Hello again, D.C. here as usual I own nothing, (*Two Chappies Better Then One!*)
Oh a funny note about the last chapter that bit about the ring of fire song, if you don't get it here this should help you!
I was at TAFE, working on something in the dark room when I heard from the music room next door this Indian dude singing ring of fire, anyway when he finished the song the music instructor lady who thinks herself a bit of a comedian said "if that's how you feel, stop eating curry"
Unfortunately I now have this going round and round my brain... XP
The next morning Fang awoke at dawn.
Dressing in his work clothes with the apron thrown over one shoulder he hurried through dark silent tavern and into the kitchen.
When he got there Tom and Myles were hunched bleary-eyed over their cups of tea, while Mrs. Wood hummed and danced cheerfully to some kind of witches' music radio channel.
"Morning" Fang yawned to the kitchen in general,
"Good morning to you too, deary" Mrs. Wood smiled flicking her wand and a plate of bacon and eggs appeared in front of the four of them, Myles gave him a half-hearted wave before greedy stuffing bacon in his mouth.
Tom merely grunted with a nod.
It was now July the 27th and Fang had been working at the Leaky Caldron for a day over two weeks it surprised him quickly he had fallen into the routine, especially after he noticed such things as self-cleaning dishes, etc. finally after eavesdropping on Tom he came to the conclusion that he was working at a magical bar, more surprised that he fitted in and Tom excepted him so easily.
Fang was in the bar taking the chairs down before the bar opened when the doorbell whistled sharply, Tom looked up before smiling toothlessly at the giant of a man that walked in,
"Hagrid you're early, I only just opened for the day" Tom grinned,
"Ah... well, I got news Tom, I'm the new Care of Magical Creatures professor" Hagrid smiled as he took his seat oblivious of the groaning protests of the barstool under him.
"Congrats! This deserves a toast, Fang go fetch Hagrid here and me a beer" Tom said patting the enormous man on the arm.
"So that your new busboy Tom? Strong looking boy, haven't seen 'im before he go to 'ogwarts?" Hagrid said nodding toward were Fang was behind the bar.
"No, uh... I haven't really asked him that much, but I don't know that he's going to school anymore and he doesn't talk much" Tom said scratching his stubble.
Say Fang, where are you from?" Tom asked as Fang set the beers before him and Hagrid,
"Around" Fang answered cryptically, before going back wiping tables as a group of people entered the bar talking loudly on their way through to the entrance to Diagon Alley.
"And I said to him, 'Why would the minister hire him, How could he trust a thing like that teaching our children" a stout woman said, Fang's first thought was everything about her was grey; her hair was that dull itchy grey like an unloved horses blanket, her eyes were a dull silver so pale that at first she looked like she had no iris just tiny black dots for eyes, her clothes were grey and her skin was a leathery dull dusty grey it made him think that she'd faded like the inside of a house that had been locked up and deserted for years.
"What did the ministry official say?" the very tall but fat-faced woman next to her replied.
"Oh he was a nice man that Mr. Malfoy, he said 'I agree, I had personally tried to dissuade the minister from allowing him to be hired at the school, but he isn't listening to anyone so the proof will be in the the pudding when the oaf fails' but he did suggest that I and those I know whom share my fears write complaints to the minister" she said proudly as if complaining was a great honour.
The lady looked over to were Tom and Hagrid were sitting, she frowned when she realised they hadn't heard her over-loud voice, scowling she and the other woman continued through to the entrance to the Alley.
Things were fairly calm till lunch-time, a few misshapes but about as normal as the Leaky Caldron got on a busy day, but today Fang found it difficult work with all the people milling around, it had been easier at the near start of summer when most of the clientele had been adults or the few families that didn't go on holiday.
But with the new school year approaching Fang had discovered two problems; first the bar was a lot busier and Fang and Myles weren't quite clearing and cleaning, so much as waging war with the ever increasing amount of dirty bottles, cups, plates and dishes that were turning up everywhere, Myles and Fang had one day found a fork lodged deep in some poor ladies bra!
