Chapter 22: Floo Powder
Credence and Percy
"What was that?" Credence whispered to Percy as they crept around the back of the kitchen. A large pantry was just visible through a door that was situated next to a massive, brick fireplace that took up an entire corner of the space. The kitchen itself was rather cramped, but thankfully empty of people for the moment. All the employees seemed to be busy out on the storefront.
Percy made a face. "Our grandpa on Ma's side was negro. I mean, he wasn't even dark really, but that don't matter with these folks. I didn't want to tell yous, since you was raised by No-Majes."
Credence halted in his tracks, "I was raised by a witch hunter."
"Shut up, both of yous," Sam hissed in front of them. "Perce, you got the Floo Powder?"
"Yeah. I'll show him."
"Floo powder?" Credence had just time to say – this was just getting more and more confusing – but the brothers were already springing into action.
Percy opened the pouch that Petra had given to him and grabbed a handful of what looked like sandy, green glitter. "Look, I know it's freaky at first but we don't got lots of time. Toss a handful of this into the fireplace. When you get in, ignore the fact that it smells like ashes and you feel like you can't breathe and it's a super tight space with lots of fire and it's movin' super quickly, because it's supposed to be like that –"
"Hurry up you idiot!" Sam hissed even louder.
Percy continued using as many words as possible, while trying to hold his older brother back by keeping an elbow in his stomach, "When you get in there say 'Mortimer's Mansion' – and you gotta do it super clear or it ain't gonna work. That's the name of our house, you know. There was this fella my Pa was pals with named Mortimer who wizardified the place up for us when –"
"Ugh, just go!" Sam pushed Percy into the fireplace almost before the boy had a chance to toss some Floo powder into the flames. The light turned a glowing green, and didn't seem to touch Percy at all.
"Mortimer's Mansion," he said, enunciating every syllable. And then he was gone in a whirlwind of green flames just as Petra came hurrying through the swinging doors to where the remaining boys were standing.
"There has gotta be a less risky way to do this," she puffed. "I think he'll be busy out there for a few more minutes, but I wouldn't count on it. You go, Credence. We'll follow."
Credence stared into the hole that Percy had disappeared into, remembering Finn and his pyrophobia. For the first time, he thought he knew how Finn felt. "Uh –"
"Take it and go!" Sam pushed him like he had pushed Percy, and suddenly Credence found himself tossing in a handful of Floo powder and crawling into the claustrophobic fireplace. How could wizards have so much magic and still make things so uncomfortable sometimes? He braced himself for the flapping flames against his skin, but nothing more than a dull, warm sensation covered him. A moment of panic ensued when he forgot the name of the house. Hadn't there been a special way to say it?
Mortimer's Mansion, Petra mouthed to him outside the fireplace. He said the words, trying to enunciate the way Percy had.
Nothing could have prepared him for the speed, not even the former experience of side-along apparition. He must have passed fifty other fireplaces as the sooty air flew over him so fast that he had to gasp and cough to breathe. And then he was tumbling out of a new fireplace, one made of white lacquered stones, powder travelers.
"Yeah! He made it! He made it! He made it!" a voice cried. It was Percy.
Credence groaned softly and got to his feet, finding himself standing in front of a tall, dark statue situated not a yard from his entrance point.
Except for it wasn't a statue. It was Mrs. Boyd.
A/N: As I talked about in my last author's note, the early 20th century was a period of segregation, so of course everyone used words like 'negro' without thinking twice about it. Based on The Crimes of Grindelwald, I don't think Credence would care about that sort of thing, especially with being such an outcast in his own way. I really enjoyed writing this nod to The Chamber of Secrets. It always seemed a little strange/convenient to me how Harry said 'Diagon Alley' wrong and ended up in the wrong spot, so I wanted it to turn out correctly here. Please review!