The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not.
Hannah Whitall Smith
Chapter III: Apothecary, Flourish and Blotts, Oh My!The group was silent as they spiraled their way up out of the darkness to the top of the cavern of vaults. Kerwin spied Ron giving him sideways glances out of the corners of his eyes, but he allowed the incident to pass without drawing undue attention to the blatant lack of manners. When he caught Draco's gaze the blond haired boy rolled his nickel plated eyes toward the gawking, fiery-haired boy. Kerwin, unsure of Draco's intent, reached out an unobtrusive hand of restraint. Draco felt the pressure of Kerwin's hand and rolled his eyes again in a clear message that the concern was unfounded as he did not plan any mischievous action or insult. With an inaudible sigh of relief Kerwin removed the contact between them and settled back in his seat to calmly observe the two Gryffindors he'd heard so much about.
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Harry's wire rimmed glasses glinted strangely in the dark caverns and his messy black hair was barely visible making him seem unobtrusive. Ron's fiery red hair and incessant staring was such an overt contradiction that Kerwin wondered, not for the first time since meeting the two, how they became such good friends. Harry was busy elbowing Ron none too subtly and Kerwin felt touched by Harry's open concern for his feelings, or maybe the interest lied solely in Ron not disgracing himself. Either way, the annoyed looks towards Ron and the apologetic glances Harry tossed Kerwin's way were quite endearing. Ron wasn't paying any mind to Harry's nudges until one boney elbow slammed quite painfully against his ribs and made him yelp.
"What the heck you do that for!" Ron's face twisted into an expression of indignation as he rubbed his sore ribcage. Harry rolled his eyes as if to say 'how dense could you be?' Before Harry could answer though, Draco snorted with snide laughter and smirked at the two boys.
"Close your trap Malfoy!" Ron spat the name with distaste.
"Careful Weasley, if you keep staring at Kerwin in such a manner he might get the idea that you fancy him." Draco drawled leeringly.
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The haughty boy watched with extreme satisfaction as Ron turned beet red and mouthed wordlessly like a fish out of water. The freckled teenager then regarded Kerwin with a look of anxiety, horror, mortification, and trepidation all vying for supremacy on his face. Harry looked quite uncomfortable and Kerwin could see the twinge of color staining his cheeks on behalf of his friend's embarrassment. Draco had that self-gratified look on his face that meant he was quite pleased with the turnout of his witty repartee. Kerwin felt like the only mature one in the cart besides, of course, the goblin who remained stoically expressionless.
"I assumed no such thing, Mr. Weasley. There's no need t' get all anxious. I'm sure we are all secure in our masculinity." Kerwin assured Ron calmly. At this pronouncement Draco began to snigger and snort uncontrollably. Ron looked torn between expressions of relief or resentment as he was unsure whether Kerwin was being genuine or just poking more fun at him. The cart finally reached the top again and Ron was saved from having to reply as Harry dragged him away. Kerwin did, however, catch the gratified look Harry tossed over his shoulder.
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Once the two Gryffindors were out of sight Draco burst with laughter. He was laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face and he had to grip Kerwin's wiry shoulder for support. Kerwin, for his part, glared at his very rude friend and crossed his arms over his chest to indicate that he wasn't amused. Draco soon calmed down as they walked out of the transport area, Kerwin catching the 'good riddance' from the poor goblin that had driven them.
"You have to admit that was hilarious." Draco enthused as he wiped at his wet cheeks. The smirk on his lips hinted at the genuine smile he hid so well. Kerwin chose to remain silent as they made their way through the hubbub of banking business. It wasn't until the bright sunlight hit their eyes and made them blink rapidly that Draco touched Kerwin's arm anxiously. The blond boy's face was stoic once again but there was worry in his gaze and Kerwin saw his apprehension as Draco fiddled with the sleeve of Kerwin's robe.
