(no subject)

[deatheater-cook.livejournal.com]

Time: Late afternoon, 25 July 2000
Place: The Manor Grounds
Status: Public
Summary: The Barbecue

Severus had prepared for this extensively, had done research as soon as he was told that he needed to provide food for a ‘barbecue’. Well, that was American, wasn’t it? A newly-published book titled The Great American Barbecue and Grilling Manual was his starting point. (The words ‘great’ and ‘American’ did not belong in the same sentence, although perhaps he might be mistaken, never having been to America.) After learning that this was not merely an American cuisine but a regional (Southern) American cuisine, he began to specialise. Having found a butcher to bring a pig and something to cook it over (yes, the whole pig, you dolt) he learned that it could have been done with a goat as it had been in the Caribbean, and with less effort.

Having put forth effort already, he pushed ahead. The intensive labour required to prepare food by the slow ‘barbecue’ method had been provided by Remus Lupin, although he surely did not understand when he volunteered exactly what it was he’d be doing. The butcher himself was also interested and so Snape had ‘invited’ him to come and help. Work for the day, eat. Bring your family with you and they can help and eat also. Only if they help. Severus’ labour shortage crisis solved.

The whole concept of barbecue sauce was confusing, so he’d made three kinds. Two for public consumption—a South Carolina style with mustard, vinegar and black pepper that seemed reasonable enough. Kansas City style that was thick, red-brown, and gloppy, made with a tomato base and molasses. The third was for Crowley, a Texas-style sauce amusingly named ‘Devil’s Spit’ made from a tomato base with cumin and hot chiles. These American chiles being unavailable, he procured an Oriental variety that were infinitely hotter. Let him call that bland.

Chicken would go on, although not for as long as the blasted pig, and sausages for the unadventurous. The Brunswick Stew might end up in the restaurant under ‘American Cuisine’. It was simple enough, with a tomato base, lima beans (or any beans), corn, other vegetables, and meat. Traditionally rabbit or squirrel but he could use leftover pork, chicken, beef or even cut-up sausages. Basically, a fine way to rid himself of leftover almost anything and he revised his opinion of American ingenuity. The true test would be Crowley’s opinion. If he disapproved, it was definitely going on the menu.

Okra and sweet potatoes proved impossible to procure. Field greens—of the turnip variety—were simple enough to cook in some of the extra pig fat. Black-eyed peas, which looked an awful lot like beans, with bacon. He made carrots in sauce of butter and brown sugar that seemed terribly French, but he simply shrugged. There would be green peas—not mushy, unfortunately, which would have made Crowley complain and Snape smile, a dish of fried apples that was a side dish, apparently popular with pork, and potato salad. It was a source of annoyance that the recipe he found for this called for red potatoes that did not need to be peeled. How brilliant would it have been to set Lupin to peeling potatoes for his own requested potato salad?

Cornbread was simple enough to make, although all the different names and types confused him. The concept of beaten biscuits was repulsive so he settled on cheddar biscuits instead. American biscuits, he found, were a bread roll that seemed a bizarre combination of bap, scone, and crumpet. But they were a Southern staple and very simple to make. Devilled eggs—also simple, seemingly French—were another extra dish along with pickles of varied types. He refused to make grits—porridge was bad enough at breakfast and he would certainly not serve it in any other time.

Cold tea, sweet, with or without lemon was also a disgusting concept. Lemonade, if people wished to drink it. Lupin had to deal with squeezing the lemons, too. He had procured some Bourbon and Belial would, he imagined, not object if any leftover made its way to the bar. Mint juleps required it. Mint grew in the garden and sugar was a staple.

Having no sweet potatoes with which to make sweet potato pie, which seemed unpleasant anyway, he went with pecan pie. It was too sweet, but someone would eat it. Pound cake with whipped cream (another job for Lupin) and blackberry cobbler, which was enough like local fare for people to be willing to eat it. If he could have found watermelon, that would have been amusing. But messy, so just as well he hadn’t found it.