But Fang's biggest problem was something that grew everyday; as now parents were bring their children to Diagon Alley, children that didn't recognise him and pointed it out to their parents and often questioned him; the parents about what an American boy was doing half-way around the world working in a bar! of all places and their children once learning he was American, wanted to know what the American magic schools were like, both questions Fang answered with silence but his patience was thinning day by day and he knew that soon they if they hadn't already, they'd stop being dissuaded by his silence and start looking into why.
Fang was wiping up someone's spilt beer and food while Myles was carrying a tray of drinks and simultaneously levitating two other trays of food and serving them to the people around him as he manoeuvred through, around and under people standing or sitting in his way, or he was until he slipped on the long impractical skirt worn by a flat-faced woman, tripped over a chair, elbowing a wide-shouldered man in a hooded cloak in the face and falling to the floor his wand skittered off under the crowded bar. Fang acted quickly using a nearby table he leaped over the next and grabbed the two now falling food trays out of the air, his progress covered by the starting scuffle.
While Fang had grabbed the trays, Myles had other problems; the hooded man he elbowed stood growling threateningly and hoisted him up by the front of Myles's vest.
"You young man, just made a grave mistake" the man said in a deep murderous and foreign accented voice, Myles squeaked softly, silently pleading with his eyes to be put down.
"I'm sorry?" Myles whispered, but it was the wrong move, the man flung him across the nearest table, he landed in the lap of a huge Scottish or maybe Irish man, Myles wasn't in any state to tell.
"Wha' do yea' think yea doin' throwin' the wee lad!" the man said drawing his wand and launching himself across the table toward the hooded man, that seemed the cue and the bar erupted with the movement of people; half were trying to escape the other half threw themselves into the fights' fray.
Fang found himself ducked under a table, not out of cowardice, but because that's were Myles's wand had rolled and he knew that Myles wasn't earning nearly enough to afford to replace it if broken.
So moving quickly Fang scrambled on hands and knees until his hand found Myles wand, tucked it in his pocket and rolled out from under the table.
Coming to his feet Fang ducked and weaved through the fray; most of the people trying to escape had either escaped or given up and joined the scrap, Fang moved as quickly as he could and still take stock of the conflict.
Somewhere near the start of the skirmish Tom and Hagrid had joined the fray to help people escape and were now trying their damnedest to stop the brawl, Fang thought it a miracle no-one had used magic yet.
But there was a good reason for that; Tom had fitted the entire Inn with an anti-magical aggression charm, but even they had limits and Tom hoped like hell he could settle the fight before the charm reached its limit.
Myles was trapped under the weight of the brawl, with everyone fighting over him he found himself unable to even hide, but he was still inching forward bit by bit, though nowhere near quickly enough or so he thought until he felt a hand drag him to his feet, at first he flinched and closed his eyes, but when the fist he'd envisioned never come he opened them, Fang rolled his eyes at Myles and handed the young man his wand.
"Oh! Uh thanks, I... you know thought... uh, Thanks Fang!" he babbled,
"Don't mention it" Fang said quietly dragging Myles through the fight, suddenly Fang was yanked from behind and felt his shirt-back rip open flashing his wings to the whole room, everyone froze suddenly staring at the winged boy.
"My word! We... we... were being served all this time by a dark creature! A Boread!" the same snobbish grey lady from this morning crowed, thus it served as the catalyst and most everyone involved in the fight fled the bar in seconds.
Leaving only Tom, Hagrid, Myles and Fang,
"Well there goes my first and only stable job" Fang sighed depressed he ruffled and un-tensed his wings as he dropped into a chair.
Tom and Hagrid shared a glance.
"Maybe not Fang" Hagrid explained "As I'm a professor now, I was thinking of lookin' for someone to help me with my duties as groundsman, so I can worry about' teachin' instead o' the forest" Hagrid said walking towards Fang.
"Why would you hire me, I'm a freak and you've just met me?" Fang whispered, weary.
"Because I emp'thive with ya, I'm an 'alf-giant me-self and I understand been looked at with distain an' like you're som'ing less than human" Hagrid finished patting the quiet winged boys' shoulder.
"So you'll take the job or what?" Hagrid, Tom and Myles chimed in together, expectant looks all around.
"Okay" Fang whispered a little too quietly, then nodding so they'd see.
So... that is I have to say the longest chapter I've ever written on a fan-fiction story or at least close to it.
Review People! I worked hard on this! –D.C.