A/N: So, something different this time. You see, when I was asking for sequel ideas at the end of “Power of Suggestion,” a review came in saying that someone should go looking for Arbitrar (yes, that is his name. The e at the end was to throw people off, remember?). So, that’s the plot of the subplot action!
This chappie was sponsored by the person who left that review (I’m really sorry I don’t remember who it was), and fantastic musics. Onto the chappie!
A thunderstorm was raging outside the Three Broomsticks. Rain pounded against the windows, and flashes of lightning illuminated the few patrons the pub had this late at night. The few candles on the tables did little to cut through the darkness the stormy night cast over the village of Hogsmeade.
In the corner farthest from the bar, a group of warlocks sat playing cards.
“Ar, that can’t be right,” growled one. “You’ve got four jacks.”
“So what?” responded a second, twiddling the end of his moustache. “I can have four jacks in my hand.”
“Not when I’ve got three meself!”
“Are you accusing me of cheating?” shouted the second warlock, standing up abruptly.
“Yeah, I am!” shouted the first.
But before a fight could break out, the door of the pub flew open with a crash. The warlocks stopped and turned to look at the new arrival.
A cloaked figure stood in the doorway. It surveyed the room, then moved inside, letting the door swing shut behind it. It moved towards the table the warlocks were sitting at. The warlocks watched the figure warily.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” said a voice from under the figure’s hood. “What’s the buy-in?”
The warlocks looked at each other. “Eh, there is no buy-in,” answered one. “This is a private card game.”
“Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear. What’s the buy-in?” The figure pulled from inside its cloak a bulging coin purse, and dropped it on the table with a great clinking noise.
All the warlocks’ jaws dropped. One had a pipe drop out of his mouth.
“Eh, that’ll work,” said the one. “Welcome to our game, friend.”
“Thank you.” The figure pulled a chair over from a nearby unoccupied table and sat down.
As the warlock across the table picked his pipe back up and started dealing cards, the stranger called over to the bar, “Madam Rosmerta, a round of drinks for my friends here.”
Madam Rosmerta started filling flagons at the bar, and the stranger turned back to the card game. “So, any interesting news here in Hogsmeade?” he asked casually as he looked at his cards.
“Well, there was that other day, when that odd feller came by,” answered the warlock with the moustache.
“Ar, that chap with the cow?” said one warlock with only a few teeth.
The stranger sat up a little straighter. “Chap with a cow?” he asked, sounding interested.
“Yeah, it was what, Friday before last?”
“Ar, Thursday ‘fore last, Lars.”
“Right, Thursday. This chap wanders by, stops in here for a drink.” Lars took a swig of his own. “Right, so, he stops in here, see, and he brings in this cow. Strange cow it was, eh Geoff?”
“Ar, strange cow. One horn pointed up, one pointed down. The earth shook with each moo!”
“And Madam Rosmerta just let a cow wander in here?” asked the stranger.
“No, she certainly didn’t. She said the cow had to go, and he says, ‘Well, it’s me helper cow, he ‘elps me, see?’ And sure enough, that cow was on a leash! Strange thing to see, eh, Geoff?”
“Ar, strange. But Rosmerta wouldn’t hear a word of it. She tossed him out, right then ‘n’ there.”
“Right on his rear, eh, Geoff?”
“Ar, right on his rear. And then he shouted up a storm.”
“Yep, shouted a storm! Claimed he’d gotten the sack and thought he’d get some hospitality ‘ere in town, said if he weren’t welcome, he’d go somewhere where he was. Said he were going to see some Muggles, right Geoff?”
“Ar, Muggles. Desperate, that.”
“Ar, quite desperate. Imagine showing up in some Muggle street with a cow and a jar of Every Flavor Beans! That’d draw some stares, eh, Geoff?”
“Ar, that it would.”
“Ar, what was the name of those Muggles he were going to see? Dunderbluss? Dunderhead?”
“Dursley, I thinks it was.”
“Ar, that’s right. What he’s running to Muggles for, I can’t guess. What was that chap’s name again? Arbiblar? Arbane?”
“Arbitrar. Or Arbitrare, is what he said he’d gone by for a while, in that job he got sacked from.”
“Ar, that’s it. Arbitrar. Strange bloke, he was.”
“Ar, strange.”
“Ar…”
There was a pause in the conversation while everyone shuffled their cards.
“So, stranger, what’s your story?” asked Lars the warlock. All eyes surreptitiously left the cards and went to the stranger.
“My story? I’m looking for someone. You see, I once had power, prestige, influence…I was once the leader of many, master of legions; I controlled so much more than my own destiny…. And yet now, it’s gone. Vanished. One morning I was on top, the next…. So I’m looking to find the man who gave me my power, and I’m getting it back. I will once again rule.”
The warlocks had all dropped their jaws again. The one fellow’s pipe had fallen out of his mouth again.
“Er, and who is this bloke?” asked Lars very quitely, sounding slightly spooked.
“Why, the very same man we’ve just been discussing. The man with the cow. Arbitrar.”
The warlocks continued to stare. Then they all burst out laughing.
“Ar, that’s a great yarn there!” chuckled Lars, tears in his eyes. “Imagine that cow bloke bein’ able to do that all! Eh Geoff?”
“Ar, yeah….”
“Ar, yeah, great yarn…Oi! Rosmerta! Drinks please!”
Madam Rosmerta came over to the table, carrying a tray laden with flagons of mead.
“Here you are, gents,” she said, passing around the drinks. “Oh, hi Neville!”
The stranger in the cloak started. “SHH!!!! I’m trying to keep a low profile here….”
“What are you doing in Hogsmeade? Shouldn’t you be up at the school?”
“No, I’m going after Arbitrar, like I said.”
“Huh. Well, good luck with that. Enjoy the drinks!” And she took her tray and wnt back to the bar.
“Hmph. Well, it’s been fun gentlemen, but since my cover’s been blow, I bid you goodbye.”
And before anyone could say another word, he stood up, went to the door, and disappeared into the rain.
A/N: FINA-FREAKING-LY!!!!!!!! Man, this chappie took a while to get here. Sorry about that.
But anyway, here it is, chappie 3! Did you enjoy the subplot action? Did you think it was silly? Did you think it was stupid? Give your opinions, ointments, onions, oinks, and oiling via reviews!