Okay I am so sorry this took me forever to post!!! I got the HP5 book and I had to edit the story to fit in with HP! There isn't any new plot or anything just names have changed. There is no Arabella instead she is called Hestia. And originally the Minister was a man called Kevin Williams now it's a woman called Millicent Bagnolds.

Well here is the update finally and I hope you all enjoy!!!! Please Review!!! :-)

Disclaimer: I wish Harry Potter and all things surrounding it were my creation, but it isn't! So I just got to dream!

The Magic Charm

Chapter 3

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The next afternoon Lily was sitting in her office reading through some assessments of the Heads of Departments. She wanted to see who was the weak link in each department that could lead to the possible 'leak' within the Ministry. She was currently looking through the report made by Castor August, the Head of the Department of International Magical Trading Standards Body.

`... he has become increasingly involved in each affair, which has been one of the main reasons why the department is doing so well. Simon Moiré has become a great adjustment to the department. He has taken it upon himself to go on far journeys for the benefit the British Ministry...'

Lily rubbed her eyes and sat the paper on the desk. She couldn't keep her mind on what she was reading. The only thing she could think about was a dirty bathroom, a grubby sink and a large over weight greasy grey haired man that kept scratching his belly. Lily put her hands to her eyes and shook her head.

"Go away, go away, go away, go away-" Lily said as she tried to get the sickening picture out of her mind. Unfortunately it would be printed in there forever.

"Fine, I'll come back later." A voice said from the door. Lily looked up to see Sirius retreating from her office.

"Sirius! I didn't mean-" Lily said standing up. Sirius turned to her and put a hand on his chest and pretended to wipe away a fake tear.

"I know when I'm not wanted." He said with a sniff and went to turn back round again when Lily chuckled.

"Oh come in and sit down you silly prat." She laughed. Sirius grinned and walked back into the office and closed her door.

"If you weren't telling me to go away then whom were you talking to?" Sirius asked curiously as he sat down in a chair set in front of Lily's large oak desk.

"I was thinking about the apartment I went to this morning." Lily said disgustedly.

"It couldn't have been that bad?" Sirius asked with a grin. Lily raised an eyebrow at him.

"The place was a complete dump. And the owner was a disgusting pervert. He kept trying to look up my skirt." Lily said with a shudder. She walked to the side of her room where a kettle was. "Tea?" Lily offered.

"That would be grand." Sirius said. The kettle had just been boiled so Lily pored the water into two green mugs and added the tea bags form a jar beside the kettle. "Milk and two sugars please Lily." Sirius said as he watched her make the tea. Lily put milk in both their teas but only added the sugar to Sirius's. She then handed him the mug and offered him a biscuit, which he took kindly and thanked her. Lily sat down in her chair and took a sip from her tea.

"Where is James?" Sirius queried.

"He's in a meeting with the minister and Frank. Apparently some trade agreement with some country has been broken." Lily said with a shrug and a wave of a hand.

"I take it your not having much luck then with finding an apartment?" Sirius asked as he waited for his tea to cool down. Lily shook her head.

"I'm afraid not. Hestia thinks I'm being too picky. But she hasn't seen most of the dives." Lily said. Sirius chuckled. "Seriously if the apartment isn't a complete dump then either the owner or the person living in it is a complete freak." Lily said with a shake of her head.

"They can't be that bad?" Sirius said as he sipped at his tea.

"This one place I went too was absolutely lovely but I found out that my would have been roommate was a hooker and had chains on her bedroom walls." Lily said. Sirius busted out laughing. Lily chuckled and shook her head.

"Do you still have her number? I'll move in with her." Sirius said. Lily rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm sure you would. But I really have to find a place fast. Hestia and I are so close to killing each other." Lily said as she dunked her biscuit into her tea, Sirius chuckled.

"Just as well I popped in then. I know a person that needs a roommate." Sirius said. Lily quirked and eyebrow at him. "You wouldn't be opposed to living with a guy would you?" Sirius asked.

"I'm not living with you." Lily defiantly. Sirius chuckled.

"As much as that would be heaven it isn't me. My mate has been looking for a roommate for ages. The rent is cheap and the house is huge and very nice." Sirius said. Lily thought about this. It all sounded too good to be true.

