"I plan on opening a apothecary that not only sells ingredients, but also makes more effective than normal potions at reduced prices," Harry informed them quietly, his fingers absently twitching as he cast a small variation of the silencing charm around them. It would keep their conversation hidden from anyone who was listening in, but they could still hear everything being said around them. "Because I don't have control over my family vaults until I reach the age of majority, I've been trying to find ways to increase the money in my mother's vault, which is what I use for all of my non school related buys."
"And so you decided you want to open a potion shop?" asked Neville, sounding very interested in what he was saying. It was not surprising, considering Herbology was a field that ran parallel with Potion brewing. Many plants and herbs were used in the brewing of potions.
"Yes," Harry nodded. "I already have the license to buy out property thanks to a favor someone owes me, but I need someone who has a NEWT in Arithmancy and Potions who can get a license to sell and make potions before I can even think of opening my business."
"Cassidy has both, one of the few who do. Naturally I offered her the job of running the shop. The store would technically be under my name, but she would be the one in charge. I would have my potions shop, she would no longer be working at a bookstore and we would both be making a decent amount of money. It's a win-win situation for the two of us."
"Bloody hell," Terry swore.
"You know, it's a very good thing Hermione's too busy talking with Tracey to scold you for cursing," Lisa commented, her eyes flickering to the trio standing with Misses Davis and the Grangers. She shook her head as she saw that they were still talking about Lockhart. How could anyone be so enthusiastic about meeting someone, even if that someone was a celebrity?
"You're probably right," Terry also looked over at Hermione, who was watching Tracey alongside Astoria with wide eyes as the brunette made some wild gesticulation about something. "Still, who does something like this? Opening up a Potions Shop at twelve? That's crazy!"
"It's ambitious," Blaise added his own two cents, smirking. "I like it."
"I guess I can see why most people would think it's unusual," Harry admitted, "but honestly, I just want to accomplish something no one else has managed to do before. Opening up shops and stores when I'm still at Hogwarts definitely qualifies."
There were other things he wanted to do, of course, like write a book before graduating and create his own power bloc amongst his peers so he would have allies after he graduated and took his place on the Wizengamot. But these would have to wait for a while. Even though he could gain allies now, it was still going to be six years before any of that would become relevant.
"You're certainly well on your way to doing that," Hannah chimed, shaking her head. "Still seems a little weird for someone our age to open a shop."
Harry shrugged, as if to say 'that's just how I am'.
"It can't be Harry Potter?"
Even though the words were not spoken very loudly, everyone in the entire book store heard them. The silence that settled upon everyone there was as complete as the noise that had once filled the area.
Harry mechanically turned his head towards the source of the voice, not really wanting to, but knowing that there was nothing else he really could do.
There, standing up from his seat and staring at him was none other than Gilderoy Lokhart, the person who had spoken. If the look Jeanette had given him frightened him, then the look this man was giving him made him wish he could run as far away as he possibly could. Being stared at like a piece of meat was preferable to the look he was getting now.
Harry could practically see the stars appearing in the man's eyes.
This was so not good.
XoX
The day had not turned out as well as Harry had hoped it would. He would have thought that getting to spend time with all his friends in one place after only seeing them sporadically throughout the summer would have been nice, and it would have, if that idiot hadn't ruined most of his good mood.
"Man, I can't believe you actually got to stand up there with Gilderoy Lockhart," Tracey complained as they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. The sun was beginning to go down and now that everyone's shopping was finished, Misses Davis and Mister and Misses Granger had decided it was time for them to part ways. "That's so unfair."
"Then you could have bloody well switched places with me for all I care," Harry scowled as he thought of the time he had wasted standing in front of that gods forsaken crowd with Lockhart hamming it up to his fans. Worse still, the man used him, him! As a means of boosting his already overly inflated fame.
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