| Details for Hangover Potions and Politics |
| Summary: | A sale a Black Apothecary leads to an interesting conversation about current events. |
| Date: | 1939-09-11 |
| Location: | Black Apothecary |
| Related: | - |
| Characters |
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There were a few tasteful signs in the window of Blacks Apothecary, mentioning that there would be a small sale going on this afternoon. Almost everything, save for the very rare and expensive ingredients is marked down, as they seem to be getting rid of the school stock, in prepration for next seasons haul. Morgana has been helping people about the shop, either gathering the ingredients for the patrons, or sending them in the right direction when they're not sure what they're looking for. She is dressed in her vibrant violet robes, which are a stark contrast to the black and white interior of the shop.
The door opens to admit the normally bouncy and cheery Brandy, who looks instead tired and strained (but as garish as ever). The bells at her wrist give an occasional jingle as she glances about, looking for the pre-prepared potions, in hopes of finding what she needs. They must have some energy potions ready for the busy witch or wizard to get through the day…
Katherine comes in through the door, her skirts swishing around her calves. Like Brandy she looks tired but mostly a hung-over kind of tired. And like Brandy she's looking for something to take the edge off…
"Afternoon ladies." Morgana says giving both women a once over. Seeing that mid-day tired sort of look, she can guess what they might be slipping in here for. However, she's been told that it's always polite to ask, and not assume someone's ailments. "Is there something I can help you find? Are you here for ingredients or our prepared items?"
"Prepared," Brandy answers. She's lousy at potions, if she admitted the truth, and finds it safest not to use anything she's brewed herself. "Work has been… hectic. I need anything that can keep me going. And several vials of it, preferably."
Katherine is an OK potions maker but with the headache she's suffering at the moment she'd probably blow herself up trying to make a hangover cure. So she choruses with Brandy, purely on accident, "Prepared" followed by a chuckle which is quickly followed by a cringe of pain.
"I know just the thing." Morgana says in a soft tone, gathering that these ladies might not enjoy loud sounds at the moment. Walking toward the east wall of the shop, she opens up a cupboard and starts to fish around in it. "Now, for energy, I have these." She looks toward Brandy, gesturing to a row of multi-colored potions. "This one is a bit intense, it'll have you bouncing around like a pixie, but these other ones should keep you alert and focused if you're just wanting to get through the day." Turning toward Katherine she smirks. "And I find this one here best helps with a headache, light sensitivity, and dehydration."
Brandy can't help but give Katherine a slightly amused look. "You're supposed to drink water inbetween, you know," she teases. "Ah, the look on yer face - just like Merlot." Her older brother - a bit of a drunkard, even by the Sweetwater family's lax standards.
She turns her attention to the potions Morgana is showing off, adding, "I'll try one pixie one - but several of the other. It's going to be a long few weeks, I think," she says tiredly. And then some. "Sleep isn't actually a necessity, is it? Surely we've found a way to make up for that with magic."
Katherine winks at Brandy before turning to Morgana, "You are a life saver. I will take a couple of those." Once she's in possession of the hangover cures she tells Brandy, "A little secret? I /did/ have water in between."
"Well sure, you can skip out on sleep using magic, but I hear in the end it drives you insane and they throw you in Mungos. At least that's what the professors were always telling me when I was studying for my NEWTs." Morgana says thoughtfully. Though she has to laugh at Katherine's statement just a bit before she nods. "I have my own stock at home myself. My father keeps sending me these bottles of vodka… I swear, water doesn't help with that at all." She does however pass over several of the energy potions to Brandy, and the hangover ones to Katherine. "Is there anything else you need assistance with?"
"Well. Suppose I couldn't much afford a long stay in Mungos either. Just have to try the… balanced approach," Brandy remarks. And by 'balanced' she means rather unbalanced, of course.
She takes the vials, slipping them away so she can start counting out some money. "No, mostly that's what I need." Can't get cures for what ails her potion shops, after all. "Well then. Maybe what you needed was a bit of bread? Or even crackers. I love little finger foods when I'm drinking - don't you?"
Katherine downs one of her potions in one go, "Ahh!" Then she smiles at both the other women, "Sounds like sleep might be in order. And you, young lady, sound like you need help yourself. Vodka and water? Really? Vodka is drunk straight or with fruit juices, preferably orange juice."
"I don't know if anyone can really. Thankfully I've only had to visit there and not been an actual patient." When Brandy starts counting out the money, Morgana gives her the price, and Katherine as well, since she's already consumed some of the product. When she mentions the vodka she shakes her head. "Oh, I do not drink them together, just one after the other like she suggested. I think I would be disowned by my family if I were to ever drink it with anything in it. They're very Russian." Nodding to Brandy she smirks. "I crave salty snacks when I drink, thankfully I can easily buy those and I don't have to cook."
"Oh, I try not to cook whenever possible. I'm lousy at it." Only once she's done counting out the money does Brandy open one of the vials, letting out a relieved sound. "See. I'm going to need these." She may even be back for more.
Katherine says, "On that we can agree. I really must get a house elf somehow for myself and Jocunda." Opening her purse she pulls out enough money to pay for her potions and a little extra as a tip for Morgana, "Thank you, my dear. You /have/ been a lifesaver." Peering curiously at Brandy she asks, "You look familiar. Do you work at the Ministry, by any chance?""
