Ursula cast a protective charm over the picnic rug. Most children while running dangerously by would see something pretty horrifying to scare them away. A spell (and probably the only charm) that Ursula had mastered. She wasn't that bothered about that though, not knowing charms. The lesser magic. It wasn't like charms were important not that she'd let her Gryffindors hear her that.
She crossed her ankles and straightened out her back being thirty and sitting in the same awkward position for a length of time wasn't something you'd associate with fatigue, but with Ursula it was she wasn't used to back pain and even with being a dancer as a hobby, her back muscles were pretty lax.
I'm making a potion and this is what I'm thinking about. Tsk. What a fun life you lead, Ursula Sparrow.
She added a clove of some indeterminate origin into the flash, stirring it with vigour. There was Belladonna she needed to add. But she was running low. Ah! That'd fit in nicely, actually. She could easily pop to the Apothecary and top up her amounts, whilst she left the bottom to simmer. She wasn't she she had thought it all out- after all, was she to follow the advanced Potion's Making Way and include a catalyst or to potion's today and just slap a quart more Belladonna.
Really, she should have asked Hamilton to give her a quick walk through the potion, but the last time she'd accepted assistance from a male professor of Hogwarts she had ended up with a wonky tattoo and a weird clenched hand shaped bruise on her hand.
In the back of her mind as she closed the lid over the flash and fiddled absently with her hair, she wondered if she had gone to too much trouble it was probably a a stupid idea anyway. Potions with anonymous love heart infiltrated signatures probably never even made it through the Ministry's post room anyway.
All this the Transfiguration Professor dwelt on as she rolled up the tartan rug and lifted the charm. The Minister was going to be getting a present from his dearest admirer and oh, wasn't that man in for a surprise.
The potion was going to have to go without the Belladonna, it was supposedly only meant for an aroma to the potion but by the smell of it it was okay to her at least.
It was ready.
Ursula sent a silky smile to the man behind the glass in the Post Office.
"The Ministry, if you would."
She exchanged a couple of galleons and watch the man with the name tag Bernard slap a 'careful, liquid inside stamp on'.
Walking out a few minutes later, she had an immoveable smile on her face knowing that the next person to open that box was...sigh...
