Chapter 1- I owe you
James peered through the curtains and down at the road beneath his window. Some random mover heaved the last piece of furniture up to the flat. This one was far older than the others, an antique, and shivers ran down his spine at the thought of having an old lady (that should have died decades ago) for a neighbor.
But if she really was an old lady he didn't know for certain. He just saw that enormous black umbrella that hid his soon to be neighbor. But how did he know it was a woman? Mrs. Easton from the first floor had told him, when he had tiptoed to his mailbox to get his mail. James was sure Mrs. Easton always listened intently to the door and when she heard the slightest sound she had to check on her mail or had to bring the trash out.
James stepped closer to the window when a car stopped by. London Heathrow Airport Quarantine Station was on the side of the small transport vehicle.
The black big umbrella hurried to the car when a man got out of it and opened the back to take out the biggest box for a cat that James had ever seen in his entire life.
Oh no, James groaned, Old lady with a cat that can eat the puppy from the Millers.
The box vanished under the umbrella, the driver got back in his car and left.
The mover came back out on the street. One talked to the umbrella while the others got in the transporter. A few seconds later they shook hands and the movers drove off.
James pressed his fact to the cool surface of the window and peered down again, hoping the black umbrella would be closed before going inside the building so he could see his neighbor. But the old lady didn't do him that favor.
I'll bet she is busy with her monster cat; he thought and walked to his front door to listen to any of the conversation that may have been going on outside.
Why did he act like this, especially because it was so out of character for him? That was easy enough to answer. When Mrs. Easton asked him something about the new neighbor he had to answer truthfully. James would bet on his broom that Mrs Easton would know everything about her after three weeks and that she would tell him about the difficult childhood his new neighbor had. That's what she had done after the Millers had moved in.
It annoyed the living daylights out of him so, this time, he wanted to find out about his neighbor before Mrs. Easton did so he could ignore her gossip later one because he would already know it all. James made an annoyed face. He was sure Mrs. Easton was the reason that one day he would use the Imperius Curse.
Suddenly he heard a voice and steps. It sounded like the old lady was talking to her cat and the cat answered her with a furious, "Meow!"
James's imagination drew a picture of her, and it kept becoming clearer and clearer.
Well, at least she won't hear me when I play piano in the night, he shrugged. I don't need a Silencing Charm he thought and walked back in the living room. There he opened a Butterbeer, sat down on the sofa and turned the TV on. For a short moment he glanced on his work schedule. The next day was circled with a red marker. Tomorrow this L. Evans shows up, he moaned again but didn't waste a second thought on her and watched TV.
XXXXX
Lily walked up the stairs to her new flat. In one hand she had the big black umbrella in the other she carried the heavy cat box.
"Well Minerva, I think you gained weight while you were in the quarantine station. Did you," she asked her cat.
An affronted mew sounded from the box.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You don't wanna hear that. I just noticed."
An annoyed hiss erupted from the shadows.
"Hey, I just said it," Lily defended herself and stepped into her flat. Several boxes, pieces of furniture, and carpets lay scattered on the floor.
"That's our new home, Minnie," Lily announced and opened the catbox.
Shortly after she did so, there appeared a giant paw and then a second one. The enormous brown haired cat stretched delightedly and pulled her backside out of the box with all the classiness a cat could possess. Slowly she stalked through the clutter and mewed occasionally.
"Yes, I know," Lily called back and twisted her hair in a bun. "I need to unpack but in an hour it will look like we have lived here for years." And she fumbled with her purse, "I wonder how it gets down there every time," she pondered, when she finally found her wand and flicked it.
Instantly all boxes opened and unpacked themselves. Drawers and other furniture moved to the right places. A carpet rolled over the floor while the other things floated in midair. Plates shot in the kitchen. Clothes walked in her bedroom, folded up and got neatly in the drawers.
Lily stood in the hall and swung her wand like a baton. A few times Minerva let out a nasty hiss and Lily yelled "Sorry Minnie and her cat responded with a bored "Meow." That meant something along the lines of, "Yeah, yeah."
After two and a half hour all was in place. The plants stood on the window sill, the curtains hung white and straight and the fringes of the carpet pointed to one side. Lily fell down on the sofa, next to Minerva who had slept there peacefully for twenty minutes already.
"Finally done," she wheezed and run her fingers through the cat's fur. She started purring immediately, "It's almost like being back in Salem. But don't dare you leave dead birds on the steps of the neighbors." Lily heard a short hiss.
"I'm serious! No dead birds on the doorsteps of neighbors I don't like. Do you hear me?"
"Meow," Minerva answered and hid her pink nose under her paws.
Lily looked at her watch. It's half past nine. I need to go to bed, she thought and got up and walk in her new bedroom. Tomorrow is an important day.
Carefully she selected her clothes for the next day. For a brief moment she thought about her new colleagues but when her head touched the pillow she was deep asleep.
