⋆𝐃𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠⋆ - 𝐓.𝐌.𝐑

𝟎𝟎𝟓 - 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬

⋆

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟳, 𝟭𝟵𝟰𝟰

"I do urge you to take a break, childe, you have Astronomy tonight and you need your energy. You've already finished most of your orders". She respected the Gray Lady – she really did – the woman had sought her out in her first year in an entirely uncharacteristic move, and had become a permanent fixture of her schooling ever since. Helena – as she was told to call her – only appeared whenever Elizabeth's choice of abandoned classroom to lurk in, was truly abandoned enough for her taste. The ghost would then do her best to mother her into a healthier lifestyle, all the while wearing a haunted, pained expression.

Life haunts the dead who then haunt the living, in return.

"I understand, my Lady, but these first few sales are important and – and Skitter had paid a very handsome price for this little fucker", her statement was breathy from lightheadedness – the potion fumes were likely getting to her – and she attributed Helena's disapproving frown to her language before the ghost aloofly stated that, "the lass should be able to brew her cosmetics herself, if she truly cares so much for her appearance."

Its not that Elizabeth disagreed, but she made profit off the lazy student populace of Hogwarts, and their everlasting need for potions that they couldn't be bothered to brew themselves but were willing to pay a moderate sum for. Did this profit come at the expense of her fragile health sometimes? Obviously, yes. But she couldn't see the need in overcautious self-preservation when her body was already decomposing.

Besides, this money went towards her – likely short – second life with Jacques once she graduated. This was her escape fund – so what if investing in it killed her before she could use it, it would all go to Jacques then, and she was content with that possibility.

"You aren't an amateur any longer, little raven, I will watch over the potion and wake you up if need be. Please, rest", it was a tempting option – really – but she had a project explode once before due to lack of focus, when she first started her business. It led to Elizabeth having no freckle-blurring balm to present before a Gryffindor named Enid Fortescue who had then sicked her boyfriend on her. Algie Longbottom looked like someone who threw children out of windows for fun and had beaten her to a bloody pulp.

She's never had another explosion since, an accidental one at least.

"I appreciate your offer, my Lady, but I'll have to rescind it", it might have sounded like finicky wording to some but the magic of deals and promises ran as rampant amongst the Disembodied as it did with the Fae – she didn't expect Helena to use that leverage on her, but she refused to leave it as an option, the ghost might just force her to sleep with an absentminded promise.

She added the jasmine pearls gently, tapping into her sixth sense so she could properly analyze the magic's reaction for any discrepancies, only withdrawing once the pearls had been fully emulsified – missing Helena's mystified look. This balm was supposed to even the complexion of the user – she used 'supposed' because it had never worked for her, none of her creations ever did – and she created it near the end of her third year, it had become an immediate best seller and she sold varying concentrations of it for different price points.

Skitter had paid for the premium edition which cost 3 galleons – expensive? Totally, but she considered her prices to be rather fair. Her calculations considered factors like time spent on inventing the product itself or customizing it to the buyer – she didn't have any patents so she thought it warranted – as well as the tediousness of brewing the product and the risk included in pilfering the ingredients from Slughorn's stores – her Disillusionment spell wasn't fool proof and meddling with wards was exhausting, you know?

Requests were issued to a protean charmed journal in the Arithmancy section of the library and students received a letter with an address for their payment, the drop off was done by morning owl mail. Her customers learned to recognize the standard Hogwarts envelope with a blue wax seal, done with the blunt end of her wand.

The seal's shape was almost skull-like, she loved it.

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There was a new moon tonight – it was why she had brewed herself into debility – which meant that despite it being Sunday, the school used the loophole of Astronomy beginning at midnight – thus, Monday – to instate an extra lesson for the occasion. It also meant Professor Dietrich would be making even longer, flowerier impassioned speeches on the immense, boundless cosmos. Elizabeth was sincerely doubting she'd be in bed by 2 AM.

she could appreciate Astronomy but Professor Dietrich went about it the wrong way; she would try to mystify the subject in order to get students interested, but with it being a night class, all that she managed to do was make them sleepier with her unnecessary, spiraling fairytales.

She often wondered if Dietrich was after Professor Mancy's Divination position, she certainly had the mannerisms for it.

She had dropped off her orders in the owlery on the way here, prefects would likely be prowling the halls for any unfortunate stragglers once the lesson finished and she refused to give Hornby – who the fuck made her a prefect, again? – the pleasure of a drug bust. Riddle was also a prefect she should watch out for – she supposed – their close calls were driving her feral and something vindictive inside her hoped she wasn't the only one affected.

"Settle down! Everyone! Great Selene is shrouded from us tonight and it is a moment we cannot allow ourselves to waste!"

Dramatic much?

The astronomy tower was covered with magically conjured – she could feel it – pillows made of black satin, making the students sprawled across them appear like stars in the night sky – how symbolic. It was a clear night with no clouds so the absence of Great Selene really did allow for an opportunity to glean at a truly starry sky, the beauty of it distracted her for a second in her bleary state but Dietrich's voice jarred her out of it.

"Lady Selene's carriage is stationed in the constellation of Virgo for the night, any virgins amongst our group tonight?-"

The entire class burst out laughing, some in bewilderment, some cakling madly – she let out a snort herself, mouth quirking up.

"Why are you laughing?"

You're making it worse.

"Stop it!"

They weren't stopping.

"Quiet!"

Jesus fucking Christ, woman.

Despite the deafening shriek, her classmates were still snickering. Now fully awakened from their naps by the glorious opportunity presented before them. Well, at least until a timorous Hufflepuff named Paris O'Reilly jumped up and explained silently to Dietrich what was going on – the boy was blushing by the end, his inexperience in such explicit subjects given away.

Was he the virgin she spoke of?

"I am so ashamed of you all! Desecrating such a wondrous night with your silly, little jests! You will spend what is left of this lesson writing an essay about the most prominent stars in the Virgo constellation and the stories behind their names and discoveries, I expect your assignments by Wednesday."

Elizabeth thought Dietrich sounded like the nuns in St. Joan's, talking about desecration, but the assignment was much better than listening to the woman's fables for two hours so she digressed. She didn't particularly like the Professor's wording, however, 'most prominent' was fickle definition – probably on purpose – but she resolved to write about the first 11 stars rather than the first 5. Dietrich was perhaps, a barmy cunt, but she still recognized and rewarded hard work.

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A/n. Longest chapter yet! Kinda proud of myself, not gonna lie. Fun fact, there was actually a new moon on september 17, 1944 :)