40 - Buying Ingredients

It was the following day, and Lucas found himself once again in Diagon Alley, but this time his pockets were filled money, a hefty 5000 Galleons. The weight of wealth rested comfortably in his pocket, something he could get used to. He already had a destination in mind, coutesy of the people around him, namely "Slug & Jiggers Apothecary", a store that sells potion ingredients and supplies. They should have all the materials he needed for the ritual, it was one of the most basic ones after all.

Confused, but intrigued he came to a halt before a strange shop. The weathered facade of the establishment stuck out to him, it had an ornate sign that creaked in the breeze, displaying its name in swirling, arcane letters, "Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος". Despite the morning bustle of shoppers, no one seemed aware of the existence of the shop. To them, it was nothing more than a mere wall. 'Weird.'

'Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος, that's Greek, isn't it?' Lucas mused to himself, unsure. He would need to seek out someone who knows Greek later.

As the heavy door swung open, Lucas found himself engulfed in an inviting interior where warm, incense-infused air wrapped around him. Wooden shelves, once fully stocked, now displayed mostly empty glass jars. Yet some shimmering vials of unicorn tears, glowing phoenix feathers, and jewel-like mandrake roots remained, testaments to the shop's once glorious past. 

Near the entrance, behind a worn wooden counter, a slightly eccentric shopkeeper sat engrossed in the Daily Prophet, his mystical robes adorned with alchemical symbols. A scoff escaped him as he dismissed Lucas, choosing to prioritize the weather report over tending to his customer.

Lucas scrutinized the shopkeeper, noting his white hair and matching short beard. The wrinkles on his face spoke of a lifetime steeped in magical adventures, yet his grey eyes still sparkled with a keen intelligence. The old wizard had been watching Lucas since his entry, a fact that did not escape the young wizard's notice.

Undeterred by the shopkeeper's indifference, Lucas explored the shop further. The central display, featuring jars and bowls of mysterious powders, drew him in. 'I might not need to go to Slug & Jiggers Apothecary at this point.'

Venturing further, Lucas discovered special sections dedicated to different branches of alchemy, most of them empty. Potion-making ingredients shared space with transmutation elements, and a secluded corner held rare and dangerous components locked behind reinforced glass. 'Alchemy? I thought the last one went out of business five years ago.'

Caught in his periphery, Lucas noticed a slightly ajar door leading to a room filled with dusty tomes and ancient scrolls. It seemed to be the private study of the shopkeeper. The allure of the room's possible contents tugged at Lucas, he had seen in Hogwart's forbidden section what the pinnacle of magic could look like and he wouldn't let such a golden opportunity pass him by. 'What's the harm if I never get caught?'

Instead of succumbing to his desires and instantly rushing in or charming the shopkeeper, he sneakily releasing his domain towards the study, while he focused on the ingredients, making it look like he hadn't seen the room. He had learned to be more cautious and was hesitant casting spells on random people, even though it was only one old man.

But just as his magic approached the door, he felt a bullet-like object shooting through his magical domain too fast for him to react, it ripped through it similar to the killing curse. Panic seized Lucas as the next moment he found the shopkeeper's hand around his neck, turning him to face piercing red, glowing eyes.

It all happened too fast.

"You are a peculiar one, aren't you?" the shopkeeper remarked.

'Arghh!!!' Lucas had to cancel his domain, because the man's sheer presence inside it felt like a thousand needles stabbing him over and over again.

The old man continued, "Normally, I would kill you for failing my test." He paused, his eyes growing more intense. "But…"

Lucas was panicking and wasn't paying attention to what the man said, he was drowning in the anger and killing intent washing over him. He only saw one way out of his grip - he invaded his mind.

As he was already looking into his eyes he easily established a connection and hastily with disregard to his own safety slammed into the old man's defences. Like shooting through glass the first layer was instantly shattered.

Why such a strong wizard had one of the most primitive defences Lucas didn't have the luxury to think deeply about. Instead he proceeded with the same recklessness, only after smashing 12 additional layers did he stop and, for the first time, looked around. 

He was inside of a crystal sphere with two perpetually regenerating barriers, if he smashed one, another would almost immediately appear behind the other and the sphere would slightly move with him, giving him the illusion as if he actually got somewhere.

Now back to his senses he looked around, he didn't feel in control, something so foreign to him that he only ever experienced it once, when he tried to probe Snape. It felt like back then, except he could see. No stratch that, he was allowed to see.

What he saw blew his mind, he floated above a seemingly endless abyss with dark clouds in the sky. Millions of lightning bolts flashing everywhere, illuminated the space. But what truly made Lucas speechless was what he could discern about these flashes. The old man had accelerated his own thoughts so much that they appeared as if they were lighning, or maybe they really were. They were so fast that before Lucas could comprehend one word hundreds flew past him.

"Fascinating!" echoed a deep, rough voice as a lightning bolt came to a halt before him, transforming into the shopkeeper. "How old are you?"

Steadying himself, Lucas hesitated for a moment before responding, "Thirteen." His voice, though uncertain, carried a tinge of defiance.

