InsaneJournal

Will checked his reflection in the window of the store next door, adjusting the collar of his robes and making sure he looked neat and professional before taking the last few steps to the door of Arsenic and Old Lace and letting himself in.

He'd spoken to Mr. Snape earlier for a fluff article about recent potion fads, and he could still use that article but this story was a better one. Chief potioneer at Arsenic and Old Lace to be opening his own shop, perfect chance to get to know the older man a bit better and be on good terms by doing a promotional piece. He was almost obligated to have a brief mention of his stepfather's potion shops with any article relating to potions in any way, but that didn't mean there wasn't plenty of room to do something for a friend of his father's. It would only help him in the long run.

"Mr. Snape?" William didn't expect the chief potioneer to be in the front of the shop much, but it was respectful to have his presence known, so he walked up to the counter to look for the owner or any other employee who could direct him to the potions master of the shop.

Ethan was working the front of the shop as normal and popped up from behind a counter. "Hello, and welcome to Arsenic and Old Lace. May I help you?"

Severus was in his office instead of his workshop for once. No need to have this interview interrupt him in the middle of a sensitive potion. Checking the clock on the wall, he headed out into the front of the job.

"Mister Rosier, I presume," Severus said, extending his hand and noting the resemblance of the young man in front of him to his late father. It made him wonder just how much the young Rosier took after Evan. "If you'll come with me. We can speak in my office."

The office was well furnished with simple elegance. Nothing showy, but quality furniture. He poured two tumblers of amber liquid over ice and passed one to the young man. "Please, have seat. Make yourself at home."

William shook the offered hand and smiled. "Yes, thank you for having me Mr. Snape." He followed after the older man, looking around and noting his surroundings. He'd been in enough potion shops, especially those of his stepfather, to know what a lot of the more obscure things lining shelves were for. Some were a good measure of the quality of a shop, and Arsenic and Old Lace was certainly one of the better ones out there.

When they entered the office, William smiled his thanks and took the offered seat. "Thank you. I just wanted to express my gratitude to you for taking the time to answer my questions for that article, sir. I know these fads are rather fluff news pieces, but I thought it was best to get an established and respected potioneer to refute them rather than anyone else," William added as he took the offered drink. While his manner was professional, it was also unassuming and there was a light charm to his smile that tended to put most people at ease. He didn't expect that to work, and he didn't plan on really trying it on Mr. Snape, with the older Slytherin folk he tended to just stick with manners and a kind politeness to start.

Severus rolled his eyes briefly, an uncensored reaction to what he thought of both the Prophet's fluff pieces and the potions fads. "Off the record, you do realise that I care little for these fads, even if they do bring in a bit of revenue. Half the public would drink liquified rat if it was popular."

He took a drink of his scotch and gave William a look. "But that's irrelevant for your piece and won't be published. The fads are rather cyclical. Warmer weather means a return to customers seeking out illegal love potions as well as weight loss potions.."

"Oh I'm quite aware, sir," William chuckled slightly. "I find them ridiculous too, but the public enjoys these things for whatever reason. And we must cater to our customers to an extent." He shrugged a bit as if to say 'what can you do?'.

Taking a drink from the scotch himself, William met Severus's eyes for the serious look to show that he did indeed understand and take that off the record aspect seriously. He hadn't yet taken out his parchment and quill yet on top of it, he didn't like to do that right away. In his experience it made people clam up and get formal early, it was too obvious a sign of 'on the record'. "You have my word, that's all off the record without question. I find these pieces rather tedious, I can only imagine the topic is worse for you who has to deal with the inane requests themselves."

"If you don't mind me saying, sir, I was quite pleased to hear that you'll opening your own shop. There are more than enough places that sell potions of...questionable quality, to put it delicately. I feel we always need more places with genuine skill behind them." Will seemed genuine in that remark, and he did really mean it. But for him it was less an issue of just quality potions and more about places with respectable people running them. Sure, his job took him to places he’d normally never want to frequent, but at the end of the day he still liked to have standards.

"Yes, well, it's something I've considered for awhile - after all, who doesn't dream of having their own business - but I wasn't sure how feasible it was. And then an opportunity presented itself and I had to seize it. Your stepfather's shops are, of course, notable, but there is something about being the proprietor of a business." He did respect Montgomery's work, respectable, to be sure. But Lily's offer had been hard to resist. "We haven't settled on a location yet, but I'm hopeful something will turn up. And it will allow me to focus on things for a more discerning customer."

Will nodded along as Severus spoke. "Exactly, it's something else to have your own business and be in charge. If you were still interested sir, perhaps we could go on record now to discuss your shop plans and anything you'd like the public to know about them? Drum up some interest before. We can of course delay publication until you have a location picked out to include."