"Don't tell me you're mad at me. Come on, I couldn't resist! And besides, they do the same thing to me all the time." Draco defended himself firmly as his eyes sparked with righteous anger.
"I dunna agree wit' the whey ye treated Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. Howe'er, tha' is none o' me business. I simply dunna wish t' participate." Kerwin answered calmly and then sighed with a dramatic air. "Indeed, I must admit 'twas funny. Though, I'll remind ye immature on several levels." Once again Draco began laughing, but this time Kerwin allowed himself a brief smile in return.
Kerwin and Draco efficiently traversed the busy streets of Diagon Alley until they stood outside of Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. As they entered there was a tinkling sound from above the door though there was no bell in sight. In front of them stood a shabby desk littered with parchments, ruling tapes, and assorted robes in varying degrees of completion. To one side there was a hallway leading to the back room where fittings took place. And, to the other side stood many racks of multicolored robes, for all sizes from infant tiny to adult large. There were sparkling new robes with flaring collars and billowing folds, but there were also second hand robes in fluctuating extents of shabbiness. When Draco caught sight of the less then perfect quality robes he sneered and turned up his nose. Before the pale blond could comment however, a squat woman with a charming smile bustled her way over from the back room.
"What can I do for you young gentlemen? Are you a first year?" Madame Malkin questioned Kerwin as she surveyed his slight frame. Kerwin could see a glint of sympathy in the aged woman's eyes; no doubt she believed he was a shy child.
"Nay Madame, I transferred. Though, I will be needin' some new robes." Kerwin answered as politely as ever.
"Oh, well come this way then and we'll fit you right up." Madame Malkin ushered in a motherly manner while already making her way ahead of him.
"Please Madame, I 'ave me measurements wit' me. If 'tis no' too much trouble I'd like t' leave 'em here wit' ye, an' come back later fer the robes." Kerwin rushed to say before the overenthusiastic woman could pull him along to the back for fitting.
"Well, why didn't you say so? That'll be fine. You'll only need the regular lot?"
"Aye, and thank ye." Kerwin nodded and quickly turned over the measurements and coins in advance. As Madame Malkin hastened away the two boys took their leave with the intention of returning later after attending to the rest of their shopping.
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Next stop on the agenda was the Apothecary as both Kerwin and Draco needed to replenish their potions ingredients. Draco led the way into the reeking establishment full of potions supplies. The dingy shop was inadequately lit; the grimy and dusty windows blocked the afternoon sunlight but for a few stray rays that illuminated the suspended dust particles in the air. Kerwin had the distinct desire to draw his flowing robes closer to himself in an effort to avoid contamination.
x
Beside the door stood a small stack of barrels, the liquid-logged wood discolored as slimy half-congealed ingredients leaked between the cracks or over the loosely sealed tops. Draco sneezed and grimaced as his spittle coated his hand and robe. Disgusted, the blond boy improperly wiped his hand on the side of his robes and stepped forward. Kerwin followed Draco to the front desk while observing the setup of the shop.
x
Along the walls were shelves upon shelves of glass jars chock-full of dull colored herbs, dry shriveled roots, and brilliantly bright powders. Even the middle of the floor was taken up by shelves of jarred potion components though these ones were crammed with pickled, squeezed, and floating ingredients that needed to be preserved in liquid. Tacked to the ceiling and the walls were bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws™.
x
Kerwin began to peruse a nearby shelf as Draco rapped smartly on the counter and waited impatiently for the shop keeper.
