(Written for joonscribble on Livejournal's Fandom-stocking 2008.)
Failsafe
"Harry--"
The wizard flinched, jolting his chair and barely saving the vial in his hand from slopping over. "Jeez, Bob! Don't do that, will ya?"
Bob, who had vanished just in time to keep the moving chair from passing through his torso, reappeared at Harry's other shoulder, his eyes half-lidded in supreme indifference. "You really need to learn to react better to the unexpected," he observed. "What if I'd been a night-hound, come to feast on your tender psyche? Such random startlement wastes precious seconds that you could use to defend yourself."
"The wards would have gone off if anything came in." Harry shot a glare at the ghost, sparing only half an eye for the over-full vial and the beaker bubbling merrily on his workbench. "Now cut it out, okay? I've nearly got this."
"Another degree or two of tilt and it would have gotten you," drawled Bob. "Of course you could have thrown it backwards, if you'd thought of it. It would probably have eaten a hole in the floor, but that's a small price to pay for safety."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Okay. Okay, next time I will, happy now?"
"Harry..."
"You really feel like getting random potion ingredients tossed through you? Hey, that's fine with me. I got some extra slug eyes in today. You'll love 'em."
"Harry," repeated Bob patiently.
"What?"
Bob's eyebrows went up. So did Harry's. Bob tilted his head. Harry set his chin belligerently. Bob smirked slightly, and waited another moment to make sure he had Harry's full attention.
Then he nodded at the bubbling tripod.
"Your solution's boiling over."
By the time Harry whirled back toward him, Bob had disappeared.
The ensuing cursing, flailing, and disgruntled cleanup operation brought a smile to the invisible ghost's lips. He'd probably have to stay out of sight for the next few hours, but he was willing to wager that next time -- perhaps when preparing a more volatile mixture than this -- Harry would not let himself be distracted so easily.
And one of those days, that might make all the difference.
_____