XI: An Orderly Tea – Part One

Chapter XI: An Orderly Tea – Part One

Whilst Snape toasted with Narcissa for the second time, there was a knock on the door of a little flat not far from Diagon Alley, which Charis answered hurriedly. She had been waiting all morning. In fact, she had been up since eight – a very ungodly hour in her book – and ready to leave since about nine-thirty, pampered with Madam Primpernelle's best products and wearing her new royal blue robes. Now her handbag stood beside the door, her travelling cloak lay neatly folded on top of it, and her shoes stood ready to be slipped into. Yes, Charis would be ready to leave in a heartbeat. She thought it best to be prepared. Dumbledore had forgotten to mention what time exactly her escort would be arriving, and as Charis was still hoping that Severus Snape would be the one picking her up, she knew that dawdling on her part would not be acceptable. Severus was not a patient man. Surely, her being ready would impress him. Maybe he would even notice her new robes.

However, when Charis opened her door, there was no sign of the Head of Slytherin, no billowing black robes and no enchanting onyx eyes. Instead, there was a man in shabby grey robes, thinning light brown hair and kind eyes.

'Charis Byrne,' the man said in a soft tone, 'my favourite Ravenclaw.'

'Professor Lupin! I wasn't expecting to see you!'

To her own surprise, Charis' smile was genuine. Yes, she was disappointed not to be greeted by the Potions master but by her former Defence teacher instead, but she had always liked Professor Lupin, and he had awarded her a fair amount of points during his year at Hogwarts. In fact, Charis thought that she had not learned more from any other Defence teacher than she had learned from Lupin.

'Professor?' he smiled. 'I don't even want to think about how many years it has been since I taught you. It's Remus. And I am your escort.'

Charis could not help but grin as her former teacher gave a mock-bow. 'It's good to see you, Remus.'

They shook hands cordially, and once more Remus smiled. 'Sorry, I didn't bring any flowers,' he said apologetically. 'I was asked to pick you up on rather short notice. I do, however, have some chocolate. Rumour has it you prefer that to flowers anyway.'

He winked, and Charis blushed. If she hadn't known better, she'd say that her former Professor was flirting with her.

'Then again,' Remus carried on, 'we should not spoil our appetites. I am prepared to bet my wand that Molly is baking her famous carrot cake as we speak.'

Charis' stomach gave a rumble. She had been too nervous to eat a proper breakfast. And carrot cake had always been one of her favourites.

'Shall we, then?' Remus asked and offered her his arm. 'We will have to travel by Side-Along Apparition, as the place we are visiting is not exactly, um, public. I hope you do not mind.'

'No, no! Not at all,' Charis answered and took his arm. It felt muscular under her hand, and for a moment, Charis was surprised. She had never thought of her Defence professor as a physical, male being. He had just been her professor. Nothing more and nothing less. But now...

He pulled her a bit closer. Not surprisingly, he smelled of chocolate. But there was also the smell of pipe smoke and a slight hit of something sweet which Charis couldn't really define.

'On three, then,' Remus announced, and Charis tightened her grip around his arm. 'One. Two. Three.'

* * *

The entrance hall of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, was just as gloomy and unwelcoming as Charis remembered it from her first visit, but the feeling in the pit of her stomach couldn't have been more different. The last time she had walked down the dark corridor that led to the drawing room, she had been excited, curious and dying to know why Dumbledore had summoned her and her best friend to the home of Sirius Black, one of the most wanted wizards in Britain. At the start of the evening, she had not yet known that Sirius was her cousin, and that she – like him – belonged to the noble and ancient house of Black. Now she knew, and she also knew that she would never see her cousin again. Her stomach clenched, and she found her sight clouded with tears.

Remus was striding on down the corridor. Obviously, the drawing room was not his goal, but Charis couldn't make herself walk past the door. It stood ajar, and she could just about make out the tapestry on the wall. There wasn't enough light in the room to see it clearly, but Charis remembered certain details very well: where Sirius' name had once been, there was now a big, scorched hole. He had been blasted off the family tree years ago. As had his great-uncle, Marius Black, Charis' great-grandfather.

'Charis?'

Charis turned her head. She had not heard Remus come back. But now he was standing right beside her, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

'It's a shame you didn't get to know Sirius,' Remus said, his voice low and consoling. He seemed to know exactly what was going through Charis' mind. 'He was a great man.'

'It seems a bit silly,' Charis confessed. 'I only met him once. I didn't know him. And still I miss him.'

Remus nodded. 'I know. I miss him, too. He was quite a pain at times: stubborn, moody, and a bit arrogant. But still, he was one of my best friends.'

Charis looked into the wizard's eyes. He looked truly sad, and Charis felt a stab of guilt. She had not meant to tear open his wounds.

'I wish I had known him better,' she said quietly.

Remus nodded again. If Charis had hoped he'd offer to tell her more about her cousin, she had hoped in vain. But somehow, she understood. It was too early.

Then Remus removed his hand from her shoulder and straightened up. 'We better get our acts together,' he stated. 'If we show up in the kitchen with blurry eyes, we will have to answer a lot of questions.'

