Disclaimer: All previous disclaimers apply.
Chapter 25
Iris had just put the finishing touches on Jasmine's birthday cake when she heard the front doorbell ring. Richard got up and let Petunia and Vernon in. He was carrying Dudley. Lily had flooed over with Jasmine earlier while Severus remained behind to wait for Alice, Frank, Neville and Remus.
The Evans' had celebrated Dudley's first birthday a month earlier. Even though Dudley was magical, he hadn't yet shown any sign of accidental magic. Lily had told Petunia that a form of first magic generally was summoning something that was wanted, but couldn't be reached.
"I'd best hide the cookie jar somewhere Dudders doesn't know then because he does enjoy his cookies," Petunia said.
Jasmine had already shown her first sign of magic at ten months by summoning her bottle from her father as he came into the nursery with it. She and Sev had been tremendously excited over it.
The floo sounded and Severus came through with Remus, Frank, and Alice carrying Neville. Iris immediately asked to hold Neville.
Frank and Alice were beaming. "Neville showed his first sign of magic. He summoned his stuffed dragon to his crib when Frank forgot to put it in with him," Alice explained.*
"It was sitting on top of his toy box across the room and he summoned it into his crib," Frank said proudly.
"I'm so happy for you!" Lily said.
"You must be really proud of Neville," Severus added.
"Well, Frank told everybody he possibly could at work if that's any indication," Alice laughed.
"When will you reopen the potion shop?" Petunia asked as they were having dinner.
Severus had received his potion mastery in June and had bought Slug & Jiggers from the owners who retired to do potion research.
"As soon as I've finished remodeling the inside and put up wards to keep people with bad intentions out. I've also changed some of the vendors the shop buys its potion ingredients from. I want the freshest ingredients possible. I'm planning the grand opening for the week after next." He had also enlarged and updated the shop's potion lab.
"I'll serve tea and cookies to everyone," Iris decided.
Lily would be starting her third year at the College of Potions in another month. Professor Ravencroft had already accepted her as his apprentice which she was starting on a part-time basis. Those hours would count towards her mastery. Once she passed her written exams, her verbal exams, she had passed her apprenticeship, and the potion she'd invented was accepted she would be awarded her mastery.
"When is Molly due?" Alice asked Lily. "I saw her in Diagon Alley the other day and hadn't heard she was pregnant again."
"I believe it's sometime this month," Lily said. "I do hope she has the little girl she so wants."
"How are you going to do this alone, Sev?" Frank asked. "The Hogwarts buying craze starts the week you open."
"Lily will be there to help me until she starts back to college. She's legally able to brew as long as there's a certified potion master to supervise her."
"I think it's a great thing you've decided to open your own business Severus," Vernon complimented him. "It's what every young man in Britain aspires to."
"Thank you Vernon," Severus said.
Iris had made the Chicken Puff Pastry Crown canapés again. Dudley loved them and wanted another, but was unable to reach it. "Mama," he said. He pulled on his mother's sleeve, but she was talking to Alice and replied, "Just a moment, Dudders. Mummy's busy."
Dudley frowned and stared at the canapés wishing with all his might that he could have one. Suddenly one rose from the platter and floated over to Dudley.
Alice stopped talking and exclaimed, "Look at Dudley!"
Petunia turned just in time to see Dudley accept the floating canapé. "Oh my!"
"Did Dudders just do magic?" Vernon asked his mouth dropping open.
"It certainly looks that way," Severus said. "It looks as if the magic bypassed Petunia, but your son inherited it."
Dudley grinned and took a big bite out of the canapé.
"Well, it's marvelous that Iris and I now have two magical grandchildren," Richard said clapping.
"Oh indeed! Congratulations Petunia, Vernon," Iris said. She got up and went into the kitchen and brought out Jasmine's birthday cake with a big candle in the shape of a 1 on it. She lit the candle and they all sang 'Happy Birthday' to her and then Lily blew out the candle. Iris cut the cake and handed the plates with the cake slices around. Afterwards, Jasmine opened her presents which were toys and clothing.
"See I held off giving her a potions kit for her first birthday," Severus teased Lily.
"You'll probably give her one next year though," Lily joked.
"Maybe," he said.