The old man chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that echoed through the surreal space. "Thirteen, you say? Quite the young one to stumble upon this place," the shopkeeper mused. The lightning around them continued to dance, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

Lucas, now regaining some composure, couldn't help but be mesmerized by the spectacle. "What have you done to your thoughts? How did you make them this fast?" he inquired, his curiosity overcoming the initial shock, it helped that he no longer felt any animosity towards him.

"Let's talk outside, shall we." The shopkeeper's voice reverberated through the surreal space as the surroundings began to shift once again. The crystal sphere with regenerating barriers dissipated, and the dark abyss below transformed back into the familiar interior of the enchanted alchemy shop.

The old man had let go of Lucas and was walking back to the counter. The young man rubbed his reddened neck, feeling a mixture of relief and curiosity, before followed the shopkeeper back to the counter. Relief that the feeling of control returned and curiosity that came from the monster walking before him. Lucas strenghtened his mind, ony then did he follow.

The shopkeeper, now once again perched on his high wooden stool behind the counter, gestured for Lucas to take a seat. The young wizard obliged, sitting down on the chair that had materialized out of the floor at the man's gesture, his mind still racing with theories how it was even possible to accelerate your thoughts that much and why. He didn't react to the wandless magic, it wasn't something he wouldn't be able to do.

The old man rhythmically tapped on the counter, his gaze piercing as he regarded Lucas. "Although you failed my test, you showed me something truly interesting. So listen closely, I will only tell you this once."

Lucas nodded slowly, understanding what he meant, a blank expression on his face. The old wizard leaned in, his gaze intense, and began to speak in measured tones. "What you saw took all my live to learn and even then I have only stratched the surface of it. Some call it chronomancy others simply time magic, but what it's called doesn't matter, because I won't be teaching you."

In the blink of an eye and without any warning Lucas was back outside in Diagon Alley in front of the same blank wall all the other people saw.

----

Back inside the shop, the old man said to no one in particular, "They always are overconfident, aren't they?" His voice, echoing within the empty space, held a mix of amusement and nostalgia. The shopkeeper, though alone, seemed to be addressing an unseen friend. "Who am I to lecture? We were too, when we were young, weren't we Παλιά φλόγα? Sigh, those were the days."

He walked towards the slightly ajar door leading to his private study, muttering to himself, "A thirteen year old, huh."

"You know, if he had passed either your or my test I wouldn't have minded teaching him, not with that unique magic." He said as he walked past the now fully stocked shelves with ingredients so rare, it wouldn't be strange if wars would start over them. "Truly a shame."

----

'Crazy old man...'

'But what was that? And who is he?'

Lucas found himself back on the bustling streets of Diagon Alley, the strange encounter with the old shopkeeper lingering in his mind. He couldn't shake off the feeling of powerlessness in the shopkeeper's mindscape.

If Lucas purely went by the magic power he felt with his domain, then the shopkeeper was the strongest wizard he had ever felt. 'Maybe even stronger than Dumbledore.'

He shook off the daze, it was another reason why he needed to become stronger. It just reinforced his belief that in this world there were more strong wizards than just Voldemort and Dumbledore.

'One step at a time. I still have time.'

But before he left he carefully and slowly released hie domain and inspected the now totally normal wall in front of him. Nothing came back, it truly was just a wall. Now touching it with his hand he felt the usual cold wooden roughness of the shops in Diagon Alley.

Redirected his attention to the task at hand – acquiring the necessary ingredients for the ritual, he began to walk away. There was nothing he could do here anymore, but he would definetly look that old man up. Slug & Jiggers Apothecary seemed like the best choice now. It didn't take long for him to reach it.

As he entered the 'familiar' store, the atmosphere was different, filled with the comforting scent of potion ingredients.

The shopkeeper, a plump wizard with round glasses, greeted Lucas with a warm smile. "Welcome! How can I help you today?"

"I'm looking for some basic ingredients," Lucas replied, taking out a list he had prepared.

The shopkeeper scanned it quickly and gave it back with the same practiced smile, "We have everything you need, just go straight and then left. You should find everything you need there."

"Thanks!"

Lucas followed the shopkeeper's directions and soon found himself in the section dedicated to everyday and basic ingredients. The shelves were neatly organized, showcasing a variety of herbs, roots, liquids, magical powders and crystals. All seven materials he needed were here in abundance, they were sold by the gram:

1. Salt of Purification: It was in a neat wooden bowl with a ladle to scoop out of. It looked like your normal everyday salt, however, it had a distinct smell to it similar to cleaning products.

2. Essence of Binding: Essences in general were sold in liquid form and so was this one. It looked like molten amber, with a few specks of herbs mixed inside.

3. Crystallized Moonlight: They were clear deep blue crystals, almost like sapphire.

4. Essence of Consent: It was another liquid, but this one was moss green.

5. Grounded Earth Ash: Like the Salt of Purification it was sold in a wooden bowl. You could easily mistake it for normal dirt, because of its colour and texture.

6. Essence of Intention: This one was a blue liquid.

7. Essence of Boundaries: And this one a milky white one.