Harry Potter and the City of Masks
by Josephine Taylor
Chapter Two
The sun rose warm and bright in the City of Flowers. In the centre of the beautiful city, a elegant manor stood bearing the Bellezzan emblem and flag. In a large chamber in the centre of this house, the sunlight filtered in through the shutters, leaving strips of light on the occupants of the bed. Birds chirping outside slowly took over the morning sounds.
A soft knock on the door, roused one of the sleeping bodies. With a great yawn, Luciano sat up in bed and called out quietly to enter. The carefully crafted door opened and a young woman entered bearing before her on a tray two mug's of hot chocolate. She paused just inside the door and curtseyed.
'Good morning your Grace.' Placing the tray onto a low table just beside the bed, the serving woman bowed herself out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
Stretching his arms above his head, Luciano slipped out of the bed and picked up one of the mugs and took an experimental sip. It wasn't bad. Placing the cup back down he moved to the windows and opened the shutters, allowing the light to stream in. The groan of complaint came from the bed and Luciano laughed.
'Come now, Arianna! It's time to get up!' He moved swiftly to the bed and sat down, tickling Arianna through the bed sheets.
'Ok! I'm up, I'm up.' She sat up, her violet eye's glittering in laughter, brown hair yet untamed. 'Hand me that chocolate.' Luciano leaned over and took up the over cup handing it to the Duchessa. She took a sip and smiled. 'It's nice. Though not as good as what we get in Bellezza.'
Luciano nodded. At that moment someone knocked on the door. Luciano sighed and shook his head. 'You know, sometimes I just think of taking off with you somewhere, just we could have more than a few hours alone!' He lent in and gave her a small, lingering kiss on the lips, before standing and leaving through the doors leading to his adjoining room whilst Arianna's maid's got her ready for their meeting with the Grand Duke. Closing the door behind him, he leant on it. Sometimes, being married to a Duchessa was a lot of hard work.
An hour or so later Arianna and Luciano were being shown into a vast and rich audience chamber. For a moment they were alone to admire the artwork and architecture before a door towards the end of the chamber opened.
'His Excellency, Fabrizio, the Grand Duke of Tuschia.'
The Bellezzan's turned and saw a handsome looking man, richly dressed in the finest materials and jewels in the land, coming towards them, bearing a smile on his handsome features. Luciano and Arianna had not met since that faithful day in Giglia when Fabrizio's brother, Carlo, had been killed on his wedding day by the Nucci and had then issued a warrant for Luciano's arrest, due to Luciano beating the Duke Niccolo in a duel.
They were in for a very interesting meeting.
----
An alarm clock rang in Harry's ear, and kept ringing and ringing until, out of sheer frustration, Harry rolled over and slammed his fist onto the clock, shattering it but at least stopping the noise. Cursing, he sat up rubbing his eyes. Sunlight coming in through the open curtain's indicated that it was early morning. Suddenly Harry was wide awake.
'Shit!'
Scrambling out of bed, Harry glanced at his wrist watch as he headed into the bathroom. It read 8.30am. He had over slept again and Kinglsey had been very explicit about what would happen the next time he was late. After a quick shower, Harry hurried back into his bedroom and began pulling his work clothes out of his wardrobe. Suddenly he stood stock still.
'The report!' He whispered. Twilling around, he headed over to his small work table and began shifting parchment aside, before remembering that he hadn't completed the assignment that had been set. 'Shit! Crap! Bullocks!'
Picking up his wand from where he had left it on the table he pointed it at a black piece of parchment and hastily mutter a 'Write-It' spell. Thinking for a second, Harry began to speak.
'How the Polyjuice potion can be counter-acted and signs that someone has been Impersonated. By Harry J. Potter.' As Harry spoke, the words appeared on the parchment as though written by his own hand. Satisfied that the spell was working Harry proceeded getting ready, pulling on his uniform (simple black trousers and a light green shirt) and having a hasty breakfast, all the while talking out his assignment.
Finally ready to go Harry picked up the parchment and rolled it up, not having time to go through it and make sure that it was properly done. Tucking it safely into his cloak, Harry took a handful of power from a small pot on the mantelpiece of his fireplace. Chucking the powder into the grate, Harry stepped into the flames that had erupted there and clearly pronounced: 'Ministry of Magic.'
Harry arrived, out of breath but on time.
----
Their meeting with the Grand Duke turned out not to go so bad at all. It turns out that any issue's that Fabrizio had with Luciano had long been buried and he was in fact quiet courteous to them.
They breakfasted in an elegant chamber decorated in the Giglia colours with various artworks dotted around the room, at a magnificent mahogany table laden with delicious foods. A surprise, though a pleasant one, to Arianna and Luciano was that Fabrizio's younger brother, Gaetano and his wife Francesca were also there.
After the meal the party were just standing to take to the air to have a look around the central courtyard, when there was a knock on the door and a messenger stepped in with a note for the Duchessa of Bellezza.
Arianna took the note hesitantly and apologised to her hosts before opening the seal and reading the flowing handwriting. Luciano watched his wife with concern and that only increased as he noted how pale she went from reading the letter. Arianna raised her eyes, which were full of fright.
'Luciano...' she whispered.
Luciano hurried over and took hold of her, for she looked like she was about to faint. Gaetano came over and helped Luciano take Arianna out into the courtyard whilst calling for a servant to bring some wine for the Duchessa. They seated her on a stone bench and Arianna took gulps of the fresh morning air.
'Can you give us a minute Gaetano?'
Gaetano nodded in sympathy and went to keep his brother occupied for a few moments. Luciano knelt down in front of Arianna. Reaching out he brushed a few strands of her hair from her face.
'Arianna, what's happened? What's wrong?' Concern laced his voice and fear filled him as he took in the tears shining in Arianna's violet eyes. Wordlessly she handed him the message that had been delivered. Luciano looked down at the script of his foster-father, William Dethridge. He could note believe what was written and it made his heart constrict.
Violahad vanished.