The next day while Severus worked on redoing the inside of the shop, Lily assembled first year potion kits using the ingredient list Slughorn had sent the apothecary. "It looks as if he's going to start them off with the Boil Cure Potion," Lily remarked.
"He's done it that way for years," Severus replied. "It's a fairly simple potion; you've just got to be careful with the porcupine quills is all."
By the end of the week, Severus had the inside done and was ready to change the outside. He changed the windows to the Mullion style favored in the 18th century and transfigured the wood to cherrywood which contrasted nicely with the dark brick. He raised the cherrywood sign that Lily had created that had Snape & Snape Apothecary on it in gold lettering and fastened it above the window with a permanent sticking charm. He then cast the ward he had developed around the entire front of the shop that would keep out the Death Eaters and Potter. It would also prevent them from doing any damage to the outside of the shop.
"Now we need to dress the windows to show what we're selling," Lily said.
"I think I'll leave that to you. I've got potion ingredients to sort, put into jars, and label." He went back to the stockroom and began putting the fresh potion ingredients into the jars. He cast a charm on the knob of each jar so it would flash red letting him know when it needed to be refilled.
He had an entire wall of shelves to keep his potion ingredients on. They would be in alphabetical order so they would be easy to find and the bottom shelf was high enough as to prevent small children from pulling the jars off the shelves and breaking them. He also had a long ladder on rollers to make it easy to reach the ingredients on the top shelves.
Other things the store would be selling would be shampoos, soap, and bath salts created by him plus solutions for keeping your home clean, many he had come up with to clean his own home after Tobias' death.
Severus was planning to have the grand opening in two weeks just in time to pick up the busiest shopping of the Hogwarts crowd.
"I've been thinking about opening a branch in Hogsmeade too," Severus said to Lily that night. "We'd be available to the people of Hogsmeade as well as to Hogwarts."
"That's a great idea, Sev. I always wondered why there was never an apothecary in Hogsmeade."
"I think I'll visit with Dean Stanwood about recommendations for a potion master for it," Severus said.
"You'll need a store manager also," Lily pointed out.
"I know and I also know who would be really good for it too, but I know that Arthur loves his job even though it doesn't pay him crap and he loves tinkering with Muggle things so he probably wouldn't accept my offer anyway."
"Aberforth might know of somebody and we'll need to look for an empty store anyway," Lily said.
"Good idea," Severus replied.
The next day Severus and Lily continued to stock their store. One thing he had changed about the store was keeping the barrels of potion ingredients that used to make Slug & Jiggers smell so bad in a well aerated back room.
Severus came out pushing a cart full of jars of potion ingredients. He summoned the ladder and it rolled over to him. He climbed it, levitating the jars up to him and putting them on the shelves. He worked on that until it was time to go home and he had the shelves nearly halfway filled by the time they quit.
Lily had put a sign in the window that read: Opening Soon!
They flooed to Lily's parents to pick up Jasmine and then flooed back to their home where Severus had prepared dinner that morning, using the Slow Cooker Lily had received as a wedding gift from Petunia. He could cook both meat and potatoes at the same time and all he needed to do was steam some fresh vegetables from his garden.
When the food was on the table, Lily fed Jasmine baby food while she ate her dinner.
"Mummy!" Jasmine said reaching out towards Lily's plate.
"I know she has a lot of her teeth, but I don't think she could eat meat. Maybe she could eat a potato if I cut it up in small pieces."
"She did pretty well with her slice of birthday cake and didn't make too much of a mess."
Lily cut up a potato into bite size pieces and put them on Jasmine's tray. She ate about half of them and decided to play with the rest. While Severus dished up the dark chocolate trifle he'd made yesterday; Lily fed Jasmine her applesauce.
"We should be able to finish getting the products out on the shelves by the end of the week I imagine."
"I displayed some of our skin, soap, and bath products in the window so people don't think we're the same as Slug & Jiggers and only sell potion ingredients."
"Good idea. I think I'll run over to the Prophet tomorrow and take out a full-page ad to let everybody know that we'll be opening this next week."
"That will be good. I'll make up more of the first-year potion kits too."
"I'm really excited about having my own apothecary. I wish mum could have lived long enough to see Jasmine and me having my own business."
Lily squeezed his hand. "She would have been so proud of you, Sev and I know she would have loved to spoil Jasmine."
