Chapter Nineteen

The Questionable Intentions of Toby the Tinker

"So he's really getting out?" Halbert asked as he grabbed a few more pieces of the chopped raw steak.

Andrew and he had become experts at feeding the Stymphalian chick after the first couple days. It was a necessity to be an expert, for several fingertips had been lost in the process… even Sagittari himself had to restore his own that first day. Andrew himself wasn't going to take any chances, wearing a pair of light metal gloves that the doctor had given them but Halbert preferred to do it the hard way.

"Well yes, eventually, once Grandfather has gotten a place to live and all," Andrew said, holding the plate out for him.

"Why not have him live with you, when you have a place?" Halbert asked.

"Well, I'm not all that sure we're getting one. Mum says she'd rather just go abroad during the summer," Andrew said.

"But that would be great too! You could see more of the world, and you could come visit me!" Halbert said brightly.

"I would like that," Andrew agreed. "But I don't think Father's too keen on the idea. Of course, I also don't think he'd be keen on the idea of living in the city, either."

"Your father doesn't seem too keen on anything these days," Halbert said, the chick making a sound as if he personally agreed with him. "He doesn't even seem to be interested in what he's teaching anymore. Do you think it's because of Rasputin?"

"Well, that's part of it, I'm sure, but I don't think it's all of it," Andrew said, carefully petting the bird. "But there can't be any doubt he hasn't been the same since."

Andrew and Halbert were not the only ones to notice a difference, although many thought the change was due in a large part to the presence of the Stymphalian chick itself. For every time Professor Snape raised his voice any louder than his normal tone, the chick would wake up and begin to shrill in annoyance, causing an almost constant class disruption. He tried to calm it with an earmuff spell, which immediately got torn into shreds. Using the Sonorous Shield to quiet him proved hazardous, for the chick had taken to chewing on the iron grill and once somehow managed to pull a piece off, the poker-like object smashing into the burning logs and catching a rug on fire. Furious, Snape quickly got things under control and stomped upstairs to complain to Dumbledore, only to come back down a few minutes later looking even more aggravated. Nobody looked twice when the Gryffindor points went negative again that day.

By the end of the week when it was time for Alicia's class, it was quite obvious to everyone who was in control of the classroom, and it was not Professor Snape. He gritted his teeth any time the bird took complaint to his voice as he tried to make the most of the situation, hanging up a very large calendar with seven days marked off and seven more to go, the last one marked with the words: Insufferable Bird's Demagnification day. But by the end of the first week, Snape had already had more than enough. As the class period got to an end, he stood up and called their attention away from their reading.

"Next week I was planning to take several of my advanced classes to the Dark Forest for a lesson in dark creatures. I have since decided that I will take all classes there to get us away from this bothersome classroom. We will be meeting at the front gate for the excursion, no books necessary. Bring only what you believe that you need for an outing in an area infested with Dark Magic," he said, his face grim and haunting. "Use what you have already learned this year as a guide to what might be necessary, and know that I will be going through your things before we start as it is a part of the lesson so I wouldn't bring anything remotely questionable if I were you," he said, squinting at Zack who merely smiled back innocently. "In the meantime, since you don't have anything better to do this weekend, I expect you have the next chapter read as well as this one which you will summarize for me and add to that twelve inches on Stymphalian birds… and how to kill them," he added, looking murderously at the chick who merely chirped at him in response. "Dismissed."

"Leave it to Snape to punish us for not being old enough to go to Hogsmeade," Zoë said in pure annoyance.

"At least he didn't yell at us today," Alicia sighed.

"Three cheers to the iron chicken! I think that bird's a Gryffindor in disguise," Zack grinned at her as the three of them headed for their next class.

On the corner that rounded the street to where Toby's Trinkets sometimes was, next to the shop with the horrific motherly ghost, Corey Willowby sat his old shop sign down in the snow, gazing at the forlorn shop thoughtfully. Its windows had been uncovered revealing a thick layer of grime, and he winced every time he thought about how much he rented it for. It would be a miracle to be open by Christmas; as it was, being closed this last school day trip to Hogsmeade was going to be crushing. In fact, if it hadn't been for a stroke of bad luck at the school, he might not have been able to make his next month's rent at all.

He stepped back inside to where his clerks were searching through the stock, rummaging through crates and sacks to find everything that the school needed replaced while he went back to his corner, transfiguring the planks he had taken off the windows into shelving units.

"Well, they're not pretty, but they're functional. Joe, any clue where the labels are in all this mess?"

"No, sir. Should I try to hunt them down?" the clerk asked.

"No, I suppose it can wait. I'm just trying to clear a path," Corey said, waving his hand and causing a crate of heavy jars of ingredients to fill the shelves. The crate then dismantled itself into a stack of small planks adding to a small pile under a window. "Besides, one more crate and I can set up some tables."

