Lure: Chapter One

Orinda Wolfram sat at a table outside Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, absently sipping on her icecream float. The drink did very little for her, save for give her a reason for being where she was. Orinda’s amber eyes scanned through the crowd, watching the comings and goings of the witches and wizards wandering though Diagon Alley. A sigh escaped her, as a slight breeze blew her pale brown locks into her face once more. ‘Bloody hell, this is going to take forever.’ She’d been there for nearly an hour, with no luck in finding her query. She brushed the offending hair from her face, frowning at the colour, in an instant it changed, taking on a more chocolate tone. ‘I wonder if the eyes work with this shade?’ She thought absently, but decided not to waste the time changing them as well.

Her mission was simple enough, find the young man, win over his trust, and deliver him to her boss. From what she had heard, it shouldn’t be too hard to gain the man’s trust. He had been a tag along in his school years, and still followed his childhood friends around, which is why he was of intrest. He could be the weak link in the chain, something they could take advantage of, someone they could exploit. Her sources said he always came here at lunch time, like clockwork. Yet, now it was half-past, and he’d still not bothered to show up. ‘Do these people not realize I have a life?’ A frown crossed her lips, ‘Yeah, right, that’s why I’m here. Such a glamourous life I lead. If I weren’t here, I’d be back in my lonely flat, burning lunch’.

Orinda shifted in her seat, ready to call it a day, ‘there is always tomarrow’. It was just then that she happened to look up, a young slightly-plump man with mouse coloured hair, looking around, seemingly taking everything in, had entered the small courtyard that served as the ice cream parlours outdoor seating. ‘About bloody time,’ she thought to herself, taking in the visage of Peter Pettigrew. ‘Now how to get the man to take notice?’ She puzzeled, as he sat down a couple tables away.

Florean Fortescue came along to take the young mans order, returning shortly with a rather large ice cream sundae. ‘No wonder he’s a bit on the chubby side, if that’s his daily lunch.’ Orinda thought, ‘I suppose there is no time like the present for introductions’. Standing up, she smoothed out her wine coloured robes, and headed off in the direction of the man and his ice cream. With a sweet smile on her face, Orinda leaned down on the table before the slightly startled man. "That’s an awful lot of ice cream for just one person."

The man before her turned slightly pink, unuse to attention from seemingly nowhere, let alone that of a fairly comely young woman. "Err…I suppose so." He shrugged slighlty.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Peter was running late, not that it mattered, it was only to lunch, and a lonely lunch at that. James and Lily were busy planning baby Harry’s birthday party for the following month. They still has six weeks to go, but they wanted everything perfect. And the moon was in the middle of it’s full phase, so Remus was hold up somewhere. And Sirius…Who knew where Sirius was at, most likely chasing after some pretty face.

Diagon Alley was quite full, and Peter was finding it difficult to make it to Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. He was about to give up, and just head back to the Leaky Cauldron, when he finaly found an opening through the throng of people. Quickly he found a spot at an empty table, ‘Ah Solace’. Peter took comfort in the ice cream parlour of late. It was usually quiet, no one ever bothered anyone else, and Florean Fortescue was happy to give the young man an extra scoop of icecream. ‘Which is probably why Sirius has taken to calling me pudgy on more than one occasion of late’. Still when the wizard came to take his order, Peter ordered the largest sundae he could get.

Intent on the dessert before him, Peter failed to notice the woman who approached his table. "That’s an awful lot of ice cream for just one person."

He felt his face flush slightly as he looked up. "Err…I suppose so." Peter replied, shrugging slightly.

"Why don’t you let me help you with that?" The woman before him smiled, as she took a seat across the table from him. Picking up the spoon before her, she scooped up a bit of ice cream, and took a bite. Peter could do little but sit there and watch, having mangaged to lose his voice somewhere along the lines. Things like this just did not happen to him…Sirius, yes, Remus on occasion, even James, when Lily wasn’t around (though he was quick to shoo the would be pursuers off now). "Cat got your tongue?" ‘How ironic a statement,’ his brain starting to function once more. The woman extended a hand in his direction, "I’m Orinda, by the way, Orinda Wolfram."

