The next time that Anya would see Remus and Harry would be two days after
she left, a Thursday. They had popped in quickly for tea.
"Where's Sirius?" Anya asked as soon as they got there. Remus heaved a sigh.
"Well it just so happens that the house is infested with Chizpurfle. The Ministry is supposed to be coming round soon to eradicate them, but I don't know how long it'll be. So Sirius is trying to find us some temporary accommodation," he explained, looking quite put out. Anya's expression registered shock and almost horror.
"You must stay here!" she said forcefully.
"I don't know why you just didn't ask!" Anya was a bit put out.
"Well, I just figured with everything that's happened..it may be a little awkward." Remus trailed off.
"Nonsense, you will stay here," Anya finished, and nobody dared disobey her command. So Sirius, Remus and Harry moved in that afternoon. Thankfully, Anya was the proud owner of a rather large house, so there was more than enough room for everyone.
"Harry your room is at the top of the stairs, to the left. Remus, yours is the same, only to the right. Sirius, yours is next to my room. I hope you don't mind, we have to share a bathroom," Anya laughed at the apprehensive face on Sirius.
"Don't worry, there's a lock on the door!" she assured him, smirking at his adolescence. He nodded, accepting this, and started lugging his bags upstairs. A half-hour later, all were settled in and were sitting at Anya's kitchen table, ready for her to serve up dinner. Seasoned roast chicken, succulent vegetables, fresh bread rolls, creamy butter, and ice-cold pumpkin juice. Harry's mouth watered. Sirius and Remus were alright cooks, but noway near as good as this.
"Mwph if delfish," Harry said, stuffing his mouth. Anya looked at him, noticing Sirius ate the same way.
"Least I know where you get your habits from Harry dear," she commented, before gracefully picking up her knife and fork, and carefully slicing off a piece of her chicken breast. The boys all heartily complained of being stuffed and full after the meal, but amazingly managed to find room for the apple pie and fresh cream Anya had prepared. She watched them eat.
"God this brings back memories. It's just like being at Hogwarts again!" she exclaimed. They barely noticed her comment, but looked up at her laughter. She couldn't stop, tears were filling her eyes. The men were thoroughly confused, but she couldn't calm herself enough to explain. She just waved her hand, and they went back to eating.
The next morning, after a sound night's sleep, Hedwig delivered a creamy white and gold envelope to Harry. He opened it, wondering what it could be.
Harry and friends (yes that means Remus, Sirius and Anya you dolt. Ron)
You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Mr Percy Augustus Weasley and Miss Penelope Nicole Clearwater. The service will take place at four o'clock Friday the 29th of August, at the British Botanical Gardens (Wiazarding Sector) and the reception will follow straight after at the Twinkly Twilight Centre.
We would be greatly honoured and appreciative of your presence.
Sincerely,
Mrs M Weasley and Mr A Weasley.
Harry sped-read the letter and then passed it on to an eager Anya.
"Oh a wedding!" she was delighted.
"And it's only 2 weeks from tomorrow! Oh I must go shopping for a new outfit!" Anya danced around the kitchen to a love-song on the radio. She pulled Harry up off his chair when a fast-tempo song came on and made him dance with her.
"Ahh, she's already got her clutches into you," Remus commented, entering the room for coffee. He poured himself a cup, as Harry stopped dancing self- consciously. Remus smiled at him. "She used to make me do the exact same thing in 4th year," he explained knowingly, while Anya pouted and whacked Remus on the butt with her tea towel. He jumped forward, before chasing after her with a plastic spatula. They chased each other round the kitchen, and when Sirius walked in, they felt a little silly and awkward. He said nothing, only raising his eyebrows, and pulling out 2 pieces of bread. He went over to use the toaster.
"Anya I forget, how do you use this thing again?" she bustled over, setting the toaster for him, and settling him at the table with a cup of steaming coffee. With both Remus and Sirius in the room, she made the announcement of the wedding.
"Argghhh.." both men groaned. Anya looked positively bewildered.
"What?" she asked, hurt.
"It's just, you and weddings...not a good combination!" Remus put it lightly.
"That's one way of putting it," Sirius snorted into his coffee, once again acting aloof and almost mean-spirited. Anya stuck out her bottom lip.
"I don't know what you could possibly mean by that," she huffed, stomping out of the kitchen.
