Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

Your Problem, My Project

Mulciber Manor.

August, 1978.

"I told you - I told you, Henry -"

"Mmm?"

Nodding back as though immensely proud of himself, Barty attempts to straighten up as Henry holds him steady, the two of them having just appeared together in the shadows of the grounds of Henry's estate.

My place, not his

Because I need the edge, I want the home advantage for what I hope to achieve out of all this.

And here our privacy's assured with my parents gone halfway around the world ...

At their holiday residence, a beautiful mountainside retreat near his mother's birthplace, actually. And in their absence, Henry's determined to make good use of the privacy his home affords.

Continuing to channel his inner patience for Barty the way he has all day - all night too, really - he waits patiently now as Barty struggles to maintain his train of thought.

Hiccuping, he nods triumphantly as he tries once more, "Told - you -"

"And what, pray, did you tell me, Crouch?"

"Going out! Brilliant idea. My idea."

"Mmm."

It's been Barty's day; Barty's day to decide it all, whatever he wants the two of them to do together.

You know, like what the muggles do with their mutts before they put them down.

So here's what it really is:

I'm giving my good little boy a treat before I swoop in to take full advantage of him.

Patting his back, Henry sighs softly as he plays to Barty's ego, "Yes, yes. Quite the brilliant idea. And did you have fun?"

"Did I have fun??? Did I have fun?!?"

"Well ... did you?"

Cackling with amusement, Barty pushes himself off Henry and wobbles unsteadily as he stumbles backwards, his two hands making grand, sweeping motions as he gestures from his chest outwards, pretending as though he had a pair of giant breasts, ".. Did you see the tits on that last witch who served us? Did you, Henry?!"

"Mmm."

"She sat on my lap!"

"... You pulled her onto your lap."

And then you tried to force your hand up her skirt, blacked out, and I had to pay her off with a ridiculous sum to make sure she never breathes a word of it to anyone!

Because the last thing either of our names need is any sort of scandal attached to them.

And THEN, after all that, I whisked you back here.

... Not before you got sick all over the street corner.

Speaking of which ...

... Your breath right now!

Pulling his wand out of his back pocket, Henry waves it lazily, casting a silent spell that causes Barty's mouth to revert back to being perfectly clean.

Eyes widening at the noticeable change, Barty claps his hand roughly on Mulciber's shoulder, "Hey, thanks Henry!"

"Mmm."

As Mulciber pockets the wand Barty lifts his hands back up, once more groping at the invisible air as shakes his head slowly from side to side, shuts his eyes and smiles, "Ah, Calypso."