The New Neighbors
James and Mary Alice peered out a window from the third story of their imposing home. The two children ages eleven and thirteen were trying as hard as they could to get a look at their new neighbors. It had been a three day effort that had so far proved unsuccessful. But to be fair most of Godric's Hollow was probably trying to catch a glimpse of the newest residents of Whistling Wood Way. After all the new neighbors reputation did tend to precede them. The Chiavatti's, straight from southern Italy, the husband was the very rich, very famous, Italian Ambassador of Magic to the Ministry.
The wife, well no one really knew what she did, that is besides throw extravagant parties, spend a fortune on designer robes straight from Paris and always look incredibly beautiful. But despite the very obvious intrigue and mystery that surrounded the Ambassador and his beautiful wife Mary Alice and James were much more interested in the rumors they kept hearing about the Chiavatti's daughter. Apparently the girl was about James age and she was the spitting image of her mother, only smaller. Her clothes were always wrinkle free and her hair was always perfect. She never spoke out of turn and did exactly what she was told. In other words, the little girl was the perfect child.
Now Mary Alice and James had met many children between them and never had either of them encountered a child such as this. So needless to say their curiosity was peeked. On top of very much wanting to see this elusive Chiavatti daughter, getting a proper look at the enormous estate that the Chiavatti's had built for there selves was quite amazing in itself. It was by far the largest home either Potter child had ever seen, and the Potter's weren't exactly hurting for money.
Mary Alice and James had sat a top the back stair case the night before. The staircase which led down into the back sitting room; where Evelyn and Harold had been sitting. Evelyn had been saying how ridiculous she thought it was that anyone would feel the need to show off their money like that. Harold, who had obviously not really been listening to her, "probably reading the paper" James had whispered to his sister, was monotonously agreeing with everything his wife said. "Don't you think its silly Harold" Evelyn had complained, "There are only three of them and that house is four times the size of ours." "Yes dear" Harold grunted. "What on earth would they need to live in such a large home for? It's just for show really. People like that really irritate me. Show offs is what I call them." "Of course dear."
It was around that point that Evelyn must have realized that her husband really wasn't listening to her for the conversation took taken a sudden turn that caused Mary Alice and James to clamp their lips shut to break out in hysterical giggles. "Yes that Mrs. Chiavatti I hear she throws some real wild parties. Has all these exotic animals imported from Africa. Really puts the wild in party apparently when you have to share your martini with a Giraffe." "That's right dear" "The Minster of Magic is married to a Hippogriff" "I know dear" "Ignatius Prewett asked me to go on a romantic vacation with him" That comment had gotten Harold's attention. Apparently Evelyn and Ignatius Prewett had dated back in school and although James and Mary Alice did not know then nor did they ever find out, Harold Potter had a supreme dislike for the man for some reason, especially when it came to his wife. "WHAT?" Harold asked loudly. "Oh that got your attention then?" Evelyn asked sounding a cross between annoyed and amused. Mary Alice had finally snorted at this point and Evelyn had called up the stairs for the two of them to stop ease dropping and go to bed.
So the next day Mary Alice and James had resumed their posts at the great bay window in their nursery attempting to see some small glimpse of their next door neighbors. Armed with new gossip straight from the mouth of their mother James was especially excited, "I wonder when their going to bring the wild animals in?" he asked his sister excitedly. Mary Alice starred at her brother with a funny expression on her face, "Er…I'm pretty sure Mum wasn't serious about that." James looked at Mary Alice like she was crazy, "What yes she was I heard her she said she didn't think it would be much fun to share her martini glass with a giraffe I heard her!" Mary Alice starred at her brother but didn't have a chance to answer as Evelyn burst into the room, "James, Marigold you must get ready for dinner were having guests! They will be here very quickly and…hang on why are you starring out the window?"
The two siblings glanced quickly at each other as there mother looked at them with suspiciously narrowed eyes. "Umm we were watching for my Hogwarts owl" James supplied quickly. "I'm sure you were" Evelyn said in a voice that said she clearly was sure that's definitely not what they were doing, "since its June and everyone knows Hogwarts owl's wont start coming until then end of July at the very earliest." "Well see Mum" Mary Alice began, a complicated explanation already forming in her head. "No, no" Evelyn Potter cried, "I don't even want to hear it. Really I don't. Just go put on something nice. Now!" Muttering about how her children were clearly involved in some sort of evil ploy to make her lose her mind Evelyn turned to leave the room. "Mum" James called after the petite woman, "whose coming?" Evelyn poked her head back in the room, "Our new neighbors and their daughter. Apparently your father felt the need to just go and invite them to day while he was at work and not let me now until thirty minutes before they are supposed to arrive. Now GO get ready for Merlin's sake."
