A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 83 ~ Confrontation

Ben watched as several wheelbarrows full of sand from the Loch flew through the air and into Boleskine house, followed by Snape, Harry and Ron. He shook his head.

"It's a wonder this lot hasn't been burned at the stake by the parishioners yet," he muttered to himself.

The groundskeeper had no idea Snape had placed an illusion around the perimeter of the fence surrounding the property. No matter what activity was going on behind the gates, the grounds would seem empty and serene. Only those on the property could see what was truly happening.

Robin was much more curious about the going-ons, so flew to the house and stood on a window ledge to get a better view, cocking his head and chirping as the sand was taken inside. Harry, Ron and Snape were doing the heavy work as the witches set up both gatehouses for occupation.

Robin flew inside after the wizards and stopped outside of the drawing room, alighting on a small ornate table resting against a wall.

"Hey, there's a bird in here," Ron said as Robin looked at him and gave a friendly chirp.

Snape glanced at the robin.

"That's the bird that was with Ben Weatherstaff," he said as they walked quickly outside, directing the empty wheelbarrows before them with their wands.

"Can't be a wild bird, not coming in here like that," Harry observed as they exited the house.

Robin flew to the floor, hopped up to the entrance to the drawing room and looked in. The doors were opened on the terrace and sand was scattered across the stone tile, not yet evenly spread. Suddenly, Robin squawked and started, all aflutter as he flew out of the entrance hall as fast as his wings could carry him. He skimmed Ron's head closely as he passed.

"Hey! Bloody bird!" Ron shouted after him, smoothing down his hair.

"It looks like something spooked it," Harry said.

Snape simply shrugged. Something probably did.

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Hermione, Susan and Ginny cleaned up the gatehouse their beaus would occupy. It was rather bare looking, but they were wizards. They didn't need fancy, pretty surroundings. All they needed was a place to eat and sleep. The electricity worked and all they needed now was to stock the fridge. Susan was given the job of getting the supplies because she would be doing most of the cooking, although some healthy snacks would be included.

Susan walked to Boleskine house and into the kitchen. She had just opened the door when she heard a low and rather sinister voice say, "Why are you in the master's victuals?"

Susan blinked and turned around, shocked. Standing before her was a swarthy goblin with narrowed eyes, a long nose, huge thin hands and big bare feet with the toenails curling under. It wore a suit.

"The master's victuals?" Susan repeated.

"Yes. Master Draco's food," the goblin replied.

Oh. This must be the servant Draco had told them about.

"I'm sorry to inform you, Mr—" Susan began.

"Sharptooth. Just—Sharptooth," the goblin said with a rather chilling smile that showed why he was called that. He had a mouthful of sharp, pointed teeth.

"Sharptooth. The food here is communal. It does not belong to Draco. Actually, Draco is nothing more than a guest here," the witch said.

"Still, the master has need of food. If you take any, it will leave him with less. I am supposed to look out for his needs first and foremost."

"Well, then you are just going to have to go shopping," Susan told the goblin, opening the fridge.

Suddenly, the goblin snarled and leapt in front of Susan, threatening her.

Ron, Harry and Snape started when they heard a loud bang sound from the kitchen. Draco ran out of his room as well, all converging on the kitchen.

"Susan!" Ron cried, streaking in. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ron. I don't think Sharptooth is though."

Draco gasped as he saw the legs of his servant sticking up out of the trash bin, kicking wildly.

Draco turned red and ran over to the bin.

"What did you do to my servant, you cow?" he yelled at Susan. Harry and Snape had to grab Ron by his arms.

"Your servant tried to attack me. He wouldn't let me take any food for the gatehouses. So—I defended myself," Susan said calmly, although her eyes were narrowed as she watched Draco pull the goblin out of the trash.

It looked at Susan sullenly.

"You'll get more than that if you try anything like that again, Sharptooth," Susan warned him.

"You won't do anything to my servant. I forbid it!" Draco hissed at her.

Both of Susan's eyebrows rose.

"Forbid it? Are you insane, Draco? You can't order me around like a peon! If your goblin tries anything else, he's going to get a lot more than stuffed into a trash bin. And if you don't like it, we can cross wands, too," Susan said angrily.

Everyone was surprised. Susan was usually so mellow. She looked at Draco steadily, and the pureblood could tell she meant business.

Ron's mouth dropped open as he stared at his girlfriend. Gods, Susan was so hot when she was angry. He felt a little pulse in his trousers as she faced off fearlessly with Draco. Oh, he had to get a shag ASAP..

"If you want food, buy it," Susan added, tucking her wand into her pocket and removing food from the fridge, putting it on the island. "This food is for everyone."

"Don't you tell me what to do!" Draco snarled at her.

Susan suddenly pulled out her wand and pointed it at the fridge. She murmured a spell and everyone watched as every bit of food inside it flew out and formed a line mid-air. Susan walked away, opened the kitchen door and flicked her wand at the victuals, murmuring something else.

The line of food began drifting through the door, down the entrance hall and out the front door. She did the same thing to the pantry, taking every bit of food. Once the last of the food floated out the kitchen, she turned to Draco.

"Now," she said to Draco, her brown eyes hard, "you can provide ALL your own food."

"You don't have the authority to tell me that!" he yelled at Susan, who just walked out of the kitchen, following the food. It was on its way to the gatehouse.

"No, but I do," Snape said quietly, frowning at Draco. "You brought it on yourself, Draco. If you want to eat, you'll either come to the gatehouse or go get your own supplies. Your invitation is wearing thin as well."

Draco frowned at Snape. He could ask him to leave Boleskine house and he would have to do it. His father was investing quite a bit of money in him, and wanted Snape in the best of moods.

"Fine. I will get my own food," Draco said sullenly.

