Chapter 24

The potion wore off, and we shrank back to our normal sizes. Wearing oversized clothes that dragged on the ground, we made our way awkwardly back to the school. Fortunately, it was only around three in the afternoon, and most students were still in Hogsmeade or already back at school, so we didn't encounter anyone. Once inside the castle, we hurried to the nearest restroom to change into our school robes.

We went straight to our base to discuss the potion shop. Severus began writing a letter to Eileen. Our division of labor was roughly established: Severus would handle the critical potion brewing, Lily would manage the finances, and I would organize orders and customer information. Whoever was available would handle shipping, adjusting based on our schedules.

That evening, while assisting Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing, I encountered James Potter.

"Well, our brave knight managed to land himself in the hospital wing in the first week of term?" I handed Potter the potion Madam Pomfrey had prepared for him. He was sitting on a bed, clearly already treated.

"Got into a scrape with a few Slytherins in Hogsmeade this afternoon. Just a few minor injuries," Potter said with a hint of pride.

It seemed that even getting into a fight was something to be proud of. "If you're so tough, why are you the one sitting here?" I taunted him.

"Uh, well," Potter looked a bit embarrassed, "anyway, I chased them off! And it's just a few minor injuries..."

"Yeah, yeah, keep making excuses! If you're so tough, stop ending up in the hospital wing," I scolded, hands on hips, laughing. "Alright, drink the potion and get out. And no sweets afterward; it'll affect the potion."

Potter had nothing to say to that. He grimaced and downed the potion in one gulp, sticking out his tongue. Serves him right—I should have made the potion taste even worse.

Handing back the empty bottle, Potter suddenly asked, "Did you go to the Shrieking Shack this afternoon?"

"Yes, why?" I was puzzled by his question.

"I thought I saw you, Lily, and Snivellus—"

"Don't call him that!"

"Okay, okay, Snape—near the Shrieking Shack. But you were wearing these weird oversized robes. I was about to come over, but then you disappeared."

"Oh, so that sound was you?" I realized the strange noise we heard might have been Potter.

"What sound?" Potter looked genuinely confused.

"Never mind." I remembered that when we heard the noise, the Aging Potion hadn't worn off yet. If it was Potter, he would have seen us in our adult forms. After hearing the eerie noise, we left immediately. "We were playing around at the Shrieking Shack this afternoon and heard a strange noise. We got scared and left because we thought it was haunted."

"There's no danger there. You were just scared. Probably imagined it," Potter mocked.

"How do you know it's not dangerous? You've never been inside," I retorted, skeptical of his bravado.

"Who says I haven't?! We go there every month—" He abruptly cut off his sentence, clearly hiding something.

"Every month? Is there something special about that place?" I asked casually, probing his response.

"Nothing, nothing special. It's not fun at all." Potter turned away, looking uncomfortable. Suddenly standing up, he said, "Oh, I forgot! Sirius is waiting for me in the dormitory. Gotta go. Bye, Sawyer!" He left hastily.

I shook my head, amused. Something was definitely up. But I decided not to pry into their secrets. The strange noise from this afternoon remained a mystery. It felt familiar, but I couldn't place it. Whatever it was, it didn't seem threatening, but it was probably best to avoid the Shrieking Shack in the future.

When I returned to the dormitory, Lily was already back. The other two girls were still in the common room, buzzing with excitement from their Hogsmeade trip.

I told Lily how we almost got caught by Potter in our aged-up forms and mentioned that Potter and his friends seemed to have a secret related to the Shrieking Shack. As expected, Lily was intrigued and determined to uncover the mystery.

Potter, beware. Our Princess Lily is on the case, and you'll spill your secrets soon enough. I thought mischievously. I wasn't keen on uncovering their secrets, but I was definitely curious.

Lily was a woman of action.

Another weekend passed, and on Monday at breakfast, Lily naturally approached Potter and his friends. Usually, it was Potter chasing after Lily, but now that Lily was approaching him, Potter seemed thrilled.

Lily casually brought up the Shrieking Shack, and I noticed the boys became uneasy. Remus stiffened in his seat, and Peter's head nearly disappeared into his plate. Perhaps this secret wasn't a happy one. My interest waned, and I focused on my breakfast instead.

A week later, it was another Hogsmeade day.

This week, we had arranged to meet Eileen in Hogsmeade. She would oversee our first day on the job and make sure everything was in order before leaving.

As before, we drank the Aging Potion and disguised ourselves at the Three Broomsticks, where it was crowded and less likely to attract attention. Eileen met us there, and we headed to the Hog's Head together, officially beginning our first day as Eileen Prince's associates.

Eileen had arranged for a few familiar potion masters to visit the Hog's Head, and they arrived at our appointed Room 4.

The morning went splendidly. Severus's expertise in potion identification earned their trust. Using the name Silent Prince and bearing a resemblance to Eileen, they likely thought Severus was her brother. The Prince family's reputation in potion-making was well known, and they might have wondered about a young heir from the supposedly declining family.

There wasn't much to do during the Saturday sessions. We only had a few potions to check, and a few hours were enough. We timed the potion's effects to finish our work before it wore off, returning to the Three Broomsticks.

We had lunch at the Three Broomsticks with Eileen. Before the food arrived, Eileen winked at us. "Well done, my little adults." She patted Severus's head. "Especially you, my little Prince. You were amazing!"

Severus blushed and looked away, utterly adorable. My maternal instincts nearly kicked in.

"Seeing how well you've handled things, I can leave the shop to you with peace of mind. I'm leaving next week and plan to head to France first. I'll write to you once I'm there. If owls can't deliver internationally, I'll use Muggle post to Sawyer's home, and your parents can forward the letters to you."

"Yes, Aunt Eileen, we'll take good care of the shop. Safe travels!" Lily said dutifully.

"Find someone special if you meet the right person abroad, Eileen!" I added. "Severus wouldn't mind a stepfather, right, Severus?"

Severus nodded. We had talked about this privately, believing Eileen deserved happiness.

Eileen laughed, tousling my hair. "What are you kids thinking? We'll see about that."

A month later, I received a letter from my parents forwarded from Eileen. It seemed Muggle post was slower. Eileen said she was well and enjoying her travels in France. She didn't plan to settle there, so we didn't need to reply.

Every now and then, we received letters from her in new countries. After touring Europe, she planned to head east. In one letter from Eastern Europe, she mentioned our suggestion about finding someone special, hinting she might consider it. We were thrilled, hoping Eileen would find her happiness. But that's a story for another time.