Four: Her Arrival
Sirius Black was sitting in a pub's garden drinking his x beer. He was miserable. He expected his life to be happy, peaceful. He thought he had found a reason to live and stay alive. He thought he had found his happiness. It was a great disappointment to him that, except for he was cleared, nothing changed really. And what annoyed him even more was that his friends seemed to pity him for his sadness and illogical sureness he was in love.
His friends irritated him and that's why he was staring at the facades of buildings in Diagon Alley rather than at Remus Lupin (who was watching Sirius with a mixture of pity and fear). Every time Sirius, by accident, looked at Remus who was so concerned, he smiled ironically and turned away. They did not talk much. All Black was able to talk about was his work for the Order (and they usually discussed the order matters at meetings or during meals) and his mysterious, non-existing girl. But he avoided the subject since everyone had told him his idea was insane and he should take psychologist's therapy. Black sometimes only talked with Harry, or about him. For Harry reminded him how stupid he, Sirius, was at the age of fifteen or sixteen and how he didn't change at the age of... He barely could remember how old he was now. On one hand he felt old as the world, though immature. On the other had, first time in the world he felt like a responsible man, a responsible, young, full of desire man.
'You should do something about that, Sirius' said Remus when Sirius' gaze once again avoided his.
'About what, Professor?' mocked Black.
'About your loneliness, mate' Sirius sniggered at those words. 'You should take a girl, have fun...eee... You know what I'm talking about...'
'No, I don't. Speak clearer, boy' sneered Black.
'Sirius' Remus was confused. Talking about man-woman relations wasn't his favourite activity. He was too shy, in a way, to discuss it. Too delicate. The few times in his life when he had a girlfriend, didn't encourage him to talk about it in less sensible way. But Sirius. For Moony Sirius was still the young, handsome boy who had no problems with girls. They were like air to him, though he had never felt stuck to any of them.
'Sirius. You had always been an active man...'
'I'm still active. I fight. I trace. I instruct. I barely have time to eat and you must remember I'm still recovering!!!!' he interrupted.
'You know what sort of activity I mean, man' said Remus, annoyed. 'Man- woman activity...'
'Sex?' Sirius laughed ironically.
'Don't be so direct!'
'Yeah, you're indirect and we can't communicate!'
'What I wanted to say is that you need a girl, Sirius. Every man needs a woman form time to time.'
'I don't need a girl, Moony' Sirius explained calmly. 'I need THE girl from my "death path"'
'Surely, you should look for someone more material.'
'I'm disappointed' laughed Sirius, his voice full of bitterness. 'Since when you treat girls in material way?'
'Since I'm so worried about you' Remus smiled apologetically. 'You should get laid.'
Sirius gazed at his friend, stunned and amazed. He wondered whether to slap him, laugh or laugh loudly.
'Don't you laugh, Sirius. Every man needs sex occasionally. You're not an exception.'
'And what do you want me to do? Shag and dump girls. I won't fall in love.'
'But you'll have your desire fulfilled.'
'I won't fall in love and I won't have my desire fulfilled until I meet the girl. Sorry I have to disappoint you.'
'But, Sirius, be reasonable. The girl doesn't exist and that beautiful Alexia Villson has a crush on you...'
'Who?' Sirius asked sharply. Then he recalled. 'Oh, that nurse...'
'Healer's assistant' corrected Lupin. 'She likes you and, yeah, you could date her.'
'After my dead body.'
'But she's pretty!'
'She's stupid. Who do you think I am! A dog who's interested only in big tits and long legs!??!?!?!?'
'Sorry, Sirius' Remus looked sad and sorry.
'Just leave me alone.' Sirius spoke quietly and sadly. His grief lasted a while and than he gazed at Lupin maliciously. 'And why don't you get yourself laid, man??? That would take those stupid ideas out of your head!! Don't you know where is Tonks right now?' 'I would appreciate for not...' began Lupin but stopped, he would excuse just as Sirius. 'She went to welcome the new teacher and take her to Dumbledore.'
Men went silent. They still couldn't believe that they wanted so much to teach.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Meanwhile at the International Railway Service Station.
Tonks, wearing pink, short hair and a purple, casual robes, was holding a board with shining, beaming, moving letters that from time to time wrote the name of the woman she was waiting for: JULIA PERUN. Tonks couldn't help charming the board to shine, she liked to show off and she knew she could do it without destroying half of London. She didn't know whom to expect and was slightly frightened when the train arrived and hundreds of wizards (and witches, Tonks caught herself on thinking that she expected only Yulia to come by the train) flew out of their compartments straight to her feet.
