Chapter 29: A Hidden Mentor's Dilemma
Harry looked down at the table, and said nothing. For a minute, nothing happened, and I took the chance to take out a few items from my backpack.
"Let's go over setting up a schedule," I suggested. "I'm pretty much free after school for, like, at least an hour every day. Same for weekends if that's easier. I don't like getting up too early, but if you want to meet up before school, that's fine with me. Do you live nearby?"
"I live in Privet Drive," he replied, still sounding dazed as if he wasn't sure this was all a dream. "In Surrey."
"Hmm. Pretty close, then. That's, what, a twenty-five-minute walk to the school?"
"Fifteen if you cut through the old playground off Mulberry Street," he revealed.
"Nice. I walk to school, too," I said. "So, what do you want to do?"
"You're asking me?" Harry uttered, and he sounded completely taken aback that anyone would ask his opinion of anything.
"Of course," I replied, and he look at the books I'd put on the table, before nodding.
"Um, before school works best for me," he admitted. "I have chores in the afternoon."
"I see," I muttered, making a note of it in my day planner. "Alright, then. If that's what you want, we can meet up before school starts in the morning."
I pretended not to notice the surprised and happy look Harry sported at that.
.....
"I'm back, Inky," I said, greeting the House Elf as I walked into my apartment. "Ooof, what a day!"
"Welcome back, Young Master Eddie!" Inky said cheerfully from the kitchenette. He was standing on a stool, stirring a batch of Wiggenweld Potion in a copper cauldron. This was how I managed to get so much of the stuff; my loyal friend and caretaker helped me brew the potion.
"How's the potion brewing coming along?" I inquired, taking a peek at what he was doing. The contents of the cauldron was a beautiful blue color, meaning it was another perfectly made potion.
As a House Elf, Inky was just as magical as a witch or wizard, and could handle tasks like brewing potions, though from what he told me, it was rare that that was ever asked of them. Apparently, wizarding folk believed that having a House Elf brew a potion made it weaker, or spoiled it. Sorta like how the ancient Fay had curdled milk and done other tricks. Before they vanished mysteriously one day and were replaced by House Elves. What a curious coincidence.
However, as far as I could tell by testing the potions Inky made versus the ones made by myself, there was no evidence for that claim.
'Probably relates to the rule that states non-humans can't have wands,' I thought bitterly. 'God, what a backwards society!'
"Inky is just finishing up the latest batch," the House Elf informed me. "Inky has also put in the order for new ingredients. We were running low on dittany, aloe oil, and wiggentree bark."
"Excellent!" I said. "When the potion has cooled and you've finished mixing in the aloe vera oil, can you put it into jars for me? And how many Wiggenweld Creams will I have when you're done?"
"With this next batch you will have one-hundred jars worth," Inky dutifully informed me.
"Hmm, that's good for a week's work, but that will be sold out within half a month. Assuming we don't get any new customers. We'll need to find a way to brew it faster and in larger quantities," I mused to myself. "I need to come up with a better, catchier name for my product, too. Can't call it a Wiggenweld Cream forever."
"Why?" Inky asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Partly because I don't want anyone from the magical side of things to know what I'm doing," I admitted. "Can't sell magical stuff to muggles. Not legally, at least. Even if they know about magic in the first place, which is a load of hooey."
It was a risk if a muggleborn or muggle-savvy half-blood came across my product and recognized the name as a reference to a magical potion.
"Hmm, what about Yggdrasil, or something like that?" I wondered. "The World Tree is an ash tree, and wiggentrees are technically a magical sub-species of rowans, which are ashes."
"Actually, now that I think of it, using the Yggdrasil would be a great idea for a product logo," I realized. "Yeah… yeah! That could work!"
"Is everything alright, young master?" Inky inquired as I began to pace around the apartment's living room area, muttering to myself.
"Huh? What do you mean?" I uttered, glancing over at the floppy-eared creature.
"Young master only mutters and paces when he is thinking hard about sad things," Inky replied. "What bothers the young master?"
"You know me too well," I sighed. "I just… Inky, what if I met someone, and they were in trouble? But getting involved with them could cause me trouble as well?"
"Young Master Eddie is a kind man," Inky claimed. "Only a good person would worry about not helping someone."
He hopped down from the stool, the cauldron stirrer still mixing itself independently with the elf's magic. "Do what you can. I and Mistress Wissy will also help you if you ask."
"Alright," I muttered. "You're right, as always, Inky. Thank you."
....
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