POA was AWESOME!!!! Except for the part Hermione oh so nicely fell ON TOP OF Harry... explode Grrrrrr... I'm going to watch it today in a few hours, this time with my friends. Today is the premiere. Are any of you guys watching it tomorrow (If you're in the US)? Anyway, here's another post. I am experiencing writer's block again on page 106. =(
Thank you for all your comments!! I love you!
Chapter 22
Someone prodded my shoulder and my eyes fluttered open, blinking in the bright sunlight that streamed through my room. When my eyes got adjusted to the light, I turned and saw the tips of the ears of a house elf peeping from behind the bed.
"Wake up miss," he squeaked. "Miss has to get ready and go down for breakfast."
"Okay," I muttered groggily.
The house elf, Missy, I think, nodded and exited the room. I stretched and yawned, and then remembered that I was going to Hogwarts today! I kicked the sheets away and jumped out of bed, grabbing the towel that hung around the rack, and almost sprinted to the bathroom.
It took me a long time to figure out what to wear. I skimmed through the neatly hung clothes in my cupboard, taking some out and putting them against my body and glancing in the mirror to see if it looked good. It was funny... I never really cared how good I looked in public. Until now.
In the end, after thinking for so long, I settled on a navy blue top and a pair of jeans. I decided to go simple. I went downstairs quickly and entered the dining room to see Sirius and James eating breakfast.
The golden sunlight shone into the dining room, making everything glow yellow. It seemed like the perfect day, the sky was a refreshing blue, the birds were singing, and the flowers were blooming...
James was building some sort of mountain made out of apple jam, having apparently had his breakfast and Sirius was biting into a croissant.
I smiled at them in acknowledgement and slipped into a chair next to Sirius. It took quite a lot of guts to sit there, believe me! But I hoped I made it look casual...
James let out a small cough and continued dumping spoons of strawberry jam onto the peak of his apple jam mountain. Then he took a cornflake and balanced it on its tip right on top.
"How old are you again, James?" asked Sirius casually.
"Seventeen, why?" He muttered, apparently having not noticed anything else but his little creation.
"'Cause you're sure not acting like it," said Sirius.
"Like you do," replied James haughtily.
A while later, my father entered the room.
"Reine, James, Sirius...we're leaving in fifteen, your trunk is already downstairs," he said.
"We're?" I asked, hardly able to believe my ears.
"Well, of course! I want to be there to see you leave," he added. "Reine can I talk to you outside for a minute?"
I held back everything I was about to say until he had clicked the door to the study shut.
"What? But you can't!" I blurted.
A highly bemused expression was fixed on my father's face. His eyebrows were knitted together, obviously wondering what was wrong with me.
"But I thought-"
"You can't go out, it's too dangerous," I reasoned. "You know that You-Know- Who is after you, father, you can't go outside."
"But, Reine, I thought it'll make you happy... I thought you wanted that."
"I did," I assured him. "But I don't want you to get hurt. You're the one I have left, and if you-"
I broke off. It seemed too taboo to be said. I fixed him with a look of sincere worry and care. I hope he understood. I'd rather him not be there than to never see him again.
"If that's what you want," my father replied.
I nodded solemnly.
"When you graduate, it'll be time for you to go to work with me. You do know right, honey, you're the heiress to Nimbus Co. and if anything should happen to me-"
"Don't say that."
"If anything should happen to me," my father repeated firmly. "It's you who will take over the company. Though... I should tell you before you leave. I want you, Reine, to marry James Potter when it's time."
"What?" I snapped unable to believe my own ears. "Father! How – I mean... This is what it's all about!"
"I thought you knew, Reine..." he said disbelievingly, shaking his head. And I did. "Reine, that boy has excellent leadership qualities, he comes from a well-respected family, a pureblood!"
"But father! What's blood got to do with love?" I snapped. "Anyway, Sirius is pureblood too, since that is all you care about."
"Reine, that Black boy is trouble... you don't know it, but I've been doing a bit of research, he ran away from home. I've spoken to his parents. According to them, he was rebellious, uncontrollable and a disgrace to the Black name."
"Father, you can't listen to them!"
"Reine!" Called James's voice from the foyer.
"You better go, Reine." My father stood and smiled. "Think about what I just said."
I stared at him with eyebrows knitted. After a while, I turned. He walked me to the door and we said goodbye to each other. Well, at least we should leave on good terms. I tucked away our fight and acted as if it didn't happen instead.
"Bye, father," I said. I moved forwards and hugged him.
"Bye, Reine," he replied.
I got into the carriage together with James and Sirius who were both talking excitedly about the new term. I felt strange leaving him. And I had this strange feeling that something was going to happen, something bad. Maybe I was just paranoid.
I waved at him through the window until he was out of sight.