-"Aha" - Vernon said importantly after Petunia finished telling him about her 'abnormal' sister, and her sister's even more abnormal fiancé.
-"You're a fine girl, Petunia, I can't blame you for that black sheep in your family. But, it's impeccable that when we get married, we must act like we don't have anything with her... and that type of people."
-"Of course darling, do you think I could live with fact that everyone knows who my damn sister is? Life for me would be anathema!" - Petunia shrieked over the phone. Only thing that reached ears of her parents, Lily and James was word 'Anathema'.
-"Listen, come down, I know what shall we do. We shall go to the dinner with them to show them how the civilized people behave. Not to be taken by their primitive state of mind." - Vernon concluded.
Lily and James were to try and find a job after they get married. James inherited quite a fortune from his parents. They will buy a house close to London, but in a wizarding surrounding. Godric's Hollow would be perfect place to live, James thought.
First, he will go back to his house. Than when he buys a house he will marry Lily. He decided that Quidditch can't bring him normal family life, so he decided to leave out his decision to try out for Puddlemere United. If it doesn't work, than Ministry is always a good alternative.
James flipped the Prophet his owl, Meeda, brought him every day. Lily leaned against his shoulder.
-"Interesting how much we miss when we don't interact with our kind" - she read over James shoulder an article about new victims of the Lord Voldemort.
James said nothing. He didn't like anything about the 'invasion from the opposite side of right', how the Daily Prophet described. Nay, what can happen to him? Why would the so-called 'Lord Voldemort' attack him? He wouldn't dare to kill him... would he?
That night they got ready to go with Petunia and her fiancé Vernon to the dinner.
-"We will pick the restaurant" - said James enigmatically when they entered Vernon's car. Vernon, who was driving, kept staring at James over the mirror. His beady eyes would from time to time send Petunia warning gazes.
Vernon didn't care much to introduce himself to James.
Vernon was instructed to drive to the Leaky Cauldron. He parked his car at a nearby parking. As they walked, Petunia and Vernon walked little bit further behind James and Lily. They didn't want any of the passers by to think they are all together. They stiffly followed them through the Leaky Cauldron.
-"Hello Tom" - James said, while Lily greeted the aged barman with a smooth smile.
They had their salutation back, with a wrinkled hand that was just drying a glass.
-"Petunia" - Vernon told Petunia, -"I would be glad if we could leave, but we must show them good manners."
A tableau of the Diagon Alley appeared in front of the quartet. Lily and James stepped into the diagonal paths through the streets of Diagon Alley. Vernon and Petunia jumped right through, before the archway behind them would cease to let anyone back in or out without the magic spell.
Vernon lost all of the dignity in his step. Petunia and he made small cautious steps that were swallowed by the noise of the surrounding. James and Lily led.
-"I'm taking you to a very nice restaurant, but first I have to go and have a talk with Minister of Magic" - James turned around to announce.
Vernon's sullen face just swallowed something bitter. He nodded his head, sourly. Petunia was boiled in her fury. She was never humiliated in her life like this. Her nostrils flared like in angry dragon, spitting the smoke out.
Lily and James sniggered, climbing the Ministry Building. Steps covered in lime stone reflected the noise of Petunia's heels. Enormous construction spread over their head into the sky. Neo-Gothic architecture, iced with various turrets growing out of its main stem.
-"Wait for me here" - James beckoned his hand to set of carved wood behind three heavy pillars.
Than he, with great buoyancy in the step, floated up the stairs in the middle of the dome they were in.
James was seeing the Minister. He was looking for a position at the Ministry. He wasn't craving a good-paid job because he had money already. Greed wasn't in his blood.
Plan with Puddlemere wasn't really safe to have any success; James wasn't willing to give in his whole life into Quidditch. He wanted a family.
Minister of Magic heard a knock on his door.
-"Come in" - he said.
Willybald Atkinson was Minister of Magic for a quite long time now. In last few years only thing he talked about was resignation, but no one would dare to let him. 'He is damn goo' everyone would be saying.
-"Hello James, nice seeing you" - Minister was delighted to see James. Before they died, Minister was quite good friend with his parents.
-"Good evening, Minister" - James shook his hand, sitting down.
-"'Minister'... don't refer to me with Minister, it makes me sound so important."
-"I'm sorry, I always forget" - James said.
