Jigger stared in surprise at the crystal vial of emerald-green liquid.
"A bottle of Essence of Dittany? Where did you get this?" He lifted the vial and held it up to the sunlight streaming through the window.
In the light, the potion gleamed like a piece of vivid jade, though the flecks suspended in it spoiled the look.
"Hmm. The technique's a bit rough—too few stirs, and the wormwood was added too late, so it's a little cloudy," Jigger said with some regret. "I'd like to test its efficacy. Any objections?"
"Go ahead." Leonard nodded.
Jigger fetched his tools and slipped into work mode. He uncorked the vial, dabbed a fine testing needle into the liquid, and smeared a drop on the back of his hand, watching how it evaporated and absorbed.
The potion soaked almost entirely into his skin, and his expression shifted to surprise.
"Remarkable," he murmured. "The quality looks average, but the healing effect is unexpectedly strong."
Leonard's face didn't change; he showed no reaction to the praise.
Jigger glanced at the unflappable boy and set the vial down.
"Alright, let me guess—you bought that dittany not long ago, so this Essence of Dittany is your own brew?"
"Correct." Leonard nodded.
"So you're looking to sell it? I'll be upfront. Even if its effects are impressive, most buyers judge a potion by its appearance. This one doesn't look great, so the price won't be high," Jigger said. "Ten Sickles at most."
It wasn't a bad price. A standard vial of Essence of Dittany retailed around a Galleon—seventeen Sickles—so an apothecary would naturally offer less than retail.
But using enhanced dittany as the base meant this bottle's healing power outstripped most Essence of Dittany on the market. That wasn't about brewing skill; with a fixed recipe, a potion's ceiling was set. Leonard's enhanced dittany essentially pushed that ceiling higher. Even if his technique lagged, the result wouldn't be far off.
Jigger's pitch was pure business—pressing down the price.
It didn't matter to Leonard, though; he wasn't after money.
"I don't want Galleons," Leonard said. "I want magical plant seeds in exchange."
"Magical plant seeds? You still haven't given up?" Jigger shook his head. "Don't waste your time and money. If you can't even handle a mature Chomping Cabbage, starting from seed is out of the question."
"I want to try. People have to learn," Leonard replied.
"Alright, you've convinced me," Jigger said, relenting—helped along by the bottle of Essence of Dittany that proved the boy wasn't just a clueless brat. "What kind of magical plant seeds do you want? Don't get your hopes up, though. I rarely sell seeds, and most magical plants are restricted. I can usually only sell processed, semi-finished materials."
"Something like Chomping Cabbage is fine," Leonard said.
"Chomping Cabbage it is. Hope you can grow them." Jigger turned, took a small cloth pouch from the shelf, and handed it over.
"There are a dozen or so Chomping Cabbage seeds inside," he said. "And a tip for your brew—stir seven and a half times both before and after adding the wormwood, and add the wormwood before the liquid boils."
A dozen Chomping Cabbage seeds weren't worth more than a Galleon; by the numbers Leonard was taking a slight loss, so Jigger tossed in the brewing tip for free.
"Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind," Leonard said politely, taking the pouch.
No System prompt appeared—so magical plant seeds didn't count for Experience.
That was fine. Once they grew, even if they only lasted a few minutes, they'd still grant Experience.
Leonard opened the pouch and smiled at the tiny seeds inside, each like a miniature cabbage.
With this many Chomping Cabbage seeds plus Essence of Dittany, this combat quest should be no problem.
Everything was ready—except the wand.
...
On the morning of his tenth day in Diagon Alley, a letter arrived from Ollivander.
Just before dawn, sharp tapping on the window woke Leonard.
An elderly owl stood there, beak rapping on the glass.
Leonard yawned, soothed Gray—who had perked up at the sight of a fellow owl—and slit open the envelope.
The message was simple: his wand was ready.