Harry and John returned to the Atrium, but instead of stopping at the desk, Harry stepped outside the door, and down a step where he Whistled, and held aloft his left arm. From across the street, a snowy owl fell on silent wind beneath her wings, to alight on his wrist and walk to his shoulder.
Harry frowned. "I think I am going to have to talk to Laundry." Harry turned to face John, "To see about adding leather to my shoulders. It would give her something to grip into while riding on my shoulder." The humans re-entered the Hotel, the smaller male cooing at the bird on his shoulder.
At the desk, they waited as a Chinese Elder, dressed in more silk than even Aragog wore, finished his business and moved on.
As they stepped forward, Zeus frowned at the owl.
"Zeus. This is my good friend Hedwig. Her purpose other than being my good friend and Mistress, is carrying my mail. Hedwig. While I am working here, you are to deliver all mail to Zeus."
Bark!
"Zeus will hoard it for me." Harry looked at the man. "Whenever I have a Room, reserved or otherwise, please see that She has a perch and a plate of Bacon each morning in said room. You can leave the window open and she will hunt for herself."
"Any mess…"
"She will go elsewhere to drop her pellets and paint the stones." Harry glared at the bird, "But if you give her a target or two… She will do you proud, and ruin their day. She often would target one of my schoolyard rivals, until I was asked to make her stop."
Zeus snorted. "I can do that."
"Good. I will be needing that suite we were inquiring about. While I am here, John will be shadowing me. I only need it for three months in the summer, June through August, Christmas, and Easter breaks. I will be sending Hedwig a week ahead with my reservations."
"Very Good Sir." He flipped through his book. "I have a Suite on the third floor that I can give you until the first of Sept. That will cost you… Eight Coins." Harry stacked them in front of the man. Accepted the two keys from him and nodded to him. "I will take Hedwig with me tonight, I have a letter for her to deliver."
Harry followed John to the Lift, and up to the third floor. Harry passed one key to John once the grate had slid closed.
Kent joined them to the threshold. "I will make the Yard Available to you, in the Morning." She pulled one last twist from her case for Harry to light. "How Soon are you looking for Work?"
John looked at the boy. "Give me Forty-eight hours to test his skills and abilities. Then we will try a minor job. Something the others would rather skip as it is below them."
Kent nodded and headed to her Office.
The guys showered and got ready for bed.
Harry scratched out a note for Hermione and sent Hedwig into the night, before crawling into the double-sized bed and turning out the Lights.
PBPB
The Dawn found Hermione in her Neko-form 'Dancing' with Riddick. As not Danceboth were not pulling their attacks, Hermione demanded that they use wooden spoons as their blades.
"When we return to School or have a Witch to heal me when I lose, I dare not Play for keeps." She raised her left fist, showing the very Tattoos he had on his head. "Don't force me to Bind you."
Riddick growled, but decided that 'Bruises Teach, Wounds Kill'. He left her covered in bruises.
But she gave what she could, and before she noticed her audience, She spun-kicked the heavier guy ten feet into the Pool.
Bark.
"Jean!" Her Mother stood at the open glass door of the Dining room. "What Are You Doing?"
"Ah, Princess… Who is that Man?" Her Father was proud of his Daughter but … "And why the Cat-girl?"
Hermione sighs, "Riddick. Time out." She focused as she 'pulled' her Neko enhancements in. Riddick phased from sight. Hermione held her left arm out to the Owl who winged to her, groomed the mess of curls, and offered her the note in her talons. As she turned to her Parental units, she limped into the house. "Simple answer, that man is my Coach and Physical Defense Teacher." She eased herself into her chair.
"Jean," Emma gasped. "You are one big walking bruise!
"Good thing I have Bruise Cream." Hermione sighed. "But I will need to brew more this Afternoon." She read the note. "Do either of you know the Continental Hotel?"
Emma Granger nee Plunket raised an eyebrow. "It is at the end of Savile Row. Very expensive, very exclusive."
"Hmm." Hermione handed the letter to Emma. "Harry's Defense Coach took him to the Continental for his training."
Emma read the note before passing it to Dan. As he read it, Dan asked, "Harry asked me to take him to a few of my Shooting Clubs this Summer."
"That is because we are not to reveal our Coaches to anyone, nor mention that we have them. Part of the Secretary of the whole thing. It is just because you are bound by the secret, that I can tell you." Hermione lied. "He needs a cover for any skills he gains from his coach."
Dan frowned but nodded… There were a few gun clubs that he had the 'skills and marks' to enter, but could not justify the cost to Join, little alone to cover the yearly dues… but if he, or rather his baby-girl had a 'sugar daddy'... but they would need to find Emma a bribe…
Emma frowned. "Just what are you planning?"