-"So why am I seeing you right now, young Potter?" - Minister asked, heartily.
-"Well I'm getting married, you know, and I could use a job."
-"You're getting married? Wonderful. And who's the lucky lady?" - Minister ran his hand through his salt 'n pepper hair. His hair was long indeed. It was reaching his ankles.
-"A girl from Hogwarts. You wouldn't know her, Muggle parentage" - James answered.
-"Splendid. I must meet her, James. Oh, you so much remind on your father, sometimes" - Minister smiled heartily.
-"Of course, it'll be an honor for me to introduce her to you. She is just downstairs, you can meet her now, if you wish."
-"Perfect. I'm meeting the new Governor of Azkeban in few minutes, in the Hall. Just before that I shall meet your future wife." - Minister smiled again.
His face was far away from cheerful and warm. He had sharp lines, with long chin, and wrinkled brown. Purple eyes carried heavy eye-bags.
But Willybald was a kind person indeed, despite to his Dark Wizard look.
-"Who's a new Azkeban Governor?" - James couldn't bear to ask.
-"Ancilla Deitrich-Scorge" - Minister answered with a heavy sigh. -"Just got married. She seems too sinister for that job. You must know her, she just graduated from Hogwarts with you. I have to instruct her about everything about how to do the job, and what can she do and what can't. If I'm sick of one thing in my career, than that's showing around to new Azkeban Governors..."
-"So, Minister - I mean Willybald, what positions are open now?" - James finally asked.
-"Not a lot. You know how it is, after all the kids graduate, in next two months it's impossible to find any decent positions open. Only position that still keeps certain respect is Assistant of Governor of Azkeban..."
-"No way."
-"...it's not that bad, you don't spend a lot of time in Azkeban itself, it's more being a courier to the Governor... You know, go around this building, attend the meetings it can't... not that bad."
-"I don't like anything that has to do with Azkeban" - James said.
-"I understand you totally, James. But something has to be clear to you -- something I despise the most is those fathers with high positions, that stomp over people perfectly good doing their job, only so their baby-boy or baby-girl could get a Ministry position" - Minister was serious.
-"You have right... oh well, I'll just accept that Azkeban job... " - James dully said.
-"Show some attitude, boy. I assure you, I'll get you a better job as soon as it gets open. I reckon, you would favor something in the Sports Department" - Minister growled, happily, getting up.
Petunia was about to get her first hysteria attack when she saw James accompanied by a funny looking man, descending down the stairs. Lily smiled, letting down the copy of the Daily Prophet, left on the bench she was sitting.
Vernon gave gloomy look to Petunia about the Minister. Minister was wearing black robes that had wide collar paved with gold ornaments. His long hair flew behind him as he and James were approaching them in hurried step.
-"Lily, this is the Minister of Magic" - James introduced her.
-"Hello" - Lily blushed. Vernon's face went rigid, with eyes bulging to pop out.
-"Delighted my dear" - Minister smiled, shaking her frill hand.
-"Minister" - fragile voice came from behind.
James turned around. Ancilla stood there behind. At the same time, she was so same and so different. So mature. Same face, but just little bit paler, eyes little bit more gloomy, little bit more wrinkled around. Her black hair seemed to have a few gray hairs.
-"Oh good Lord, Ancilla, it's good that you came when James is here. James will be your Assistant at Azkeban" - Minister said, smoothing his eyebrow.
-"Good" - she looked at James with determined look.
-"Well, I heard you got married?" - James asked, looking at her.
-"Unfortunately" - she didn't bother to hide her discontinuation.
-"Well congratulations" - Lily smiled a mysterious smile.
-"Thank you very much" - she said numbly.
-"Well, we have to be running. It's getting late, and Azkeban doesn't look very alluring in dark" - Minister said, saying good bye to everyone.
-"Poor girl" - commented James, -"as long as she loves him, she'll never be happy."
-"With all respect, I don't know who does she love, and I won't bother to ask you, but I know one thing, people like her don't deserve to be happy. She never liked me because of my Muggle origin." - Lily added.
-"Now Lillian, everyone deserves to be happy."
-"We're sorry for all this dreadful inconvenience" - James smiled pleasantly in the restaurant.
-"Weeeeeeh" - Vernon turned his face sideboard, showing his teeth in broad "grin". His eyes was sarcastically twinkling.
