{Edited} The Chaotic Traveler - Chapter 21 (Patreon)

AN: Edited chapters do not count toward monthly quota's.

Chapter 21: A Mangy Mutt Found

Fleur left in the afternoon, saying she needed to speak with her headmistress and address her school issues.

Thankfully, she left in a far greater mood than when she arrived, reinvigorated and ready to charge to war.

Or so she said after spending an hour attempting to suffocate him with her lips.

Jin shook his head in amusement, lighting up his pipe with a fond look in his eyes as he lounged in a leather chair by the hearth.

‘Who would have thought I’d try dating this early?’

He realized how easily he had gotten sidetracked from his single-minded progress over the last few weeks.

‘It’s not like I’m falling behind, but somehow this seems worth the time.’

Jin lived a hectic schedule day in and day out, yet he instinctively understood the value in the little things.

Taking hours each day to enjoy the moment and be idle.

Whether that was helping Hagrid with his classes, keeping his horse buddies company, working in a monstrous pumpkin patch, or lending an ear to a beautiful blond Veela who clicked with him far too easily.

‘Maybe I should have just gotten laid.’

Jin pinched his chin in thought.

‘It would have been dead easy, as long as McG didn’t catch wind of it. Hell, I could have screwed Fleur this morning if that’s all I really wanted.’

And Jin did want to.

He really did.

Veela or no Veela, Fleur was still a stunning young woman who loved physical contact and teasing. If she had offered to sleep together in their first week, Jin likely wouldn’t have resisted, but the more they talked and spent time together, the more Jin felt the potential for more.

‘Maybe I’m just making excuses. Is being alone that frightening?’

Jin looked down at his palm thoughtfully.

‘It's easy not to think about it when I’m so focused, but I’m walking half a dozen tightropes. My flaky identity in this world, my uncertain future, and my cracked soul tainted with an ancient vampire’s unstable multidimensional magic.’

Jin just knew that old bastard was out there laughing at him.

‘Who knows where else I’ll end up. Am I really selfish enough to drag someone else into my mess?’

One thing Jin didn't share with Fleur was that his success at his new Charm was due to more than her help with brainstorming.

The positive emotional layer of his Charm didn't require nearly as much energy as casting a Patronus. However, it would still have been difficult for him with his limited experience. Yet the few weeks of memories with her, culminating in their experience today, were enough to fuel his flames. 

'I don't want to be alone.'

Jin eventually determined.

'But I'm still not rushing things. I'll let things take their natural course with Fleur. Who knows? Maybe this is just a flare-up, and we'll go our separate ways at some point.'

Jin didn't like that thought, but he was too logical to deny its simple truth.

'If things get serious, I'll share my secrets with her and let her decide for herself.'

He couldn't deny wanting someone to rely on, but Jin was mature enough to accept the facts and move on.

Time waited for no one, and his literal soul was on the line.

“Row.” A chirp rang by Jin’s ear just before a weight settled on his shoulders.

A furry black body curled around his neck with a steady purr.

"Hey, girl." Jin smiled softly at his first companion. "Coming for your daily dose of attention?"

Shadow purred louder and butted her little head against Jin’s own, making him chuckle and reach up to scratch her between the ears.

“I guess I’m never really alone with you around.” Jin mused aloud, grateful for the creature he had spontaneously purchased within twelve hours of waking up in his new life.

Perhaps an unconscious part of himself instinctively sought out a pet in an unfamiliar environment.

Little did he know he'd soon have not only an adorable Kneazle kitten but a trio of rowdy House Elves to accompany him.

And speaking of said elves, Jin raised a brow at the gentle popping noise that could only belong to Sil. ‘Gol’s is near silent, and Bron’s is… noticeable.’

“Master.” His quietest House Elf bowed his head. “Apologies for the sudden visit.”

"You don't need to apologize for popping in, Sil." Jin waved a hand lazily, still petting the purring Shadow with his other hand. “You know you’re free to come and go.”

He had long since given up trying to make Sil drop the bowing stuff. ‘If it makes him happy, whatever.’

Sil looked relieved, then excited, as his big eyes widened. "Master instructed me to watch out for a big black dog with magic in Hogsmeade. We caught him, Master.”

“You did?” Jin sat up in surprise with a growing smile. ‘Sirius Black showed up already? Did he always appear this soon?’ 

Jin tried to think back to his fragmented memories, but he honestly couldn’t say if Sirius appeared earlier.

‘Wait a second.’ Jin finally registered Sil’s last words. “Did you say you caught him?”

“Aye, Master.” Sil nodded happily. “Tied the big dog up and beat it with rolled-up newspapers when it fought back."

