chapter 6
As James walked back into the manor, sporting a stupidly goofy smile, he was welcomed by his mother sitting in her sleeping robes giving him a quizzing look.
“Mother,” his eyes widened, as he turned the knob behind him, “how- how are you mama,”
“Fine James,” she said meeting his guilty grin with a face of neutrality, “how was the orchard?”
How did she know?
“Wonderful, I shall be turning in now it’s late. Sleep well mother,” James said attempting an escape.
“Not so fast,” he should have known. Effie Potter never lets anyone of this easy. He walked back to face his mothers’ eyes, “tell me son, how was Regulus,”
“How did you-“
“I’m a Mother James, I know everything about my children,”
“Well then I guess you knew Sirius,” James began muttering.
“Has been spending quite some time by a certain musician around the edge of Mayfair,” Effie finished.
James looked up with wide eyes, “Mother you can’t.”
“Sweetheart, I would never,” James calmed, “now back to you,” he tensed up again, “I don’t recall you answering my question beta,”
“He’s um.” James stared at the floor, “he’s doing well mum,”
Effie hummed at the response, “Are you quite alright my boy,” she said reaching her hand out to James, offering the kind smile he has known his whole life. James’ head lifted slightly to face his mother as she lightly shook his head. “I see. Bosh,” he sat on the velvet red sofa as his mother disappeared into the kitchen.
She returned with two cups of what James knew was his father’s favourite tea, “Won’t Papa be upset that we’re drinking his tea,”
“Your fathers a big boy,” she said handing a cup to James, “he’ll get over it,”
He let out a soft laugh as he brough the cup to his mouth. Sirius had always told him that he was warm, like the sun. he had always told him it was because of his fathers Darjeeling. He had been to Darjeeling once when he was five and he feel in love with the place almost immediately. It was colder than London on most days and he could see the Himalayas mountains from their house. He still remembers the way the shards of snow glistened in the grass at dawn as the sun rose above the mountains. As much as he and his mother fell in love with the land for the scenery his father always preferred their tea. Fleamont had taught James never to trust English tea. Told him that it was just a sad knock off of the desi creation. His father had gone back to Darjeeling once every year since they first visited just for the tea.
“So, beta, talk to me,” James let out a sigh as he turned to his mother.
“I’m the heir,”
“Yes,”
“So, I must marry well,”
“James, you know me, and your father don’t care about all that. We want you to be happy, if that means the Potter line ends with you then so be it,”
James let’s out a sad laugh,” Acha mama but you know well about the tons expectations,”
Effie looks down at her tea, “Yes I do,”
James took another sip before continuing the conversation, “You know I have intentions for Lily Evans,”
“Yes, the diamond,”
“Yea but-“
“But” Effie repeated raising an eye.
“There’s this guy,”
“Sirius’s brother,”
“Yes,”
“Are you worried what Sirius might say beta?”
“No actually, he gave me full permission to call on his brother as long as I don’t do him,”
Effie nods, “Sounds like Sirius,”
“Yea so I know he won’t mind. I know at the end of the day he will just want us to be happy,”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“It’s the rest of the ton. I’m as good as certain the whole ton expects me and Lily to be married by the beginning of next season,”
“Well, what does she think of all this?”
“I’m not really sure but I don’t think she’s best pleased,” he paused,” I don’t know if I am either,” James saw as his mother continued taking sips of her tea, “she’s a lovely girl don’t get me wrong but-“
“She’s not the one for you,”
“Yea,”
“Well son, the ton will think what the ton will think but at the end of the day you are a Potter. No one will dare say a word to yours or your partners face. Especially if that partner is a Black,”
“Yea but also Regulus he has all these new responsibilities now. I don’t even know if he’ll be looking this season.”
“Knowing his mother, I wouldn’t rule it out completely.” Effie made a sour face, “you just have to be honest James. To yourself and to the people you care about. As long as you do that all will be well,”
“Well, what do you think would be the best choice. I mean even though I am a Potter I’m not exempted from scandal. We learned that with Rita last year,”
“Yes, we did,”
“And marrying Lily will surely be easier,”
“Yes, it will be,”
“But-“
“She won’t make you as happy as Regulus,” James nodded. His mother raised a hand to his hair rubbing it like she used to do when he was a child. 26 and it still brings him comfort. “You must do what makes you happy beta and the noble house of Black, that’s not a bad connection to have James,”
James laughed, “Yea I guess not,”
“For the time being just get some sleep. Ok beta,”
“Acha, mama,” James said getting up from the sofa.
“ami tomake khub valobasi James,”
“Amio Mama, amio,” he said giving Effie a smile before retiring to his bed chambers.
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“Lily darling, would you come down here please,” Lily heard as her mother called from the foot of the stairs. She walked into the floral living room to see her mother sitting in front of a scatter of what looked like to be invitations, and her sister playing solitaire with her father.
“I was summoned,” she said dramatically walking into the room.
“Lily, come here,” her mother urged.
“What’s all this mother?”
“Invitation,” her sister responded.
“Invitations? For what?”
“For when we go to the country,” said Sophia.
“I’m confused,”
“You usually are,” quipped to her sister.
“Would you shut it tuney,”
“Play nice girls,” said their father.
“Mother please explain,” Lily said sitting opposite her mother.
“I was thinking how lovely it would be to invite families of the ton to summer house darling,”
“Mum wants to show you off Lils,” Petunia said coming to sit next her sister.
“Mother,” Lily groaned.
“You’re the diamond Lily. Certain things are expected of you,”
Lily huffed, “So who’s coming?”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. Any suggestions,”
Lily didn’t even have to think,” The Blacks,” she and Regulus had gotten to be fast friends over the season and enjoyed the boys quite yet impactful company over the many parties and balls they had to attend.
“Very well the Blacks,” her mother began scribbling onto the guest list with a yellow synthetic quill, “Seamus darling does that still include Sirius Black,”
“I don’t think so love,” her father responded, who was now wrapped in a book.
“Ok so that’s the Blacks, Notts, McKinnon’s, Pettigrew’s, Prewets, Medows, Lovegood’s, Potters of course,”
“Dursleys,” Petunia added with a cheesy grin.
“Yes Dursleys,” her mother confirmed.
“What about the McDonalds Mother?” Lily asked.
Sophie looked uncomfortable by her daughter’s question,” Oh darling I-“
“Mother if Mary can’t come then I just won’t leave London,”
Sophie sighed, “Ok Lily. McDonald’s,” she said scribbling on her page.
“I don’t know why you still associate with the likes of her. Given what’s happened,” snarked Petunia.
“What happened had absolutely nothing to do with her. So back of ok,” Lily said her tone getting angry.
“Ok geeze. If not for Potter one would think your in love with her or something.” Lily tried to ignore the blush the set in her ears.
“She’s my best friend and Potter is a fool,”
“Lily Rose Evans you bite your tongue,” chipped her mother.
“Yea Lils that’s no way to talk about your future husband,”
“Petunia that’s enough,” said their father.
“No Seamus, Tunney’s right. Lily, you know Potter has all intention to court you,” said Sophie.
“So, doesn’t mean I have any want to be courted,”
“So, you are in love with McDonald,”
“Petunia to your room,” said Seamus.
Sophie took a breath “We will talk about this later Lils. Ok,” she offered a smile of truce.
“Fine,” Lily snarked before turning back towards the stairs.