The Lost Painting: Part Two
The sun instantly hit their faces as people ran about beside them, Florence was as beautiful as she had imagined it would be. And now she was due to become art. This trip seemed to be going a lot better than she could hope for.
Hermione took Harry's hand and started to stroll down the street with him. As in all the times that they went to she saw the same sort of people, mothers out shopping for food, men and women of to work and children patrolling the streets playing games that adults can never understand. She even saw a whole wall splattered with missing signs with a picture of a dark haired woman smiling from it.
`So how does one go about becoming a model?' Hermione asked excitedly.
`Well Natalie Portman got spotted in a pizza place' Harry said looking around the streets `and we are in Italy'
`Natalie Portman is an actress' Hermione pointed out.
`But she's sure cute enough to model' Harry said with a cheeky grin ` poetic beauty in Star Wars and a completely different kind of beauty in Closer'
`So the point you're making is it could happen anywhere, right?' Hermione said changing the subject.
`Pretty much' Harry said shrugging `fancy a drink?'
`Sure, why not' Hermione said cheerily, although she was really hoping that she could become a model sooner rather than later.
They stumbled through the streets, avoiding the people who were trying to sell food and odd bits to the people and made their way into a tavern.
`You buying?' Hermione asked.
`You got the last lot…' Harry grumbled as he fished around in his pocket and looked for a wallet `you go and get a table'
Hermione walked of across the room, as it was midday the tavern was rather empty and it was easy to find a seat. She noticed that in here too the missing signs were hung.
Harry wandered up and put down two large metal mugs of what Hermione assumed to be beer, an assumption that was proven as she took a large mouthful.
`There's a lot of these wanted signs about' Hermione said conversationally as she pointed at the woman smiling from one.
`Lost loved ones are common all over time' Harry said, his voice sounding a little hurt as he looked at it.
`So what's our plan?' Hermione asked eagerly.
`I really don't know' Harry said shaking his head and taking another swig `I guess we just hang abut doing out own thing till something presents itself?'
`I guess so' Hermione admitted grudgingly. She was really looking forward to becoming a famous painting.
`So, except being a model, what one job would you want to do?' Harry asked as he took another sip from his mug.
`Except a model?' Hermione laughed as she thought about her life and what she'd really want to do, but nothing sprung to mind.
`Ok, let me rephrase that' Harry said quickly `if you had never met me, and then I hadn't blown up your place of work, and then took you away to travel through time…what do you think you would have done?'
`I don't know' Hermione said thinking back to that place, but it seemed so strange, so long ago `I always wanted to do my A-Levels…I had actually applied to go to college in September…I should probably phone them and cancel that…'
`A-Levels?' Harry said interestedly `what ones?'
`English, Sociology and History' Hermione said grinning.
`So pretty much what we do now?' Harry said laughing.
`Just with more books and less death threats' Hermione said
`That's all the good parts!' Harry said throwing his head back as he laughed `so after ace-ing you're A-Levels?'
`Don't know' Hermione said `maybe University?'
`So, after your whole glittering academic career' Harry said `where would you see yourself in ten years?'
`What's with all the questions all of a sudden?' Hermione asked curiously.
`Just interested' Harry said grinning `I'm always amazed to think that you haven't always been travelling with me…that your life was completely different only about a year ago.
`So what about you?' Hermione asked changing the topic, she didn't like to think about how much things had changed, because then it meant the people she had left behind `if you weren't saving the world all the time, what would you do?'
`I would still travel' Harry said thoughtfully `go and see things, learn things from the masters…I've always wanted to learn to paint, maybe I'd get Michelangelo to teach me'
`Can you paint?' Hermione asked curiously.
`Not at all!' Harry said laughing `whenever I try, which isn't very often, the people always come out as stick men with huge heads!'
`And Michelangelo would take in such a no hoper?' Hermione teased.
`He could teach anyone' Harry said `and I can be pretty persuasive!'
`Excuse me' a male voice said breaking their conversation.
`No excuse needed' Harry said turning quickly to him and smiling.
`Have either of you seen this woman?' the man said passing over one of the missing pictures. Hermione looked at it, before looking at the man and knowing instantly by the painful look in the mans face that they had been in love. He was in his mid twenties and had short black cropped hair, but something in his demeanour made him look somewhat broken.
`I'm sorry, but we haven't' Hermione said with a sad little shake of her head.
`Are you sure?' the man said, his eyes were swelling up with tears in desperation. By the lines in his face it was evident that he hadn't slept in days.
`We are' Harry said simply, watching as the man sunk into the spare chair and dropped his head into his hands.
