Bonding (Cobie and Chris)

Cobalt climbed out of the muggle taxi as it brought him to a stop outside Harrods department store. Paying the driver, and giving him a generous tip too, Cobalt moved up to the doors and looked around. Seeing no sign of Christopher yet, as he was a few minutes early, Cobalt checked his watch again before merely nodding to himself.

Standing up against the side of the doors, Cobalt handed a wandering homeless man a twenty pound note and went back to waiting at the door. He sipped at a bottle of coca-cola as he waited patiently. It was somewhat addictive to drink the stuff and he was going to need his energy depending on what Christopher had in mind for them to do today.

Christopher wandered around the corner of the street and smiled a large warm smile when he saw that Cobalt was there in the place where he had asked him to be, there had been a moment when he had thought that he wouldn't come, but he was very glad that he was here now.

Things were about to change. He was going to make them change for Cobalt and he was going to have a lot of fun doing it he was sure.

"Why hello there Mr. Smith." he said cheerfully "It is nice to see you again."

Holding out his hand he clapped Cobalt's to hi own and gestured to the shop in front of them, walking up the steps he opened the door where he was greeted by a member of staff, which began to lead him and Cobalt to the VIP area of the shop.

"Were going to sort out that hair of yours young man." he said with a soft smile "How have you been keeping in my absence?"

As he had been sniffing the air, Cobalt caught Christopher's scent coming from one direction and turned in that direction with a small smile. When he saw that it was him for the first time for sure, he waved a little bit, grinning the whole while.

Christopher was on time and that was something that Cobalt liked about people,

"Why hello there yourself Mr Rubin." he replied with a grin, "Ah the pleasure is all mine."

After shaking hands with Christopher, Cobalt entered the store with the Minister but was quickly lead along with Christopher to the VIP area of the shop. Understandably, he'd never been there before,

"Again with the hair bashing old man?" he joked before smiling a little bit, "I've been doing better. Spending more time with my Charlotte. You?"

Christopher smiled gently and as they were shown to the room, which was a glorified barbers, but it was decorated in the 'modern' chic style that the young people liked these days, maybe Cobalt would find it appealing.

"I am glad that you are spending more time with your daughter, I would like to meet her one day, if you would allow me that is." he smiled gently "Me, I've been spending a lot of time with my paperwork, its a very exciting relationship."

Smiling softly at Cobalt, Christopher took off his suit jacket and took off his hat and gloves like normal, moving to sit down on one of the barbers chairs.

"I arranged this little day for you and I Cobalt, so that you might be able to cut loose and enjoy yourself for once, not only that but maybe you'll get an improved self image at the end of it." he smiled "Straight edge razor shave and a haircut for you."

Cobalt had to admit that being treated like some kind of royalty was rather nice, even if it did make him feel a bit odd. He had always been lower class after all, even though his paychecks were now several zeroes longer. The barbers was rather posh too. He whistled, impression,

"Niice... this place must have cost a fortune." he muttered before smiling, "Yes I think she'd like to meet you as well. I spoke about you a lot and she's looking forward to it. Ah the paperwork getting you down huh? Sucks Chris."

Following Christopher's example, Cobalt took off his suit jacket and hung it up before sitting down in one of the barbers chairs beside Christopher,

"Thanks Chris, I haven't had a chance to relax like this in ages. It's really great of you to go to all this trouble for me." he chuckled a little bit, "Is it a bad sign that whenever I hear that type of razor I think of Raven Drake?"

Christopher waved his hand when Cobalt mentioned money, being on the Ministry payroll with nothing and nobody but himself to spend it on meant that he had a fair few galleons tucked away in his vault at Gringotts and it would only grow in time.

"Ah, excellent, I hope that you haven't been telling her about how annoying I am, after all that wouldn't give me a very good first impression." he laughed kindly.

As the barber set to work Chris sighed happily and closed his eyes clasping his hands on his chest, when he was thanked, Christopher smiled to himself, that was the only thing that he needed to make him happy with the money he had spent.

"Now now it was no trouble at all Cobalt," when he mentioned Raven Drake Christopher chuckled again "That young lady sounds like someone I would very much like to avoid at all costs."

Cobalt was feeling a little bit bad even after Christopher seemed to wave off his concern. It didn't matter how rich you were, something like this set you back a little bit and the fact that he was doing it for him made Cobalt feel a lot happier,

"Oh no no, I just tell her about our interaction together at the bar." he told Chris with a chuckle, "She's the one who says that you're silly. Silly but cute I think she said."

When the barber started, by washing his hair slightly to make it easier to comb and to brush, Cobalt smiled a little bit. This was very relaxing after all. He chuckled a little bit,

"Not for someone of your stature I suppose not." he agreed before chuckling, "Oh yeah, she's a bit of a wild one. Doesn't really care much for rules or such."

Christopher hummed a little bit and opened his eyes, if he could have turned to look at Cobalt he would have done but he was in mid shave, and it would have been difficult, it not painful to turn around at the moment in time.

Chuckling a little bit, he said happily; "Well it seems she's another person to add to the ranks of people who think that I am silly, but why is it this time?"

