Chapter 12: Abstract

Gin walked through the doorway in a hurry, her scarf almost shut in the door as it closed. She moved towards the little reception desk and was irritated by the receptionist's lack of attention. The witch seemed engrossed in her nails, causing Gin to resort to the 'cough I'm here pay attention, please' trick. Eventually the bored young witch looked up.

"Do you have an appointment? Sorry, no walk-ins, we're full up today."

Gin nodded. "Yes, I have an appointment. Virginia."

"Virginia, Virginia…" The witch ran her finger down the appointment book list. "I don't have a Virginia, but I do have a Gin. Issat you?"

"Yes." Gin stiffened her spine and took a deep breath. She did not need that kind of aggravation, especially now, with her gallery opening only a handful of hours away. "That's me. Virginia Boyd."

"Oh, ok, I see it now. Follow me." The witch stood up and led Gin through one of the doors of the salon, back to the station at the back of the salon. She directed Gin to take a seat in the chair and then walked through the back doors. Momentarily the annoying witch returned, but not alone. Penny Jensen, the owner of the salon trailed behind, her signature blue, almost black hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.

"Virginia, about time you came to see me." Penny pulled out a black barber's cape and draped around Gin, fastening it at the back of her neck. After that she began playing with Gin's hair. "You know, I normally don't take appointments on such short notice, but with you being HR's little sister, and Albus' sort-of little sister, how could I refuse?"

"Thanks, Penny, I really appreciate it." Gin watched Penny's fingers move through her hair.

"So, looks like you've let it grow out but this wasn't a cheap cut. Who cut it last?"

"Gaston. Mione set it up."

"He does good work, but he kisses a little too much arse. Coasts on reputation and famous customers, like your little Quidditch playing sister. Don't quote me on that; just my opinion. So, what's the occasion?"

"I'm co-owner of an art gallery that's opening tonight. You and Will should stop by. Starts at eight, wine, cheese, the usual."

Penny laughed. "Me, bring Mr. Jensen's Famous Floo Powder to an art gallery? Right." She started getting out her scissors and then paused. "Will Albus be there?"

Gin nodded. "And Delyth. She's pregnant, you know."

"I'll talk to my lesser half later tonight; doubt he'll pass up a chance to take the piss out of his old Hogwarts roommate Mr. Famous Actor Potter. Ok, so what are we doing? Same thing, but better?"

"Definitely." Gin nodded. "Hugo loves it. Plus the press will be there…"

Penny waved her hand. "Say no more. We'll have Hugo drooling and you on the front page. Leave it to me."

"Are you ready yet? I tried Mione but she's not answering. Y'all are going to make us late if you…well hell's bells, girl." Mary Caroline stood in the doorway of Gin's bedroom at Forthingsgate. "You make me look downright plain."

Gin turned and smiled at Mary Caroline, but returned quickly to the mirror at the little dressing table. Her hair was wonderful, she had no idea why anyone would go to Gaston instead of Penny, and the dress was definitely working for her. She finished the last part of her magical makeup, specifically concentrating on her lips, and then stood up. "Oh stop it. We both look smashing. And it's not me, it's this dress."

"Right. And I have to stand next to you for pictures. Wonderful."

Gin stood up and walked over to Mary Caroline. "You don't clean up too horribly yourself. There are little black dresses and then there's that one. You'll make Finn rethink his last conversation, that's for sure."

Mary Caroline rolled her eyes. "He can go jump in the lake as far as I care. Anyway, where did you get that dress? I've heard of those, seen a few, but I didn't think they made them anymore?"

"Used to be mum's." Gin moved around slightly, and the brilliant blue dress moved with her, taking on the appearance of an almost liquid substance. "She gave it to me the other day when I was whingeing about what to wear. She said after I was born it was useless, but she couldn't bear to get rid of it. Apparently it used to make Dad think all kinds of things. Kind of disturbing, actually, now that I think about it. Maybe I should change?"

