A few days later, we were getting ready for our double date with Amelia and Clive at Le Chef Enchanté. Severus was dressed in a very rich black velvet formal robes with fine leather shoes. God, he looked so handsome and sophisticated. I wore a crushed velvet dark burgundy formal dress with matching high heel fancy low boots, clutch and long gloves with a wand holder built in. I styled my dark hair in a updoo with ringlets hanging down here and there. I broke out a set of my yellow gold garnet jewelry set with long teardrop earrings. I strapped my secondary wand to my thigh as always. I wore my black velvet and wool lined cloak.
Once we were both ready, I kissed the kids and said we would be home later. I told Dilly to watch over them from time to time. Severus and I apparated to The Leaky Cauldron.
When we got to Le Chef Enchanté, Clive was waiting for us just outside as we walked up while it was snowing.
"Hello, Severus and Arianna, fine weather tonight for December." I gave him a big hug and Severus shook his hand. I no sooner turn around and see Amelia all prettied up to the nines. Wow, she looked great. I was getting excited. Clive looked stunned.
I leaned over to Clive and whispered, "Clive, honey, your tongue is hanging out." He snapped too. He put out his hand to Amelia and kissed the back of it. I said let's get inside before introductions. It's freezing in dresses and I need a glass of mulled wine to warm up."
Severus held open the door as we all went in and handed over our coats and cloaks to the maitre d' and told the seating hostess our reservation. We were seated in the back at a table for four with soft lighting. I introduced Amelia and Clive. We placed our drink orders. There was great conversation, laughter, great food and drinks. The evening was a huge success. My matchmaking skills seemed flawlessly enacted. We all departed going our separate ways.
We were walking down Diagon Alley looking at the storefront displays all done up for Yule. I had my arm wrapped around Severus' arm and my head against his shoulder. I said to Severus,"It sure is pretty out, even if it's cold. You keep me warm just by being next to me, my love."
He said,"Yes, we do seem to have that effect on each other. Do you know what you want for Yule, Arianna?" I snuggled into him.
"Yes I do, my dark angel. I want a baby that has your beautiful eyes. Anything else is up to your discretion, my love." I stopped and took his cold cheeks in both my gloves hands and kissed him in the night's snow. He smiled and wrapped his arm around me and we turned down to the walkway into The Leaky Cauldron.
--
For the next week, I took Gen with me to stores all over London, Hogsmeade, and Diagon Alley for Christmas shopping. We started out at breakfast and came home before dinner. She loved it and we giggled and bonded. I never saw her so happy laughing like a normal teenager. It was a beautiful sight to see. We bought toys, books, clothing, jewelry and gadgets galore. I had to go out twice on my own for more for Severus and Gen. I even spent a day with Severus and Harry alone, buying all their gifts. Harry went on his own and got me something and told the lady to package it up so I can't see it, before I paid for it. He is so cute.
One of those days Gen and I went to Madam Malkin's dress shop in Diagon Alley and we both got measured and picked out designs for our Christmas party dresses. We were fussed over and came out with beautiful dresses being altered and designed.
I took Gen to the jewelry store and had a gorgeous full set of yellow gold amethyst jewelry to be ordered and made for her special. It would match her dark purple dress perfectly. She cried and pleaded for me not to spend so much on her, but I said no and hugged her stuffings out. I told her it's for part of her Christmas.
--
On one of my excisions by myself into London, I picked up a tail. I felt the animosity of their magic before I spotted them in my peripheral vision, cloaked in black, sulking around corners and slipping into shadows. I led them on a merry tour. I was glad the kids weren't with me this time. I slipped into an alley and took to a dark shadowed corner myself. I was ready with my wand out.
As this being entered the alley, I shot my body binding spell and disarming spell so fast, they couldn't react. But, I realized there was no wand to capture. They yelled out in surprised fear. I slowly approached him or her. I pulled down the hood of their cloak. It was a hateful looking male vampire, not very healthy looking but in regal clothing. "What the hell are you doing following me? It's very, very bad for your health to even look at me, nonetheless, tail me. If it's a free meal you're looking for you found the wrong witch to screw around with." I shoved him against the wall.
He was struggling against my body bind, he spat out at me,"I am Prince Nicolescu of my mother's coven, Queen Angelika. Release me or face the consequences of your actions against me." He demanded.
I laughed out loud,"Listen little Nicky, your actions have threatened me first. You will tell me what I want to know about why you are stalking me or you will be in severe pain. I am Lady Arianna Blackthorne-Gaunt-Snape, one of the most powerful and richest witches in all of Great Britain. I'll be damned if you think you can roll over me and let you go. You will tell me the truth or I will force it out of you, painfully." I raised my wand. "I will start with a UV light spell to melt your pretty face on the count of three." His eyes went wide. "One….. Two….. T-"
"Ok, ok…. Please don't. I was hired by the Rookwood's to kill you. They did not tell me what I was facing. They said you were some stupid spoiled rich girl that kidnapped their daughter." He pleaded.
I told him,"Boy, did you back the wrong people. She beat and dumped her daughter in the streets at 12 yrs old after snapping her wand, without even a blanket in winter three years ago. All because the child got bitten by a werewolf. I am also a scientist and have the 15 yr old child under treatment for werewolfism now. I took her into my home and have legal custody of her with my husband. She is pissed off because the child lives and I confronted her for her abuse in public and with the Ministry. You have been played for a fool, because I would have paid you more for not listening to that stupid bitch."