There was a gentle knock and the door opened. Jennifer stepped in with a soft smile, her cheeks rosy from the cold. Alex and Aurelius followed behind and Severus at the rear, shutting the door behind him.

"Hullo! Welcome to my shop! You're a bit early!" Corey said, hugging Jennifer.

"Well, I knew you had your hands full, and I know the list we gave you was unexpected," Jennifer said.

"Unexpected but welcome," Corey admitted. "Any ideas yet on who did it?"

"None at all, except that it probably happened the night before," Jennifer sighed, stepping over behind the clerks to see what had been filled so far. "Wednesday night is when I leave the lab open until curfew so that the advanced students can work on their projects."

"That's not something anyone out of the school would have known about," Corey said softly.

"Don't remind me. The idea that someone inside the school might be helping Ciardoth chills me to the bone," Jennifer murmured.

"Sure it isn't just this drab little store? It's freezing in here! We might as well have stayed outdoors," Aurelius complained.

"Aurelius, don't start," Severus warned.

"Oh, yes, sorry, we're still waiting on the local sweeps to come take care of the chimneys, they're stopped up tighter than a rope of tar," Corey chuckled.

"Don't you even have any House Elves?"

"Aurelius," Jennifer frowned at him.

"No, they all left this place years ago. But it's all right, we'll make do. Jack, come help me with this bag of sleep sand, will you?" Corey said.

"Let me get some heat candles going," Severus offered, pulling a box out of his cloak. As Alex and Aurelius started perusing through crates, Jennifer stepped over to him, taking a couple of the candles from the box.

"Severus, why don't we ask Mercy and the others if they don't want to come here? You know how depressed she is at the castle," Jennifer whispered to him.

"If it's all the same, I'd rather keep them with us," Severus murmured back. "We may need them in the summer." Jennifer stared at him for a long hard moment, disliking the look in his eyes. She glanced back to make sure Alex and Aurelius weren't in range.

"I don't want a summer house, Severus, not now or ever," Jennifer whispered firmly. "So you might as well stop looking for one. Mercy, on the other hand, needs a home."

"So do the children."

"They'll go with us."

"Then so will Mercy."

"You are not being reasonable!" Jennifer hissed. Severus stared at her and got ready to say something he probably would have regretted had he not noticed Corey standing nearby, watching them carefully.

"I hope you're not over there having a professional discussion," he said with a knowing grin. "At least not until I have the shop properly reinforced."

"Hardly," Severus said, scowling at him when the grin didn't go away.

"I think if anyone sneezed the entire shop would blow over," Aurelius put in, Severus squinting at him dangerously.

"Mum, can we go ahead and take off now? I'd like to show Toby's to Aurelius before everyone else gets here," Alex said quickly, grabbing his arm despite his attempt to pull away.

"Fine, we'll be along in a few minutes," Jennifer said as she started placing the heat candles around the room. Alex headed out the door Aurelius in tow, her brother breathing a sigh of relief when they finally stepped out onto the street.

"Do you believe that place? It looks like it's been vacant for a hundred years! And did you see those shelves? He's certainly moving up in the world, isn't he?" Aurelius said.

"Don't worry, Rel. I'm sure he'll be all right," Alex said.

"Worried? What makes you think I would be worried?" Aurelius snapped. "I'm just stating a fact."

"Oh, look, there's Dumbledore. I suppose that means the others are here," Alex said, nodding over to in his direction.

The Headmaster was walking along as if a bit distracted when suddenly he stopped in front of Toby's shop as if noticing it for the first time. He furrowed his brows at it in a peculiar manner and then growled in the back of his throat, walking away and pretending that he hadn't noticed the shop at all.

"Well, that was rather odd," Alex murmured, watching Dumbledore walk away. But Aurelius wasn't paying much attention. Instead, he was staring in amazement in the windows at the chaotic display of toys, trinkets and gifts, mostly wooden, but with quite a number of other things thrown in. Students rushed past them and pushed their way in, the door ringing merrily as they opened it. "Come on! It's going to be packed before long!"

It was, in fact, even more packed than Honeydukes as students stared with wonder at all the fabulous toys and knick-knacks, each one unique. Chimes, squeaks, rattles and more filled the air, and even the sound of a pipe as one of the older Gryffindor girls found a wooden recorder that trilled like a bird.

"There's something for everyone," Alex told him with a grin. "Every time I've gotten something here it's been exactly what I was looking for, when I didn't even know it! And the fact you can name your own price makes it all the more perfect!"

