you got bones? @cfbcnes - Tumblr Blog

bcrncold‌:

“And what happened to Frankenstein? Oh yes, he died.” Mary Shelley tale was of course, fictional, and a veiled metaphor for the industrial revolution, but still it stuck. They had lost too many people in the war, and Severus didn’t want to lose Amelia, no matter how much he pretended not to care. “You mean like the inferi? I’ve seen them, Amelia.” Sometimes they still haunted his dreams. He wanted to trust her, but trust wasn’t something that came easily to Severus Snape.

“Not everything is worthwhile because it’s free. Sometimes you do get what you pay for, especially when something is free.” He was certainly dubious at the very least. No doubt most of the entrails she got for free were rancid. “I might know of an apothecary willing to help you out. They specialise more in the non-herbal ingredients. They might have some going spare from time to time…” Turning back to the cauldron, he crushed the berries between his fingers and dropped them into the potion. “It’s not as if I can casually put up notices around, can I? Wanted: willing lycanthropes. Oh yes, there would be a queue round the corner. God, where’s Lupin when you need him? He was always willing…. I don’t have the funds to pay test subjects and you know it.”

Amelia snorted and gave him an amused smirk, even if the otherwise deadpan expression called for any other reception but a smile. Much as he didn’t admit it, she had a gut feeling that deep down, Severus considered her a friend too, and friends were allowed to pick at one another. The thought of the war, though, soured it slightly, and she sighed. “Since when have you seen inferi? I wasn’t aware you had the opportunity. In either case, they’re not quite like that--not so hell bent on destruction. More like... mindless beings that will do simple tasks, or a closer way to study anatomy.” Or, yes, evil deeds like the inferi, but Amelia didn’t feel that would help her case at the moment.

“I’m aware, thank you.” Of course she knew she wouldn’t get guaranteed quality if she accepted free supplies, but she didn’t exactly come across the pond with all of her inheritance. Diggery and his family needed the money more to keep their farm well-stocked and daughter cared for, so Amelia grabbed enough to get her to America and let her afford to live comfortably enough. No more riches for Miss Bones. “If you could connect me with the apothecary, I’d appreciate it. That could be useful.” Her eye brows furrowed about halfway through Severus’ sarcastic drawl. “Wait, wait--are you suggesting that Remus is a werewolf?” Amelia paused. “That... actually makes a bit of sense. In any case, not everyone takes payments in funds only. Favors can be cashed, or a potion could be made--think outside of the box, Severus.”

#t: severus

bcrncold‌:

His eyebrows raised in surprise. That had not been what he had been expecting in the slightest. Reanimation? She was treading a fine line indeed. “Playing God, are we?” He tsked. “Would you like to borrow my copy of Frankenstein? Might be worth a read…” Was Severus concerned? More than a little. This was a dangerous magic that Amelia was looking into, and he remembered all too well the Dark Lord’s inferi. “I do hope that you are being careful. It will be quite the inconvenience for me if you get in trouble and they trace you back to me.” It was as much of a warning he could give her. After all, it wasn’t quite in his style to outwardly care for people, was it? “Yes and one day when I am well-renowned in my field, you’ll be able to tell everyone that you supported my early career by not bankrupting me.”

“Not sourcing your own, yet?” He turned back to the cauldron to inspect the colour. Just a little longer and then he could resume the brewing process. “Perhaps it would be worth your while to approach a butcher, or at the very least an apothecary. Might get something a little fresher that way. And if you line their pockets well enough I’m sure they’ll keep quiet. “It’s all interesting, Amelia.” His eyes rolled, picking up a handful of holly berries. “In time some will certainly be of note. I’ve been experimenting with wolfsbane, if you must know. It’s mostly theory, as you can imagine, it’s rather difficult to find any willing test subjects. Or any at all.”

Severus’ expression said it all. Amelia knew where his mind likely headed--Voldemort and the war was never too far from her mind, as much as she tried to forget. It did occur to her, when she first started pursuing the art of necromancy, that she might be likened to You-Know-Who if she followed that path, but how could she not be interested in doing what should be physically impossible? Amelia always liked a good challenge. “I’ve always wanted to be a god,” she said sarcastically, pocketing her hands. “and who doesn’t find Dr. Frankenstein intriguing? In all seriousness, Severus, I know what I’m doing, and I assure you I’m being careful. It’s not like the dead is actually coming back to life; it’s just a reanimation of the physical body itself. No life there, in theory.” She’d yet to come across something that truly brought someone back from the dead. “None of this will be traced back to you, even years from now when I can claim I know you as a credit to myself. You just have to trust me.”

