[HP] Alchemy and Love

"Oh, it looks like it's an imitation of a Slytherin relic," said Lorenthia, "but it's a fake."

"What? Impossible, the one who lost to me swears—"

"Trust me, sir—Mr. Mundungus? It's a fake," Lorenthia said, talking about alchemy with a radiant confidence. "It's old, and The imitation is very real, and the workmanship is exquisite. I believe that the imitator must have seen the original, but this is a fake, there is no doubt. The magic tools of the era of the Big Four are characterized by fine workmanship, and the combination of alchemy and magic spells is simple and powerful. Not to mention Slytherin's relics, but I see no trace of that powerful ancient magic on this locket. The counterfeiters obviously tried hard to imitate the original, but they took too much care and it seemed too detailed. But this kind of craft is really rare—may I know where you got it from?"

"Before I answer, tell me whether you will accept this locket?" Mundungus replied slyly.

"If this is the price for you to answer me, then I can accept it." Lorenzia said, "Thirty Galleons."

"Fifty."

"35."

"If this is the highest price you can offer, I think you obviously don't value it as much as you say. Fifty, not one less."

Lorenthia pursed her lips.Remus asked from the side: "Mundungus, I think your answer may be a little discounted. For example, where did you 'drink to win' these things? The Pig's Head Bar?"

"What does this have to do with you?"

"It doesn't matter, I just happen to know Ms. Rosmerta and Aberforth." Remus said gently, "You know, I'll check, Sirius and James must be interested in this-"

"Okay, okay, for the sake of our old friends, 38 Galleons, no less!"

"Okay." Lorenzia said, she opened the drawer, and counted out the corresponding gold Galleons. Mundungus put the Galleons and the pile of odds and ends into his dirty bag, and went forward Leaning over, "I got it in Knockturn Alley. Thompson French, you know? He said it was a thing passed down from their family."

"Yes, I see. Thank you, Mr. Mundungus."

Mundungus slipped out of the shop in no time, looking to look elsewhere to sell his heap of unknown bric-a-brac.Remus turned to Lorenthia with a bit of worry: "Are you really considering going to Knockturn Alley to find someone?" Not necessarily completely reliable."

"What?" Lorenthia looked at him in surprise, "Oh——no...of course not. Actually, I don't really care where this locket comes from." She said and lowered her head ,"I just……"

"...don't want him to notice that you're actually interested in the locket itself? Clever strategy."

"I learned the bargaining skills from my father, but I don't know how to use them generally." Lorenzia shrugged defensively, "And I feel that you and him don't seem to be very good friends. In fact, fifty Galleons I can accept the price, thank you for your help, Mr. Lupine... Remus."

"It's my job, isn't it?" Remus smiled at her, putting aside his earlier displeasure. "However, such a fake is worth fifty Galleons?"

"As far as the general price is concerned, it's a bit expensive, but it happens that I can use its technique as a reference for an item I'm researching recently." Lorenzia said, "I'm researching a pocket watch, I think Add a defensive function to it—generally speaking, if a defensive spell such as the Iron Armor Curse is simply attached to an alchemy item, the magic power will fade faster, and the effectiveness of the spell will usually weaken after it is attached to the magic item. In this case, if you want to enhance its effectiveness, the most common method is to use the loss of the item itself as the price, which is the refining idea of ​​many compensatory magic items. But this locket is different, it uses it very cleverly The alchemy circle completed the magic power self-circulation of the defensive magic on it, and then disassembled the self-circulation into two layers with the second magic circle. Simply put, it can realize external defense and the protection of the item itself at the same time. The ancient magic on it is also worth studying... Sorry, I said too much, right?"

"No, please continue." Remus said, "This is very interesting. The alchemy course at Hogwarts only gave a very shallow introduction to alchemy circles above the second level, but I have read a few alchemy circles myself. Generally speaking, the first-level magic circle does not refer to the magic circle attached to the item itself, but the combination of magic circles used in the process of making it, and the second-level and above magic circles are inscribed inside the item. magic circuit, is that so?"

"Yes, that's right!" Lorenthia's eyes lit up, and she showed a somewhat uncertain but very bright smile, "Do you really think alchemy is interesting? I know many people think that magic circle It's boring, and it's an outdated alchemy technique."

"Of course," said Remus. "I'm afraid I don't know enough about the field, but it's interesting. In fact, I borrowed his 'Described Methods of Alchemy' and 'Magic Items and Identification' from a friend yesterday." ", which mentions a lot of interesting uses of magic."