"Yes I know," Severus said nodding.
The next morning Severus flooed to the Daily Prophet and took out a full-page ad about the grand opening of Snape & Snape Apothecary the next week. He flooed back to their shop and stepped out of the fireplace. He rarely went outside the shop. Usually he used the floo system to get around Diagon Alley. It was much larger than it had been previously due to the fear of Voldemort attacking Diagon Alley and the businesses still wanting their customers to be able to shop at their stores.
He went back to work putting potion ingredients in jars. In addition he had potion ingredients from the East. Boris and Kaemon had put him in touch with reliable potion dealers in both Russia and Japan. He also had been in contact with the potion growers he had meant while traveling with the Flamel's in China and India.
He had a separate section where he kept those potion ingredients and called it his International Potions section.
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
Mary sat reading the Prophet the next morning while waiting for James to appear for breakfast with her and his mum.
James entered the dining room, yawning and rumpling his already messy hair and sat down.
Mary rattled the paper as she said, "Look at this, James!"
"Look at what?" James slurred, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
"This ad," Mary replied annoyed at his inattention. "It says Snivellus will be opening the apothecary that used to be Slug & Jiggers on Sunday. It's called Snape & Snape now."
James grabbed the paper from Mary and stared at the ad in amazement. "I can't believe they'd sell their shop to a Death Eater."
"Well, we'll certainly be taking our business elsewhere then!" Althea Potter sniffed. "I'll not support a Death Eater under any circumstances!"
"But Mother Potter, where else can we go?" Mary asked. "Especially if we need something in an emergency."
"We ought to go if only to see what Snivellus has done to the place," James argued. "I'll bet he's openly selling all sorts of dark potions and somebody ought to verify it so it can be reported and stopped."
"And you should be the one that makes the report," Mary said. "I wouldn't report it to the Aurors though. They didn't value you so they don't deserve to get the credit for arresting him. I'd report it to your boss then the Hit Wizards can take Snivellus out."
"Good idea Mary," James replied complimenting her. He turned back to his mother. "Mum I think we ought to visit the new apothecary …to show the Potters support of Diagon Alley businesses of course."
"Well …if you think we should James," Althea said.
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
With help from Richard, Iris, Vernon, and Petunia, Severus and Lily were able to get all the products out on the shelves by the end of the week. Lily had switched the sign in the window and it now read: Grand Opening Week August 16th thru August 23rd.
Severus was adding a new service that Slug & Jiggers hadn't offered. He would brew special potions for people that wanted one, but were unable to brew them themselves as long as they had a formula and it wasn't anything illegal.
"We're all set for tomorrow Sev," Lily said as they left Saturday evening.
"I'm ready, but it is a bit scary thinking about it," he admitted.
"We're ready for anything," Lily said taking his arm as they flooed to the Weasley's to pick up Jasmine.
"Ready for tomorrow?" Arthur asked. "We're planning to come and see your new shop tomorrow."
Severus nodded, holding Jasmine on his hip. Lily was talking to Molly who was due any day now. "I'm thankful Lily will be there to help out these next two weeks with the Hogwarts rush."
"I can't believe Bill will be starting Hogwarts next year," Arthur said.
"I know," Severus said. "It is hard to believe."
They flooed back home, ate and went to sleep early since tomorrow would be a very busy day.
Severus got up at seven and prepared a hearty breakfast. After they ate, they flooed to the shop. They bought Jasmine with them. Petunia was coming to help out selling the bath and home products. Richard and Vernon were going to babysit Jasmine and Dudley in one of the rooms over the shop.
Iris arrived a half-hour before the shop opened followed by Petunia both carrying tins containing freshly baked cookies. She set up a table in one corner of the shop. Vernon followed with Dudley. Severus directed him to the upstairs room where Richard was.
Severus gave Petunia a lightweight white robe to wear over her dress that had Snape & Snape Apothecary written on the left breast in gold.
Lily was thrilled to see there was already a line forming at the door. At exactly ten o'clock, Severus opened the door and welcomed their first customers in.
Lily was busy selling first year potion kits, while Severus got requested potion ingredient and discussed his international potions with customers.
