Only Skin Deep [Bobby]

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

Late October 2025

Si was excited about this customer. Really really excited. Most of the orders the apothecary received were for your typical potions, the ones you learned in school or required the use of most often in everyday life. Si made each potion with care and love, but it didn’t really require that much imagination. But, every now and then, an order came in that challenged her and Jamie. Sometimes they came from personal sources – like helping Camila with Polyjuice Potion. Sometimes it was about walking customers through the potions ingredients Slug and Jigger’s also sold and explaining some of their more obscure uses. And Si loved a challenging potion, especially if information on it was scarce. That meant there was room for improvement, and there was nothing she loved more than tweaking a potion into becoming something better. It wasn't as exciting as completely inventing a new brew, but it paid the bills.

This order was something like that. The potion that allowed magical photographs to move and be magical was no easy task, but still fairly common to find. But a variation of it for magical tattoos? That was something different from the usual, and therefore much more exciting. There were very few potioneers who had the skill to create a potion like that, but it was in relatively high demand because the final result was just so amazing. The owner of a tattoo shop had reached out for a first-time order, so Sienna had offered for him to visit the apothecary and discuss what he had in mind. She’d been brainstorming ever since – not just how such a potion could be made, but what innovations she could find and apply! To that end, Si had asked him to bring some of his inks so she could get a better idea of what the potion would be mixed with – obviously it would need to perfectly balance with the ink and not overpower it, but still be potent enough to result in a high-quality and long-lasting effect. It would be a tough balance.

Sienna hadn't been sure when he would arrive, so she’d hunkered down in the back room to clean and prepare a new cauldron for the potion. The shopkeeper would call if someone was asking for her.

@bobby

[Deleted]

While knowing the quality of something was good, the expenses of importing his ink from the USA were starting to get far too high. Quarantine had made it far worse and ever since the article on aware wolf Bobby had been considering the switch of distributors for his potion that made his ink function in much the same way as the potion that helped make photographs move. Naturally there were some differences that had to be considered when it came to something to use under the skin compared to something to use on inert material but he was certain it was possible. He'd been working with it for a long time now. Still, he'd taken a somewhat larger bottle out of his supply to show the potion maker at slug and jiggers so that she (he was certain it would be a she since both creators of aware wolf were woman) could analyse his current potion if needed. Still, it was quite expensive and while he was willing to pay a pretty price he needed to be sure it was still less expensive than shipping it from abroad or a significantly higher quality that still wasn't a risk to his clients or personell.

So he stepped into the shop, his tall form probably looking rather intimidating to most people. He was wearing a tank top as usual (he absolutely detested sleeves) and was playing around with the bottle in his fingers a bit. He had also brought his tattoo gun in case she needed to know something about the tattoo process. Not to mention that he was covered in ink that she could also look at for research purposes. He just wanted to see if this venue offered some good possibilities. Not everybody could make the potion as well as the one he normally bought so he would not be lightly persuaded to switch suppliers. Still, it was always possible.

So as he came in he instantly mentioned having an appointment. He was pretty sure he had it with a woman named Sienna. So the shopkeeper disappeared into the back and Bobby looked at some of the potion ingredients in fascination. It had been a while since he'd been in an apothecary. He grinned and took out his sketch pad as he looked at a few eyeballs floating in a bottle. They could make for a fun piece of artwork!

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

Sienna had prepped a cauldron so many times that she could do it without thinking. This time was no different and she let her mind wander as she thoroughly cleaned the cauldron with a mixture of magic and using her own hands to ensure the residues of different potions didn’t mix together and create some terrifying new brew. Si was sure that she would first need to see an existing example of the potion mixed in with the ink, and ideally some examples of the finished product too. Tattoos were common enough in the Muggle world, but they certainly never moved. She’d seen some examples of magical tattoos since her time at Beauxbatons, but experimenting with an existing recipe would be so much faster than re-discovering the recipe herself. She was sure she could do it if needed, but she didn’t want to keep the customer waiting that long.