Amelia made an incoherent noise and shrugged, peaking into the cauldron for something to do while they waited if nothing else. “I source some of my own,” she defended. “Why say no to something freely offered though? It may not be the best quality, but Viktor means well. Mostly. It’s fine.” Though if she had the coin, maybe lining the pockets of an apothecary could be beneficial like he suggested. She was about to elaborate on that when Severus mentioned wolfsbane, and Amelia immediately perked up. “Wolfsbane, hm? We work out of the French Quarter, Severus--you’re bound to find someone who may be willing to be tested on if you compensate them properly. You’ll find no where else with such a high concentration of diverse creatures, after all. Just have to pay out if it comes down to it.”

#t: severus

vikfontaine‌:

Viktor was becoming accustomed to these interruptions.

The click of the door behind her, much like the knock that had preceded it, failed to entice his attention from the morgue report he was hunched over, dark eyes fixed upon the paperwork with unshifting concentration, if the faint furrow that had formed upon his brow was any indication. “Generally,” he spoke after a long moment in which it seemed he might not have heard her at all, his voice soft and rough with disuse, “My subjects aren’t living.”

It had been a quiet morning.

The faintest scrunch of his nose followed as Viktor slid the morgue report away from him, spine uncurling as he glanced up from his pages of neat, precise writing to regard Amelia thoughtfully, blinking with the owlish bemusement of someone who might not have entirely realised socialisation would be required of him today. “Hello Amelia,” his eyes darted from her to Bentley, perched high upon the bookshelf over her shoulder and staring with lamplike fixation on the bounce of her long hair and back again. His own curiosity, equally intense if not slightly further afield, got the better of him. “What do you imagine something that only looks like roadkill might be?”

A snort escaped her despite herself, and Amelia watched as Viktor concentrated on what looked like a report in front of him. She supposed she couldn’t blame the divided attention; this was his place of business, after all. Still, even she could admit that his concentration could be eerie at times. “I suppose you have me there,” she admitted. “Doesn’t change the fact that we’re back to the drawing board though. Perhaps something fresher would bring the result we’re looking for.” Technically, Viktor wasn’t actually involved in her experiment, so using we was a stretch, but he brought her what she needed and bounced her ideas off the man. Amelia considered that enough to involve him in her plans.

His gaze fixed on her, and she entered the room further, sitting in the chair across from him and crossing her legs at the knee. She followed his gaze when it flickered to see Bentley watching her, and she pulled her hair over her shoulder as if that would keep it away from her line of sight. “Something intentionally hit, I imagine,” she responded after a moment, not having expected to figure out what her outlandish question actually meant. She should have known better than to exaggerate around Viktor. “Most roadkill is due to an accident, I’ve found. Or maybe something used for target practice.” Amelia sighed. “Can we find something fresher, Viktor? I’m in no rush, but I am impatient.”

#t: viktor

bcrncold‌:

“I am of the belief that sometimes providing a little context is helpful when brewing.” And that was most certainly they case when it came to potions like the one he was brewing. After all, he didn’t much fancy being extradited back to Britain to stand trial in front of the Wizengamot should he get caught. It wasn’t that the potion was illegal, but after Voldemort they were a lot more cautious… Hell, wasn’t that one of the main reasons he had relocated in the first place? “A small discount won’t kill me?” Severus scoffed, dark eyes rolling. “Surely a real friend would be quite happy to pay full price. You want my business to keep going, yes? After all, you won’t find anyone else willing to brew what you ask me to and I do have my doubts about you attempting it yourself. Potion accidents can be fatal, you know.” He sniffed. Not that he’d ever admit it, but he wouldn’t be pleased if some misfortune befell Amelia.

Entrails? Rather she than he, he had to admit. “Stasis charms.” He replied, setting the rod on the countertop and turning to face her. “There are some that work on… remains, even if that is not their intended purpose. You might want to consult your copy of Practical Household Magic.” The potion would need to steep for five minutes before he continued with it. He shrugged, arms crossing over his chest. “Busy enough. Still have enough time for other work.” His kitchen at home was filled with experiments in various stages, some more successful than others.