All in all, it was a great effort on his part, slave labour or no, and people had better appreciate it else he would be extremely put out.

"Let Wensleydale handle things in the kitchen, Lupin. The butcher will take care of serving the meat. You can clear plates and make sure the dishes are all filled." He had planned this. "The butcher's wife can help with drinks. The children have been disposed of."

Out of the way, nothing more sinister. Eating now, washing dishes later. Work for food, and a good trade on his part.

"Keep an eye on the biscuits, Wensleydale, and see that they don't burn. And make sure there is plenty of ice."

He turned.

"No, mint juleps are not sweets, get away from me, you silly child." Weren't they supposed to be on the far side of the lawn, eating their supper?

Attention Edit: As of this point the Devil's Spit sauce is no longer on the serving table but in Snape's hands, doled out by him. Please do not have your character get into it.

Comments

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

Having tackled the wrong guy (but no harm done) and been cheerfulled at, Brian was in a sort of an odd, doubtful mood.

Fortunately, he saw just the thing to get him in a more decisive mood.

Brian rarely got really angry. But rarely doesn't mean never.

His face darkened. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO PEPPER?"

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"Calm down, Brian," said Adam sadly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "She's gonna be all right. Anathema and Shadow are takin' care of her."

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

"Well that's good, ain't it? But what HAPPENED to her?"

Brian glared at Adam, nearly betrayed. "She's hurt."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

The nearly betrayed glare almost broke Adam's heart, but he soldiered on. "She was in a fight with War. Got her collarbone broke. But I already talked to War and it's not gonna happen again." His face darkened. "Or she's gonna really wish it hadn't."

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

War.

"What's she doin' here anyway? Didn't you tell her she couldn't go 'round beating up people?"

Brian was confused. "Why'd you let her hurt Pep? Her collarbone, that hurts a LOT, Adam. I've seen that happen before, it's not like a scraped knee or sumfing. Why?"

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"Course I told her she couldn't beat people up. She just decided to ignore me. Then I gave her the one and only warnin' she's gonna get."

Adam frowned. "I can't stop people from doin' what they're gonna do. The only thing I can do is keep it from bein' serious." He stared directly into Brian's eyes. "I promise you this, Brian, I won't let Pepper or anyone get seriously hurt or killed. Her collarbone's gonna hurt for a bit but she'll heal fine. We've got a good doctor and nurse. I'll never let anythin' happen to any of you that's permanent or real dangerous, okay?"

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

That should be enough. Adam said so. So it oughta be.

Only he'd had broken bones. He'd seen rugby teammates with broken collarbones, visited them while they were laid up. And Pepper'd beat War before. Was Adam just not trying this time? Was it because it wasn't important that she won?

"What what's 'real dangerous', Adam? What're the rules?"

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam's voice went quiet as he stared at the ground. "I stopped a rape, you know. And a strangulation. Helped someone that got shot. Buried someone when the ceilin' fell on him. Did surgery on someone who got attacked and was bleedin' inside. Carried someone up three flights of stairs after he'd been tortured for a day and had his mind violated twice. And stopped a boy from havin' nightmares of the worst kind. Do you think it's easy, Bri? I gotta decide what's important every single day. So I don't know what to tell you. If I made it so nothin' bad ever happened, people'd never learn anythin'. There'd be no consequences to their actions. This way, bad as it is, things'll change. I hope you can understand that."

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

"I don't think it's easy, Adam. I'm not asking you to make it all perfect. That wouldn't work, I know it wouldn't-- didn't work last time, that was the point. But... if you've got us here, your mates, we're... we're not like them. There's people here who can do a lot more than us. We don't even have a chance. So I have to know, Adam. How much are you going to stop? How much could I get hurt if War or one'f the others decides they want just one more go? How much could Wens-" He broke off, tears in his eyes.

"I wanna be here, Adam. I want us all to be with you. But I don't wanna see my friends hurt."

