The Baba Yaga Guild

Chapter Ten: A Good Day's Work

This was supposed to be updated yesterday as a birthday present from me to you, but that didn't happen. But now my best friend's boyfriend (strict Anglican) and other best mate's mother (Wiccan white witch) are argueing over religion, and I (polytheistic) needed to get out of that, so, surprise! Help?

28th November 2009
 (Saturday)

Once Harry was finally allowed out of his cupboard, he planned to spend the whole day working for the Guild. After he had made breakfast for the Dursleys, Harry had swiped a piece of toast, thrown on his guild vest, and raced out the door, Temnaya Polnoch' launching herself onto his shoulder and hitching a ride. He did Mr Hobs at Number Nine's mowing and yardwork for an hour, Mrs Figgs' grocery shopping in twenty minutes, and spent almost an hour and a half walking the two Labradors from Number Eight, Magnolia Crescent and the beagle from Number Twelve, Wisteria Way. Miss Cameron's, Mr Beetleblax, and old Mrs Carbuncle's yardwork kept him busy until well after lunch, but thankfully Mrs Carbuncle's great-niece was visiting, and gave Harry some truly delicious jam and scones and lemonade (and an extra five pounds for washing her car (and to make up for the fact that her great-aunt usually paid the Babas fifty pence and a handful of hardboiled lollies each)).

At four-thirty in the afternoon, Harry and Temnaya went over to the house of one of his and Terry's classmates for maths tutoring on the other side of town, which lasted another hour, before finally returning to Number Ten. A very put-out Terry was waiting for them on the front steps, pouting.

"Took your time."

Harry's lips twitched up into a small smile. "Nah, just did all the jobs we missed – we've made almost thirty quid today! Besides, you try being in a cupboard for a week, see how you like it."

Terry scowled at him, gently scratching behind Temnaya Polnoch''s ears as the part-Kneazle cuddled up on her lap. "You try spending three hours having two dentists pick over your teeth and basically say there's nothing they can do to fix up your mouth."

"Thought you didn't want it fixed?"

Terry grimaced. "Papochka does, but."

Harry nodded solemnly. "He is an adult, though, they don't get these sorts of things. Besides, if the dentists say they can't do anything, they can't do anything."

Terry nodded glumly. "S'pose you're right… Oh yeah, I met a girl today, and I lent her my copy of Volumes One and Two."

Harry's eyebrows climbed up towards his messy fringe. "Really? D'we have a new guild member joining, then?"

Terry shrugged. "Maybe? I don't know yet, we'll see what she thinks of it all. She'd finished Volume One whilst I was having my teeth poked at, and I lent her Volume Two before we left, so if she asks for the third one, I might lend it to her, and if I see her the next time I'm in London, I'll ask if she'd like to join us. The more the merrier, yeah?"

Harry grinned. "What kind of magic do you think she might try to learn? Or d'you think she'll just be a non-magical member?"

Terry thought hard for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip with her new canines. "I think she does have magic – a Muggle-born witch. As for a Fioran magic… maybe Levy? She had callouses on her fingers from writing, and she was reading Matilda when I met her, so she either loves stories or is very studious, so maybe even that new guy in the manga – Hibiki or whatever? Archive?" Harry nodded his understanding. "Yeah, Solid Script or Archive, I think. But, you know, we'll just have to see, won't we?"

Harry hummed, before saying, "It would really balance the guild out then, wouldn't it? You and I are both Melee types, and Temnaya is a behind-the-scenes type, so it would be good to have someone who's a little bit in the middle, don't you think?"

Terry flashed a grin, but before she could say anything else, the phone rang inside, and she ran to fetch it.

"Petrovy Household and Baba Yaga Guild Hall, how may I help you?"

"Um, Terry? Wisteria? It's Hermione Granger, we met at my parents' practice today…?"

Terry laughed. "Yeah, hi Hermione! Did you finish Vol. Two already?"

"Yes, I did – it was fabulous!" Gone was the shy girl from moments before. "I'm not usually a fan of comics or mangas, but this is very well written, if rather silly, though you said it would be when you gave me the first one –" all of this was said very fast, within the one breath. " –but I absolutely love the story about Duke Everlue! I didn't think it at first, but Lucy is very clever and well-read, and their magic is incredible!"

"So you liked it then?" Terry asked dryly.

"Yes!" Hermione said breathlessly. "Do you have the next one? Are you coming back to London again soon?"

"I'm supposed to be visiting my grandparents next weekend." Terry said, scratching her chin. "And Harry and I have Guild work all day tomorrow, to make up for what we've missed this week… But we might be able to ask Papochka if we can catch the train to London after school someday, and come back again in the evening?"

"That sounds wonderful!" Hermione gushed. "Do you have a pen and paper? I'll give you my address, or we can just meet at the Practice again, or there's a library half-way between there and the station – I've already checked though, they don't have any of the series, which is quite a pity. What do you mean by Guild work?"

Terry flashed a grin and thumbs up at an eavesdropping Harry and Temnaya, before saying to Hermione, "We'll meet you at the practice, I know how to get there, at least. Do you remember how I said I only had one human friend?"

Hermione hummed down the line, so she continued.

"That's Harry Potter, we go to school together here in Little Winging. In September, we created our own guild called Baba Yaga. We do odd jobs around town for money or treats most days of the week. We'll tell you all about it when we see you though – can I get your number? That way we can let you know when we're leaving and what day we can do it!"

The two had just finished exchanging proper contact details (as well as how to find more of the manga online), when Hermione asked, in a rather hesitant voice, "Just, before you go, Terry, I – I have one last question."

"Mm, shoot."

"Oh, it's silly, but I … Is… Is Baba Yaga a Working-Guild, or a Wizard-Guild?"

Terry was quiet for a moment thinking of the best possible response she could make.

"Does it really matter? As long as you have your friends, that's your guild right there! But, I suppose you could call me Wendy Marvel," She decided finally. "Co-Master of Baba Yaga."

She hung up before Hermione could say anything further; Harry pinched her ear.

"What's this about Master?" He demanded hotly.

"What part of co don't you get?!" Terry snapped back. "We both made this guild, we both earn the money, so we're both Master!"

I suppose it had to happen eventually, Temnaya Polnoch' sighed. Power dynamics, and all that.

"You know," Terry growled through a forced smile. "For a half-grown kitten, you're pretty smart-mouthed."

Cat years are different to human years Temnaya sniffed. By the time I am two of your years, I will already be twenty-five, and then every year after that is another four again. So you see, I am already older than both of you.

Harry and Terry both gave Temnaya deadpan stares, turned around, and walked into the kitchen.

Eight and nine they might be, but both of them really needed a drink – that is to say, of orange juice, but the principle still stood. It had been a long week for the two Babas, and an even longer day.