-"Excuse me Ladies and Gentlemen, but would you like to order" - a goblin in a tuxedo said.
Vernon's eyes bulged again at sight of this creature. Petunia, with her atheistic beliefs, gave herself a freedom to gather her three fingers into trinity so she could cross herself.
-"Uhm, yes, I will have some pork." - James ordered.
-"Cooked or fried, sir?"
-"Fried."
Now goblin looked at Lily.
-"Surprise me" - she smiled.
Goblin nodded his head mystically.
-"Chicken in sauce of mushrooms and tomatoes" - Vernon said.
-"Same" - Petunia ordered.
-"Would you like to drink anything?"
-"We will have some champagne afterwards."
-"Is that all?"
James looked around the table, but nobody didn't look like they didn't want anything else.
-"Yes" - he answered.
-"Your food should be ready any time now" - goblin said.
Suddenly, on Vernon and Petunia's amazement, their orders appeared on their plates.
Lily's surprise was vegetables and meat mix with mashed potatoes.
-"Your recite, sir" - the goblin passed James a recite.
-"Here you go" - James handed him a hand-full of Sickles.
-"Have a nice meal" - Goblin bowed, and strolled away to serve another customers who just appeared at the entrance.
Before he brought fork with food to his mouth, he noticed Petunia, poking the food with a knife. She was afraid to touch it. James elbowed Lily to see, and she sniggered ethereally.
Au contraire, Vernon was eating his food quite heartily.
-"I see you enjoying your dinner, Petunia" - James highly accented the beginning of the sentence. Lily repeated her airily snigger.
-"I'm not hungry" - she said shortly.
-"You're just spoiled" - Lily added for herself.
-"YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT I AM!" - Petunia suddenly shrieked. All the eyes inside the restaurant were fixed on their table.
-"Really? And you stop being your damn self. You're just jealous... jealous on me always being better than you" - Lily said curtly.
-"Ok, this is enough. A lot of people knows me here, Lily we are going" - he pulled her for her hand, dragging her outside.
Vernon and Petunia were bedazzled.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'Dort am Klavier
stand ich bei ihr
es hatte den Schein
sie spielt für mich allein'
-"You're a fine girl, Petunia, I can't blame you for that black sheep in your family. But, it's impeccable that when we get married, we must act like we don't have anything with her... and that type of people."
-"Of course darling, do you think I could live with fact that everyone knows who my damn sister is? Life for me would be anathema!" - Petunia shrieked over the phone. Only thing that reached ears of her parents, Lily and James was word 'Anathema'.
-"Listen, come down, I know what shall we do. We shall go to the dinner with them to show them how the civilized people behave. Not to be taken by their primitive state of mind." - Vernon concluded.
Lily and James were to try and find a job after they get married. James inherited quite a fortune from his parents. They will buy a house close to London, but in a wizarding surrounding. Godric's Hollow would be perfect place to live, James thought.
First, he will go back to his house. Than when he buys a house he will marry Lily. He decided that Quidditch can't bring him normal family life, so he decided to leave out his decision to try out for Puddlemere United. If it doesn't work, than Ministry is always a good alternative.
James flipped the Prophet his owl, Meeda, brought him every day. Lily leaned against his shoulder.
-"Interesting how much we miss when we don't interact with our kind" - she read over James shoulder an article about new victims of the Lord Voldemort.
James said nothing. He didn't like anything about the 'invasion from the opposite side of right', how the Daily Prophet described. Nay, what can happen to him? Why would the so-called 'Lord Voldemort' attack him? He wouldn't dare to kill him... would he?
That night they got ready to go with Petunia and her fiancé Vernon to the dinner.
-"We will pick the restaurant" - said James enigmatically when they entered Vernon's car. Vernon, who was driving, kept staring at James over the mirror. His beady eyes would from time to time send Petunia warning gazes.
Vernon didn't care much to introduce himself to James.
Vernon was instructed to drive to the Leaky Cauldron. He parked his car at a nearby parking. As they walked, Petunia and Vernon walked little bit further behind James and Lily. They didn't want any of the passers by to think they are all together. They stiffly followed them through the Leaky Cauldron.
-"Hello Tom" - James said, while Lily greeted the aged barman with a smooth smile.
