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, 1895āa Saturday, and by technicality, the first day of Easter break for Hogwarts that year. A sign hangs in the window of Spintwitchesās door, proclaiming: Back in Ten Minutes. Inside, a transaction many months in the making is reaching its conclusionā¦
Door shut and locked, Albie strides past his two of his least favorite, but most lucrative customers. āAfter several prototypes, I think we can finally put this to bed. Or to leg, I suppose. āWhatās left of it anyway.ā
With his crutch jammed under an arm, Aesop clears his throat, pressing, āThe details, Mr. Weekes?ā
āOf course, if youāre going to be stodgy about it,ā Albie huffs. Disappearing briefly into the shopās 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. Itās a gorgeous creation, and the sight of it stills Aesopās breath as he surveys the length of it. Itās done. Itās his and itās ready and if their collective efforts hold solid, it should change his life.
Before he can reach out to touch, Albieās hand overshoots his, warding him off.
āNow, 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, itās excellent for precision and handlingāso should this function the way I've imagined, the choice should be a boon.ā
Aesop raises an eyebrow. Barred from action, he leans heavily on the counterās edge. āAnd the hypothetical downside?ā
āAh,ā Albie adjusts his glasses. āIn wandmaking, itās a really sensitive wood with a penchant for absorbing and discharging energy unpredictably. This is especially true for wielders with tempers.ā
At Aesopās 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 Aesopās earlier annoyance with an unenthused āahemā. Caught red-handed like misbehaving children, the pair shuffle a few inches apart.
āAs I was saying,ā Albie continues, āshould this channel any sort of ambient hissyfit, you might run afoul of issues, up to and including explosive fire hazards.ā
āFire hazards?ā Aesop's brows vault up into his hairline. That hadnāt been in the briefing.
Unbothered, Albie nods. āLet me finish. Considering all the trouble that follows Teodoro like a bad smell, and for that matter, your former reputation as an Auror,ā (Aesop swallows and bites his tongue.) āIāve slathered this in quite a thick layer of anti-jinx varnish. Itāll need more as you wear it downānot unlike normal broom maintenance.ā He crosses his arms. āBut we all know how varnish reacts to heat and sparks.ā 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, itās not as if he hasnāt taken worse risks for less. Exchanging glances with Teodoroālong-lingering and simmering with long-lusted after hope, Aesop knows he already has his answer.