"Kitten's new sugar daddy could help us expand our Club scene, but as you are not interested in the Shooting side of our Clubs…"
Emma hummed. "Jean, You said he was of their Peerage… is there any chance that His Titles roll over to our side?"
Hermione grinned, "I will need to do some research."
A Screech was the only warning Hermione had as a Tawny dropped into her back yard, leading a pack of owls caring things, two joined the Tawny on the Table, rest just piled stack of books after stack of book on the floor before exiting through the open glass door.
The tawny owl extended its Ankle to Hermione with a Hoot and a note.
HG
Got your parents an owl.
You get to tell the bird who it belongs to.
I included the basics of Owl Care.
HJP
PBPB
That morning Harry showered again, dressed in his new all-black silk clothing, roomy trousers, and a white button-down dress shirt. The Black vest hugged his chest but allowed him to move. Because he was not going to be using his wand, he left it on the side table. The double-breasted overcoat settled on his shoulders lighter than Hedwig touching down. Pulling his money pouch from his robes, he slid four Coins into each coin pocket of the vest, four on each side. He counted out another ten for his trouser pocket. He noticed a note from the Sommelier for a second 'Tasting' at Ten o'clock.
In the sitting room of the Suite, Harry found an impeccably dressed John. He handed the man the note.
John scanned it, nodded, and smiled at the lad. "So we see her at Ten."
"I also need to visit the Tailors." Harry turned to look at the bird perched on the curtain over the open French doors to the balcony. "When we ordered my suits, I forgot to get the shoulders covered in black leather, to give my lady something to grip." Looking at the rugged man, "I think it would just be easier to buy two or three new coats. Then I have something to wear when I expect her to be with me, and something for those times I want her nowhere near me… like when I am working."
"We will see if they can fit you in before the Sommelier," John noticed the state of the lad's sleeves. "We also need to get you a set or two of cufflinks." He headed for the door, "But first, let's get you fed."
Bark!
Harry, not even looking back at the snowy owl, extended his left arm. "Yes Dear, They will have Bacon." His arm only bobbed as the bird landed on his forearm, and climbed to his shoulder, the Lad never broke stride from when the Bird Barked to when he closed the door behind himself.
He followed John past the Front Desk out to an inner courtyard where Hedwig settled on the back of a wrought iron chair around an empty table. As Harry and John joined her, a man in a waiter's getup appeared at the table side.
John tapped the table with one finger, once. Harry palmed a Coin from his vest and walked it across his knuckles for a bit. Setting the Coin on the table before the waiter. "I am wanting something filling, but light for now. I was thinking… Graveyard Stew, four slices of a thick sourdough, double buttered, in hot buttered Whole Milk or Cream." he folded his hands, "Tea, Lord or Lady Grey preferred. The Lady will have six rashers of thick-cut bacon, and John?"
"Two Biscuits, split, buttered, and smothered in sausage gravy. A selection of fruit for two, and Coffee. Black."
The waiter nodded and vanished the Coin, before fading into the background.
"Interesting Order." Kent had arrived. Today she was dressed in a silk kimono. A sunset orange that bled into an azure ocean at her ankle-length hem. A Pearly white Asian Dragon wrapped around her left leg to the hip before clawing its way across her back to perch on her right shoulder, resting its whiskered head on her heaving bosom.
A silver-hilted Wakanashi in a dragon scale printed leather-covered sheath… the whole thing giving the visual of a Dragon ready to burst forth and slay everything about it.
She even wore iron wood gata on her tobi-covered feet but made no sound.
Hedwig hissed at the Woman.
"Hedwig," Harry admonished the Owl. "Be Nice. She is the one who gives me the money for your Bacon."
The Owl still glared at the woman.
A folder was slid across to Potter. "I have a cheap job. A Yakuza Thug has a stronghold in the South Docks. He has been disrupting the flow of cheap textiles of a Tong warlord. Most of the disruption is by importing drugs. The Tong have an agreement with the Irish and Welsh mobs that no one will import non medical class drugs." She pulled an Asian pipe from her obi, and after packing the small bowl, fit it between her lips. Harry frowned, focusing on the nugget of pressed shredded tobacco leaf mix, and snapped his fingers… The ball nugget glowed red as a tendril of smoke rose from the bowl.
She drew on her pipe and sighed. "I am tempted to just keep you for that trick alone." She pointed the bowl at the folder, and Harry opened it. "He employs local talent, so killing them will be frowned on, but if you must…"
Harry nodded. "Sometimes you gotta cut a bitch." he tapped the pic, "Anything special about the Target?"
