The Potion Princess

Introducing- Emmeline and Clary

An owl scratched at the window, breaking her out of her thoughts.  Audra tears herself away, dumping the rest of the shriveled snake skin into the cauldron without measuring, accuracy be damned.  Rain rushes in at her when the window opens, and the Weasley's old bird, Errol, flops onto her desk.  "Another message from the Weasel?"

Emmeline was standing at the window, staring down at the grounds of the Stanton manor.  Clary, who had been curled up on a beanbag chair flipping through the newly assigned text books, looked up with a renewed sign of interest.  The two of them, a Slytherin and Ravenclaw in the same year as her, were the only other friends she could really count on besides Fred and George.  They found her friendship with the Weasley's amusing, and her anger at them being referred to as the Weasel's even more so.  The three of them had intended to go swimming, but the rain had forced them inside, causing them to resort to recycling old gossip topics they had already used up this morning, like the soon to be quidditch world cup and Audra's determination to pretend there was nothing strange about her friendship with Fred and George.

"Well?"  Clary, pausing from her reading long enough to grin wickedly over at her, said.  "Are you going to read it out loud?"

"No."  She bit the word out, knowing her keeping it hidden would make the teasing even worse, but the urge to keep it private was too strong for her to care.  "It's none of your business."

"You hear that Clary?"  Emmeline's laughter sounded like birds.  Normally it reminded her of sparrows in the summer, because Audra was sentimental like that, but today she thought it sounded a bit like crows cawing over a dead animal.  "She wants to keep it private."

They kept talking behind her, but the conversation got swallowed up in the roar of the rain and crackling of parchment.  She was too busy focusing on the letter, which had opened to reveal George's handwriting, a bit messier than normal due to excitement.   He seemed to be in a much better mood since the last time the twins wrote her, which was to ask her if she could please make some more potions, but keep them at her house, because Molly had finally caught on to what they were planning and had become determined to put a stop to it.

We're going to the world cup!

Someone hooked dad up big time, got us into the top box with the minister and everything.  The whole family except mum is going, and Harry and Hermione are coming, too.  Mum and dad offered to scrounge up a ticket for you, too, somehow, but we told them you were already going.  You are going, aren't you?  Fred reckons that if you aren't, we can give back two of our tickets for three crappier ones.  Ginny and Hermione would be more than happy to let you stay in their side of the tent, Ginny's always thrilled when you come over and hang out.  Sometimes I think she likes you better than us.  Let us know what you're plans are, if you're already going to be there we'll choose a place to meet up beforehand.

Fred wanted to write the letter this time, seeing as it was his turn, but I said we best just go with whoever had the time (he had to degnome the garden, mum caught him trying to smuggle away the order forms he confiscated).  You'll probably be getting a letter from Pig as soon as he gets back from Harry's though.  I'm sure it'll be filled with him moaning on and on about past quidditch matches, asking you who your favorite player is and what team will win and all that rubbish. 

Don't worry about the products, we managed to save most of them.  Mum's foraging set us back a good bit, but we can probably make up the loss if we sell some at the World Cup.  Don't worry, we're not expecting you to work during the holiday, I'm sure it might be a bit more awkward for you to be panhandling goods among all the ministry officials, not to mention incredibly out of character.

Hope you're well, write when you can, Gred.

She reads the letter once, then twice, and gives an excited squeal. Emmeline and Clary looked up, slightly alarmed, then grinned when they saw the look on her face.  "They're coming then?  Bagman came through for you?"

"I knew he would!"  She threw the letter down at the table, then flopped onto her bed.  "I knew the tosser was in deep, he's throwing out favors to any family he thinks will help him.  There was no way he wasn't going to give away those extra tickets to the Weasley's once I said something."  She's laughing now, busting out in a frantic sort of way.  She'd watched her mother flex her pureblood status often enough.  The skill of gentle flattery and name dropping, along with subtle threats and a bit of her own special charm, was an art form that her mother had been making an effort to teach her since she was little.  Audra doesn't normally try to do it very often, because it gave her the sinking feeling that she was becoming a little more like Lucius Malfoy every time she does it.  And yet, getting the Weasley's to go to the world cup was a good enough reason to use them.  "And you two are still allowed to stay in the tent with me, right?" 

Audra's parents had bought a ticket for Clary, whose muggle parents didn't understand why anyone would want to spend that much money just to watch people fly, and for Audra and her brother.  Emmeline's parents would be there, but she was allowed to stay with Clary and Audra for the duration of the match.  All the parents involved thought Audra's brother Vance was going to be there, but she had it on good authority that he was going to stick around just long enough to put up some protective charms and then go find his friends.  Vance had graduated from Hogwarts last year, and all the parents considered him to be highly responsible.  Fred said he's a slightly more prejudiced version of Percy.

"Of course we are!"  Emmeline laughed, and this time it was back to sounding happy.  "Shall I bring the fire whiskey?" 

"Are you sure it'll be safe?"  Clary, who had yet to understand what it means to be in a large gathering of magical people, had to take a bit of convincing before she let herself into being all alone at a festival, even at sixteen.  She hadn't yet to learn that for a lot of people, the status Clary and Emmeline's family had worked as a shield, and no one would be able to touch them.  And the people who don't worry about money or  blood wouldn't do them any harm, anyways. 

"Of course it's safe."  Emmeline tossed her head back, hair rippling and blue eyes flashing dangerously.  "I'll be protecting the two of you, Clary, don't worry.  No one who comes after you will get away with it." 

Clary, who is always much more easily reassured by Emmeline than Audra, calmed down.  Audra turned away, rummaging through her desk until she found a quill whose feathers she hadn't chewed off. 

Dear Fred and George,

That's so great!  Any idea how you got them?  I bet it was Bagman, I've heard whispers that your dad has gotten him and his old quidditch buddies out of trouble in the past, something about an after quidditch party gone wrong. 

Mum and Dad already got me and Clary tickets.  Emmeline, Clary, and I are going to be staying in a tent together, but there's probably room for Hermione and Ginny too if they want to spend the night away from you lot.  There's room for the two of you, of course, but only during the day, mind.  Don't want to start people talking.  They're not quite top box seats, but I'm sure we'll see each other.  I'll owl you when we get there, and we can all meet up together. 

I can't wait, the wizarding fair food is always the best, and without mum there to remind me to watch my diet I can load up on whatever I want.  Don't worry about the potions, it's going to be a rainy week here, so I'll spend most of my time inside and will have plenty of time to work on them.   And don't stress about the order forms either, I found a spare behind my nightstand a few days ago and can make more before we go to Hogwarts.  And your mum will come around.  She's just worried about you picking a profession that doesn't come with a guarantee, but by the time everyone sees these products and she realizes how successful you're going to be, she'll come around. 

I'll see you guys soon.  I can't wait, I know it's only been a few weeks since we saw each other last, but I've missed you guys and the rest of your family like crazy.  Tell Ginny I said hi, and tell Hermione I have loads to tell her about the wizards I met on my trip to America.  Say New Orleans has a completely different kind of magic that we need to bring to Hogwarts right this minute- she'll know what I mean. 

With love, Audra

P.S. Errol had it rough on the storm on the way here.   I'm going to let him rest for a little while.  Hermes will come with this letter, I'm sure he's dying for the chance to prove himself, his mum shelters him.  Do keep him for a bit and let the family use him, yeah?  I'm trying to give all the young ones some practice.