The toys belong to J.K. Rowling and Notwolf, and I am grateful to be able to play with them. I hope you will like what you read!
It is canon- and Notwolf- compliant, if situated immediately after The Voldemort Diaries—Chapter 76 (The Young and the Restless)
Cleanliness is next to goodness, or, a werewolf with carrots and laurel
Marcus was fascinated by the Durmstrang Dragon Camp. He loved the dragons and they could sense it. The place was secluded so the little boy was allowed to play hide and seek with the small ones. They have done it for most of the morning and were tired. So they decided to watch the kitchen show.
Dragon's Camp director Mr. Borimetchka as he was universally known was strict in lot of aspects. Discipline was one of them, but the most severe attention was paid to cleanliness. Dragon stalls were kept meticulously, the human quarters were spotless, and one can see her own face in her metal plate before the food was put in it. The talassams that were keeping the camp clear were coming for monthly shifts and at the end of their tenure they made a huge bonfire and sterilized all the kitchen equipment in a ridiculously big pressurized cauldron. It was a kind of tradition and it ended with everyone having a big meal together. By the time Marcus and Drago had lain in the yard to watch the outgoing talassam they were about to finish the boiling. Few more piles of frying pans were set around to go into the cauldron. The biggest hourglass watch was measuring the last drops of sand.
The steam was let out in huge clouds and the heavy lid was moved aside. Several talassams were pulling the one before the last batch from the boiling water and stashing it on the washed wooden table to air dry. Dora, the Director's personal talassam, was trying to teach Marcus some Bulgarian and some cleanliness at the same time.
Mircobite sa loshi. Te pravyat bolesti. (The microbes are bad. They cause diseases.)
Da… (Yes..). – Marcus seemed distracted and so was the small green dragon. Their ears were similarly perked and they were looking at the nearby woods.
The cause of their interest made several mistakes in a very short period. He ran for the boy without looking where he was going. The table with the clean pans was on his way and he jumped on it, scattering the utensils. Then he tried to push Drago the Dragon who tried to stop him. The little one hurt and furiously pushed him back – so he landed in the pans that were ready and the pile collapsed on him with a smashing sound.
Marcus was terrified. He pointed at the werewolf and yelled "Bolest!"("Disease!") instead of "Losh!"("Bad!"). Then he grabbed the paw of his best friend Drago the Green Dragon and bolted for the big canteen where the adults were.
"Clean up the disease!" yelled Dora to her folks. The talassams were already pissed mad by the creature that had ruined half a day of work. They grabbed the werewolf, tossed him into the cauldron and slammed the lid on top. Two of them quickly locked the lid in place. The rest put some more wood under and turned the sand hourglass.
The meeting was interrupted when Marcus jumped in the arms of Dimitar Tanassov and Drago jumped in the arms of the Borimetchka. Marcus was crying something hysterically and the little dragon was whimpering and showing a bended wing. It took the adults few minutes to get it that the two had not had a fight with each other. Borimetchka fixed Drago's wing which elicited some more cries and tears, while the director was trying to make Marcus drink some water to stop hiccupping. Both men took out their wands and went to investigate why if there had been a calamity of a sort the camp was so quiet.
Next to the boiling and whistling cauldron they found Dora calmly slicing carrots while the other talassams were sorting the clean and the dirty pans.
Dora, did you see what happened? – asked cautiously Dimitar.
I did.
Please tell me who bended Drago's wing while trying to attack Marcus? – the Borimetchka frowned. Drago was fairly heavy to be carried for long time and he tried to put him on the ground. The little dragon caught his leg in a dead grip.
A werewolf called Greyback, - Dora finished with the carrots and started cutting onions.
How do you know who he is? – the Director hugged the child a little bit tighter.
Even our press sometimes gets the photo right. He was in the Sunday issue of "24 Bewitched Hours" daily.
Where is the bloody bastard? Did he run away? Bori, let us get everyone and search!
Everyone to search for the laurel leaves? This is the only thing missing, – Dora lifted her shoulders or at least the places where her sticks of hands joined her body. – I think one person is enough. We don't need that much.
Dora, you are not making sense. We have to find the bastard in whatever condition he might be, as I doubt he ran away unscathed, right?
Who said he ran away… - drawled Dora, turning some potatoes into neat cubes. – He is in, but is not even ready for skimming, far less for spices and vegetables. – Her knife pointed at the steaming cauldron which safety whistle was sounding softly.
Are you by any chance planning these vegetables for him?
No, not at all, who likes hairy smelly soups except the water monster Mr. Vodyanoy? These are for the chicken broth in the kitchen. Drago likes chicken soup, right, Drago? -The green dragon patted his belly. Marcus giggled and repeated the gesture. The director winked at Dora and said:
Mr. Vodyanoy hates laurel, I know this for sure, but he loves his food fairly well cooked. Let say, another hour, just to be sure. Mrs. Valeva, the Magic Creatures professor was wondering where we can procure a new werewolf skeleton sooner rather than later. The old one is really worn out and they don't come often in our lands… I wonder why…
Lacquered or plain? – Dora enquired.
I will donate the stand, solid oak, hand oiled and polished! – laughed Borimetchka and scratched Drago behind his ears.