Ficlet: "Traces" (DM/BBL/LL)
For: le Fic-a-Feast chez les dames_magique.
Why: I pickled seven pounds of garlic this morning, and the peppercorn jar gave me fits.
Grouping: Draco/Bella/Luna. I blame catrinella.
Backstory: The war continues beyond year seven -- long enough for revised alliances and liaisons...
Rating: R. A bit of femmeslash and bloodplay, and implied incest if you squint.
Words: 250-ish
When Draco lets himself think about it, it shouldn’t be a surprise that his aunt Bella gets along so well with Luna - they both have a marked predisposition for uncritical devotion to older male figures, what with Bella’s unwavering allegiance to the Dark Lord and Luna’s faithfulness to her father’s daft convictions. In any case, he wouldn’t swear there isn’t a blood connection somewhere back in the upper branches of the family tree: bent over a simmering cauldron of garlic and vinegar, Luna doesn’t directly resemble his mother, especially not in the messy way she knots her hair out of the way, but there is a cool arrogance in the tilt of her head that he finds extremely familiar, comforting, and spooky.
Unlike his mother, but very much like his aunt, Luna doesn’t mind getting hands-on and dirty. Sure, they could have charmed the ten pounds’ worth of cloves apart within second, and loosened the stubborn seals of spice jars with simple spells instead of smashing them open with mallets, but Bella adores the sound of breaking glass and the sight of its remains. The night Luna dropped a bottle of wine, his aunt hit him with a Petrificus before the banishment spell could leave his mouth. When he remembers how she trailed the shards over Luna’s breasts -- how she streaked the pale flesh with scarlet, her tongue chasing both the lacework of long-cellared wine and the sweet pin-spots of fresh blood -- when he revisits that long, unbearably lush evening, the taste that invariably blooms at the back of his throat is both soft and sour.
Persian Sugar-Pickled Garlic
from Garlic, by Janet Hazen
4 heads garlic, cloves separated, unpeeled
2 cups red wine vinegar
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
6 whole cloves (not garlic-the spice!)
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
Makes about 2-1/2 cups
Place all the ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Transfer to a clean glass or ceramic jar large enough to accommodate the garlic and liquid. Tightly seal and refrigerate for at least 1 month before serving. The garlic improves with age for as long as 15 years.
Why: I pickled seven pounds of garlic this morning, and the peppercorn jar gave me fits.
Grouping: Draco/Bella/Luna. I blame catrinella.
Backstory: The war continues beyond year seven -- long enough for revised alliances and liaisons...
Rating: R. A bit of femmeslash and bloodplay, and implied incest if you squint.
Words: 250-ish
When Draco lets himself think about it, it shouldn’t be a surprise that his aunt Bella gets along so well with Luna - they both have a marked predisposition for uncritical devotion to older male figures, what with Bella’s unwavering allegiance to the Dark Lord and Luna’s faithfulness to her father’s daft convictions. In any case, he wouldn’t swear there isn’t a blood connection somewhere back in the upper branches of the family tree: bent over a simmering cauldron of garlic and vinegar, Luna doesn’t directly resemble his mother, especially not in the messy way she knots her hair out of the way, but there is a cool arrogance in the tilt of her head that he finds extremely familiar, comforting, and spooky.
Unlike his mother, but very much like his aunt, Luna doesn’t mind getting hands-on and dirty. Sure, they could have charmed the ten pounds’ worth of cloves apart within second, and loosened the stubborn seals of spice jars with simple spells instead of smashing them open with mallets, but Bella adores the sound of breaking glass and the sight of its remains. The night Luna dropped a bottle of wine, his aunt hit him with a Petrificus before the banishment spell could leave his mouth. When he remembers how she trailed the shards over Luna’s breasts -- how she streaked the pale flesh with scarlet, her tongue chasing both the lacework of long-cellared wine and the sweet pin-spots of fresh blood -- when he revisits that long, unbearably lush evening, the taste that invariably blooms at the back of his throat is both soft and sour.
Persian Sugar-Pickled Garlic
from Garlic, by Janet Hazen
4 heads garlic, cloves separated, unpeeled
2 cups red wine vinegar
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
6 whole cloves (not garlic-the spice!)
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
Makes about 2-1/2 cups
Place all the ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Transfer to a clean glass or ceramic jar large enough to accommodate the garlic and liquid. Tightly seal and refrigerate for at least 1 month before serving. The garlic improves with age for as long as 15 years.