"You'll do no such thing, sugar. Hugo's eyes will pop out when you walk in wearing that. Well, if he ever takes his eyes off your cleavage, anyway. Letting the girls out tonight, are we?"

"Quit it. I'd alter it but you can't do that with these dresses." Gin reached up and moved the dress slightly to try and adjust her front. "I haven't put the necklace on yet, that'll help draw away some attention." She reached over and took the necklace off of the table, and after securing it quickly felt a bit more comfortable. The pendant with the relief of Leda and the swan was appropriate in multiple ways. Her bangles jingled as she ran her hand through her hair and she was amazed at how effortlessly it fell back into place.

"Right, well, we need to get a move on and all that. We've still go things to check out before anyone starts arriving." Mary Caroline blew a piece of hair out of her face, as her artfully constructed blonde hair had begun to fall out of its style. "I don't know if anyone's going to come besides our families. What if nobody shows up?"

"Professional Quidditch players, three Order of Merlin First Class winners and a WeasleyVision star will be there. Don't worry; it won't just be the two of us sitting on the floor with our shoes off drinking chameleon champagne all night. Let's go get Mione. If she's not ready she can just meet us there."

"What about Hugo? Aren't we waiting for him?"

Gin shook her head. "He's in the big meeting, the one where he finds out what he's specializing in. He might be a little late, but he'll be there. Don't worry."

Gin stood outside of the gallery with Mary Caroline while both of their mothers took pictures. Under her breath Mary Caroline whispered "If I have to smile like this any longer my face will freeze this way."

The combination of excited anticipation, nerves and feeling like she was standing for one of her Mum's famous back-to-school pictures caused Gin to snort-laugh at Mary Caroline, resulting in a picture that would result in good blackmail material if it fell into the right hands. After a few more pictures the gallery owners were finally released, and they made their way back inside. Once they'd made it into the gallery Mary Caroline took Gin's arm.

"As you can see, over here we have the works of Mortimer Sedgewick, an up and coming chronicler of the Potter Trail. Look here and you can see how his dynamic use of color and shade bring out the inherent creepiness of Privet Drive, the famous location where Harry Potter, you know, The Boy Who Lived, where Harry was abused, er, lived before he arrived at Hogwarts."

"Merlin, I need a drink." Gin shook her head. "Please tell me that's not how you're going to…"

Mary Caroline whisked her towards another area. "And over here you'll see the portraiture work of one of the owners, Virginia Boyd. We have a series of portraits, both magical and Muggle, of some of the most famous people…" She paused for dramatic effect and lowered her voice "…in the world. Here's one of Harry and Ginny Potter, standing outside their house at Godric's Hollow, and here, in a daring and audacious move, you'll see some of her earliest works."

Gin elbowed her and then took control, swinging her towards the other room. "And now for something completely, well, different. Shut up, I know it's from Python. Most wouldn't get it. Well, Dad would…" Gin cleared her throat and resumed in a haughty voice. "Here you'll find some of the most challenging and rewarding pieces from the UMS, only available here in our London location. Abstract and surrealistic views of reality as interpreted by talented artist Mary Caroline Williams. Look at that vibrant use of color…"

"I like it. It'd go well with my sofa."

The girls turned to see James Potter standing alongside Alice Longbottom. James held Alice's hand and rubbed his chin with the other one. "But I'm not sure what it is. Is it a pig? Don't know if I want a pig. Oh wait, it's a baby. Ugly baby, but a baby. Right?" He winked at Gin.

Gin let go of Mary Caroline's arm. "You two are here early. Glad to see you could make it. Chameleon champagne?"

"Lily told us if we didn't make it we'd…and Mum, too…well, you know Mum. And yes, definitely champagne." He nodded at Alice. "Be right back."

After James left Mary Caroline looked over to Gin. "It doesn't look like a pig baby, does it? It's an abstract."

"Don't worry, James was just taking the piss." Alice smiled. "I'm Alice Longbottom."