"You know, she kinda reminds me of Hermione sometimes," Harry commented, off the top of his head. This was met with open-mouth nods. Remus and Sirius knew Hermione reminded them of someone, they just couldn't place it.
The rest of Harry's weekend was quite peaceful. Anya started preparing lessons for Hogwarts, and Remus and Sirius engaged in many games of Wizard Chess. Harry, again, engrossed himself in Quidditch Through The Ages.
During the week following that weekend, two major things were revealed.
The first happened at breakfast on Tuesday. Both Remus and Sirius were eating a delicious feast of Pancakes ("Is that the only breakfast food you know how to cook Anya?" - Sirius), when two tired looking owls delivered heavy packages of parchment into their syrupy stacks of pancakes. Remus wiped his envelope off with a nearby teatowel, while Sirius just used his sleeve. The both hurriedly scanned the opening letter, and their eyes met in semi-shock when they finished. Anya watched on anxiously, as if she knew what they were reading, and was waiting for an answer. Harry, of course, had no idea what was happening. "What is it?" he asked, through a mouthful of pancake. Remus recovered first.
"It's from Hogwarts...Dumbledore. Seems he wants me and Sirius to be around the school this year. He's offered me a part-time position as a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, but wait, wouldn't that mean..." he trailed off, looking toward a nervous Anya.
"Yes, we'd alternate, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. I realised, I really can't cope with the workload of SEVEN year levels all doing Defence. And you would always get the weeks off surrounding the Full Moon," she quickly explained, before Sirius could have his say. "They've offered me Care of Magical Creatures," he said, eyes twinkling, surprising Anya and Remus.
"Never knew you had a passion for all creatures magical," Remus commented dryly to his old friend. Sirius breathed out slowly, eyes excited.
"Think of all the tricks I could play!" he said slowly, pranks already running through his mind.
"You do realise you'd be there as a teacher, right?" Anya said. Sirius just waved her off, already in a far-away place. Remus nodded his head once briskly.
"Well, I accept. I'd better write Albus, on both our behalf's," he finished, taking a side-ways look at the thrilled Sirius.
The second startling revelation of the week came in the form of Sirius's admittance of his addiction to TV soaps.
"Where's Sirius?" Anya asked as soon as they got there. Remus heaved a sigh.
"Well it just so happens that the house is infested with Chizpurfle. The Ministry is supposed to be coming round soon to eradicate them, but I don't know how long it'll be. So Sirius is trying to find us some temporary accommodation," he explained, looking quite put out. Anya's expression registered shock and almost horror.
"You must stay here!" she said forcefully.
"I don't know why you just didn't ask!" Anya was a bit put out.
"Well, I just figured with everything that's happened..it may be a little awkward." Remus trailed off.
"Nonsense, you will stay here," Anya finished, and nobody dared disobey her command. So Sirius, Remus and Harry moved in that afternoon. Thankfully, Anya was the proud owner of a rather large house, so there was more than enough room for everyone.
"Harry your room is at the top of the stairs, to the left. Remus, yours is the same, only to the right. Sirius, yours is next to my room. I hope you don't mind, we have to share a bathroom," Anya laughed at the apprehensive face on Sirius.
"Don't worry, there's a lock on the door!" she assured him, smirking at his adolescence. He nodded, accepting this, and started lugging his bags upstairs. A half-hour later, all were settled in and were sitting at Anya's kitchen table, ready for her to serve up dinner. Seasoned roast chicken, succulent vegetables, fresh bread rolls, creamy butter, and ice-cold pumpkin juice. Harry's mouth watered. Sirius and Remus were alright cooks, but noway near as good as this.
"Mwph if delfish," Harry said, stuffing his mouth. Anya looked at him, noticing Sirius ate the same way.
"Least I know where you get your habits from Harry dear," she commented, before gracefully picking up her knife and fork, and carefully slicing off a piece of her chicken breast. The boys all heartily complained of being stuffed and full after the meal, but amazingly managed to find room for the apple pie and fresh cream Anya had prepared. She watched them eat.
"God this brings back memories. It's just like being at Hogwarts again!" she exclaimed. They barely noticed her comment, but looked up at her laughter. She couldn't stop, tears were filling her eyes. The men were thoroughly confused, but she couldn't calm herself enough to explain. She just waved her hand, and they went back to eating.