Severus nodded and took another sip of his drink. "Of course. I will be happy to continue serving all my current customers, regardless of where we end up. My business partner and I plan to stock many of the standard potions that the public requires - all made on site, with nothing but the highest quality ingredients. However, it will also give me time to focus on my research - since my last lecture at the potions society, I've been working on developing some improvements on potions. Potionsmaking is an art, you see, and I hope to move away from stock pepperup to more potent and nuanced draughts."

While Severus paused to sip his drink before answering, Will pulled out his parchment and dictaquill, setting it up in time for it to start scrawling the potion master's words down. "Very admirable sir. Are there any potions in particular you've been working on improving?"

There were many of course, that could not be published, certainly not at The Prophet. There were a few he might show to some friends, William's boss included among them, but as for the rest, well, he sorted through his list of current research project. "One of my recent projects has been the manipulation of sleeping draughts to coincide with a wizard's own magical signature. If you can match the potion to the wizard, it will be much more effective. This would of course have ramifications for other healing potions, as well."

Will was already attentive, but the what Snape was saying seemed to grab his interest more. "Personalized potions. That's...quite brilliant." Also lucrative, you could charge much more than your generic premades. "You said sleeping potions to start, and perhaps healing ones after, but could this extend to nearly all types of potions?" He already had a good deal of respect for Mr. Snape, but Will certainly had even more now that he was hearing more about what Severus was capable of. The man didn't seem ambitious in the money sense, but that just meant that someone else could help him with that aspect one day, there was opportunity in the future there. But right now was time to focus on the job he had.

"Theoretically. I've only begun to lay the groundwork for this," Severus said. It was.. perhaps a fool's quest, but he had some luck in modifying potions. And there were certainly ramifications for the dark arts as well. "Some people have adverse reactions to ingredients, some are resistant to potions. This would, theoretically, increase efficacy while limiting undesired side effects."

"Of course, but all big changes must start somewhere. It would be a revolution of sorts for potion making," Will said. It would be, there was tailoring to weight or general metabolism but to tailor to magical signatures was something else entirely. If wands could be specific to certain wizards and witches then perhaps potions could too. "Even if it were only sleeping draughts it would be a big thing." He glanced down at the parchment to check on the quill and looked back up. "Your new store, could you give us some details? A name, perhaps when you expect it to open?" It didn't matter too much if he only got a vague 'next year', he'd make it a short article, a preview of sorts. Just enough to drum up interest and get the word out, then write up another one down the line with more details. It was better than putting all the information out at once.

"Well, we hope to open by year's end, perhaps even this summer. It all depends on how quickly everything moves forward. There's no telling how things will go." It was a vague statement, with politics and both sides stirring, there was a lot in the air. There had already been casualties. "I confess we haven't even begun to consider names yet. You're getting in rather early on this story."

"Early is better sir, especially if you're planning on opening in a few months," Will smiled. Early was better for him, it meant nobody else had done this yet and it'd be an exclusive. "Perhaps you'll get some name suggestions through this, who knows. Now you mentioned a business partner, did you want to elaborate on them sir?"

Severus took a sip, considering. "My partner would prefer to stay silent for the time being," Severus explained. It was, of course, easiest this way. There would certainly be questions - who would be funding a half blood. But Severus had learned the necessity of keeping secrets. For people who knew potions, Severus' name would be enough to get them into the shop.

“Perfectly understandable, sir,” Will nodded, it at least meant that the partner wouldn’t be heavily involved in the actual operating of the shop. "I believe we can wrap shortly, just a final quick question. I know you said you didn't have a location picked out, but were there any you were thinking of? It's a good teaser of sorts you understand, to just put potentials. Gives it more of a concrete feel and all."

"Well, keeping it in London is certainly a draw, but it's a fairly saturated market. And although I think my clientele would carry over, regardless of where my shop is, there are certain things to consideration." Severus sipped his whiskey. "London, Hogsmeade, and some other places are under consideration."

"I think they would," Will agreed and took a sip of his own whiskey as he looked over the notes the quill had finished. "I think that should be enough to write something up. Were there any last things you wanted to add in?"

Severus took another slow sip, studying Rosier. "No, I imagine that's about it. But you're welcome to come by if you have further questions. Cosmo speaks well of you."

Will picked up the dictaquill to pocket it and indicate that they were off the record now, interview over. "I'm glad to hear it. I certainly work hard and try to give him reasons to think well of me." Will paused and sipped his drink more, feeling it was more appropriate to partake now that the business portion was largely done. "Mr. Mulciber speaks highly of you sir, as did my father. I'm just pleased that I can be a small help here."