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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He waited in the silence as they shifted as if trying to get comfortable again after the display and the overload of information.
"When is opening day?" Fujita asked with a heavy sigh.
"Monday, in two day's time."
"And what foods do I make?"
"I'll give you a list. Oh, and try to keep your uniforms in one piece. If you need them patched up give them to me. Everyone gets a second one also, it should be upstairs in your assigned lockers. Everyone good with that?"
Nodded consent answered him and no one else said anything as they finished their tea and cakes and hurried off.
.-.
Harry hummed as he walked down the alley, a slight bounce in his step. Everything was going perfect. He had a store that he'd helped design, he had employees, he had a house, he had a tutor, he had a friend, he had an accountant who helped with everything, and he had freedom.
Harry ducked into the store 'Smith's Plants and Pots' and started to wander, picking a few more buds and sprouted plants. Soon he found himself in front of a shelf with the word 'Rejects' painted over it. It held some half wilted plants that looked almost dead.
"What are these?" Harry asked the till manager.
The man looked over his magazine and shrugged.
"Some magical plants. You're supposed to feed them your magic to make them bloom. They're supposed to turn out different for every person who make them grow, but no one has ever got anything really different then an unique shaped flower and a different color. They're dangerous though as if you let them grow to large they'll start siphoning all your magic. Too big and they can take it all, killing you. They're not illegal but no one wants to take them. They were a bloody menace to try to get sprouting, but then we learned they take more magic then we're willing to give."
Harry eyed them. There was only seven. He gathered them up and placed them on a tray. He then grabbed what looked like ivy and what looked like a Venus flytrap. He paid the man who also cast a spell around them that wrapped the top of the tray they were in, in a bubble that kept them from getting to cold or too warm. Harry thanked the man and left the store while whistling.
He wandered down the alley, stopping a few odd store and but not buying anything until he found himself in a darkened store that sat behind an archway. He had almost missed it, walking right past the little niche that held an old wood door with a crack window. But he'd caught it out of the corner of his eyes at the last moment and turned back. A small worn and dusty sign broken almost in half read 'Pixie Glass and Other Bangles'.
It had to be both the most interesting and the most confusing store he had ever seen. Inside was cramped but impossibly tall with looming shelves all set at odd angles making a maze of cramped isles. Harry didn't even know what half the stuff on the shelves was. It looked more like a storage room then an actual shop with images of every shape and size crammed in every available space. Things even hung from the tall ceiling and the edges of the shelves. It was actually quite clean except for the few spider webs and the sparkly piles of what looked like glitter at the oddest spots.
The wood was all a beautiful roan red and had odd paintings and carvings at varying locations. Every inch of space not being used as walking space was full of either stacks of books or barrels holding piules of items. Harry didn't even know where to turn first as he set his already purchased items on a desk by the door.
Finally he looked at a curious looking vase that looked to be made by an amateur potter and dipped in the greyest of paint. After prodding it cautiously with his magic and realizing it wasn't cursed or anything, he ran a finger over it and was surprised to watch it flash yellow then red. He pulled his finger back then curiously pocked it again. It turned yellow. He frowned wondering how the red had appeared. The thing flashed blue. Harry blinked then smiled. The jar turned green.
"It's like a giant mood ring." He said amused.
"What's a mood ring?"
Harry held back the startled yelp that tried to escape his throatr and turned as calmly as he could to look at the person behind him. He had to hold back a snort. The old man behind him was almost shorter then him with a slim frame that looked even smaller when compared to his huge beard of frizzy white that matched his longish wiry white hair. Huge goggle like glasses sat on his face, magnifying his eyes to make them huge. He wore plain black breaches and an ash streaked white shirt.
"A mood ring is a ring that changes color according to your mood. At least it should. It's a muggle contraption though and really only changes color according to temperature." Harry replied to the question.
"Hmm." The man said thoughtfully scratching his beard with gnarled fingers. "A ring of course. Not a vase, a ring. I must attempt to make one of these 'mood rings'."
"Did you make this vase?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Huh? Oh, the vase. Yes. Everything in this store I made. Except the books. I collected them. At least most of them."
He walked off muttering and Harry kept exploring. He browsed the store finding a few interesting items. Well that was incorrect. Eveyrthing was interesting. But in the tiem he looked he found a few to purchase. The first one was a book titled 'Hidden Places'. No author. When Harry opened it he found it was fake with a hidden cut-out box inside. It was like the muggle one but the space was much larger then a normal book would allow. The next item he found interesting was an oak tree that had been shrunk to only about two feet high but looked old with gnarled roots sticking out of the dirt in the pot. It moved like the whomping willow but didn't attack. Instead it gave a purr like sound and leaned into his fingers as he stroked it.
One of the most fantastic items was what at first looked like a collection of dried coral and seashells. But then Harry had realized they had people the size of his pinky curled up in them. The people looked like sleeping children but with bright colored hair and soft white skin. A small hand written sign said add to water to make them grow and hatch. Harry had scooped them all up along with the tree and book.
Then he had found a similar collection called garden faeries. These were actual faeries, or a lesser species of faeries as they didn't have intelligence. It said on a label that they lived and died with the flower they were born in. They started out a small brightly colored seeds. Harry took two whole jars full of the Faerie seeds from the bucket of them. Then he had found a crystal orb that had a label that said it was a magic reader. It came with a sheet of color labels that said what color was the strongest. Harry made sure not to touch it as he set it on the front counter (which took him almost ten minutes to find in the maze of shelves that seemed endless).
After waiting a few minutes the old man appeared again, smoking as he coughed. He held out a ring to Harry with an expectant look. Harry took it warily and noticed it change color under his fingers. The man clapped delightedly.
"Wonderful! You'll have to find out the colors on your own though." He bustled.
"Thank you I guess. I'd also like to buy these."
"Oh! Wonderful. I haven't had a customer in…"
He cut off and looked at a calendar behind the crowded till.
"Hmm, two years, eight months and twenty six days."
Harry blinked in surprise but quickly paid the man for the items watching as he put them all in an old box for him, obviously lacking bags in the mess that was the front counter.
"Did you really make these Sea Babies?"
"Oh yes! I made them in a similar way I made those Seed Faeries, a whack of charms, some transfiguration, a messed up potion, and some dragon scale powder sprinkled on top."
Harry didn't know if he was telling the truth but the man's smile was honest.
"And are they really alive creatures?"
"Yup! Though they're no smatter then insects or fish."
"And the tree?"
"I was trying to create a miniature whomping willow that could act as a guard. Oh and be aware that Oaky there may crawl out of his pot at times. He's like a blasted cat, walking everywhere and climbing on everything. Sheds his leaves everywhere too"
"Um...okay?"
"Oh and that book is one of my favourite. Though don't use it as a suitcase. It likes to eat clothes and paper too."
"Thanks. I'll be sure to come back and explore more thoroughly at some time." Harry said slowly being truthful even as he was weirded out..
Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.
You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.
Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!
http//patreon.com/BLAKE025
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~