Jin’s mind momentarily blanked out at the mental image of sickly Sirius Black getting jumped, kidnapped, and his shit kicked in by two-foot-tall House Elves wielding rolled-up newspapers.

“Alright then.” Jin shrugged it off and stood up.

He didn’t really intend to kidnap the guy, just tail him and have a civil chat, but he wouldn’t complain over spilled milk. “Where did you put him?”

“In a cave to the east.” Sil pointed out the window. “Master was busy earlier, so I waited.”

Jin followed the finger all the way to a very distant mountain. “How long ago was this?”

Sil smiled. “This morning, Master.”

Jin silently turned a dry stare at the House Elf for a long moment.

On the one hand, Jin was glad his little buddy didn't cockblock him. Still, on the other hand, he had technically and unintentionally kidnapped a noble lord for most of the day.

"Right.” Jin cleared his throat. “I assume Gol is watching him?"

“Gol is unavailable today, Master.” Sil scratched his head. “Today is the bad ‘vacation’ day.”

Jin recalled that it was Gol’s mandatory day off and suddenly had a bad feeling. “…Then who is watching the dog?”

“Bron.” Sil stated.

“Alone?” Jin’s eyes darkened.

“Alone.” Sil nodded.

Jin took a deep drag of his pipe. “And you see no issue with that?”

Sil went to nod again, paused, and slowly shook his head with dawning realization. “Um, Master, maybe I should go first.”

“No.” Jin exhaled a cloud of smoke. “Just take me with you and get this over with.”

He held out a hand, and Sil grabbed it, the world twisting around them as Jin was transported miles away into a decent-sized cave somewhere high up, with sunlight reflecting off the buildings of Hogsmeade in the distance.

But that's not what truly caught Jin's attention once he settled his stomach from the uncomfortable ride.

Instead, he focused on a thin Grim, tied spread-eagled on a log that was slowly turning over a pile of tinder, with a bloody, apron-clad Bron currently pouring a canister of oil on top of the tinder while singing.

“37 cuts of steak on the doggo, 37 cuts of steak, cut one out, grill it right up, 42 cuts of steak on the doggo.”

Tears streamed down the terrified dog's face before it whipped its head around to face the newcomers and started madly barking for help.

"Bad doggo." Bron had his back to Jin and smacked the dog on the nose with a newspaper. "I musts concentrate on proper grilling. Ah, I's lost my count." The little dude scrunched up his face and shrugged, then started his song from the top. "99 cuts of steak on the doggo…”

Jin deadpanned at the sight and looked at Sil's nervously sweating form. "Do you understand your mistake now?"

“Yes, Master.” Sil bowed his head in shame.

“Mn. Go fix it.” Jin waved him off.

"Right away, Master." Sil popped ahead and slapped Bron on the back of the head just as the little dude managed to light a match.

“Ow! Sil? Why?” Bron exclaimed.

“Master said he wanted the dog, not that you should cook it!” Sil berated the younger House Elf as Sirius nodded rapidly in agreement from where he was tied up.

Yet Bron scrunched up his face in confusion. “Doesn’t that mean it’s better cooked?” Sirius barked at that. “It’ll be better cooked.”

“Don’t cook it!” Sil reached forward to snatch the lit match from Bron, but Bron didn’t want his effort to go to waste.

"I can make it taste good! I wanna cook, too!" Bron was only slightly jealous that Gol and Sil did the cooking for Jin.

"Taste isn't the issue!" Sil retorted and tried to grab the smaller House Elf, but Bron slipped away, and soon the two were running around the wood pile Sirius was held above, all while Bron gripped a lit match.

Sirius’s dog head followed the flame with a deathlike stare and twitched every time Bron got too close, barking madly at the House Elf to stay away, or possibly cheering Sil on in his mission to stop Bron.

Jin honestly wasn't sure, as he didn't speak dog.

And speaking of Jin, he was just watching the show with an odd feeling of detachment as he cleaned and repacked his pipe. ‘Magical catnip can solve all headaches.’

Shadow, batting a paw at the pipe telling Jin to hurry up, showed her agreement with his calm assessment.

They both chose to ignore the dog howling for help.

It wasn’t how Jin planned to meet Sirius Black, but Jin would roll with it.

‘Oh, Bron dropped the match.’

The pyre caught with a whoosh, the cave glowing with firelight, and a stray spark conveniently landed in Jin’s fresh-packed pipe, saving him the trouble of lighting it.

'Hm, that's gotta hurt.' 

In other news, Sirius Black gained a few more traumas that day.

Chapter End.

AN: Hope you enjoyed! Short chapter this time, just a quick interlude to get us into the next part. Bron is my favorite House Elf.