The talk about Raven Drake was not one that he enjoyed, it put him at edge a little bit that he could be attacked by her any moment, closing his eyes again, Christopher tried to relax once more, it wasn't hard to do either.

"Leaving her to one side, how is the school year going, I havent been to Hogwarts in a long time, how is the Headmistress doing at the job? She seems much better than that...well...that pretty boy before her."

Cobalt had to admit that having his hair washed for him was a lot more relaxing than doing it himself. He noticed that Christopher had opted to get the shave first and he also had to admit that it looked very comforting. A lot better than his other recent experiences with straight edge razors thats for sure,

"Oh no big reason other than trying to talk to me when I was attempting to get drunk." he chuckled in return, a little bit sadly, "She knows that she's the only person I won't ever even think about being violent towards... but I got over those thoughts pretty quick with you so don't worry about it."

Glad that the talk of Raven was done for now, not wanting to mix work with relaxation, Cobalt chuckled a little bit as the barber began to cut his hair,

"Oh same old same old really." he replied with a small smile, "The kids try and cause chaos, Briony organises that chaos so that it helps them learn. Oh the Malfoy? Now there's a man the world is better off without."

Christopher chuckled warmly when he was told the reason why Charlotte thought that he was a little silly, it was something that he thought was more than a little sad when he dwelled on it, that the only person this man would not be violent towards was his daughter, but it was a start.

"Oh well I am glad." he chuckled lightly "After all I don't think that I would have been so keen to meet up with you a second time if you had acted in that way."

With a wry smile, Christopher thought about Briony and nodded his head, she was a tough task master, and he needed to be able to have someone like that in charge of Hogwarts, she was a marked improvement on the last Headmaster.

"Yes, that man I believe was more interested in how much gel he could fit on his head, and his balance at Gringotts, than the children at that school." he hummed with a little chuckle "Any humourous professors in her employ?"

Cobalt had to admit that what he'd just admitted to needed to change. After all, it wouldn't do for him to suddenly start attacking people whenever he was trying to get drunk. And that was aside from the moral reasons why he shouldn't do it,

"That's true but it's not like I'm evil enough to attack a man who looks like Santa Claus." he joked with a smirk, "I'm unpopular with children as it is."

Briony was a woman that Cobalt admired, a woman who took charge of situations and got things done. The very fact that she hadn't gone crazy from all the paperwork was something to be admired alone,

"Yes well it's hard to focus on things that matter, I imagine, when all that's between your ears is more hair gel." he joked before chuckling, "Oh some here and there. Sofia Slytherin is amusing, mainly because she doesn't mean to be. Call it mean but watching someone fail at teaching two of the easiest subjects in Hogwarts is rather fun to me."

Christopher laughed a little bit again and although he was probably going to have to dress up as Santa for the Christmas bash at the Ministry, he couldn't bring himself to hate the nickname that he had been given, by lots of people now.

"Why is it that everyone I meet thinks that I look like Santa Claus? I'm going to have to dress up as him for the Ministry Christmas ball next year." he chuckled lightly.

It felt a little good to let out his unhappiness at the previous Headmaster of Hogwarts, he had a rather unsavoury encounter with him after all, and when he heard about this other Professor, he frowned a little.

"Now now Cobalt, there's no need to be cruel about the poor girl." he said sternly "But I do happen to agree with you on the view of that Headmaster, he was...rather harsh towards me."

Cobalt was toying with the idea of having Christopher come round to the bakery when it was Christmas, dressed as Santa Claus. Of course Charlotte was too old to believe in Santa Claus anymore but it would make the day seem that much more special. Especially when he stayed for Christmas dinner,

"Well maybe it's the beard and the hair?" he joked before shrugging, "Maybe you should think about dying your hair or something if you want to avoid always being called Santa Claus."

Cobalt had hated the last headmaster with a passion, the man had been scum of the worst kind; the death-dodging kind. A man who wanted nothing more than death and destruction. He was glad when Richard killed him,

"Oh the woman is big enough and ugly enough to take care of herself." he dismissed casually before frowning, "I disliked that man intensely. I'm just glad that Richard killed him."

Christopher looked at Cobalt in shock and shook his head to the barber when he looked at him with a questioning look, he was going to grow old gracefully and that meant no silly dying of the hair, everyone knew he was old, so why bother to hide it?

"I don't think that dying my hair is something that I am really looking for." he smirked lightly "Besides I don't really mind being called Santa Claus, it's flattering to be honest."

He patted his face now that the shave had finished and he sat up on the chair, ready for his haircut to begin, he looked odd without the beard and he hoped that it would grow back soon.

Taking a glance at Cobalt he raised an eyebrow; "Now that is no way to speak about anybody Cobalt, even if they do deserve it, perhaps a lighter topic is needed?"

Cobalt laughed a little bit at the look Christopher gave him. Apparently the idea of dying his hair was not one that Christopher was willing to entertain. To him it made no sense, he dyed his hair countless times for missions,

"No I suppose you do look better with your natural white. Gives the sense of wisdom and completes the Santa Claus look." he chuckled a little bit before shrugging, "Well better than most nicknames I guess. Including mine."