She didn't know whom to look for. All Dumbledore told her was that she should pick Perun up. But what did the hell Perun looked like?
Then she spotted her. Well, at first Tonks realised that a woman was standing on a platform, staring at her with a strange smile. The woman was wearing a green, summer dress and carrying a small suitcase. She wasn't tall (and even didn't wear high heels, but comfortable, sport sandals), but the way she kept her head, a little bit airy and the way she watched the world, with bored interest made her look distinctive.
The woman waited a while and then slowly approached Tonks. She smiled and her smile was amiable and sad. Tonks thought that she had an unusual ability to mix feeling or expressions that theoretically were antonyms. Strange, but true, deduction, compared with a fact that they hadn't even spoken to each other.
'It's Yulia' said Yulia pointing at the board where letters were combined into "JULIA". 'Hi. I'm Yulia Perun.'
'Hello' hurried with kind answer Tonks and, accidentally, broke the board. Yulia avoided commenting. 'I'm Tonks, please don't ask me about my first name. Dumbledore sent me to take you. He had a meeting at the Ministry or somewhere but would like to welcome you there.'
'So, we can go!' Yulia looked around the Station and gazed at the sky that blurred above London's streets. 'I've never been to London before.'
'So we can take a walk!' shouted Tonks with enthusiasm. 'The Ministry isn't far. Unless... Is your bag heavy?'
Yulia gazed at the pink-haired funny witch who wanted to be called "Tonks" (Yulia was too tactful to ask what was Tonks' real name). She laughed clearly, but not from the depth of her heart.
'No, it's not heavy' she couldn't stop. The accusation of her carrying a heavy thing was amusing. 'Of course it's not heavy. You have to know something...Tonks. I'm a witch. But shhhhh....'
Tonks laughed and showed Yulia London. She talked all the way long and Yulia, who wasn't talking much, was impressed by Tonks' ability to speak for half an hour without a break (or even breath, Yulia thought and smiled).
'why are you smiling?' asked Tonks and Yulia almost blushed, but just in time realised she shouldn't.
'look at the sun playing on the leaves. This is magic' Yulia quickly found another explanation of her sudden smile and, when looked more carefully at the trees she really thought that was magic.
'Sorry I asked, but you don't seem to smile so often, do you. Yeah, the leaved in August are really beautiful. Why are you normally so sad? Oh, excuse me, I don't want to...'
'It's OK' Yulia smiled lightly. 'It's fine. I'm not sad. I'm...'it was hard to find the right words that would show the deep loneliness and impossible and irresistible hope she felt. 'It's not easy to start a new life at the age of thirty.'
Tonks considered these words for a while. Of course, how stupid she was, Yulia must have been old enough to teach, was experienced. But for a single while she hadn't thought she could have been older than herself. She looked young. But her words were differently mature.
They entered the Ministry from the employers' door. After a short walk along the corridors Tonks laughed loudly and shouted at some men standing near coffee bar.
'I'll be right there!! C'mon!' she said to Yulia. 'Dumbledore said he would be expecting you in his Wizengamot office.
'Oh, my! You have Wizengamot at the Ministry. And I thought there's ill situation in Poland!'
'What do you mean' asked Tonks curiously, leading Yulia to the lift and exchanging greetings with tall, one-eyed man.
'You know. That court is dependent. Such things should be divided.'
'Yeah' answered Tonks thoughtfully. 'Albus I guess thinks the same.'
Tonks knocked at the huge, dark wooden door. They heard warm "It's open."
------- ---------- --------------------------------- ----------------------- ------------- ------------------------------------------------------
'It is so good to see you, Yulia, in real life' Dumbledore shook Yulia's hand and offered her a cup of tea. Tonks left to meet the impatient friends and Perun sat in front of Albus, the most respected wizard she knew and was smiling shyly, but aware of the truth of his compliments. 'You look better than at the photos. I can see you recovered.'
'Yes, thank you, Headmaster. Mmm...I always wanted to call you like that,'
'Thank you, Professor Perun. Well, that even sounds nice!'
'My worst dreams coming true! I promised to the world I won't be a teacher. That was when I left school, depressed by the stuff and pupils as well, I guess.' They laughed.
'And, as I remember you always wanted to visit London' she smiled. He remembered well. 'There's still enough time to the school start. I hope you will enjoy our...capital, won't you?'
'I'll do my best' Yulia smiled with relief. That's what she wanted, but more... She became sad. She was going to do things she wanted, but without ... But alone.
'London Pub's atmosphere should cheer you up, Yulia. Still sad after departure?' he asked and she could only nod with confusion.
They left the office and Dumbledore guided her across the corridors.