One of the shopkeepers interrupted her internal stream of thoughts to inform her that the owner had arrived, and Si thanked them with a smile and put her wand away. She followed the shopkeeper out into the front room of Slug and Jigger’s, and almost immediately identified the man she’d made an appointment with. He was examining some pickled eyeballs with a surprising amount of enthusiasm for someone who didn’t work in Potions, and Si raised her eyebrows for a moment before relaxing her face and approaching the man with a smile. “Hi, are you the owner of Mystery Ink Arts?” she asked brightly – obviously he was, but his name hadn’t been included with the order details so she was hoping he’d introduce himself. “I’m Sienna…you scheduled a consultation with me?”

The man was wearing a tank top so some of his tattoos were on full display, and Si observed them with interest. Even a quick glance gave her a good idea of how animated and smooth the movement needed to be, but she was relieved to see the movements had some sort of pattern to them and didn’t look random. That meant there was a clear procedure involved to make them move, which was good news for her.

@bobby

[Deleted]

It didn't take too long for the potioneer to show up, which almost was a shame. Still, he'd managed to get enough details on the quick draft to be able to finish the sketch later. He already had quite a few ideas, including the idea of making the far too realistic eyeball follow who ever was watching the tattoo so it was always looking directly at them. He knew a few people that would absolutely love that specific idea. It was a bit creepy but there were always those that enjoyed creeping others out just a little too much. Sometimes, although rarely, he was one of them.

Then a young lady walked up to him, asking him if he was the owner of Mystery Ink Arts before introducing herself. He smiled politely and nodded. "I am, Bobby Ray Blishwick, pleasure to meet you." He said, extending his arm to shake her hand. At the same time he closed his little drawing pad and stuffed it back into his pocket, putting his pencil in the other one. It was easy enough, especially since he had used charms to ensure his pencil wouldn't break on him. He hated being without a pencil so much. He draw the little potion bottle out of his pocket then and offered it to her. "I did. I'd like to discuss the possibilities of securing your services as a provider of one of my more essential potions. My own current supplier is quite far away and it would save a lot of money if I could source the materials I need from a more local vendor. I'm sure you can understand." She had to understand that local tended to be cheaper than international with the shipping fees, not to mention less risky in terms of lost shipments or delays in the orders. He had the liberty to be able to order ahead quite a bit since his business was running well but not everybody had that liberty.

"I figured the potion would probably help. It's a concentrated version so that when I mix it in with the ink the effect is optimal but I don't have to buy each colour with the potion mixed in. From what I gather it makes it more difficult as I do need it to be colourless." He shrugged. He wasn't bad at potions but he was no potioneer or master potioneer. That's why he was here after all.

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

Sienna shook the man’s hand firmly, then glanced curiously at the drawing pad he swiftly closed and put in his pocket. She supposed that being an artist meant you could be inspired anywhere and by anything, but an apothecary seemed an unusual place for that. Sienna herself found the odd array of potions ingredients comforting – she’d spent so many years around the cacophony of sights and smells that it had become a kind of second home for her. But she knew most people found it unsettling, when opposing scents collided or when one made eye contact with a pickled ingredient (in this last case, she meant it somewhat literally as he’d been apparently sketching some eyeballs). To each their own.

She listened with interest as he explained why he had come to Slug and Jigger’s, and nodded resolutely to show she understood. “Absolutely. We have to source some of our ingredients from abroad and it can be a pain sometimes. The summer was terrible for business, with the quarantine and everything.” The thought made Si want to roll her eyes, or maybe facepalm. The quarantine had been a complete pain, figuring out the logistics of shipments from abroad that couldn’t make it through or sometimes arrived weeks late. It raised the costs of acquiring ingredients that were uncommon or required very specific growing conditions, and as a result meant the apothecary had had to go without certain potions for months or charge insane prices for smaller doses. Things were easier now that the quarantine had been lifted, but if Sienna could find a local equivalent then she’d definitely take the opportunity.

“Colorless is more difficult, but totally possible,” Si confirmed brightly. She’d only seen a few types of colorless potions before – Veritaserum came to mind straightaway – but she knew the theory behind it. "So you mix the potion with the ink after delivery? How soon before you actually use it, on average?" Si mused out-loud -- she wanted to see the potion he'd brought with him to run some tests, but knowing how long it needed to settle was also important. Quick-acting potions were more technically difficult than those that were allowed to sit and steep.

“I think we can definitely help you here,” Si assured him, “but would you mind stepping into the back with me? I’ll need my workspace to examine the potion and give you a clear idea of what we can deliver.” She motioned for him to step around the counter and follow her to the back – she hadn’t had the time to put away some of the creepier ingredients, but something told her he might actually be a fan.

