Plots

3. Plots

Cho was certain the readers were interested in more exciting material than a whining Pansy Parkinson and her straying kitten.

"I've been set on the Malfoys."

A revelation.

She spat out the words. "I was tracking the Parkinsons, but the senior staff decided the Parkinsons were the major threat and assigned their 'most promising agent' to them, moving me to a 'less demanding' position."

Severus remembered that, two weeks ago, Padma had been irked that she had been given the tepid Parkinsons while other agents got to tangle with the Malfoys, but now was not the time to be pedantic about consistency. He asked, "What happened?"

"The Parkinsons foolishly placed protective wards around the valuables they had to leave behind, and hence, our agents knew exactly where to look," said Padma, "but one of the wards, the one around the pantry, has already sent two of our best curse-breakers to the mental ward."

"Oh my," said Severus, evincing great sympathy. "Any hope for their recovery?"

Padma sadly shook her head no. "The most recent diagnosis is that their minds are caught in some kind of infinite loop."

"An infinite loop that paradoxically spirals deeper and deeper," said Severus

"How did you know that?" asked a surprised Padma.

Severus mentally kicked himself, but recovered by saying, "One hears rumors, especially about unusual and previously-unknown maladies."

Padma sighed. "Our security is not what it should be."

"Perhaps we should burn a never-ending candle for the curse-breakers," he said, "one that spirals deeper and deeper into itself."

"A good idea," said Padma. "I keep forgetting that you're a master of all the arts. But that gives me an idea. We could team up and catch the wizard who cast those spells. He's the most wanted sorcerer in all of wizard Britain. We could be famous."

Severus changed the topic. "The Holidays are almost upon us."

Padma sighed again. "'Almost upon us' is a good way of putting it."

Theo had caught Cho's smirk and concluded he had been left with the dull back story.

"It's really you. Is it really you?"

"I'm me, no doubt about it," he had replied.

It had been a Saturday in early autumn, and Severus had been enjoying the nippy weather at a sidewalk café when a lady had stopped in front of his table. After such an initial, informative exchange, he had felt he had to invite her to sit and to order a coffee for her. Who was she? What godawful thing from his past would she dredge up?

After she had realized he didn't recognize her and after she had attributed it to shock trauma, she had introduced herself as Padma Singh nee Patil. It had gradually come out that she was excited about meeting a hero of the second wizard war. As she had talked about the other heroes, he had slowly come to a realization. Pansy and her parents had also considered him a hero of the war, but comparing the different stories, he had come to the conclusion that Pansy and her parents believed him to be a hero for the side that had opposed Padma and company.

Had he been all things to all people? He would have to check this out.

In his eagerness to learn more, he had listened intently to Padma. In his appreciation of her as quite the dish, he had complimented her on her role in the conflict. As a result, she had insisted they meet again next Saturday. He had agreed. It had been a long time since he had sampled Lavender.

The editor could see where the young writers were heading, but the text needed a boost to propel the plot forward.

Of all the things that bring people together is not the most binding a combination of passion and mutual advantage, a mix that satisfies our deep yearning for a meaningful personal life and our desire for position and respect among our fellows, and does not the interaction of these two forces both propel each toward a satisfactory realization while, at the same time, enriching all outcomes to the point that minor irritations and small conflicts are smoothed over and obstacles, both major and minor, are overcome with such alacrity that even those involved are surprised at what they accomplish, and is not such an arrangement so desirable that when presented an opportunity the ones offered such a chance will ignore all counter arguments and all contrary evidence to seek this very gem of existence, and is it not the case that their determined pursuit to form such a union, despite obstacles, comprises a major part of the impetus that produces success.

Dang, that's good, thought Biff. A hard act to follow.

Friday afternoon arrived like the 4:15 Express bringing relatives one has never met.

"Do you think she'll come? It's only for tea. I fixed Darjeeling. Do you think she'll like it? It's my favorite. She won't want to put milk in it, will she? We only have candied orange peel and two kinds of biscuits. They'll go well with the tea. Do you think I should have got candied pineapple instead?"