"If you don't mind, I can teach you." Lorenzia suggested with bright eyes, "Very few people are interested in alchemy, obviously it is a very beautiful subject - I mean, if If you really want to learn."

Remus smiled and said, "It would be better if you are willing to teach, Miss Field."

"Oh, please call me Lorenthia, or Loren." Lorenthia said excitedly, "When there are no customers in the store, you can come to the back and watch me make products. How about it?"

I don't know when, their life has gradually established a routine.Lorenthia had already introduced all the products in the store to Remus, and Remus firmly remembered every detail she said.Therefore, when there was no one in the shop, Lorenthia would set up a workshop in the small warehouse at the back to make alchemy items by herself and sell them in the shop.Most of the time when Remus was around, she made relatively basic and simple items, and she took the time to explain to him while doing it.

If the bell in the store rang, Remus would go out to receive him.Lorenthia followed out earlier, but a few days later, seeing that Remus was able to handle it well alone, she simply hid in the back and handed over the entire front of the store to Remus—this kind of complete trust made Remus James was a little uneasy, and at the same time felt that the responsibility was heavy, but in his heart, he also had to admit to himself that after being rejected by too many people because of their identity, this kind of trust, no matter what the purpose, he could not do at all. resist.

Regular life often gives people the illusion that time flies. Before you know it, half a month has passed, and another month's full moon is approaching.When Remus opened the store door early in the morning, Lorenthia turned her head and greeted him with a smile while untiing her scarf as usual: "Good morning, Remus. It's very windy today, isn't it?"

The two of them are not talkative people, except for alchemy explanations, they often don't have a few conversations a day, but as the two get acquainted with each other, getting along becomes more natural, and Lorenthia is not so shy in front of him .

"Morning, Loren." Remus said while smoothing his wind-blown hair.Lorenzia turned around and hung the scarf on the hook behind the door, and said casually, "I remember you are on vacation tomorrow, don't you?"

Her tone was purely chatty, but Remus still tensed up involuntarily.He tried his best to pretend that nothing had happened and replied: "Yes."

"Only one day?" Lorenzia leaned out from behind the door to look at him, and asked with concern, "I don't understand...but...well, you don't need an extra day of rest?"

"Just one day, thank you for your concern."

"Um...ah, okay." Lorenthia looked more uncomfortable than him, she shrank back behind the door, followed Remus and heard her footsteps going all the way to the back, probably going to the small warehouse.The store door has been opened, and the paper, pen, account books and other items on the counter have been placed. He has nothing to do for a while, and he sighed while undoing his scarf.

In any case, this is the best result he can hope for.But for Remus, he is not used to talking about his "furry little problem" with other people outside the foursome, even though he and Lorenthia have been getting along harmoniously in the past half month, Even the two can call each other friends, but the long-rooted guarding is still difficult to eliminate.Hanging his worn and faded scarf and coat next to Lorenthia's light blue long trench coat and Ravenclaw's color-matched scarf, he sorted out his thoughts a little before walking slowly behind.Lorencia was busy at the workbench, when she heard footsteps, she turned her head and smiled at him, and pushed a wooden box by the table over, which was full of small accessories such as watches, necklaces, and hair combs, " You put all these troubles on the shelves, the far right row—ah, will there be room in that row? You decide. I am still sorting out yesterday's mail order form, and I will send it to the post office later."

Remus took the box, but didn't leave immediately: "It's too windy today, are you going to the post office?" He frowned and asked, "Why don't I go."

"Oh, please let me go." Lorenthia smiled. "Don't leave me in the store dealing with customers and haggling with them. I'd rather go to the owl shack. At least the owls are cute."

Remus couldn't find a reason to refute for a while, and after he hesitated for a while, Lorenthia had already buried herself in copying the order list, so he had no choice but to take the box and walk back to the store.

After he started working here, Lorenthia spent all day in the back doing alchemy production, and the speed of replenishing goods was much faster. Although the birthday was not bad, the shelves were still being filled up day by day.And because of the need to ensure that these items look really well-made and expensive, rather than piles and piles of street stalls, they also need to be placed at a distance to look patchy.Remus took great pains and made some arrangements for this.When the box was already half empty, a bell jingled, and a young witch with fair hair walked in.

"Do you need anything?" Remus hurriedly put down the box in his hand, and greeted him.When he was accompanying the lady around the store, there was a light knock at the door, and Lorencia, who had already put on her coat and scarf, came out, carrying a small suitcase in her hand, obviously planning to go out.Remus wanted to go on her behalf, but couldn't leave the customer in front of him, so he could only watch Lorenthia wave at him and walk out of the store.