"I'd have to see the place before I make up my mind." Lily said warily. Sirius nodded his head and smiled.

"Great." Sirius said. He drank the rest of his tea and stood up. He put the mug done and took a piece of parchment out of his robe pocket. He handed it to Lily who looked it over. "I told him you'd be their tonight at six thirty. Is that okay?" Sirius asked. Lily nodded her head. "Good. Well I better go I'm meeting with Moody. Pop by the Three Broomsticks later tonight and tell me how you get on." Sirius said as he walked to the door. Lily followed him.

"This better not be a game, Sirius." Lily warned. Sirius grinned at her.

"It isn't I promise." Sirius said. Lily eyed him suspiciously as he walked away. She then turned to Melinda, her assistant.

"Did James give you the rest of those documents?" Lily asked. Melinda nodded and handed her a stack of documents and Lily sighed before turning back into her office.

Later that afternoon Lily and James were sitting with Frank Longbottom in his office as they went through some assessments. Lily was curled up on Franks' leather couch with her shoes off and leaning her head against her hand. James sat in one of the chairs across from Frank as Frank sat back in his large chair.

"Who's Simon Moiré?" James asked curiously. Lily looked up from the parchment she was reading.

"His name is familiar." Lily said as she racked her brain thinking of how she knew that it.

"He works in the Department of International Magical Trading Body. Why?" Frank asked.

Lily looked at the man as he looked at James curiously. Frank was only a year or two older than James and Lily but he had worked fast up the working ladder like the pair had done also. Lily always thought he was a nice person. She could remember him being Head Boy when she had just been made a prefect and he had always been so nice to her. He was a bit smaller than James was - but most people were as he towered over them - and just a few centimetres taller than Lily. He had well kept brown hair that was always parted down the middle and had some stubble around his face that made him like quite rugged.

"Trade? How long has he been there?" James asked. Lily now remembered where she had heard the name.

"Four months. I read Castor Augusts assessment earlier. Apparently magical relations have increased since Simon became part of the department. Sounds like a good thing, why?" Lily asked tentatively. James looked at her.

"He was in Muggle relations before hand. Mac Knox, the Head of Department, states that he was one of the worst workers due to his dislike towards Muggles. Moiré's father was once the Head of the Department of International Co-operation so instead of firing Simon like they should have done they asked him which Department he wished to work in and shoved him in there." James explained. Lily stood up and started walking about the room like she usually did when she thought. James looked at Frank as Frank raised an eyebrow.

"What's the problem?" Frank asked Lily. Lily turned to him with a perplexing look.

"Does the Moiré family have a long line of pure blood heritage?" Lily asked James. He would most likely know this as his own family had a long line of heritage.

"Yeah but it's mainly French. Simon's father moved here just after that Muggle War. Why?" James curiously. There was silence as Lily thought a bit more. Finally she spoke.

"Why would Simon want to go into a department that dealt with trading with other countries instead of a department that dealt with the magical relations with other countries that his own father was the head of?" Lily said as she paced a bit more.

"Perhaps he didn't want to work with his father." Frank suggested.

"But why go the Department of Magical Trade? It is one of the worst places to go within the Government because you can't move up the ladder from within it." Lily said as her eyebrows furrowed. She then looked at Frank. "They trade in and out of the country don't they?" Frank nodded.

"Mainly Spell Books and Potions. Most of the trading we do is with France, why?" Frank asked as he looked at Lily curiously.

"Spell Books and Potions that would be of the Dark Arts?" Lily asked curiously.

"All types. I don't know what you're getting at." Frank said agitatedly as Lily began pacing again.

"Giver her a minute, she's onto something." James said with a smile. Lily turned to them.

"Where was the last place the death eaters were spotted?" Lily asked.

"South of France." James said. He caught onto what she was thinking. "You don't think..." James trailed off. Frank looked at the pair.

"What? Do you people not answer questions?" Frank asked. James looked at Frank.

"This mornings meeting was about the French Minister claiming we weren't paying enough for the trade we take from them. It was calculated that the right amount of money was being paid for the orders we knew about. What if-" James was cut of by Frank realising what Lily was on about.

"-There was trade being done by us but being used for someone else?" Frank asked with a smile.

