Alternate Jobs (Omake)

The two other jobs Harry could have ended up with if his spur of the moment answering had gone another way...

Warnings: These are just what-if scenarios. Not part of AtO's established time-line, so these are full of plot-holes.

1- Gardener
"I didn't actually believe them when they said your snakeroot was still healthy and growing," the woman said as she looked around the room in awe.
Harry smiled politely.
"I'd like to buy all of these plants."
Harry gaped slightly. "Okay?"
"And I think it'd be helpful if you dropped by the greenhouses. Maybe you can find out what's troubling our plants there..."
"I'm not a professional or anything. Everything I know is self-learned," Harry said.
"And yet, you are the only person in Konoha who has managed to keep their stock of snakeroot alive and healthy for use. What's your secret?"
Harry sighed. "I talk to them."
The lady blinked in surprise.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Harry fiddled with the cuff of his sleeve as he followed the woman through the hospital. "You do remember me telling you I'm not a professional or anything."
The lady nodded. "Yes, I remember. But it's been two weeks since then and our plants here haven't shown any sign of recovery. But your plants are still thriving. Maybe your... unconventional methods have some merit."
Harry stifled a snort at the polite wording. "Don't expect much."
The greenhouse was better than he'd expected. Sure the plants were in various stages of dying, but it wasn't all bad.
"Then I'll leave you to it," the lady said and left.
Harry walked around, paying particular attention to the plants that needed the most help. The things I end up doing to maintain my cover story... Harry patted the soil beneath one of the dying plants. "Don't be like that, I'm sure they'll take better care of you from now on..." Herbivicus.
The colourless spell seeped in to the soil releasing the scent of rain-drenched soil. Harry smiled in accomplishment as the plant rippled slightly and it became a healthy green.

-x-x-x-x-x-

On the roof of the building opposite the greenhouse, a masked man gaped.

2- Fortune teller
Harry stared at the cigarette in the bearded man's mouth and then looked down in to the tea cup in front of him. "Your death will come after your lungs fill up with smoke and ash."
The teenager beside the man snorted softly and rolled his eyes but the man just smiled politely and paid him before leaving.
Harry wanted to scoff at himself too as he pushed the tea cup away. Why is it that the first 'fortune' I gave dealt with death? Maybe I'm drawing too much inspiration from Trewlany.

-x-x-x-x-x-

A week later, the teenager returned wearing black. His face was grim as he emptied his tea cup and passed it towards Harry.
Harry frowned as he recognised the expression on the other boy's face as a mixture of fear and a need for reassurance. He looked down in to the tea cup. "You won't be dying any time soon."
His customer relaxed slightly.
"You'll bury your problems easily."
The boy blinked, looking slightly confused but he paid and left.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Harry didn't know whether to laugh or cry when the boy came back with new customers two days later.
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So, mid September and I'm back in the normal swing of things. Funny how it's easier to write now than it was in the summer. You'll be happy to know that I now have 3000+ words written for chapter 13- that makes me quite happy actually.

I've also finished my Fairy tailXHp crossover- only it doesn't have a name and proper summary. The old summary just wasn't working for it- understandable since I added so much more to the story since I wrote that summary.

But for the title, I can't think of anything- does that mean that the story isn't as complete as I think it is? Usually after you've written something/ know the plot, doesn't the name just come to you- that's how I name all the chapters for AtO.

Polar