Chapter 14, Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
Severus found Heather and Raislen waiting for him near the edge of the platform. They boarded the train together and found an empty compartment quickly enough. Severus was the happiest of the group to be returning to school, but Heather was still glad to be done with the summer. Unlike her, Raislen had enjoyed his summer travels. As it turned out, his family had found some very fascinating scrolls in Egypt. Most of them dealt with potions, much to Severus's glee. One particularly intriguing one was for sleep as well as pain management and made from milk of the poppy among other things. Even more interesting, when this milk of the poppy was mixed with other herbs, it could serve to open one to prophetic dreams while they slept. Bottled, Severus knew that would sell for a pretty bit of gold. Many of the required ingredients were rare and likely pricey, but that meant the end result would be even more so. All the scrolls Raislen brought from Egypt were extremely rare, so it wasn't as if too many other copies would be floating around either. The potion would be unheard of in most circles, and that was a definite advantage for someone selling it.
"While I do appreciate the concept, I'm not sure I would wish to know about the future," Heather mused. "I suppose it depends on if I believe I can change it."
Raislen nodded. "Good point."
"Well enough people would like a glimpse into the future, and they're the ones who shall some day pay me a great deal of gold for a potion that will allow them a chance at it," Severus proclaimed.
"So you'll be a rich potions shop owner, then," Heather asked. "Is that it?" Her smile was amused, but not doubtful so Severus smiled back.
"Perhaps. I may have to hire someone else to deal with the people, though. I could very well lose customers if I am forced to interact with them. So many people are annoying, or stupid, or both."
Raislen nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah...I was thinking about that. You'd be excellent at brewing rare potions to sell, and coming up with ideas for your own, but I was having doubts about the business aspect myself...you know, because of the dealing with people. So I think you hiring someone else to do it is a brilliant idea. Lots of creative geniuses don't get on with others so well, you know," he added.
"While that's nice to know, I don't mind not getting on with people," Severus said, vaguely uncomfortable at Raislen's effort to make him feel alright about disliking the majority of humans due to their own individual lacks and mental shortcomings. "I like those people who are worth liking...Like you and HeatherToy...Sorry, Heather, it's his fault," Severus said quickly. Raislen always called her that, and if one heard a thing said enough, they would eventually slip up and bloody say it as well! Though Severus wasted no time in correcting himself, it hadn't mattered.
Nodding gravely, Heather casually reached to punch Raislen in the stomach before doing the same to Severus.
"Hey," Severus shouted, doubling over in pain.
"Don't learn from him," Heather snapped.
"I may have just taken you off the list of people I like," Severus told her darkly.
Heather laughed, unconcerned. "You'll change your mind the next time you and Raislen are stuck on one of your hexes."
That was true enough. Whenever he and Raislen were stuck Heather always stepped in with the suggestion that completed whatever they had going. Most of the time it was Severus or Raislen who came up with the idea for a spell, but Heather knew how to tweak it to make it most efficient. "True," he said. "And I'd miss your letters in the summers too."
Heather smiled, mollified. "Writing to you and Raislen got me through my summer of hell," she admitted. "If I hadn't had the two of you to vent to, I may have gone out of my mind."
"Wasn't there at least one good part, though," Raislen asked doubtfully. Severus understood his incredulity. It was difficult to believe that traveling to so many interesting places was so dreadful in all aspects.
"Roads, dust, and languages that I need a constant translation charm to understand with foreigners who probably disliked us or wanted to cheat us or both...No," Heather said fervently. Severus and Raislen exchanged a glance, then a shrug before allowing the topic to drop.
"I asked my parents if you could come visit for some of the holidays, Severus," Raislen said. "They're fine with it, of course. Especially after I told them about your rat of a grandfather. That was alright, wasn't it," Raislen asked hastily. "I mean I didn't tell them, you know, about who killed your father or anything overly personal."
Severus shrugged, nodding. He guessed that was alright. "I'll write my Mum and ask her if I can, then," he said.
Raislen gave an excited grin. "It'll be brilliant! We'll have the most fun ever! My parents suggested having you come a day or so after Christmas, then just returning to Hogwarts with me."
"Sounds good. I'll ask Mum," Severus said. He wrote Eileen that very night after the feast and her reply arrived the very next morning at breakfast. "Well," Raislen asked expectantly as he watched Severus reading his mum's reply. "What did she say?"
"She said yes!" Severus nearly shouted with glee. Term may have only just begun, but he was already ready for the winter holidays!