Overprotected
Chapter 25: The Will
True to his word, Harold Potter took Lily into the Ministry with him the next day. They road the underground to the Apperation Point where Lily stopped short.
"But I can't Apperate yet," she said worriedly.
"Just grab on to my arm and hold it tight. I can bring both of us," Harold told her. "Make sure you don't let go."
Lily was a bit perplexed at all of the extra warnings, but once the process started, she realized their cause. It felt as though she was being squeezed along a very narrow tube. There were times when she knew her fingers couldn't possibly retain their grip, but somehow her feet hit solid ground next to Mr. Potter.
A group of fierce-looking wizards surrounded them as soon as their feet hit the ground.
"State your name and business," the oldest, gruffest one commanded.
"I am Harold Potter. Department of Deceased Wizard Affairs –"
"Yes, we know you, Potter. What about the girl?"
"This is –"
"Let her answer for herself. Who are you, girl, and what is your business?"
"My – my name is Lily Evans. I am here to find out about the will of my brother, Luke Evans."
"We know your brother, girl, knew him, rather. Bring her through security next time, Potter. The Minister's very anxious not to have any funny business around here."
The circle of wizards backed away, leaving a clear path for Harold and Lily. He prodded her forward and didn't say anything until they were safely out of earshot.
"The Ministry's so uptight these days, with all this business of this You-Know-Who fellow," Harold explained as he passed in front of the younger girl. "The Minister of Magic doesn't want anything to happen under his watch."
Lily was shaking, something which Harold picked up on as soon as he looked back on her.
"Don't mind Shacklebolt," he said kindly. "He just lost his wife in childbirth. His son survived, but just barely."
"Couldn't they have done anything for her?"
"She was a squib and venomously against magic."
"Then how –" But Lily was cut off by the arrival of the elevator. She followed Harold inside just staring in wonder at everything around her while Harold acknowledged several people. The occupants got on and off before Harold and Lily made their exit on the eighth floor. Nearly half of the paper airplanes that had been hovering at the ceiling followed them out, and just as many took their places.
"What are those?" Lily asked, staring at the charmed objects with wonder.
"Those? Oh, the Ministry uses them for communication between workers. That way we don't have to walk all over the building for a simple question."
They had just turned off of the main corridor into a slightly smaller one lined with doors that were all painted tacky, bright colors. It almost made Lily want to cry.
"Yes, they are horrible, aren't they?" Harold replied to her darkening face. "The last Department Head seemed to think that it would make people less upset during their visit, but more people come out crying than come in. Ah, here we are."
They stopped in front of one of the more hideous lime green doors. Tapping his wand twice on the doorknob, something clicked, and the door swung open. Light was flooding in from somewhere, illuminating a rather cramped room, piled high with parchment and several paper airplanes waiting on the desk. Harold opened them, one-by-one and read them all; one piece of parchment, he handed to Lily.
"This is your authorization to read your brother's will and access storage. I would take you down there now, but there are pressing matters I must attend to." He walked out of his office and knocked on the flaming orange door next to his. "Prewett, are you in yet?"
The door opened and out stepped a man with bright orange hair who Lily swore was vaguely familiar from somewhere.
"Yes, sir," the young man answered. He was tall, not extremely thin, but muscular, with a friendly air about him.
"Good," Harold replied. "I have Lily Evans with me, here to see her brother's will, but there are pressing matters that I must attend to. I can't leave her here or bring her with me, due to the state of the Ministry; could she stay with you?"
"Of course, Mr. Potter. Molly will be glad to have the company."
"Your sister's in again," Harold stated more than asked, and a red head stuck itself out form behind a filing cabinet. Lily's eyes went wide when she saw who it was. "I'll let you get back to work. Thank you, Prewett."
"No problem at all, sir."
Harold left then, after nudging Lily into the much younger man's office. Molly came fully out from behind the cabinet and began to inspect Lily. Just as she was about to speak, the man interrupted her.
"Hello, Lily Evans," he said, holding out his hand. "I'm Fabian Prewett. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, Fabe, I doubt she cares," Molly exclaimed as Lily took Fabian's hand and shook it hesitantly. "Lily, this is my brother. I doubt you would know him; he graduated with your brother."