"August stated that Moiré did a lot of travelling. He could possibly be doing it under the name of the British Ministry but instead be using it for Voldemort." Lily said. "The Moiré family has been linked with Voldemort."

"But why use the Ministry? Why not go under an unknown organisation?" James asked.

"It would ultimately lead back to the Ministry if the French Ministry thought an illegal organisation was using France to get illegal books and potions. Maybe something more." Frank said. "But the French wouldn't look twice if the British Ministry wanted these things. They would do anything to help." Frank added. Lily nodded her head in agreement.

"So what are we getting at? Moiré is using the Ministry's name to gather illegal equipment for Voldemort. But if that was so wouldn't all their bases be covered? We wouldn't have gotten wind about not paying enough money to the French. Simon would have had the money to the French Ministry if he was doing it through us." James said as he stood up and walked towards the window.

"Not unless something cost more than they thought?" Frank said.

"But what could that be?" James asked. Frank shrugged. "Should we go to Bagnold about this? I mean we have to do something about Simon." James said as he turned and looked from Frank to Lily. Lily shook her head.

"We can't do anything about Simon because we haven't gotten any hard evidence. This is all just guessing right now. It could very well turn out that it is just coincidental that the French is having trading problems with us. But if it is true we need evidence. And if Simon thinks we're onto him the whole thing will fall through and our only lead will be gone. Once we have the evidence we will go to the Minister and see what she thinks." Lily said. James and Frank nodded in agreement. Lily looked at her watch. It was 5:45. "My working day is done. I think I have done enough for you people." Lily said with a grin. Frank stood up with a smile on his face.

"Why don't we go to the pub and celebrate Lily's wonderful intelligence." Frank said.

"As much as I would like to celebrate I can't. Places to be people to see." Lily said with a chuckle. "Tomorrow we can work on getting the evidence and getting a team set up. But right now I'm gone. See you tomorrow." Lily said to the two men. James and Frank smiled at her as she left for her own office.

"So what about you mate? Fancy a drink?" Frank asked. James shook his head.

"No can do. I have a possible new roommate coming at half six." James said.

"You don't need a roommate; you can afford that bloody house on your own." Frank chuckled. James laughed.

"It's too big for just me. Plus Sirius said the roommate is a girl and apparently she is hot." James said with a grin. Frank raised an eyebrow.

"Thought you liked Lily?" He asked teasingly. James rolled his eye but smiled.

"Who wouldn't? But nothing will happen. We work together it would be awkward." James said with a shake of his head.

"Ah too bad for you. She's a nice girl and very clever." Frank said as he picked up his jacket from the back of chair.

"She'd have to be. She worked hard enough to get where she is. I don't think she has ever missed a class, not for anything." James said with a shake of his head. Frank chuckled.

"Not even for you. But you had all night with her." Frank said with a grin. James looked at him.

"How'd you know about that?" James asked quizzically.

"Black was shooting his mouth off in the break room." Frank laughed. James shook his head.

"Sirius doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut." James said.

"So it's all true?" Frank asked.

"The parts were Lily and I met up in New York and hung out? Yeah." James said causally.

"The wild sex?" Frank asked with a chuckle. James went red.

"Ah Frank would you look at the time? I'll see yeh later." James said with a smirk.

"I'll take that as a yes." Frank chuckled. "Pop by the Leaky Cauldron once this chick leaves but if she's cute bring her along." Frank said. James nodded then left for the apparation point.

At Hestia's place, Lily was putting on her jacket when Hestia apparated next to her. Lily give a yell in surprise and stumbled back a few feet. She held a hand to her chest as Hestia stood there chuckling.

"Don't do that." Lily said as she took deep breaths.

"How was I to know you would be standing right there?" Hestia asked with a wry smile. Lily rolled her eyes at her and straightened herself up. "Where are you going?" Hestia asked as she took of her robe and draped across a chair.

"Sirius found me an apartment." Lily said as she looked in the mirror above the fireplace. Hestia looked at her incredulously.

"And you're actually checking this place out? It's probably a fleapit." Hestia said.

"It's bound to be better than what I seen this morning." Lily said with a shake of her head. "They were just complete dumps." Lily said as she finished fixing her hair.