Gin introduced them and soon thereafter more people started showing up. Gin looked at her watch and shook her head. Only her family and friends, but still she just wasn't quite ready yet. She wandered through the gathering crowd, chatted with Hermione and Ginny for a moment, and then was on her way to find a glass of chameleon champagne when she was stopped by Hannah Longbottom.

"Gin, it's so wonderful, but I have to tell you that you almost gave your father a heart attack."

"What do you mean?"

Hannah laughed. "Well, I came in with Neville, and your father and Mary Caroline's father, Hamilton, I think that's his name, they walked in with us. You were talking to Ginny and Hermione, and when your father saw what you were wearing he turned the brightest shade of red and couldn't speak for a few moments. That's your Mum's dress, isn't it?"

"Yeaaaaahhhh…so?"

Hannah smiled tightly and leaned forward so only Gin could hear her. "Well, let's just say that your father rather enjoyed it when she would wear the dress and leave it at that."

"Oh bloody hell." Gin shivered. "I mean, I know the lot of us had to get here somehow, but thinking about it…ewwww."

After the pictures were taken for The Daily Prophet Gin and Mary Caroline found themselves standing next to the little bar area, champagne glasses in hand. Gin was somewhat enjoying playing 'who's who' with Mary Caroline.

"Ok, there, by the horrible Leaky Cauldron painting. I've never seen anyone like that before; I mean, come on, I'm a blonde but I don't look like her."

Gin laughed. "That's Victoire Lupin, her mum's part Veela. Her husband is the tall bloke with the brown, oh, sorry, red hair. He's a metamorphagus and an Auror. Oh, and Harry Potter's godson."

"Veela, that would explain it. Ok, then, you have to tell me who the woman in the yellow Wellies is. You know we get some odd types at galleries…"

"Luna Scamander. She's a bit different, kind of out there but just when you think she's a complete nutter she'll say something and you realize she's very insightful. Not a lot of tact, sometimes, but she's usually spot on. For a few summers Mione tried her best to look like Luna. She's a friend of the Potters and the Longbottoms."

"I still can't believe all these people are at our little gallery. I mean, I knew your family knows all these people, I've read your Dad's book and all, but seeing them here, right in front of me, it's…"

"Kind of a letdown?" Gin laughed.

"Heavens, no!"

"Yes, it's an impressive bunch when you add things up, but it never really worked out like that for me. I mean, I've known Harry all my life, especially since he's my godfather. Kind of hard to hero worship someone who you've seen walking around in the kitchen late at night in his boxers drinking milk out of the carton."

"No!"

"Oh yeah." Gin shook her head. "He can be kind of scary when you mess up, though. Ask HR about what happened when along with James and Albus they managed to set the shed at The Burrow on fire sometime."

"I don't think James' girlfriend likes me." Mary Caroline took a sip of champagne. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, she's just very protective and a wee bit jealous. They've been living together for a while now and I think she expects James to pop the question any day now, but he still hasn't."

"Please tell me there's some cheese left, and the good stinky kind." A noticeably pregnant dark-haired woman walked over to them and gave Gin a hug. She stuck out her hand to Mary Caroline. "Delyth Lewis."

Gin nodded to Mary Caroline. "Delyth is Al's fiancée."

Delyth waved her off. "Whatever. Fiancée, future mum of his child, wicked Welsh witch, you name it."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am. Mary Caroline Williams."

"Oh, bin the ma'am talk, I'm not that old." Delyth looked over the table and was dismayed to see the cheese she'd wanted had disappeared. "Has Ron been over here? He usually cleans things out, along with his son. Speaking of the bottomless pit, where is Hugo?"

"Not back yet from his final Auror training meeting." Gin took a quick glance at her watch. "I'd hoped he'd be here by now."

"Oh shit." Mary Caroline moved behind Delyth. "Can you stay there for a little bit? I can't believe he came here."

Delyth looked over at Gin, who shrugged. Gin leaned over to her partner. "Who is it?"

"Finn. Dammit, I wonder…oh. That explains it. He's with Hugo."

Delyth looked over to Gin. "You go; I'll hide her with my massive arse."

