Bethany woke the next morning to find herself alone. Lupin had spent the
night with her, curled up together as they had done so many times in the
past. The sun was pouring through the small gap in the curtains, inviting
her to crawl out of bed and spend the day outside. As she was considering
getting out of bed, the door creaked open as Lupin strolled into the room.
"You still in bed?! I've already been up for two hours, had breakfast and read today's paper. Speaking of breakfast, I guessed your tastes hadn't changed much." With that, he held out a bag for Bethany who took it with glee.
"Remus, you're an angel!" she exclaimed, pulling out a pair of hot croissants which dripped butter over the bedding and her hands as she devoured the warm pastry. Lupin watched her eat with a vague smile on his face, he still knew her. He had been scared that his absence would have made their job together difficult, but it seemed as though nothing had changed. Except.
"I need to get washed and dressed, so you are going to have to wait for me downstairs. Read the paper again if you have to, but you're not staying in here!" Her words had confirmed it. Lupin drifted down the stairs again, his mind fresh with the knowledge that this was how it had to be. They needed to be true friends now, and nothing could come between that.
It was nearly another hour before Bethany bounced down the stairs. Lupin's annoyance at how long she was taking evaporated when she entered the room. She looked as she had down many years ago, while she was still training. Before she became ill. Her red curls should have clashed with her magenta robes, but they made her look healthy. As though she'd never stopped being that happy twenty year old. As though the last five years had never happened. He wished that was true, he really did.
"Ready for some more shopping?" Bethany beamed at him. With a toothy grin he took her arm, and they walked into the sunshine.
"It seems such a shame to spend a glorious day like this lurking in Knockturn Alley. Why don't we do something else instead?"
"Lupin, I've only got a few things to get, we'll be out by lunchtime. I promise." Bethany made a play of batting her eyelashes at Lupin, forcing him to smile. "Anyway, I think it sounds like you're too scared to go there!"
"You cheeky little.!" Lupin's smile broadened as he dodged a playful punch from Bethany. "Come on then you, let's get this shopping done."
It only took Bethany an hour to gather the bits she needed. She had great difficulty finding a particular breed of cactus, but she was finally directed to Aculeus' Apothecary. Lupin looked nervous being this deep into the darkness, for no sunshine ever penetrated the lower levels of Knockturn Alley, which was never a popular place to be. While Bethany was apprehensive of where they were, she had to get this plant, and wasn't going home without it.
"Good morning, I'm after a Gwichian Cactus. I was told you were the only shop likely to carry it." Bethany managed to keep her voice level and controlled while looking at the shop's proprietor, a tall and spiky-looking woman who stood a clear eight inches over Bethany. The candle light reflected off her shaved head, emphasising the plait of hair at the back which remained. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of black goggles.
"Well, that's not a request we get everyday. The Gwichian Cactus isn't popular, or practical anymore. Could I perhaps suggest the Sgrechian Grass instead? It's just as effective, but less likely to attack when unprovoked. The Ministry isn't keen on households having the Gwichian, apparently it's causing problems with the muggles." Despite her startling appearance, her voice was gentle, helping to put Bethany more at ease.
"I had several Sgrechian's until recently, unfortunately the Banhadlen killed it off." Bethany spoke with much more confidence now. "The Gwichian is the only thing hardy enough to fight back, and I need my house protected. And before you suggest it, the Banhadlen also has to stay."
With the slightest movement, the shop keeper disappeared, returning moments later from a door on the other side of the room. She was wearing what appeared to be a chemical radiation suit, except it was made of dragon hide. Beckoning Bethany to follow her, she disappeared through the doorway again, this time carrying a large pair of tongs and a cage.
Once her eyes had become accustomed to the gloom, Bethany could see that the woman was on the other side of a large piece of glass. In with the woman were an assortment of plants, all of them unpleasant looking and oozing menace towards everything. Bethany knew that her Gwichian Cactus was in there somewhere, but she couldn't see it. The woman was sliding effortlessly between the plants, pausing occasionally to look around. With one swift and decisive movement, she snatched up one of the plants with the tongs and placed it in the cage. Giving a quick thumbs up, she apparated beside Bethany.
"One Gwichian. There are others in there if you would prefer a different one, but this one has managed to fend off everything that has tried to eat it, kill it, or just use it as a toilet!" The cage which now contained one very annoyed Gwichian was proffered to Bethany, who was still slightly bemused at the speed with which this small cactus had been caught.
"This one will do just fine, thank you. Hey, I'm not gonna need one of those suits to get it home am I?!"
"Suit? Oh, no, this is protection against some of the other plants in there. The Anfeidrol has poison darts that can kill in five seconds. At least by wearing the suit I stand a chance of getting out of there alive. If you're sure this one's fine, then I'll get it bundled up. If you could return to the front of the store."
Bethany returned to find a nervous Lupin trying to keep his distance from the plants and other peculiar objects in the apothecary. He jumped when she placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Gods, it's only you! You made me jump. How'd it go back there? Get your cactus?"
Before Bethany could answer, there was a popping noise and the shop keeper was once again behind the counter, with a well wrapped and carefully padded package.
"Here's your Gwichian. Try not to drop it, or it may destroy the packaging. I have put an Unbreakable Charm on it, but I can't guarantee that that's much use against a provoked Gwichian. In addition," she reached under the counter, and produced another parcel, "this is a care package. It's got all the information on how to plant it, how to look after it and what to do if it runs amok. I still think you'd be better off with a Sgrechian, but if you've already tried them. Any problems, the contact details are on the pamphlet, ask for Lilith - that's me - I should be able to help you with almost anything."