"It's a wonder he's still in business," Aurelius murmured, scanning the shelves while his sister looked wistfully towards the front of the room. He stared puzzledly at a dusty wooden turtle that sat right next to a priceless looking necklace… which sat next to a wooly cap, rolled up in a ball. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to any of it, he mused as he picked up a lump of coal wondering if that had been left there accidentally. Shrugging he put it back down again, and glanced at where Alex was looking at a box of gold and ivory colored silk. Inside was a beautiful comb and brush set of etched gold, and a mirror fastened with ribbons in the inside cover.

"Wouldn't Mum love this?" Alex said, looking over at Aurelius. "Why don't you get it for her?"

"Me?" Aurelius blinked at her. "You saw it, you get it. The sign says we can only get one item, and I'm not wasting it on her. Why don't you want to do it?"

"Well, there is something else I want, but I'm not sure it's even for sale," Alex said. "If he isn't, then I'll get this."

"He isn't?" Aurelius repeated as Alex made her way towards the counter. Curiously he followed her and saw a thin older man with rosy cheeks, sharp features and sparkling eyes, sitting beside the money jar and whittling a piece of wood, nodding and smiling to each student who paid for their items without one question about the amount given, treating them all with mutual warmth and respect. Sitting behind him on a shelf, a wooden owl with uncanny detail and realistic hoots and movements watched the shop carefully; making sure each student put their coin in the jar before leaving.

"Hello, Mr. Toby!" Alex greeted, careful not to step in the line coming up to the counter.

"Why, is that you, Miss Snape? Goodness, but you get prettier every year. You'll be giving your mother some competition in a year or two, won't you?" he winked at her.

"Thank you, sir. But I was wondering about if something in your store was for sale or not," Alex said cautiously.

"Every item in my shop is for sale if someone really needs it, Miss Snape," Toby smiled at her.

"How about the money jar?" Aurelius said with a slight smirk, but Toby turned to him thoughtfully.

"Even that, dear boy, but I'm afraid you do not need it," the Tinker said firmly.

"Does that include the wooden owl?" Alex asked daringly. Toby put on his glasses he kept around his neck to look at the bird, then gazed back at her intently. "He's obviously very special."

"Oh, yes, he is very special indeed," Toby said, smiling softly. "You see, he was my first carving ever. I made him after my familiar died, sculpted in his memory, and he has been at my side ever since. I have made many others of course, ravens and finches and squirrels; but none of them with the same heart as this one, and no other owls. Do you like him?"

"He's magnificent," Alex said. "But now I can see you need him more than me. I'll find something else."

"Oh, but now you have me curious. Might I inquire why you felt you needed him in the first place?"

"My parents won't let me have a familiar. I suppose they're afraid I'll get too attached to it because… well, I have a way with understanding animals and things. But I've always wanted one of my own, someone to talk to who understands me and what I'm going through and I can depend on being there no matter what."

"It sounds to me like you need a friend," Toby smiled at her, "although I happen to know that you have at least two very good friends whom you share my tri-wizard chess set with."

"Oh, yes, I do, and they are good friends, but I can't claim either of them really understand me. I miss…" Alex suddenly caught herself, a bit surprised.

"Yes, miss?" Toby prompted.

"You know, I think I'm just going to get the comb and brush set for my mother," Alex decided grinning with slight embarrassment.

"What a splendid idea," Toby agreed with a smile as she went back over to the shelf, turning to Aurelius who was rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "Ah, Mr. Snape. It is good to finally meet you, but I'm afraid what you're looking for is not here."

"What?" Aurelius said, staring at him.

"I mean that I have nothing to sell you today. Perhaps some other time," he added as Alex came back up to the counter.

"I haven't even finished looking through the shop yet!"

"Oh, I suppose if you look long enough, the thing that you need most will appear," Toby said quietly with a smile. "But it is nothing I can give or sell, and even when it is here, you won't be able to find it until you want to find it." Aurelius stared at him.

"Have you been taking lessons from Dumbledore? Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.

Just then was a loud commotion as students began to back away from the door, Severus standing there holding it open, completely frozen in surprise as he stared at the old tinker.

"What are you doing here?" Severus said in an accusing tone that carried through the shop.

"Selling trinkets," Toby said with a smile. "You know… toys, bits, baubles that one might need. In fact, I was just about to sell your daughter my wooden owl."

"You'll do no such thing!" Severus snapped, coming further in the store. Jennifer followed behind curiously.

"So you do know him after all?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes, and so do you," Severus said, intentionally looking over at her, nodding when her eyes widened.

"But that's impossible!" Jennifer exclaimed, looking back over with amazement.

"My dear, you're as lovely as the sun. I believe you warmed my entire shop from the moment that your delicate hand touched my threshold," Toby declared as he wrapped up a box in front of him.

"Okay, you're right, it is him," Jennifer said sheepishly. "But why didn't I see it before?"

