#ahstarter

Being understaffed was always shit. Usually it meant that Arlo had to do two, sometimes three people’s work all the while getting yelled at for being too slow. Today it meant that he had to be out of the kitchen and on the main floor, taking orders and bringing out food. And despite it being a slow day, Arlo was beyond struggling. The plate he was currently holding was painfully hot still and after trying to serve it to two different people who both denied ordering it, he gave it one last try with another customer who at least looked like they were impatiently waiting for their food. “Here you go. Mushroom ravioli, extra mushrooms. Enjoy.” 

The remaining tent pegs were dropped on the floor with audible clattering. “Can you at least put the radio down until we’re all set up?” Or until Markus’ was all set up, it seemed. His expression looked like he was already done, but the half pitched tent behind him said otherwise. He wiped the dirt of his hands and crossed his arms, stern. “This is a camping trip, not a music festival.”

Hogwarts has always felt more like a fortress than a castle. It was comforting as a child, knowing that everything going on in the world was locked out. But now he found himself on the opposite end of the dilemma - wanting to do something meaningful, but what he needed for that was safely locked away at Hogwarts. What a rare twist of luck it was that this out of all years was the one they decided to open the castle doors for anyone. So as the party folk were busy celebrating upstairs, Regulus had made his way down into the dungeon unseen - or so he had hoped before he rounded the next corner and all but ran into someone. Schooling his expression into something inconspicuous, he straightened his back. “Did you get lost? I could help you find your way back to the festivities if you want?”

The shrill ringing of a bell indicated to Severus that another customer had wandered into the apothecary.  Staring at the bubbling cauldron in front of him, his jaw tightened and he glanced at his scrawled instructions.  This was his second attempt at improving the potion, and it did need to simmer for some time before he stirred it again.  It was unusual that a customer would arrive this early, which irritated him all the more.  Closing his eyes, he composed himself into a neutral expression before turning to leave the back room and appear almost soundlessly at the counter in the back of the shop. 

“Welcome to Slug & Jiggers.  May I offer you any assistance?”