Snape's Fairy

BOBBLES AND CATS

Six days after the Malfoys had visited the Dursley household, Harry had yet to be taken shopping for a more presentable formal outfit. Therefore it had to be done that day, the day before the Malfoys would return for the already completed pitcher and vase, or risk possibly offending their valued customers.

At some point during the night it had rained, filling the Dursley tree with the rich smell of moist earth and flourishing moss. Unfortunately, due to the rain disproportioning the content of oxygen in the soil, it would be unwise and uncomfortable to go through the underground tunnel system to reach the fairy market. This meant that they would either have to make the journey another day or fly into the perilous open air.

Not that Harry really minded because he often enjoyed the unfiltered air and sunshine more than his family did, despite his pale skin giving evidence to the contrary. And he especially loved it on the rare occasions where he could put his wings to the test; the last time he had made a long distance journey was years ago.

However, his Aunt Petunia was flustered by this minor inconvenience. It was as if in her mind the weather was personally against her, especially when she was to be the one who escorted the… boy… to the market while Vernon and Dudley went to ‘check’ the honeysuckle supply nearby. Already she was complaining about being exposed to the elements during the flight. Her wings could be dripped on from the remaining water, her hair could be mussed, and her outfit could wrinkle before she even got to the market.

However, this was necessary for Harry would not be able to go alone. As she had put it to his Uncle yesterday, “Who knows what could happen to the boy if ‘he’ were to go alone! Some creature might catch him if he were to stray from the route and then where would WE be! Or someone might accidently see his little… deformity… and take him as their whore WITHOUT PAYING US for his lost services or sending him back to us WITH a child. How would we explain that to the community and Duddy?”

That was why Harry was currently standing next to the front door, dressed in an ugly dull-brown tunic and trousers set that was splattered with clay and glaze, shifting from foot to foot as he watched with hungry eyes the bits of food that his uncle and cousin left as they dug into their ‘light’ breakfast. Emerald eyes watched apathetically as his aunt entered the room to serve the two a second helping. He’d seen the scene too often to care.

Aunt Petunia wrapped her thin arms and dull green wings as much as possible around the massive bulk of her son. “My Duddy’s such a sweet boy helping his father.” Dudley of course was not paying her the least bit attention, choosing instead to shove sage leaves, moss, and diced dried strawberry as big as his head down his throat as quickly as possible. He only complained when his mother leaned too much on his ugly brown-green wings.

Aunt Petunia looked up and saw Harry standing in the doorway. “Don’t look so impatient you ungrateful Boy. Exactly like your mother think the world must revolve around you. A few minutes of waiting builds character.

“Mom, you did promise you would buy me THREE new outfits that are even better than Harry’s, right?” Dudley asked, spraying bits of food across the table. The irony of his cousin and aunt’s words was not lost on him.

“Of course, my darling. And I’ll even see if they have some leaf-caps that could make you look even more dashing when you go looking for a girl next summer. I hear leaf-caps are all the rage now in the Fairy Court.”

Uncle Vernon shook his head. “It might go out of fashion by then. Besides, I hate those caps I see those children wear when I sell goods at market.”

At this Dudley turned on his most frequent whine. “But DAD I want it! All the other boys will have one.”

“I didn’t see that Draco boy wearing one last week,” Uncle Vernon replied, shoveling another bite of dried strawberry down his throat. “If the son of the most powerful noble doesn’t wear one, then they must not be all that popular.”

Dudley thought about that for the space of a minute before saying, “I guess.”

Aunt Petunia, obviously hoping to distract Dudley from sulking, said, “I must be off now, Duddy-kins before the humans become too active. Remember to be safe when you are with Daddy.” She then turned her attention back to Harry. “Well, come on you lazy boy and don’t dawdle. If a cat catches you don’t expect my help!”

------

It was still early in the day when the duo arrived at the Fairy Market, but everything looked as though it had been set up for a few hours and the marketplace was swarming with people and their pet or helper insects.

The people came in every shape and color, many with dull green or brown wings and others with bright red, orange, and yellow like autumn leaves. Then there were some with lavender, light blue, the noble silver (like the Malfoys), or the two with multi-colors like Harry’s wings. Harry’s current view from the air made his blurry vision perceive them almost as moving wildflowers with their gloriously different wings and brightly colored outfits. Harry hovered a little in the air as his aunt dove down. Their movements were beautiful and graceful, especially when they would occasionally fly upward in Harry’s direction, before descending to another trading booth on the other side of the market. It was like watching an endless swirl of flowers dancing on the wind.