"It can not be traced back to the Tong, Make it a real showcase special, and leave nothing of value in the stronghold."
Harry tapped the picture again. "When did you need this done?"
"Tomorrow evening?" She cocked her head, "Would like to get the pictures to prove it was done to the Contractee by dawn."
"Any objection to this going Public?" Harry looked at her. "A few pictures of a Thug hanging by his ankles, his chest cavity filled with his supply…" Harry turned the mug shot aside and looked at the artwork on the guy's back, "Maybe remove his Artwork, and have it Stretched and Tanned…"
"Wow." John leaned back. "That's a bit Dark."
Kent pulled the file around, "Get me the skin, and I will double your pay for this."
Their food was delivered, and as a growing lad, Harry dug in.
PBPB
Thirty minutes later Potter found himself riding down in the lift to the Tailors' shop. He was muttering a Line of Italian. John was setting up the shooting range so Harry could showcase his skills, and be judged on the areas he needed to improve.
The Italian was in the fitting area when Harry entered with Hedwig on his shoulder. He could see the Englishman in the 'Drafting Room' where built dummies to better fashion the coats and vests. Shifting the bird to the pants rack, "Mi scusi, mi ritrovo ad aver bisogno di un altro cappotto. Le spalle sono... incomplete." (Excuse me, I find myself in need of another Coat. The Shoulders are... incomplete.)
The Tailor was at his side almost instantly, inspecting the damage done by the bird's talons. "Yes, and you carry her often?"
"When I am not working, mostly." Harry scratched under her left wing. "She does not like the noise, nor the mess."
"And You want us to… what?" the man raised an eyebrow.
"New Coats, with the shoulder covered with a thick leather pad. Both shoulders or just the one… Black or Matching colour on the Coat… I leave that to my tailors to decide." He counted out five coins. "I am not needing them until the day after Tomorrow at the earliest. I refuse to rush perfection. If more is needed, either bill the room or send an invoice. I have an Interview set for Tomorrow." Leaving the Coins on the Table, he exited the room and headed upstairs.
He left Hedwig perched behind Zeus, as he trotted to his next appointment.
At the Sommelier, he followed her into the back room.
On a side table, she had a selection of revolvers on a cloth. Included among her offering was a Webly, a Colt Peacekeeper, a Colt Navy, and a Denix Scolfield. Harry extended his hand over the Webly but looked to the Black woman, who was wearing a 'rosa chiaro' pants suit before he picked up the weapon. He cocked it, uncocked it, and flipped it about, before replacing it on the cloth. He did the same for the other three.
"Sir?"
"The Scofield has the basic shape I am looking for. I prefer a single-round slide replacement, with a swing-out cylinder if I need to dump the whole load. A two-inch longer barrel, with ironwood grips." He looked at the Lady. "Is this possible? I won't need them until the Day after tomorrow, at the earliest. Remember that I will need four by this time next week." He Palmed two coins from his vest, setting them on the cloth-covered table. "I find myself in need of a good set of skinning blades. I can get them from outside… but I wanted to see what you could do. I will need them by lunch, tomorrow."
"I will have a doctor's bag waiting for you."
Harry nodded, bowed from the shoulders, and returned to the Atrium.
PBPB
Sirius Black, Aka Padfoot, jerked awake as a Lorrie screamed by on the blacktop highway. He had landed outside Coatbridge as a wizard, before pulling on Padfoot and crawling into the scrub to sleep the night away. The warm night weather he had experienced since he saw his pup that night, was warm enough that he did not need to worry. He was heading to Hogsmeade the long way, as his Magic was slowly refilling, and rebuilding.
He spent a few hours digging through the bins of the back streets of Coatbridge, as Padfoot. After quieting his rumbling belly, he trotted off to the North. He had to be outside of Hogwarts by the First…
PBPB
Dressed in her school uniform, Hermione drew her new, deep-pocketed Robe about her shoulders, and as she scratched the ears of the 'Orange Beast', exited the House. Crookshanks yeah, stretched, rolled over to sun-bake the other side, and drifted off.
Hermione stepped to the curb, checked her change pouch, and flicked her wand high. A Bang and the Purple Triple Decker Knight Bus squealed to a stop.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor today." The shabby conductor smiled at the girl before him. "Shift it, Love. We do have a schedule to keep."
He guided Hermione to a seat, an overstuffed 'tired man' chair that was more 'patch' than upholstery, where she handed Stan a Galleon and received her ticket and four Sickles in change. "The Leaky, my good man." She curled her feet under her and waited. Harry had warned her that nothing was bolted down.
The Bus did not so much jerk into motion as 'Jump to Warp' like that Yank show with that stared the womanising Captain … Jimmy T Dink?
