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Beyond 84 Charing Cross Road	By : devsgma Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 28461 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Beyond 84 Charing Cross Road

by devsgma and darnedchild

Some of you will be familiar with the general location of our tale. 84 Charing Cross Road is a rather famous address, even if it is no longer a home for the Muggle Marks & Cohen. It may, however, come as a surprise to quite a few of you to discover that it wasn't the founding bookstore. 84 5/6 was and is the location of Marks and Sons, a wizarding used bookstore established in the year 1900, twenty years before Marks & Cohen opened their doors and located one step beyond 84 Charing Cross Road.

On this particular day, a large black falcon swooped in and deposited a letter, addressed to the new manager of Marks and Sons, on the front counter. There was barely a pause before it turned and left.

A young man picked up the missive, spent a moment verifying who it was for, then tossed it into a basket under the front counter. Eventually, the basket and its contents found their way to a small office just off the sales floor and on to the desk of the slightly frazzled – and more than a tiny bit over worked – manager, where it was finally opened and read.

December 15th, 1999

Marks and Sons

84 5/6 Charing Cross Road

Sir or Madam,

This missive finds it way to your shoppe in the vain hope that your skills will exceed those of your predecessor. A list of volumes is enclosed. Used, if in good condition, is preferred. Price is an object in this instance, so I am prepared to pay no more than the amount listed behind each. I am familiar with the volumes in question and do consider these to be fair amounts and will not question those amounts taken from my account with your shoppe. They may be delivered by return owl at your earliest convenience.

Cordially,

Simon Sopohorous

With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, the manager placed the letter in her "To Do" box and turned toward the rest of her correspondence. Due to one thing or another, it would be several days before she had a chance to pen a reply.

December 21, 1999

Simon Sopohorous

London

Mister Sopohorous,

Please pardon my delay in responding to your letter dated the 15th of this month; your list is extensive, and I wished to familiarize myself with the requested titles before beginning my reply.

Most of the books you seek have been out of print for decades, if not considerably longer in several cases. A large handful appear to be the product of rather obscure authors and specialized publishing houses, leading me to believe there were a limited number of copies in circulation.

I assure you, Mister Sopohorous, that the staff of Marks and Sons – both current and past – take our reputation for customer satisfaction seriously and that every effort will be made to procure a copy of each title on your list with as little delay as possible.

Respectfully,

Hermione Granger

Marks and Sons

Post Script – Enclosed is an invoice for two of the books from your list. The delivery owl should arrive this afternoon. If the conditions of the books are satisfactory, your account will be debited this evening.

H.G.

-~8~-

Slitting the envelope with the Marks and Sons logo on it took only a moment, and after that was accomplished, Simon sat down at his minuscule desk to read it. One eyebrow rose, and a small smirk appeared on his mouth when he saw the signature at the bottom. Simon's eyes rose to read the letter a little slower.

Still the need to flaunt her knowledge, I see.

The defense of the underdog is an equally resilient trait.

Pity.

You'd think she'd have outgrown it by now.

Mr. Weasley must have escaped the noose... unless she's taking the modern view and retaining her maiden name.

Pulling a fresh piece of parchment toward him, Simon began to write with a degree of anticipation he hadn't felt for several years. A small smile gradually lifted the corner of his mouth.

December 21, 1999

Marks and Sons

84 5/6 Charing Cross Road

Ms Granger,

I am not a Medi-wizard, so you may want to disregard my diagnosis until you've checked with one, but you may want to consider purchasing some spectacles. If you review my first letter, you may note that I indicated familiarity with these volumes. I am well aware that they are what could be considered rare, hence my dissatisfaction with the efforts of your predecessor.

If you feel the task is beyond the scope of your talents, or indeed of anyone currently employed at Marks and Sons, advise post haste, as I will endeavor to locate a competent bookseller.

The volumes you have managed to locate are acceptable.

Cordially,

Simon Sopohorous

-~8~-

Hermione realized her left hand had risen to self-consciously adjust the frame of her reading glasses and grimaced.

How dare this – this customer insinuate there was an issue with her reading comprehension. She had merely been attempting to explain why they did not have most of his books on hand, not make excuses for...

Her grimace turned into a glare as she reached for a piece of parchment and her pen. Hermione was of half-a-mind to tell Sopohorous to go ahead and take his business elsewhere because he was no longer welcome at her store, but she knew she wouldn't. She had reviewed his account history upon receiving his first inquiry, and while he didn't spend an exorbitant amount of galleons each month, he had made several purchases over the last quarter (and who knew how long before that).

Surely not all of the owl order customers are as charming as this one?