Of course Severus wanted context. Amelia supposed she owed him that much,considering the number of times she came to him with concoctions that needed brewing or hypotheticals that needed review, but how much did she tell him then? “I suppose you make a point,” she mused, staring at him for a moment before sighing. “I plan to combine it with a spell I found in one of my tomes. If it works like I hope it will, not only will I be able to reanimate a corpse, but I may be able to undo any decay it gathered over the past however many years since its death. Purely experimental, of course, but I want to see if it can even be done.” Nothing, she was certain, that would track back to Severus if things were to go awry. She raised an eyebrow at Severus and smirked. “Please. A real friend wouldn’t charge full price, nor would he doubt my potions skills. Fine, though, full price it is. I’ll remember this, Severus.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m well aware of stasis charms, thank you. The entrails were brought to me a tad rotten. Road kill, but we work with what we have.” It was like he thought her an amateur, and she refused to be considered such. “I’ll have to remind Viktor to bring me fresher kills next time, but it’s hard to know exactly what he’ll do.” Severus mentioned his other work, and Amelia’s interest immediately piqued. She stepped further into the room so she was across from him. “Well now you have to share. Anything interesting? Anything worth noting?”

#t: severus #aw he does care

Where: Memento Mori Funeral Parlor Who: @vikfontaine

The funeral parlor always smelled of flowers and old furniture, a smell that once set Amelia on edge but now felt familiar as she walked into Memento Mori. It was quiet, blessedly so, but that also meant she’d have to find Viktor on her own. A quick glance into each of the rooms proved them to be empty, and though she wasn’t allowed in the back offices she made her way there anyway. An older woman down the hall proved that the place wasn’t, in fact, abandoned, and Amelia gave a tight-lipped smile at Mackenzie as she asked where Viktor was. With a gesture the two women parted again, and Amelia gave a courtesy knock to his door before entering, letting it close with a click behind her.

“Your entrails didn’t do what we expected,” she said in lieu of a greeting, leaning against the door and sighing. “Instead of expanding they shriveled up, which wouldn’t be great to use on something living. Did you give me legitimate roadkill, or did it only look like roadkill?” Perhaps she was talking a bit quickly, and Amelia paused to catch her breath before continuing, “Also hello. Raise any dead today, Vik? Cause any more trouble?”

#t: viktor #prepare for t r o u b l e

bcrncold‌:

@cfbcnes

“And what is this for exactly?” Severus pulled a jar down from a shelf in the pantry that had been repurposed as a store cupboard for his potions paraphernalia.Turning, he set the jar down on the countertop next to the others, a dark brow rising in question as he glanced over at Amelia. It was not the first time she had come to him with a vague request and he was certain that it wouldn’t be the last time either. She was clearly up to something, and he would find out what it was eventually. Sure, he could be discreet, but when it came to Amelia he was entirely too nosy. Stoking the fire under the cauldron with his wand, he used he free hand to pour in a beaker of water that would act as the base for the potion. “This won’t be cheap, you know.” He sneered, his lip curling disdainfully. “Some of these ingredients are quite hard to come by, and I’m the best in the city - I’m not shortchanging myself.”

Without waiting for an answer, he turned his focus on to the potion at hand, first adding a pinch of powdered root of asphodel, and then a scoop of doxy eggs. “Been busy, Bones?” He asked distractedly, carefully measuring out three drops of mooncalf tears. The potion was a rare one, bordering on dark, but it was of little consequence to him. He had trod that fine line between light and dark since he had been a boy. Whatever it was that Amelia was up to, it was no simple task. A mandrake root was crushed and then added to the cauldron before Severus picked up the stirring rod. After several turns of the rod, he uncorked a small vial of dragon blood, emptying it into the cauldron before stirring once more.

“Since when have I ever told you what I’m doing up front, Severus?” Amelia quipped back, leaning against the door frame that led to where Severus did his work. It had become a familiar routine, one that increased the more she studied necromancy. It had taken a bit of digging, but while Viktor was a good teacher, she wasn’t exactly limiting herself to what he taught her. Her main source of information came from the tomes kept at the back of her occult shop, found either by her personally or by people she paid to look for them, and the spells she found there were absolutely fascinating. The enchantments were even more so, and luckily for Amelia what she wanted to try was modern enough that Severus would know the potion she needed. Now he just needed to stop asking questions. “You’d charge me full price, Sev? I thought we were closer than that.” She sighed. “Small discount won’t kill you.”

Her lips quirked up as he continued to move with ease, adding this and that to the concoction he was brewing while stirring it as needed. Amelia peered into the cauldron and watched the liquid inside bubble, eyes darting up to Severus with a nod. “Always busy, you know this. I finally got around to using the entrails Viktor brought to me a few days ago, though they were a little too spoiled by then to be of any use to me. Disappointing, but not surprising.” She leaned away from the cauldron and tilted her head. “And you, Snape? Business keeping you busy?”