(no subject)

Getting there might have been the easiest part of his quest to obtain a job, and thus, much-needed coin.

Merissa's bit of parchment included directions as well as the name and address, but he didn't really need it. As someone who knew Vane from both street level and bird's eye, finding anything in the city took no effort at all.

And speaking of bird's eye...

Winging his way over the roofs of Vane, and fighting the animal's instinct to fly south to a warmer clime, was Rabastan in swallow form. He would have liked to use the eagle shape, but when it came to keeping his talents a closely-guarded secret, size mattered.

In no time at all, he was circling over the building that he hoped would be his place of future employ. Merissa had told him to be there just before the shop opened that day, if he expected to get the job, not just ask for it.

It took a quarter hour before the coast was clear enough that he could descend behind the building and resume human form.

Sure, he could have Apparated, but flying was enjoyable in its own right.

And didn't carry risks like splinching or dizziness.

Listening for anyone else approaching, he made his way out onto the street.

It was quiet.

Good.

He rang the bell to announce his arrival, and as soon as he did, he heard footsteps coming down the staircase and towards the door.

"Eh?" a man in his late sixties said, peering over a pair of glasses that looked to be the same age. "I'm not open yet. Come back in an hour, if you're lookin' for a carpet—"

Straightening his clothes and smiling, he said, "Actually, I was told by a young lady by the name of Merissa that you were looking to hire someone."

The old man seemed to come alive then and there. Or at least more awake. "Merissa? My goodness. My niece sent you here?"

No wonder Rabastan was told to mention her name. As soon as he did, the man began to barrage him with questions asking how she was doing and was she finally getting married, among other things.

"In the summer. She just announced her engagement last week."

"Good good. I wanted to be there, but I had to leave Vane to collect a shipment of carpets. Do tell her I send my regrets?"

"Certainly."

"Good good. Come inside Mr Lestange, and I'll tell you what I need doing."

It turned out to be quite spacious on the inside. And full of carpets. As they made their way about, Gideon, as he called himself, went on about the history of the store, and how his grandfather had started it, and that if Rabastan decided to work here, he'd have both the old man and his son as employers.

Well. At least this man seemed nice. Not like the first man Rabastan had worked for.

"Now. If you intend to work for me, your duties will involve mostly cleaning. Both the shop as well as the carpets. Carpets are tricky things, and I don't know enough about your magic to let you work on them directly, you understand?"

Rabastan nodded, and Gideon went on.

"You'll also help me with bringing carpets for the customers to examine, as well as unloading any shipments I get. I'm not getting any younger, you see."

Sounded fine so far, even if half of it involved drudgery work. Then again, it wasn't anything like what Voldemort had tasked him to do.

"Of course, there may be other, lesser things I'll be asking you to do, but for now that's what you'll be doing for me."

Rabastan nodded again.

"Good good. Now that we've discussed that, there's the matter of when you start, and how often I expect you to work. If you're working for me you'll be here at seven in the morning, ready to clean up the front before the customers arrive. And it had better be clean. This shop may be old but I'll not have it looking that way."

More nodding.

"You work five days a week, and get two days off. You'll be here from the time I open the store, and you'll be here after I close. Shops get dirty during the day, especially at this time of the year, and you'll not leave until it's clean, understand?"

"Certainly, Gideon."

"Of course, by now you're wondering about silver. I'm not a rich man and this isn't one of Vane's fancier shops, but if you're looking to earn silver for yourself and your family you won't need to worry too much. You'll get enough."

Again Rabastan nodded. Things were going better than he'd hoped.

"Now, lad. I want you to repeat everything I told you, so's I know you understood what I'm asking of you."

He did. All of it.

"Good, good," Gideon nodded. "When you start. I expect to see you here first thing next week. I'm closed tomorrow and the day after, but at seven I expect to see you standing outside that door ringing that bell to be let in, understood?"

"Yes Gideon."

He was feeling elated now. Finally, he'd be earning his own coin, not living off what he had left.

"Good good. Now, I've got a busy day ahead and I can't have you standing around here doing nothing useful, so I'll be seeing you off now. But remember: seven in the morning two days from now. Understood?"

"I understand sir."

With that, there was another round of inquiring into Gideon's niece, before Rabastan left the shop.

Smiling.

And casually slipped behind the store while no one was looking, so he could fly home and tell Elea the good news.

He had a job.