Gin slipped away and started making her way through the crowd; she watched Hugo the whole time. It was almost funny to see him looking around for her, trying to fend off people until he stopped and talked to HR. As Gin watched her brother nod at Hugo she knew what was coming next. Sure enough, her tall brother caught her eye and looked over to Hugo. After that it was easy for Gin and Hugo to see each other, and she rather enjoyed the look on his face when he saw the dress, but before she could get over to him she was snagged by Mary Caroline's parents.

"Virginia, you look delightful tonight." Mary Caroline's mother was about as short as Lily, as thin as a wand and her hair was pulled back into an elegant little ponytail. "I'm so proud of you girls. Everything is so wonderful, I'm so sure you'll make a great go of it."

"Thank you, ma'am. It's been a lot of work but I think it's coming along nicely."

"So when are we going to see you back in Two Chopt? You know you girls are always welcome to stay with us while you work on the Richmond gallery." Hamilton, Mary Caroline's father, smiled at her. "From what I understand you're a rather good cook. Tiny could show you some recipes."

"Oh Hamilton, you're just trying to get me to make those foods that Dr. Smith said are off your diet." She looked at Gin and shook her head. "He's always trying to do that."

"Excuse me." Hugo stood behind Mary Caroline's parents with two glasses of chameleon champagne.

Gin smiled. "Tiny, Hamilton, this is my fiancée Hugo Weasley. Hugo, these are Mary Caroline's parents."

Hamilton extended his arm to shake hands but Tiny took a hold of his sleeve. "Sometimes I wonder how we ever managed to date, let alone get married. Let the boy go to his fiancée, Ham."

Hugo handed Gin the champagne, put his arm around her waist and gave her a kiss. "Where the bloody hell did you get that dress?"

"Mum, believe it or not. Later, we're being rude."

They turned back to Tiny and Hamilton. Hugo shook Hamilton's hand. "I apologize, sir. Nice to meet you."

"No apology needed, son, if my girl wore a dress like that…" His comments were abruptly cut off by a gentle backhand to his midsection by his wife. "So, I understand you're an Auror, is that right?"

Hugo nodded. "Yes sir. Just got my unit assignment today." He looked over at Gin. "I'm in Investigations." He turned back to Hamilton and Tiny. "In the beginning it'll just be basics like theft, some security things, but it's a start."

Gin slipped her hand into Hugo's. She knew that he had wanted to work the really hard cases, but Investigations wasn't the worst thing in the world. He'd confessed that his deepest fear was that he would be one of the 'glorified secretaries' that did the documentation work.

"Congratulations, Hugo. And to you, too, Virginia. You've got a brand new Auror on your hands." Hamilton smiled at them and then felt himself being pulled away by his wife. "That's my cue."

As they walked away Hugo shook his head. "What is it about short women? She's just like Lily pulling HR around."

"Good thing I'm taller." Gin gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Investigations. I'm so proud of you."

"Me? Bloody hell, Polly, look at this place. And all these people?"

"Phhhpppt." Gin made a somewhat rude noise with her lips. "Over half the crowd is either related to me or to you. Those that aren't are, well, look over there." She nodded her head towards her parents. "Mum and Dad are talking to Peter and Franny Sawgrass. They were in Dad's class at Hogwarts and in the first Muggle Club. Oh, and next to them, Cho and Mike Greene. He's dad's old university roommate. I don't know if we have any real customers or if this is just a big family party."

"All right, then who's that bloke and his, ah, um, his date?"

Gin looked to the other side where Hugo motioned and there, in front of the Privet Drive painting was a tall, muscular dark-headed man in a Muggle suit with an equally tall woman. She understood why Hugo was a little hesitant to describe the woman because even if she was as old as her Mum there was no doubt that she was quite striking. She wasn't sure, but when she turned her head, and a flash of red was visible through the black hair, she knew instantly. "Bloody hell, that's Mum's friend JoJo. Haven't seen her in years. Dunno who the man is, though."