"It smells so nice in here now," one lady informed Petunia. "Slug & Jiggers always smelled like rotten eggs and spoiled cabbage. It made me sick up one time when I was expecting."
The Weasley's came through the door. Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Molly, carrying Ron came in first followed by Arthur holding Fred's and George's hands in his.
Severus came over to greet them with Bill and Charlie excitedly asking questions and Percy shyly offering him a picture he had drawn of Severus' new store. He took Percy's hand and went into his office in the back of the store and stuck the picture on the bulletin board over his desk with a Permanent Sticking Charm. "There! I can look up at the picture whenever I want to now," Severus said.
The members of Weasley's Warriors came. Orion, Walburga, Sirius, and Reg dropped in to see the new apothecary.
The Potters walked up and stopped outside. They were stunned to see how busy it was. "They obviously don't realize its run by a Death Eater," James said by way of explanation.
They moved forward to go in. Mary pulled open the door and held it open for Amelia, but when James attempted to follow his mother; he was thrown back and out into the street on his arse.
Reg who happened to be glancing out the window nudged his brother chuckling and pointed at Potter. "Looks like Sev put up some kind of special ward so Potter can't come in."
"James, come on," Mary insisted.
James picked himself up and then determinedly tried to enter the shop, but the same thing happened again. He put his hands up in frustration. "I can't get in!"
"What do you mean you can't get in?" Mary said taking James' hand
Sirius and Reg chuckled as they watched Mary attempt to pull Potter through the barrier only to have to let go of him and watch him fall on his arse a third time.
Althea went into the shop sniffing in a snobby manner and looking around her. She spotted Molly Weasley sitting on a chair and talking with Iris. She also spotted the Black family, surprised to see Walburga in an establishment owned by a Half-blood and Muggleborn.
Petunia came over to the counter where Mrs. Potter stood. "Why Mrs. Potter," she said in surprise, but continued on as if Amelia being in the store was not a big deal. "Can I interest you in bath salts? This Lavender Bath Salt is simply marvelous! I've tried it and it's wonderfully relaxing and as an added bonus it smoothes my skin."
"Is that so?" Althea said picking up the glass jar of bath salt and looking it over. The scent of Lavender was strong. "It does smell wonderful too," she remarked. "I don't suppose you have one that would help facilitate a pregnancy?"
"Well no," Petunia replied. "They aren't to treat specific problems, but the relaxation they provide could help with that because the more you worry about it; the less likely it is that it will happen."
"Yes, I do recall my healer telling me that when my husband and I were attempting to have a child," Althea admitted.
"We also have the bath salts in Lilac, Jasmine, and Rose," Petunia said reaching down to get the jars from the display and setting them on top of the counter. "They sell for four Galleons a jar."
"I'll take one of each," Althea decided, handing Petunia the correct amount of Galleons.
Petunia carefully wrapped the bath salt jar in bubble wrap so they wouldn't get accidentally broken and slipped them into two classy looking black shopping bags with Snape & Snape Apothecary on them in gold that she had convinced Severus he should invest in. "There you go, Mrs. Potter. Do enjoy them."
"Thank you …" she hesitated.
"Mrs. Dursley," Petunia supplied. "Go over where my mother is and enjoy the refreshments."
Althea looked around wondering where James and Mary had disappeared to, but then saw them still standing outside the shop.
Petunia headed over to where she saw some customers looking at the home care items.
Molly was talking to Iris about her expected child and how she was hoping she would have a girl when Iris spotted Mrs. Potter coming her way. "Mrs. Potter, it is nice to see you again. Please have a seat and enjoy a cup of tea and cookies." She indicated one of the vacant chairs along the wall.
Althea sat down and placed her two bags containing the bath salts she had bought down on the floor next to her as Iris handed her a cup of tea with two cookies.
Lily took a break from selling potion kits and getting refills for other kits. She headed towards where her mother was to get a cup of tea and cookies, but stopped short when she saw Mrs. Potter sitting and talking amicably with her mother and Molly. She looked around the store for Potter, but then spotted him and Mary standing outside arguing. She also spotted someone at the bath products counter and noticed Petunia was busy with a customer at the home care area.
She stepped behind the counter and said, "May I help you, Ma'am?"
When the woman looked up, she saw it was Minister Bagnold. "Oh Minister! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you," Lily apologized. "How can I help you?"
