Saturday morning, Susan awoke to a heavy weight on her chest… as opposed to the Weight that is normally on her chest.
Looking down, she saw a black nose under green eyes with bushy eyebrows looking at her.
"So… you really like laying your head on my chest, don't you?"
Woof
"So… you just had to run over here and snuggle up to the girls."
Whine.
"I need to get up, shower, get dressed." She glared at the Dog. "We are not at the point where you can join me…yet."
"Arf." And Snuggles crawled off the bed and pranced out of the Room.
"I swear, that boy is going to be the death of me." She struggled out of the comfy bed and hurried into the bath.
POMP
Harry turned human just before he hit the door to the kitchen. Once he was inside, he stood still.
"Tully Help sir." The Elf's tone made it clear that she wanted the Wizard gone.
"I want to cook for the Ladies. I think I have a few tricks of the trade to share. I have no authority to overrule you and I recognise that this is Your Kitchen. So I have to beg and barter for the opportunity to share my Art with my Fiancé."
"Cookbook." She stamped her foot daintily. "Tully's Price."
"Can it wait until tomorrow? Would like to cook breakfast for the ladies." Harry pressed.
"Big book." Tully stepped aside so Harry could enter her Kitchen.
Harry nodded as he headed to the ice box. After a quick peruse… "The Mistress prefers Coffee in the morning, correct?" He asked the Elf.
"Yes."
"And little miss?"
"Pends on her mood."
"Am torn between omelet and egg bath toast." He turned to look at the Elf. "Don't want to be wasteful, but I also want to showcase my skills."
"What they don't eat, Tully feed Piggy."
"Now… is there anything they don't like?"
" Tinned Fish."
Harry wrinkled his nose. "Okay. You want to help?" Harry pulled items out of the fridge. "I will need two russet potatoes about the size of your feet, an onion the size of your fist, and a head of garlic."
As the Elf rushed to get the requested items, Harry took an old hambone and judging it good but dry, he started cutting thick slices from the bone and then cubing them. He set the two wedges of cheese aside, as he counted the eggs. Eight. Let's look at the bread… a day old baguette. Perfect. He sliced the loaf into inch and half sections and set them to dry a bit further.
Tully returned with her arms full. Tossing them into the air… they touched down in the centre of the island. Pulling a pair of drawers from the island that were lidded, she hopped up to stand waist high to the counter.
Harry took a minute to look at it. "Nice. Dobby and Winky will like it when I copy it for the Townhouse."
At her look of confusion, Harry explained. "Dobby. House Potter Elf. Winky, House Black Elf, now that Kreature has been made Gampy."
"Kreature made Gampy?" Tully's ears quivered. "Thought Black killed Elves."
"They did. The new Lord Black doesn't waste resources like Elder Elves. Kreature served House Black with Honour and Dignity. He will die of old age, or by request." Harry rolled the russets at her, "wash these, water and clean brush or rag." He took the Onion, peeled the outer layer off and thinly sliced it. "Now shred the potatoes with the skins on and soak the results in water. We are leeching the starch from the potatoes."
Harry skinned two cloves of garlic and slivered them.
In a skillet, a drizzle of oil, half of the sliced onion and the garlic. He tossed in the cubed ham and covered the skillet. After thirty seconds he removed the lid and using a wooden paddle, he stirred the whole mess. Seeing the onion and garlic caramelizing, he nodded and set the lid back and set the skillet aside.
In a wide shallow bowl he mixed four eggs and a cup of milk. A little spice and he set it aside to rest. As he did everything, he talked to the Elf about what he was doing and why.
"Now we start on the Coffee. You know how she likes it, so I will leave it to you." Harry smiled at the Elf. He really enjoyed working with the Little Folk. As Tully worked her magic, Harry watched while he placed a skillet on the fire and drizzled a little bit of oil.
Once the coffee was brewed and pressed, he returned to the stove. He tested the dryness of the bread… before he placed as many as he could into the egg custard bath. He gave them a ten second count before he inverted them. Another ten count and he added the soaked bread to the frying pan. Again a ten count and invert. Ten count and plate. Repeat until the bread and custard are used up. The plate of toast was charmed, covered, and set aside.
They heard the ladies in the dining room, so Harry had Tully shred the cheese as he took the sauted the sliced onion with the cubed ham and tossed them to judge their doneness.
He strained the potatoes and in the biggest skillet, oiled and brought to heat. A handful of shredded potatoes, and fresh onion, pressed flat, and then flipped. Repeated until the bowl was empty.
"Next time we do this… I think a sausage gravy would be nice." Harry began on the omelets. Eggs, whisked, into the hot oiled skillet. Covered for a count of twenty, a handful of one cheese, the ham onion mix, and a handful of the other cheese. He then folded the egg bed over and onto a plate. A small handful of the cheeses cover the plate. He repeated the process.
