The Prince's Tale

【5】Pharmacy purchase matters

[…When importing goods from Muggle suppliers, the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, which has been in effect since 1692, must be strictly observed.The importing party needs to obtain a goods import license issued by the Ministry of Magic.If you import goods from Muggle suppliers in other countries, you need to submit a formal application to the International Department of Magical Cooperation. ——"British Wizarding World Goods Import and Export Regulations (No.70 Eighth Revision Edition)"]

In December [-], I got the admission ticket for the second pharmacist qualification examination; in February [-], I passed the second pharmacist qualification examination; in February [-], I passed the third pharmacist qualification examination (thanks to Merlin, the examiner did not let me drink the snake venom antidote I made), and finally obtained the official pharmacist qualification.

My life hasn't changed much because of it.I still work at Brown's in Diagon Alley, and I still don't get the job of dispensing while Tiffany's is around.However, old Mr. Brown increased my monthly salary by eighty galleons because I had a formal qualification to practice, and also gave me his former workplace.I have also been proud of this in front of Edward for several months.

Then Mr. Brown, the old man, packed his luggage and went to travel around the world.I can't help but sigh, how good it is to be retired.When I told Edward these sentiments, he smiled and said that I really have no ambition.

I didn't refute, nor was I angry.I didn't refute because he was telling the truth; I wasn't angry because I knew he meant no harm.

I know him well enough now - at least I think so.I know that Edward is a very ambitious young man, and I also know that he is a very conscientious person in everything he does.For example, in order to cover up his identity, he picked one of the female shop assistants in Diagon Alley to be his girlfriend. For example, he did not neglect his girlfriend because of this.

As for how I knew...unfortunately, the one who took advantage of him as his girlfriend was me.I think I know why he wants a girlfriend, and why he wants me.

It's just to keep an eye on me, a Slytherin, and to cover up his true identity.In the end, it was just for his work and his lofty ambitions.

But I did not refuse.Even knowing that he doesn't love me and I don't love him, I didn't refuse.I'm just so lonely.In this era of turmoil and panic, I have abandoned my status and status, and I am alone, without relatives or friends.I don't know who to trust, and I don't know who to rely on.

The situation is becoming increasingly tense, and I hear gossip about various disappearances and murders almost every day.The illusion of peace is like a beautiful soap bubble, which may be burst at any time.

Although I, like most people, would rather believe that this soap bubble will never burst, I still have to worry about my safety.After hesitating for a long time, I found another pharmacy clerk.We checked our respective suppliers and found that two or three of them were the same, so we hit it off.From then on, a few of us went to register and pick up the goods together.

I also finally, inevitably, heard something about the Prince family.

"Mr. Old Prince has a son and a daughter, and I heard that they are all excellent. It's just that his daughter was seriously ill four years ago, and died two years later. And his son," the man with short chestnut hair The clerk paused, and lowered his voice pretending to be mysterious, "It is said that he is already a core member of the Death Eaters."

As she carried the cardboard box and walked away, she pretended to shake her head and sighed.I stood still, feeling my fingertips gradually getting cold.What she said lingered in my ears as if under a spell. I don't think it meant regret or worry.

He's already a core member of the Death Eaters... I close my eyes in despair, knowing what that means.This means that the ugly black mark has been branded on William Prince's arm; it means that if the Dark Lord loses power, my brother will face the Wizengamot's trial.

By that time, Death Eaters, pure-bloods, and even Slytherin would have become sensitive words.And how could the people of the Wizengamot listen to the pleas of the heir to a pure-blood family with an established Death Eater status?

I really remember the last words he said to me on June [-] four years ago.

"The fate of many people is doomed from birth. Since you are a member of the Prince family and have enjoyed the good life provided by the family since you were young, you have the responsibility to safeguard the interests of the family. But," he looked at me, That familiar gaze scares me, "I hope you can live the life you want." He sighed very lightly.I almost suspect that my hearing has gone awry.

"Jane, if you leave here, you will have nothing to do with the family at all," William said to me sternly, "but you must not be decadent. Even if you are barefoot and stepping on thorns, you have to keep your original The path you chose is painstakingly finished. You can change your surname and deny your past, but you must never forget that you were once a Prince, remember?"

Bare feet, treading thorns; changing surname, denying the past... I looked at the gloomy sky, I laughed mockingly, I shed cold tears... William, my brother, everything he said at that time became a reality.His hopes and expectations, what he said and what he didn't say, finally let me know.

Jane Prince - from the crooked in the fairy tale book when I was a child, to the neat and tidy in the NEWTs test paper, I have rubbed the quill pen and the parchment thousands of times, and I have written my name carefully or scribbled for 18 years.

My limbs felt cold, but the place where my chest was beating near my heart seemed to be burning with a flame that could not be extinguished.

I walked back to the pharmacy in a daze holding the cardboard box, and saw Edward standing at the door of the pharmacy from a distance.I pretended to wipe the sweat with my sleeve, and took the opportunity to wipe away the tears on my face.I just hope my eyes don't leave too many traces of crying.Edward saw me coming, and came up to take the cardboard box in my arms.I looked at the smile on his face, forced a smile that fit the occasion and asked, "You're in a good mood today?"

"Come, open the door. I have good news for you." Edward said, even the brows were jumping with joy.

We entered the empty pharmacy.Ever since I got my license as a pharmacist, Tiffany has been out of the pharmacy a lot.I think she probably found another part-time job outside.But I played deaf and dumb about it, and never intended to tell old Mr. Brown.