Or at least she thought she had been deep asleep, when a sound woke her up several hours later. It was a soft, then regular, and then loud. The volume then increased further. Lily shot up in bed.
"What in the name of Merlin's long beard is going on? What an idiot plays piano at," she glanced at her watch "FOUR THIRTY IN THE MORNING?!"
Furiously she threw the covers back. This has to be a dream; she thought and opened the door to the living room. The sound of the piano was much louder now.
"This is unbelievable," Lily, said almost speechless. "The renter didn't tell me about crazy neighbors that play piano in the middle of the night!" Still furious she knocked on the wall.
For a short moment the music stopped but then her neighbor started playing again.
If it hadn't been this late and her jetlag hadn't been so bad the music wouldn't have bothered Lily. In fact she probably would have sat down on the sofa next to Minerva and had listened to the music. BUT not half past three in the morning! Lily hit the wall again but nothing happened.
"Okay, you can have it that way," she hissed, like just her cat did and reached for her wand.
It would take a huge amount of concentration to hex something through a wall but she needed her sleep. Lily flexed her back; pointed her wand at the wall and whispered a word.
One second later, she heard something break down and one last sound.
Finally, she sighed relieved. Placed her wand back on the table and climbed back into her bed. Just three more hours of sleep, Lily thought and turned on the other side.
XXXXXXX
James observed his broken down piano.
How can something just break down like that, he pondered and run his hand through his messy hair. I bet Padfoot placed a charm on it; James thought and walked around the pile of black, polished wood.
A short moment he thought about a counter curse and then flicked his wand. The broken pieces got back together and seconds later the piano looked as good as new. He placed his fingers on the piano keys and intended to play again but no sound came out. Well, there was a sound, but it sounded like someone dragging their fingernails down a chalkboard.
Disgusted he stepped back, like the piano had an infectious disease. Looks like Moony is in the joke as well, James was sure and looked at his watch. Uff, four o'clock.
"I will take care of you later," he told his noble piano that didn't sound noble at all anymore and went to sleep.
XXXXX
Lily hurried out of the nearby coffee shop, laden with a Macchiato, to the red-brown and stucco ornate brick building. It was five minutes to nine and she would hate herself for being late on her first day. That wouldn't be impressive at all!
From afar, sparkling in the sunlight was the dark green and polished tiles of a tall building with curved golden letters carved into it.
A&V
Auctioneer
Since 1777
Prop. L. Verne & J. Artemis
Carefully, but still with self-confidence she made her way through the mass of people that headed, just like her, to their offices.
Lily had successfully dodged the swinging suitcase of a grumpy looking man when she bumped in someone else. Her cup fell out of her hand, the cover popped off and the coffee spilled on a light blue shirt.
"Oh Mer… my god," Lily exclaimed shocked, "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you coming. I had to dodge the grumpy looking guy…"
"It's okay," a friendly male voice interrupted her and she looked up.
Lily found herself looking into the most breathtaking hazel eyes she had ever seen. They belonged to a prominent face, though it was still very kind. He had high cheekbones, well toned skin and messy dark hair. A very sexy beard framed his lips every woman would die for to kiss.
"I'm fine. It's okay," the stranger told her. "In such cases I have a shirt in the office." He smiled.
"No, it's not okay," and Lily looked in her purse for a tissue. Finally she found one and wiped over the spot on his shirt. A second later she realized how stupid that must look. "Oh sorry," she mumbled and handed him the tissue.
He still smiled at her when he took the tissue and wiped the coffee away. "It's alright. If you want you can spill coffee over my shirt everyday."
Lily smiled back at him and recognized his dreamy look, when suddenly Big Ben rang and told it was nine o'clock.
"Oh no! I'm late," she jumped, "Please send me the bill for the dry cleaner. I work at Artemis & Verne," she said and vanished behind the glassy revolving door.
She definitely did not look at the noble entrance hall, which was decorated in marble and gold, and she stormed in an elevator. Lily pushed the button for the third floor that had the letters A&V next to it and the lift started up.
Nervously she bounced from foot to foot when a soft `bing' announced her arrival on the third floor.
Lily flexed her shoulders, breathed deeply and walked in the hall. On the right and left sides, the glassy walls expanded and divided the huge office in several small ones. It looked welcoming and light. Even though it was just nine in the morning everyone was already busy.
"Can I help you?" asked a sweet voice and Lily recognized the announcement.
"Good morning," she said. "I have an appointment with David Dunvegan."
"Mr. Dunvegans office is down the hall on the right side. Shall I escort you?"
"No, thank you." Lily smiled and walked down the hall.