"Same here, thankfully my boyfriend has managed to feed us with out burning down my flat. Otherwise I live off of sandwiches." Not that she complains, because she likes those. Morgana takes the coin from both of them and slips off behind the counter to put it all away. "I'm just doing my job madam, that's all. Personally if I could afford a house elf, I would, but.." She gestures toward the shop, as if that is supposed to be an indication on her income.
At the word 'boyfriend' Brandy's expression grows a bit tight - and she's grateful to Katherine for providing something else to distract her so promptly. "Ah- yes. I do, actually. Muggle Liason's Office. It's been… a hectic week, as you can imagine if you're been following the Prophet. Last week and this."
Katherine tilts her head a bit to the side as she considers Brandy. In a neutral tone she says, "Muggle Liaison? I dare say this must have been a really busy week, what with not just the outbreak of war but with Headmaster Flint's new policies at Hogwarts. Have there been many complaints about them?"
Morgana frowns at all of the talk about Flint, and for a moment she peeks around the store to make sure her boss isn't listening in. "I've heard about that. It's… he should be out of that school if he intends to cripple the next generation like that. Sadly there is little I can do for that now." Her being just a recent graduate and all. "I don't envy your position." Morgana says to Brandy.
"More than a few - and from every level of blood purity," Brandy responds firmly. "And thankfully so. I don't suppose you've- no, you look much too young to be a Hogwarts mum." She drinks a little more from her vial, then caps it. "I'll all be sorted sooner or later, though. The war we can't do much about." She does worry that some of her students will lose their fathers to this mess. Not to mention the Muggle half of her own family.
Katherine shakes her head, smirking a little at Brandy, "Slytherin 1931 graduate. And I have been having too much fun, and going through Auror training, since then to get around to marriage and children, so you are correct." Turning her head slightly so she has both Morgana and Brandy in her line of sight she asks, "So you think Muggle-born have something to contribute to Wizarding society?"
Morgana goes wide eyed at Brandy and shakes her head. "No.. I've just gotten out a few months ago." She shakes her head several times, not wanting to think of that possibility. "Yes, I am sure something will work it out in the end, it's just frustrating to feel so helpless." Turning back to Katherine she raises her brow just a touch. "I have no way to logically discern if all Muggle-Borns are going to contribute to society. That depends on the indivitual person and their actions. I think the fact that they are being denied the same education as everyone else in the school is going to end up hurting all of us in the end. But no one is looking at the bigger picture, just what is right in front of them."
"No, dear, I meant her," Brandy says with amusement, thumbing towards Katherine. "You best not be a Hogwarts mum yet. And we're not completely helpless - at the very least, if you know anyone who does have kids at Hogwarts, get them to write the Board of Governors to complain about the current situation and demand it be rectified. If enough parents express outrage…"
She shrugs her shoulders, and then gives Katherine a disbelieving look. "Bloody hell - pardon my French - but of course they do. Just look at Viridian, for example - responsible for every bit of charms work any of us here know, and if that isn't contributing something, what is? And they're a fount of new ideas, something I think we'd do best to stop disparging. I'd say every member of our society has something to contribute, if we can just coax it out them - instead of stiffling them."
Katherine arches one eyebrow slightly at both Brandy and Morgana's reaction to her question, her smirk deepening. "Well. So what about the thought that they don't understand Wizarding society and represent a threat to our traditions and customs? And they bring along their Muggle family and friends; and look what they are doing to their own world…" Her tone remains carefully neutral as she asks her questions.
Morgana lets out a sigh. "Sorry, no. I would have had to been seven and I do not believe I was psychically capable of doing so." At least she hopes not, either way she'll let the other two discuss the topic for a moment before she chimes back in herself. "They are only a threat if they are unwilling to learn. Most of the Muggle-Borns that I encountered were eager to learn our ways, and our culture, and those who did not? I noticed that they tended to go back to where they came from and resumed their Muggle life. And look what we've done with ours. How many countless wars have we battled against Goblins and other magical creatures that are of our world. We've even fought ourselves, which is what they're doing. War happens, it will always happen, because one group of people with strong ideals is always going to disagree with another group of people with opposite ideals. If we start separating ourselves because of our heritage, than we are no better then they are."
"Yes, because our own world is doing so well," Brandy answers with a dry tone. She nods in agreement with Morgana before adding, "Nearly 30 dead - just up and down this street and around the corner. And how many of them children? They attacked a sweets shop. And we have the gall to stand here, and claim our society is better? More enlightened? We're copying the mistakes of the Muggle world, instead of learning from them. It's disgusting." Brandy shakes her head, then turns to look at Morgana with a tight smile. "Brandy Sweetwater," she offers. "I'm afraid I really must go," before she completely loses her cool, "but if you wished to talk more about how to fix things…?" She waits only for the woman's reply, and then leaves.
Katherine is nonplussed by the other women's answers. Although her smirk disappears at the mention of the tragedy so recently past she says, "Food for thought then. And every society has their miscreants. Its really about percentage. But I must take my leave as well, specifically to go back to work on trying to find the perpetrators of the murders you have just mentioned." Curtseying slightly she also starts making her way out of the store.
Morgana nods her head to Brandy, as if that answer will have to suffice for now. "Both of you ladies have a great day and thank you for shopping with us." She usually doesn't get this worked up over politics, but the recent news from Hogwarts has her upset. Soon enough she is pulled away from the counter to help aid another customer.
Katherine's words about finding the perpetrators gets a look from Brandy, and a brief tightening of her jaw. "Good. Because Thomas didn't do any of it." And then she's gone - heading up the street at a quick walk.