Harry Potter One Shots (Vol. I)

Mother's Intuition (Charlie Weasley)

I managed to work through writer's block to get this posted ~

This was requested by kaesthetics_ and I can only say sorry that it took so long. I don't think it's quite what you requested but I did my best. So I hope you like it. 

One of the best things about being a Potions Master's apprenctice was being assigned with the responsibility of buying the ingredients. I liked being able to check them with my own eyes, my own fingers to make sure that we would be using the best ingredients. I knew that many of the other apprentices would disagree with me and maybe that was why they were never given the responsibility. Master Puffins had admitted that if you didn't care about the ingredients you used then you were just asking to botch your potion. And no person studying to become a Potions Master should take that risk.

Ducking into the right shop, I instantly headed towards the plant section. Rummaging through the wooden crate full Gurdyroot, I picked up the largest one and examined it, turning and twisting my hand so I could study it all. Frowning at some of the brownish bruising on the plant by its head, I set it aside and looked for a different one. When I finally found one that met my standards, I put it into my basket and moved swiftly on. There were still many more ingredients that I needed to buy.

I followed the signage inside the shop as I searched out the crate of Mistletoe berries. Picking a small brown bag off the nearby stand, I prepared to painstakingly search through each of the berries in search of the best ones. Someone reached out to grab a handful of the berries without a care. Before they could shove them haphazardly into their bag, I grabbed their hand to halt them.

Straightening up with an apologetic smile, I turned towards the older witch who looked a little stressed. Releasing her hand, I hurried to explain, "You shouldn't be using the berries in your hand – half of them are almost close to rotting and they'll ruin whatever potion you wind up using them for."

"Oh," the kindly looking woman said in surprise, dropping the handful of berries. "Thank you, dear."

"It's no problem," I assured her, watching as she ran a hand through her fiery red hair. "It is a bit packed in here so I can understand wanting to get out as quick as you can. But it's better to get the best ingredients. It means you don't have to make a second trip later."

"That's very true," she agreed, watching as I rifled through the box of berries and slowly filled her bag up. She took the bag from me with a thankful smile and watched as I started to do the same with my own. "I really have no idea where my mind is at the moment; I feel like I'm running myself ragged by being all over the place."

"Everyone has those moments," I agreed, picking up a berry and holding it to the light. Finding that it was almost near perfection, as near to perfect as store bought Mistletoe berries could be, I added them to the older witches' bag.

"For someone so young, you've got so much knowledge about ingredients," the older witch complimented as she looked through some of the other ingredients in the aisle. Eventually she would hold the ingredient towards me as if to get my approval.

"That's only because it's my job." With a smile, I admitted, "I'm training to become a Master Potioneer."

"Sometimes its better to use a homemade potion instead of a store bought one," she admitted and I nodded, turning curiously towards her. My eyes scanned over the ingredients in her basket, silently quizzing myself on what potions could be made with the contents of her basket. Some sort of potions to remove a fever?

"I'm planning on making a potion to reduce fever," the older witch explained and I nodded, silently basking in the rush that came with knowing that I'd been right in my guess. "For my son."