Everybody was nervous on Christmas Eve. Reena had overtaken the take
of preparing dinner, the Muggle way. She wanted everything to be perfect
and was slightly on edge. Sirius' nerves were on end because he didn't
trust meeting new people. Remus was a bundle of jitters as he thought about
how his friends would accept Lara. Harry bounced from adult to adult before
he became sick of their behavior. He grabbed his Firebolt and went outside.
At 6 o'clock, Remus went to get his girlfriend. Sirius decided he would stay in the kitchen Reena and Remus could introduce him. A few minutes later, 2 figures appeared in the front parlor. Reena and Harry went into the parlor to meet the guest. Remus had his arm around a medium height woman with light brown hair in a bob-cut. She was smiling nervously at Reena and Harry.
"Lara, this is my friend Reena and her godson Harry," Remus introduced. Lara shook both their hands.
"It's wonderful to finally meet you," Reena said. "Let me get some snack. Would you like anything to drink?"
"No thank you," Lara answered, still with a nervous tone.
Reena walked out of the parlor and into the kitchen. Sirius was standing over a plate of egg rolls, picking at them.
"What are you doing?" Reena hissed.
Sirius' hand pulled back from the plate.
"Testing," he answered in a would-be innocent voice.
"Whatever. Would you please bring some glasses and a bottle of pumpkin fizz?"
Reena walked into the parlor with the egg rolls, followed by Sirius with the pumpkin fizz.
"Lara, this is my husband Sirius, nodding her head toward Sirius.
Lara gave a sudden look of surprise. A small, incomprehensible sound came out of her mouth. She couldn't believe her boyfriend, the Boy Who Lived, and a Cabinet Minister were so comfortable in the presence of a murderer. Lara gently tugged at Remus' shirt and gave him a pleading look, as if she wanted to leave.
"Sirius is innocent. He's not going to blow us to pieces," Remus said lightly.
"What about . . ." Lara began, looking at Harry.
"Not Sirius. A coward who goes by Peter Pettigrew," Remus said.
Lara still looked very uncomfortable. Reena was desperate to save the situation.
"Egg rolls anyone? Dinner won't be ready for another hour."
Everyone shifted around, helping themselves to egg rolls and fizz. Soft, non-holiday music began playing with a sharp flick of Reena's wand.
"What's your line of work?" Sirius asked Lara.
"By day, I work as a secretary for a Muggle lawyer. By night, I practice Eastern healing," Lara said. She still was visibly uncomfortable with Sirius' presence.
"The Double life of Lara Cavendish," Harry chimed in with an amused tone. This was an ice breakeer and they all laughed, shaking off nerves.
After some uneasy attempts at conversation, Reena stood up.
"I'm going to finish dinner, please excuse me."
"Let me help," Larra offered, quickly standing up.
"No, please, you're a guest."
"Oh, it's nothing," Lara said following Reena out of room.
In the confinements of the kitchen, Lara began assisting where she could. Reena saw a worried shadow on her face.
"You're still nervous. I would be too in the presence of an escaped convict I didn't know."
"It is still showing?" Lara asked.
"Just slightly. There's nothing to be worried about. Sirius is a very sweet person. He's not going to blow you to bits."
"If you'll excuse me, but why are you, a Cabinet Minister, harboring him? Aren't you risking yourself?"
"He's my love. I'd do anything for him. I think it's worth the risk."
"I didn't know anyone in the Ministry had a heart."
"I'm the exception, not the rule," Reena said in a bitter voice.
"So it would be sage to say that you do not look down upon me for my magical practices?"
"You are not eating dinner in an average wizard household. We all are considered outcasts in our way. Everyone from Harry to myself is some sort of outcast. No one is going to hold your practices against you," Reena said reassuringly.
"I can understand myself, Remus, and Sirius, but how are you and Harry outcasts?" Lara asked quizzically.
"Look at my politics and the fact I never condemned Sirius. Harry's reputation is still in question after that article that Rita Skeeter wrote 2 years ago. I think that's why we all get along so well."
"I feel like I'm intruding on this pseudo-family," Lara said honestly.