`I don't know what's left to do!' the man said shaking slightly.
`Excuse me, but what's your name?' Harry asked suddenly.
`Its Marcus' the man said offering Harry a weak smile.
`Marcus…' Harry said slowly `when did…'
`Lasiandra' the man filled in.
`When did Lasiandra disappear?' Harry asked.
`About a week ago' the man spoke softly `we live in a village on the outskirts of town and one day she went into town and never came back'
`A week isn't that long' Hermione said kindly `maybe she just forgot the time visiting friends?'
`We were due to get married 3 days ago' Marcus said, tears had started to roll down his eyes `she wouldn't just forget that, would she?'
He asked it genuinely, the question that put more fear in him than anything else.
`Have you got any information?' Harry asked quickly.
`No…' the man said, saying the words pained him `no one has seen her in our town, and this is my first day in Venice…I don't really know the town at all…'
`Have you been to see her family?' Hermione asked.
`They died a few years ago' Marcus said `I was all she had left…'
`What about her maids?' Harry asked with a little smile that was meant to try and cheer Marcus up a bit.
`Why would I have been to see them?' Marcus asked confused.
`People grow attached to helpers' Harry said shrugging.
`Maybe your right…she always did talk about her helper…' Marcus said thoughtfully `Thank you…'
`Harry and Hermione' he said brightly standing up with him and shaking his hand `we work for…the Pope…not in the church…more like art historian advisors…'
`So you two have sway in this town?' Marcus asked hopefully.
`Yeah…' Harry said awkwardly and Hermione could tell that Harry felt that his excuse had back fired.
`So why don't we come with you?' Hermione said suddenly, making Harry give her a confused look.
`I…I couldn't ask you too do that…' Marcus said bashfully.
`It's no problem' Harry said slowly staring interestedly at Hermione before his eyes shot back to Marcus and he smiled `why don't you lead the way?'
`Thank you so much' Marcus said as he stood up and started walking towards the exit `we have some luck because the maid lives close to this tavern…'
The pair of them followed as Marcus strode purposefully
`What's this for?' Harry whispered confused `we're supposed to be getting your painting?'
`You said that we should just hang about and do our thing' Hermione whispered back `and helping people is our thing'
`I guess so' Harry admitted as he shrugged and brought a smile on his face `so how far to this house?'
`We're nearly there' Marcus said distractedly as he turned round a corner and led them down a nice quiet street. Hermione could tell that this was a nicer part of town than where the street sellers were, but she seemed to like it less here. Marcus stopped in his tracks and pointed at a fair sized house, with meticulous lawns and beautiful roman columns `this is it'
And with those words Marcus strode up to the door and banged three times loudly on it. Hermione listened but couldn't hear anything, so Marcus banged again. This time she heard a scuttling noise as a person came up to the door and opened it, and in the door way stood a woman in her 50s, large and powerfully built.
`Hi, I'm Marcus…' Marcus asked politely but evidently in a rush `Have you seen Lasiandra?'
`Yes sir, but surely you know that sir?' the woman said amazed eyeing the her and Harry closely `and may I say congratulations, sir?'
`On what?' Marcus asked.
`The marriage' the woman said confused.
Marcus seemed to grab his throat slightly in pain at the word `marriage', so Harry stepped forward.
`Hi, I'm Harry and a friend of Lasiandra and Marcus' Harry lied with a smile on his face `have you seen Lasiandra lately?'
`About a week ago' the woman said eyeing them suspiciously `what has happened , sir, is Lasiandra safe?'
`She disappeared a week ago…' Marcus said gritting his teeth `that means you were the last to see her'
`No sir, Master Dubont must have been…' she said scared, being a maid in the renaissance Hermione knew that she had to be careful with allegations.
`Master Dubont!?' Harry said faking recognition `and what does he do again?'
`He's the famous painter…' the woman answered `Lasiandra wanted to get a painting done as a surprise and Master Dubont is the best…'
`I think we ought to pay Master Dubont a little visit' Hermione said quietly `thanks you so much'
They walked from the doorstep without another word and back into the sunny street, Marcus had a hopeful smile on his face now as he led the way.
`I know where he lives' Marcus said fiercely as he held a hand out in the street making a horse drawn carriage stop by the side of them `I'll get a driver for us'
`Shall we go?' Harry asked.
`Well, seeing as I'm due to become a model and this guys a painter' Hermione said as she stepped up into the cart, she had recently found out how fun horse drawn carriages were and savoured the moments `I think we have a date with destiny that we cant miss!'
*
Ok, that's part two, hoped you liked it…
Till next time…
Jms Granger…
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