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The thing about doing dishes for extended periods of time is your hands end up completely pruney. Then you have to spend the next couple of hours having everything feel slightly off until they finally dry out. Not enough to cause problems, but just enough to get your brain to say, "Hey, hold on that's not right". Jae Kim was very familiar with this sensation, as he'd been serving detention in the kitchens for what felt like his entire time at Hogwarts.
As he finished scrubbing the final pot and wiped his hands on a towel, he was approached by Pitts. Pitts was the house elf who ran Hogwarts' kitchens. He was a gruff elf, but Jae had known him long enough to know he wasn't really mean. Just picky as hell about his kitchen. "Jae Kim, you've finished your assignment. You are free to go," Pitts barked.
"Letting me go early are we? Pitts I think you're starting to like me," Jae said with a smile to his taskmaster of the last 5 years.
Pitts just grunted. "Like has nothing to do with it. You finished your task. Now go before I find you something else," Pitts threatened while waving a ladle for emphasis.
Jae made a beeline for the exit to avoid pushing his luck. "See you tomorrow everyone," he called behind him as he opened the secret door that hid the kitchens and stepped from the warmth of the ovens into the coolness of the dungeons. He stretched his arms while considering what to do with the remainder of his day.
His thoughts were interrupted by a throat being lightly cleared. A girl he hadn't seen was leaning against the wall. Had she been waiting for him? She could be described in one word: pale. Pale skin, white hair, and a light grey sweater. She had a bag that hung by her side and a necklace with a reflective white stone. Was that moonstone?
"Ahem. Are you Jae? Jae Kim?" she asked tentatively.
Jae decided to play things casual until he learned more. He leaned against the opposite wall, eyes sweeping the corridor to make certain they were alone. "Could be. Who's asking?"
"Oh right, sorry," she began as she pushed off the wall towards him. "I'm Chiara. Chiara Lobosca," she introduced herself with an outstretched hand.
He grabbed it and gave a lazy shake. "Jae Kim, at your service. What can I do for you?" he asked, cutting to the chase.
She pushed the right side of her hair behind her ear. Nervous or just habitual? It was hard to tell this early. "So Andrew Ward told me you're able to acquire things discreetly. I was hoping you could get me something. Something I desperately need."
"Ah Andrew. Detention is a lot less interesting without him. Then again he probably shouldn't have been there in the first place. So what is it you're needing then?" he asked while retrieving a notepad and pen he kept in his back pocket. He flipped until he found a page with room on it and got ready to add a new order.
The girl swallowed hard before starting. Definitely nervous. "I won't beat around the bush. I need you to get me a wolfsbane potion," she managed to say somewhat confidently.
For a brief moment his eyes went wide, before he quickly regained composure. Wolfsbane. That could only mean one thing. This girl, or someone she knew, was a werewolf. He could see why she was nervous to bring it up. "I see. That's quite an expensive potion. Couldn't you get Snape to make it for you?" he asked while standing up a bit straighter. Wolfsbane was serious stuff with serious consequences. Not like sneaking in a fanged frisbee or two.
"He has been for five years now. But two days ago a clumsy student dropped something in the cauldron he was using. It ruined the entire batch, and he doesn't have the ingredients to make another yet," she explained with a sigh. "If I can't get some by the weekend… well I don't really know what will happen."
Jae stoked his chin a bit. "Hmm, 4 days to get one of the rarest and most difficult potions that exist," he said while mentally considering which contacts to use. He couldn't risk any of the dodgier ones. Improperly brewed wolfsbane was often lethal. He might have to call in a few favors, but it was for a good cause. "Give me a few days. I always find a way."
"Oh thank you thank you!" she exclaimed with a huge grin. "I'll pay whatever it takes. I keep an emergency stash of Galleons in case something like this ever happened."
"Alright, alright," he said, smiling as well. Hers must be contagious. "Thank me when you've got the product in your hand. See you in a few days," he concluded with a wave. He began making his way towards the stairs, scribbling information into his notepad. Jae always wrote who his customer was, what they wanted, and how much they owed. All in code of course. This should be interesting. He'd need to start contacting people immediately.