He saved a bit of egg from both omelets so he could make a sample for Tully.
While he allowed the Elf to serve the Witches, he followed the rule of House Black: No dogs in the kitchen. He exited the kitchen and became Snuggles. He followed his nose and found the Bones witches staring at the food.
"Tully… why the…" Amelia waved at the spread.
"Miss Su-Su's Dog do this." Elf pulled her ear. "Did Tully do Wrong?"
"No!" Amelia was quick to reassure the Elf. "But you might have competition in cooking if this is as good as it looks." She rubbed the Elf's head. "Did you enjoy watching him?"
"He taught Tully many things. He would make a good Elf." Tully leaned into the hand on her head.
Snuggles whined just before he laid on the floor and watched the two witches eat his cooking.
Amelia hummed as she tried a bit of everything. "Well, we know that he can fight and cook. Now if he performs in the bedroom as good as he does everything else… I might just have to challenge you for him."
Snuggles growled.
Sue blushed. "Aunty! I already have to share him with four others."
"What's this?" The eyebrow not over the Monocle rose.
"He is Contracted to Greengrass through Black and you heard about his tussle in the Bank. You were there when Hannah relayed Longbottom's adventure with him." She stabbed her omelet. "Besides, I thought I overheard you say something about breaking a Grim to led?"
Amelia choked on a bite of french toast. "Where did you hear that?"
"You and Auntie Connie were drinking after everyone but Hannah went home last week."
Amelia turned to the Fu dog. "Repeat any of that and I will see you neutered, Heirs or no."
Snuggles whined and crossed his massive paws over his nose.
The Elf chuckled.
POMP
After Breakfast, Sue wanted to go to the Alley. Amelia wanted her to be protected. Sue countered with having her Fu walk with her. Amelia didn't think that was a good idea, the Dog couldn't go everywhere Sue was.
Harry, after returning to human form, asked if he could escort her… after having Tonks meet them in the Leaky Cauldron.
Amelia agreed.
As Sue ran off to get dressed, her Aunt gave Harry the evil eye. "Just what are your plans for Susan?"
"Life… fat, pregnant, and in the bedroom." Harry answered with a straight face. "Today, shopping, ice-cream, and help finding certain books in veris stores across the Alley. If time and witch are willing, a bit of polite kissing."
"Have you no shame in the fact that you just told me that you plan to grope my baby-girl… in public no less, and think I won't be upset."
"I was hoping." Harry stood stiffly as any of her rookies. "Should I have omitted certain facts when you know that I plan to enjoy your niece in every way she will let me?"
"Do you not fear me?"
"Fear is a big word. But after a Basilisk, a Werewolf, and a Nesting Mother Dragon… the Law Enforcement Commander is respected but not feared." He licked his lips, "Now I mishandle her, then you are to be feared… right after the other witches.
"Other Witches?" her eyebrow raised.
"Greengrass, Granger, and the Patils. That's a Slytherin, a Ravenclaw, a Gryffindor, and a Muggleborn that almost caused a hat-stall between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Only her blood status prevented her from being in Slytherin. Trust me. My joke about you disappearing me… that will only happen if I manage to escape them. When enraged they Will make Bella look sane."
"And you still play these games?"
"Aunt Amelia." Harry smiled at her. "They knew before I did. Also I am a Seeker. I am good as long as I stay in the air."
"Go get Tonks. We will meet you at the Leaky Cauldron." Harry nodded and headed to the foyer, and turned into the void.
POMP
…And exited into the Townhouse Foyer to find Black leaning on the Door as he was Talking to Albus.
"... We need a place for Harry to come to when he gets finished with the blood wards… Harry, what are you doing here?" Albus was caught on the back foot.
"Hey Al, I live here with my Guardian." Harry smiled at the bearded man. "Are you asking for permission to hide the Order here?"
Albus gaped.
"If he will leave his wand on the tray on the side table, we can ask Madam Black."
"Walburga died years ago !" Albus finally got his gears up to speed.
"Yes. But Cissi has come home." Sirius smiled at the old man. "What do you think, pup?"
"Meals before and after the meetings would give the Elves Work to do, when they are not abusing Dobby." Harry shrugged. "Where is Tonks? I need her in her official capacity."
"After breakfast, she went back to bed." Sirius looked at the Lad. "What are you planning to do?"
"Publicly manhandle a redhead, pick up some books, buy some ice cream… kill a few pureblood inbreds." He plastered a big smile on his face, "You know… a killer Saturday Afternoon. Remember, Cissi gets final say!" He turned and bounded to, and up, the stairs.
"But What about the Blood Wards?" Albus cried in dismay.