Bethany took hold of her new plant, feeling a lot more nervous than she had expected to. Although Lilith's eyes were hidden behind her goggles, her smile was genuine. Bethany couldn't help returning the smile, "If I need you, I'll yell."
"You still in bed?! I've already been up for two hours, had breakfast and read today's paper. Speaking of breakfast, I guessed your tastes hadn't changed much." With that, he held out a bag for Bethany who took it with glee.
"Remus, you're an angel!" she exclaimed, pulling out a pair of hot croissants which dripped butter over the bedding and her hands as she devoured the warm pastry. Lupin watched her eat with a vague smile on his face, he still knew her. He had been scared that his absence would have made their job together difficult, but it seemed as though nothing had changed. Except.
"I need to get washed and dressed, so you are going to have to wait for me downstairs. Read the paper again if you have to, but you're not staying in here!" Her words had confirmed it. Lupin drifted down the stairs again, his mind fresh with the knowledge that this was how it had to be. They needed to be true friends now, and nothing could come between that.
It was nearly another hour before Bethany bounced down the stairs. Lupin's annoyance at how long she was taking evaporated when she entered the room. She looked as she had down many years ago, while she was still training. Before she became ill. Her red curls should have clashed with her magenta robes, but they made her look healthy. As though she'd never stopped being that happy twenty year old. As though the last five years had never happened. He wished that was true, he really did.
"Ready for some more shopping?" Bethany beamed at him. With a toothy grin he took her arm, and they walked into the sunshine.
"It seems such a shame to spend a glorious day like this lurking in Knockturn Alley. Why don't we do something else instead?"
"Lupin, I've only got a few things to get, we'll be out by lunchtime. I promise." Bethany made a play of batting her eyelashes at Lupin, forcing him to smile. "Anyway, I think it sounds like you're too scared to go there!"
"You cheeky little.!" Lupin's smile broadened as he dodged a playful punch from Bethany. "Come on then you, let's get this shopping done."
It only took Bethany an hour to gather the bits she needed. She had great difficulty finding a particular breed of cactus, but she was finally directed to Aculeus' Apothecary. Lupin looked nervous being this deep into the darkness, for no sunshine ever penetrated the lower levels of Knockturn Alley, which was never a popular place to be. While Bethany was apprehensive of where they were, she had to get this plant, and wasn't going home without it.
"Good morning, I'm after a Gwichian Cactus. I was told you were the only shop likely to carry it." Bethany managed to keep her voice level and controlled while looking at the shop's proprietor, a tall and spiky-looking woman who stood a clear eight inches over Bethany. The candle light reflected off her shaved head, emphasising the plait of hair at the back which remained. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of black goggles.
"Well, that's not a request we get everyday. The Gwichian Cactus isn't popular, or practical anymore. Could I perhaps suggest the Sgrechian Grass instead? It's just as effective, but less likely to attack when unprovoked. The Ministry isn't keen on households having the Gwichian, apparently it's causing problems with the muggles." Despite her startling appearance, her voice was gentle, helping to put Bethany more at ease.
"I had several Sgrechian's until recently, unfortunately the Banhadlen killed it off." Bethany spoke with much more confidence now. "The Gwichian is the only thing hardy enough to fight back, and I need my house protected. And before you suggest it, the Banhadlen also has to stay."
With the slightest movement, the shop keeper disappeared, returning moments later from a door on the other side of the room. She was wearing what appeared to be a chemical radiation suit, except it was made of dragon hide. Beckoning Bethany to follow her, she disappeared through the doorway again, this time carrying a large pair of tongs and a cage.
Once her eyes had become accustomed to the gloom, Bethany could see that the woman was on the other side of a large piece of glass. In with the woman were an assortment of plants, all of them unpleasant looking and oozing menace towards everything. Bethany knew that her Gwichian Cactus was in there somewhere, but she couldn't see it. The woman was sliding effortlessly between the plants, pausing occasionally to look around. With one swift and decisive movement, she snatched up one of the plants with the tongs and placed it in the cage. Giving a quick thumbs up, she apparated beside Bethany.
"One Gwichian. There are others in there if you would prefer a different one, but this one has managed to fend off everything that has tried to eat it, kill it, or just use it as a toilet!" The cage which now contained one very annoyed Gwichian was proffered to Bethany, who was still slightly bemused at the speed with which this small cactus had been caught.
"This one will do just fine, thank you. Hey, I'm not gonna need one of those suits to get it home am I?!"
"Suit? Oh, no, this is protection against some of the other plants in there. The Anfeidrol has poison darts that can kill in five seconds. At least by wearing the suit I stand a chance of getting out of there alive. If you're sure this one's fine, then I'll get it bundled up. If you could return to the front of the store."
Bethany returned to find a nervous Lupin trying to keep his distance from the plants and other peculiar objects in the apothecary. He jumped when she placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Gods, it's only you! You made me jump. How'd it go back there? Get your cactus?"
Before Bethany could answer, there was a popping noise and the shop keeper was once again behind the counter, with a well wrapped and carefully padded package.
"Here's your Gwichian. Try not to drop it, or it may destroy the packaging. I have put an Unbreakable Charm on it, but I can't guarantee that that's much use against a provoked Gwichian. In addition," she reached under the counter, and produced another parcel, "this is a care package. It's got all the information on how to plant it, how to look after it and what to do if it runs amok. I still think you'd be better off with a Sgrechian, but if you've already tried them. Any problems, the contact details are on the pamphlet, ask for Lilith - that's me - I should be able to help you with almost anything."
Bethany took hold of her new plant, feeling a lot more nervous than she had expected to. Although Lilith's eyes were hidden behind her goggles, her smile was genuine. Bethany couldn't help returning the smile, "If I need you, I'll yell."
