peter pettigrew (informer) wrote in fineic, @ 2018-12-09 20:06:00 |
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Fortunately the street was busy as both boys stood outside the Malfoy’s flat. A little far away, they didn’t want to seem like they were obviously following anyone but they were waiting for either Lucy or Narcissa to come outside. They needed to know their schedule to find a good time to get in and look around. “It’s bloody cold, I wish they’d hurry,” Peter said, breathing into his cloak. (He was sure to wear robes because he was 99% sure the Malfoys would report him for Muggle clothing if they saw him because they seemed like they were that petty). Sirius let out a bark in response. It was much warmer as Padfoot, his entire body insulated by thick fur that protected his animagus breed from harsher winters than England’s. Still, he was sympathetic to Peter’s plight and stood on his hind legs to put his paws on Peter’s shoulders and rest his furry dog head on the top of Peter’s. He might not be able to see anything but at least he’d be warm! Unable to stop himself, Peter laughed. “Alright Snuffles, thanks.” he said, hugging the dog close to warm up. He couldn’t help but notice the weird look one passer-by gave him as he walked by, but Peter offered him a finger in a response. “Just yip if you see one of them.” It was more a growl the large black dog let out at the sight of pale blonde hair exiting the building, but not loud enough that anyone whose ear wasn’t pressed against his throat would hear. Pushing off of Peter, paws now firmly on the ground, Sirius pointed his nose in the direction of Lucy Malfoy’s departure. Peter pulled his hat further down his head and began walking in the same direction as the blonde woman, slower, and across the street, doing his best attempt to not draw attention and to just look like a man walking a dog. Hopefully a man that no one recognized. “Do you think Snuffy could pick up her scent if we lose her?” he asked, just loud enough for the dog to hear. Sirius breathed in deep, even after being an animagus for five years, tracking was still not something he was exceptional at - especially not having a piece of clothing to reference as he tried to piece through a thousand heightened smells for one scent. Still, he tried to focus - finding that stupid expensive perfume that Lucy wore and pulling Peter behind him on the useless lead. “Maybe slightly gentler,” Peter hissed at the dog as he stumbled to keep up with Snuffles, not expecting that kind of pull even though the lead was completely useless. Still, it was required because one time they’d gone without it and people had nearly flipped their lid seeing a giant dog walking around and one girl had screamed that it was going to eat her. It was really rather stupid, since dogs generally didn’t eat people, but he wasn’t going to fight with a 7 year old. The followed Lucy, Peter tugging slightly when he thought they were going too close until she went into a shop that sold...gloves? It was just full of gloves from what Peter could tell and he tugged to stop Snuffles pretending to tie his shoe but really looking into the store. “What do you think? Do they secretly sell cursed gloves in there?” he asked. Fortunately it had a large open window, so you could see everything that was happening inside. Sirius watched through the glass, canine eyes sharper than human ones as he watched the possible Death Eater try on purchase a pair of white gloves. Gloves. Once she left, Sirius backed into the alley and turned back into his human form before taking Peter’s arm and pulling him into the shop where he proceeded to examine every pair of gloves she’d looked at - much to the shopkeepers dismay. “I’m looking for gloves for my sister, go bother someone else until we’re ready,” he said dismissively, sliding easily back into older habits from his youth when it was beneficial, and turning back to his friend, “they all seem normal.” Peter was also going through another stack of gloves, not putting them back exactly how’d they found them. Weird. “Oh sorry, I saw someone walking out with a pair of gloves just now and I think my - his - our sister would really like them. What were they?” The shopkeeper was now glaring at both boys. “They were white, I can show you them, we keep them in the back because they are expensive and not to be manhandled.” Pulling out his coin purse, charmed weightless and expandable and brimming with coins most of his peers couldn’t claim as their own, Sirius set it on the counter and gave the shopkeeper a withering look he’d seen his father use countless times, every bit the Black he normally tried not to be. “Is there a problem?” Whether it was something familiar in the boy’s eyes or the sight of the gold glinting in the bag, the shopkeeper immediately became contrite, apologising to both boys as he scurried into the back, more rat like than Peter manage at times, and as Sirius turned to his friend the demeanour washed off of him as he grinned. “Bloody useful that can be, can’t it?” Peter snickered. “Yeah if you’ve got it,” he said, amused at the turn this had taken. “Next you’ll be demanding to speak to the manager.” “Oooh, let’s do it anyways. It’ll be