The next morning, after a sound night's sleep, Hedwig delivered a creamy white and gold envelope to Harry. He opened it, wondering what it could be.
Harry and friends (yes that means Remus, Sirius and Anya you dolt. Ron)
You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Mr Percy Augustus Weasley and Miss Penelope Nicole Clearwater. The service will take place at four o'clock Friday the 29th of August, at the British Botanical Gardens (Wiazarding Sector) and the reception will follow straight after at the Twinkly Twilight Centre.
We would be greatly honoured and appreciative of your presence.
Sincerely,
Mrs M Weasley and Mr A Weasley.
Harry sped-read the letter and then passed it on to an eager Anya.
"Oh a wedding!" she was delighted.
"And it's only 2 weeks from tomorrow! Oh I must go shopping for a new outfit!" Anya danced around the kitchen to a love-song on the radio. She pulled Harry up off his chair when a fast-tempo song came on and made him dance with her.
"Ahh, she's already got her clutches into you," Remus commented, entering the room for coffee. He poured himself a cup, as Harry stopped dancing self- consciously. Remus smiled at him. "She used to make me do the exact same thing in 4th year," he explained knowingly, while Anya pouted and whacked Remus on the butt with her tea towel. He jumped forward, before chasing after her with a plastic spatula. They chased each other round the kitchen, and when Sirius walked in, they felt a little silly and awkward. He said nothing, only raising his eyebrows, and pulling out 2 pieces of bread. He went over to use the toaster.
"Anya I forget, how do you use this thing again?" she bustled over, setting the toaster for him, and settling him at the table with a cup of steaming coffee. With both Remus and Sirius in the room, she made the announcement of the wedding.
"Argghhh.." both men groaned. Anya looked positively bewildered.
"What?" she asked, hurt.
"It's just, you and weddings...not a good combination!" Remus put it lightly.
"That's one way of putting it," Sirius snorted into his coffee, once again acting aloof and almost mean-spirited. Anya stuck out her bottom lip.
"I don't know what you could possibly mean by that," she huffed, stomping out of the kitchen.
"You know, she kinda reminds me of Hermione sometimes," Harry commented, off the top of his head. This was met with open-mouth nods. Remus and Sirius knew Hermione reminded them of someone, they just couldn't place it.
The rest of Harry's weekend was quite peaceful. Anya started preparing lessons for Hogwarts, and Remus and Sirius engaged in many games of Wizard Chess. Harry, again, engrossed himself in Quidditch Through The Ages.
During the week following that weekend, two major things were revealed.
The first happened at breakfast on Tuesday. Both Remus and Sirius were eating a delicious feast of Pancakes ("Is that the only breakfast food you know how to cook Anya?" - Sirius), when two tired looking owls delivered heavy packages of parchment into their syrupy stacks of pancakes. Remus wiped his envelope off with a nearby teatowel, while Sirius just used his sleeve. The both hurriedly scanned the opening letter, and their eyes met in semi-shock when they finished. Anya watched on anxiously, as if she knew what they were reading, and was waiting for an answer. Harry, of course, had no idea what was happening. "What is it?" he asked, through a mouthful of pancake. Remus recovered first.
"It's from Hogwarts...Dumbledore. Seems he wants me and Sirius to be around the school this year. He's offered me a part-time position as a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, but wait, wouldn't that mean..." he trailed off, looking toward a nervous Anya.
"Yes, we'd alternate, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. I realised, I really can't cope with the workload of SEVEN year levels all doing Defence. And you would always get the weeks off surrounding the Full Moon," she quickly explained, before Sirius could have his say. "They've offered me Care of Magical Creatures," he said, eyes twinkling, surprising Anya and Remus.
"Never knew you had a passion for all creatures magical," Remus commented dryly to his old friend. Sirius breathed out slowly, eyes excited.
"Think of all the tricks I could play!" he said slowly, pranks already running through his mind.
"You do realise you'd be there as a teacher, right?" Anya said. Sirius just waved her off, already in a far-away place. Remus nodded his head once briskly.
"Well, I accept. I'd better write Albus, on both our behalf's," he finished, taking a side-ways look at the thrilled Sirius.
The second startling revelation of the week came in the form of Sirius's admittance of his addiction to TV soaps.