There was a knock on the door, and Severus left Padma to her fretting to admit Mrs. Malfoy who entered, accepted a seat on the sofa and a cup of tea, and asked, "Is this a trap?"

"On the contrary," said Severus.

"In that case, let me pour a cup for you, darling," Mrs. Malfoy said to Mrs. Singh, "and by all means, sit beside me and tell me your plans for proceeding against me and my family."

"Nothing is secret anymore," complained Padma.

"We do have plans for proceeding against you," said Severus, "and we were hoping you would like them."

Severus and Padma were eager to tell Cissy about having sold a plan of community service to the government. The Malfoys were to fund several public works projects and provide low-cost loans to businesses devastated by the recent conflict. Mrs. Malfoy was rather cool about the proposals even though the pair stressed that the cost of community service would be no greater than legal fees and confiscation of Malfoy properties. Mrs. Malfoy was more combative than they had assumed.

Severus and Padma, however, had another card to play, and they dealt it like the joker in a high-stakes round of seven card stud. The Malfoy family could give grants. Brit wizard society had about a dozen first-class Potion Masters and about twice as many first-class jewelers. The post-war economic slump had hit them hard, and some generosity could secure their services and create a monopoly position.

Mrs. Malfoy perked up. "That has possibilities. Severus and the Patil family can operate the enterprise behind a front, and no one will know they are the beneficiaries."

Severus had prepped Padma. Mrs. Malfoy would not believe their offers were sincere unless he and Padma benefitted from the arrangement. Now, he was thinking that the prep was unnecessary. Cissy's suggestion of a clandestine operation had Padma's eyes shining like a girl discovering bad boys.

As the conversation proceeded, Cissy and Padma insisted that Severus join them on the sofa instead of sitting alone and aloof in his chair. The two moved closer as the discussion proceeded. By the time everyone agreed they should adjourn, think things over, and meet tomorrow, the two girls were almost upon a boy whose badness remained to be plumbed.

Throughout the discussion, Severus had been absently-mindedly agreeing with whatever Cissy and Padma were enthusing over while dividing his time between comparing their breasts and observing the pulsing veins in their throats.

"Oh, Severus, being with you is great," said the girls. "You treat us like real people."

Bloody hell, thought Severus.

Theo saw his chance to leap in with some twisty and raunchy stuff the story desperately needed.

As Severus waited for the pair the next morning, Pansy's overdose kicked in. He had been thinking of going Masai: Keep a herd of cows and have blood for breakfast, milk for lunch, and raw meat for dinner. As he reviewed his options, he was thinking Cissy and Padma had all of the above. And they looked better and smelled better than cows.

No, no, no, raged Severus, appalled at where his thoughts had taken him. What was that saying, "Better to light a single candle than rage against the darkness"? But he didn't have a single candle in the house. He raged against his lack of foresight.

While Theo fetched more coffee, Cho read his effort and scoffed. No mere wizard could match the female mind for twisty and raunchy.

Mrs. Singh arrived early the next morning and fussed over the tea and biscuits until Severus insisted she sit quietly on the sofa while he fixed her a hot chocolate. She was almost calmed when the message arrived, complete with profuse apologies, that Mrs. Malfoy was unavoidably detained because of domestic complications. For reasons beyond his understanding, Padma's distress distressed him, and he sat beside her on the sofa, took her hand, and assured her that nothing was lost for, after all, were not her opinions, free of any caution she might feel around Mrs. Malfoy, imminently worth listening to. His heightened senses detected a warming and softening that seemed to reach to the young lady's core which made him bold enough to suggest they spend the day making scenic trips that would relax them and let them consider all the options from a fresh perspective. For reasons beyond his understanding, Padma's return smile warmed and softened him to the core.

Padma wanted to start with the Holiday decorations in London which Severus found himself enjoying and that worried him. It was a sign that he was continuing to undergo ominous transformations.

As they were relaxing with a spiced cider, Padma leaned closer and mentioned that she and Cissy were impressed by his knowledge of herbs for aphrodisiacs and pain killers.

