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Petunia's smile held none of the bitterness that would have been there on the face of Petunia Dursley. "It has been going very well, Professor. I'm just begun third-year charms, while transfiguration is solidly near the end of second year. Potions is a bit behind but that is because it takes more practice to ensure I know different basic techniques. But Severus has been quite helpful."

"I'm glad to hear that. And how about your A-Level studies? I hope that the extra work hasn't been too stressful."

"Not at all! I find that the extra time studying has increased how quickly I pick things up. My parents have been quite happy with my grades and the reports they've received." She paused and giggled – very un-Dursleylike behaviour. "They even approved my working on Saturday."

Gary was curious. "What work?"

"At Mr. Fortescue's shoppe. I've started to spend a few hours every week learning what it takes to run it. It's been a lot of fun. I'm even planning on how to open a new area of business that Mr. Fortescue had not considered."

"Really? How is that?"

"Well, it started when I went to deposit my first payment and to see the small vault Lily helped get for me as a Christmas gift. When I was waiting with the cart-runner for the next cart to be available, my curiosity overcame me. I happened to ask the cart-runner about the difference between human tastes and that of his people. At first he was impatient, but he decided to humor me. I found that they consider human food too bland by far and prefer more concentrated flavours and even some that humans consider less than palatable. They despise cow's mile, preferring goat milk, yak's milk, or even camel milk. They also don't like refined sugars like humans do – they prefer honey and a sweetener from South America called stevia – it's far sweeter than sugar and has a slightly metallic aftertaste – which they like. I took the idea to Mr. Fortescue about making ice cream using a different milk and a different sweetener with different and more savory tastes for different flavours from around the world. It would taste horrible to humans but with a little testing we could make something for goblins."

Gary was surprised. "And how is it going?"

"We're waiting for different spices to come in from an agent in Istanbul, which has the greatest variety of spices sold. He's also arranging for a few different milk types to test. I think he likes the challenge."

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/12184104/23/