Xerosis

Armies of Robbers and Thieves

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Armies of Robbers and Thieves
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"Why are you stalking me again?" Harry asked as he gently patted down the fresh soil around the young blue rose vine.

The wizard hiding behind a nearby bush shifted nervously, but didn't answer.

Harry rolled his eyes and moved on to the cluster of daffodils. Strangely, he didn't much mind being stalked at the moment. Perhaps because there wasn't a single mundane living within almost two miles of the cottage. Then again, perhaps it was really because he'd stolen another wand from a nasty part-veela down in Knockturn just yesterday that fit him almost as well as his holly wand and he had it shoved in his back pocket.

"I suppose that why isn't really the question, knowing how hard-headed old Voldie can get," Harry said, smirking when he heard the surprised sound at the rude name for Voldemort. "The real question is, 'Why do you think you can actually hide from me'?" He grabbed a handful of dirt from the bucket at his side, then tossed it towards the hidden Death Eater.

"Bloody–!" Barty jumped to his feet, giving up all pretensions of hiding. "These are my best robes!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "If those are your best robes, you need to go shopping." He pulled off his gloves and swiftly got to his feet. "What does Voldemort want this time? Other than for me to send a Death Eater back in pieces."

Barty shuddered. "He just wants me keeping an eye on you. I honestly don't know why! Please don't kill me?" He turned wide, pitiful eyes on the boy.

Harry sighed and massaged his forehead. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood today," he muttered. "Just don't let Sirius see you."

"I will be like a mouse, silent and completely beneath anyone's notice," Barty promised before crouching behind the bush again.

Harry sighed again, then pulled his gloves back on so he could return to his garden-tending. "You can't tell me that's comfortable."

"...I almost died in Azkaban," Barty reminded him, "and then I spent years under my father's Imperius. This isn't that bad, really."

Harry thought back to his months-long escape from the mundanes. "I suppose that's a good point."

They were both silent while Harry finished with his garden. As the boy was standing, Barty asked, "I don't suppose you'd be willing to get me a sandwich?"

Harry laughed and grabbed his bucket before walking inside, shaking his head.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Sirius asked, poking his head out of the living room. Harry heard the static from the telly and the quiet music he associated with a video game on pause.

"Crazy snake out in the garden," Harry replied cheerfully.

Sirius shuddered and ducked back into the living room.

Harry chuckled at his godfather's phobia and put his gardening things away in the hall closet before going into the kitchen. Barty's plea for food had reminded him that it was lunchtime and he could use some food himself. He threw together a couple sandwiches, grabbed a small handful of crisps from the opened bag on the counter and pulled out two bottles of water before making his way back outside. "Eating outside!" he called as he shuffled the food and drinks to open the front door.

"No snakes in the house!" Sirius called back.

Harry rolled his eyes and wandlessly summoned the door closed behind him once he was on the stoop. He made his way over to a tree that wasn't far from the bush Barty was hiding behind and relaxed against the trunk. "Sirius is currently being distracted by Solomon's Key 2, so you can come eat some if you'd like," Harry offered, picking up a sandwich.