Was that what we were talking about while I was mesmerized by the pulsing veins in their throats? he wondered.

"And we liked your suggestion about using the potion and jewelry masters to produce high-end cosmetics and accessories for the non-wizard population," she said.

I must have done some inspired muttering while I was staring at their boobs, thought Severus. Go me.

They were on a cliff, sipping wine and watching the waves crash ashore, when Padma, looking a bit flushed and wistful, said, "This is like something people do with my sister."

"Your sister?" he asked.

"She's the sociable and pretty one," said Padma. "I met my husband at her wedding. He was the best man"

It flashed through his mind that Padma's husband might have been hoping that Padma was like her sister. He said, "I can't imagine making these arrangements with the Malfoys with your sister."

Padma smiled. "Are you saying drab, studious people have their uses?"

"Drab? The Malfoys are dangerous people." He plunged ahead. "And attractive people, and you did not come off looking second best yesterday."

Did he really just say what I thought I heard, wondered Padma.

"Do you think Cissy's domestic complication was Lucius?" asked Padma.

"Making a quick visit from wherever he's hiding in France?" added Severus.

"Now's the time to have a raid," said Padma. She giggled. "We could catch him with his pants down." She smirked. "And hers too."

Padma was thinking that when her husband returned home, his interest was in what was for dinner. She had attributed that to her drabness, but this wizard was saying she wasn't drab.

Padma couldn't stop her speculations. "Do you think she greeted him at the front door? Do you think they got past the foyer?"

"Maybe he snuck in the back entrance," suggested Severus.

"Oh, what a bad boy," said Padma.

Images of Cissy mounted from behind ran through Padma's mind – Cissy moaning and turning sloppy wet as Lucius plied his ivory rod; Cissy clutching the sheets as she came for him. She wondered how she would look if Severus mounted her from behind. With his ivory rod sliding in and out, turning her wet and making her wiggle. Would she finally experience coming for a wizard? Would he hold her hips and pound into her until she surrendered? Would he exalt as she did peaches and cream for him? Would he cuddle her afterward?

"But maybe Lucius is a romantic soul," Severus was saying, stretching out on his cloak.

"Maybe he would gently approach Cissy," said Severus, reaching up and stroking Padma's hair.

"Perhaps he would be gradual," said Severus, letting Padma stretch out beside him.

"Slow and gentle," said Severus, coaxing Padma into snuggling.

"Letting Cissy express herself," said Severus, letting Padma caress him.

"Being a loving partner," said Severus, receiving Padma's deep, yearning kisses.

"A true companion for all time," said Severus, feeling Padma's warm and soft body against his, watching her hair become undone.

Padma was concluding it was just the wine and he couldn't be looking at her like that and she couldn't be forgetting where she was and she couldn't be thinking the things that she would never think.

I will unpin my hair and let it cascade, around my shoulders it will cascade, and he will stare speechless, as speechless as me at what is happening, as devoid of words as a young girl who aches, who aches as she never has before, where she thought she would never ache, and my hair will spread across the pillow, splayed across the sheets, and the young girl splayed across the sheets, awaiting his hands, his hands that led me here, led me with light touch and shining eyes, and my eyes will shine, shine at his light touch, the touch that reaches deep, deep into places that would forever be secret, places that were secret from me, the deeps I never thought I had, touching me deeply, forever deeply, forever touched, and he will look at me, and I will look at him, and he will see me looking, looking at how he is looking at me, how he is looking at me as I thought no one ever would, as he touches me as I thought no one ever would, and I will touch him, touch him with everything, with all that I have, all my deep places, all my secret deep places, he will know, and I want to touch him deeply for if I cannot I will go mad, mad with the deep emptiness of his not touching me, of his not looking at me, not seeing me, but he will, I know he will for otherwise the world would have existed for nothing, and nothing will be for me, but he will, and nothing I have will be secret, and it will be deep, and all once thought gross shall be beautiful, and all once thought lost shall be found.

Prompt from MuseAmusant: Candied orange peel, dried herbs, a candle