'I'll have to meet some of my friends, my best Order men' he whispered in her ear. 'Tonks should be with them. She'll take you to the Visitors Hotel, you can't find better one nearby. And she'll show you around,. I'll send you specified instructions on our last educational programmes. And about the party.'
'What party?' asked Yulia. The rest she could understand. Parties was a thing she couldn't stand.
But Dumbledore didn't answer because they entered a high hall with fountain in the middle. It looked as if it had just been renovated (she wondered why; she didn't know the fight with Dark Lord had take place there). Dumbledore directed to a lone man who was standing in the middle, reading paper and ignoring the rest of the world (this couldn't be said about the rest of the world who was totally interested in him). Albus smiled and shouted cheerily.
'Sirius!! Good to see you' Yulia saw the man looked up, grinned lazily and closed the paper. He approached them slowly. 'And where the hell is Remus? And where's Nymphadora?'
The man called Sirius, Yulia thought that must have been the man, innocently put into Azkaban, smiled ironically at Albus.
'I guess Remus decided that he won't waste his happiness, because of my sadness. And I guess' here he smiled like a devil 'he needed Tonks to that.'
They laughed and Sirius spotted small, dark-haired woman, who was accompanying headmaster. She was watching the wonderful, kitschy ceiling with a little bored grimace.
'Now, Sirius' said Dumbledore when he stopped laughing: Sirius self criticism was also as amusing as his story about Tonks and Lupin. 'We'll have to wait for them. I want you to meet someone, Sirius. This is Yulia Perun, our new DADA professor. Yulia, meet Sirius, one of best Order men.'
Sirius watched the woman approached him. She moved in sexy, slowly, lazy way that attracted him so much, first time since his return he felt interested in woman. She took her bag to her left hand, moved her hair away form her face and shook his hand firmly (Sirius always loved when women had a firm, strong, self-confident grip). And she looked in his eyes...
He swallowed hard and found it terribly difficult not to black out. He felt an explosion of something wonderful/awful/wonderful deep in his stomach and a stream of real fire flew through his veins. He couldn't stop holding her hand. He couldn't help staring into her wonderful, green, sad and lonely eyes. The eyes from behind the veil.
------------------
AN Now, my dearest readers and reviewers: what do you think??? Write soon and I promise I will write some more. But I need your opinion. Bis dann.....
Sirius Black was sitting in a pub's garden drinking his x beer. He was miserable. He expected his life to be happy, peaceful. He thought he had found a reason to live and stay alive. He thought he had found his happiness. It was a great disappointment to him that, except for he was cleared, nothing changed really. And what annoyed him even more was that his friends seemed to pity him for his sadness and illogical sureness he was in love.
His friends irritated him and that's why he was staring at the facades of buildings in Diagon Alley rather than at Remus Lupin (who was watching Sirius with a mixture of pity and fear). Every time Sirius, by accident, looked at Remus who was so concerned, he smiled ironically and turned away. They did not talk much. All Black was able to talk about was his work for the Order (and they usually discussed the order matters at meetings or during meals) and his mysterious, non-existing girl. But he avoided the subject since everyone had told him his idea was insane and he should take psychologist's therapy. Black sometimes only talked with Harry, or about him. For Harry reminded him how stupid he, Sirius, was at the age of fifteen or sixteen and how he didn't change at the age of... He barely could remember how old he was now. On one hand he felt old as the world, though immature. On the other had, first time in the world he felt like a responsible man, a responsible, young, full of desire man.
'You should do something about that, Sirius' said Remus when Sirius' gaze once again avoided his.
'About what, Professor?' mocked Black.
'About your loneliness, mate' Sirius sniggered at those words. 'You should take a girl, have fun...eee... You know what I'm talking about...'
'No, I don't. Speak clearer, boy' sneered Black.
'Sirius' Remus was confused. Talking about man-woman relations wasn't his favourite activity. He was too shy, in a way, to discuss it. Too delicate. The few times in his life when he had a girlfriend, didn't encourage him to talk about it in less sensible way. But Sirius. For Moony Sirius was still the young, handsome boy who had no problems with girls. They were like air to him, though he had never felt stuck to any of them.
'Sirius. You had always been an active man...'
'I'm still active. I fight. I trace. I instruct. I barely have time to eat and you must remember I'm still recovering!!!!' he interrupted.
'You know what sort of activity I mean, man' said Remus, annoyed. 'Man- woman activity...'
'Sex?' Sirius laughed ironically.
'Don't be so direct!'
'Yeah, you're indirect and we can't communicate!'
'What I wanted to say is that you need a girl, Sirius. Every man needs a woman form time to time.'
