Little Experiments [Conner]

[Celia Mayhew]

There was a reason Celia didn’t use potions in her tricks, and she was starting to remember what that reason was. The Apothecary was filled with all sorts of slimy, moving things that had made her shudder during her first year at Hogwarts. Even though she had been determined to get good marks in Potions, she had sworn never to deal with newt eyes or flobberworms again. To top it off, the trick she was planning involved a Dungbomb, and it had taken her a full day to get the smell off of her skin after her first “experiment”.

Still, there were some intriguing potions in the little book she had picked up in Flourish and Blotts, and she couldn’t deny that she was excited. As she looked over the ingredients she would need and tried to remember how much she could afford, a question kept returning to her mind.

How did I come to this point?

[Deleted]

Cherries
Baneberry
Eye of Newt
Fairy Wing
Bat Spleen...

And so the list went on and on. In some ways Conner was there against his will, but then again he really didn't want to be in the house with both of his parents there. So after sitting in front of the piano for hours, continuously pressing the same few notes out of boredom his mother gave him a list of potion ingredients and equipment. He knew it was just to get him out, the repeated notes getting to them, so he took the opportunity and was out and into Diagon Alley in less than two minutes.

As he looked around the Apothecary, frowning at a few disgusting things he had to step over or move out of his way, he finally looked at the list and had to wonder what it all was for. Of course he had his theories; he was smart enough to notice his mother’s experiments. Invisibility Potions, poisons and some completely knew. It was quite fascinating, but he knew it wasn't just for fun, it was for much more than that and he had a feeling the Death Eaters were involved.

He shoved the thought aside and picked up a jar of eyes, Potions was always one of his stronger subjects in Hogwarts, he was in Slug Club to prove it, but what was that? Honestly, he didn't know and wasn't sure if he wanted to. He placed it down and moved on, not really paying much attention to his surroundings, that was until he heard movement not far from him and forced his eyes off the shelves. It was a woman, she looked familiar, but everyone did these days. ”Sorry, do you work here?” well, he needed help, no harm in asking.

[Celia Mayhew]

Celia turned and found herself facing a boy with piercings and dark hair. “No,” she said. “I don’t even come here that often. I just need to find some ingredients for… I guess it’s an experiment.” It felt strange to say that, like she ought to already know what she was doing. Like she was somehow powerless.

There weren’t very many people in the Apothecary, and most of them were puttering around with ingredients. A few looked almost menacing, and she decided against sending the boy to see them. She wasn’t directly responsible for him and probably didn’t have to care, but she wasn’t about to send him up to some surly wizard just to get him out of her way. Besides, he might be able to give her a hand.

“What are you looking for? I might be able to help you find it.” It was doubtful, but she figured she remembered where some things were. “I don’t suppose you’re particularly good with Potions? I only studied enough to get the grades.” Granted, they were very good grades, but the learning hadn’t been so important to her.

[Deleted]

“No, I don’t even come here that often. I just need to find some ingredients for… I guess it’s an experiment.” he raised a curious eyebrow, inspecting her for a second but finding nothing indicating that she's either a supporter, pending Death Eater or Death Eater. However, these days you can never be sure.

He nodded his head and with that the worry away, focusing back onto his bottle with a bit of disgust. He didn't expect her to pay much attention to him after that, which made her offer to help all the more surprising. "I'm... Well, I have a list, I just need to figure out where the ingredients are in this mess." he replied, looking around the dusty place before placing the bottle he held back onto the shelve "So yes, help would be appreciated." he forced a small smile.

“I don’t suppose you’re particularly good with Potions? I only studied enough to get the grades.”

Favour for a favour. "I'm good enough, I guess. What are you trying to brew?" he stepped closer so it wouldn't be necessary to speak very loud. Some of the other customers looked a bit... Nosy. And let's not even mention shady.

[Celia Mayhew]

The boy seemed pleasant enough, though she knew his style choices would be looked down on by wizards and Muggles alike. I guess that just goes to show… something. She didn’t much feel like moralizing right now. “Well, I’ll do what I can. What sorts of things do you need?”

Celia felt a bit nervous when he stepped closer to her, but she knew that if it came to it, she could defend herself easily. Besides, even if he was a Death Eater, he wouldn’t have been able to track her through her father’s name. Perhaps the only perk to having a Muggle mother was that she had an invisible half of the family to take advantage of.

“It’s…” She paused, a little afraid he would think it silly. Don’t be ridiculous. You’re trying something interesting, which should be good enough for your pride. “I’ve been playing around with Dungbombs lately, for a… I call them illusion shows, for kids. I thought I’d add a bit of scent, since I was in Zonko’s, and… anyway, I’ve been trying to make Dungbombs smell like something else when they go off. Flowers, maybe, or vanilla. I just can’t seem to get the mixture right, no matter what I try.”