They had their salutation back, with a wrinkled hand that was just drying a glass.
-"Petunia" - Vernon told Petunia, -"I would be glad if we could leave, but we must show them good manners."
A tableau of the Diagon Alley appeared in front of the quartet. Lily and James stepped into the diagonal paths through the streets of Diagon Alley. Vernon and Petunia jumped right through, before the archway behind them would cease to let anyone back in or out without the magic spell.
Vernon lost all of the dignity in his step. Petunia and he made small cautious steps that were swallowed by the noise of the surrounding. James and Lily led.
-"I'm taking you to a very nice restaurant, but first I have to go and have a talk with Minister of Magic" - James turned around to announce.
Vernon's sullen face just swallowed something bitter. He nodded his head, sourly. Petunia was boiled in her fury. She was never humiliated in her life like this. Her nostrils flared like in angry dragon, spitting the smoke out.
Lily and James sniggered, climbing the Ministry Building. Steps covered in lime stone reflected the noise of Petunia's heels. Enormous construction spread over their head into the sky. Neo-Gothic architecture, iced with various turrets growing out of its main stem.
-"Wait for me here" - James beckoned his hand to set of carved wood behind three heavy pillars.
Than he, with great buoyancy in the step, floated up the stairs in the middle of the dome they were in.
James was seeing the Minister. He was looking for a position at the Ministry. He wasn't craving a good-paid job because he had money already. Greed wasn't in his blood.
Plan with Puddlemere wasn't really safe to have any success; James wasn't willing to give in his whole life into Quidditch. He wanted a family.
Minister of Magic heard a knock on his door.
-"Come in" - he said.
Willybald Atkinson was Minister of Magic for a quite long time now. In last few years only thing he talked about was resignation, but no one would dare to let him. 'He is damn goo' everyone would be saying.
-"Hello James, nice seeing you" - Minister was delighted to see James. Before they died, Minister was quite good friend with his parents.
-"Good evening, Minister" - James shook his hand, sitting down.
-"'Minister'... don't refer to me with Minister, it makes me sound so important."
-"I'm sorry, I always forget" - James said.
-"So why am I seeing you right now, young Potter?" - Minister asked, heartily.
-"Well I'm getting married, you know, and I could use a job."
-"You're getting married? Wonderful. And who's the lucky lady?" - Minister ran his hand through his salt 'n pepper hair. His hair was long indeed. It was reaching his ankles.
-"A girl from Hogwarts. You wouldn't know her, Muggle parentage" - James answered.
-"Splendid. I must meet her, James. Oh, you so much remind on your father, sometimes" - Minister smiled heartily.
-"Of course, it'll be an honor for me to introduce her to you. She is just downstairs, you can meet her now, if you wish."
-"Perfect. I'm meeting the new Governor of Azkeban in few minutes, in the Hall. Just before that I shall meet your future wife." - Minister smiled again.
His face was far away from cheerful and warm. He had sharp lines, with long chin, and wrinkled brown. Purple eyes carried heavy eye-bags.
But Willybald was a kind person indeed, despite to his Dark Wizard look.
-"Who's a new Azkeban Governor?" - James couldn't bear to ask.
-"Ancilla Deitrich-Scorge" - Minister answered with a heavy sigh. -"Just got married. She seems too sinister for that job. You must know her, she just graduated from Hogwarts with you. I have to instruct her about everything about how to do the job, and what can she do and what can't. If I'm sick of one thing in my career, than that's showing around to new Azkeban Governors..."
-"So, Minister - I mean Willybald, what positions are open now?" - James finally asked.
-"Not a lot. You know how it is, after all the kids graduate, in next two months it's impossible to find any decent positions open. Only position that still keeps certain respect is Assistant of Governor of Azkeban..."
-"No way."
-"...it's not that bad, you don't spend a lot of time in Azkeban itself, it's more being a courier to the Governor... You know, go around this building, attend the meetings it can't... not that bad."
-"I don't like anything that has to do with Azkeban" - James said.
-"I understand you totally, James. But something has to be clear to you -- something I despise the most is those fathers with high positions, that stomp over people perfectly good doing their job, only so their baby-boy or baby-girl could get a Ministry position" - Minister was serious.
-"You have right... oh well, I'll just accept that Azkeban job... " - James dully said.
