Harry Potter The King of Elves

The kindly old grandfather of the wizarding world sent the shopkeepers of Diagon Alley fleeing from their early breakfasts in the Leaky Cauldron in something approaching a panic. It had long been Albus's custom to watch the Alley suddenly spring to life like the desert after a rare rain so they all knew what his arrival meant. This was why the Mailings had always been sent out at the same time, and never announced. The surprise was the best part.

Albus had to admit he did love this reaction though; it made him feel so important. To think that just his appearance so early in the morning so late in the summer could cause such a stir was almost enough to give one a big head. 'As if that would ever happen to someone like me, ' the kindly and ever so humble Dumbledore thought to himself.

"I'm sorry, Tom," he said as he smiled to the hunch-backed, gap-toothed barman. "I seem to have cost you all of your patrons."

"That's alrigh'," Tom replied merrily and started to clear the plates with a wave of his wand. "They already paid."

After considering it for a moment, the merry old man thought as long as he was here it wouldn't hurt to have one of his few little indulgences.

"I don't suppose you happen to have Sticky Buns this morning, do you?" Albus asked.

"Only when I don't change me underwear," the barman quickly replied with his classic 'I got you' look on his face.

Albus had a good chuckle; the earthy barman's humor would never change.

"I'll bake some up fresh like," Tom said. "I take it today's the big day?"

"Oh yes. Today is a very big day," Albus said with more meaning than one in mind. He so loved wrapping everything up in one outing.

...

Lichfield stumbled as he was pushed out of the emerald flames. Catching himself on the rough wooden seats of the Leaky Cauldron, he felt a twinge in his hand as a splinter dug into his skin, adding extra flavor to his early morning grumble. It happened every time Lester tried to take a short cut and hop out of one of the Gringotts fires instead of his stated route but he couldn't help but check every once in a while.

As he drew his wand to extract the splinter he just knew that today was going to be a lousy day. Why the Ministry saw fit to restrict passage to and from Gringotts like they did, even for employees, he'd never know. It's not like they'd have an entire goblin army belch itself out of a fireplace, no matter how famous the kid who asked for one was.

How Legal could've lost that rental agreement after it took so long to write up, given the boy's particularly tricky legal standing, was enough to get his dander up. If it wasn't for the fact Barchoke had wanted heads on pikes, leaving him to run interference since beheadings wouldn't be doing Harry any favors, he would've felt free to vent his spleen on the issue. The new one should be done sometime today and he'd finally be able to put the kid's mind to rest. Merlin knew the kid needed a chance to be a kid when he could have it. What he'd learned of that kid's life was repellent.

The smell of Sticky Buns hung thick in the air causing his stomach to growl. His morning toast hadn't been enough after all. Maybe he'd call for Mipsy so she could make him a sandwich when he got to work. The elf would be so thrilled she'd probably be smiling and bouncing off the walls all day. He mentally corrected his schedule so he could stay late at work, leaving Mipsy free to go berserk in an overload of euphoric cleaning before he got back.

Lichfield wouldn't put it past her to fix his neighbor's large metal muggle contraption he'd broken last night when he'd gotten home. If that idiot didn't learn to stop blocking his stairway with that automocar there was going to be hell to pay.

"Ah, thank you, Tom. They smell wonderful."

The sound of a certain old man's voice drew the Litigator's eyes to him.

"I think I'll just take these at the little sitting area outside Florean's shop," the vicious old fraud said with a condescending smile. "Do you want me to send the plate back to you?"

Lester didn't stick around to hear any more of the old man's prattling, instead striding purposely towards the Alley proper. 'Of course it just had to come down to an old man race,' Lichfield thought to himself as he stole the better start and opened up a lead, leaving a string of muttered curses behind him like he was an automocar himself.

As he hit the alleyway he paused only a moment to shake his head at the brilliant green sign now decorating the front of the shoemaker's shop. 'Come See Harry Potter's Shoes!' it proclaimed. He was sure it would cause as much of a stir as the new broomstick at Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Muttering about the anti-Apparition field enshrining the Alley, he put one foot in front of the other as he made his way forward, each step coming faster than the one before. Before he was even two shops along Lichfield was running. No old man was going to out old man him because he was a grumpy old man, damn it, and he needed all hands on deck. He'd have to call Mipsy after all.

.....

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