'I don't need a girl, Moony' Sirius explained calmly. 'I need THE girl from my "death path"'
'Surely, you should look for someone more material.'
'I'm disappointed' laughed Sirius, his voice full of bitterness. 'Since when you treat girls in material way?'
'Since I'm so worried about you' Remus smiled apologetically. 'You should get laid.'
Sirius gazed at his friend, stunned and amazed. He wondered whether to slap him, laugh or laugh loudly.
'Don't you laugh, Sirius. Every man needs sex occasionally. You're not an exception.'
'And what do you want me to do? Shag and dump girls. I won't fall in love.'
'But you'll have your desire fulfilled.'
'I won't fall in love and I won't have my desire fulfilled until I meet the girl. Sorry I have to disappoint you.'
'But, Sirius, be reasonable. The girl doesn't exist and that beautiful Alexia Villson has a crush on you...'
'Who?' Sirius asked sharply. Then he recalled. 'Oh, that nurse...'
'Healer's assistant' corrected Lupin. 'She likes you and, yeah, you could date her.'
'After my dead body.'
'But she's pretty!'
'She's stupid. Who do you think I am! A dog who's interested only in big tits and long legs!??!?!?!?'
'Sorry, Sirius' Remus looked sad and sorry.
'Just leave me alone.' Sirius spoke quietly and sadly. His grief lasted a while and than he gazed at Lupin maliciously. 'And why don't you get yourself laid, man??? That would take those stupid ideas out of your head!! Don't you know where is Tonks right now?' 'I would appreciate for not...' began Lupin but stopped, he would excuse just as Sirius. 'She went to welcome the new teacher and take her to Dumbledore.'
Men went silent. They still couldn't believe that they wanted so much to teach.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Meanwhile at the International Railway Service Station.
Tonks, wearing pink, short hair and a purple, casual robes, was holding a board with shining, beaming, moving letters that from time to time wrote the name of the woman she was waiting for: JULIA PERUN. Tonks couldn't help charming the board to shine, she liked to show off and she knew she could do it without destroying half of London. She didn't know whom to expect and was slightly frightened when the train arrived and hundreds of wizards (and witches, Tonks caught herself on thinking that she expected only Yulia to come by the train) flew out of their compartments straight to her feet.
She didn't know whom to look for. All Dumbledore told her was that she should pick Perun up. But what did the hell Perun looked like?
Then she spotted her. Well, at first Tonks realised that a woman was standing on a platform, staring at her with a strange smile. The woman was wearing a green, summer dress and carrying a small suitcase. She wasn't tall (and even didn't wear high heels, but comfortable, sport sandals), but the way she kept her head, a little bit airy and the way she watched the world, with bored interest made her look distinctive.
The woman waited a while and then slowly approached Tonks. She smiled and her smile was amiable and sad. Tonks thought that she had an unusual ability to mix feeling or expressions that theoretically were antonyms. Strange, but true, deduction, compared with a fact that they hadn't even spoken to each other.
'It's Yulia' said Yulia pointing at the board where letters were combined into "JULIA". 'Hi. I'm Yulia Perun.'
'Hello' hurried with kind answer Tonks and, accidentally, broke the board. Yulia avoided commenting. 'I'm Tonks, please don't ask me about my first name. Dumbledore sent me to take you. He had a meeting at the Ministry or somewhere but would like to welcome you there.'
'So, we can go!' Yulia looked around the Station and gazed at the sky that blurred above London's streets. 'I've never been to London before.'
'So we can take a walk!' shouted Tonks with enthusiasm. 'The Ministry isn't far. Unless... Is your bag heavy?'
Yulia gazed at the pink-haired funny witch who wanted to be called "Tonks" (Yulia was too tactful to ask what was Tonks' real name). She laughed clearly, but not from the depth of her heart.
'No, it's not heavy' she couldn't stop. The accusation of her carrying a heavy thing was amusing. 'Of course it's not heavy. You have to know something...Tonks. I'm a witch. But shhhhh....'
Tonks laughed and showed Yulia London. She talked all the way long and Yulia, who wasn't talking much, was impressed by Tonks' ability to speak for half an hour without a break (or even breath, Yulia thought and smiled).
'why are you smiling?' asked Tonks and Yulia almost blushed, but just in time realised she shouldn't.
'look at the sun playing on the leaves. This is magic' Yulia quickly found another explanation of her sudden smile and, when looked more carefully at the trees she really thought that was magic.
'Sorry I asked, but you don't seem to smile so often, do you. Yeah, the leaved in August are really beautiful. Why are you normally so sad? Oh, excuse me, I don't want to...'