XXXXXX
James still stared on the glassy revolving door, the young woman with the most stunning emerald eyes he had ever seen had vanished behind. He had never seen a woman like her before. Small strands of her hair had fallen out of her put- up and James just could guess the length of her thick, red hair. Her silky skin gleamed like a diamond and her lips… if James had been in his right mind he would have kissed her instantly. Even though he didn't know her. James still wiped over the spot she had spilled her coffee on and it started to dry.
What am I doing here? He thought suddenly. I'm standing here like an idiot on the sidewalk and spreading the coffee over my shirt!
He blinked once, he blinked twice, and he blinked a third time. He checked if he got all his senses again and entered the building. I need to get the coffee off of my shirt, he commanded himself to the men's bathroom.
One minute later he came out with a stunning spotless light blue shirt and he walked in the elevator. He pressed the button for the third floor and put his necktie in the right place.
`Bing' the elevator announced the third floor and he walked out.
"Good morning, James," sounded a sweet voice of the front desk lady.
"Good morning, Estelle," he greeted her and walked in his office.
"Hey, Melanie," James greeted his colleague and sat down behind his desk.
"Hey James," she responded. "David wants to see us because of this Evans."
"Oh yeah, right," he wheezed and glanced at the third desk that was crammed in the office last Friday. For Melanie and him, the office was all right but for three people it was like working in a broom cupboard. He was sure one of them had to move out sooner or later.
Both got up.
"Had a good weekend?" asked Mel, when they walked down the hall to the office of their boss.
"Well, the usual. Party with friends and the weekly Sunday lunch at my parents," he made a face.
"Bachelor boy," she laughed.
James knocked on the door and a familiar "Come in" sounded. He opened the door for Melanie and walked in after her in the huge office of David Dunvegan who enthroned behind his gigantic desk.
"Ah, there you are. James, Melanie. That is your new colleague Lillian Evans." Majestically he got up and pointed on the young woman, who had gotten up from her chair also. James hadn't recognized her when he had entered the office but when he saw her now was lost of words. She too was speechless, when she recognized him.
"Do you know each other," Melanie wondered.
"Briefly," James answered when his stiffness disappeared and held his hand out to Lily's, "James Potter," he said; thanked Merlin that he had remembered his name and they shook hands.
"Pleasure," Lily smiled, her cheeks a shade of pink. "Lillian Evans. I see you have changed your shirt."
"Well, yes I did." They still shook hands. It seemed like none of them could let go. It was like a charm made them to hold on. David and Melanie looked questionably at them.
"Oh, sorry," Lily laughed realizing the others were clueless, "I spilled coffee on Mr. Potter's shirt outside," she explained still looking at James. "He was really nice about it. I'm so sorry though."
"No problem," he still smiled.
"Well, do you mind James if I shake her hand as well," Mel asked him because he and Lily still held hands.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry." And he stepped embarrassed to the side. The charm was gone.
"Melanie Mosag. It's a pleasure Lillian," Mel introduced herself. "I don't know what has gotten into James," she laughed.
"A pleasure too," Lily smiled and tried hard to concentrate on the woman in front of her, "Oh, and just call me Lily."
"So, we know each other now. Great," David clapped his hands together. "Now we talk about business." But when he had finished his sentence the phone rang.
"Dunvegan. Uhu. Mh. Okay I'll send her over." And he hung up. "Mel, Emmy asked for you. She needs your for something in accounting."
"Okay, see you," and she got up and left.
"So, were was I…" David started again. "Oh, yes. Over the weekend we got some new orders. We not just an auctioneer firm we also act in the interest of clients and buy pieces for them," he explained for Lily and reached for two folders on his desk. One he handed her, the other James. "In there you will find the address of the client, what piece he wants, and what he is willing to pay. The name and address of the seller is in there as well."
Lily and James looked at him understandingly and motioned to get up but David stopped them.
"I just want to tell you, who completes his deal first will be promoted."
James glanced astonished at his boss, "Well, David. I can't really judge Mrs. Evans…"
"Miss Evans," Lily interrupted.
James' stomach jumped when he heard she wasn't married but he didn't show any sign of his joy. "Oh, I'm sorry. I can't really judge Miss Evans abilities, but why is she getting the same offers as me? I mean she is here the first day," he said a little bit angry. "I've worked for A&V two and a half years!"
"James," David begun. "Lily worked for Christies. A&V headhunted her and she worked in our branch office in Salem," he said and it sounded a response wasn't welcomed. "She has the same qualification like you."
Lily felt suddenly very uncomfortable. It was the first day and already she was clashing with her fellow employees.
"Okay. Well then, it is fair," James answered lightly, but Lily could see that he didn't mean it.
"Great," David nodded. "Well, then have successes," he smiled.
Lily closed the door behind her and walked to James who waited for her. "I'm really sorry about this conversation," she started.
"No, don't worry," he interrupted her. "If he says it's fair, it is." He shrugged. "I think this deal will be pretty easy. I know the Longbottom's real well," James explained more arrogantly than he intended to.
