The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 28: An Election to Remember

July 4th

-Noon-

"I expect only the best from you four upon the minister's arrival," My mother explained as she walked through the throng of us children, lounging around the living room. Theo was frowning, his blue eyes diverted between a line in the book from his summer reading and my mother as she lingered by the living room's radio.

"What did you do to get the Ministry of Magic to visit us?" Edward asked from the doorway. Ed was halfway in the room, holding a duffle bag in one hand, a newspaper in the other. He was dressed in a white tee-shirt under an oversized plaid button up that he left open. He wore black vans with his jeans and kept his boxed glasses on a bit crocked. With his normal ruffled up dark hair to boot, you'd think he came to visit us expecting a casual, low-key holiday. Something that has never happened in this house.

But maybe that's what happens when you decide to leave the family for a job across the country. You forget the small details.

"Never you mind, Ed. I just expect all of you to look your best." My mother turned her flickering green eyes from Ed's disastrous attire to Theo who was still trying desperately to read his book, and failing miserably. When he looked up to catch our mother's gaze his characteristic spark in his blue eyes reappeared.

"What? I'm not saying anything." My mother scoffed as she ruffled her hand through his blond curls.

"You were thinking of something, Mr. Theo, and I don't like it." My mother replaced her hand on the chair back behind him as she turned to look at the four of us.

"I mean it when I say I want no problems from any of you. Your father has a lot banking on this visit and after the summer we've had so far..." her sharp eyes dropped from Theo to me respectively, "I want to make myself clear as to what the consequences will be if any of you dare misbehave."

"Consequences? Us?" Theo questioned obnoxiously, causing me to roll my eyes. My mother raised her eyebrows at him defensively.

"Oh yes. I am perfectly happy to tear up the World Cup tickets if I see anything go a rye." Theo dropped his mouth in feign shock while I took that moment to glance at the summer reading I was supposed to be looking at like a good girl. Was it really worth it reading this whole thing just to watch another game of Quidditch? The page I looked at was upside down. Ah yes, that's right. I didn't care about Quidditch, so naturally whether I read this book or not, it had no effect on me.

"Mamen I don't think you need to result in threatening them," Damion said, coming to our rescue, as he stood up from his chair to refill his water glass. "They know it's important to Dad so they'll listen, Right?" He asked peering at us carefully. His blue eyes were darker than Theo's from the other side of the room.

Both Theo and I nodded dubiously from our books, causing our mother to chuckle, not believing the act.

"I'll leave that promise on your head then, mon cher," She said giving Damion a kiss on the cheek before starting for the door. "Keep them out of trouble and Ed, mon chéri, you can help."

I looked up from my book to watch her squeeze past Ed and walk off, leaving the four of us to frown at the news.

"Did you know about this?" I asked, turning to Damion as he returned to his chair with a full glass. He nodded subtly. Ed dropped his bag behind the coach and joined me to listen in.

"It was supposedly the Minister of Magic that convinced MACUSA to let Dad come back to the UK in the fall. Mom and Dad are just repaying the favor."

"By inviting the British Prime Minister to a US presidential election on the fourth of July of all days? Yeah, that's not subtle or anything," Theo blurted out from his chair, his book lay face down on the drink table beside him, forgotten. Damion tried to suppress a grin and failed.