'It's OK' Yulia smiled lightly. 'It's fine. I'm not sad. I'm...'it was hard to find the right words that would show the deep loneliness and impossible and irresistible hope she felt. 'It's not easy to start a new life at the age of thirty.'
Tonks considered these words for a while. Of course, how stupid she was, Yulia must have been old enough to teach, was experienced. But for a single while she hadn't thought she could have been older than herself. She looked young. But her words were differently mature.
They entered the Ministry from the employers' door. After a short walk along the corridors Tonks laughed loudly and shouted at some men standing near coffee bar.
'I'll be right there!! C'mon!' she said to Yulia. 'Dumbledore said he would be expecting you in his Wizengamot office.
'Oh, my! You have Wizengamot at the Ministry. And I thought there's ill situation in Poland!'
'What do you mean' asked Tonks curiously, leading Yulia to the lift and exchanging greetings with tall, one-eyed man.
'You know. That court is dependent. Such things should be divided.'
'Yeah' answered Tonks thoughtfully. 'Albus I guess thinks the same.'
Tonks knocked at the huge, dark wooden door. They heard warm "It's open."
------- ---------- --------------------------------- ----------------------- ------------- ------------------------------------------------------
'It is so good to see you, Yulia, in real life' Dumbledore shook Yulia's hand and offered her a cup of tea. Tonks left to meet the impatient friends and Perun sat in front of Albus, the most respected wizard she knew and was smiling shyly, but aware of the truth of his compliments. 'You look better than at the photos. I can see you recovered.'
'Yes, thank you, Headmaster. Mmm...I always wanted to call you like that,'
'Thank you, Professor Perun. Well, that even sounds nice!'
'My worst dreams coming true! I promised to the world I won't be a teacher. That was when I left school, depressed by the stuff and pupils as well, I guess.' They laughed.
'And, as I remember you always wanted to visit London' she smiled. He remembered well. 'There's still enough time to the school start. I hope you will enjoy our...capital, won't you?'
'I'll do my best' Yulia smiled with relief. That's what she wanted, but more... She became sad. She was going to do things she wanted, but without ... But alone.
'London Pub's atmosphere should cheer you up, Yulia. Still sad after departure?' he asked and she could only nod with confusion.
They left the office and Dumbledore guided her across the corridors.
'I'll have to meet some of my friends, my best Order men' he whispered in her ear. 'Tonks should be with them. She'll take you to the Visitors Hotel, you can't find better one nearby. And she'll show you around,. I'll send you specified instructions on our last educational programmes. And about the party.'
'What party?' asked Yulia. The rest she could understand. Parties was a thing she couldn't stand.
But Dumbledore didn't answer because they entered a high hall with fountain in the middle. It looked as if it had just been renovated (she wondered why; she didn't know the fight with Dark Lord had take place there). Dumbledore directed to a lone man who was standing in the middle, reading paper and ignoring the rest of the world (this couldn't be said about the rest of the world who was totally interested in him). Albus smiled and shouted cheerily.
'Sirius!! Good to see you' Yulia saw the man looked up, grinned lazily and closed the paper. He approached them slowly. 'And where the hell is Remus? And where's Nymphadora?'
The man called Sirius, Yulia thought that must have been the man, innocently put into Azkaban, smiled ironically at Albus.
'I guess Remus decided that he won't waste his happiness, because of my sadness. And I guess' here he smiled like a devil 'he needed Tonks to that.'
They laughed and Sirius spotted small, dark-haired woman, who was accompanying headmaster. She was watching the wonderful, kitschy ceiling with a little bored grimace.
'Now, Sirius' said Dumbledore when he stopped laughing: Sirius self criticism was also as amusing as his story about Tonks and Lupin. 'We'll have to wait for them. I want you to meet someone, Sirius. This is Yulia Perun, our new DADA professor. Yulia, meet Sirius, one of best Order men.'
Sirius watched the woman approached him. She moved in sexy, slowly, lazy way that attracted him so much, first time since his return he felt interested in woman. She took her bag to her left hand, moved her hair away form her face and shook his hand firmly (Sirius always loved when women had a firm, strong, self-confident grip). And she looked in his eyes...
He swallowed hard and found it terribly difficult not to black out. He felt an explosion of something wonderful/awful/wonderful deep in his stomach and a stream of real fire flew through his veins. He couldn't stop holding her hand. He couldn't help staring into her wonderful, green, sad and lonely eyes. The eyes from behind the veil.
------------------
AN Now, my dearest readers and reviewers: what do you think??? Write soon and I promise I will write some more. But I need your opinion. Bis dann.....