"P-Peter," the man licked his lips nervously, "Peter Pettigrew." He stammered back, his own hand meeting hers in a handshake. ‘You fool, you don’t shake beautiful girl’s hands, you kiss the back of them’, he chided himself. ‘Too late now, you clod’.

"You don’t mind, do you?" Orinda indicated the ice cream, which she was scooping up another bite of. Peter just shook his head no, still trying to figure out when he’d managed to fall asleep, and why he was having a dream about being in the ice cream parlour. "You’re a quiet one, aren’t you?" A slight laugh escape the woman’s lips, as she smiled.

Peter went to speak, but was still unsure of what to say, so he closed his mouth once more. Orinda watched him, a slightly amused look on her face. Taking a deep breath, he attempted it again. "I suppose I am." A shy smile attempting to cross his own features. "Just not use to…" ‘Use to what? Pretty women talking to me? Complete strangers talking to me? Think Peter think, you’re making an arse of yourself.’

"Sorry, I do tend to be a bit bold on occasion." Orinda broke into his thoughts. "It’s just I seen you sitting over here, and you looked," she paused a moment, her eyes scanning over him, "a bit lonely."

"My mates are just quite busy currently, and a blokes got to eat." ‘I hate small talk. What am I saying, I don’t know enough about it to hate it.’

Orinda scooped up another bit of ice cream onto the spoon, "In that case," she continued to smile at him, as she extended the spoon his direction. "This bite is for you." Hesitently Peter aloud the spoon past his lips, as she deposited the cold confection. He nodded slightly, mumbling his thanks as she withdrew the spoon once again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Orinda sat down across from Peter, making herself to home, even helping herself to his ice cream. The man seemed too shock to make any sort of a protest, which is what she had been counting on. Her sources had said he was shy, painfully so when compared to his friends, and she figured she could use his uncertainty to her advantage. She had introduced herself, and he stumbled over his own name. It was, kind of cute in away, she’d never seen anyone so unsure of themselves before, it was enlightening, and a bit endearing.

She commented that he had looked a bit lonely, usin

g that as the excuse for her intrusion. To which Peter replied that his friends were busy, and he had to eat. At that Orinda scooped up another spoonful of the sundae, and offered it up to him. He was hesitent, unsure of himself she figured, but took the offered bite. "So, this your usual lunch?" Orinda asked.

Again the man turned slightly pink, and nodded. "For the most part." He glanced around a bit nervously, his uncertainty getting the better of him. "I know it’s not the best for me."

"Then allow me to get you something better for dinner." Orinda offered, startling Peter, as his eyes went wide in shock. She continued before he could say anything. "Since you’ve been so kind as to share your sundae with me," Orinda began, talking another bite of the ice cream before her, "let me buy you dinner, tonight?"

"I…er…um…"

Orinda’s lips quickly formed a pout, "You’re not busy are you?" Her amber eyes blinked at him. "I only want to repay your kindness, with a bit of my own."

"N-no, not busy, I just…" Peter still fumbled with his words.

Orinda came to standing, a smile once more playing on her lips. "Good," she returned, "meet me at the Leaky Cauldron at six o’clock then." Leaning down she kissed the top of his head, and disappeared into the crowd. ‘I just hope that wasn’t too much over the top, and that the scared little man shows up’. It wasn’t likely she’d have another oppertunity for such a meeting without drawing undo attention to the ‘chance’ of it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Orinda offered to buy him dinner. Peter had full intentions of telling her no, after all, why would she want to be seen anywhere with him. He stumbled over his words of refusal, and before he realized it, she was standing before him, telling him to meet her at six o’clock. Then out of nowhere, she had kissed him on the top of the head, and disappeared. ‘What just happened here?’ He asked himself, staring at his partially eaten sundae, that was quickly melting. Still in a daze he got up, and headed off on his own, replaying the scene that had just occured, trying to make sense of the whole thing. Still unable to sort it out Peter gave up and decided to just accept it as one of those odd things that happened, and be content that he, Peter Pettigrew, had a date. ‘Well, sort of…I think…maybe?’