

“No, Milady, unless you'd like to name it yourself.”

“Wasn’t my dad supposed to name it?”

“Well, the house is under your name, so officially, this manor belongs to you.” William smiled, “I believe the young master would agree.”

Scarlet huffed, “Didn’t realise he bought the house in my name. In that case, let’s keep it simple - The Red House.”

“Very well, I’ll order a nameplate and have it pinned to the gate.”

“...William, is that really necessary?”

“It’s the proper custom,” William grinned, “to honour our beloved lady.”

Scarlet rolled her eyes, “You must have had many girlfriends before you started working for me.”

She turned to the Weasley boys, who were whispering excitedly to each other. “Alright, you heard it - The Red House. I’ll build a proper fireplace for the Floo network. The one we have now is far too small for anyone to use.”

“Speaking of which, I found it odd how warm the house is, even though there’s no fireplace in our rooms,” George asked, “Did you use any spells or alchemy items?”

Scarlet raised an eyebrow. “We use central heating and electricity. But if the electricity ever goes out, we’ve got smoke heater pipes hidden in the walls, so the house stays warm as long as there’s a fire in the heater. Someone would have to take shift to keep the fire going, though.”

The Weasleys were amazed once again, but before the twins could ask more questions, they reached the orchard.

The Red House was a manor surrounded by vast land. There was an orchard with hundreds of fruit trees, several fertile plots for growing greens, and a barn where cows, sheep, and two horses were kept. Of course, since it was snowing, no greenery was visible, and the trees were all bare, stripped of their leaves.

Fred, George and Ron eagerly gathered around the animals as Hawk guided them in feeding them, while Percy followed behind Scarlet as she leafed through the barn’s log journal.

“According to the previous record, we’re expecting a good harvest next year...but there’s no note on how the last owner handled the crops,” Scarlet muttered, “What would you suggest, William?”

“There’ll be more than we can consume,” William replied. “Perhaps we could donate some to the orphanage?”

Scarlet shook her head. Before she could continue, she noticed Percy seemed hesitant to speak. “Is there something on your mind?” She asked.

Percy said, “You don’t sound very familiar with your own house.”

Scarlet nodded, “That’s because I only moved in about a month before I started at Hogwarts. I used to live in Scotland, but since Hogwarts insists that students arrive via the train from London, I had no choice but to find somewhere to stay here. Otherwise, I’d have to travel all the way back to Scotland just to sleep after I left the station.”

“Why didn’t you just use the Floo--oh.” Percy paused as the realisation dawned on him, understanding the difficulties Muggle students faced without the convenience of magical travel.

Scarlet shrugged. “Anyway, this house used to belong to a noble family, but when there was no one left to inherit it, it ended up in the hands of a banker. He initially planned to renovate it into an inn or a hotel, but since it’s too far away from any tourist spots or recreational areas, it stayed empty for three years before we bought it. Thankfully, he planted something useful in the orchard. Otherwise, I’d have to tear it all up and start over.”

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Percy nodded, glancing around at the crops buried beneath the snow. He was good at identifying magical plants, but he had no clue what kinds of crops were planted here at the Red House.

“Apples, oranges, lemons, pears...plums? Well, at least we’ll have some plum blossoms to decorate with during Lunar New Year. Pumpkins, lettuces, chives, garlics, onions...That’s a lot less we’ll need to buy from the market. Say, we’ve got farmer’s market around here, right?” she asked William, which he nodded. Scarlet thought for a moment and continued, “Good. Then sell what we don’t need at the market. Reach out to local grocers, restaurants and bakeries to see if they’re interested in buying out crops. We’re not looking to make a fortune - just give them a fair price based on the market rates.”

William nodded in agreement.

“If the servants want to earn a little extra, they could use of the crops to make baked goods or something similar. As for the orphanage, make sure to ask before sending anything. They don’t just accept any food donations - it could end up being more of a hassle for them. If the kitchen is available, use the earning from the crops to make some jams and cookies. Those aren’t necessities, and they’re usually not within the orphanage’s budget. The children don’t get many chances to taste good sweet pastries...Just discuss it with Mama Susan first before sending anything over.” Scarlet paused briefly before continuing, “Allocate 30% of the crop earnings as a reward for the servant.”