"I wanted to purchase some of these bath salts. I've been so impressed with all the potions Mr. Snape has invented that I thought these bath salts must be something special too."
"They are," Lily assured her. "Not only do they possess amazing relaxation properties, but they keep your skin soft as well."
"It sounds as if it's just what I need," Millicent Bagnold replied and like Mrs. Potter, she brought all four available scents. "It's wonderful to see what you've done with this location and I think this apothecary will be a great addition to Diagon Alley."
"Thank you Minister," Lily said. "Please stop, have a cup of tea and my mum's cookies before you leave."
The Minister nodded. "I shall." She walked over and Iris poured her a cup and placed a couple of cookies on her saucer and gave it to her. Millicent nodded at Molly and Amelia.
"Delicious cookies," Minister Bagnold complimented Iris. "Would you be opposed to sharing the recipes with me?"
"No not at all," Iris said. "But they are Muggle recipes is the only problem. I don't know how they might taste being made magically."
"I have house elves that prefer to cook in the Muggle manner. They insist food tastes better that way and I do have to agree with them on that."
"Well then they should be able to make them just fine," Iris replied as she quickly wrote out the recipes using paper and pen from her purse and handed it to Millicent.
The Minister accepted the papers, tucked them into her purse. "Thank you, Mrs. Evans." She left the shop.
James and Mary were still arguing outside when Minister Bagnold, carrying her bags of bath salts stepped out of the shop door. James' mouth dropped open.
"What?" Mary demanded her hands on her hips. She turned and her eyes widened when she saw the Minister. "Good day Minister! Lovely morning isn't it?" She called.
"Yes it is," she replied. "Good day, Mr. Potter."
"Why is the minister patronizing a shop owned by a Death Eater?" James asked. "I wonder if she was there to check out the potions Snivellus brews, saw some dark potions he's selling, and plans to bust him."
"Well, she'd better do something before Diagon Alley is overrun with Death Eaters."
Althea came out of the shop carrying her bags of bath salts. James looked horrified. "Mum you paid Potter money to buy something at Snivellus' shop?"
"Surprisingly James, it's a very nice shop and it smells much better than Slug & Jiggers ever did," Althea answered. "Now if you two do not have any other shopping to do I think we should return home."
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
After closing, Lily and Severus tallied up their shops earnings and were amazed at the amount of Galleons they had earned. "And the winner is Petunia Dursley," Severus announced. "You took in the most money today. Lily came in second selling the potion kits and refills."
"People really loved those bath salts," Petunia replied. "I think I sold every last one of them because people usually bought all four scents. You'll need to restock them."
"I have plenty more in the back," Severus assured her. "What I'd like to do if Vernon doesn't mind is to offer you a part-time job at the bath counter. You did so well today and this is frankly an area where I do not possess the relevant knowledge. Ask me a question about a potion ingredient and I can give you an answer on where its grown, it's makeup, quality, or herbal properties, but ask me about bath salts and I'll just stare most likely."
"Of course I don't mind Pet," Vernon assured her. "Dudders' can stay with your mum like Jasmine does."
"I'd be happy to watch both my grandchildren," Iris said. "You know I never see enough of them!"
"By the way, Mrs. Potter did ask me if any of the bath salts would help facilitate a pregnancy," Petunia smirked. "You don't suppose her dear son and daughter-in-law are having problems do you?"
"I hope they are!" Lily muttered.
"What did you tell her?" Severus asked.
"I told her being able to relax could help and she agreed and replied that was what her healer had told her when she was trying to become pregnant."
Lily smirked. "Does that mean she's going to be sneaking the bath salts into Mary's bath every time?"
"We'll be able to hear MacDonald screaming in Spinner's End when she finds out the salts are from Snivellus' apothecary!" Severus joked. "To celebrate our successful opening day I made reservations for all of us at that new restaurant, The Golden Galleon. Reg told me the food was excellent there and he should know the amount of food he eats!"
"Sounds good," Vernon replied rubbing his hands together.
"It's just down the street here," Severus said.
"Lead the way," Richard replied.
*I always assumed that Neville's magic was progressing normally until he had to listen to them being tortured by Death Eaters. That would have stunted anyone's magic.
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