"Yes, but also other things--maybe the magical world calls them something else? People who try to understand why things are the way they are by looking at everything really closely and trying stuff to see what happens." Oh no, what if the only muggle science magic people know about is the atomic bomb, that would be so embarrassing.

Well, you see, the thing is, the wizards who do that are called Unspeakables.

As an astute reader might be able to detect from the name, this has a certain result on the state of common knowledge, to whit:

" .... don' think we have those? What are they for?"

"Sometimes they cure diseases or help invent things but mostly they're for--well, lots of people want to know how things work and why, and scientists figure out parts of it and write books so everyone can know."

"Huh. Well that's very good of them then I s'pose."

The apothecary, it transpires as they approach it, is actually two adjacent apothecaries (Mr. Mulpepper's and Slug & Jigger's), undergoing what appears to be an ongoing signage competition. They are currently on whatever step of this slow-motion argument results in hand-painted signs reading OUR SAFETY MUSHROOMS EXPLODE PROPERLY (complete with animated, bright red dancing mushroom) and FRESH LIONFISH, RUMORS OF MANES GREATLY EXAGGERATED (complete with furry texture), respectively.

Their collective riot of colors and textures and smells is detectable at some yards from the front door.

Oh no that's going to be kind of overwhelming. But magic plants! He will forge ahead in search of readable labels, still clutching Magical Theory.

Mr. Mulpepper's handwriting is a little spidery, but he does meticulously label everything, even the individual branches of what appears to be a single large bush sprouting eight different kinds of nightshade. 

Slug & Jigger on the other hand seem to be going for a fundamentally vibes-based approach to inventory, but they do also have a prominently advertised pre-packaged First Year Potions Kit.

His letter doesn't actually list what ingredients he needs, so he shows the prepackaged kit to Hagrid and asks if it's got all the right things.

Hagrid peers at it. "I'd imagine so?"

Arsenius Jigger interjects from his counter, brightly, "Everything you need for the first five chapters of the text!", with all the practiced smoothness of an assurance that has been repeated verbatim at least twenty times this week and the absolute self-confidence of the man who personally wrote said textbook.

Yeah, fair enough. He'll grab that and the standard cauldron and start reading Magical Theory in the checkout line.

Welcome to the world of formal education, young wizard and/or witch! Up until now, you have likely experienced magic mostly in terms of enchanted household items, unexpected occurrences, and things you are not supposed to touch because your parents said so. Hopefully, by the time you reach your OWLs, you will be thoroughly prepared for the single most important wizarding skill: learning and casting new spells.

The aim of this text, which is typically used as a companion reference to introductory instruction in Charms and Transfiguration, is to provide a comprehensive overview of the basic principles upon which our world revolves. Chapters 1 through 3 will focus on the foundational theoretical skills you'll need for the remainder of your academic career, including notation and spell categorization. In chapters 4 and 5 we will delve into the nature of the magical core, why modern wizards use wands, and the necessary components of a spell. These first five chapters comprise Part 1.

In partnership with our dear friend Miranda Goshawk, this new revised edition of the text provides page number references to the fourteenth edition of the Standard Books of Spells, grades 1 through 5, wherever we mention a particular -

Someone clears their throat rather pointedly to alert Bruce to the fact that he has reached the front of the line.

"Sorry!" Here's his stuff here's his money he's getting out of the way now.

Then he may flee the Zone of Weird Overwhelming Smells and follow Hagrid toward their next scheduled destination: Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, purveyor of compasses, crystal balls, etc., etc., and (most relevant to Bruce's interests) telescopes!

Awesome! He's pretty curious about the crystal balls too, actually! How do they work? Can he try one? Can he watch someone else try one if you have to know things? Do they show the future? 

"Don't touch anything!" snaps the elderly wizard at the counter, who has a permanently etched facial expression of Fuck You, Specifically.

A nearby customer, a witch draped in five shades of eye-searing yellow, waves a dismissive hand at him. "Oh, don't be such a mean old nundu, Wiseacre, children grow up to be customers you know! Here, I was about to buy this one anyway," and she picks up a crystal ball off the shelf. It's a transparent greenish orb about the size of a grapefruit, and when she touches it, the silver fog inside swirls about, almost as though magnetized. As she turns around to show it to Bruce, and catches sight of his face, she nearly drops it. "Oh! My goodness. Bruce Potter."

"Sorry. I mean, hello." Aaaaaaa he's so bad at this.

"Oh gosh. It's so exciting to meet you! Thank you so much, you're such a hero, I was in school at the time so I didn't really know much about the war but my parents said it was just awful, you should have seen the party we threw - erm, sorry, I said I was going to buy this, hang on." She flits over and pays Wiseacre, whose expression has not shifted a millimeter, and then bounces enthusiastically back with her shiny new purchase clutched carefully in both hands. She is going to explain a thing to the real life Bruce Potter this is so cool. "Right! So yeah crystall balls show the future!! I don't think you gotta know things exactly but people usually can't do it before they take the class? What d'you wanna see?"

That's a surprisingly big question! (He doesn't really know what to do with all the war stuff so he's just going to pretend she didn't say it.)

"Can I see tomorrow?" That way he'll know whether it worked really soon and also get some advance warning of how the Dursleys are going to react to him coming back with a pile of magic stuff.

"Like in general? Sure." She does a sort of shoulder-rolling motion, takes a deep breath, and then Contemplates the Orb (TM).

(Will Bruce Potter (oh my gosh, Bruce Potter!! no. focus. listen to your third eye, c'mon) have a good day tomorrow?)

As far as Bruce can tell, the fog continues to swirl about monochromatically. The aspiring Seer bites her lip thoughtfully. "I'm not nearly as good at this as my dad, that's why I was gonna get my own to practice, but I think I see like - well, I see a mouse drinking little brass letters out of a teacup the size of its head, actually, but I think probably it means you'll really like whatever book you're planning to read tomorrow?" She grins down at him. "This is just a normal person prediction not a Seer prediction but I bet you're a Ravenclaw." 

"A mouse drinking letters, wow. I bet you're right though! Thanks!" Maybe she just saw him reading in line but maybe telling the future really is that weird. Eventually he'll read books and take classes and learn to do it himself and then he'll know.

Yessss she has TOLD SOMEONE their FORTUNE and they DID NOT GET MAD and also were ✨BRUCE POTTER ✨ she's so good at being a Seer.

"You're welcome!!" she chirps, and skips off with her purchase, beaming.

Wiseacre squints balefully at Bruce in her wake. "Are you buying something or leaving."

"I'd like a telescope please! The kind that's standard for Hogwarts first years if there is one."