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As Draco spoke imperiously to the greasy merchant who was busy wiping some unknown substance from his hands onto a cloth, Kerwin began to select certain ingredients not included in the basic supply list provided by the school. He first perused the herbs which ranged in color from rusted red to lackluster brown to gloomy gray to pitch black. He picked up a jar each of rosemary flakes, crushed sage, and powdered red jasper. Dimly Kerwin heard Draco order their basic potions supply kits in the front of the shop.
x
Next, he scrutinized the other dry ingredients and retrieved diced ginger roots, powdered unicorn horn, crushed snake fangs, wolfsbane, fluxweed, shredded bomslang skin, mashed scarab beetles, bat spleens, dried billywig stings, dried nettles, porcupine quills, lacewing flies, knotgrass, powdered Bicorn horn, daisy roots, caterpillars, rat spleens, spiders, shrivel-figs, powdered Graphorn horn, and asphodel root. All these he took up to the counter where he set them down beside the newly packaged potions kits.
"You're getting all of that?" Draco eyed the pile of jars with a critical expression that clearly illustrated what he thought of such an endeavor. The salesman read some of the labels and scrutinized Kerwin with equal fervor though Kerwin was sure the man was more concerned about his ability to pay for it all then the possible uses of such ingredients.
"Tha' an' more. If ye would wait a moment." Kerwin quickly snatched a few Jobberknoll feathers from their bundle and hefted two demiguise pelts onto the counter. Before Draco could comment, Kerwin walked methodically down the center isles picking out a plethora of elements including but not limited to diluted bundimun secretion, flobberworm mucus, mooncalf dung, pickled murtlap, eel eyes, dragon liver, stewed horned slugs, leech juice, armadillo bile, and salamander blood. When he set these on the stand Draco gave him a sardonic look and asked in a drawling voice, "Is that all of it or is there something left in the shop that you haven't got here?" Draco swept an encompassing hand over the cluttered table. Kerwin remained silent for a moment as if to think, which made Draco glare, before shaking his head. Draco rolled his eyes discreetly and ordered the man to bag their things and give them the running total.
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One hundred seventy-five Galleons, twelve Sickles and twenty-eight knuts¹ lighter, Kerwin exited the shop with Draco at his side.
"We'll 'ave t' stop in Knockturn Alley fer some o' the other ingredients." Kerwin intoned softly to his companion. Draco raised an eyebrow but did not deign to speak on it. Together the two boys entered the next shop.
x
Flourish and Blotts was far cleaner then the Apothecary and had the added bonus of good lighting. On the down side the store was very crowded and Kerwin was jostled about as he searched for the titles he'd need. The floor to ceiling stacks left him itching to crack a spine but he abstained from the impulse when he realized the close quarters made him feel claustrophobic.
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Kerwin had just picked up the last text on his list when Draco sidled up to him carrying his own well balanced stack of books.
"Let's get out of this hell-hole."
"Aye." Kerwin agreed emphatically, following in the wake of Draco whose name afforded him a parting crowed. However, when they reached the end of the line Draco was appalled to realize the extensive wait. Even his name could not speed up the process of checking out. Draco wilted slightly and tugged ruefully on his tight collar. Kerwin could see small beads of sweat forming on Draco's brow and offered him a sympathetic pat on the arm. Draco smiled wanly and brushed a few damp strands of hair from his face.
"At least the Apothecary was cool. This place is like a bloody furnace. Hey watch it!" Draco scowled darkly at the man who had knocked into him by accident. The books in the teen's hands wobbled dangerously but he managed to steady them.
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"I'm sorry, someone pushed..." Whatever the man was going to say after that was silenced for at that precise moment he stumbled forward into Draco a second time. Draco faltered in his step and snarled in outrage as he was forced to steady his load again. Sadly, Kerwin was not as lucky. The crowd had surged momentarily and a dark haired boy much taller than Kerwin was shoved roughly against the hooded figure. Kerwin, the other chap, and two stacks of books went crashing unceremoniously to the floor. Kerwin clutched at his potions parcel in desperation to keep his ingredients intact. Consequently he was struck in the face and the leg by two of the toppled books as they landed.
"I'm so sorry! Someone was pushing me...Kerwin?" Kerwin halted from reclaiming his fallen books and looked up into the bespectacled face of Harry Potter.