When he saw Christopher without the beard for the first time, Cobalt blinked a few times. It was very odd to see and he hoped that he grew the beard back, he looked better with the beard than without,

"Yes perhaps a change of topic, I sense we won't agree on that one." he agreed before chuckling, "I don't suppose you keep track of muggle sports?"

Christopher caught sight of Cobalt's look at him when he saw him without his beard and he chuckled lightly, he wiggled his nose and his beard grew back, he felt much more himself now, than he had done without it, and his face was warmer.

"I didn't look as good without the beard I think, besides, my face looks a little bit strange without it, and children would probably be upset to see me shaven." he smiled warmly.

When he mentioned muggle sports, Christopher blinked and he dithered a little bit, uhming and ahing before he clicked his fingers and spurted out the first thing related to sport he knew;

"Ah! Theres...uhm...football I know a bit about that and uhm...of course there's Wimbledon, that's just finished hasn't it?" he asked, unsure

When Christopher grew his beard back with just a wiggle of his nose, Cobalt's eyebrows rose. Now that was a little bit of magic he'd never seen before. Very inventive too, if a little limited in scope,

"I'm with you on this one Chris, you look a lot better with your beard on if you don't mind me saying so." he laughed a little bit before nodding with a small smirk, "Of course. Santa must have a beard, it's just kind of the law of the universe or something."

When he mentioned muggle sports he watched Christopher dither a little bit and couldn't help but chuckle lightly. The Minister was dithering, how fun. He chuckled a little bit when it became clear that Christopher had remembered something about muggle sports,

"Yes football is a big sport in the muggle world and wimbledon has just finished." he chuckled, "Perhaps you should pick the topics."

Christopher was very happy with the look of surprise on his face when he grew his beard back, it was very odd to him that someone had not thought of that spell before, but then again, it wasn't very useful he supposed, nobody really wanted a beard.

"Oh no I don't mind at all Cobalt, I know that I like myself with a beard better than I like myself without it. It is a large part of me. As well as part of Santa." he chuckled lightly.

He was glad that he had managed to get the two things right that he had managed to pick out of all of his useless knowledge of the Muggle world, he really would need to improve that.

"Perhaps that would be best." he said, rather embarrassed "Are you almost ready now Cobalt, we have suit buying to do...it is cool to wear suits still...yes?" he asked, confused.

Cobalt could tell by the look on Christopher's face that he was actually rather happy that he'd managed to surprise Cobalt with the little beard trick. That led him to believe that the spell was probably one of Christopher's own making, hence the sense of satisfaction he could see in his body language,

"Well then you keep that beard. It does raise the question though..." he chuckled, "Why get it cut in the first place when you were just going to grow it back out again?"

Cobalt had to admit that it was probably rather mean to put the man on the spot about something like muggle sports but it was also rather funny. Not like he didn't know somethings anyway,

"Ah suits! I do love a good suit I must admit." Cobalt replied before chuckling a little bit, "Yes it's still cool to wear suits. Or it is for people our age anyway."

Christopher smiled warmly when Cobalt asked why he got his beard cut if he was just going to grow it back out again, the answer of course was simple to him, it was just something relaxing to have done and it really did work wonders on the nerves to have a shave like that.

"Oh I just find it relaxing." he smiled gently "It's something that I love having done, however, I find that I do not like the results once the shave is completed."

Humming a little bit, Christopher stood up and he waited for Cobalt to finish his haircut, it was nice to be able to do this with another person, it made it all the more interesting to him, as opposed to the silence that greeted him before.

"I am glad." he said, relieved "I worry about my apperance now that I am in the spotlight more and more I want to appear presentable at least."

Seeing the warm smile that Christopher sent his way made Cobalt smile a little bit in return. It was a slight smile but it was a smile none the less. And besides, that was his standard smile, big grins and smiles were reserved for Charlotte only at the moment,

"Ah right, I thought you'd say that actually." he replied with a chuckle before shrugging, "So that's why you invented the beard growing spell right?"

When his haircut was done, Cobalt looked pretty much the same except for the fact that it was a lot tidier around the edges and looked a lot nicer. He chuckled a little bit,

"Shouldn't you hire some kind of... private shoper or something?" he asked with a small shrug, "Someone who'll get you looking as good as possible?"

Christopher smiled gently and he chuckled when Cobalt asked him if he invented the spell to grow your own beard, he tapped his nose as if to say that he was keeping it a secret for now, after all, a magician never revealed his secrets.

"Maybe I did, or maybe someone else just gave me the spell to keep the trend going, after all Albus' beard didn't grow all by itself hmmm." he joked a little bit.

Seeing that Cobalt was now finished in the chair, he smiled warmly and patted his shoulder as he urged him along to the male area of the store, of course, from there Christopher was lost.

"Where's the fun in hiring one of those?" he asked incredulously "Half the fun of shopping is the shopping itself, besides, I find it amusing to view some of the...younger fashion trends." he said, picking up a bright pair of skinny jeans.