"You're not intruding," Reena asked as she sprinkled some herbs on top of boiled potatoes. "Families grow, they don't stay the same size forever."
Lara gave her first real laugh since she had entered the Black residence.
At 6 o'clock, Remus went to get his girlfriend. Sirius decided he would stay in the kitchen Reena and Remus could introduce him. A few minutes later, 2 figures appeared in the front parlor. Reena and Harry went into the parlor to meet the guest. Remus had his arm around a medium height woman with light brown hair in a bob-cut. She was smiling nervously at Reena and Harry.
"Lara, this is my friend Reena and her godson Harry," Remus introduced. Lara shook both their hands.
"It's wonderful to finally meet you," Reena said. "Let me get some snack. Would you like anything to drink?"
"No thank you," Lara answered, still with a nervous tone.
Reena walked out of the parlor and into the kitchen. Sirius was standing over a plate of egg rolls, picking at them.
"What are you doing?" Reena hissed.
Sirius' hand pulled back from the plate.
"Testing," he answered in a would-be innocent voice.
"Whatever. Would you please bring some glasses and a bottle of pumpkin fizz?"
Reena walked into the parlor with the egg rolls, followed by Sirius with the pumpkin fizz.
"Lara, this is my husband Sirius, nodding her head toward Sirius.
Lara gave a sudden look of surprise. A small, incomprehensible sound came out of her mouth. She couldn't believe her boyfriend, the Boy Who Lived, and a Cabinet Minister were so comfortable in the presence of a murderer. Lara gently tugged at Remus' shirt and gave him a pleading look, as if she wanted to leave.
"Sirius is innocent. He's not going to blow us to pieces," Remus said lightly.
"What about . . ." Lara began, looking at Harry.
"Not Sirius. A coward who goes by Peter Pettigrew," Remus said.
Lara still looked very uncomfortable. Reena was desperate to save the situation.
"Egg rolls anyone? Dinner won't be ready for another hour."
Everyone shifted around, helping themselves to egg rolls and fizz. Soft, non-holiday music began playing with a sharp flick of Reena's wand.
"What's your line of work?" Sirius asked Lara.
"By day, I work as a secretary for a Muggle lawyer. By night, I practice Eastern healing," Lara said. She still was visibly uncomfortable with Sirius' presence.
"The Double life of Lara Cavendish," Harry chimed in with an amused tone. This was an ice breakeer and they all laughed, shaking off nerves.
After some uneasy attempts at conversation, Reena stood up.
"I'm going to finish dinner, please excuse me."
"Let me help," Larra offered, quickly standing up.
"No, please, you're a guest."
"Oh, it's nothing," Lara said following Reena out of room.
In the confinements of the kitchen, Lara began assisting where she could. Reena saw a worried shadow on her face.
"You're still nervous. I would be too in the presence of an escaped convict I didn't know."
"It is still showing?" Lara asked.
"Just slightly. There's nothing to be worried about. Sirius is a very sweet person. He's not going to blow you to bits."
"If you'll excuse me, but why are you, a Cabinet Minister, harboring him? Aren't you risking yourself?"
"He's my love. I'd do anything for him. I think it's worth the risk."
"I didn't know anyone in the Ministry had a heart."
"I'm the exception, not the rule," Reena said in a bitter voice.
"So it would be sage to say that you do not look down upon me for my magical practices?"
"You are not eating dinner in an average wizard household. We all are considered outcasts in our way. Everyone from Harry to myself is some sort of outcast. No one is going to hold your practices against you," Reena said reassuringly.
"I can understand myself, Remus, and Sirius, but how are you and Harry outcasts?" Lara asked quizzically.
"Look at my politics and the fact I never condemned Sirius. Harry's reputation is still in question after that article that Rita Skeeter wrote 2 years ago. I think that's why we all get along so well."
"I feel like I'm intruding on this pseudo-family," Lara said honestly.
"You're not intruding," Reena asked as she sprinkled some herbs on top of boiled potatoes. "Families grow, they don't stay the same size forever."
Lara gave her first real laugh since she had entered the Black residence.