Chapter 35: Extra-Sweetness
Once Saturday arrived, Claire made another trip to Hogsmeade and entered the Three Broomsticks which was more crowded than before.
"Hello, dear," Rosmerta greeted. "Welcome back!"
"Is there anything I can help you with?" Claire asked. "You look exhausted."
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Rosmerta said, "Actually, would you mind helping me serve Butterbeer? I could use an extra pair of hands while I take a break and search for that Black Quill in the back."
"So you want me to work for you, even though I'm not a paid employee?"
"I'll pay you for your trouble. Just be sure not to drop a tray, spill a drop of Butterbeer, or take a tumble yourself."
After Rosmerta walked away, Claire went to the bar and explained the situation to the person tending it. He in turn gave her a mug of Butterbeer and directed Claire to the table it was for. As Claire made her way over there, though, she tripped and felt the mug slipping from her hands when the most amazing thing happened.
Instead of falling onto the floor and shattering into pieces, the mug of Butterbeer was suddenly changed into a living mongoose which landed on all four of its paws. Perplexed, Claire looked around and saw a man with sideburns wearing a blue coat waving his wand in her direction. Then when Claire looked down at the mongoose, it had scampered off startling several customers before making its way out the front door.
"How is your first shift going?" Rosmerta asked, startling Claire.
This in turn forced Claire to explain what happened, causing Rosmerta to sigh.
"Ah, well, can't be helped," Rosmerta shrugged. "I just took a quick look around the back, and I don't see the Black Quill yet. I'm going take a more thorough look now, but make sure that wizard pays for the mongoose and give the customer who ordered the mug of Butterbeer a free drink on the house."
Nodding in turn, Claire parted ways with Rosmerta and followed her instructions. While the blue-coated wizard initially refused to pay for the mongoose, he eventually gave in once Claire used Revelio to briefly show his balding head which made some of the students laugh. As for the customer who ordered the Butterbeer mug, who was an elderly lady, she was about to leave. But upon seeing the free drink, the old lady changed her mind and left a very generous tip afterward. From there, Claire's shift became slightly more routine as she carried trays of Butterbeer around the inn giving them to their respective customers whether they were students or Hogsmeade residents. Soon enough, Rosmerta returned.
"Sorry, Claire," Rosmerta apologized. "I'm trying to remember where I put the Black Quill, but keep getting distracted by other things in there I've forgotten about: brochures on the uses of Gurdyroot, requests to hold meetings of the Celestina Warbeck Fan Club, and so on. I've also been trying to produce a special concoction called Extra-Sweet Butterbeer, but not had the time to collect some of the more…obscure ingredients."
"Well, if you point me in the right direction, I'm sure I could find those ingredients for you," Claire offered.
"That's very kind, dear," Rosmerta smiled. "I'll be sure to tell Professor Dumbledore how helpful you've been."
After Claire finished up her shift and got paid, Rosmerta gave her a list of the ingredients for Extra-Sweet Butterbeer which included: Sugar Shrub, Mallowsweet, and Moondew which could either be fresh or dried. So on her way back to Hogwarts, Claire contemplated the best possible places she could get these items in the shortest amount of time.
Two days later in Herbology, Professor Sprout announced, "Today, we will be learning the ways in which magic can help us grow plants faster. So pick the plant of your choice, and be sure to grow it to full maturity by the end of class. I'll be timing you just to be sure!"
"This is perfect," Claire murmured. "I'll be able to grow that Sugar Shrub Madam Rosmerta wanted in no time."
"Did you say something, Claire?" Tonks asked.
"Oh, nothing," Claire responded, checking the seed supply first.
Once she found a bag labeled 'Sugar Shrubs', Claire picked one of the seeds and placed it in a pot filled with fresh dirt. Then after Claire watered the dirt-covered seed and gave it fertilizer, she waved her wand over the pot and said, "Herbivicus!"
As she annunciated this, a bright green light appeared at the tip of her wand and over the seed. Then a bright green line connected the two lights, followed by the seed's rapid growth into a seedling and then a fully mature shrub with dark-green leaves and pink candy-like flowers.
"Time's up, class!" Sprout proclaimed. "And it seems like most of you have created a fully mature plant in the amount of time given. Feel free to take your project back to your dorm, or leave it here if you don't want to."
"I did it!" Claire cried, and picked up the potted shrub. "Those patrons at Three Broomsticks will be in for quite a sugar shock once they get a taste of this!"
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Later, after classes were over, Claire went into the Potions Classroom. Fortunately, Snape wasn't around which relieved Claire as she searched the various shelves for Mallowsweet. After finding a Sage-colored jar with the right label on it, she emptied some of the contents into a spare phial she brought with her.
"Now according to the Book of Potions, this stuff is typically used for Divination purposes," Claire mused, looking at her brimming phial. "I wonder why Madam Rosmerta would consider using this in Butterbeer?"
As she contemplated this, Claire made her way to the Artefact Room and searched around the shelves until she found some dried Moondew in a dusty phial. Tucking it into her robes, she left the Artefact Room and left the two phials in the Ravenclaw Dormitory before heading to the Great Hall for dinner.
To be continued…