The insects that they were using ranged from the pest management bugs like the ladybug, heavy lifters like ants, and to the dangerous and beautiful insects like the dragonfly. Their movements followed that of their master’s as often as possible.

“What did I say about dawdling, Boy!” Aunt Petunia yelling into his ear, the shock making him falter slightly on his wings before his aunt gripped his wrist with all the strength of a pileated woodpecker’s tail feathers and pulled him into a descent to the ground where there was a slight gap in the crowd and then pulling him the rest of the way to a booth where the table was littered with clothes of all colors. “I found him,” she called to the merchant who was currently assisting someone else.

From the back, Harry noted the long gray hair that nearly swept the floor with its length and the vender’s somewhat shriveled looking dull red wings that were in contrast to the rather eccentric design of his deep and bright blue swirl outfit. As the figure turned around Harry also observed the elderly fairy had a gray beard that matched the long hair in the back. Harry briefly mused if the elderly fairy had ever been mistaken for nesting material by birds.

Instead of flashing the look of distain at him that Harry expected from someone of his aunt’s acquaintance, the man gave him a genuinely warm and welcoming smile, aged and twinkling eyes raking him as though Harry were his grandson and he was evaluating his growth. “Ah, our young potter? I remember your parents fondly. I even have a few of your father’s designs in my house.” The man reached over and held up his chin gently, unlike the forceful jerk Lord Malfoy had inflicted on him a week earlier. “You were only seven when I last saw you, two years after you came to live with Petunia here. You’ve changed so much. But you have your mother’s height I fear.”

Aunt Petunia, not liking the man’s sole attention on Harry one bit, piped up in her shrill and gratingly sweetest voice. “Albus, we are here to get him a formal outfit. Something green maybe? We live too close to the humans to chance any colors that may attract unwanted attention.”

‘Albus’ evaluated Harry’s small form from head to toe, having the boy turn slowly. “I’m afraid there is very little silk I have in stock in his size and I doubt I would find green outfit that matches those beautiful eyes.”

Petunia huffed. “It does not have to look good on him. It just needs to be fashionable for when we are entertaining clients.”

Albus thought long and hard, gazing at Harry to the point of making him uncomfortable. “I think I have just the thing.” The man knelt briefly underneath the booth, rummaging through what sounded like a few boxes. When he finally reappeared, he was holding a gorgeous silver outfit with so much green embroidery that it looked, if one were not looking closely, that the outfit was made of two dyed silks sown together. The green was just slightly different from the color of his eyes, just a shade darker. Harry barely contained his gasp. “This may not be the current fashion because I’ve had this for years but I believe this should impress your clients.”

Petunia pursed her lips. “Then it can’t be all that expensive, correct?”

“No, it is only two iron pence more than a regular outfit.”

“Then we will take it.”

Albus smiled. “Perhaps the boy should try it out first.”

“Very well,” Petunia agreed. “Boy, go to the changing room behind the silk curtain and let us see you when you are done.”

Albus smiled encouragingly at his as he held the precious outfit out to him and Harry gripped it firmly with his hands, holding it in amazement while he walked slowly to the curtain. A few minutes later he emerged. The outfit fit with a few centimeters of growing room. It was perfect and from the mirror he knew he looked gorgeous in it. It made his eyes seem brighter and the many colors in his wings more distinct.

Petunia looked up briefly from where she was browsing through huge outfits for Dudley, pursed her lips in what Harry almost thought was jealousy, and said, “It will do.” She forgot to tell him to take off before returning to shopping for her precious Dudley, leaving Harry to stand there for hours before she finally decided on TEN new outfits rather the three she had said earlier, all of which were up to the current fashion.

Right before they left, after paying Albus slipped something red and shiny into the pocket of Harry’s new outfit and whispered quickly and quietly, “It was your mother’s. Its magic will help you and your future husband.”

Harry was startled by the fact that Albus knew of his deformity, but his aunt did not notice and merely shouted at him to hurry up. Harry stole one last glance and saw the pale eyes gazing at his with such foreknowledge it was unnerving.

When Harry was certain his aunt was not looking, he pulled the red bobble from his pocket. At first glance he thought it was a necklace but the tiny combs on the side disillusioned that. It was a headlace with many delicate beads and a large oval pendant in the center. He remembered this one being his mom’s favorite. But how would it help him find a husband?

He was so distracted with those thoughts he didn’t hear his aunt yell ‘Cat’ until it was too late and it had him by his arm.

TBC

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