You Are Cordially Invited (Sirius Black)

"Get Over Yourselves or I'll Jinx You Both into Next Week!"

SIRIUS was stood at the bottom of the aisle, James by his side. In the pews he avoided the caustic expression of his fat mother, wearing her hideous finery. At the back of the room, be could see the Malfoys and Lestranges glaring at him hatefully. He could see Emmeline Vance looking teary-eyed. The room was packed full of people he hardly knew, and the muttered comments and probable slander filling the air was punctuated only by his friend Peter Pettigrew chomping on a Cauldron Cake.

Music started and two small children ran down the length of the aisle, pale and sickly-looking, screaming "You're our new father!" He glanced up in horror to see a skinny, blonde-haired, rather horsey looking girl wearing an ancient ivory lace gown grinning at him malevolently.

Sirius woke up suddenly in a violent sweat, panting erratically. He looked at his left hand and breathed a sigh of relief to find no wedding ring. That was the third time this week he'd had that dream.

Wearily he dragged himself out of bed and padded into the kitchen- it was a little before 6 o'clock in the morning. Today was the day he was to meet with Aurora DeRavin and he was absolutely bricking it. Himself, James, Lily and Andromeda were meeting in London an hour before they were due to meet Aurora to go over things. At least it would be done and finished, however.

He made himself a rather indifferent cup of coffee and stared disapprovingly at his dim reflection in the mirror.

"Pull yourself together, Sirius," he scolded himself. "It's just like chucking a bird out of bed: bit awkward at first but then it's done. I've done that enough bastard times to be able to do this. Shitting dream."

*

At eleven o'clock that morning, Sirius Apparated into a quiet street in London. They were all avoiding Diagon Alley, the main wizarding shopping street, to keep away from irritating questions and comments. He entered a quiet café and took at seat to wait for the others. A few minutes later James and Lily arrived followed almost immediately by Andromeda.

"Sorry I'm late," Andromeda apologised breathlessly, "I had to take Dora to Ted's mum's and she tripped over a chair and was crying hysterically."

Lily grinned; she loved hearing about Dora's mishaps as they were always so comical. Andy looked hassled but generally alright yet when Lily really studied Sirius's face he looked awful. Very rarely did she see this level of concern etched into his handsome face; the worry seemed to age him. He was wearing awkwardly smart robes and although they became him very well they certainly did not seem like they were his first choice.

"So," Andy was saying, "I'll stay close just in case. She'll probably have a servant or aide with her but still talk directly to Aurora. Lily, try not to seem very familiar with Sirius as that might appear too uncomfortable. James, please make sure you help him say what we practised but don't let it come from you. You need to be seen as trustworthy and not like you're part of an ambush."

They nodded their understanding to Andromeda. Sirius tried to avoid their inevitable gaze.

"Hey mate," James said carefully, "it'll be over soon, we're all here to help."

Sirius glared at him.

"Oh yes, everyone's here to 'help'," he snapped, "it's still me who has to bastard explain it to that woman, it's me who has to have this bloody story with them forever, it's me who'll have to explain it to every single frigging person I ever meet!"

James looked shocked at his friend's sudden tirade of vitriol but this turned into anger.

"Don't start on me, you little shit," James hissed, "don't think I won't punch that whine off your twatty face!"

They glared at each other nastily, neither keen on fighting but aware they may have to take a swing to clear the air.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Lily cried. "This is not the time! Get over yourselves or I'll jinx you both into next week!"

They regarded her seriously for a moment and very slowly relented their angry expressions.

Andromeda gave Lily an appraising look. "Good job," she mouthed with a smile. Lily shrugged but also smiled a little.

"Okay folks," Andromeda said eventually, "I think we'd best head off to the hotel. Remember, we're all high society people who can discuss these things with dignity and civility."

They left the café and Apparated to the hotel, even though it was only a few streets away, as it would lessen their chances of meeting anyone. They arrived at the ornate and richly furnished Grand Warlock Hotel and immediately had three enchanted trollies appear at their side for any luggage they had. They entered the busy hotel restaurant, in all its gold-leafed and red velveted glory, and checked in at the waiting area. Andromeda went over to the bar to listen and watch and wait.

James, Lily and Sirius were staring about the room. To Sirius, places like this reminded him of the staged, awkward dinners and engagements he was forced to attend as a boy. James had been here a few times for lunch out and Lily had been with James but never quite appreciated the clientèle being so well-known in the wizarding world.

After only a minute they were told Miss DeRavin was ready to receive them: this was it. As they followed the witch through the restaurant Sirius tried to remember everything he could about Aurora. She had a pale, sickly face and virtually invisible eyebrows and eyelashes. She was skinny and bony and always pouted horribly when she wanted something. He knew she was going to be the most disagreeable, sour-faced drip he would ever meet.

One wall of the Grand Warlock was renowned for its beautiful views over the Thames; despite the fact that the Thames generally was an ugly thing the enchanted window made the water blue and sparkling and the embankment verdant and healthy.

Looking serenely out of the window like the subject of a painting sat a young woman. She had light blonde hair tied up into an elegant French twist. Her robes were a rose gold colour with raspberry details carefully tailored into a fitted style. Her delicate hands were gently placed on her lap. Her face was nothing like Sirius had remembered: instead of sickly and bony she was gently tanned and a healthy size with understated curves accentuated by the tailoring. She had the most vivid, sparkling azure eyes set into a most delicately attractive face, with eyebrows and eyelashes neatly defined.

She was beautiful.

**