Like Moths To A Flame

Fourteen: Returning To Reality

Two Weeks Later...

I found it strange to be returning to work after being married in secret, but as I couldn't take off my bridal set, I had no choice but to disillusion my rings so that no one at work would know I was married. I personally did not care if the world knew that I was Madame Prince, but I hid my rings to help Severus maintain his cover. I knew that his work was dangerous, and I knew that becoming his wife would paint a target on my back. But I also knew from experience that living in fear was no way to live.

I dressed in one of my usual dark suits, and pinned my gold M Ministry of Magic pin to my lapel like always. I wanted to bring Sadie with me, but she would be safer at home. I stopped for coffee and Kingsley's usual demand for his colorful French macaroons. I don't mind the taste myself, but the way he raved about them, one would think they were the best things since sliced bread.

I had breakfast alone, as Severus had his own business to take care of as a Priest. When my breakfast was done, I used a telephone entrance, and quickly hoofed it to my desk. I ran through my itinerary of what I was to do for the day:

--Pick up Minister's dry cleaning
--Make sure Minister's house is in working order

--Get the LeStrange brother's files from the archives copied and faxed to the auror office

--Ensure that high tea is prepared in a timely manner

--Be on time for the trials
--Take notes
--Lunch
--Prepare things for tomorrow
--Repeat

I knew that Severus was just as busy with the running of his church, and that he had to use his no nonsense attitude to whip everyone working under him into shape. The trial would be starting today to determine if the LeStrange brothers deserved Azkaban, or just an outright death sentence. MACUSA would just have the deatheaters killed, rather than waste precious resources with a long drawn out trial.

I gathered my notes, and the files, and went about my duties of the day. I saw Harry Potter waiting with the rest of the witnesses in the courtroom. I didn't want to have to talk to him, not after how things were left between us the one time we slept together, but I supposed that I needed to close that chapter in my life.

I handed off the latest files to the prosecution team, and walked to where Harry was sitting. He noticed me, and he looked me up and down approvingly.

"Hey," He greeted.
"Hey."

Harry scratched the back of his head. "Look, Mione.' The way things ended...I just want to say that I get it, you know? Can we be friends again?"

He held out his hand, and I debated whether or not to take it. But in the end, I decided to make my peace with him. I shook his hand. Harry smiled.

"Can I hug you?" He asked.

I looked around, and noticed that people were watching us. I shook my head. "No, we're supposed to be working, you know. You know the rules about Ministry employees."

Harry fingered his own Ministry of Magic M pin. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm sorry things had to work out like it did. I was just so crazy jealous that I didn't think before I spoke."

"It's alright, Harry," I said. "Listen, we'll talk later. Right now, I have to go sit beside the Minister's pulpit."

"Okay."

The Wizengamot entered the courtroom, and took their seats in the bleechers. The aurors, along with Harry Potter himself, brought in the LeStrange brothers. The prisoner chairs were brought in, and the deatheaters were shackled to them. Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared, and he ranged his gavel down on his pulpit, signaling that the trial session was to begin.

Both sides presented their evidence, and I used a Quick Quotes quill to record every little thing that was said faster than I could write it down. Of course, Rita Skeeter used her own Quick Quotes quill, and she was no doubt spinning all of this trial into yet another tabloid piece for her little bit of real estate in The Daily Prophet. She sneered at me from across the room, and I nodded my head to acknowledge her.

Her smirk became wider, but she turned back to the trial after a while. When Kingsley dismissed for recess, Skeeter decided to approach me just as I was going to talk to Harry to continue our previous conversation.

"What do you want, Rita?" I asked with annoyance when she pulled me aside to a pair of the witness chairs once the courtroom emptied of people. "You are playing a dangerous game keeping me from my afternoon latte."

Rita laughed. "Oh, I just must ask you if the Minister's exclusive secretary is seeing anyone...special?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What exactly are you implying, Miss Skeeter? Are you angling for a date, or something? Because I can tell you that I am not into that."

She waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh, nothing like that. It's just that I happen to be privy to certain marriage information when it occurs, concerning important wizarding members of our society."

I folded my arms across my chest. "I see. Well, I cannot help you there, because unlike you, Miss Skeeter, my job consists of more than simply finding out who is with who to write for your farce of an article. Now, I have a date with Mr Starbucks."

Her eyes widened at that. "Ooo! Is he a very handsome wizard?"

I laughed at that. "Oh yes, he's about as handsome as Lucius Malfoy. Now, we're done here. He hates tardiness."

"Oh, well, of course."
"Yes, it's been a real pleasure."

I escaped from the courtroom, and Harry Potter found me. He was wearing a grin that told me that he was on the verge of the giggles.

I was grinning the same way as well, and he said, "Nice one. I simply meet this Mr Starbucks."

"Fine, but you're buying the....flowers," I teased, just in case Rita Skeeter was listening in on our conversation.

He looked to see that the coast was clear, and we kept on the lookout for any random flying beetles. If so, I had her old mason jar with her name on it in my purse, just in case. We linked arms together, and it was as if we never stopped being friends.

Once we sat down with our orders at the nearest Starbucks in muggle London, I decided to trust Harry with the knowledge that I recently had a last name change.

"Harry, there is something I need to tell you," I began. "You see, I...I got married recently, to Professor Snape..."