Chapters 21-30

An Unexpected Shopping Trip

Hermione’s mind was still in the dungeons with her cauldrons when she made her way to the seventh floor for her last lesson with Professor Flitwick before she would sit her NEWTs.

The thought of the exams stabbed into the pit of her stomach and made it lurch. But only a little. She’d been so scared of the OWLs. Why wasn’t she in a complete panic now?

But she wasn’t. Instead, she wondered about what to do with her latest brewing project.

oooOooo

In a flight of fancy she’d added the creation of a soothing bathing lotion to her list of projects. Which was actually Ginny’s fault.

Because Ginny had bought a simple, no, rather a simply ridiculous Muggle foaming bath that contained thousands of tiny metallic golden hearts—which Ginny had charmed so that they created a whirlpool, tickling the skin of the bathers. Not that there weren’t wizarding substances with the same effect, but the practical Ginny had discovered that buying Muggle was much cheaper. Being a deft hand at Charms, the young witch saw no reason to spend a Penny or a Knut more than she absolutely had to. Ginny had promised Hermione that what she did was perfectly legal and absolutely safe, since she enchanted the Muggle-made substances only her own personal use in the privacy of her own home. She’d only get in trouble if a Muggle with no clearance for the wizarding world came into contact with the results of her thriftiness.

‘And I assure you, I have no intention of sharing my bathtub with an uninitiated Muggle,’ Ginny had told her.

Even thinking about that tart reassurance made Hermione roll her eyes.

‘I should hope not, Ginny,’ Harry had commented, his cheeks colouring suspiciously.

Hermione groaned. Apparently Harry had been quite enchanted with Ginny’s bathing solution.

No, she really did not need those images in her mind.

But the bathing incident had reminded her of what else you could brew potions. Creams, tonics, perfumes…and bathing lotions. Still unwilling to resort to stronger remedies, Hermione was on the lookout for something to keep nightmares away and fears at bay for purely selfish reasons. A good way to stay motivated, she mused.

The main ingredients for the Muggle recipe she’d picked as the basis for her new project were milk and a variety of essential oils (rose, jasmine, musk, ylang-ylang). Rose for calmness of mind and emotional stability, but without the sedative effects of a sleeping potion. Jasmine for invigorating effects that wouldn’t make you hyper. Musk oil was best known as a powerful aphrodisiac, but it was also an amazing purifying agent. Ylang-Ylang, perhaps the most interesting substance among the lot, was just as ambiguous as musk. Not only an aphrodisiac, it would soothe an agitated heart and could even induce slightly euphoric moods.

Hermione wasn’t too sure about musk and ylang-ylang in the mix—she’d probably want to substitute safer substances for them in the long run, maybe lavender and a bit of frankincense instead?—but as Muggle baths went, it was pleasant enough to start with. But…it just wasn’t strong enough, magical enough, to combat her sleeplessness and her restlessness. Maybe mooncow milk instead of ordinary milk. But that stuff was expensive! She’d need a gallon to conduct enough experiments. Or if she used powdered unicorn horn instead of baking soda as a cleansing agent? Its purifying properties should be strong enough to replace the musk oil.

oooOooo

Suddenly Hermione found herself right in front of Professor Flitwick’s office. When had the way from the dungeons to the seventh floor become so short? Normally it took ages to climb all those stairs. She knocked and entered the room. To her surprise, she found the diminutive professor dressed up for going out.

‘Professor Flitwick?’ she asked. Had she mixed up the time? Was she supposed to be elsewhere right now?

‘No, no, Miss Granger—I haven’t forgotten your lesson,’ Professor Flitwick piped up. ‘But it won’t take place here. We’re going to Diagon Alley, to visit Ollivander’s today.’

Hermione frowned, but the professor smiled at her enthusiastically.

‘It’s time you got a second wand.’

‘What?’ Dumbstruck, Hermione could only gape at her teacher. Only the most powerful and adept witches and wizards could work with two wands. She knew that Dumbledore had had two wands. Flitwick, of course, could use two as well. She suspected that Snape probably could, too. But she? She was still practicing some of the more complicated one-handed swirls Flitwick was teaching her every night!

‘Yes, Miss Granger. You will definitely need a second wand if you’re going to be Severus Snape’s apprentice. Do not look so frightened! We’ve not been practicing all those moves for nothing.’ Flitwick beamed at her. ‘I am sure that at the end of the summer not even Snape will have much to complain about when it comes to your wand skills.’

Practising all those moves…Suddenly Hermione felt rather stupid. That was why Flitwick had insisted on training her to use her left hand. That was why some of the new patterns didn’t make sense to her at all. They were only half a pattern! She’d need a second wand to complete the movements.

How devious of the little old man! That was positively Slytherin! To leave her in the dark like that, embarrassed by her lack of progress and her clumsiness…

‘Are you ready to Floo? I really don’t fancy walking to the Apparition point in that kind of weather.’

Hermione glanced at the window. Heavy spring rains were pounding against the panes. She’d never noticed, spending her morning in the dungeons.

‘Flooing is fine with me, Professor.’

Suddenly her stomach quivered giddily. A second wand. Oh my GOD, Professor Flitwick thinks I’m good enough to handle a second wand!

With a shaking hand, she picked up a pinch of Floo powder and threw it into the fire. ‘Ollivander’s, please,’ she said with a firm voice. ‘Diagon Alley.’