Which brings her, wound as she is, to the reason this particular apothecary has become highly recommended: the employee that is even now preparing to flee the premises. Inside the shop - clean, organized within a centimeter of its life, well-stocked - is Severus Snape, aged twenty-five, existing for the first time in some many months now without the enchantment that had rendered him unnoticed by individuals from the wizarding world.

He's at the front desk with another employee, irritably flipping through a stock log and ticking off what remains and what he's not going to re-supply before he leaves. He doesn't notice Hermione at first, and doesn't look up when his (nervous-looking) co-worker does.