@bobby

[Deleted]

As expected she knew exactly what trouble could come if ingredients or other needed things were unable to be stocked. Potions was far more varied than tattoos on that point. He could purchase his ink locally, at muggle shops where needed. There were more problems in magical tattoo guns but it was still manageable. The problem had been in the potion that made his tattoos move. That was the only thing he wasn't sure he could aqcuire if he couldn't order it from abroad any longer. It was always good to be in business with those that understood the problems you faced because they faced similar ones themselves. It made them less likely to fail you, in his experience at least.

Then came the more practical questions, which again help ensure his faith in this being a good avenue to do his shopping, both now and in the future. He shrugged. "I prefer to order in advance so I'd say I normally order about a month or two before actually needing it. It took the old supplier about a week to brew it under normal circumstances and he tended to give me a heads up if he expected delays so I could order extra or just order a little ahead of time so I wouldn't run out." He said as he followed her to the back. He loved the aesthetic of the potions shop, mostly because it was different. He enjoyed unique settings regardless of their nature and always found them to be very amusing to sketch when having free time. This was almost like being a kid in a candy store to him. There was so much to work with and every once in a while he loved to do some horror themed stuff. It kept things interesting.

"It usually takes this version a few hours to start moving. I prefer it that way because if the ink starts to move before I can actually use it the process of actually setting the tattoo becomes a lot more complicated. My old master had me working with botched or old batches once or twice to make sure I mastered working under those conditions in case I had to but I absolutely hate it and prefer to avoid it." He pulled a face. It was usually either cover up or touch up that required that skill, a reason he wouldn't let just anybody do those. It would have been easier if they didn't move. He did have something to temporarily stun the magic but he rarely used it on pieces that came from other shops if he could avoid it. If they moved sluggish it was okay but if they'd started glitching it got a lot more troublesome and he usually preffered them to simply not move at all. Simple details, but they decided if things were difficult or relatively easy.

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

Si chewed her lip thoughtfully as she considered all the information Bobby recounted to her. It was always preferable to speak with another potioneer, because other professionals understood what those questions were really asking. It meant they could have a detailed technical discussion on the specific brewing process, and even exchange tips and tricks. That was obviously not applicable here, since this other potioneer was abroad and probably wouldn’t take kindly to losing business, even if it was purely a logistical issue. But Bobby was meticulous in relaying information to Sienna, and it was always easier to replicate an existing potion rather than come up with a new formula entirely.

“One week isn’t too long,” Si mused out-loud as she opened the door to the backroom and left it open for Bobby to follow. Sure, it wasn’t like the potions they learned in school, which could usually be finished in one to two sittings. But Sienna had brewed more complicated potions that could take weeks, Polyjuice and Wolfsbane among them, and nothing had proved beyond her abilities yet. “It’ll take me longer the first time to work out the right recipe, but it’s possible to break down the composition of a potion if you have an existing sample. After that, I'm sure I could decrease the brewing time.” That was how most antidotes were made, and getting that recipe right was quite literally a matter of life and death.

The back room of Slug and Jigger’s was a potioneer’s heaven. She and Jamie each had their own workspace, several cauldrons lined up against the back wall with potions in various stages of completion. The other walls were lined with shelves of ingredients, anything from herbs to gems to creature bits, and naturally one section was dedicated to a large calendar tracking the phases of the moon. Si stopped in front of the small cauldron she’d prepared for Bobby’s visit and motioned for him to set his things down on the table. “Alright, so you order the potion about a month or two in advance, so it needs to keep well. Once you mix it with the ink and apply it, the potion’s effects are usually visible within a few hours. And you need it colorless,” Si summarized.

Her eyes drifted to the other things he’d brought. “How long does it usually take you to finish a tattoo? And how long do you expect the enchantment to work?” Sienna drummed her fingers against the table as she thought over these two questions. She almost had enough information to start working. If he was willing to leave the potion he’d brought, she could break down its composition and create an ingredients list within the day. The difficult part would be figuring out the brewing process, which might take a couple weeks to pin down. And for that, she needed to set the parameters early of what the potion was expected to do. But she was confident in her abilities to do it, especially after she consulted with Jamie.

@bobby