"Well, as the Pup said, you have to ask Madam Black, and she is doing the Tea Circuit right now." The Animagus smiled. "I will let her know that you called. You wouldn't happen to have a calling card?" He slammed the door in the Headmaster's face before the man could answer.
He followed the pup up the stairs and found him leaning on the wall next to the room Dora had moved into.
"So…public manhandling the Director's niece. Ballsy."
"Only if Su-su doesn't want me to." Harry smiled, "I was thinking about having Padfoot sent for remedial training. I think the Director and her top lieutenant would have some fun breaking him to harness."
"You are saying something without saying anything." Sirius glared at the lad.
"I can't say anything, because a threat has been made to my Bloodline."
"Okay, you lost me." Rough looking Rouge frowned.
Tonks, dressed in shredded denim pants a size too small and a halter top two sizes too small, with her army surplus boots, her Dragonhide Robes over her arm, opened the door. "How thick are you?" She snorted, "Bonesy wants to fuck your brains out of your ears. This mutt heard her, and she threatened to cut him off…"
"Sorry pup, but how are you going to get out of this one?" Sirius smiled at Harry. "I don't think she is going to go easy on you."
"Easy, I leave you hog-tied, ball gagged, and naked on her bed with a bottle of wine, a dozen roses, and two boxes of chocolates."
"You wouldn't." Sirius fell back against the wall opposite Harry and Tonks.
"Try me." Harry smiled at the man. "I nothing to lose in this, and it will teach you not to mess with your Lord."
POMP
Tonks rolled out of the Floo, before sidestepping. Amelia raised her eyebrow…just before Harry exited and took a step further.
"Interesting exit strategy." The Director asked, "What brought about the reason?"
"My Matrix shifts randomly if I am not holding a form. His core is… and it throws him through the Floo faster and harder than anyone else. The roll bleeds his velocity, and allows for my Matrix to align after I have exited. Plus it puts us beyond the spot where anyone is waiting to ambush us as we exit."
"Constant Vigilance." Harry popped off loudly.
Both Aurors went for their wands as they looked about.
"Don't do that!" Tonks hissed. "He likes to ambush his trainees."
"He still ambushes me when I am not in the office." The Director adjusted her Robes. "I will need the Grim, Monday morning."
"Which reminds me, I need to know your favourite Wine, Roses, and Chocolates."
Amelia turned to glare at him. "You told him."
"Yes and no." Harry swallowed and grinned. "Teasing got out of hand, but he was confused until our watchdog spelled it out for him." Harry glared at the Rookie. "In Big. Block. Letters."
"Thinking that he had the lad over a Barrel, the wanker pushed it, asking for a bribe for his silence… The brat offered to hogtie him, leave him wearing only a ball gag across your bed with a bottle of wine, flowers, and chocolates."
"You would do that to your only family?" The Bones Regent drew back.
"To save my stones… Yes!"
"And they say Bella is cold." Tonks hissed to Susan.
"Snuggles. Heel." Susan commanded and Harry was at her side before he knew what happened.
Amelia raised her eyebrows. "Was that him just obeying her or was he running from me?"
"Yes." Tonks grinned at her Boss. "But mostly his dog is obeying its mistress. Something about the method used brings the animal closer to the wizard. I got to go." Tonks jogs after the teens.
Amelia shook her head and headed into the office.
Tonks caught up to the two teens as they walked along the alley aimlessly.
"I need to step into the Bank for a minute." Harry smiled at the girl. "Then need to acquire books on marriage law and customs in Magical Britain. Hermione will need to start reading up on it all. Is there anything you want that I can buy for you? Then before we head home, I was thinking that I could see if you wanted a bespoke wand."
"A bespoke wand?" Sue hissed. "Those are expensive!"
"A bit pricey, but as they are bespoke, they can work better than your Olivander's wand, but they don't have the trace. So… of course they will be a bit more than Olivander's."
"Let me think about it." Sue snuggled into the arm she was hugging.
As they climbed the steps to the Bank, a goblin looked him over… and sneered.
"Keep your wand in your pocket, Wizard."
"And my Staff?" Harry asked the Goblin.
"You think you can take me?" The short brute grinned, showing his teeth.
"You… here… now…" Harry smiled back. "Not with only the Staff. But I probably could without a spell." He clashed his forearm against the Goblin's. "But I don't want to spend the whole night washing our blood out of my beard." He allowed the Fu to change his eyes.
The Goblins' eyes went wide. "You said our blood…"
"Oh, I am betting that I will win. But it will be close and very bloody." Harry smiled again at the Goblin. "A pyrrhic victory at best."
"Collapsing the Warren to win." the short warrior nodded. "You Honour me with your words."
"As you Honour the Nation." Harry offered his hand to the warrior.
TBC