"So what's the address of this place?" Hestia asked. Lily took a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Hestia. Hestia sniggered as she read the address.

"You'll like this place." Hestia said with a grin. Lily looked at her oddly and took the parchment from her.

"Good." Lily said cautiously. "I'll get going then."

"Oh once your finished there come to the Leaky Cauldron. I'm meeting up with Alice Longley and Wendy Prize or should I say Diggory. Wendy and Amos got married a while back. It would've been nice if I was invited to the wedding but apparently it was a small affair." Hestia rattled off.

"I got to go I'll see you later." Lily said before apparating out of the room as Hestia continued rattling on. Lily appeared in front of a two-story house. Trees surrounded it so it had been alright for Lily to apparate there. She surveyed the house before walking up to the front door. It was a very nice house and looked rather big. The garden was also quite big. The house looked more like a family house than for two people sharing it. Yet it was the kind of house Lily seen herself live in. Things were looking good already.

The garden sloped down from the house and the garage, which was under the house, was built into the side of the small hill. Lily walked up the wooden steps that led towards the front door. The door was large and wooden with a shiny gold knocker and a large number 7 on it. Lily knocked on the door and waited for the occupant inside to open. She looked at her watch and realised she was ten minutes late, she didn't really want to set a bad example before even meeting the person. The door opened and Lily looked up and smiled at the person.

"Hi I'm - James?" Lily asked.

"Lily?" James said. Lily pulled out the piece of parchment in her pocket.

"I must be at the wrong place." Lily said with a shake of her head. "Is this 7 Lavender Hill?" Lily asked her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah." James said looking at Lily curiously. Lily looked up at him and then it dawned on both of them.

"Sirius." The said in unison. They chuckled then James held the door open for her.

"You might as well come in." He said with a small smile. Lily walked inside and looked around her. She was standing in the hallway. In front of her were the stairs and five doors. It seemed like a big house.

"I might as well give you the tour since you're here." James said as he led her towards one of the doors. Lily shrugged and followed.

She didn't know whether she should even be taking the tour of this luxurious house. It was so beautiful but could she really live with James? She already worked with him and she had to admit she did have feelings for him. But nothing could happen between them because they had to be responsible and put their work first. Would living with him make it even more difficult?

James opened the closest door and led her in.

"This is the living room." James said. It was beautifully decorated. The walls were a light cream colour. There was a large burgundy couch and two burgundy chairs. In the middle of the room between the couch and the fireplace a mahogany table stood. Above the fireplace there was a mahogany-framed mirror and on the wall above the couch there was a picture in a mahogany frame. Lily looked at James.

"How did you ever get a copy of A Wheatfield, with Cypresses?" Lily asked as she gazed at the Van Gogh painting. "There hasn't been a copy of this since the late fifties." Lily said in awe.

"My mother got it. In fact she decorated this room and nearly every room in the house." James chuckled.

"Your mother obviously has great taste." Lily smiled. James then walked up to a set of double doors that were on the far wall. He slid them across and led Lily through.

"This is the kitchen, which is also the dining room." James said indicating the dining area on the other side of the room. The walls were a beautiful olive colour. The cupboards and breakfast bench was pine and there was a large old-fashioned stove. The other half of the room was the dining area. There was a large pine six-seated table.

"I have never used that table." James chuckled. Lily smiled.

"How long have you been living here?" Lily asked as she looked around the room. James thought about this.

"About four months. I used to live in a flat beside Sirius but once my mum caught sight of it she made me move in here." James said. Lily chuckled.

"I wouldn't be complaining. It's a beautiful house." Lily said.

"But it's too big for just me. My mum tried to get Sirius to move in as well. But he flat out refused. Thankfully." James said with a small smile.

"Is he wise? No hold on this is Sirius we're talking about." Lily chuckled. She looked out the window into the back garden and gasped. "That garden is big." Lily chuckled again. James laughed.

"This door leads back into hallway." James said. Lily followed him out of the door. "That's a bathroom." James said pointing to one door. "That door leads to a spare room and this door leads down into the garage." James pointed out. "Let's go upstairs." James said. Lily chuckled silently to herself.

She had certainly fantasised about James leading her upstairs before but for different reasons.

