Arthur's Toaster: Part 1
Arthur awoke to the smell of toast. Hot buttery toast. His mouth was already watering before his brain had kick-started into 'awake' mode.
Muddling his way, as usual through his morning routine, he eventually followed his nose downstairs to the ground floor of the house. Arthur actually did not know precisely where he was at the moment. Another Order meeting house and he wasn't the secret keeper, not for this house. He was brought here last night by the house's only secret keeper.
Pushing the kitchen door open with one hand whilst stifling a yawn with the other the final vestiges of sleep were abruptly pushed out of Arthur's brain, apparently via his eye sockets, as a sudden loud popping springing sound rung out across the room.
Shaking his head his eyes swung to the source of the sound where he saw a most decidedly odd and most deliciously muggle looking device sitting on the sideboard next to the stove. Shiny and metallic looking with glorious black buttons, just begging to be pushed on one end of it, the 'device' had two perfectly browned pieces of toast sticking out of it. Licking his lips in anticipation of touching the machine or perhaps of eating its bread-based 'bounty' or indeed both Arthur was about to advance on the tool. Suddenly a voice spoke out.
'Toast?'
Arthur whipped his head round and jumped. Sitting at the kitchen table, a triangle shaped piece of toast between left forefinger and thumb, one corner already bitten off sat Severus Snape. The house's only secret keeper.
Severus raised one eyebrow.
'Arthur' He said.
Arthur shook his head again and pressed a hand against his chest. Be still my rampaging heart!
'Oh Severus. I didn't see you there.' He said weakly. 'I was just....ummm...distracted.' He gestured vaguely at the shiny muggle device.
Severus just inclined his head slightly before taking another bite out of his toast. He chewed and swallowed watching Arthur turn a slight Weasley shade of red as he did so.
'Toast.' He said again. 'You can have those slices of toast. If you like.'
He stood as he spoke. Delicately placing his half eaten piece of toast on the plate in front of him he moved across the kitchen to a cupboard where he withdrew a blue and white patterned china plate.
'Yes. Toast would be nice.' Said Arthur distractedly as he wracked his brain's the machine's name.
A device that made toast. A device than browns your bread. A toast-maker? A toast-creator? No it probably had some weird muggle name that bore no relevance to its actual use. Like Sellotape or Hoovers or DVD Players.
Severus meanwhile was standing in front of the muggle toast making implement. He glanced back at Arthur and breathed out a small sigh. After a brief pause he carefully placed the plate he had fetched on the counter, before plucking the toast from the device. He turned and leant back towards the table, and tossed both slices onto his own plate. Blinking at the movement Arthur frowned slightly.
'Cold.' Severus offered as way of explanation. Arthur frowned further. Severus rolled his eyes slightly. 'Sit down Arthur.' He said. 'Have some tea and I'll make you some more hot toast with the toaster.'
'Toaster!' Arthur repeated his facing lighting up. 'Toaster!'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------