Kinktober Completion: 6 of 31
Preview of Day 5: Body Modification
This will make my first entirely SFW piece of the challenge! (Last month, roughly a third of my works wound up SFW XD)
April 6th, 1895âa Saturday, and by technicality, the first day of Easter break for Hogwarts that year. A sign hangs in the window of Spintwitchesâs door, proclaiming: Back in Ten Minutes. Inside, a transaction many months in the making is reaching its conclusionâŚ
Door shut and locked, Albie strides past his two of his least favorite, but most lucrative customers. âAfter several prototypes, I think we can finally put this to bed. Or to leg, I suppose. âWhatâs left of it anyway.â
With his crutch jammed under an arm, Aesop clears his throat, pressing, âThe details, Mr. Weekes?â
âOf course, if youâre going to be stodgy about it,â Albie huffs. Disappearing briefly into the shopâs larger-within backroom, he returns with a long item, swaddled and partially bent. Laying it out on the counter, he unwraps the cloth. Within lies the fruits of their labors: a surprisingly handsome prosthetic leg. Smooth wood, sanded and polished. Metal fixtures, clean and dark. Leather, flexible and strong. Itâs a gorgeous creation, and the sight of it stills Aesopâs breath as he surveys the length of it. Itâs done. Itâs his and itâs ready and if their collective efforts hold solid, it should change his life.
Before he can reach out to touch, Albieâs hand overshoots his, warding him off.
âNow, before I let you paw all over it like some filthy old man grabbing thighs in a private theater box, my preface warning is that most of this is hazel. In broommaking, itâs excellent for precision and handlingâso should this function the way I've imagined, the choice should be a boon.â
Aesop raises an eyebrow. Barred from action, he leans heavily on the counterâs edge. âAnd the hypothetical downside?â
âAh,â Albie adjusts his glasses. âIn wandmaking, itâs a really sensitive wood with a penchant for absorbing and discharging energy unpredictably. This is especially true for wielders with tempers.â
At Aesopâs side, Teodoro does a poor job at suppressing a giggle. Aesop knocks him gently with an elbow, only to get one in return.
Staring flatly, Albie mirrors Aesopâs earlier annoyance with an unenthused âahemâ. Caught red-handed like misbehaving children, the pair shuffle a few inches apart.
âAs I was saying,â Albie continues, âshould this channel any sort of ambient hissyfit, you might run afoul of issues, up to and including explosive fire hazards.â
âFire hazards?â Aesop's brows vault up into his hairline. That hadnât been in the briefing.
Unbothered, Albie nods. âLet me finish. Considering all the trouble that follows Teodoro like a bad smell, and for that matter, your former reputation as an Auror,â (Aesop swallows and bites his tongue.) âIâve slathered this in quite a thick layer of anti-jinx varnish. Itâll need more as you wear it downânot unlike normal broom maintenance.â He crosses his arms. âBut we all know how varnish reacts to heat and sparks.â With gesture and sound, Albie mimics a small explosion.
As a teacher often around both open flame and students with little concern for safety measures, Aesop finds idea of strapping oneself to a waiting flare less than appealing, but in the hindsight provided by the rest of his life, itâs not as if he hasnât taken worse risks for less. Exchanging glances with Teodoroâlong-lingering and simmering with long-lusted after hope, Aesop knows he already has his answer.