"Fancy seein' ye here; an' so soon after our last meetin', Mr. Potter." Kerwin murmured politely. Harry had gotten to his feet and was offering his hand to Kerwin who accepted it. Harry hauled Kerwin to his feet. Draco, distracted by his own confrontation, belatedly noticed the bad spill his friend had taken.
"Watch where you're going, Potter!" Draco snapped angrily. Harry, who had been in the process of picking up his own books, gawked. The surprise only lasted a few short seconds.
"It wasn't my fault! This place is so crowded and people keep pushing me!" Harry shouted back though his voice was almost drowned out by the loudly conversing assembly.
"Oi, Harry, you alright mate? I saw you...Malfoy." Ron had just managed to squeeze between the crushing mass to reach his best friend. The moment he spotted Draco the red head's concerned expression turned sour.
"Tell your blind friend to watch where the hell he's going next time." Draco ordered Ron scathingly. Kerwin set his last book on the stack in front of him and handed Harry his potions text noncommittally. Harry gave a nod of thanks and set it with his own stack at his feet. Ron was turning an ugly shade of red and his hands became fisted at his sides.
"Sod off Malfoy!"
"I happen to be standing in the checkout line you ignorant twit." Draco replied waspishly. Ron seemed lost for what to say next; he settled on glowering at his arch nemesis and growling under his breath.
"Calm down Ron. I was shoved into Kerwin here. I did say I was sorry." The last was directed to Kerwin.
"Aye. I 'old no untoward feelin's o'er the incident." Kerwin stated calmly. Harry smiled tentatively while Ron sulked and Draco snorted and faced forward. The line had moved a few inches and the group of four shuffled forward a bit. Harry retrieved his books from the ground.
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"So, you're a fourth year then?" Harry asked idly after a tense silence ensued. When Kerwin failed to answer him the Gryffindor boy interpreted the pause as a request for clarification. "You have the fourth year tomes." Kerwin looked blankly at the stack of books Harry motioned to and then inclined his head. Harry shuffled his feet and Kerwin caught sight of rolling eyes; the older boy was exasperated with Kerwin's wordless answer. For the next couple of feet the silence stretched on with Ron and Draco intermittently throwing dark looks at each other.
"Harry, Ron!" A bushy haired girl ran up to the four boys, politely asking the persons behind if she could cut in line. Kerwin's lips tugged upward as the tired shoppers gave their consent to the well behaved student.
"Oh no, it's the mudblood Granger!" Draco clasped at his heart dramatically. "Wake me up now, I'm living in a nightmare!"
"Don't you call her..." Ron started screaming hysterically while actively attempting to pummel the blond Slytherin. Harry quickly set his books on the ground again and took hold of his hot-tempered friend to prevent the ensuing boxing match, not that Draco Malfoy would actually stoop to the red-heads level and actively participate. The blonde was more likely to draw his wand and fire hexes, something a lot worse given the underage laws. Hermione pursed her lips but remained adamantly taciturn. Surprisingly it was Kerwin who spoke up in an enigmatically unruffled and unaccented tone.
"Really Draco, I had thought /your/ nightmares would not be so insipid." Ron stopped his struggle to get at Malfoy and stared slack-jawed at Kerwin. Draco's smirk had disappeared to be replaced by a dark introspective expression. Kerwin ignored both his friend and the duo Gryffindor boys in favor of the new comer. "You must be Miss. Granger of Gryffindor. My name is Kerwin Sullivan. I am most pleased to make your acquaintance." Kerwin offered his hand, still speaking oddly without his customary inflections.
"Yes, hello, the pleasure is mine. I assume you are one of the transfers from Russia?" the bushy-haired girl's eyes glinted with unabashed curiosity.
"That is correct." When Hermione prepared to shake Kerwin's hand she was adequately surprised when he bowed and brushed his lips over her knuckles instead. Kerwin allowed a hidden smile to grace his lips when she blushed prettily and became flustered.