December 21, 1999

Simon Sopohorous

London

Mister Sopohorous,

If you would review my earlier letter, you might note that every effort will be made to fulfill your requests.

Your volumes will be located and offered for purchase as quickly as possible considering the challenge involved with the rarity – which we are both aware of, as has been clearly established – of the books in question.

Respectfully,

Hermione Granger

Marks and Sons

-~8~-

An almost inaudible chuckle sounded deep within Simon's throat as he perused the latest letter from Ms Granger. He hadn't been this amused for a number of years. Her letter was placed on the blotter, and Simon's eyes unfocused as he pondered what he would write in return.

The lioness has definitely had her fur rubbed the wrong way.

What would be...

Yes.

December 22, 1999

Marks and Sons

84 5/6 Charing Cross Road

Ms Granger,

I must admit, your latest reply has left me feeling – quite nostalgic. I'm sure you won't know what I'm referring to, but it brought a longing for the kindlier, gentler times when a customer's simple request was fulfilled with an almost gracious attitude on the part of the sales clerks and higher management. A time when the customer was acknowledged as the reason any particular shoppe still had a thriving business.

I must do some research into this peculiar phenomena of customers now being something of a bother and see if there would be any interest, on the part of the owners of course, in having their sales persons attend classes in an attempt to reverse this particular unsavory trend. Towards this end, you will find two titles enclosed on a separate sheet concerning business etiquette to add to the list of volumes I require.

Cordially,

Simon Sopohorous

-~8~-

Considering her first instinct was to immediately advise Mister Sopohorous to go soak his head, Hermione thought it best to put his letter to the side and ignore it for the rest of the day. Better that than letting frustration – something she hadn't felt this strongly since she was a student – cause her to write something she would only come to regret and giving the store owners a reason to doubt their decision to promote her to manager.

The next two days were spent assisting her staff with the rush of shoppers searching for last minute gifts and stocking stuffers, and Hermione found she didn't have time to spare more than a moment or two to consider the vexation that was Mister Sopohorous.

It wasn't until several days after the holiday that Hermione was able to put pen to parchment.

"Only one way to handle this. Smother him in politeness," she muttered to herself.

And hope he suffocates.

December 28, 1999

Simon Sopohorous

London

Mister Sopohorous,

I am delighted to inform you that both of the titles you specified in your last correspondence shall be delivered to your address this afternoon. Neither book is used, I'm afraid, but as we here at Marks and Sons consider you to be such a valued customer, I have made special arrangements to offer the pair to you at a discount. I think you will find the price to be comparable to the used rate for each book in pristine condition.

Your concern about further educating my staff is very touching; I've given the matter some thought, and agree that we should offer additional training in how best to serve our patrons.

Hermione's lips curled upward as she considered the seminar she'd thought to suggest to her bosses – "The Customer is Always Right and Other Fallacies: Dealing with Demanding Clients in Today's Market."

We shall be receiving a consignment of rare potions texts sometime after the new year, and I have reason to believe at least one of your titles may be included in the lot.

Graciously Yours,

Hermione Granger

Marks and Sons

-~8~-

Hermione's reply to Simon's baiting arrived after a particularly bad night of little or no sleep. He wasn't even tempted to try and aggravate the young witch further as he read the words he'd written in desperation a few hours before.

Why do I still dream of you, Lily? What the last few minutes of your life must have been like?

There are times I wish I could dream of what could have been had I but held my tongue and not blasphemed you with that ugly name. It might lend me the courage to end this travesty of a life and join you all on the other side. As it is, I fear my return as a ghost would be my only "reward" for services rendered. An unending path, forever seeking redemption.

Your son still lives, Lily. What else can be done to assuage the blame and guilt laid upon my soul? While the Dark Lord existed my efforts were almost enough. Only faint echoes of screams chased me from my bed.

I still love you... I'm begging.

Let me at least sleep.

"I'm getting old, Yorick," Simon said to the large black falcon sitting on the perch in the corner as the journal was closed. "I'm not even tempted to stir the pot a little more until her temper boils over."

The bird's head bobbed once or twice as if to say, "Yes."

"You don't have to agree, you black hearted bastard," groaned Simon as he rose and headed back to the bedroom. "I'm merely tired, not dead. Remind me to change my will and leave you to Hagrid's half-brother. One bite would be all it took."

As he lay down and closed his eyes, Hermione's words kept running through his head.

"We shall be receiving a consignment of rare potions texts sometime after the new year, and I have reason to believe at least one of your titles may be included in the lot."

"An answer," he whispered to the ceiling. "Please – let there be an answer in that book."

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Beyond 84 Charing Cross Road