And if Adam let anything happen to Wens, he'd... he'd...

He'd leave.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"I can't tell you, Brian," said Adam, anguish evident in his voice. "If I told you exactly you'd change your behaviour. And I don't want you to always be relyin' on me 'cause sometime I might not be around. For now, though, it won't ever be much worse than a broken collarbone. But if you make good decisions, you shouldn't ever get hurt at all unless it's by accident. I already had talks with War and Mictain and I don't think anyone else here would try to hurt you just because. Does that help?" He turned pleading eyes on Brian.

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

"It does." Brian dropped his gaze. "I know you don't want us dependin on you all the time. But... so long as we're here. And these people are here, you gotta remember. We're not like them."

"We ain't like you."

Which was a horrible thing to say, but a true one. Brian had based a lifelong faith around the rock-solid knowledge that Adam was not like them. Was better, somehow.

And he was scared now that he'd found people he liked better. And would forget the Them.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Picking up on Brian's anxiety, Adam squeezed his shoulder. "Brian," he whispered.

"I know you're not like them or like me and I'm not like them or like you. But I don't care what powers anyone has. You and Wensley and Pepper are my very best friends and always will be. We been together fifteen years and nothin' can ever change that. Like I told Pep, I trust you guys. More than anythin'. I can't trust them. I hafta hold their hands and tell them right an' wrong like they're little kids, but you three, even if you have the least powers, have the most sense and I need that. I need your help, Brian. I... I don't think I can do it alone." There. He'd said it. The big secret he'd been holding for a year. He glanced at Brian's face, looking for his reaction.

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

Brian looked up at him.

Oh, relieved, real relieved that Adam still wanted them around. But worried, too, because if you wanted someone with sense, it wasn't Brian.

But Wens and Pepper, still.

"We'll try, Adam, cos we love you. But it's scary. She was just hurt and everyone was acting like it was no big deal atall. And I might not have even noticed."

He just couldn't stay mad for long. Not at Adam. "But we'll try, Adam." He wrapped his friend in a crushing hug.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Grinning stupidly and highly relieved, Adam hugged him tightly back. "You know, people don't just use their powers for hurtin' around here. Some of 'em are good at healin', too. I bet Pep's already back to normal. Wanna go see her?"

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

Brian nodded, and let him go.

When they'd started walking away from all the other people, Brian turned his head to Adam.

"Can you do me a favor, Adam? I'll do something to make it up, whatever you want."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"I'd do anythin' for you that I can, Brian," he replied sincerely. "What is it?"

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

"Pep.. she's strong. You know that, she's stubborn. And me, I've had bones broken before, I don't mind a whole lot. But Wens, he's-- he's the smart one. Not.." Brian floundered. "It'd be bad if he got hurt too bad. So... could you look out for him just a little more? You can pay less attention to me if you need to."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam took Brian's hand and squeezed it. "Course, Brian. He's been here almost a year and hasn't had anythin' bad happen, but I'll keep an extra special eye on him for you."

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

"Thanks. I'd... I'd be sad if he got hurt, Adam."

But Brian managed a good smile, trying to remember that Pep could maybe be healed just as suddenly as she'd been hurt, and it'd be okay in the end. It had to be.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"I know," said Adam with a return smile. "C'mon. Let's go see Pep."

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

"Right! ...should we pick some flowers or something? Cos she's in the hospital?"

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"If you wanna be hit 'round the head with 'em," laughed Adam. "This is Pep, remember?"

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but if she's in bed, she can't reach out and hit us. Like when Jack Scoggins took that high tackle that broke his ribs, we got him a huge pink bouquet and a pink and gold teddy, but he couldn't get back at us."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"But if she's healed already, you're gonna get grass stains. 's up to you."

[bullfightposter.livejournal.com]

Brian considered.

"...we haven't got time to stop off at the shops for a teddy bear or a plush rabbit anyway."