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Draco made a rude gagging noise which only served to set Ron off again. As the red-head rekindled his shouting match with Malfoy, Harry gave up and decided to acquire some answers to his questions.
"How did you know he was a transfer student and how would you know if Kerwin is from Russia?" Harry demanded of one of his best friends. Hermione grinned excitedly as if she had been waiting for the right opportunity to tell Harry the good news.
"Well, I wasn't going to make a big fuss about it. And, I knew you probably didn't want to hear it after...after last term and while living at...at your relatives place. It's so insignificant..." the proverbial invisible elephant that was Cedric's death reared its ugly purple head from beneath the demiguise pelt and Hermione's anticipation dimmed slightly until she almost sounded unsure of herself.
"Oh, for the love of Merlin, tell us!" Ron, apparently having realized something was afoot, had returned his attention to the civilized conversation. Draco was also regarding Hermione with peculiar interest.
"I'm a prefect! I received my pin with my letter which had my supply list but also explained all about the transfer students from Russia. We, that is to say the prefects, are supposed to help them get to their lessons and show them around. I think all the prefects were told because the transfers haven't been sorted yet." Hermione explained with renewed delight and vigor. She beamed at her friends before a startled sound escaped her lips; she realized the line had moved forward significantly.
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The group trundled ever closer to the blessed checkout lanes, Harry and Ron congratulating their mutual friend with decidedly reserved enthusiasm.
"This doesn't mean you're going to rat on us whenever we do something," Ron sent a veiled look toward Malfoy, "Something that isn't strictly by the books, does it?" The gangly boy turned pleading eyes onto the more mature girl. Harry looked equally concerned with Hermione's answer. Before she could respond though, Draco decided to add in his two Knuts worth.
"She might not, Weasel, but be assured I WILL." Draco smirked smugly. Ron's face went livid, which was a sight to see as it had already been quite flush from the heat. Ron's fiery hair was sticking to his forehead with sweat as was the case among most of the customers. The pungent smell of perspiration hung cloyingly in the air and that mixed with the scent of leather bound books made the shop's sparse oxygen utterly unbearable to breathe. Evidently the sun wished to leave some sweltering memories before the onset of fall.
"What are you getting at Malfoy?" Ron challenged aggressively. Harry and Hermione exchanged exasperated looks but seemed intrigued despite them selves.
"I was made a prefect as well."
"No way! How can that slimy git get a badge?" Ron pointed a critical finger at Malfoy who only smirked arrogantly in return. Hermione waved a negligent hand.
"There is only so much he can do; and he has to have a legitimate reason for doing it or it will be considered an abuse of his position. Besides, the teachers wouldn't let inter-house rivalries influence something like, well, like house points for example. Kerwin, I wanted to ask; I've read all about Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and other, less significant, wizarding schools but I don't recall reading about one in Russia. I'm sure there are some small, private institutions, but from what I gathered in my letter and a bit of cryptic research it was implied that your school was quite large and prestigious. Debarach de Domine, I believe it was? Why is it that your school didn't participate..." she trailed off because Draco began to snicker.
"Debarach de Domine is the foremost institute of dark magic, even above Durmstrang. The reason the school doesn't participate in the Triwizard instead of Durmstrang is because competitors from rival schools had the tendency to turn up missing or dead before and during the first task when Dark Domain participated." Draco informed them ominously, using the nick name for the Russian school. Ron looked incredulously at Kerwin, Hermione flinched, and Harry seemed skeptical of the whole tale. Just then the next booth cleared and Kerwin gratefully set his books on the counter to be purchased.
Draco's breath exploded out of his chest in one word, "FINALLY!"
TBC
¹175 Galleons, 12 Sickles, and 28 Knuts comes to approx. 900 pounds British currency and about 1, 660 US dollars (That is if my math is correct and the currency rate between pounds and dollars didn't fluctuate too drastically since last I checked .)