Shake it, Bake it, Brew it

In Sight

Last Time:

In the end Harry decided to force himself to calm down and continue to shop while trying to ignore the potions professor's presence. Just listen to the music, stay calm ...

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Severus Snape frowned as he searched the potions supply closet at his own home, "I should've grabbed the last of the porcupine quills from my supplies at Hogwarts before leaving. Too late now." He scowled and decided to go to Diagon Alley.

Floo powder was taken out of a cup next to the fireplace and Snape disappeared in a rush of green flames. The potions master was pleased to see that the place wasn't crowded like it usually was. He went into the Apothecary and looked around.

Frankly he preferred the potions shop in Knockturn Alley, but most of those shops open later and all he needed was porcupine quills ... and maybe some wolfs bane. He took a small basket instead of a cart and started looking around.

Wolfs bane was the first to fall into the potion professor's basket, but before Snape moved on through the shelves something caught his eye between the gaps of the shelves ...

A young boy in the next aisle over. Perhaps 14 or 15 going by his height, wearing baggy muggle clothes and listening to a muggle music playing device. It was rare to find young people truly interested in potions nowadays. Even rarer still someone brave enough to run around Diagon Alley in muggle garb. He watched and listened to the boy muttering to himself out loud ...

"Lacewing ... leeches ... snake fangs ... porcupine quills ..." Severus raised an eyebrow, he deduced that the boy had planned to make a dreamless sleep potion. That was fairly advanced for his age. "Wicked! Dragon blood!" The potions master rolled his eyes. Maybe he thought too much of the boy if he gets excited over dragon blood. Does the brat even know what's for?

"That would help stabilize- ... hmm or would salamander blood with beetle eyes be better?" The blonde held the jar of dragon blood in his right hand, tapping it thoughtfully in time with the music he was listening to. That question made Severus gape. This boy really did know what he was talking about, but why would he need a strong stabilizer? It wasn't needed for a dreamless sleep potion. Was he experimenting with another potion? That was interesting ...

The young wizard reached up intending to grab the jar of beetle eyes, possibly to check for freshness, but he didn't get to the jar. Just before he could grab hold of his target his baggy sleeve got snagged on a sharp edge on the shelf pulling his sleeve all the way down revealing his arm ... his heavily scarred arm.

The potions master froze at the sight of the scars. A rage and protectiveness filled Severus as he watched the boy. If this boy was being abused he will find out and put a stop to it! It didn't matter that this boy wasn't from Hogwarts, he will help.

"Shit!" The young wizard hissed and yanked his arm back letting the baggy sleeve fall over the scars hiding them from view. Severus felt his heart clench as the boy glanced around almost fearfully and remained tense even after looking back at the jar of dragon blood for several more seconds.

Severus wasn't sure if he should approach the boy yet so he waited until he saw the boy finally relax and go back to getting the beetle eyes. This time with great care the boy picked up the jar and looked at the age.

"Salamander blood and beetle eyes it is!" The blonde nodded happily and added the jar of beetle eyes to the cart. Severus watched the boy put the dragon blood away and pull a vial of salamander blood off the shelves. The potions master moved towards the boy casually and took some porcupine quills. The boy grabbed a large set of empty vials and headed for the check out counter.