He produced a slab of chocolate from his pocket and held it out towards Charis. 'For medicinal purposes only,' he declared as she broke off a piece. 'Molly must never know.'

Charis smiled feebly and nibbled at the chocolate. It was sweet and creamy, and to her surprise, it really did her good. Her tears dried, and the odd sensation in her stomach dissolved. And after some moments, she was ready to follow Remus into the kitchen, where they were met by the delicious smell of freshly baked cake and a beaming Molly Weasley.

'Charis, how lovely to see you again,' she said, her chestnut eyes twinkling with welcome as she ushered Charis through to be seated. 'And look at you in those lovely blue robes. You must be making a great impression at the Ministry. Do you like Grindling? Arthur tells me he saw you two having lunch together. Oh, he is such a lovely man, Grindling. Is he being nice to you? I hope he is not giving you dull tasks like getting coffee and such things.'

Molly chattered on, and Charis answered her questions gladly. Molly had such a warm and gentle personality and seemed so joyful that Charis almost forgot that she had been at the verge of tears only a couple of minutes ago. However, she saw another side of Molly a few moments later, namely when Remus tried to steal a piece of cake.

'Don't you dare touch that cake, Remus Lupin!' she screeched. 'It hasn't cooled yet, and it's meant for tea. You'll have to wait like everyone else!'

For a moment, Remus looked like a beaten dog, and that was apparently enough to soften Molly's heart. 'I'll make you a cup of tea and a sandwich,' she announced. 'Merlin knows you need feeding. And you, Charis, you can have your tea in the sitting room. Dumbledore is waiting for you there. Second to last door on the left. I'll be bringing some cake, soon.'

It was with certain reluctance that Charis left the kitchen. She liked Molly, and she liked Remus, and somehow she would have liked to stay with them. But of course, she was here on Dumbledore's invitation. Letting him wait would be rude.

Second to last door on the left, Charis reminded herself as she walked down yet another dark corridor. There were no portraits on the walls, but still she had the uncanny feeling that someone – something – was watching her. She frequently looked back over her shoulder and did therefore not notice the tall man exiting the sitting room and bumped right into him.

'Oh, my god, I am so sorry,' she spluttered, but the man just smiled down at her.

'No harm done, Charis,' he said in a deep and booming voice.

Surprised that the man knew her name, Charis took a step backwards and looked up at him. 'Oh, Mr Shacklebolt!' she exclaimed.

'When was the last time you have been called Mr Shacklebolt, Kingsley? At school?'

Albus Dumbledore appeared in the door, smiling and his blue eyes twinkling behind his spectacles.

Kingsley laughed. 'Probably when Minerva put me in detention. It's Kingsley, dear,' he said, turning back to Charis and extending a huge hand. 'We're all on a first name basis here. Makes things easier.'

They shook hands, and Charis couldn't help but feel a little bit proud. Kingsley Shacklebolt was well known at the Ministry. He was an important and awe-inspiring wizard. Calling him by his first name was a big thing and would take just as much getting used to as calling Professor Dumbledore Albus.

'I hate to be leaving before Molly serves the cake,' Kingsley announced, 'but I fear I have no choice. Work calls. Albus, I'll see you on Wednesday. And you, Charis, I assume I'll see you around the Ministry. Good day to you.'

Charis and Dumbledore bade Kingsley goodbye, and as he disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, Dumbledore guided Charis into the sitting room where he pointed towards a squashy old armchair opposite.

'Do have a seat, Charis,' he offered and settled on the sofa himself where, judging by the way the pillows seemed to fit perfectly around his backside, he had been sitting earlier.

'How have you been?' he asked.

'Really well, thanks, sir. I mean, Albus! I love living in London, even though I haven't had the chance to really go sightseeing. And the Ministry is such a fascinating place. Everyone has been so nice to me, and there is so much to learn!'

Dumbledore smiled. 'Grindling tells me you are doing a very good job. Ah, no need to worry. I am not spying on you. Grindling and I are old friends. We meet for tea now and then. Talking of which...'

He raised his hand, and pot and two cups appeared seemingly out of thin air.

'Milk?'

Charis accepted her cup with a smile and settled back in her chair. It was every bit as comfortable as it looked.

They talked for a while, about the weather, the tea and Charis' new robes, and when the door opened and Molly came bustling in, carrying a tray and tightly followed by Remus, Charis could for the life of her not tell how long she had been there. It could have been just twenty minutes or maybe three hours. She really didn't know.

'Cake, anyone?' Molly asked as she put the tray down, placing herself strategically between the cake and Remus, who could easily have been mistaken for a little boy on Christmas morning. Most probably, it would not have surprised anyone if he had started jumping up and down with anticipation.

'Oh, yes please!' Charis replied. The cake looked lush, and the smell emitting from it was just divine.

'You will have to fight Remus.' Dumbledore chuckled. 'I don't know where he puts it.'

'Hollow legs,' Remus explained. He had by now outsmarted Molly and was already happily munching away on a huge piece of cake.

Molly handed Charis a plate and Dumbledore put a generous slice onto it, and moments later they were once again sitting comfortably in their chairs, enjoying what – according to Charis – was the most delicious carrot cake ever made.

