After what felt like forever crawling through the cramped tunnel, Adrian finally reached the end and pushed open a trapdoor. He came out into a cellar filled with stacked cardboard boxes.
He knew this had to be Honeydukes Sweet Shop in Hogsmeade Village.
Creak...
Adrian carefully pushed open the cellar door, but didn't find the crowded scene he'd expected. The spacious shop floor was surprisingly empty.
That made sense, he realized. It wasn't Christmas or even a weekend, third-year students and above wouldn't have much chance to visit during regular school hours.
Unfortunately, his plan to slip out quietly was doomed from the start because there was no crowd to blend into.
"Hey there, boy! When did you come in?" The owner of Honeydukes was a friendly-looking wizard in loose robes, but his tone turned sharp when he spotted Adrian wandering near his cellar entrance.
"Just now. Maybe you didn't notice?" Adrian replied casually, showing no signs of panic.
Adrian's relaxed attitude seemed to convince the shopkeeper that he wasn't trying to steal candy. The man's tone softened considerably, taking on an almost amused quality.
"You snuck out of Hogwarts, didn't you? Third-years aren't nearly as short as you. No wonder I missed you coming in."
Adrian's eye twitched. He was already pretty tall for a first-year, thank you very much. He made a mental note to learn some growth charms, purely for dignity's sake.
Feeling slightly insulted, Adrian pulled a Sickle from his pocket and placed it on the counter.
"So, are you going to sell me candy or not?"
"Of course!" The Honeydukes owner pocketed the Sickle with impressive speed and began pulling various sweets from behind the counter, introducing each one with enthusiasm.
"What catches your eye? Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? Chocolate Frogs? How about some Cockroach Clusters? They're your headmaster's favorite!"
Adrian bought a selection and, driven by morbid curiosity, decided to try Dumbledore's preferred treat. The Cockroach Clusters were genuinely disgusting to look at, perfectly resembling oversized bugs.
He carefully broke off the legs, fought back his nausea, and took a careful bite. The flavor was surprisingly sweet, clearly made with quality syrup, but the texture was disturbingly crunchy, as if he really were chewing on actual insects.
"By the way," Adrian said after trying a few Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavour Beans, "do you know where I can find a potions shop in Hogsmeade?"
"There's only one apothecary in the village," the shopkeeper replied, his manner suddenly becoming serious. He glanced around nervously.
Adrian's heart began to race. Had he said something suspicious?
The owner leaned in close and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "If you're looking for love potions, you'd better try Diagon Alley instead. The Ministry's been cracking down here lately, and Old Rick won't sell that kind of stuff anymore."
Love potions? Adrian mentally rolled his eyes. What would he want with those? He was eleven years old, even if he had the motivation, he certainly lacked the... practical application.
Ignoring the shopkeeper's knowing wink, Adrian made his way through the village's winding alleys until he found a half-collapsed sign where the word "Apothecary" could barely be made out. The air around the building reeked of strange and unpleasant potion fumes.
Adrian covered his nose and entered the shop. He didn't see an owner anywhere, though green smoke and vapor drifted from a room at the back of the place.
Just as Adrian was about to call out, a voice came from the back room:
"Basic potion ingredients are by the door! Polyjuice components and Pepperup Potions are in the cabinet beside them! And no, I don't care how much money you have, I'm not selling love potions or Invigoration Draughts to any student who hasn't graduated yet!"
Adrian was getting tired of everyone's obsession with love potions. How many students had come here asking for them to warrant such a response?
He made his way to the ingredient section, grateful that his potion skills had reached Level Four in recent days. He quickly identified the materials needed for Blood Fusion Potions.
To prevent anyone from figuring out his formula based on his purchases, Adrian also selected several unnecessary herbs and changed the quantities of others to hide his true intentions.
After Adrian finished his selection, Old Rick came out from the back room wearing a patched coat. The scent of brewing potions clung to him, the same smell Adrian had detected at the shop's entrance.
