Realistic Harry Potter

As Harry and Hagrid walked down Diagon Alley to leave, a bright and colorful woman stepped out in front of them and they had to stop to let her pass.

“Thank you so much, Madam Primpernelle!” The practically glowing woman said and then almost ran down the street as she laughed. “Look at me! I'm beautiful!”

“I think she might have taken a nip 'er two.” Hagrid said, and another woman laughed.

“She's not drunk. She's just so happy to have a nasty scar removed.” A well dressed woman, by witch standards, stood in the doorway of the shop the happy woman had just come out of.

“I... ah... wuz just jokin', Madam Primpernelle. Just jokin'.” Hagrid said.

“Did you say she had a nasty scar removed?” Harry asked.

“Of course.” Madam Primpernelle said and waved at her sign. Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions. “She saw my add in the Daily Prophet and came to me, desperate for help.” She said with a beaming smile. “I have everything to remove warts and worse.”

“What about a scar that I've had since I was a baby?” Harry asked and lifted his hair out of the way.

Madam Primpernelle gasped at it and stepped out of her shop, took his hand, and pulled him inside.

“Harry!” Hagrid started to go in and the door slammed in his face.

“You're Harry Potter.” Madam Primpernelle said.

“Yes.” Harry said, then he frowned. “Wait, how do you know who I am? We've never met.”

Madam Primpernelle smiled and sat him down at a little table and sat down across from him. “Everyone in the wizarding world knows who you are, because you're famous.” She said and took out her wand.

Harry flinched when she pointed it at his face.

“It's all right.” Madam Primpernelle said in a reassuring voice and took his hand. “I'm merely using a detection spell to see what potion I can use to cover up that scar.”

Harry was nervous; but, he had to admit that getting rid of the evidence of a childhood accident was a good idea. His aunt told him that he had fallen as a baby and gashed his head open on a glass coffee table. Because he was so clumsy, that was why she didn't have a glass coffee table anymore.

Harry felt a slight tingle on his forehead as the wand's tip glowed, then he saw the woman frown.

“That can't be right.” Madam Primpernelle whispered and reached into a pocket and pulled out one of her generic potions. “Drink this.”

Harry remembered Hagrid giving him that other potion and looked at the one in her hand.

“It's only a basic clear the skin potion.” Madam Primpernelle said. “It only removes slight skin blemishes and freckles.”

“Why should I drink it?” Harry asked as he looked at his hands.

Madam Primpernelle smiled. “It only lasts a month and then you'll need another dose. If I made the effects permanent, no one would ever come back to buy more.” She said. “I just want to see if it will affect you with my detection spell active.”

Harry popped the cork and smelled it. It smelled a bit of roses and lilacs, like Aunt Petunia's flower beds, so he drank it.

“Yes, that's a good boy.” Madam Primpernelle said. “Now to see what...” Her eyes widened as the potion she had taken years to perfect, worked on Harry like it was supposed to... except for on the scar.

“What is it?” Harry asked and looked at his hands again. He was surprised that they were a little bit smoother and a few of the little skin marks had disappeared. “Is the scar gone?”

“No, and that's the problem.” Madam Primpernelle said and took out another potion in a glass vial. “This is one of my better blemish removing potions.” She said. “It has a manual spell component, so as you drink it, I'll cast the spell, too.”

Harry wasn't hurt by the last one, so he popped the cork and upended the bottle. His whole body tingled as Madam Primpernelle cast whatever spell it was, then the glow on her wand reappeared and made his forehead tingle again. After several moments, she huffed.

“I'll be right back.” Madam Primpernelle said and left him sitting there at the small table.

There were several bangs and Harry turned his head to look at Hagrid, who waved for him to hurry up.

“All right.” Madam Primpernelle said and rushed back to the small table and sat. “This is my best and most powerful one. I perfected it only last year and the patents at the Ministry of Magic are still pending... but... this is an emergency.”

