29th June, 1890 — Diagon Alley

The individual ingredients of a Polyjuice potion were not, in and of themselves, especially unusual however Verity always made a point to purchase them all separately, ideally as far apart as possible both in time and distance. She had stocked up on knotgrass the last time she happened to be in Hogsmeade, had harvested every leech that Southampton had to offer and now under the smoggy cloak of London, Verity was on a hunt for Bicorn horn.

Diagon Alley, despite the recent misfortune that ought really to have put people off, was surprisingly full and Verity spotted far too many faces she knew. Apparently the Abercrombies weren't the only ones relocating for the summer, though Verity suspected the rest had probably heard where her mistress was going and inevitably followed.

"Excuse me," she snapped testily as somebody unceremoniously bashed into her and the packet of powdered Bicorn went flying to the ground and spilled out around her feet. "Do you realise how expensive that was?!"

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