She felt Hugo stiffen next to her, his grip on her hand began to tighten until she was almost in pain. After looking over to Hugo, and following his eyes, she knew exactly why he was that way. Graham Kent, in massively expensive tailored robes, walked forward towards them. On his arm was a girl who Mione would call 'a cheap bird with expensive tits' as it was obvious that she was enhanced.

Kent stopped a few feet away from them and assumed a fake-pleasant tone. "What a wonderful little soiree you've thrown together. So good to hear you two patched things up."

"What do you want, Kent?" Hugo's tone was sharp enough that Gin worried something might happen.

"Oh, I wouldn't miss the opening of a new gallery. I'm a collector, you know. Family has pieces from some of the old masters, but enough about that. I love the kitsch collection you've got going on here, Boyd. Takes some courage to open a gallery with things like this." He turned to his date. "Don't you agree, love?"

The woman smiled blankly at him. "Uh-huh, yeah."

"Well." Kent reached inside his robes and brought out a rolled-up parchment. "This has been much more fun than I anticipated, so I'll just leave you with this." He attempted to give the parchment to Gin, but Hugo reached for it, causing Kent to pull it away rapidly. "Ah ah ah, I'm afraid not, Weasley. This is for Boyd."

Gin took the parchment quickly out of his hands but didn't open it.

Kent shrugged at her. "Well, as they say, it is your party." He turned to his date. "Come along, Jilly."

After they had left Gin unrolled the parchment and after reading for a moment she shook her head in anger. "What the fucking hell is this shit?"

Hugo took the parchment out of her hands. When he figured it out he looked at her, angry. "Let's go find Mum. I'll be damned if that twat Chance is going to haul you into court as a witness."

Gin didn't know if any more people could fit in the little office in the back of the gallery. Hermione and her father were talking, handing each other piece of parchment while next to them stood her mum, JoJo and the bloke she was with, Harry, Ron and Scorpius. Mione sat on the table, legs dangling over the side and was trying to calm down Hugo with HR and Lily. Other people were in there as well, and she recognized their faces, but it was as if they were al extras from one of Al's films, the people who you see but never notice, the ones who walk back and forth across the street in the background while the camera focuses on Al or whoever the main character was.

It just couldn't be happening. Not now, not when everything was going so well. She and Hugo had actually been down a dark place and had come out of it stronger. Shit, they'd just bought a house, hadn't even moved in yet, and at the opening of her gallery Graham Kent had walked in and served her papers. Sometime soon she'd have to go to Richmond and testify at his trial. Her brain started working feverishly, looking for a reason, and she knew what he'd had planned; he was going to smear her, make her an unreliable witness, show that she was just a crazy art tart who had made everything up.

"It looks like a legal document to me. Um, a Muggle one." The tall guy with JoJo nodded his head and handed Harry the parchment.

"Thanks, Dudley." Harry looked over to Hank. "It's in about a month from now. We'll work within the law and see what we can do. We helped with the investigation that got him arrested, but there might be more."

Hermione took the paper from her hands and gave it to Harry. "And it's in the magical court as well. This isn't the proper procedure; if he's part Muggle then he has to pick either the Muggle or magical courts. The law clearly states…"

Gin hit her boiling point and stood up. "Enough!" Everyone stopped to look at her. "If that little shit thinks I'm just going to back down he's got another bloody thing coming. I'll need a solicitor."

"I can argue cases in front of the Wizangamot, but I'm not sure about my legal standing in the UMS. I could petition…"

Scorpius shook his head. "It wouldn't look proper. She's marrying Hugo."

"Oh." Hermione sat down. "I didn't think about that."

"And Dad can't do it, either." Scorpius sighed and looked over at Mione. "I know he'd want to help but we're related through Mione."