Lily glanced him up and down. "So you think, you place one call and you will be one floor up?"
"Well, maybe. But who is your seller," he asked.
She looked at her papers. "Black, Sirius," she said and faced him. For a brief moment she thought she saw supremacy in his eyes. But after she had blinked the same warm hazel eyes looked at her.
James held the door open for their office and Lily walked to her new desk and sat down. Whereas he got a file off a shelf and flipped through the pages, glancing at her surreptitiously.
"Your American, aren't you," he asked suddenly.
She looked up. "No, I'm not. Why you asking?"
"Well, I don't want to be rude or anything but you've got a really strong Yankee accent," he grinned.
Lily sat up straight. "So have I?"
"Yes but after a few month in Britain you will speak properly like we do," James suddenly realized how provoking that comment was. But he couldn't take it back. It would be a sign of weakness and he absolutely didn't want her to think he was weak. So he smiled at her, like he hadn't made a rude comment.
Lily leaned her head slightly to the side and small strands of hair danced around her face. She motioned him to come to her desk. While she did so, she smiled at him a smile that would cause every man go insane. James bent over her desk to faced her and stopped an inch in front of her. She leaned closer and his heart started racing.
"In your opinion, I may not speak proper English. But in Britain and, just to let you know, in America as well, is it considered to be indecent to speak ill about people to their faces and walk around with an open zipper," she breathed in his ear with a low, almost seductive voice.
Oh shit, James thought and tried to force the heat down that came out of nowhere.
"Well, thanks," he managed coolly and zipped up his pants.
"Your welcome," she grinned, when he got up and sat behind his desk.
For some time they worked in silence, when James suddenly got up, excused himself and went away.
I hope that was not too much for him, Lily thought and remembered his uncertain look after he had made that comment about her accent. He didn't look like he intended to say it so deprecatingly. Not even a minute later Melanie stepped into the office.
"You've got you first job?" she smiled friendly.
"Yeah, I need to contact a Mr. Black," Lily glanced in her file.
"Black," Mel asked astonished. "Is it Sirius Black, Regulus Black, or Tenebrus Black?"
"Well, Sirius Black," Lily answered truthfully.
Melanie whistled quietly, "Miss Evans…"
"Please call me Lily."
"Oh, right. Well then call me Melanie or Mel," she smiled, "I think I should warn you."
"Why?" Lily asked curious.
Her new colleague sat down on the edge of her desk and crossed her legs, "I'm sure David told you, that whoever completes their deal first will be promoted, right?"
"Yeah he told us so, but what do you want to warn me about?" Lily asked confused.
"Well, James and Sirius are best friends. They've known each other since school," explained Miss Mosag.
Lily blinked flabbergasted. Then that was the expression in his eyes, she thought and anger boiled inside her.
"I think he'll call Sirius Black and tell him he shouldn't make a deal with you, or at least he will tell him to delay your deal. So he can finish his deal first with… who is his seller?"
"Longbottoms," Lily said grumpy but suddenly her face lightened up, "Augusta!"
"What about Augusta Longbottom," Mel wondered.
"How could I forget that," Lily burst out, "Augusta is my mother's cousin."
"You're not American?"
"No," she smiled, "I know, I've got an accent."
"Well, yes, but you know what's important now," asked Mel, "You should go to Augusta and speak to her. You can play as unfair as James."
Lily jumped up and gathered her things, but she stopped, "Why are you telling me all this. We don't even know each other."
"It's just fair, like I said. You should know how James can be. I bet he is calling Black at this moment."
Lily considered all for a moment and remembered the look on his face after she had said Black's name. "I owe you," she said and headed out of the office.
Five minutes later, James entered the office with three cups of coffee. "It took Estelle ages to set up the coffee machine. That's yours Mel," he placed a cup on her desk. "And that is yours Miss Evans… where is Miss Evans," he asked astonished.
"James," Melanie began. "I need to tell you something important. It would be just fair."
"What is it?" James asked
"Lily knows the Longbottoms."
"Well, I know the Longbottoms too," he said impatiently, "So where is the problem?" He sipped his coffee.
"Lily is on her way to Augusta to tell her not to sell to you or at least delay the deal so Lily can complete her deal with Black first."
James swallowed some coffee at that moment and started to cough. "She's doing what?"
"Augusta Longbottom is her mother's cousin. They are related and relatives help each other. She's going to ask Augusta to put you off until she finished her deal with Sirius Black."
She is doing that because my comment of her accent, he thought and his anger aroused in him.
"You are a friend of Sirius Black, aren't you," Melanie asked.
"Yes I am, his best friend, actually."
"Then you should play like Lillian does. It's really unfair what she is doing. I mean she works here for one day and…"
"Yeah, your right, Mel," James interrupted her and picked up his phone. "I owe you," he said and dialed Sirius' number.
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