But the Bus arrived at the Tavern in under five minutes. As she stepped off the bus, She frowned as she did the maths. Five Pounds Sterling got you a Galleon. A Galleon gave you Twenty-nine Sickles, and if you charged the thirtieth coin as the cost of the transaction… call it thirty silver. Now a third of that and the flick of your wand got you anywhere in England… Five divided by Three is … is One point Six-Six or rather One point Six-Seven. Now the Knight Bus was also a Travelling Inn in that during the night, you had the option to sleep on the bus, with a hot water bottle and a toothbrush in the morning. Still, to get anywhere in the Great Britain Isles, for under Two Pounds. Damn good Price, and add in that they would get you there within the Hour… the rough ride was worth it.
She took two steps toward the Tavern when a Black Cab pulled into the space where the bus was not two minutes before. The backdoor opened and Harry exited the vehicle and smiled as he spotted her. He was dressed in a black silk, double-breasted suit.
"Miss Granger." He led with a Draco-style greeting. "One would think you would be curled up with your new books."
"Mister Potter." She frowned at him, before deciding he was playing up the silk. "I got all but the one book I need for my research. A book on the Peerage." She smiled before glomping onto him in a 'Hermy-hug'. "Nice suit."
"John got me a summer job at the Continental Hotel. If I can swing it, I can also work during Christmas and Easter holis as well" Harry grinned at the girl.
"As What, a Janitor?" Hermione frowned.
"Something like that." Harry flashed her his roguish smile. "I am here to get a few things… Things that will improve my wanded skills from Places that I would like someone I can trust to watch my back."
Hermione frowned. "Knockturn?"
"I was going to drop through Borgin and Burkes, and hope they could point me in the right direction." Harry opened the door to the Leaky, and the two kids scurried through the mostly empty tap-room, to the back door, when after tapping the correct bricks they were in the Alley. His Suit drew the eyes as she was ignored. They turned down the dark alley of Knockturn, and after a couple of turns, found the Secondhand shop of repute. Harry led the way in. "Touch nothing if you can. There is no telling exactly what is on display."
Harry mimicked Malfoy's swagger to the counted where he tapped the bell. Burke exited the back room, before frowning at the boy. "What do you want… boy." the last was sneered.
Harry walked a Galleon coin across his knuckles. "I know that you and your partner are shady. I come here because you are shady." he slammed the coin on the counter, before walking another cross his knuckles of his other hand. "Now, I am looking for items that, if not illegal for me to own, are in a grey area of the Law." The second coin was stacked on the first as a third walked across his first hand. "But as dealers in the grey market, you and your partner would know where we could find said items. The loan of your wand would provide you with an oath that at this time, I am not with the DMLE." the third coin flipped and landed on the second almost perfectly.
The Shopkeeper licked his lips, as his eyes were glued to the stack of coins. "Not my wand, but I will take your offer for you are playing me straight. What are you needing?"
"Arm-holsters. But wanting something more than just a wand-holder." Harry licked his lips, "I also heard that the standard wands sold by ole Ollivander are the only ones with the 'Trace'."
"Five galleons, and you buy something from my shop." Burke glared at the boy.
"That black cabinet," Hermione said. "I have seen one just like it at the School…"
"That is an Escape Cabinet." Burke purred. "I know not where its twin resides, but with a little time and effort, you should be able to fix it up. Until it works, it is an heirloom from the now-dead Mckinnon Estate. It is listed for five hundred Galleons." He rubbed his hands, "but I can be talked down to three…"
"Two hundred, Banknote. You can have it delivered to one Miss Granger of Crowley." Harry stacked a total of six Coins, "And as far as the books are concerned, that is all you get."
Burke scratched out a delivery order form and a bank draft. Harry signed but kept the draft in hand. "My led to Trace free wands and holsters?"
"Benkin's Bedknobs, Batons, and Broomsticks" the grey goods merchant licked his lips. "He will see to all your needs."
"Looking for a book that links the Peerage of the Wizard World with that of the Muggle." Hermione slid a hand behind her back, gripping the hilt of her Ulac.
"I know of one or two." The shady wizard licked his split lips, "But they are not cheap."
Harry frowned as he turned back. "Define… not cheap."
"Fifty Galleons… Starting bid."
"Ten percent Finder's Fee, up to Five Hundred." Harry counted another five gold, setting it beside the first stack. "It goes beyond that price, you either eat it or send me a note." Harry turned and was three steps from the door when something caught his eye. "Mr. Burke! As a Broker of things some have and others might want. What is the Going Rate for a Dead Basilisk? Sixty feet long, five feet between the eyes, now ruined, estimated to be almost a thousand years old."
PBPB
TBC