"You rely too much on your talent, Mrs. Snape. Not that you shouldn't trust it, but not as much as you trust yourself," Toby said gently. "Your ability lets you see through animagi and disguises because they are not being honest to their true nature. I, on the other hand, am always true to my nature, and therefore you cannot see it in that way. Now, what might I find for you today, hm?"

"No, no, don't accept anything. Don't buy anything. We're leaving," Severus said curtly.

"But your daughter needs a familiar…"

"I will get her a familiar, if you don't mind!" Severus snapped. Alex beamed happily. "Come, let's get out of here, I need a word with Dumbledore."

"Oh, he knows I'm here already," Toby smiled, discreetly slipping Alex her box before leaning for something behind the counter. "Are you sure there isn't anything you need?"

"No. Jennifer?"

"Alex, Aurelius, come on, we'd better get out of his way," Jennifer said, leading them towards the door.

"And would you stop looking at her like that?" Severus snapped irritably. Jennifer turned back around in surprise only to be winked at by Toby. Feeling her face grow red, she hurried them out the door all that much quicker. "Now, before I leave, there is something I have to ask," he said in a low voice, scowling at a student who dared to get too close on his way to the money jar.

"Anything you like," Toby said complacently, carefully setting down what appeared to be a roll of velvet on the counter.

"What do you know about Ciardoth?" Severus murmured.

"She's a problem," Toby said with a nod, gently unrolling the velvet on the counter.

"Yes, and?" Severus asked impatiently.

"She's not my problem," Toby finished calmly, apparently blissfully unaware that Severus was fuming threateningly right in front of him.

"Then if you're not here because of her, then why are you here?" Severus scowled.

"I told you, Severus. I'm here to sell trinkets," Toby said with a smile. "Now, if there's nothing else you need, perhaps I'll just catch up on a bit of reading."

"Now why is it that I don't trust you?" Severus squinted.

"Good lady preserve us, Severus, never ever trust me!" Toby said sincerely. "Especially around your wife," he added, leaning to look at the scroll. Growling with frustration, Severus began to turn around when his eye caught a mark upon the scroll that he'd only seen in two other places… it was an ancient rune not used in magic for quite some centuries, and one he had given up finding any tangible information on.

"What is that?" Severus said in an almost accusing tone, pointing at the scroll.

"What is what?" Toby said innocently. "Oh, what am I reading? It's just an old library book. Unfortunately, the day after I borrowed it the entire library burned to the ground… poof… very tragic story, really. Much old magic lost that day… dangerous magic. But this was saved, as you see. I was thinking of selling it, if I knew someone who actually needed it."

Severus gazed at the open section of the scroll, his finger seeming to twitch a bit as he contemplated Toby's intentions. Toby, however, didn't even seem to notice the scrutiny, turning to wrap up a piece of coal for a grateful looking elderly gentleman, placing it into his ragged gloves with a comforting smile.

"Very well, old man, what do you want for it?"

"Now, let's not get age into this," Toby chided him. "What do I want for it? An evening with Jennifer? No, no, come back, boy, I was jesting," Toby assured him, although Severus expression clearly showed he had doubts of that. "All I need, Severus, is for you to allow me to continue my work to distribute what I see fit to who I see fit without you asking me why I am doing it. In turn, I will promise to keep my nose out of your business as much as I see fit. Are we agreed?"

"Hm? No, wait a moment…"

"Oh, and I want your curse," he added.

"I beg your pardon?"

"The curse. The turning gold into lead hex. Really, it'll only get you into trouble and I remember that I'll need it for something. It does you more harm than good and me more harm to someone else than good. So, we have a deal then, yes?" Toby said.

"One moment, I'd like a bit of clarification on your wording…"

"Here, let me roll this up for you, then. I'll even let you have the scroll case for free. Don't burn this one, now," Toby warned.

"You are not listening to me!" Severus snapped.

"Does anyone? Now, put your hand out, there's a good lad."

"Stop treating me like a child. I'm not going to agree to anything…" Severus began to wave his hand about in protest when Toby grabbed it and shook it, and Severus felt a jolt run through his arm as if he'd been zapped with a buzzer. A second later Toby was putting the case in his hand.

"There you are. Nice doing business with you. I must get back to work, busy day, you know, before Christmas and all that," Toby said cheerfully, walking over to his stool and sitting down, backing it against a support beam.

"No! Why you old meddling…." But whatever Severus was going to say was cut off by a loud snore from the tired tinker. Growling ferociously, Severus stormed out, slamming the door so violently that the wooden down flapped off his perch and down to sit on his master's shoulder, who opened an eye.

"Heirs can be so tiring sometimes, Archimedes," Toby sighed, noisily scratching between the owl's wooden feathers as the owl hooted in apparent agreement.