fun,” Sirius laughed, tossing his hair out of his eyes as they went back to examining gloves he was sure would be as useless as this day had proved to be. “How many white gloves does one person need?!” Sirius hissed to Peter as they, for the second time that week, peered through the glass of the glove shop. “What does she do with them all?!” “Why do you even want white gloves to begin with?” Peter asked. “Don’t they just get dirty?” “If I’m spending that much on gloves they better have charms to keep them fucking pristine sewn into every bloody finger,” Sirius muttered already regretting being human and not covered in fur. “If they were why would you have multiple pairs?” Peter asked not really expecting an actual answer. “Do Death Eaters need reasons?” Sirius offered back, rolling his eyes. “If this entire week is just going to be Lucy buying gloves and ditching work to celebrate a bloody baby’s six month birthday I’m going to AK myself.” Never mind the fact that Sirius already had a box full of presents for Harry’s half year birthday. That was completely different. “Maybe she does that like white glove cleaning test or something,” Peter said, with a sigh. He didn’t really expect to find out she was off Death Eatering during the day but she could literally be doing anything else that was even remotely more exciting. “Maybe tomorrow will be different.” A bell chimed as Peter walked into the store with his dog Snuffles following Lucy. He almost started whistling but that seemed like it would be even more obvious. “Let’s get you some juicy dog kibble,” Peter told the dog. It was like he was assuring everyone in the store that he was meant to be here. He hoped whatever Lucy was going after was near the dog food. Where the hell was the dog food? Sirius knew immediately where the dog food was as soon as he walked into the store with one sniff and he gave a tug on the lead in its direction as it was a far more compelling scent than Lucy Malfoy. Though now that he was thinking of Lucy Malfoy he was able to catch her scent as well… not in the direction of the dog food, and he reluctantly course corrected in the direction of the probable Death Eater’s perfume. Fucking Lucy couldn’t even shop near something that smelled good. Peter tugged at Snuffle’s lead as he was led across the store and around a corner only to spot Lucy in front of the bird food? What in the world? “Do they keep birds in a flat?” he asked, confused. Wouldn’t they just shit everywhere? Sirius shook, his dog head in response. Birds were terrible and he couldn’t imagine having to live with peacocks or whatever it was they owned. Plus bird food smelled terrible and he resisted the urge to turn back into his human form to get away from the stench. “Let’s go wait outside, I don’t think she’s going to murder a bunch of birds or kill people with birdseed,” Peter said, tugging at Snuffle’s lead before guiding him outside. He supposed that could be useful in the future. “Wine, darling?” A glamoured Sirius asked his dinner date, a glamoured Peter, as he signaled the waiter that the wine he’d sampled was satisfactory and to fill their glasses, giving his friend an affectionate smile and taking his hand across the table. “It’s our anniversary,” he told the waiter who made the appropriate congratulations and left the table with promises to be back after they’d had a moment to peruse the menu — giving them a good view of the Malfoy couple a few tables down. “This is the most romantic thing you’ve ever done,” Peter said over dramatically. His eyes were on the Malfoys though. “Can you hear them?” “I wanted to show you how much I care,” Sirius declared, doing his best James-courting-Lily impression. “And no, not as human me. If I was Padfoot maybe but no dogs allowed here. Think you can sneak over as Wormtail?” “I love you so much,” Peter said before dropping his voice. “Yeah - I’ll go to the loo in a second and do my best to see if I can hear anything they say.” “I love you more,” Sirius sighed, feigning stars in his eyes as he reached over and bopped Peter on the nose. “Hurry back, I’ll miss you.” “Not as much as I’ll miss you,” Peter said, refraining from rolling his eyes as he made his way to the toilet. He checked the stalls before he went into one and turned into a rat. Seconds later a rat took his place and he scurried across the floor and found a vent in the bathroom that he was able to squeeze into. He made his way through the wall and seconds later was out and popped out of a vent in the dining room. He managed to wedge himself into the floor and tried to cross the room to Lucy and Narcissa’s table. He was only there for a second before someone stepped on his tail and he stopped himself from squeaking. He struggled to hear the couple but their voices were mixed in amongst the others and he could only catch snippets, mostly about Draco. A chair moved out from place, the leg almost crushing Peter’s tail. He decided to head back to his table. A minute later he was back in his seat from Sirius. “I almost died.” “But you didn’t,” Sirius pointed out, ever the optimist, as he loaded a fork with ahi tuna poke and held it out to Peter. “Now, open up, darling, and let’s see how long these two can make a dinner date.” |