CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 43

After completing her errands and having a good time in Hogsmeade, Seraphina headed to J. Pippin's Potions shop. She entered the shop accompanied by the doorbell. J. Pippin's Potions, nestled in the heart of Hogsmeade, beckons witches and wizards with its charming facade adorned with hanging signs depicting bubbling cauldrons and swirling potions. 

As Seraphina breathed in the air inside the shop, the rustic shop exuded an enchanting aroma of magical ingredients that lingered in the air, drawing patrons inside. Wooden shelves line the walls, showcasing an extensive array of potion ingredients neatly organized in glass jars. The dim, ambient lighting casts a warm glow over the shelves, illuminating the myriad colors and textures of magical components. 

A knowledgeable shopkeeper, Parry Pippin II, stands ready to assist, his deep understanding of potions evident in the meticulous curation of the store. Parry Pippin II was the current owner; when his great-great-grandfather first started opening many chain shops, he had given this shop to his grandson Parry Pippin I.

Parry Pippin II, at 35 years old, stands as the proprietor of J. Pippin's Potions in Hogsmeade. With a welcoming demeanor and an air of seasoned expertise, Parry carries himself with a blend of confidence and humility. His sharp, discerning eyes reflect a deep knowledge of potion-making earned through years of dedicated study and hands-on experience. 

Clad in meticulously tailored wizarding robes, he navigates the aisles of his quaint shop with purpose, a wand tucked into a pocket ready for any magical exigency. Parry's amiable nature and willingness to share his wealth of potion expertise make him a respected figure among the magical community in Hogsmeade, ensuring J. Pippin's Potions remains a trusted destination for those seeking quality ingredients and sage advice in the realm of magical elixirs. With a humble smile, he welcomed Seraphina,

"How may I help you, young lady?"

Seraphine showed her usual enchanting smile and said,

"Hello, Mr. Pippin. Actually, I wanted to help you today?"

The man was surprised by this answer, but at the same time, he was intrigued. Seraphina had an unusual confidence in herself; she continued,

"I acquired some general knowledge potions, and I think you would be interested in selling them."

Pippins usually created their own potions, but they were known to buy good-quality general knowledge potions occasionally. Of course, they needed to buy licensed potions from their creators, like some of the potions bought from the Potter families' workshops. The Potter family had become economically well-off thanks to Linfred of Stinchcombe, also known as Potterer.

Mr. Pippin inspected the potions Seraphina pulled from her bag; at first, he was not interested, but then his eyes glowed with fascination. He said,

"Such a marvelous potion."

Seraphina was surprised; she thought Elmi had told her he was going to sell general knowledge potions. She asked with curiosity,

"Is it a rare potion?"

Mr. Pippin smiled with genuine joy at Seraphina's question,

"Oh, no. It is just an over-the-counter general knowledge potion."

"What is marvelous about that? You have many of them at your shop."

He shook his finger and head,

"No, no, no. I don't even have one like this one. The thing that is marvelous about it is the purity and perfection that it had reached."

It looked like Mr. Pippin had an idea and said,

"Did Professor Snape send you?"

Seraphina didn't know what to say since Elmi told her not to tell the shopkeeper who she got the potions from. So she said,

"I couldn't say."

Mr. Pippin looked at her with suspicious eyes and said,

"It must be him; who else could achieve this kind of result with only basic-level potions."

He looked at the potions one by one and shook his head with wonder,

"Perfect, every one of them is perfect. It is obvious a master potioneer made those. Professor Snape must still be working non-stop to keep his skills sharp."

Seraphine laughed anxiously at Mr. Pippin's comment and didn't say anything else. He said,

"I will pay you nine sickles for each."

She looked at the shelves, and he had the same Potion there,

"You are selling them for 12, don't you think this is unfair? You said they were better than the ones in your shop."

He didn't get offended but smiled,

"Yes, they are perfect, and I can sell them, but at the end of the day, they are general-use potions; they are everywhere. Those ones could last longer than others but not by much, so I could, at best, sell them at 13, so my last offer is 10; I need to make a profit, too, Don't you think? I am not doing this for charity. If you want to sell them for higher, you need to open your own shop."

Seraphine asked,

"Mr. Pippin, the person I got the potions from, was curious. How many potions could you buy a month?"

Mr. Pippins made a quick calculation in his head and said,

"If I take the bulk of them to the main store in Diagon Alley and their quality is perfect like this one, I can buy 300 of them."

Seraphina took a mental note of what they were discussing, and Mr. Pippin said,

"If Professor wants to make more complex potions such as Ephemeral Emotion or Vivid Dreams Potions, I can buy 200 of each, and they would be a better workout for him."

Seraphina anxiously said,

"Mister, I cannot say who made those potions."

He said,

"Okay, okay, it is a secret between us. I understand Professor didn't make them."

After saying this, he winked at her, but Seraphina was too exhausted to deny it anymore and didn't say anything else. She had never accepted that Snape made those, but the man was convinced of this, so there was no way of convincing him otherwise. She had come so close to telling him who made it, but this might put her odds with Elmi, so she just endured it.

Seraphina had heard of the potions Mr. Pippin was talking about. They were counted as expert-level potions. Ephemeral emotion was a potion used in hospitals for psychological therapy since it allows the drinker to temporarily experience a specific emotion chosen during brewing. 

Vivid Dreams Potion, as its name states, granted the drinker vivid and tranquil dreams. They were usually bought by people with nightmares. After their transaction was done, Mr. Pippins said,

"I hope we will have many more businesses in the future."

She smiled at him without saying anything and left the shop. After reaching the school, she told Elmi what he said and what kinds of potions he wanted.