The Influence of Sugar


"Mulsuse Alarik was born in 1765 in Magdeburg, Germany, the son of a one-eyed Unicorn Keeper. His childhood was filled with disappointment that escalated when the family farm had to be sold in 1776 when the unicorn market was in a slump. They lived in a barn of a friend's for two years and then moved into a small cottage to breed the Billywigs they had shipped from Australia. The business excelled quickly, due to the need of Glad-Intrapen potion to subdue the growing population of Erklings, and the Alariks were soon able to move into a new house.

"Mulsuse was soon apprenticing with his father's friend, a Potions Master by the name of Snempen Snaunt. He was a rebellious student and often cooked in his cauldron rather than mixed. Snaut threw out Mulsuse after two years for depleting the sugar supplies. He moved back in with his parents and his floating little sister, who, as it turned out, was allergic to Billywigs.

"He continued to put his cauldrons to use, and within a few years he had his own sweet shop in Wizarding Hamburg. It was the beginning of a fantastic future. He married Heidi Baugh, a chef to the German Minister of Magic. They had three children named Gretchen, Gurtie, and Whizbee. Whizbee, at the age of five, visited his grandparents at their farm. After being let outside to play, he disturbed a hive of Billywigs. The enraged Billywigs stung him several hundred times. He died, still happy from the stings, of starvation and exhaustion after being at the top of the greenhouse for three weeks. In his honor Mulsuse made a new sweet, the Fizzing Whizbee.

"Many of his most popular sweets were made particularly for Adelmund's children. Gurtie, who had been complaining about boredom in school for months on end in her letters home, had asked for some relief. Mulsuse, being easily annoyed by her continuous complaints, concocted one of his most popular inventions, the Sugar Quill, for her to suck on during classes. His shop was often selling out of them, and in 1821 he was able to buy a factory for mass production.

"Their popularity grew worldwide and the demand for more of his sweets bloomed. When he began to produce his Fizzing Whizbees, burping fudges, and his newly created Pepper Imps in the factory, the profits came pouring in. In a while his family was able to buy a large castle in Spain and found a dragon habitat in northern Bulgaria. The Alariks were most influential in dragon control and captivity through- out Europe, thanks to Mulsuse's love of creatures. After his retirement in 1859 he owned seventeen dragon habitats worldwide.

"Over the years he made thousands of different sweets, but his original creations, the Sugar Quill and Fizzing Whizbee, still remain favorites. He died in 1867 from a Lobalug squirt while scuba diving in the North Sea. His sweets are still considered among the best, along with Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans and Labadugo's Chocolate Frogs. Gretchen still continues to run the company with her two of her triplet sons, Derrick and Daniel. The third triplet, Dylan, plays Chaser for the Falmouth Falcons."

Ron smiled to himself and sucked on the end of his own sugar quill, while flipping through pages of A History of Wizarding Sweets to see if there was any other information on Mulsuse Alarik. Hermione looked over his shoulder and rose and eyebrow when she noted the title on his History of Magic essay: "The Most Influential Person in History - by Ronald Weasley"

"Are you sure that’s who you're going to write about?" asked Harry, who was only an inch and a half away from finishing his own essay on Josef Wronski.

"I am," Ron said with determination. "Binns said to write about a person who inspired us."

"At least he got you to do your History of Magic homework for once," said Hermione, who was hovering over a three rolls of parchment, making sure she hadn't spelled anything wrong. "I'm doing Godrick Gryffindor." She glanced back at Ron, who was making a rather rude face. "I really wish I hadn't got you that book for Christmas, even if it has got you reading."

Ron wondered just how large he should write in order to make his essay fill the required nine inches. "And I suppose you've got all of your information out of Hogwarts, a History, haven't you?"

"Not all of it."

"But most of it, am I right?" said Ron, provoking her further. Harry just smiled. That’s all they'd been doing lately. They could fight about nothing and everything at the same time. But nothing compared to the blowout they had had last month. They both had drawn their wands and people were beginning to clear out of the commons. They both seemed about to scream, but then Ron laughed. Harry couldn't believe it at the time. Then Hermione began to cry and ran back to her dormitory. Things had been very strange after that, but a week ago they had begun to talk again.

"I also used The Hogwarts Four, it was new in the library, and Medieval Magic, to find out about some of his family," Hermione said casually, obviously trying to ignore Ron.

"Really? Fascinating," said Ron, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Harry signed his name on the top of his essay and rolled it up. It was very fortunate Professor Binns had given them an interesting assignment this time, even if he hadn't meant to. It was easier to concentrate on something he liked rather than the usual grunt work.

Harry had had it tough the past few weeks. Between running the Quidditch team, which was going quickly into a rut, the usual trouble that followed him like a lost dog, and the loads of homework in preparation for the O.W.L.s, he hadn't had much time for himself.

Hermione scowled. "Its not like I keep my head buried in my books... anymore."

"Oh? That’s not a book in your lap every night in the commons? Its practically glued there," said Ron, rolling up his own essay and stuffing it in his bag without bothering to let Hermione revise it for a fourth time like he usually did. He stuffed his sugar quill in his mouth and waited for a response.

"For your information, I've only been researching for Harry. I found a book of Aurors, I think it may help a little," she said, turning to Harry, who had tuned them both out already. "Really, Ron, I don't see why you feel the need to nag me about my reading habits. I've got enough on my mind without bothering with you. Keeping up my grades, not to mention studying for the exams, and with all this business going on..."

Ron bit the end off his quill.

"Its not my fault you care more for your marks then your friends."

Hermione's jaw dropped.

"I do not. I - I-" Hermione blinked. She was stunned. "Of course I care for my friends, Ron. I do. And you should know that."

Harry thought it best to step in. "We know, Hermione, and we're grateful for it. You two'd better stop before something happens."

They both glared violently at him and, at the same instant, said, "This has nothing to do with you!"

At this Harry's own jaw dropped. "What? I'm not a friend?"

Neither of them answered, but both returned to their homework. After five minutes of very strange silence, Ron said quietly,"You have an eyelash on your cheek, Hermione."

He reached across the table and brushed it off with his thumb. Hermione turned pink.

"I really don't use the book all the time- I don't read all the time either- I do plenty-"Hermione continued, but was cut off by Ron, who shoved an extra sugar quill in her mouth.

"Thats better," he said, smiling broadly.