All You Need is Love
Excerpts from A Crafter's Tale
The first crafting house was built in London, in the late 1700's. Before then crafting was not seen as a real profession…
Wizards ignorantly believed it was nothing more than Muggle architecture with magic sprinkled on top… The magical world
was also critical of the origins of crafting. Many believe that gypsies from the east created it… means of securing jobs for
themselves as they traveled… Others maintain that the first crafters came from ancient Egypt… whatever the origins,
crafting became a legitimate profession in England before anywhere else due to rise of the Stirling family… Often their
projects have marked British history, such as their hand in designing and building Azkaban. They worked for years in
cooperation with Ministry officials to fashion the now infamous prison. Cesar Stirling died because of it, his blood buried
within the dark structure… It is rumored, no Stirling can ever be held in Azkaban because the prison owes its life to any Stirling…
XXX
Winnie Stahl, a seemingly happy, confident and sane seventh year Gryffindor, needed Salazar's Salesmen.
For the past five weeks she'd been losing sleep. She was constantly crying, in bed, in the shower, before class, after class, etc. Her appetite was gone, her grades were slipping and last morning she found a gray hair. Something was wrong in her once-wonderful life. Something was destroying her from the inside out. And she knew what it was.
It was her boyfriend's fault. He was a cheater. She knew it. Every second he wasn't with her, he was with someone else. And when he was with her, he was thinking of someone else. It needed to stop.
So she wrote the Salesmen a rather long wind letter begging for their assistance. She was willing to pay anything. Usually she'd never condone doing business with people like the Salesmen, but she was desperate, as you can imagine. She explained to the Salesmen that all she needed was at least two drops of Veritaserum, that way she can slip it into her boyfriend's pumpkin juice without him knowing and find out, once and for all, if he was a cheater.
The sun was due to rise within an hour. A blanket of snow covered Hogsmeade, Corvus' feet were sunk in five inches of pearly white snow as he stood in the back alley of Hog's Head. He could see his breath on the icy air. Even Dung's breath showed through the tight etches of his balaclava.
Max was crouching over an opened suitcase full of various potion ingredients and herbs. He was checking that everything Dung had found them met their standards. Twice already he had to throw something out. It's been known to happen that Dung tries to sell them spoiled ingredients, but they never hold it against him. They understood, and Dung understood when they refused to pay his prices because of it. As Max checked the goods, Corvus spoke to Dung about getting Winnie Stahl's droplets of Veritaserum.
"Aye, I'd say that won't cost less 'an eighty Galleons," Dung told Corvus. The young Slytherin cocked an eyebrow.
"You think? I think I better seek a second opinion, right Max?"
"Yeah," Max replied without looking up.
"Borgin in Knockturn Alley, good man," Corvus stared at Dung, "Knowledgeable man too. He's usually very good and honest about estimates. Luckily, he quite likes me, but that shouldn't surprise you, Dung, you know how good of a customer I can be."
"Aye," Dung's arm dug under his black balaclava, and Corvus could hear him scratch roughly against his face. Sounded like Dung didn't maintain a smooth shave normally. "I may 'ave been a bit off with me estimate, Corv. Two drops, you said?"
Corvus nodded.
"I know a place where I may get it for under- ah- thirty-five," said Dung. Corvus smiled.
"Sounds good," he said and then looked down at Max as he snapped the suitcase shut. His dirty-blonde friend nodded curtly. Corvus tossed Dung the usual bloated pouch of coins. "See you in three days, take care Dung."
"Aye, you too, lads."
Trekking back to the outhouse, Corvus did some calculating in his head. Then he checked with Max, who he was sure also had done the math; "Sell it to Stahl for fifty-five then?"
"Yeah."
"We'll write up her contracts when we get back to the castle. Then I want a bloody feast for breakfast, I'm starving."
X
X
Dear Mum,
Thanks for all the gifts and the chili too. Just had to heat them up a bit and it was delicious. Hope you enjoyed yours too across the pond. Did you like the stuff I sent you? They were pretty lame, sorry. Max liked the chili too his mother wants to send us a pie as thanks. How's Manhattan? That picture of the tree in Rockefeller center you sent was pretty cool. Getting a lot of work done here, nothing exciting to report.
love Corvus
He didn't feel too guilty not telling his mother about the attacks. No point in worrying her. Besides after Nearly Headless Nick and Finch-Fletchy were found, nothing else happened. The Mandrakes were maturing steadily. Things seemed to be heading back to normal. Since Christmas Jeremy had been noticeable mute on the topic of Slytherin's Heir. It was old news.
The Salesmen even cut back two Galleons on their protective charms. People weren't just coming to them to bulk up on defensive stuff, they were coming to them for the usual again, Butterbeer, written assignments, love potions, poisons, sweets, dirty magazines, etc.
And when Corvus entered the Great Hall on February fourteenth for breakfast, he definitely couldn't imagine the school in jeopardy. The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale-blue ceiling. This didn't look like a place dreading the wrath of Slytherin's heir.
X
X
One of Lockhart's golden winged, harp carrying dwarves stopped Louis outside of Transfiguration. He handed him a gaudy, hand-made card to Louis. "That's five cards!" announced Louis after the dwarf waddled off. He opened his newest letter. "Who's Sally-Anne?"