"What do you need so many ingredients for?" Old Rick asked suspiciously. He'd expected another student looking for enhancement potions, not someone buying serious brewing materials.
"Practice," Adrian replied simply, placing nine Galleons on the counter.
Old Rick fell silent instantly, quietly collecting the money before counting out twelve Sickles in change.
"Where are the Boomslang skin and Lacewing flies?" Adrian asked, pocketing his remaining coins.
Old Rick's expression darkened. He leaned forward, his bloodshot eyes studying Adrian intently for a long moment before speaking.
"I don't know what weird formulas you've found in the Hogwarts library, but I strongly advise against experimenting with them carelessly. Both Boomslang skin and Lacewing flies are restricted materials, only used in a handful of advanced potions."
"What if I pay double?" Adrian asked.
"One ounce of Boomslang skin for three Galleons. One ounce of Lacewing flies for two Galleons and seven Sickles..." Old Rick's eyes glittered with amusement.
"After doubling the price?" Adrian frowned.
"No, that's the base rate," Old Rick smiled coldly.
That's highway robbery! Adrian barely stopped himself from saying it out loud. He knew that in Diagon Alley, an ounce of dragon liver cost seventeen Sickles, and dragon blood was similarly priced.
Even with dragon farming making such materials more available, they were still premium ingredients.
So why were Boomslang skin and Lacewing flies so ridiculously expensive?
"Like I said, they're contraband," Old Rick explained, noting Adrian's obvious lack of enough money and losing interest. "Every sale requires official documentation. No reputable dealer would sell them to a student like you."
He paused, then added almost mockingly, "And even if you could pay, I don't have them in stock. It would take considerable time to get them."
Adrian sighed and gave up on the idea of buying Boomslang skin and Lacewing flies through normal channels.
His gambling winnings plus his original savings totaled only eleven Galleons, not nearly enough to buy all the materials he needed.
Adrian briefly considered using Floo powder to travel to Diagon Alley and compare prices, just to confirm Old Rick wasn't ripping him off.
But Diagon Alley was far more dangerous than Hogsmeade Village.
At least here, third-year students regularly visited alone, so both the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts kept strict watch. The safety was practically guaranteed, which was exactly why Adrian felt comfortable coming here solo.
Diagon Alley or even Knockturn Alley would have to wait until he'd brewed Polyjuice Potion or significantly improved his magical abilities. Going to either place alone as a first-year would be suicide.
Adrian turned to leave, but not before buying a bottle of Odor-Eliminating Solution that would mask any lingering scents on his person. After tossing twelve Sickles to Old Rick, he left without looking back.
He knew exactly where he could find Boomslang skin and Lacewing flies: Professor Snape's private potions storage room.
The plan carried significant risk, but Adrian was running out of alternatives.
Returning via the same route, he was lucky that the Honeydukes owner was busy with other customers, allowing him to slip through the cellar unnoticed.
Coming out from the secret passage, Adrian headed directly to the Room of Requirement.
"I need a place to brew potions," he said to the blank wall.
The door appeared instantly. When Adrian stepped inside, he found himself in an unfamiliar space lined with bottles, cauldrons, and various potion-making equipment.
The only disappointment was that all the storage cabinets and ingredient jars were completely empty, not even the most basic herbs were provided.
"Room of all requirements, but apparently with limitations," Adrian muttered, slightly disappointed. He'd hoped to get some free materials through creative wishing.
Adrian found a suitable cabinet and stored all his purchased ingredients inside, making sure he could easily access them for future brewing sessions. He kept only the Odor-Eliminating Solution with him.
After securing his supplies, Adrian left without hanging around. On his way back, his sharp eyes caught sight of Quirrell moving sneakily through the fourth-floor corridors.
Adrian's pulse quickened. He pulled out the Marauder's Map to confirm the locations of Snape and the other professors. A plan began forming in his mind.