James opened his mouth and looked at Mary Alice with excitement, "oh this is perfect! Let's play a prank on the girl!" Evelyn who both children thought had left walked back into the doorway, "What was that James Harold Potter?" she demanded. "Er nothing Mum" Mary Alice laughed nervously, "James was just saying that we should umm make sure to say…thanks to the girl for moving to our neighborhood." Evelyn shook her head, "Nice try Marigold. You two don't do anything to embarrass me unless you want your father to hear about it and I am serious." This time she left for real, making quite a bit of noise as she tripped over a pair of James trainers in the hallway, "JAMES! CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!" she hollered over her shoulder.
"So should we be good and listen to Mum?" Mary Alice asked her little brother. "If you want to have no fun and listen to all of them talk about new regulations on shipping magic carpets or something interesting like that," James said with a small smile. Mary Alice looked at him, "Right you are little brother. Right you are."
So it was an hour later The Potter family sat in their grand dining room with one of the most well known families in Wizarding Europe, the Chiavattis. Mrs. Chiavatti, or Countess Chiavatti, as she introduced herself to a very skeptical and annoyed looking Evelyn Potter was extremely good looking just as James and Mary Alice had heard. Mr. Chiavatti, the Ambassador, was extremely intimidating. The daughter was just as James and Mary Alice had heard as well, the spitting image of her mother and extremely well mannered. It could be said the family was one of extremes, in more ways then they originally thought, as the Potters would eventually learn. But the girl, Arabella Carmina as her very formal parents had introduced her, was the only thing the Potter siblings were focused on that evening.
Arabella was so prim and proper neither knew a thing to say to her. James had said hi to her immediately upon being introduced, he had thought she looked excited when he had greeted her so enthusiastically but he had been wrong apparently, she had smiled quietly and shook his hand. Mary Alice saw what James did not, for when her little brother greeted the girl Arabella's mother quickly shot her daughter a look of obvious disapproval as Arabella started to smile widely. How odd, thought Mary Alice.
Dinner was no different either. Arabella sat at her spot at the table between her father and mother, silently not looking up from her plate. The Ambassador and his wife spent the entire meal talking about the extravagant vacation they had just had in Egypt. Evelyn Potter was shooting a very irritated look at her husband, as Mrs. Chiavatti laughed softly as she described a camel ride she had gone on, "It was Orribile, Pauroso! They want me to ride enorme animal, I don't ride any animal! Do I look like I ride animal I ask?' Mr. Chiavatti laughed along with his wife and continued his wife's story, he spoke noticeably better English, "I came up to them and I repeated exactly what she said. Does she look like she is getting on that camel? The man just looked ridiculous and didn't say a thing, it was absolutely hilarious."
Both of the Chiavatti's broke into hysterical laughter, none of the Potter's joined in. That is not in the slightest bit funny, Evelyn Potter thought; I am going to kill Harold for inviting them over for dinner. Gosh I should be laughing along to be polite but that just isn't funny, Harold Potter thought; Evelyn is looking at me like she wants to kill me, there is no way this is going to end well. I wonder what's wrong with Arabella; she seems completely out of it, thought Mary Alice as she stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork. This is going to be the best prank ever, James thought gleefully. Mr. and Mrs. Chiavatti didn't even notice they were the only one's laughing. Arabella rolled her eyes, could her parents be anymore into themselves. Probably not, she reasoned.
Evelyn Potter resisted the urge to beat her face against the table as Mrs. Chiavatti launched into her next story, which the main purpose was to let the Potter's know how wealthy they actually were. She was cut off mid way through when she felt something slimy against her leg. "AHHHHHHHHH" she screamed hysterically leaping up from the table, sending her plate flying towards the ceiling. "My good china" Evelyn screamed just as loud as she watched her treasured plate hurtling back toward earth. "What is the matter il mio amore" Mr. Chiavatti asked worriedly as Mrs. Chiavatti ran away from the table. "MARY ALICE" roared Harold Potter, "what did you do?' "I didn't do a thing" Mary Alice cried back, "why do you always blame me for everything?" "Excellent" James yelled excitedly. "Oh for God's sake" muttered Arabella leaning under the table to pick up whatever it was that had startled her mother so greatly.