Then the door opened once more, a little less gently than before, and stomping in came no other than Alastor Moody.

'Thought I smelled cake,' he growled and approached the table, only acknowledging the people in the room with a curt nod.

'You have to forgive Alastor's lack of manners,' Dumbledore commented, his eyes twinkling mischievously. 'It's hard to resist Molly's cake.'

'They're like Veelas in baked form,' Moody muttered and let himself fall onto a chair with a slice of cake in his hand.

'Ah, Charis Byrne. Nice seeing you again,' he said, his eyes boring into Charis. 'Heard quite a bit about you lately.'

Charis swallowed. She was now starting to wonder if the senior staff at the Ministry got together in the pub in the evenings and discussed the new employees.

'Only good things,' Moody added gruffly, as if he had sensed her growing uncomfortable. 'And from reliable sources only.'

'Talking of your sources, Alastor,' Dumbledore butted in. 'Weren't you supposed to be arriving with company?'

'Aye,' Moody replied. 'The chits are in the kitchen. Tonks is attempting to play nurse.'

'Nurse?' Molly looked alarmed. 'What happened?'

'A little accident, nothing serious.'

'Coming from you, this could as well mean that the girl has had her leg ripped off by a Chimaera. I better go and check.'

'Trust Molly to behave like a mother hen,' Moody grumbled as Molly had left.

'Does she have reason to worry?' Dumbledore enquired, sounding quite concerned himself.

Moody shook his head dismissively. 'Just a little burn. Tonks took care of it. She might be the clumsiest witch alive, but she does know how to cast proper healing spells. And I think the girl likes her.'

'It's not hard to like Tonks,' Dumbledore commented. 'I think you will like her, too, Charis. Oh, you have already met, of course.'

'Yes, we have,' Charis agreed. 'During my last visit here. She's a good laugh.'

'I would advise you to keep far away from Tonks. She is rather accident prone.'

The low, slightly growling voice that came from the door sent a shiver down Charis' spine, but it was nothing compared to the iciness that engulfed her when she looked up and locked eyes with Severus Snape, who had entered so silently that no one had noticed. There was a dark scowl etched into his face, and his eyes reminded Charis of dark tunnels that led to a place no one wanted to go.

'Pro... Professor Snape,' she stuttered. 'Nice... nice to see you.'

'Miss Byrne.'

Charis managed to keep a gasp from escaping her. Oh, how she loved to hear him say her name. And how she longed for him to call her Charis.

'Cake, Severus?' Remus offered.

'I think not,' Snape replied and strode across the room, positioning himself beside the fireplace where he folded his arms in front of his chest and looked generally sour.

'Molly will get into a huff if you don't take a piece, Severus,' Dumbledore pointed out. 'Just humour her, please, for all our sakes?'

If possible, Snape's scowl turned even darker. 'I do not see why I should start eating cake today of all days, Dumbledore.'

'Well, it's a special occasion,' Dumbledore pointed out. 'You know why Charis is here, don't you?'

Snape sneered. 'Yes, I do know why Miss Byrne is here. And I am still advising against her admission to the Order, just as I advised against the admission of Miss Belakane.'

Charis almost dropped her plate. 'Morgana is in the Order?' she blurted out. 'She didn't say a word.'

'Of course not, Charis,' Dumbledore said kindly. 'Like you, Morgana has been asked not to speak of the Order.'

Charis nodded. She understood the need for secrecy, of course, but still it bugged her that Morgana had not said anything. How long had her friend been a member of the Order, she wondered. Had she already been given a task? Had she been meeting and working with Severus? And why had Morgana been the first to be asked to join?

Hundreds of questions started to pop up in Charis' mind, but she didn't get around to thinking about them as there was the sound of breaking china and the upset voice of Molly Weasley coming from the other side of the door.

Remus grimaced. 'I hope Tonks only dropped the tea set and not the second cake.'

As if on cue, the door opened.

'Wotcher, everyone,' Tonks greeted them all. 'Hope we won't need more than three more cups. Happened to drop one. Saved the cake though.'

Remus quickly rose to take the cake off the tray and carry it to safety. And sure enough, when Tonks turned away from the table where she had put down the tray, she managed to bump against the table, and not even Alastor's lighting fast reaction could stop the three remaining cups from falling to the floor.

'We better fix this before Molly comes back,' Remus suggested and pulled his wand, but he didn't have the time to cast Reparo before the door opened again. To his and Tonks' relief, however, Molly's glare was directed towards Moody.

'Nothing serious? Just a little burn? The poor girl could have lost her hand!'

She scolded Moody like a little school boy, and everyone except Snape recoiled slightly, busying themselves with the shattered cups. Snape, however, seemed to enjoy the show.

'Molly has sent Morgana upstairs to have a lie-down before dinner,' Tonks whispered to Charis. 'Up the stairs and the first door to the right. I'm sure she'll be glad to see you. And here, take some cake with you.'

And without anyone noticing, Charis slunk out of the room, carrying a plate with two pieces of cake and heading for the upper floor. She and Morgana certainly had a lot to talk about.