After classes the next day Jae once again made his familiar trek to the dungeons. What he did not expect to see was Chiara approaching the same portrait he was. "It has only been a day. I'm afraid I'm not quite that good," he joked as they approached each other.
"Oh I know," she responded with a smile. "I just thought that since you're helping me I should help you in return. So I'm going to join you in detention."
All of Jae's thoughts came to a screening halt as he sputtered back, "Y…you're volunteering for detention? I don't…why?" This did not compute. Why would someone choose to take on a punishment? Surely she had better things to do.
She laughed at his confusion. "I told you, it's to thank you for helping me with my potion problem."
"But that's not necessary," he finally spoke, having overcome his temporary confusion. "You just have to pay for it. That's all the thanks I need." This was not going the way his transactions normally did. Most people avoided him until he brought the goods, then paid him and went on their merry way. Then again, most people were getting things like auto answer quills and ever bashing boomerangs. Not something they really needed. Not like this potion.
"Obviously I'm going to pay you for it. But that's so impersonal. You're a lifesaver for doing this. Possibly literally," she added, smiling wider at her own joke.
This girl was oddly chipper. Weren't werewolves supposed to be brooding and dour? Since when do they smile? "Yeah alright, though if you're miserable you've no one to blame but yourself."
With that he tickled the pear in the fruit bowl painting that concealed the entrance to the kitchens. He led the way into the enormous room. Four long tables mirrored the four directly above them in the Great Hall. Lining the walls were all manner of sinks and ovens, and at the far end was a large fireplace that brightly lit the entire room. The heat from the fire and ovens enveloped them as soon as they stepped through the door.
The pair made their way across the floor to see Pitts at his usual station by the fireplace. Pitts seemed surprised to see an unfamiliar face in his kitchen. "I was not told of a new student serving detention here. Who are you?"
"Hello, I'm Chiara Lobosca. I don't have detention, I'm just here to help with his."
Pitts narrowed his eyes. He grabbed a nearby rolling pin and pointed it at Jae, "This isn't some trick of yours, is it?"
"No. Honestly I'm as surprised by this as you are Pitts," he responded while raising his hands in mock surrender.
"Very well. Tell me Chiara Lobosca, can you make a sandwich?" She nodded. "Then the two of you have your assignment. Jae Kim can show you where everything is. Off you go."
Jae went to a cupboard that contained everything they'd need. The two students filled their arms with bread and a variety meats and cheeses. They found an empty countertop and set to work. As sandwiches aren't the most complex thing to make, it was easy to fill most of their time getting to know each other. She was so easy to talk to. Jae was finding that he had preconceived notions of what a werewolf was supposed to be like, and that none of them were true for Chiara. In a lot of ways she was just a normal girl. She liked chocolate. She complained about Snape being harsh with her in potions earlier that day. She wanted to be a healer after school.
An hour later they had assembled enough sandwiches to satisfy the house elf boss. They said their goodbyes once they exited the dungeons. She was headed to the library and he needed to get to the Owlery. He could probably use a favor or two to make sure things went smoothly.
The next two days were much the same. She'd join him for detention, and they'd talk the whole time. Jae was finding that he enjoyed being around her more and more. She was interesting. Not like Andrew, who was interesting because of all the crazy plans and schemes that went with his cursebreaking. She was interesting because… okay he wasn't quite sure how to explain it. Or maybe he just didn't want to think about how much he liked her. She was a customer after all. Don't they say not to mix business and pleasure?
By Thursday night he was getting nervous. He still didn't have a deal for a potion in place. Alone in his Gryffindor dorm room he paced the floor considering fixes. He could duck classes tomorrow and go to Knockturn Alley in person. He knew a secret passage that led to Hogsmeade and was friendly enough with Aberforth to probably use the fireplace at the Hog's Head Inn for the floo network. As he was making a mental list of possible contacts to try, his thoughts were interrupted by a small scratching sound from the window. He whirled around to see exactly what he'd been waiting for. He hurried over to get the letter that the small eastern barn owl was carrying. It was addressed to him in big sloppy handwriting.