Gin saw Mione leave the room suddenly but didn't think on it. She was going to need a solicitor to argue for her, both a Muggle and a magical one, and that was going to cost money. "That's fine, we'll find someone. Dad?" She looked over to her father. "Didn't you say a long time ago that we're related to someone who…"

"Used to be my boss before he died. I bought the firm." Franny Sawgrass stood in the doorway next to her husband Peter as well as her little sister Mione. Franny walked in, asked to see the documents and scanned them quickly. "We can move to dismiss one of these requests, as Mrs. Weasley is correct, the law states that he has to choose whether to move forward in magical or Muggle court. My guess is that he'll try to get the magical request removed because it will be harder to prove things in Muggle court, the evidence won't be allowed. I have contacts over in the UMS and I'll find out who's prosecuting this. We'll need to investigate Chase Gilmore so that we know absolutely everything about him."

"Perfect." Hugo walked over to Gin and put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm an Investigator."

"Not on this case." Harry shook his head. "Anything you would provide as evidence could be dismissed out of hand due to bias. Don't worry. If the Aurors can't handle it officially there are other resources." He glanced over to Hank and nodded.

Gin looked at her father but he wasn't paying attention, instead he was talking to a rather tall man in a Muggle suit and tie. Next to the man in the suit was a woman who, while somewhat in middle age, was wearing a shocking pair of bright green leather trousers and a jumper that you seemed to be like a second skin. Once again Gin slipped into a state of detached observation and eventually she became aware of Hugo helping her up. They walked out into the gallery and Gin was surprised at all the people who hadn't noticed the big commotion or the fact that a large segment of the guests had all managed to shoehorn into the little office.

Mary Caroline, though, couldn't be missed, as she stood there talking excitedly to her parents. Once she saw Gin she bounded over, grinning from ear to ear. "We sold four! Can you believe it, four! A Sedgewick, one of yours and two of mine!"

"Really? Wow. Didn't expect that." Gin's voice seemed distant, even to her. She took a deep breath. Chance fucking Gilmore was not going to ruin her night, no way in hell. She and Mary Caroline had worked too hard; she'd worked too hard on things with Hugo, and there was no way she was going to let that arse ruin her night. Gin straightened her posture, flipped her bangs out of her eyes and tilted her chin up confidently. "So which ones?"

"Well, a man named Roger Flytesplinker bought your one of Headmaster Flurber? Flurbink? The old guy with the tufty hair and the earring, said he's a relative or something. I sold Apotheosis Number 6 to a guy named Brian Humphries, he said his wife Faith would love it, but you'll never believe which Sedgewick we sold."

"Um, was it…"

Mary Caroline couldn't let her finish. "We sold the Privet Drive piece! I couldn't believe it. You know how that one is, but the lady, the one with the red streak in her hair? She said her husband grew up there, and I know that's where Harry Potter grew up and didn't want to lose a sale so I just let it go. Look, I've got the bill of sale right here. JoJo Dursley, eight hundred pounds! I don't know what that is when you convert it to Galleons, but a sale's a sale, especially on that one, right?"

Franny Sawgrass stepped up to Gin. "Sorry to interrupt, but we must be going. Here's my card. Stop by tomorrow between ten and two, no need for an appointment."

"Thank you, Mrs. Sawgrass." Gin took the card and held it tightly. "I'll be sure to see you tomorrow."

"What's going on, sweetie? A sale?" Mary Caroline looked hopefully towards Gin.

"Oh, no, not that. Chase Gilmore had papers served on me. I have to testify at his trial." Gin looked back to Mrs. Sawgrass. "Does one work?"

The solicitor shook her head. "Like I said, no appointment needed, and do call me Franny. I get enough of Mrs. Sawgrass at those horrid Ministry things with Peter. Tomorrow then. Lovely gallery, by the way."

Once she'd left Mary Caroline looked at Gin with anger in her eyes. "I can believe that sorry sonovabitch is doing this to you."

"Oh, I think he doesn't know what he's messing with." Gin's eyes lit up as she remembered something. "You said you sold two; what was the other one?"

"You're not going to believe this. James Potter bought Interlude Seven, but only on the condition that I put 'ugly pig baby' as the name of the painting on the bill of sale."