"Don't know, but she's a real poet," said Corvus snidely as he read over Louis's shoulder. "You're really swell, I can just tell, Just wanted to say hi, To the boy with eyes to match the sky." They busted out laughing.
"I think I could get as many as Lockhart by the end of the day," bragged Louis. "It's morning still, got plenty of time. You lads need to catch up." Xiomara Brazda had sent all the Salesmen a card. Because everyone got one, Louis didn't count it. Max got a card from Eloise Midgen, starting a vicious cycle of jokes between the Salesmen.
"Oi! Maxwell Love! Corvus Blackstone!" a dwarf barked as they headed for Potions. The dwarf had a small, pink card edged with lace for Max. He then handed Corvus a single red rose. "No card for you, sent anonymously."
"Someone sent you a rose?" guffawed Louis. "Guys don't get single red roses! Girls get those, don't they?"
"Corvus' got a secret gentleman admirer," sneered Anwar. "Maybe it's Slytherin's heir."
"That's not funny," grumbled Jeremy.
"Ho! Look at Max!" Louis pointed. Max was smiling privately to himself while reading his letter. When they noticed him he wiped the smile off his face and tried putting the card away, but Louis was too quick for him.
"Happy Valentine's Day, your friend Cho Chang!" read Louis.
"It's from Cho?" asked Jeremy, a tad bit devastated.
"Friend?" repeated Louis, leering. "That's cold, mate."
"Leave it alone, Louis," said Max, though there was a ghost of a smile on his face.
Corvus examined his rose. A single red rose was sort of lame, but he felt flattered enough. He wondered whom it could be from. The only person he could think of was…
"Hey," Morag tapped him on the shoulder. She had her hands behind her back. Her eyes went to the rose and she looked slightly disappointed. "Oh, I see you've already got a Valentine…"
"No," he told her quickly. "This was just sent to me, don't know who sent it."
"That's silly of them," she smiled. "Why wouldn't they want you to know they fancied you?"
"Don't know," shrugged Corvus.
"It's their loss," she said. She brought her hands forward. She had a box of Chocoballs and a heart-shaped letter. "Happy Valentine's day, Corvus!"
Corvus took the card and chocolates. He didn't know what to say. He was smiling more than he's ever smiled at a girl. Morag curtsied and ran off, joining her troupe of giggling friends at the end of the hall.
"Oh! Box of chocolates counts for two," said Louis. "Then you got the card plus a rose… you've got four now. Well done, Blackstone!"
X
X
Louis showed off his seven Valentine's Day cards at dinner that night. Some secret-admirer had sent him a box of magic toffees, which brought his total to seven. He had won by a landslide. Anwar got a card after their last lesson. It was from Claire, Louis' sister. She always claimed to like Anwar the best from Louis' friends; she thought he looked like 'a grumpy, spiky-haired teddy bear.'
"If you marry my sister, Anwar, we'll be brother-in-laws!" said Louis cheerfully. "Think of how fun our family reunions will be."
"You should have a joint wedding," suggested Corvus. "You have six brides to choose from there, Louis."
"Nah, I'm going to stay a bachelor," he said, proudly as he tossed his Valentine cards aside.
"He'll just have tons of illegitimate children running around," noted Anwar.
"So when you become a famous Quidditch player," said Corvus, "you'll be guaranteed a filled stadium."
"Yeah, that sounds about right," nodded Louis. The Salesmen laughed.
"I look forward to getting married," proclaimed Jeremy. Everyone exchanged awkward looks. Hadn't Jeremy noticed that no one sent him a Valentine? Jeremy wasn't the best looking of boys, and his personally was hardly attractive either. Many girls cringed at the thought of getting stuck with him, dating or in casual crossing. He noticed their delayed reaction, "What?"
Corvus bit into a loaf of bread and shrugged innocently.
"My mother says that all girls are attracted to boys from strong stock," he said confidently. "And I'm the descendent of the Petzold and Newstark family, both are very strong stock."
"Yes, I'm all hot and bothered by that myself," Anwar leered. Louis laughed out loud. Max tried looking the other way while he shook with silent laughter. Corvus had to spit out his bread.
"You'll see, girls have to play it smart. A good marriage is what they're after, everyone wants to marry into a pureblood family like mine. And I look forward to marrying, so I can continue my lineage."
"Why don't you just host pureblood orgies, Jeremy?" snickered Corvus. "Give the whole community a baby boom with your hot stock."
Louis toppled over in an uncontrollable laughing spasm. This time the laughter from all the Salesmen (except for Jeremy) sounded with his.
"Wow," Louis dried his eyes after he calmed down. He took several deep breaths. "I haven't laughed that hard in ages. Thanks, Pretzel."
"Stop calling me that!"
O..o
o..O
Okay, so this was a short chapter, purely for the fun of Valentine Drama. I edited out a part where Winnie Stahl tries to expose the Salesmen, and we see the consquences of this, but it didn't feel right, so I just left it with shoing Corvus haggling with Dung. Oh and I love to bash Jeremy, lol I honestly didn't create him solely for that purpose, it just happened that way :D
Anyway, thanks for reviewing! but please, still review :D:D:D:D