JAE,
I MANAGED TO GET THAT SOUP YOU WANTED
I’LL GET IT TO YOU AFTER I GET MY BEER FROM THAT PIG ABE
DUNG
Yes! Mundungus had come through. Probably. He wasn’t exactly the type who is a hundred percent reliable, but that’s the risk you run in this business. He’d promised Dung to forget a particularly embarrassing incident in exchange for the potion, and the man really didn’t want anyone to know. Jae was fairly sure he’d come through. They’d meet in Hogsmeade Saturday, at the Hog’s Head Inn. Just in time for Chiara to start taking it. He couldn't wait to give her the news.
The next morning Jae woke earlier than normal, in a hurry to give his good news. When he got to the Great Hall he made his way to the Hufflepuff table instead of his usual one. It was just as piled with food as the other tables. Chiara was sitting next to Penny Haywood having a quiet conversation about something. Jae silently sat down across from them. "I don't know Chiara. Are you sure that's a good idea?" he overheard Penny whisper.
"Whatever it is, I fully support it regardless of its goodness" Jae joked while making his presence known.
Both girls jumped and turned to him. Then they turned back to each other and began giggling uncontrollably. Which was odd, he didn't think the joke was quite that funny. Chiara was even blushing a bit. "Oh, I bet you do" Penny managed to say between laughs.
Jae was starting to get a bit uncomfortable. Were they laughing at him? No, that didn't sound like Chiara. It was probably just an inside joke. Yes that's what it was. So why did his cheeks feel warm? "Sure," he said while swiping a piece of bacon from a nearby tray. "Say Penny you mind giving us a minute? I need to talk to Chiara about something important."
"Of course I will!" she responded with a little too much enthusiasm. "I'll go find out how much progress Andrew has made on the curse that has Bea." She quickly made her way around to the Ravenclaw table.
Chiara tucked her hair behind her ear again. She was probably nervous waiting for news on the potion she needed. Good thing he was here then. "Err, sorry about that. What was it you wanted to talk about?"
"Just that your purchase will be waiting for you in Hogsmeade on Saturday," he casually dropped with a smug smile.
Her dark blue eyes lit up and she spoke through a beaming smile, "Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She excitedly clapped her hands together a few times, relief visibly pouring out of her.
"Alright, alright, shh settle down yeah?" Jae hushed, trying to keep her from drawing too much attention to them. "Look just spend some time in The Three Broomsticks that day. I'll meet you there once it's in my hands."
"Okay," she said more quietly, though she was still grinning from ear to ear. "So how much gold should I bring?"
100 Galleons was the going rate and it immediately jumped to the front of his head. Only he didn't say it. Instead he said, "Err, you know I still have to do a bit of price negotiation. I'll let you know Saturday and you can pay me back later." Why was he lying? Was it her smile? She did have a nice smile. For a customer.
"Well then, care to join me for breakfast?" she asked while adding another scone to her plate. "Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to join you for detention today. I have a transfigurations project to work on."
"That's alright. I keep telling you it's not necessary. Although Pitts is going to be devastated. Inconsolable really," Jae replied while loading up his own plate with bacon, sausage, toast, and eggs.
"Well it's good he'll have you there for a shoulder to cry on. After all he's probably your best friend here," she teased right back.
Over at the Ravenclaw table Penny was surreptitiously watching the pair while she asked Andrew about his latest attempt to appease Peeves.
Saturday morning came and Jae snuck his way down the secret passage that leads to the basement of Honeydukes. After all, he'd had his Hogsmeade privileges taken since before he'd gotten them. Leaving the store he casually made his way to the Hog's Head Inn. Walking through the door to the grimy establishment, he quickly scanned the room for the bald man he'd come to meet. Spotting him alone at a table facing the door, he hurried over and sat across from him.