When they reached the top of the stairs Lily saw four doors. James led her towards the closest one. When he opened the door Lily gasped. It was beautiful. There was a large queen sized bed with a dark silver headboard. There was also an oak writing desk and a built in wardrobe.

"This would be your room. That door over there leads to your private bathroom." James said. "The other rooms are the spare room, the bathroom and my room." James said as he put his hands in his pockets.

"James this place is amazing." Lily said as James led her out of the room and down into the living room.

"I don't expect you to make a decision right away. It would be a bit weird you living here with me especially since we work together." And because we would be sleeping feet apart from each other and it would be weird since we slept together. James added thoughtfully.

"Yeah it would be weird." Lily said with a nod of her head.

One half of her was saying walk away and never look at the place again because it wouldn't work out. You have to work with him and it would be weird seeing him every moment of the day. The other half was saying just go for it you know you want too. When are you ever going to get such a great opportunity and the house isn't half-bad either.

"But the rent is cheap enough, especially with what we make." James chuckled. "And it would be easier for us to work on missions together." James said with a shrug. And I wouldn't mind walking in on you in the shower once in a while.

"James I really have to think about it." Lily said. James nodded.

"I understand." James said. I guess I just got to dream!

"Look do you want to go to the Three Broomsticks, I'm meeting Hestia there and I have a bone to pick with Sirius." Lily chuckled. James smiled.

"Should you kill him or should I?" James chuckled.

"Oh let me please. I wonder what he thought he was going to accomplish by this?" Lily said with a shake of a head.

"Who knows what goes through his head?" James said earnestly. They then apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. Lily seen Hestia sitting with her old friends Wendy and Alice. James saw Sirius sitting with Frank at the bar. Sirius turned to James and grinned.

"See you later Lil." James said as he walked towards the bar. Lily nodded and walked over to her friends. She sat down beside them and scowled at Hestia.

"He Lily, did I just see you apparate here with James Potter?" Alice asked with a smile.

"Hey Alice, hey Wendy. I was checking out his place." Lily said with a shake of a head. "I can't believe you didn't tell me he lived there." Lily said to Hestia. She chuckled. Lily turned to Wendy and Alice. Wendy had shoulder length brown hair and was a bit shorter than Alice who had lengthy brown hair. The pair had roomed with Hestia and Lily in Hogwarts. "So how've you guys been"? Lily asked.

Meanwhile on the other side of the room James was ordering a drink from the bartender.

"So how did it go?" Sirius asked.

"I'm going to kill you." James said with a shake of his head.

"Sirius said the girl was gorgeous. What was the problem?" Frank asked. Sirius grinned.

"The girl is Lily Evans." Sirius said. Frank spat out his beer, then started laughing. "So is she moving in?" Sirius asked.

"No, I told you last night that it would be weird if she did." James said as he took his fire whiskey and paid for it.

"Why, because you guys dated in seventh year?" Frank asked with a furrowed brow. James scowled.

"We never dated in seventh year. We kissed once." James said before turning to Sirius. "Will you stop telling people I dated her?" James said with a shake of his head as he drank from the glass. Sirius rolled his eyes. "I'll be back in a minute." James said as he saw a friend of his fathers and went and talked to him. Just as James left Lily walked up the bar.

"Can I have a white wine, please?" Lily asked the bartender.

"I'll get this." Sirius said from beside her. Lily scowled at him.

"I should really kill you." Lily said with a shake of her head.

"What?" Sirius asked innocently. "I was only trying to help you and Prongs out. You act like I tried to marry you both." Sirius smiled. "Which I bet I could do."

"You could have at least told me it was his place." Lily said angrily and ignoring his last comment. Sirius shrugged.

"So are you taking it?" He asked as he paid for Lily's drink. Lily shook her head.

"We already work together it would be weird." Lily said. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Yeah and the fact that you have feelings for him doesn't come into the equation at all." Sirius said sarcastically. Lily looked at him in shock.

"I do not have feelings for James." Lily said deniably. She wondered if he actually knew or if he was messing with her mind.

"Then what's stopping you take the room. It's a nice house." Sirius pointed out.

"Then you live there." Lily said defensively. She wondered what he was playing at. Well it wouldn't work on her whatever it was!

"I don't want too." Sirius said politely.

