Très Belle [James Potter II]

9. In which Dom is wicked and I visit Marcus

We had moved into the flat, and it was perfect. It was fairly cozy, but open-plan.

When you walk in, there’s a neat lounge room, with big French doors onto a balcony behind it. Off to the left is a kitchen, with the front like one of those bars, so it’s really open, and food can be served from it. Next to that was the door to the modern bathroom. On the right side of the lounge room, there was a slightly raised platform, with a big wooden kitchen table on it, for eating. It was all in the one room, really, but it was perfect. Next to the table there was a wide hallway, with four rooms.

Two were off to the left, so they both had the big French doors as well. The rooms were pretty big, a perfect space for a desk, bookshelf and all work stuff on one side, and a bed, wardrobe and all the little nick-knacks that make up the personal side of a room. There was two more rooms at the end of the hallway, and these was especially big, with an en-sweet bathroom between them.

We had agreed that Arianne would have to take one of the smaller rooms, as she was planning to move out in a couple of months, and then Cecilia had volunteered to take the other smaller room, because according to her she “will never even have time to be there…”

Cecilia loved the gym, and Dominique loved the pool (for tanning, not swimming, obviously). I loved them both, but Arianne and I agreed that the lift up to our floor was the best thing!

I had started working at Patterson’s Wands, and it was quite interesting, actually. Most of the time I was just serving customers, but business was slow (I mean, most people only need one maybe two wands in their entire lifetime), but Mr. Patterson was a kind old man (similar to Mr. Olivander, actually *wipe away a tear*), and he had a very good-looking son who often came around during his lunch break and at some other random times when he wasn’t working.

Cecilia was loving her Quidditch team, and Arianne was as stressed as usual at her Ministry job, but she was also a bit hormonal due to the baby, and Dominique and her Aunt Ginny were getting everything ready for her shop’s opening. They were down the road a bit, so after work I’d go over and help her with anything left over, and then we’d go home together.

So it was one Tuesday, when I was working at Patterson’s Wands.

His son, Marcus, came in “Hey, Belle!” He said casually.

I smiled back, looking up from my book (that I read in-between serving the scarce customers).

“How’s Dad?” He asked, not bothering to go and check himself, but peering down between the crowded shelves.

I laughed, “Well, I haven’t heard from him in over an hour, so maybe he eloped with that pretty girl who works next door…” I said thoughtfully.

Marcus gave me a withering look in an attempt to hide his smile.

“Why are you here?” I ask casually.

He grins, “Had to check up on my Dad’s naughty assistant.”

I shake my head, and we chatter on about his job and things for a few minutes, before Mr. Patterson comes through, and smiles at his son, and they go on.

I go back to my book, and soon Marcus is waving bye, and Mr. Patterson is burrowing away down in his office.

I get off work, and walk home, enjoying the cool air. I go through the Leaky Cauldron, laughing at the mad Quidditch fans watching a game on the muggle TV.

I make my way home, picking up a few things from the store, because I know no one else would have time to go shopping, and Cecilia could eat a mountain every night after her Quidditch training. It wasn’t late, but I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be at the flat yet.