I put the carton in the corner, made two cups of herbal tea, and took out a box of blueberry butter biscuits from the drawer, then sat down and listened with a serious look.

"I've joined the Order of the Phoenix!" He deliberately lowered his voice, but couldn't suppress the joy in it.

I stared at him blankly, feeling his childlike pure joy, and then smiled softly.Watching me smile, Edward seemed relieved.

Facing such a warm and sunny person who tried his best to treat himself well, I couldn't bear to say so many cruel words.

It was night, and I experienced the first sleepless night in my life.I kept thinking about everything that happened today, the philistine mentality that the clerk showed, my fingers were cold, the bright smile on Edward’s face when he talked about the Order of the Phoenix, and the moment when I had betrayed his ideas.

I am ashamed of myself for having such thoughts.In 22, at the age of [-], I could firmly say that I did not love Edward Jones.I know exactly why I agreed to be his girlfriend - I'm just so lonely.

People who have never experienced loneliness cannot appreciate the dull but bone-destroying taste.It felt like being alone in the cold and lonely sea.I am cold and powerless, unspoken, cut off from the world.I longed for solid land and fresh air, but for some reason, I didn't die immediately in this icy sea.I will only slowly despair in this endless sea, and finally choose to go to the end of my life.

I admit, I'm not mentally strong enough yet.I don't want to cover up and justify myself with illogical reasons like "I'm a girl so I need other people's protection".I admit that I don't love him, but I will never betray him.

Credibility, morality, the bottom line—these things that Gryffindors think they have, Slytherins also have.

That night, I was sitting on the bed, looking out the window at the quiet street filled with silver light, but I was having a fierce ideological struggle in my heart.The faces of William and Edward came alternately before me.I thought again of William's last words to me before parting.

"Jane, if you leave here, you will have no relationship with the family at all, but you must not be decadent. Even if you are barefoot and stepping on thorns, you have to walk the path you chose at the beginning. You can Change your last name, deny your past, but you must never forget that you were a Prince, remember?"

When he spoke, every word was sonorous and forceful.I remember my ignorance and anxiety at the time, and the ruthlessness he deliberately showed me.In the past few years, I have always held a grudge against him because of his remarks.But that was my dear brother who grew up with me and told me that my future dream was to invent medicine when I was young!

Four years later, on this moonlit night, when I finally understood the true meaning of his words and understood that he had entrusted all his freedom and ideals to me that day, I faced Moonlight buried her face half in the quilt and cried bitterly.

It was also on that day that I once again deeply realized that the past really can never come back.

The next day, I was a little out of sorts.Holding a stack of thick kraft paper purchase slips, I checked the stock of herbs one by one in the basement storage room.

This is really a headache for me, more headache than removing the vixen from the curtains.Don't worry, when I explain the whole story in detail, you will know why I have such a headache.

A considerable number of herbs in pharmacies are imported from Muggles.I always thought it was kind of ironic.If those Death Eaters who shouted about the supremacy of pure blood knew this, I don't know how they would feel.

And those Muggles name herbs differently than we do.I think the group of vegetarians at the International Magical Trade Standards Association should really unify this standard.

I opened the first page of the purchase order, and the densely written names of herbs made me dizzy——

Aconitituber, Juniperipseudofructus, Tiliaeflos, Symphytiradix, Ipecacuanhaeradix, Millefoliiherba, Carvifructus, Foeniculifructus, Coriandrifructus, Melilotiherba, Linisemen, Chelidoniiherba, Hypericiherba, Fagopyriherba, Hippocastanisemen

This is the content of one page.There are at least fifty more pages after this.I have to find the herb with the corresponding name, check whether the herb is damp or infested, and judge whether it needs to be replenished next time based on the reserve and consumption-this is just the tip of the iceberg of my daily work.

I yawned and pulled myself together to identify the names of those herbs one by one.

"Aconite, juniper false fruit, linden leaves, comfrey roots, ipecac..."

I weighed the weight of the purchase order, and decided to go up and make a cup of coffee to refresh myself.

I don't know when it started, but I have developed a habit of walking without sound.As long as I don't wear high heels, no matter what material I walk on, I won't make a sound.

This habit remained unchanged when I was shrouded in intense sleepiness.As I passed Tiffany's workshop, I suddenly heard voices coming from inside.But Tiffany seemed to tell me yesterday that she would not come to work today.

Could it be that a thief entered the store?Thinking so, I stopped at the door and pricked up my ears.Merlin, if something goes missing in Tiffany's workshop, she'll be the first to blame me when she finds out.In order to ensure my innocence, I decided to stand at the door and listen to what was going on inside.

"It's too dangerous, Severus!"

I never dreamed that Tiffany Hale could have such a high-pitched voice.Wait, Severus?

"So you want to back down?" Severus Snape said contemptuously, "Aren't you willing to do anything for the Dark Lord?"

I listened blankly to their conversation, my blood from head to toe was cooling and congealing.Finally, I was awakened by the sound of wind chimes at the door.

There was no one at the door, probably the wind was blowing in from the attic window.

"Don't be silly, Jane was sorting out the stock in the storage room when I came in!"

As if I had received some kind of hint or amnesty, I suddenly found that my limbs regained their flexibility, and the previous sleepiness was thrown to the other side of the ocean.I walked back to the storage room lightly, and the clothes behind me were already soaked in cold sweat.When I picked up the purchase order again, I felt more awake than after drinking ten cups of coffee and two bottles of refreshing medicine.