Riley attends the Grand Reopening of Greens Apothecary

Riley attended the celebration in Diagon Alley to commemorate the grand reopening of Greens Apothecary. He tried his hand at one of Ms. Green's games: "Guess the Potion." Unfortunately for Riley, he didn't only guess incorrectly, but the Potion turned out to be an Ageing Potion! Thankfully he only had a small sip, or he'd be finding grey hairs for weeks!

 

See what happened:

 

Riley Lightwater tapped in all the usual places on the mundane-looking brick wall. The sound of grinding stone echoed as the bricks slowly jumped over one another to reveal the cobbled stone path ahead.

 

"Ahhh!" Riley sighed frustratingly, noticing the hand on his pocket watch pointed in the red 'really-really late' zone. "I hope it hasn't started without me!" Riley made haste and sped down the bustling street of Diagon Alley towards the shop's grand opening.

 

Riley approached the gathering crowd outside the Apothecary with excitement. There was a buzz in the air; children played, and patrons ate as they awaited the event to begin. Riley carefully moved between the crowd, spotting the balloons and bustle of patrons in front of the store. Riley tipped his bowler, or wore a friendly smile as he moved between them.

 

Bobbing about just outside the store, he heard the welcome announcement emanating from an animated lady. She announced that there would be a fun competition, where those who participated would have to drink from a random potion flask and guess the Potion before the effects began to show. Riley excitedly took his position and waited patiently, pulling his robes around him tightly to avoid their flaring in the summer breeze.

 

Riley strode forward to enter his name into the raffle bowl. After depositing the scribbled parchment, he moved forward into the line, tipping his hat to the owner and worker of the store. "Just here?" He'd ask for clarification on where he should stand. Riley took the second position in the queue. A small child in front of him waited to go first.

 

When it was time to begin, the child necked an unknown Potion and everyone eagerly waited to see what would happen next. Riley hoped whichever Potion he chose didn't land him in Mungos. After all he had too much paperwork to do to have himself incapacitated for a week.

 

The boy correctly guessed the Potion to be a Euphoria Potion. He watched as the Potioneer congratulated the young person known as Mr. Garcia.

 

Riley smiled and clapped for Garcia's triumph, "Well done." he said as he waited for his turn.

 

Once the boy had moved on, the shop owner invited him forward. Riley stepped up to the table and took in the display of Potions. "So I just pick from these?" He asked as he browsed, trying to identify one that stood out. He reached down and selected one of the vials, uncorking it. Riley first took a whiff of the green Potion, "Here goes!" he exclaimed before tipping the contents into his mouth and awaiting the effects.

 

Riley began to feel tingling in his body, almost as if his skin cells were working overtime to battle the effects of SOMETHING. Time could be a fickle thing.

 

Riley screwed his face, determined to win the game, as the Potion took it's effect. The odd tingling sensation flooded his body. "Hmm.." he'd murmur as his mind worked hard to determine the Potion's purpose.

 

He attempted a guess, "Perhaps a healing draft of some sort. A Wiggenweld?" he would ask Ms Green, slightly unsure.

 

The witch watched as Riley began to age before her very eyes. At his guess, she grimaced and shook her head. "Sorry, dear, wrong answer. It'll wear off." She reached out to pat his wrinkled cheek if not stopped and looked back towards the next in line. "Next!"

 

Riley kicked himself for guessing the wrong answer. "TIME is a fickle thing," He said, shaking his wrinkled finger as if he had missed a trick. "Very good. Thank you for allowing me to participate." He added, returning the bottle and moving off to make space for the game's next victim.

Done