Last of The Fae

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"You did what?!" Daphne asked in disbelief as Thane moved in between grow beds, wielding a pair of bladed tweezers with absolute precision as he took clippings and samples, "I can't believe you've been hiding this from me for three weeks?! You do realize the reputation that woman has? " 

"Yes, which is why I knew she would agree to interview me. It's also what will draw the most attention," Thane replied, waving his hand, shepherding a few scattered pedals into a glass vial before putting a stopper in place. There's no such thing as bad press." 

Daphne sighed, "There has to be a better method of promoting your business than having an interview with Skeeter. Anything you say to her will be torn apart and pieced back together in the most damning light possible." 

"Are you speaking from personal experience?" Thane asked as he finished harvesting his final ingredients. 

"Unfortunately, I am," Daphne admitted with a click of her tongue, "That nasty woman wrote a rather disparaging article, heavily insinuating that my parents were on the verge of a divorce all because they were holding hands in public." 

"That is a rather illogical assumption to jump to," Thane agreed, "But it is precisely what I am after. People who read such illogical garbage are no doubt bound to believe anything Rita writes. All I need to do is ensure that her interview encourages her subscribers to view my business in a positive light." 

Daphne's eyes narrowed as she stared at Thane, "Are you going to bribe her?" 

"No, of course not. I only heavily inferred that the sooner my company becomes profitable, the sooner there would be a job waiting for her as the Head of Public Relations." Thane replied innocently. 

"You do understand that's a conflict of interest? Getting Skeeter to promote something she's financially invested in." 

Thane shrugged, "Of course it is, but it's not as if she's reporting falsities or making up facts, even though it may seem like it. Even if people found out she was financially connected, who's to say that Rita didn't decide to invest after the interview when she saw how good my products are?" 

Daphne stared at Thane for a long moment before a satisfied smile crossed her face, "I have to say I was worried about your ability to handle the subtleties of politics. But perhaps there is hope for you after all." 

Thane walked over to where Daphne was resting, and she stood up as his hand moved to cup the small of her back. Thane leaned down for a brief but passionate kiss, and as he pulled away, Daphne let out a satisfied sigh, "How long are you gone for again?" 

"A full week," Thane answered. Hopefully, I'll have the shop set up and a fully trained staff by then. However, that does mean I miss Halloween Feast this year. I was looking forward to having people to celebrate the holiday with. I hope I didn't disappoint Rose and Luna too much." 

"They're sad that you're leaving, but disappointed isn't the right word." Daphne replied as she reached out and fussed with Thane's collar, "They understand the importance of what you're doing and how it benefits all of us." 

Thane exhaled as Daphne's soothing words relieved some of his guilt and concern. "I guess I'll just have to make it up to them during the Winter Break." 

Daphne smiled as she stepped back, looked over Thane's appearance, and nodded contently, "There we go." 

"Am I clear to leave now?" Thane asked jokingly. 

Daphne went to nod before she paused as if considering something, "There is one more thing." 

Thane raised a brow, waiting for Daphne to continue, "If you become...'involved' with Skeeter, you're not allowed to do anything with her that you haven't done with me." 

"What?!" Thane exclaimed, "What do you mean involved?!" 

Daphne rolled her eyes, "Stop acting so innocent. You are one of the most eligible bachelors in Britain. Very few women wouldn't seek to entwine themselves with you." 

Thane shook his head, still having a hard time believing what Daphne was saying, "Do you really think so little of me that you think I'll sleep with any woman who offers herself to me." 

"No, but I'm saying if a woman of substantial social standing and influence offers herself to you. Don't outright refuse. I trust your judgment, and as I said in the past, this is well within the norm. But one thing I will not tolerate is some random woman taking your virginity in any aspect. That belongs to me." 

As Daphne finished her speech, a fire ignited in her eyes, and Thane nearly broke out into a cold sweat. "R-right, of course." 

---

Space unfolded around Thane as he apparated in front of what used to be Mr Mulpepper's Apothecary, which he had bought what seemed like ages ago. 

Somehow, the building was even more deteriorated and rundown than Thane remembered, which wouldn't do for a grand opening. 

"Thankfully, I came prepared," Thane muttered as he reached into his robe and pulled out a small rectangular silver trinket. 

Thane tossed the trinket into the air, which reverted back to its original size, revealing it to be a solid silver trunk masterfully made with intricate patterns of vines and leaves with a massive tree embossed on the front with the latch situated in the middle of the trunk. 

Said latch flew open as the trunk opened, revealing a velvet interior pitted with deep shadows that concealed the bottom. 

The trunk was the first of many items Thane charmed in preparation for opening his store. However, having a nearly infinite amount of portable storage had far more applications than just setting up a shop. 

'I should have created something like this years ago. The Extension Charm was laughably easy to learn,' Thane thought to himself as he regarded the shop front with critical eye.

"I can't have my name associated with something of this caliber," Thane muttered as he reached out and touched the storefront before channeling his mana into chipped, dirt-stained limestone. 

The storefront began to shake and vibrate as the stone submitted to Thane's will. 

As it was, Mr Mulpepper's Apothecary matched the standard architecture of Diagon Alley. The front was narrow with stone brickwork and display windows surrounded by what had once been intricate wooden trim. But time had taken its toll, and while there was a certain appeal in an aged shop that showed it had withstood the test of time, Thane wanted something that stood out and embodied the inventive and groundbreaking approach his business would bring to the market. 

So, as Thane's mana flooded through the stone walls and foundations, dust was shaken loose, revealing pristine limestone bricks that slowly fused together and regained their natural uncut texture in a way that was uniform but textured enough to avoid looking monotonous. The shop's dimensions had also changed, shrinking in height while growing in width, squaring the building. 

Taking a step back, Thane took in the shop; sharp cut and colorless, it resembled a fort rather than a place to shop. But it was precisely the result Thane wanted. Reaching into his robes, Thane pulled out the sack he had filled with seeds and clippings from his garden back in the room of requirement. 

Thane blindly reached into the sack and began scattering the various clippings and seeds across the cobblestones in front of the store without care. Once the sack was nearly empty, Thane turned it over and unceremoniously dumped the rest of the loose contents onto the pile that had built up at the feet of his store. 

"Let's hope this works," Thane prayed as he tried not to calculate the total worth of the alchemical components he had just dumped onto Cobble Street. Holding out his hands, Thane flooded his pathways with mana, but instead of searching for the deep earthy notes gifted to him by Magala, Thane focused on his Fae ancestry and his status as the spirit Yggdrasil. 

Almost instantly, his mana began to sing sharp and sweet like a flute as a green aura suffused his outstretched hands. It was exhilarating, and Thane watched as the loose pile of seedlings and clippings came alive as a shower of verdant mana rained down on them. 

Seeds sprouted, sending their roots through the gaps of the cobbled street and into the earth below. Meanwhile, the clippings latched onto the limestone wall, calling the sheer surface. A few even grew thick tree-like trunks, adding a splash of brown to the green and grey collage. Thane continued pouring his mana into the plants, encouraging them to grow, and before long, many began to flower, signaling they had matured and were ready to fruit. 

When Thane stepped away, the entire storefront was an overgrown garden displaying an untamed wilderness—a wilderness worth its weight in gold, as Thane had propagated some of the most expensive species in his garden. 

Plants that any self-respecting alchemist or magical herbologist would have kept under lock and key as a single seed were often worth several hundred galleons. But Thane displayed them openly and used them as decoration for his shop. 

Thane dismissed his mana and let out a content sigh, "That's the easy part deal with, now on to the interior."