He did not look happy,"If I would have known, I would never have taken their money. My mother has made me leave her home and coven and I have not been doing too well financially or otherwise. I was desperate."
"How much did they pay you?" I asked.
"5,000 galleons." I chuckled.
"Yes, you definitely need help. They got off super cheap. I will give you 20,000 galleons right now, on one condition." I said.
He asked,"What's your terms?"
"If you take back the money and throw it in their faces. You tell them I said they are fools and you are reporting them to the Ministry for hiring a hitman against me. I will then give you another 20,000 galleons after you file a report at the Ministry, but do not tell them you took the money. I don't want you to get in that kind of trouble. If you do this, I will try to help you get on your feet. If I may make a suggestion to help you right now, you should go to the nearest blood bank and break in and take a good supply for your needs. You look terribly hungry. Then, you won't need to hurt anyone for you to sustain yourself for now. Is it a deal?" He stared at me in that alley for the longest time.
He shook his head,"Why would you do this for me? I do not understand, humans don't help vampires in this world." I chuckled. I dug out a magical bag and wandlessly pulled 20k in galleons into it.
"See, there's where you're wrong, I'm not like anyone you will ever meet in this world. I will treat you and yours with honor and respect, as long as you do the same for me and mine. If you do, I may even call you a friend one day soon. Do we have a deal?" I asked.
He smiled,"Yes, dear Lady. I will never harm you and yours. You have my oath. I will send you a message as soon as I return her money and file my report." I unbound him. I handed him the coin.
"Do you have a safe place to stay?" I asked him. He looked at me funny.
"Yes, I have been staying in a store room in the back of a warehouse." He said.
"That's not very safe. Come with me. I can get you a small studio apartment I own and you can block the windows up. Just don't harm anyone in the vicinity. You can stay there as long as you need. At least you will have a comfortable bed, a refrigerator for blood storage and your own space. It's furnished so it won't be a slum." I took his hand and apparated to a small apartment building in Soho. He looked around and we found some cardboard boxes and tape to block the windows. We sat on the couch and chair in the living space. He looked at me humbled.
"You are a good person Lady Arianna. I appreciate what you are doing for me. I have been away from my mother and the coven for four months now. It has been hard. She refuses to listen to my demands for more alliances to make our coven more secure. She is very power hungry and just expected me to fall in line with her scheming to over through other covens. I told her that she will never build trust in our own people if she persists in the way she is going. She cast me out that very day. I had nobody and nowhere to go." I patted his hand.
"Well you do now, perhaps we can figure something out together after the new year, ok? Don't worry about living here just let me know when you move on ok? I want you to keep in touch so I know how you are managing." I gave him my phone number, because I had a working phone in my little apartment. I grabbed the phone book. "I want you to look up the different blood banks. Perhaps if you are sneaky enough you can pinch a little from random places to keep yourself fed without compromising yourself, ok? We live in modern times now and there are ways to work around the violence." He grinned at me.
"You are a very clever and funny lady Arianna. I will do that." He said and chuckled. I said goodbye and wished him well. I needed to get back to shopping. I apparated back to a London mall.
--
I finally came home and hid more packages to wrap in one of the spare bedrooms I was using for Christmas. I had a reinforced locking spell and heavily warded. Even Severus isn't allowed. I think Severus has his own sneaky hiding place, but I don't go looking. I did bust him on my wards being tripped one day. I teased him about being a big kid and told him he was naughty, as he laughed while I tickled him to death one night.
Dilly and I worked out a menu for the party and decorations to buy and put up. The kids and my house elves loved it. The manor inside and out never looked better. Even the trees and shrubbery and rose garden were done up in lights. It was beautiful.
Gen and I went to get our dresses and her jewelry picked up in Diagon Alley one evening. She was so excited. We were headed to the jewelers when we ran into her mother and father coming out of one of the shops. Prince Nicolescu had reported the incident of hiring a hitman against me to the Ministry yesterday, so not sure it was reported back to them. I did know he gave them back their money and threatened to report them. Oh the arrogance!
"Well if it isn't the kidnapper and the infected runaway. I'd be counting the days, because your days are numbered." She said in a menacing smug way. Gen glued herself to my side with a death grip.
I smiled sticky sweet at them both and said,"Let's make a bet on who's days come to no good first shall we? I bet you... let's say,100k in galleons your life will implode and be torn apart before New Year's Eve and my new daughter and mine will be just excellent. Let's just wait and see Mr and Mrs Rookwood, shall we?"
I walked past them with Gen on the opposite side of me. I think one of the Rookwoods must have tried to grab me, because I heard a loud scream and shout. I turned to find both of them thrown about ten feet back into a snow pile. A crowd gathered around us, I busted out laughing my ass off because Mrs Rookwood had her dress flipped up over her head and you could see her underwear. I called out,"I guess you should have kept your hands to yourself this time, huh?" Gen started laughing too.
Mrs Rookwood screamed,"You just assaulted me in public! I'll have you arrested for this!"
I looked around at the crowd,"Anyone see me touch the hateful bitty? I was just trying to walk in the store." Everyone shook their heads and said,"I didn't see anything." "Nope." "Not a thing." I nodded at them. Gen and I walked in the store to get her jewelry, then off to Madam Malkin's.