-"Show some attitude, boy. I assure you, I'll get you a better job as soon as it gets open. I reckon, you would favor something in the Sports Department" - Minister growled, happily, getting up.
Petunia was about to get her first hysteria attack when she saw James accompanied by a funny looking man, descending down the stairs. Lily smiled, letting down the copy of the Daily Prophet, left on the bench she was sitting.
Vernon gave gloomy look to Petunia about the Minister. Minister was wearing black robes that had wide collar paved with gold ornaments. His long hair flew behind him as he and James were approaching them in hurried step.
-"Lily, this is the Minister of Magic" - James introduced her.
-"Hello" - Lily blushed. Vernon's face went rigid, with eyes bulging to pop out.
-"Delighted my dear" - Minister smiled, shaking her frill hand.
-"Minister" - fragile voice came from behind.
James turned around. Ancilla stood there behind. At the same time, she was so same and so different. So mature. Same face, but just little bit paler, eyes little bit more gloomy, little bit more wrinkled around. Her black hair seemed to have a few gray hairs.
-"Oh good Lord, Ancilla, it's good that you came when James is here. James will be your Assistant at Azkeban" - Minister said, smoothing his eyebrow.
-"Good" - she looked at James with determined look.
-"Well, I heard you got married?" - James asked, looking at her.
-"Unfortunately" - she didn't bother to hide her discontinuation.
-"Well congratulations" - Lily smiled a mysterious smile.
-"Thank you very much" - she said numbly.
-"Well, we have to be running. It's getting late, and Azkeban doesn't look very alluring in dark" - Minister said, saying good bye to everyone.
-"Poor girl" - commented James, -"as long as she loves him, she'll never be happy."
-"With all respect, I don't know who does she love, and I won't bother to ask you, but I know one thing, people like her don't deserve to be happy. She never liked me because of my Muggle origin." - Lily added.
-"Now Lillian, everyone deserves to be happy."
-"We're sorry for all this dreadful inconvenience" - James smiled pleasantly in the restaurant.
-"Weeeeeeh" - Vernon turned his face sideboard, showing his teeth in broad "grin". His eyes was sarcastically twinkling.
-"Excuse me Ladies and Gentlemen, but would you like to order" - a goblin in a tuxedo said.
Vernon's eyes bulged again at sight of this creature. Petunia, with her atheistic beliefs, gave herself a freedom to gather her three fingers into trinity so she could cross herself.
-"Uhm, yes, I will have some pork." - James ordered.
-"Cooked or fried, sir?"
-"Fried."
Now goblin looked at Lily.
-"Surprise me" - she smiled.
Goblin nodded his head mystically.
-"Chicken in sauce of mushrooms and tomatoes" - Vernon said.
-"Same" - Petunia ordered.
-"Would you like to drink anything?"
-"We will have some champagne afterwards."
-"Is that all?"
James looked around the table, but nobody didn't look like they didn't want anything else.
-"Yes" - he answered.
-"Your food should be ready any time now" - goblin said.
Suddenly, on Vernon and Petunia's amazement, their orders appeared on their plates.
Lily's surprise was vegetables and meat mix with mashed potatoes.
-"Your recite, sir" - the goblin passed James a recite.
-"Here you go" - James handed him a hand-full of Sickles.
-"Have a nice meal" - Goblin bowed, and strolled away to serve another customers who just appeared at the entrance.
Before he brought fork with food to his mouth, he noticed Petunia, poking the food with a knife. She was afraid to touch it. James elbowed Lily to see, and she sniggered ethereally.
Au contraire, Vernon was eating his food quite heartily.
-"I see you enjoying your dinner, Petunia" - James highly accented the beginning of the sentence. Lily repeated her airily snigger.
-"I'm not hungry" - she said shortly.
-"You're just spoiled" - Lily added for herself.
-"YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT I AM!" - Petunia suddenly shrieked. All the eyes inside the restaurant were fixed on their table.
-"Really? And you stop being your damn self. You're just jealous... jealous on me always being better than you" - Lily said curtly.
-"Ok, this is enough. A lot of people knows me here, Lily we are going" - he pulled her for her hand, dragging her outside.
Vernon and Petunia were bedazzled.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
'Dort am Klavier
stand ich bei ihr
es hatte den Schein
sie spielt für mich allein'