"ENOUGH" yelled Harold Potter jumping up, pointed his wand at the china plate that was dangerously close to hitting the table and cried "Wingardium Leviosa". The plate hovered inches above the table. Mary Alice and James looked at each other. Mrs. Chiavatti was practically sobbing in the corner and Mr. Chiavatti, who was covered with the remnants of his wife's meal, was casting worried looks at Mrs. Chiavatti. Evelyn grabbed the plate out of mid air and made a mad dash to the kitchen, just as Arabella popped up from under the table. "Look mamma" she exclaimed brightly in a noticeably Italian accent which none of the Potters had caught earlier, from the few words she had uttered quietly, "It's just a frog."
Mrs. Chiavatti screamed even louder. "Did you bring that here Arabella Carmina" Mr. Chiavatti yelled standing up suddenly. Arabella's mouth dropped open as her eyes moved from the large green bullfrog in her hand to James across the table. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her new neighbor and interestingly she looked quite scary. James gulped all traces of his excitement at his little trick vanishing quickly. Mr. Chiavatti started yelling at his daughter in Italian. Arabella didn't say a thing; she simply looked down at the frog in her hand and tapped her foot impatiently. Mrs. Chiavatti sniffled in the corner. Harold Potter observed the entire situation with a dumb stuck look on his face.
Later on that evening after the very worked up Chiavatti family had left, Mr. Chiavatti apologizing profusely for his daughter's behavior, "We aren't sure why she does things like this, she just does. We can't talk any sense into her. She just insists on being naughty", Harold Potter sent Mary Alice and James out into the yard. It was something he only did when he was very upset and needed a chance to calm down before saying anything to them. It was times like these in which Mary Alice and James were both unable to find their usual smiles which they always seemed to wear on their faces. "He is pretty mad" James muttered under his breath. Mary Alice nodded her head, "Probably should have listened to Mum on that one don't you think". James nodded wordlessly. "I wonder what he is going to do" Mary Alice asked out loud, not really expecting an answer. "Probably ground us for all eternity or something like that" James said looking at the ground.
"Well you probably deserve it you know" said a third voice from behind Mary Alice and James. Both Potter children whipped around to look at who the voice belonged to. Arabella Chiavatti was standing quite still, her arms crossed and a smirk upon her face. James was shocked to see the expression never imagining something so unladylike would ever be upon his new neighbors face. "How do you figure that" James asked coolly. "Well you almost gave my mamma a heart attack, and then my father practically had a stroke from yelling at me. Plus I am in trouble for something that I had no part in whatsoever."
Mary Alice and James exchanged a look, both felt rather guilty about the entire incident. "Honestly" continued Arabella clearly enjoying herself, "If I am going to be the one who gets in trouble for your little tricks wouldn't you at least be courteous enough to let me know what is going on beforehand. If you really wanted to scare my mother you should have put the frog in her wine glass or something." A wide grin spread across James' face, he could hardly believe what he was hearing. "That's ingenious" Mary Alice cried, "In the food, rather then under the table! How on earth did I not think of that?" Arabella grinned at the girl. But the moment was cut short when the looming figure of Harold Potter shadowed over the three children, "Mary Alice, James I need to speak with you inside now." Noticing Arabella he smiled, "Hello there Arabella didn't you go home with your parents?" Arabella turned and smiled sweetly up at the man, "Oh yes Mr. Potter, I just felt though I should come back and apologize for ruining your dinner party." Mr. Potter looked very perplexed as he processed what the tiny girl was saying.
James and Mary Alice's jaws both dropped as they realized that this girl that neither of them knew was willingly taking the heat for both of them. "I just thought I would have a bit of fun and didn't mean for it to get so out of hand. I hope you can forgive me, I was just over here apologizing to James and Mary Alice." Harold Potter studied Arabella for a moment, knowing full well that his children were behind the incident that had occurred earlier in the evening. For once in his life he could not figure out his next move. Finally he let out a sigh, "Well would you like to come inside for some ice cream Arabella?" James and Mary Alice glanced at each other unsure of what to think, but both knowing that there was something about their new neighbor that they definitely liked.