After saying my goodbyes to Ted and Andromeda, I left the Tonks household and made my way toward London. My first destination wasn't the Burrow, since Mr. Weasley would be at work at this hour, and there was little point in arriving there before he had returned home. I had several other matters that needed attention anyway, so I decided to use the afternoon efficiently.
My first stop was Gringotts.
The arrangements for Ron and Ginny's educational funds needed to be finalized, and I wanted to make certain that the vaults could be established without any complications once the contracts were completed. Since the money would be coming from the profits of Arclight Beacon, I also wanted the arrangement documented properly so there would be no confusion later about the source of the funds or how they were to be accessed.
Once I was satisfied that everything could be arranged without difficulty, I left Gringotts and headed toward the location of the Arclight Beacon shop.
The renovations had progressed considerably since my last inspection, although there was still plenty of work remaining before the opening. The structure itself had already been transformed into something that looked far more refined than an ordinary shop, with the exterior designed to make the building recognizable without appearing excessively extravagant. My primary concern at this stage was the display area on the ground floor.
I had given the workers specific instructions regarding how the projectors and discs were to be presented, because the shop wasn't merely supposed to sell the products. I wanted visitors to immediately understand what they were capable of the moment they entered. The display section needed to allow customers to see the projector in operation rather than simply looking at a polished device sitting behind glass, and every element of the arrangement had been designed around that principle.
After checking the progress and speaking with the workers about several minor adjustments, I moved on to the neighbouring potion shop.
The difference between the two establishments was immediately noticeable.
While the Arclight shop was still being shaped into a modern retail space, the potion shop already looked almost ready to open. Shelves lined the walls, many of them already stocked with ingredients and finished potions arranged according to their intended use. Several cabinets had been enchanted to maintain the appropriate conditions for more sensitive ingredients, while the storage area behind the counter was gradually being filled with supplies.
The sound of a raised voice came from somewhere toward the back.
I recognized it immediately.
Uncle Snape.
I followed the sound through the shop and entered the rear room, where the employees were currently gathered around their cauldrons.
The room looked far more like a Potions classroom than a conventional workshop. Several brewing stations had been arranged in rows, each equipped with its own cauldron, ingredients, scales, knives, and other necessary tools. Snape stood at the front, moving between the stations while inspecting each potion with the same critical expression he wore whenever he walked through Hogwarts' dungeon classrooms.
"That ingredient was added too early," he snapped at one of the trainees. "You have already altered the temperature twice, so what exactly made you think adding it at this stage would improve the result?"
The young man quickly began explaining himself.
Snape listened for several seconds before pointing toward the cauldron.
"Because you allowed the temperature to fluctuate, the active properties have already begun reacting differently. If you had been paying attention instead of simply following the instructions mechanically, you would have noticed the change in color several minutes ago."
Unlike his lessons at Hogwarts, however, Snape didn't simply criticize the mistake and move on.
He explained why it had happened.
He demonstrated what the correct temperature should have been and made the trainee repeat the process while carefully observing the potion. The other employees were expected to watch as well, ensuring that they understood the mistake rather than merely avoiding it through memorization.
I remained near the entrance and watched quietly.
Snape noticed me almost immediately, but he didn't acknowledge my presence. Instead, he continued correcting the trainees until they completed the brewing process.
Once the last cauldron had been finished, he looked around the room.
"Take five minutes and think about every correction I have given you. If I find the same mistakes when you begin the next batch, I will assume you weren't listening."
The employees nodded and began cleaning their stations.
Most of the younger employees were recent graduates whom I had already met at school or during the hiring process. They recognized me as soon as they left the brewing room and greeted me.
The older employees were somewhat more formal.
They knew that I was the owner of the establishment and treated me accordingly, offering respectful greetings before leaving the room.
Once everyone had gone, Snape finally turned toward me.
"Alastair, why are you here?"
"Just checking up on things and making sure everything is progressing properly."
He glanced toward the brewing stations before answering.
"Everything is in place. The only thing that requires time is training these people."
His expression remained as stern as ever.
"They are competent enough to have passed their NEWTs, but that does not mean they are ready to produce potions in a shop bearing my name."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Your name?"
Snape gave me a flat look.
"You understand what I mean."
I smiled.
"Of course."
He continued without acknowledging the interruption.
"I should have them properly prepared within a week. If they maintain their current rate of improvement, we should be able to begin providing services within two weeks."
That was faster than I had expected.
"That's good."
"There is still much for them to learn."
"I can see that."
I glanced toward the brewing room.
With everything in place, I decided to remain for the rest of the morning rather than leave immediately. Watching Snape teach was surprisingly useful, even for me. While the basic potions were well within my existing knowledge, his approach to higher-level brewing techniques revealed several details that weren't normally covered in Hogwarts lessons.
He was exceptionally demanding, but there was a reason behind every correction he made.
I spent the remainder of the morning observing the training and occasionally asking questions when Snape introduced a technique I hadn't encountered before. By the time lunch approached, I had gained several useful insights into potion-making, particularly regarding some of the more advanced brewing methods that required greater control over magical energy.
Eventually, I decided it was time to leave.
"I'll leave you to your training, Uncle Snape."
He nodded without looking away from the cauldron he was inspecting.
"Come back in a few days. I should have a clearer idea of their progress by then."
"I will."
I left the shop shortly after lunch and began making my way toward the Burrow.
Mr. Weasley should have finished work by then, and there was one more conversation I needed to have before the day was over.