Harry's mind was almost blown as he heard that there was a Ministry of Magic. He had watched the British Ministry several times on the television with Uncle Vernon, who enjoyed their shouting matches so much that he usually joined in and threw things like the members of parliament did. Of course, Harry now imagined them using wands and casting spells instead of throwing insults and notebooks.

“It's going to taste like mouldy cheese, so I hope you have a strong stomach.” Madam Primpernelle said and handed him a large crystal vial.

Mouldy cheese? I've eaten that loads of times. Harry thought and drank the potion without a second thought. It hit his stomach and thankfully, it was still empty. The potion hit the stomach lining and was immediately absorbed into his bloodstream and was dispersed throughout his body. The skin all over his body bubbled and swelled, deflated, then swelled again.

“Whals ahhpenin?” Harry mumbled through huge lips.

“What's happening?” Madam Primpernelle asked and he nodded. “Your body is morphing and changing as it remembers what it used to look like, then it will regrow the skin you had as a baby.”

Harry's distorted mouth dropped open and she laughed at the sight.

“It's almost over, so you're going to be fine.” Madam Primpernelle said. “I normally wouldn't recommend this for someone so young, since it's quite an ordeal to...”

Harry's skin split like a snake and then it flopped off of him and onto the floor. He knew it was magic, because he was still wearing his clothing and they weren't holding the skin in. In the next moment, new skin bubbled up and replaced the cast off skin.

“Yes!” Madam Primpernelle said loudly and was about to jump for joy when she saw something that took the wind out of her.

“Arrrghhh.” Harry groaned as a lightning shaped scar was burned into the skin of his forehead. From underneath.

“That's no ordinary scar.” Madam Primpernelle said and sat back. “All right. Removing it won't work.” She said and thought about it. “Let's try a few concealing spells and maybe a nice skin cream.”

For the next twenty minutes, Madam Primpernelle worked as hard as she ever had and did everything she knew to try and cover the scar. She was saddened that only the physical skin cream worked. She easily mixed up a batch that matched Harry's skin color perfectly and gave it to him.

“You saw what I did to cover it, so do that every morning and no one will ever know you have a scar.” Madam Primpernelle said. “That large tub should last you about ten years and it never goes bad.”

Harry looked at the half-sized bucket. “Thank you.” He said and put it in his trunk. “How much for...”

“All I will charge you is your forgiveness.” Madam Primpernelle let out a sigh. “Never once, in all my years, have I ever failed to remove, conceal, or hide anything that dealt with the body.”

Harry remembered what she said when she dragged him into the shop. “I'm famous.”

Madam Primpernelle caught her breath and then she let out a laugh. “Yes.” She nodded. “Dear boy, thank you.” She took his hand again. “You've reminded me that you're a singular existence.”

“A what?” Harry asked, confused.

“There's only one of you, and after what you did...” Madam Primpernelle shook her head. “I shouldn't use the great Harry Potter as my measuring stick for failure.”

“I'm great?” Harry asked, even more confused.

Madam Primpernelle blinked her eyes for a moment, then she realized what was going on. “Dear boy, I think it's time that someone told you why every witch and wizard in the country knows your name.”

Ten minutes later, Harry stepped out of Madam Primpernelle's shop and took several breaths.

“Yeh look a little lost, Harry.” Hagrid said. “Are yeh all righ'?”

Behind them, a piece of paper with Harry's face on it was stuck onto the glass. The two of them turned to read it.

The Boy Who Lived Was Treated Here! Come In And See What He Tried Out! You Can Own It, Too!

“Yeah.” Harry said and looked up at the giant man with a smile. “I'm going to be all right.”

The two of them walked on and several people passed them without a second glance. When they saw Madam Primpernelle's window, however... several of them entered immediately.

*

The clerk goblin that had served Harry the few times he had been there, felt a little shiver as a few silver sickles and then a galleon passed into Mr. Potter's vault.

I knew it was a good idea to request assignment to him. The clerk goblin thought, then smiled as more and more sickles and galleons passed into the vault. Each shiver he felt gave him several bronze knuts for transaction fees. Make that a great idea. He thought and continued his work. The constant shivers were a balm to his heart and to his vault.