Chapter 3:
"Mother? Father?" James asked nervously. Two pairs of eyes settled on him.
"Yes James?" his mother asked. Juliet Potter was a good-looking lady with a proud face, long raven locks and James' flirtatious brown eyes.
"Er…um…I was just wondering – I mean – "
"What is it?" his father asked. James Potter the First was a tall, imposing man with grey eyes, a stern face and shiny black hair.
James the Second took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I – I wanted you to meet Emily," he said finally.
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Juliet and James Potter Sr. looked at each other, conversing with their eyes. Not another one! James Sr.'s eyes complained to Juliet. Be patient. Maybe this one isn't so bad, Juliet replied. I hope. James Sr. replied.
"Of course, darling. Send her in, but be quick about it, please. Please don't forget the Evans' are coming for dinner," Juliet said patiently.
James' heart froze for a second.
"The – the Evans family is coming over?!" he asked incredulously.
"It's for a business deal. Your father has some very important work with Tyler," his mother said firmly.
James groaned.
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"Mother, Father, this is Emily. Emily, this is my mother, Juliet, and my father, James Potter the First," James said to Emily. He could have slapped himself when he had realized that he'd forgotten to tell her to dress appropriately, as she had come wearing an extremely small mini-skirt, and a small tube top; she looked simply delicious in them, James thought, but he was positive neither of his parents would approve.
Emily giggled.
"Pleased to meet you, Juliet, James," she said in a simpering voice. James groaned; his parents wouldn't take too kindly to Emily; they were so formal, nobody they'd never met before called them by their first names.
"Have a seat, Emily," Juliet said. James wasn't quick to notice the awkward stiffness with which she said Emily. He groaned inwardly. They were already disapproving.
"Oh, thank you," Emily said, sitting down. She sat down on the very expensive couch in a very perky pose.
James Sr. paused. That couch was used for only the most formal of formal diner evenings, and this was not one of them.
He met his son's eyes.
"Er – Emily?" he said tentatively. "We're not sitting here. We'll be going to the parlour. We can have a nice talk there."
"Why not here?"
He sighed. "It's for special occasions only."
Emily was unfazed. "Well, this is a special occasion. You're getting married – to me! Isn't that special enough?"
"Enough!" James Sr. said. "We will sit in the parlour and talk there, but please be quick about it, whatever you may do," he said in a cold voice.
Uh-oh, James thought nervously. Now he was almost certain he'd never get married to Emily.
Emily sniffed.
"And no sniffling at me, young lady!" James. Sr. boomed.
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"Now, tell me, Emily, what can you do around the house?" Juliet asked gently.
Emily thought for a little bit.
"Exacitally what would you mean by that, Juliet?" Emily asked stupidly.
"Can you cook?" Juliet asked.
Emily thought some more.
"Not really."
"Can you manage household accounts and such?" Juliet asked.
"Not really."
"Can you clean the house?"
"Not really."
"Can you wear some appropriate clothes?" This came from James' father.
"Now what fun would that be?"
"Can you host formal dinners?"
"Not really."
"Can you make wise spending choices?"
"Um…I spend an awful lot of time shopping."
"What do you shop for?"
"Clothes…you know what? The other day, I went to the mall for a new shirt – my old one had gotten way too long, and then I met Kate Wilson! Can you believe that? She said she might find a role for me to play in another movie of hers, you know?"
"Do you like going to beaches?"
"Oh yeah. I spend half my life there during the summer. I just love showing off my designer bikinis, and let's face is, who doesn't?"
Juliet Potter sighed and exchanged a glance with James Sr.
*"Qué clase de chica ha traído él en casa ahora?" she asked him wearily.
*"Yo no sé," he replied. *"Pero no me gusta."
*"Ella es inútil," Juliet said. *"Ella tiene no moralejas."
*"Concuerdo," James Sr. said. *"Yo no apruebo."
*"Mí también," Juliet said.
James sat nervously while his parents conversed in Spanish. He couldn't understand Spanish; it was his mother's tongue. Whatever it was, he could tell from the tone of his parents' voices that they weren't pleased. God. First it was Susan, then Rachel, then Amy, and then Bryony…they had all been turned down by his parents. He was so sure Emily would fare no better.
But this was unfair! Why did his parents have to choose for him? His taste and their taste were completely different!
His parents broke off their fluent Spanish abruptly. Juliet turned to Emily.
"I'm sorry," she said smoothly. "I'm afraid that – "
"I could understand every word of that!" Emily said angrily. "My grandmother's Spanish, you know?"
The Potters' mouths dropped.
"Emily…" James tried to explain.
"I'm getting out of here! I'm tired of all this proper stuff. Anyway, I had a date with Robbie at seven, and I need to be there!"
James felt his mouth go dry.
"O – okay then…bye Emily. See you around."
"You wish."
And then she was gone.
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"Mother!" James exclaimed once Emily was out of earshot. "She – "
His mother held up her hand firmly.
"I don't want any complaint," she said. "She was no good and you know it."
"She was fine," James protested.
"Fine?!" his father roared. "She had no self-respect! She had no morals!"
"Which is why she left!" James shot back.
"She had a date with another bloke!" James Sr. said furiously. "Nobody plays a Potter like that! We are a highly respected family in society! We have a reputation in both worlds!"
"I don't care!" James said. "I'm tired of all this…all this…garbage!"
"So are we," Juliet said wearily. "I think it's time we let him get married, James," she said to James Sr.
James' mouth dropped.
"R-Really?!" he asked.
"Really," his mother said. "We approved of one girl. And one girl only."
"Name her!" James said excitedly. "I'll bring her home straight away!"
"Her name," Juliet said, "is Lily Evans."
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Disclaimer: All belongs to the great and talented J.K.