"Good morning, and welcome back to the Scoop with Skeeter," the woman on the TV crooned, "today's topic is Gryffindor's new royal, Princess Lily. Last night's birthday festivities-"
Lily turned suddenly as she heard a night cough behind her.
"Oh! Hi," she greeted the two maids who stood behind the couch where she sat, "I'm so sorry, I thought I was alone." She stood to greet them properly.
"No, miss. I'm Hannah," said one as she curtsied, followed quickly by the other, "And I'm Holly, miss, at your service."
Feeling uncomfortable, Lily quickly introduced herself. "I'm Lily, and please, you don't need to curtsy like that."
Unfortunately, this led to the maids curtsying in a variety of ways repeatedly, only increasing her discomfort as Lily attempted to explain that she hadn't wanted them to curtsy at all.
She sent Mary a panicked look as the brunette entered the room. Mary smiled pleasantly as she announced, "The queen bids you good morning, Princess. She's in session with Parliament."
Lily nodded, still awkwardly trying to motion for Hannah and Holly to stop. "I see you've met your ladies' maids," Mary said as she tried to hold back a grin.
Though she was almost always professional, Lily and Mary had an easy report, and one could typically tell what was on the other's mind. This made each of their jobs easier, as Lily often received nonverbal cues for when the queen was less than pleased with her, and Mary noticed when it was time to pull Lily away from a poor situation. Taking pity on the princess, Mary commanded the maids to stop bowing and sent them back to their chores.
Seeing that Lily was now relaxed and paying attention, she continued. "Your majesty will meet you in one hour at the throne room." Lily nodded, reaching to grab some tea from the pot the maids had supposedly brought in before announcing their presence.
"I'm sorry your suite isn't ready yet, but you are welcome to stay here in her majesty's rooms for the rest of the morning."
While they were certainly comfortable, Lily had no plans to sit around for an hour. "Hey, do you mind if I explore the palace a bit instead?" She asked.
"Of course!" Mary granted, moving to attend to the poodle which was circling Lily's feet, sniffing intently. "Well, you've met Maurice, I see," she said, pulling the dog out of the room, "Let's get you some breakfast, Mo." As she made her final exit, Mary reminded Lily of her desired presence in the throne room, one hour.
With that, Lily set off to get dressed, hoping to wander the palace for a while before meeting Queen Minerva.
"You should have seen her, Sirius," James said, draped inelegantly across the couch.
"I did see her, James," Sirius quipped, sitting in a high-backed chair, drinking tea, "and I was rather unimpressed."
At this, James turning to stare at his companion. "Unimpressed? How so?"
"Forgive me if it takes more than red hair and a pretty smile to impress me, cousin. She tripped over herself all night, not to mention stepping on your foot," He gave James a pointed look, "She seemed to barely participate in conversations, and her conduct with the other members of Parliament was polite at best. How could she ever lead this country better than you?"
James sighed, shifting into a seated position on the couch. "I'm not saying she should be on the throne, Sirius. Just that I liked her, is all," he said, placing his arms across his chest, "I thought she was charming."
"You'd think a cardboard box was charming if it laughed at your jokes." Sirius teased.
"Look, I know that what we're doing is for the good of Gryffindor. But is there any way we can take the throne without completely embarrassing her first?"
Sirius smiled sympathetically. "No."
ooo
Lily had explored much of the second floor of the palace, just wandering through the splendid rooms. She wanted to acclimate herself as soon as possible, seeing as she would have to host guests in the coming months and she would rather not direct someone to a closet, thinking it was a guest room.
As she rounded another corner, Lily noticed a staircase hidden back in a crevice, easily mistaken for a dip in the wall. She cautiously climbed the steps, leading her back to a dark room painted in a glittering gold. The only light entered through a beautiful stained glass window, and there were mosaics embedded in the walls. It looked like it had been a small sanctuary at one point, perhaps for royals to pray in private. It was beautiful, and Lily silently catalogued it's location for when she wanted some solitude.
She reached out to examine one of the statues beneath the window. As she touched the head, it knocked back slightly, opening the wall behind her. Lily loved secrets, and she ventured into the darker space behind the hidden doorway. It led to a raw part of the castle, perhaps used as an escape route?
She could hear distant voices, and she tiptoed towards them, finding they drifted from a vent in the wall just below eye level. She lifted the flap and found herself peering into the session of parliament. How perfect, she thought. She could sit here undisturbed and learn how the politics of Gryffindor truly worked, with no one putting on airs for the princess.
The room was smaller than she imagined, perhaps because she was used to watching America's Congress at work, and there were rather more members of congress than the twenty nine men of this parliament. They were all listening intently to one man speak as he paced the floor.
Lily recognized him as the man who had saved her crown the night before. He was at least ten years younger than any of the other men in the room, and judging by her grandmother's face, he was saying something rather scandalous.
"As of the 27th of March last year, on the occasion of his 21st birthday, another Gryffindor of the royal bloodline became eligible to assume the throne."