"Dung," he greeted with a nod.
"'Lo. 'Ow much di ya bring me then?" the dodgy wizard asked.
Jae simply shook his head. "Now now Dung, we agreed that you'd give me this potion and in exchange I'll forget all about the time…"
"Righ Righ, I know. Don't 'ave to say it out loud," Mundungus quickly interrupted. "Can't blame me for tryin' though eh?"
"I expect nothing less from you. Now where is it? We can be done with this whole business." His contact pulled a large bottle from an interior pocket in his coat. The interior was a swirling midnight blue potion, and the stopper had been stylized with a wolf's head. Jae had to his surprise actually read up on the potion, and this at least looked the way it was supposed to. Still, he had to ask, "And you're sure this is quality? We both know the dangers if it's not brewed right."
"Course I'm sure. It's the real deal. 'ere," Mundungus said handing the bottle over. "We done 'ere?"
"We're square," the teen said jumping to his feet. "See ya around Dung." The older man just nodded and then Disapparated. Jae left the Hog's Head Inn quickly, hurrying through the small snow flurry of the day towards The Three Broomsticks.
Entering the larger inn was vastly different from the one he'd just been in. It was clean and warm, full of people all happily spending time together. He spotted her alone at a booth, reading while she waited for him. He stealthed his way over, but she was far too engrossed in her book to notice. He reclined on the opposite side of the booth.
Jae was just thinking of a cool line to open with when she spoke first, "I heard you sneak up this time." She closed the book and put it away with a smile.
So instead Jae said, "My what good ears you have."
"All the better to hear you with," she responded with a twinkle in her eye. "So, did you get it?"
"For you? Of course. As if there was doubt. I'll pass it to you, but you'll probably want to put it up quick." He swiftly got the bottle out and passed it to her. Which she then promptly stowed in her bag next to the book.
"Ugh. Did they really have to make the stopper look like that?" she asked while rolling her eyes.
Jae couldn't help but smile at her annoyance. "If there's ever a next time I'll be sure to request a normal stopper."
"Oh, I hope I don't have to inconvenience you like this again. Seriously you have my eternal gratitude for helping me," she thanked again with eyes that were threatening to water at any second.
Jae just gave a shrug and smiled. "Inconvenience? Please, you were the best detention partner I've had. Just don't tell Andrew. He still thinks he’s my favorite" he joked with a wink.
"Ha. Okay, well then maybe I'll surprise you and stop by from time to time, Since I’m your favorite now and all."
Jae was shocked again. She'd gotten her potion already. Was it possible for this customer to be more than just another customer? "That would be… nice. You know only if you want to," he eventually muttered. His cheeks were suddenly feeling hot again.
"Of course. After all we've established that Pitts will miss me otherwise," she said as she pushed her hair behind her ear again. Which could only mean that Jae was not imagining things. Reading people was an important part of his business. He'd been careless not to realize she genuinely liked being around him. Possibly more than that. "So, you've bargained for it now. How much do I owe you?" she asked with an obvious desire to pay a fair amount for the potion.
100 Galleons, a part of his mind screamed. 100 Galleons! But that voice was soon quieted as he thought back on the events of the week. She'd genuinely wanted to help him, even though she didn't have to. "Actually I traded a favor for it. Usually I charge a percentage on top of the items cost. Since I didn't actually pay anything, there's no way to calculate an upcharge. Afraid I'll have to give you this one on the house," the Gryffindor explained.
Chiara just smiled and shook her head. "That won't do, I have to pay something. It's only fair. You traded a favor for it, I could just owe you a favor."
Jae chuckled as a thought crossed his mind. "Alright, I'll be sure to let you know when I need help burying a bone," he said with a smirk.
"Oh you did not just say that!"
The teens spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and drinking butterbeer. Soon it was time to head back to the castle. Jae wasn't sure what would happen the rest of the year with the curses. But he was sure he'd be seeing a lot more of Chiara. After all, she’s no longer a customer.