Ron was staring at the door Susan walked through, his blue eyes glazed. Wow. She was a real tiger—

The next moment, he was through the door, pursuing her. Snape continued to address Draco.

"Don't expect to sit on your arse, either. We need help spreading the sand on the terrace," he said.

"I'll send Sharptooth," Draco replied.

The goblin looked up at Draco, its dark face contorting.

"I was hired as a personal servant. I'm not being paid to do manual labor with others. Only to take care of your needs. Spreading sand on a terrace isn't a need," the goblin said in a surly voice.

Draco blinked down at him, outrage on his face.

"But, you're my servant!"

"You must have mistaken me for a house-elf. I am your servant, not your slave and there's a difference in service. I accepted this position because the pay was lucrative and I felt I could see to the needs of one spoiled wizard. But I will not do any manual labor outside of your care and upkeep, young Mr. Malfoy. That's not a part of my job description."

Harry sniggered at Draco being read the riot act by a goblin who was supposed to be his servant.

"What good are you then?" Draco snarled at the goblin, who simply shrugged.

"If you're dissatisfied with the service I provide, Mr. Malfoy, you can always discharge me and have a go at it on your own. Believe me, no one is lining up for this job," Sharptooth replied. "Your reputation and this house's reputation isn't a conducive combination by a long shot.

Draco stared at Sharptooth angrily. He didn't want to go it on his own. He needed a servant. He was supposed to have one. He was a Malfoy.

"I expect to see you in the drawing room shortly, Draco," Snape said, turning and exiting the kitchen. He had a smirk on his pale face. It was enjoyable to see Draco so frustrated.

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"Susan! Wait up!" Ron called as the witch marched across the grounds, directing the floating food with her wand. She slowed down.

"Wow, you were something else," Ron said, looking down at her appreciatively.

"I know Draco is under the demons' influence, but he was really acting like a git. It was time someone put him in his place," she said softly, reddening a little.

"Well, you certainly did that, clearing out all the food," Ron replied, his blue eyes hot. "You were so, so dominating and in control."

"I was just angry," Susan replied.

"I want to shag you. Right now. I'm so turned on," Ron breathed at her.

"Ron, I have to put this food away, and besides, there's no place for us to shag right now," Susan told him.

"We could slip away to the barn," Ron suggested.

"No, I have work to do, and so do you," Susan told him. "Plus, I have to start supper."

"Aw, come on, Susan. I'm so hard for you," Ron pleaded.

"No, Ron. I mean it," she said.

"What about tonight, then? Meet me tonight, after supper," Ron said softly,

"That depends on what we have to do tonight, Ron. We are going to have to clean out those demons and Hermione might have some important information to share," Susan said.

Ron groaned. Knowing Hermione, that could take hours.

Suddenly Harry's voice sounded across the grounds. He was calling Ron.

"Damn, I have to go," Ron said, grabbing Susan and snogging her hungrily.

All the food fell.

"Ron!" Susan exclaimed at him as he released her gave her a rakish smile.

"I'll see you later," he said. He'd eaten one of her diet cookies and didn't feel the slightest bit hungry—for food.

Susan sighed, then smiled as he trotted back toward Boleskine house. Then she looked at the line of fallen food and flicked her wand at it. The line formed again and began floating, Susan following behind, shaking her head about Ron.

The slightest thing put him in shag mode. She even avoided bending over in front of him if she could help it.

But, he was a wonderful, attentive boyfriend.

They were a good match.

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Blaise walked into the kitchen. Draco was sitting on one of the stools, looking sullen. The black wizard opened the fridge and his eyes rounded.

"What happened to all of the food? Don't tell me Weasley ate it all," he said, frowning. He walked over to the pantry and opened it, finding it bare as well.

"It's all been moved to the gatehouses," Draco said sullenly. "My servant has gone to restock."

"Servant? What servant?"

"My father sent me a goblin," Draco said. "He's insolent."

Blaise chuckled.

"Of course he's insolent. He's a goblin, and goblins don't really care for wizards. But they do like money. I imagine he's being paid well," he said.

Draco grunted.

"So, why did they take all the food?" Blaise asked him.

"Weasley's sow took it," Draco said angrily. "That fat bitch doesn't know how to respect her betters. I would have blasted her fat arse if the rest of them weren't here."

Blaise didn't think Susan would be that easy to blast. He didn't trust people who were so "nice" all of the time. Those were the ones you had to pay attention to the most. They could just be keeping anger built up inside, waiting to let it all loose on one unfortunate person. Draco wasn't smart at all.

"Well, I guess I'll go over to the gatehouse," Blaise said. "I'm hungry."

"I don't think they'll feed you if you don't work, Blaise," Draco responded. Blaise scowled. If he wasn't so interested in the demons, he'd leave this place in a second.

"What are they doing?"

"They're in the drawing room, spreading dirt on the terrace."

"Doesn't sound too difficult," Blaise said. "I'll see you later, Draco."

Draco didn't respond as Blaise left the kitchen. He was angry at the disrespect Susan had shown him, and was getting angrier by the second. How dare she confront him that way, as if—as if she were his equal.

He had no equal here.

From the corner of the room, two presences observed Draco, his anger and injured pride shimmering around him like waves of heat. They were well aware what was going on in the drawing room. They eyed the sullen wizard.

Nice.

Yes. He could be helpful.

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A/N: My apologies for the long wait between chapters. Wasn't an easy week in RL, and my muse just isn't with me. It took me two days to get this written when normally it only takes me an hour or two to write a chapter, and it was like pulling teeth, believe me. I guess not every day can be inspired. This was WORK. Blech. Lol. I hope it still entertained you however. Thanks for both for your patience, and for reading. ***