A matter of Law

8

His examination and treatment finished, Harry was helped to get dressed by Amy Greengrass before he left the Manchester Clinic to go to his new home. His new home. It would seem so ordinary to someone else thinking that, but to Harry Potter, the phrase filled him with hope. He didn't think this 'Lord Black' person would make him get up before dawn to do chores or cook. He expected there to be rules to follow, every boy his age expected that, but Mr. Stanton had promised him that Lord Black would probably only give him a couple of light swats to his backside for punishment, and then only if he really messed up. Mr. Stanton also told him Lord Black would probably explain his rules when Harry arrived. Harry could understand that, and he would do his best to not break any of the rules, because even at his aunt and uncle's house, he tried to be good.

"Are you ready, Harry?" Amy asked him, seeing how hopeful he looked.

"I think so, Mrs. Greengrass. Will it take long to get there?"

"I don't think so. Maybe an hour or two. Why do you ask?"

"Well, ma'am, I was hoping we had time to get something to eat first. I'm hungry."

"What about a small snack? To hold you over until we get to Lord Black's house, because he'll probably want you to have dinner with him, and we don't want to spoil your appetite now, do we?"

"Okay! What kind of snack? Aunt Petunia always gave Dudley cookies and candy when he wants a snack."

"I was thinking you might like a couple of pieces of fruit. Maybe some grapes or even an apple or two? I'm sure that either Kyle or Bryan could even find some juice to go with it, so you don't get thirsty. Would you like that?"

After thinking about it a moment, Harry grinned.

"Okay! That sounds good."

Amy chuckled, and grabbed a couple of apples and a bunch of grapes from the bowl in the break room of the clinic, then also taking a juice box from the icebox. After putting the fruit and juice box in a small bag to make it easy for Harry to manage to carry, they walked to the waiting area where Kyle and Brian were sitting.

"Harry is ready to go to his new home, then?" Brian asked, seeing them walk into the waiting room.

"He'll need to have a regimen of medicines for a week or two and take it easy and rest for a few days, but yes. I have the instructions Lord Black requested here, as well as the list of prescriptions for his medicines. The Healer that also examined Harry made sure to include some 'first dose' bottles of his medicines to give Lord Black time to get Harry's medicine prescriptions taken care of at the apothecary."

"Mrs. Greengrass?" Harry asked, confused.

"Yes, Harry, what is it?"

"What's 'apothecary' mean?"

"An 'apothecary', Harry, is similar to a pharmacy, except instead of the medicines being brought to the building by a company, the way it is at a pharmacy, an apothecary is able to make the medicines people need right there in the building, or even sell them the ingredients to make their medicines themselves if the person who took care of them says they're allowed to make them. Understand?"

"Like when Aunt Petunia goes to the market and gets different loose teas because she likes to mix them up to taste the way she likes?"

"Very like that, yes. Some things that are wrong with people need special medicines to make better, and pharmacies don't usually know how to make them or where to go to have them brought to the pharmacy, so people use an apothecary for those medicines."

"Okay."

"Then let's get you to your new home, alright? I think Mr. Greengrass knows how to get there, so we'll just go with him. You can eat your snack on the way."