"What?" She whispered violently, before clamping her mouth shut. Who knew how much trouble she could get in for spying on Parliament.
"My cousin, Lord Potter."
Potter? She couldn't recall meeting anyone named Potter, not last night or at any other Gryffindor function she'd attended. Surely, if he was vying for the throne he would have made appearances?
Queen Minerva stood, her seat on a platform above where the man was standing. "I beg your pardon." Her voice had all the command of her authority, and Lily added a mental note to practice sounding more like her grandmother.
"My cousin's mother, was my mother's sister," he announced to the room before turning back to the Queen, an insubordinate smile on his face, "And therefore, your majesty, I am pleased to say that my cousin is ready to take his place as Gryffindor's rightful king."
There was murmuring throughout the room, and Lily saw Minerva's eyes widen and her jaw drop.
"Shut up."
At that, Lily suppressed a laugh despite everything. Minerva McGonagall Reinaldi was always prim, polite and diplomatic, and Lily found it impossibly entertaining when her influence befell her grandmother.
The man in the center, Potter's cousin, looked taken aback, if not impressed at the incivility. "I beg your pardon?" he said, as the other members of Parliament gasped.
"I mean, er-" The queen began, as the Prime Minister stepped in to explain that, in this case, 'shut up' meant she was struck by the question. Other members (who had met Lily and already experienced this explanation) sent in their two cents as well, comparing it to 'Oh my,' 'Ghee Whiz,' and 'Wow.'
After the room had quieted again, one man piped up "Isn't Princess Lily first in line to ascend the throne?"
A very good question, Lily agreed.
Another man responded, "Not… yet. Gryffindor law states that a princess must marry before she can take the throne…" His explanation drifted off as he looked to the Queen, who seemed positively put off by the response.
"We have never enforced that law." Minerva stated, "A man doesn't have to marry to be King. I mean, this is preposterous. It's the twenty first century, for heaven's sake. My granddaughter should be given the same rights as any man."
Lily lifted her arms and whooped in agreement. Everyone in the room searched for the source of the unexpected noise, and Lily held her breath. Seconds passed as everyone turned back to her grandmother, and Lily could swear she say the Queen glance in her direction.
One of the oldest men in the room stood with much effort. "Gryffindor should have no queen, lest she be bound in matrimony."
"Lord Palimore-" the Queen began, only to be interrupted.
"That is the law in Gryffindor for the last three hundred years. Princess Lily is not qualified to rule because she is unmarried," He gave a short bow of his head, "Forgive me, your majesty, but not all of us are sure that the Princess is the most suitable choice to govern our great nation."
A chorus of dissent and agreement began at the incendiary comment, and Lily glanced over to Potter's cousin, who had a satisfied smirk on his face.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen please!" The Prime Minister cried, "I suggest this honored body allow Princess Lily… six months, during which time she must marry, or she forfeits the throne to young Lord Potter."
"I object most strongly," Potter's cousin interjected, leading to members of Parliament calling out varying times and dates by which Lily must be wed.
Lord Palimore silenced them all, "Thirty days."
With that, Lily slapped the vent shut.
ooo
"How could they expect me to fall in love in 30 days?" Lily stood before her grandmother in the throne room, pacing angrily.
"It's like it's a big trick, to get me to have an arranged marriage or j-" she stopped and looked at the Queen, who was holding her hands beneath her chin with a worried look on her face. Lily deflated.
"No, that's- that's it, there's no 'or,' I- just- an arranged marriage is my only choice," Her shock seemed to seep through her whole body. The anger built again.
"What kind of person agrees to an arranged marriage?" The end of her question was stilted as she noticed her grandmother staring at a portrait on the wall. Recognition slapped Lily. Of course.
"Erm, well, you agreed to an arranged marriage, didn't you?" She mumbled, embarrassed.
"Yes, I did," Minerva began, walking up to the portrait, a misty look in her eye, "and it turned out quite splendidly. He was my best friend, and we grew very fond of each other."
"Sure, Grandma, but I dream of love, not fondness." Lily's voice was softer now, less harried. She was realizing that this would have to be her fate. Since starting Princess lessons at sixteen, Lily had always wanted to be like her grandmother- poised, elegant, regal. She wanted to command a room, excell at diplomacy, rule a country with a wave of her hand.
"But you don't have to do this, Lily. You don't have to become queen." Her grandmother reminded her for what was the first time in a long time. Ever since Lily had made her speech, soaking wet and completely unprepared, nearly seven years ago now, it had all seemed full speed ahead.
She had always assumed she would rule Gryffindor. There was no one else (the Baron and Baroness did not count- Good Lord, could you imagine), and Lily had come to hold herself to that standard.
She leaned against a column, thinking for a moment. No, she was not bound to be Queen. She could abdicate, let Lord Potter take her place. But then what would become of her? She had gone to school for this, studied policy and politics, and grown to love Gryffindor as her own. Could she really watch someone else guide the nation she'd sworn to protect? The answer was clear, but still-
"This is so unfair," she whispered, a tear falling from one eye. She quickly wiped it away with her sleeve and looked at the portrait of her late father. His words echoed in her head.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.