William smiled. “They’d take good care of the crops even without a reward.”

“Who wouldn’t like a bonus for New Year’s?” Scarlet closed the log journal. “It’s a small price to pay for ensuring better service. My idea is a bit scattered; I trust that you and Meiko can handle it well?”

“Yes, Milady, I’ll hold a meeting with all the servants once you’re back at school. Meiko will be more than happy to manage the details.”

“Good.” With her tasks complete, Scarlet happily joined the boys, who were now patting the horses. She arrived just in time to hear Hawk telling them the story of how two old, retired horses, nearly starved by their previous owner, were rescued by Kyle and brought here. Now, they were occasionally used for horse riding and pulling a small carriage.

Percy, walking slowly behind, was lost in deep thought. He was soon snapped out of it when William called his name.

“Mr. Percy, do you enjoy reading?” William asked.

Percy nodded. “Anything you need me to read?”

“No, nothing like that. I was just wondering if you’d like to visit a bookstore,” William said, watching his lady as she instructed the boys on how to ride a horse. “A muggle bookstore, to be precise. I know one that’s staying open over Christmas, and I thought you might be interested.”

Percy frowned slightly, “I don’t think I need any Muggle book. I’m not really into novels or stories.”

“Oh, they’ve got more than just novels,” William said with a slight grin. “Business management, perhaps? How to be a reliable leader? Maybe even A Guide to international politics?”

Percy’s eyes lit up, “Books that Scarlet would read?”

William nodded, “The books in the study belong to the young master, but Milady often reviews them whenever she has the time. She’s preparing herself to take over his role if he doesn’t have a successor by the time he decides to retire.”

“But as far as I know, she enjoys writing,” Percy remarked.

“A hobby she may eventually have to set aside if she takes on the responsibility,” William sighed. “It’s about the livelihood of thousands of people under their care. That’s a lot of families to support. She would have to carry the weight of their expectations...unless the young master marries and has a child more capable than milady, or at least someone who can manage the family business.”

“...what?” Percy was stunned, but William smoothly shifted the conversation back to the bookstore visit. Percy agreed, deciding to go with him the next day.

By the time they returned to the Red House that evening, Meiko approached Scarlet with a thick letter in hand. It was from Neville.

Ron blurted out, “Why’s Neville sending you letters?! Don’t tell me he’s still giving you reports even though we’re on holiday.”

“Yes, and he even sent me yesterday’s report.” Scarlet replied.

“But we were on the train all day!”

“Exactly, which is why he sent me updates from yesterday’s news,” Scarlet said, unfazed.

Ron shook his head, stunned, “Never knew he was such a reliable assistant for you.”

“He’s always been reliable. He just needed a bit of a confidence boost, and now he’s found it,” Scarlet said as she opened the letter and began reading.

“Blimey, I just realised he’s not the cry-baby we first met,” Ron muttered to himself.

“Oh, Scarlet! Milady!” the twins called out as they entered with a box of freshly baked biscuits from the kitchen. “Any plans for tonight?”

Scarlet thought for a moment, then glanced at Meiko, who stood beside her. “Do we have video games here?”

“Yes, we do! They’re in the theatre room as well,” Meiko said with a happy tone, “We have all the latest games, but I personally recommend Super Mario World.”

Scarlet looked at the boys. “Well, you heard her - video games tonight!”

The boys cheered, even though they had no idea what video games were. However, Percy noticed something off.

He leaned in and whispered to Scarlet, “Do you have another plan?”

“No for tonight, but tomorrow I’m meeting Neville to discuss something,” Scarlet replied, “I was thinking about whether to bring you all along...”

“You don’t have to,” Percy said, “They can come with me to the bookstore. Mr. William planned to take me book shopping.”

Scarlet raised her eyebrows in surprised but nodded, “Alright. Let me know if you need help financially. I could lend you some.”

Percy was about to refuse but pause to consider it. “Let’s see. I’ll definitely ask if I need it. Thanks.”

“No worries.” Scarlet’s attention drifted back to the letter in her hand. It was an invitation from Neville to visit St. Mungo.

She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she was already mentally preparing for it.