The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

The New Annalee

An owl landed on the kitchen window sill while Dora Potter was puttering about, making breakfast. James was upstairs getting his auror uniform on and Lily was going through her satchel, looking for a particular book she'd stashed away and now simply could not find anywhere. Still singing, Dora opened the window and invited the owl inside. 

The owl hopped in and landed on the back of one of the chairs at the dining room table next to where Lily was standing. "Oh, good morning," she said. She took the envelope from the owl and turned to the counter where they had a cookie car shaped like a Kermit the Frog and took out a owl nut. "Here you are." The owl happily took it's treat and fluttered back out the window.

The envelope was soft cream colored and smelled slightly of heather.

To James & Lily Potter
The Potters Cottage, Down Chuchyard Lane
Godric's Hollow, South Suffolk

"Was that Minerva's handwriting I saw?" Dora asked, wiping her hands on an apron she'd tied about her waist. She had just finished cutting an assortment of fruits and popped a bit of an orange from Costa Rica into her mouth, smiling at the sunshine flavor.

"I believe so," Lily said. Curious, she turned over the envelope and broke the seal - a pale purple thing with a bit of Scottish Heather pressed into the wax. Inside, was a cream colored notecard, which unfolded and she read the card aloud:

Dearest James and Lily Potter,

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Elphinstone Uilleac Urquart & Minerva Grace McGonagall on Sunday, 8 July, 1979 at 2:00 in the Afternoon in the Garden of the Chapel in Faire Dhu, Scotland.

Please RSVP by return owl no later than 1 July 1979.

Blessings & Love,
Elphie & Minnie

Lily let out a shriek, and Dora's eyes lit up with excitement as she clapped her palms over her mouth in joy.

The shriek was punctuated by the sound of James coming down the stairs - tripping, of course, on the landing, cursing, and running the rest of the way down, "What on earth is happening?" he asked, coming across the room, still buttoning those twenty-eight buttons on his uniform.

Lily held out the envelope and notecard to James and rushed to gush excitedly with Dora in the kitchen. "Oh my stars I could just cry I'm so happy!" Lily said, fanning herself to keep the tears out of her eyes.

"Well that's just brilliant, isn't it? I'm so happy for them, bloody hell, the event of the century that is!" James said, grinning ear-to-ear. "I'll send back our RSVP owl when I get to work," he said. He ducked into the kitchen and kissed Lily on the mouth and his mother on the cheek. Dora held up a wrapped up bit of wax paper. "Bacon sandwich?" he guessed, breathing in the smell of it.

"Of course, nothing less for my growing boy," Dora replied, tucking a strand of his hair back that had gone astray. 

"Mum, the only direction I'm growing is outwards about the middle," James said, He kissed her cheek again, though, and then Lily a second time. "I'll see you lot tonight," he added, headed for the front door. He plucked the Daily Prophet up from the porch rail, where the delivery owl had left it, tucking it under his arm, and trotted down the walk to the main road. He could see Lily and Dora dancing about excitedly in the kitchen through the window and he laughed to himself as he stepped out the gate of the front yard and the house blinked out of view as he stepped up to the curb, and with a great yawn, stuck out his wand hand.

As much as Lily hated the Knight Bus - James loved the thing. Taking the Knight Bus to work was the perk he was allowing himself to keep. 

"Morning Ernie," he said, dropping his sickle into the till.