"And neither do I." Lily said as if it was obvious. Sirius grinned at her.

"You do. I knew you would like the place that's why I told you about it. But the only reason why you won't take it is because you like Prongs." Sirius said with a sigh.

"I don't like him like that." Lily said, her eyes narrowed. Lily looked round her to make sure James wasn't nearby. Luckily he was talking to a few men in the corner.

"If you didn't you would take the house." Sirius said with a tilt of his head and a sigh.

"Fine." Lily said determinedly. Sirius grinned as James came back. Lily turned to him. "If the offer is still open then I'd like to move in." Lily said. James looked at her in shock.

"You sure?" James asked. Lily smiled and nodded her head. "Cool. You can move in this weekend." James said with a smile.

"Good." Lily said before walking back to her friends.

"Why did she change her mind?" James asked curiously. Sirius shrugged.

"How am I meant to know?" He said innocently. James eyed him carefully then walked towards someone he knew. Sirius grinned to himself and turned to Frank but Frank was talking to Lily's friend Alice. Sirius chuckled.

"How'd you do it?" A voice said from the side of him. Sirius turned to Hestia.

"Do what?" Sirius asked innocently.

"Drop the act. You could never pull innocence off." Hestia said. Sirius grinned.

"It was a defence mechanism on her part." Sirius said. Hestia looked at him oddly. "I made her all defensive about her feelings towards James. That girl is smitten over him. I told her that if she said no it would be plainly obvious why she said it." Sirius said as he took a gulp from his pint.

"Wow, Sirius I knew you were egotistical but I never knew you actually were smart." Hestia said.

"Thanks." Sirius said eyeing her carefully not knowing whether to take it as a compliment or an insult.

"So does James like Lily the way she obviously likes him?" Hestia asked as she leaned on the bar.

"I think so. It's hard to tell really." Sirius said as he indicated to the bartender to get him and Hestia another drink. "At times," Sirius continued, "he becomes less confident around her."

"How do you know this?" Hestia asked curiously.

"He puts his hands in his pockets. It's a sign of becoming apprehensive. And he only does this when either thinking about Lily or being around her." Sirius said with a shrug. Hestia looked at him in awe.

"You pay a lot of attention." She chuckled.

"Yeah well you live with a guy for few years and you learn his habits." Sirius chuckled.

"Why did James keep asking her out when we were younger if he doesn't have much confidence around her?" Hestia said as she sipped her drink.

"He always liked Lily and I suppose he thought that he would have to be upfront about it. But he was a bit bigheaded when he was younger, we all where." Sirius chuckled. "But then he grew up and became a real man and bottled up his feelings." Sirius said defiantly. Hestia rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Real man my arse." She chuckled. "For a minute their Black I thought you were actually a nice pensive guy. Turns out your like the rest of them." Hestia said with a shrug and a disappointed look.

"Oh Hestia, I could give you thoughts that would make your blood boil." Sirius whispered into her ear in a husky voice before walking off. Hestia took a deep breath and felt her face flush as she watched him leave.

"You just did. Damn you!" Hestia said as she stomped her foot and walked over to her friends.

*~*~*~*

I hope that wasn't boring but it was to bring out the plot a bit more (Yes this has a plot!!!) Anyway the next chapter should be a lot more fun (hopefully!)

Hopefully the next instalment will be up sooner!!!

I want to thank everyone for reviewing so far!

I want to thank

Katelyn I knew it was you I just didn't want to be embarrassed if it wasn't.... honest!!!!

Meha You are always one step ahead of me!!! Well I wonder if you know what am I gonna do next huh? do ya??? I bet you do though *sigh* ah well!!! Love all the same for always reading my stories!!!

Jessie I ain't that talented! If I was I would have a publishing deal and everything!!! Hmmm I should get one of those!!!! No I have to much creativity to put into a book!!!! Ha ha I wish!!!!!

hpfanharry Glad you like the story!

fiery red-haired girl Sorry I took forever!!! This chapter was kinda hard to write but it's finally here!!!!

Manal You rock!!!

Sophie Umm calm down!!!!! lol I hoped you like the update!

Rachel Glad you like Chapter 2!!!

Please Read and Review!!!!

~*Eimear*~