Power (Harry Potter Insert) - Chapter 3.1 (Patreon)

It wasn't long later that, with the interruptions out of the way that Faeran arrived at his destination.

Slughorns office.

Faeran knocked on the door and waited.

A few moments later, the thick wooden door swung open to reveal an obscenely fat, squat old man dressed in a dapper suit that would have looked rather dashing, if not for the way the buttons of the waist coat looked like they could pop off at any moment from the sheer girth of the mans belly.

Slughorn stared at him for a moment, before almost seamlessly a bright, welcoming smile spread across his face, "Ah, young Faeran odd for me to see you outside of classes and the great hall," the potion master beamed warmly at him, "Come in, come in."

He didn't even ask what Faeran wanted before welcoming him inside. That was to be expected though. He was the heir of the Shafiq family and the top of his year when it came to most of the classes.

He was a prime candidate for the mans little slug club.

"Thank you professor." Faeran dipped his head and took his offer, making his way inside.

He found himself stepping into a wide open living space with large, comfortable and expensive furniture, a huge shag carpet, a wide open roaring fire place, multiple bookcases that lined the walls.

And a large potion station with multiple cauldrons that seemed to have tools spelled to automatically stir them.

"Take, a seat lad, take seat," Slughorn followed him in a moment later after closing the door and taking a seat in one of the arm chairs, "What brings you to see me? Finally taken me up on my offer? There's still a space set aside for you my boy."

He was referring to the space offered to him within the slug club. The man had been sending him messages via owl and dropping hints in class since the start of the year.

Faeran had previously been too scared to show up in a place where he knew multiple death eaters in training like Zabini were known to be a part of.

"I'm sorry about that professor by the way, I know I've been avoiding you about your club, it's nothing to do with you though, just a few people that I didn't want to be around are a part your club," Faeran put on an apologetic expression, "I've mostly got over my issues with them now though, so if the offer is still open I'd love to join."

Slughorn, despite his greedy nature was a very skilled, knowledgeable and connected person. There was much he could learn or get out of the man if he allowed himself to get 'collected' by him.

Besides, it wasn't like he gave a shit about Zabini and the like anymore either. In fact, now, he would make sure the shoe was on the other foot.

And he was gonna bully the shit out of him and the other little Voldemort toe licking little bastards that had been giving trouble as retribution.

"I see," Slughorn gave a momentary grimace, seemingly catching on to what he meant by people he was avoiding, before it was swiftly replaced by a bright smile once more, "Well, I'll be glad to have you Faeran, you're a bright boy after all. I dare say you'll light the place up."

He would still be solidifying his position in the professors eyes though. And what better way than to establish his connection with his star 'member'.

And by doing so, Slughorn would be more willing to aid him, even if only to get more of a glowing opinion shared of him with Harry.

"I'll do my best professor," Faeran gave him a grin, "Besides, I do have a few friends in your club and with us being in different years and having different class times, it's so hard to get time to spend with them."

"Oh? You do?" Slughorn perked up.

"Oh yeah, I'm good friends with Harry and Hermione, I studied with them a lot last year," Faeran revealed with a nod, "I had a great time and learned a bunch of amazing spells like the reducto curse and even the patronus charm." he not so subtly bragged.

"Oh? You're friends with Harry and Miss Granger?" Slughorn's eyebrows rose up, "And you can already perform such spells at your age? Very impressive Faeran, you'll definitely go far in the future with talent like that."

"Well, I don't like to brag, but I am pretty proud of myself for managing to keep up with Harry, he's quite amazing, I doubt there's a single student in the school right now that can last twenty seconds against him in a duel," Faeran replied, "Though that's partly why I came to see you professor."

"Harry is?" Sloghorn leaned forward in his seat, eyeing him with interest.

He took the bait.

He faked a grimace, "Well…I know I'm still young with plenty of growing to do Professor, but it's no secret that these are dark times, and people like myself have eyes on us," Faeran pointed out, a solemn tone entering his voice, "But I don't plan on just cowering away and letting Voldemort's minions bully me into doing what they want."

"You should be careful saying that name so freely," Slughorn pointed out before sighing, "But I understand Faeran. Though, I'm not sure what I can do to help you, you would be better asking for extra lessons from Professor Snape or even Professor Flitwick."

"Oh, it's not learning more spells or fighting that I need your help with professor," Faeran shook his head, "Rather, I was hoping I could get your help as a potion master that even Professor Snape can't measure up to."

"Hmm, I see, that is much more within my ability," Slughorn chortled, pleased with his praise, "What exactly is it you need my help with?"

Most of the potions he would need like the muscle repair potion and such he could purchase himself via owl. But, there were others that he had no chance of getting himself.

"Well, there's a few potions I'd like your help with, and I'm willing to pay the fees for it all professor and your services," Faeran quickly explained, "For instance, I was hoping to get your help in brewing the animagus potion. I've looked into it myself and know how it goes and the requirements, but I'm not yet skilled enough for the potion."

Actually, he was sure if he devoted all his time to it he could manage it, maybe. But that was a month of effort to risk on a maybe.

"Ho-ho, aiming I big I see," Slughorn's interest was definitely piqued, "Yes, I understand your plight. It is a very complicated potion and would be very hard to get right when you're so busy with classes."