That's when Lily remembered the name. "No," she started, dimly searching her memories, "you and your brother were at Luke's flat sometimes, late at night…" Fabian looked uncomfortable. "I think. And James and Sirus said that you two were the greatest Beaters Hogwarts has ever seen."
"Oh, I doubt that," he replied, and a smile came back over his face. "Just because we were the one ones they had ever seen there, doesn't mean that we were the best. From what I've heard, Sirus himself hits a pretty mean Bludger."
"Get back to work, Fabe," Molly chided, leading Lily to where she had previously been, behind the filing cabinets. "Stop reliving your school days."
Fabian turned away and sat back at his desk in front of a large stack of parchment. Molly and Lily sat down against the wall of the other side of the cramped little office.
"He would have played Quidditch, both of my brothers, no matter what he says. But the Ministry caught him first, and they wouldn't have been able to play together – which is the only way they're any good. Mother was so relieved when she found out.
"It's probably better this way though. With everything going on, the professional teams are ready to break down, leaving who knows how many people without jobs.
"But you, Lily, how are you?"
Lily shrugged. "It could be worse. I've been living with the Potters all summer so it's just been me, Sirus, and James. Of course, Remus and Peter were here all month – they actually only left yesterday. So it's been nice."
"Doesn't sound that much different than school."
"Less work."
Molly laughed. "Of course. I didn't realize you were living with the Potters."
"I didn't realize that you were here."
"Mother's annoyed that I haven't found a job yet, since I graduated and everything so I've been coming to work with my brothers. Mostly Fabian because Mr. Potter doesn't mind, but once in a while I have to go in with Gideon. It gets so depressing here, especially that more and more people are dying. All the names come through here, and Lily, Fabian wouldn't want me to tell you this, but there have been so many names that I know. Families of people I went to school with, some students who graduated before me. And it must be so hard on Fabe because he knew a lot of them personally."
There was a silence as Lily and Molly both reflected on the information that had just been given. The world outside their own thoughts sounded empty, not a foot disturbed the halls; the quiet was only broken by the soft scratch of Fabian's quill.
"Why are you here, Lily?"
Lily looked down at the parchment Harold had handed her an hour ago, as if searching for an answer.
"I'm here to read Luke's will," she answered numbly, her voice flat and without emotion. "I realized that I never had. James said his father would be able to help me out, so…" She gestured half-heartedly to her surroundings. "I'm not sure when I get to see it, or even if I'm getting to see it at all. I don't know the terms of a Wizard Will."
"They'll let you see it, I'm sure." Molly smiled reassuringly. "Everyone saw Great Aunt Ruth's will when she died. They don't really keep the terms and allotments secret."
Lily didn't know exactly how to reply but just leaned her head back against the think walls and closed her eyes. For a minute, she was lost in thought, only pulled back by the question she dreaded most.
"Why have you been at the Potters'?" Molly asked.
Lily bit the inside of her lip and wasn't sure how to respond. Finally, she came up with an answer.
"They invited me." It wasn't a lie, even if it wasn't the whole truth. "And I had nowhere else better to go." That at least was the whole truth, even if it conveyed a different meaning that she sent to herself.
Molly was cut off front saying anything more by the return of Harold Potter. Lily glanced down at her watch and was shocked to find that two hours had passed.
"Thank you, Fabian," Harold was saying. He then turned to Lily who was making her way to the center of the office alongside Molly. "Do you still have those forms I have you?"
Lily pulled out three folded sheets of parchment and held them up. Harold had given them to her upon their entrance to the Ministry with strict orders not to let them out of her sight. That she had faithfully done.
"Alright then. They'll be waiting for us soon."
"Good-bye, Lily," Molly said regretfully.
"Bye, Molly. I'm sure I'll see you soon; England isn't that big."
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Lily Evans," Fabian said, grimly, as if this parting would be their only.
"The same, Fabian. I really hope I won't be back too soon."
"For the sake of the Wizarding Community, we all wish the same."
Lily followed Harold out of the office without a backward glance. It felt as if, in those two hours, she had been tangled in a giant web of affairs, of which she could not see nor free herself from.
"Unfortunately, Lily," Harold was saying, "once you have the will, I cannot stay with you, but anytime you're finished, you can come back to my office. It's just at the end of the hall; I'm sure you remember the door."
