This was just something I had to get out of my head. It's tentative, and I'm finishing Postbellum first before I do anything else (actually I'm going to write my Art History paper first, but you know what I meant). It's going to be a bit of a different Scabior, or something. Like I said, tentative, there's a few details that probably need ironing out, of course. Leave your thoughts in a review.

Will be rated T for now, there's a tad bit of strong language (two words), and if I ever return to this, chances are, it'll be M.

She knew it had been a stupid idea.

She always had the notion that she was supposed to get an education, get a job, get married ,get a house, have kids, and die happy. She leapt at the opportunity, a man actually taking interest in her. Her family had a bit of money-not much, not like the Malfoy's-but enough to afford a few nice things once in a while.

The man ran off with a pretty, leggy blonde and all of her money.

Because she had not a single knut to her name, she was unable to pay the mortgage. And if she couldn't pay the mortgage, Gringotts would take back the house, kick her out, and that'd be the end of that.

Caden sighed. She watched the family step out onto the sidewalk below, beaming at the Ministry agent who had showed them the house. She refused to do what normal people do when their house is being shown, and leave for half an hour or so.

She pulled back her dark hair, tying in a messy bun. Her brown eyes found another subject to watch as she waited for them to leave.

She loved this house, though. She had loved it the minute they had stepped in. No stupid family sucking off the new Ministry's benefits was going to get her house all because of her cheating ex-husband.

She stepped into the hall, and made her way down the stairs. She remembered Sunday mornings, when the sun would stream through the large stairway and it seemed to glow. Warmth. Happiness. Love. The smell of banana pancakes and tea and always a hint of lavender.

That was gone. Her house elf had been taken by that stupid slut, leaving the house in a state of clean that was necessary, not extravagant. The floors were clean, the furniture in decent shape, the rail of the stairs free of dust. But it was gathering in the molding and the mantles and details of the chairs.

She stood on the landing, watching as the Ministry agent came inside, as always. He always wanted a word with her.

He was a thin man, Mr. Bane. Thin, tall, blonde, hair parted violently on one side. He oozed business confidence and enough cleverness to pull people in, and his sales pitches were spot-on.

Caden hated him.

"Ms. Allen, we've been through this," he began as he stood on the first floor. In any other situation, someone would have thought her being up so high and him being below resembled Romeo and Juliet, only there was nothing but abhorrence between them . "If you'd just step outside while I showed the clients around…"

She said nothing. There was nothing to say anymore that she hadn't already said before. She let out a harsh breath from her nose.

"You don't have the money to pay the loan off. We can't do business with someone who's broke."

"Then why don't you hit up the man who took my money?" She snapped.

"It's a much different matter. Your name is on the contract. You owe us the money. You are unable to make your payments, and as such the bank must make an effort to sell this property because we are unable to maintain it. We let you stay because you have nowhere else to go. But as soon as an offer comes in…"

"Yeah, I get it, I'm out." She sighed. "What's the minimum I'd have to give you to get off my back?"

"I'm afraid I don't…"

"The minimum amount of money it would take to get the bank off my back?"

"There's nine-thousand galleons of the loan left, with another thousand in interest and fees."

"Ten thousand galleons?" Her mind couldn't wrap around it. Such a…not a small amount, but it was less than she expected; less than she thought it was.

Surely…she hated to do it. It always sounded stupid. Taking a loan to pay off a loan, just to get a time extension on getting the payments together. It sounded counter-productive to her.

But…if she went to someone in Knockturn, got the cash, and paid off the bank, she'd just have to deal with a shady business owner who may or may not kill her.

You always have such great plans, Cay. She thought.

"I'll be able to get it. Give me twenty-four hours." She climbed down the stairs, grabbing her coat on the way to the door, not giving Mr. Bane another look. "Lock up for me, will you?"

A drink. She needed a drink.

Leaky Caldron, always the best place to think.

She was agitated. Like a wounded animal. Twenty-four hours to get ten-thousand galleons. Shit. The fuck was she thinking?

She was staring at the glass of Firewhiskey in front of her, hadn't noticed the stranger take a seat across from her.

"You okay there, love?"

Caden jumped, blinking at the man across from her. He had spoken with a Cockney accent, and had a look of slight confusion on his face with a hint of cockiness. A smirk dared to cross his lips.

Dark hair was barely held back with the ribbon, a red streak contrasting with the rest of his hair. He had shadows under his blue eyes, along with a bit of eyeliner. He looked rugged, but in the good way. He was decent looking, she admitted.

"I'm fantastic," Sarcasm always had a way of making its way to her tongue when she decided to have a drink. "I just told someone I'd be able to get ten-thousand galleons in twenty-four hours so I can keep my house. Yep. Brilliant idea there."

The stranger made a face, eyebrows raising once and his lips moving to one side of his face for a moment. A silent agreement.

"Why did you sit here? There are several free tables." Caden gestured around to the very empty pub.

"I was gettin' a drink, and thought, 'Why let a pretty woman sit by 'erself?'"

She smiled to herself, shaking her head. "Not interested."

The strange leaned back in the chair, folding his arms behind his head. He had a red band on his jacket sleeve. Snatcher. Oh, her luck couldn't get worse, could it? He smirked as she realized what he was.

"Oh, but I think you should be. I can 'elp you. I've go' the cash you need. I pay off this person, and you work for me until I say yer debt is paid."

"Why?"

Caden wasn't thrilled with the idea. She'd owe a Snatcher money. Might as well just kill her now. They could be as bad as unsavory businessmen, if not worse. They had few morals.

"It benefits the both o' us. I need 'nother person on my team, and you need to pay a debt so you 'ave a roof ove' yer 'ead."

She sighed. It was logical, she had to admit. Or maybe it was him, being ruggedly handsome, that was drawing her in.

"Yeah. Fine." She nodded. "Can I at least have the name of the man to whom I'm soon to be indebted?"

The stranger flashed a grin, leaning over the table and resting his head on his folded hands. "Scabior. And you, pretty lady?"

"Caden Allen."

"Well, Caden, 'ow 'bout we get started, and 'ead to Gringotts before it closes?"

She nodded, her lips suddenly refusing to cooperate. Same went for her tongue. She simply followed the tall man in his plaid pants through the desolate alley.