"Definitely, especially since I've got so much to do beyond that," Faeran shook his head, "I've got a lot of family obligations to take care of since I'm the last of my line, like I need to look into the business side of things like my shares in the Hollyhead Harpies, if you need a ticket or two to one of their games professor I can hook you up. And on top of things like that, I'm planning on training my body soon."

His eyes lit up, "Actually my boy, do you know I actually once taught Gwenog Jones, perhaps I can invite her to my next party and you can discuss business with her," he mused aloud, "And training your body my boy? I know you said you are preparing for these dark times, but I hope you aren't planning on throwing yourself into the thick of things."

"No, no nothing like that professor, training my body is for something completely different," he waved him off, he made a show of looking around before leaning forward as if to share a great secret, the old fat professor leaning forward in return, "You see professor, I have a thing for older girls, like Hermione for instance and I know my age will lower my chances of going out with them. So I want to get muscular and strong so I can better my chances."

Slughorn burst out into great peels of laughter, "I see, I see! You are at that age after all and Miss Granger is a fetching young lass," he replied, "Yes, I understand indeed, why I remember the shenanigans I got into back in the day when I was your age to try and impress girls."

"Right?" Faeran laughed as well, "Actually professor, that brings up something else I was thinking about. I've been really interested in the strengthening solution and Reem's blood, they fascinate me. Do you know of any ways to make it permanent? If anybody would know it would be you."

"You do like the idea of being physically strong I see, is that something girls are interested in these days?" he mused, shaking his head, "Well, not that it will be simple for you to get your hands on Reem blood, they're regulated these days I'm afraid my boy. And very expensive beyond that."

…He didn't deny it.

"I don't suppose you'd be able to help me get my hands on some professor?" Faeran gave the man a hopeful look, "A man as well connected and as accomplished as you would probably be able to get some easily."

Slughorn predictably preened under the flattery, "Well…I do have a good friend that works on a Reem farm outside the country," he revealed with a proud smile, "But, like I said my boy, very expensive. Even a tiny vial no bigger than my pinky will go for five thousand galleons alone and that is not taking into account getting it here unnoticed."

Again, he didn't deny it was possible and was laying out a cost. So he definitely wasn't unwilling.

"How about ten thousand galleons professor?" Faeran offered, "The price for it and a little bit for you for going through all the trouble."

Slughorn blinked, "Well…I suppose if you're so set out on it my boy, I wouldn't be a very good professor if I didn't aid you in your endeavours now would I?" he mused, leaning back into his chair, "As far as making it permanent though. I did once experiment with it in the past for a rather dashing and eloquent troll who was trying to command of his tribe. It's actually rather simple. You simply must add the Reem blood to a strengthening solution and then a half a pint of dragon blood alongside three ounces of dragon liver, I found those of a Hebridean Black to work the best, the power contained in them is much more potent because of them adapting to survive in the Hebrides."

…Well, that would be expensive.

The dragon liver, not so much. But, the blood? That was a different matter, depending on the dragon, a pint could go from anywhere from a few hundred galleons to over a thousand.

And just his luck that it was a Hebridean Black, one of the largest, strongest and most expensive to get materials from dragon.

'Fucking typical, of course it's the Scottish Dragon.' he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

                                                 ___________________________

Five thousand galleons for the Reem's blood, five thousand as payment to Slughorn. One thousand galleons a piece for each pint of Hebridean Black blood. And forty sickles for the dragon liver.

That was over sixty five thousand pounds and over a hundred thousand dollars by his reckoning.

'Hopefully a ten times increase in physical ability will make up for spending that much.' Faeran grimaced an hour later as he left Slughorn's office behind.

It was a lot to spend on a single potion when he could get much the same boost from a simple strengthening solution for less than ten sickles. The only difference was, the potion made from the Reem's blood, would be permanent. It would become a natural part of his body and passive, rather than something he had to constantly ingest crappy tasting potions to get.

…Well at the very least, Slughorn had decided to be 'generous' and would make the Animagus potion for him free of charge alongside the reem blood potion. Which was why he'd left some strands of his hair behind with the man and was currently sucking on a mandrake leaf.

And would be doing so for the next month. Honestly, he was just going to go learn the sticking charm and stick it to the inside of his cheek for the month.

'Damn right he better do it for free, all the ingredients don't even cost a single galleon together!' he huffed.

Well, at the very least, after flattering the man for over an hour, making it apparent that he had a 'deep' connection with Harry Potter, both a friendship and an 'interest' in dating his best friend and then flashing a ton of money, he'd managed to worm his way into Slughorn's proper good graces and would probably have the man watching out for him.

Right now though, he was on his way to the owlery. He was going to send off for payment for Slughorn and to order a bunch of potions from nearby apothecary's.

He only had a few weeks according to Slughorn before the potion would be ready, even before the animagus potion. So, he was going to go at it hard and train himself intensely over the next few weeks.

Usually, such a thing would give minimal benefits in such a short time. But, with the potions, he could get weeks worth of work outs done in a day. If he really pushed it, he could get over a years worth done before it was time.

Magic was bullshit like that.

And the muscle healing potion, nutrient potion, mass endurance increasing potion and invigoration draught was going to be his ticket to grinding out work outs muggles could only dream of.

He was ever so glad to be born into money. This would be so much harder if he was some poor shmuck.

Pay to win all the way.