Taking a deep breath, she looked again at the Queen.
"There are 550 years of Reinaldi's on these walls, and I will be up there next to my father. I want my chance to make a difference as a ruler."
She stood before her grandmother, who wore a knowing smile.
"Spoken like a true queen."
ooo
"It's all set up, James. It should be you, you know. A true born Gryffindor. You should be our king."
"I know, Sirius. You only mention it every day," James threw another dart at the board, missing the bullseye by two inches.
"Well, you know, you seem less and less interested as of late, which is really not what I'd like to see from my future king," Sirius threw his dart, landing just millimeters from the center.
"Well, it was easier to plot against the princess when I hadn't met her." James sighed, throwing the dart behind him as he turned away. It bounced off the edge of the board and fell harmlessly to the floor.
"You mean it was easier when you weren't attracted to her," Sirius raised one eyebrow expectantly.
"Fine, yes. It was easier when I didn't know what she looked like, or how she danced, or how she joked- happy now?"
"I won't be happy until your coronation day, cousin. I don't trust this American girl to keep Gryffindor's true interests at heart. We don't need someone who can play princess. We need someone who can rule."
"So, they've given her thirty days to get married."
"Thirty days, and I suspect our fairytale princess is rather displeased at the prospect. So it shouldn't be too hard, but maybe remind her of how nice romance can be while you're there," Sirius suggested, moving to pull the darts off the board, but not before moving his, which was just off, directly to the center with a satisfying thump.
"Sirius…" James warned.
"What? It's not like you don't want to, anyway," He winked.
ooo
"Lord Potter will be arriving shortly, Mrs. Bones, with his charming cousin." Queen Minerva declared, dripping with sarcasm. Robert Bode, head of security, flashed about the room speaking with different guards and agents. He strode over to the queen's desk and placed a hand on the edge of her papers.
"Your majesty," he started, "I know Peter is the Prime Minister's nephew and is interning for the summer because he wants to learn about security, but he never leaves my side," He leaned in closer, "He sticks to me like velcro, madam."
The queen released a small, entertained smile, "He won't last very long. He returns to school in the Autumn."
"Please." Bode begged.
"It will be fine, Robert." Her eyes danced, and Bode bent to her will.
"Now," she said, standing and moving towards the front hall, "The viscount is not staying, just his cousin. Robert, please protect him and keep an eye on him at all times." Her tone suggested that the latter sentiment was more important than the former. Neither the queen nor her head of security trusted this boy.
"Of course," Bode nodded to his charge, "Peter will help as well."
Lily twirled into the room, wearing a light blue trenchcoat with a matching dress beneath it. She held a pair of simple pearl earrings in her hand and moved to the mirror to attach them.
"Is this alright to welcome the viscount and his cousin?" She asked, flipping back the collar on her coat.
"Very appropriate- and pretty," the Queen added.
Lily continued to start in the mirror, fidgeting with her hair and dress, adjusting and readjusting nervously. "Ugh, I can't believe parliament invited the guy who's trying to steal the throne to stay with us at the palace," she complained.
"Oh, Parliament didn't invite him- I did." Her grandmother replied.
"I offered to have him hung by his toes in our courtyard," Bode supplied, and Lily felt a rush of affection for the man.
"Yeah, what about Bode's suggestion?" Lily pleaded, desperate not to let a stranger intrude on what was not yet permanently her home.
"No," said the Queen, sitting delicately onto one of the chairs, "If there's any mischief going on, I'd prefer it be right under my nose."
"The limo has arrived," announced Mrs. Bones, as she opened the doors and stepped out to usher in their guests.
Lily rocked on her heels, "I just so don't want to be nice to this guy, you know? I mean, he's rude, arrogant, self-centered-"
"Oh, come now Lily, have you even met him?" Her grandmother chided.
"I- uh, no," She released her shoulders, hoping the action would relieve her frustration. It didn't. "Yeah well, he probably is, Grandma. I mean, now all of the sudden, out of nowhere, he wants to be the king of Gryffindor? What even is that?"
"Oh hush. Whatever he is, we will be charm itself. We will present ourselves with grace and poise." Her grandmother's words suddenly called Lily's attention to her rather ungraceful stance, as she leaned against a column, on hand on her hip and the other over her head, shaking strands of her hair. She quickly straightened as the guard at the door banged his staff.
"Announcing Viscount Black and Lord Potter." Bode and Peter both stood, adjusting their suits, as the doors swung open.
Black was the first to enter the room, all swagger and smug superiority in his fitted gray suit and wing tips. His hair jostled as he greeted the Queen, placing a kiss to her hand. Lily was so distracted by her distaste of the man she momentarily forgot to notice her true adversary.
When she did, her mouth dropped.
That bastard.