Loud Silence

Chapter 4

Dennis told his parents the following morning Mr. Odpadki gave him the day off because the work the previous day became a grueling twelve-hour slog. He did not arrived home until sunset, and it felt as if a gang of errant house elves beat him with heavy ladles for a few hours. His entire body ached from a combination of extended magic use, the likes of which he never endured, and some serious manual labor. Not only did Mr. Odpadki pay him the promised wage, but he threw in an extra galleon citing Dennis' persistence throughout the day. When his parents saw the way he moved, they accepted his explanation.

"Three bleeding hours it took to get that nasty ooze into the tanks," he said while toying with his breakfast. "What bloody fool mixes that many spells together? Huh? Surprised the stuff didn't explode."

"I thought you said this wasn't dangerous?" His mother bridled, and his father nodded in agreement while chewing on a mouthful of porridge.

"Not dangerous, Mum, just... fiddly, I guess. After what I saw yesterday, I think it'd be a good idea if witches and wizards got sent back to school for refresher courses every once in a while. It's like they've forgotten everything they once learned!"

His parents gazed at him with uncertainty.

"I'm not kidding," Dennis said and exposed his ire. "This older couple charmed an armoire so it could hold as much as a house. It took everything me and Mister Odpadki had to move it... and not just with magic. Feels like an ogre dropped a boulder on my shoulder."

His father smirked, and Dennis realized his unintentional rhyme. The grin, however, also revealed other thoughts in the man's head.

"Yeah, yeah. 'Bout bleeding time I put in an honest day. Right?"

"Your words and not mine, Denny," the man said in a smug manner.

"But is Mister Odpadki is happy with your work?" His mother intoned and asked a very parent question.

"Yeah. Taking me to Essex tomorrow to help with a pretty big job. We might stay overnight," he stated in as offhand a fashion as he could muster.

Dennis spent what free time he could manage the day before thinking up ways to get to Essex without raising the suspicions of parents. Given he now worked for a waste hauler who specialized in extremely exotic refuse, it presented itself as a natural cover story. Furthermore, Mr. Odpadki stated his satisfaction with Dennis' performance and style of thinking. His employer told him it usually takes up to eight hours to move the sludge from Silas Youngman's pits. Thus, the quick disposal allowed them to do more jobs that day, and somewhat to Dennis' regret. It also earned him the extra galleon.

"What's on the agenda?" His father inquired in a socially inquisitive tone.

"Got some magicked muggle artifacts..."

Then he saw their expressions change. His parents learned over the years the term muggle could carry negative connotations. Neither he nor Colin ever used the word as such, but it served as a reminder their child lived in a different world. It also recalled the fact they never continued their conversation from two days before.

"Okay, witches and wizards are really curious about everything we see as normal. Part of the problem is magic and electricity doesn't get along to well... as you know," Dennis said in an effort to alter the sudden tension.

"I miss that television," his father bemoaned.

"Dad, how many times do I have to apologize 'bout that? Besides, Colin's the one who got it started. Who knew exploding snap would, well, make other things explode?"

The elder Creevey male gave his son a long stare.

"I'm working now, so I can help pitch in for a new set. I actually get paid a good wage," Dennis confessed because he knew it would ease the moment.