Lily gave a faint laugh and proceeded to look nervously around. The doors were becoming more and more falsely cheery, and odd, muffled wails were coming from behind many of them. Harold led her to the very end of the corridor where a neon yellow door stood and knocked twice.
"Come in," came the muffled reply, and they did so. The door opened to reveal a tiny, balding wizard in black robes. He smiled sadly at them as they entered and motioned for them to sit down. The room was furnished very sparkly, there only being a few chairs and a desk in one corner, while all remaining space was taken up with what looked like the magical equivalent of filing cabinets.
"Good afternoon, Jones," Harold greeted the other man. "How has worked been?"
"I've had five readings already!" the other man, Jones, replied. "This department's getting busier and busier what with everything going on now a days."
"I'm sorry to be bringing one more to your office today."
"Not your fault at all. This one has been quite a while coming, Mr. Potter. Can I see your papers, Miss?"
Lily was startled at being addressed so suddenly, but she handed over the papers Harold had given her. Jones shuffled through them, scrutinizing some parts and ignoring others completely. Eventually, he stacked them neatly on his desk.
"Everything seems to be in order, Miss Evans," he said finally. He stood up, and the other two followed his lead. "If you will excuse us now, Mr. Potter…"
"Yes, of course, Jones. I'll be in my office whenever you're ready to come back, Lily." He hugged her quickly and departed.
"Please sit, Miss Evans," Jones told her. "I just have to bring the will out of storage."
He went over to a filing cabinet marked with a large E and tapped it twice. A drawer near the bottom opened and a roll of parchment showed itself. Jones took it and placed it on the desk before Lily.
"Here it is, the will of Mr. Luke W. Evans. I will be right here if you need me, if you have questions or such."
Lily wanted to thank him, but the words would not come. Instead, she wordlessly took the will and began reading.
It wasn't terribly complex, and Luke did not, in fact, have a lot to leave behind. Petunia got the flat and the furniture to do with as she wished. However, all of his money was to be transferred into Lily's account at Gringotts and she was specifically given his pictures. All other items were left hanging in the air for the two sisters to do with as they wished, Lily having fist dibs on anything magical and Petunia on anything Muggle.
Lily put the will back on the desk when she finished and looked up at the man. She felt hollow on the inside. It was truly over now; Luke was truly dead. The will was proof, and the feeling nearly overwhelmed her.
"You will want to collect what he left you." He could tell that Lily was dreading having to say those words. She was grateful for this insight and followed him to a door in the back of the office. Here, he tapped the door once with his want and said clearly, "Luke W. Evans."
The door opened, revealing another room which, Lily could tell at once, was filled with everything her brother had owned. She slipped in, in a dream-like state, wandering around his few possessions, touching everything, finally feeling at home.
"Everything he specifically wanted you to have is on that table in the corner. The gold has already been transferred into you account. You are free to take anything else, seeing as your sister has already been here."
"Thank you," Lily choked out. She was afraid she would cry if she said anything more, so she went over to the table the old wizard has indicated. On that table were two albums she knew were filled with moving pictures (she had nearly memorized them by now), and there were several other folders she didn't recognize. However, Luke meant for her to have them so she took them up.
"Put them in this bag," Jones said suddenly, materializing behind her. "Everything will shrink while in there and return to full size when you take it out."
Lily took the bag he offered and placed the pictures carefully inside. As she was doing do, a folded piece of parchment fluttered to the floor. She picked it up and stowed it in a pocket. Now was no the time she wanted to relive Luke's memory.
She also found all of Luke's text books from school, his job manuals, and any novels he had and added them to her stash. Finally, she grabbed his cloak from school and Gryffindor scarf.
"What happens to everything else?" she asked when she reached Jones again.
"It stays here," he answered. "Your sister will be notified if she would like anything else, but otherwise, it stays in storage. Anytime, you may come back and retrieve more memories. Just be sure to make an appointment.
Lily nodded and looked around for a final time.
"Does this mean you are through?"
Lily nodded again and followed Jones out of the room. The door closes and sealed itself behind them.
"Thank you, Mr. Jones," Lily said hushed and walked toward the door leading back into the hall.
"I always wish that I could have had a different job," he replied. "Hopefully, I will not see you again soon, Miss Evans."
With that, she left the office to make her way to a bright green door she knew to be waiting.