(Lisbon's coat of arms)
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Since the story had to go to Lisbon, I decided to imagine what wizarding Lisbon would be like. So, I have a brief description of various shops, the ministry, hospital and the bank. There is also a description of the Silva's Lisbon flat complete with the freed house elf, Chica.
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On an ordinary street in Lisbon there is a two bedroom flat belonging to the Silvas. On the outside it looks like any other flat in the city; however, on the inside it's a bit different. For one thing, there are electrical appliances but none of them are plugged in. It has a huge antique fireplace, various exotic looking plants and an owl perch on the glassed-in veranda, there is an arraiolas* rug in the living/dining room depicting beach scenes, Blue-Belly dragons and various sea creatures. Each bedroom has its own bath room en suite. Off the kitchen is a tiny door opening up to a dainty bath room with all the fixtures close to the floor with a tiny frosted window overlooking the garden. It's a comfortable place just perfect for when any of the Silvas come to Lisbon on business, pleasure or shopping.
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Two brothers live there now with someone the neighbors think to be a midget but is in reality Chica the house elf. Chica has big green eyes, olive skin and she is also a 'freed' house elf meaning she wears muggle clothing, is paid a salary and has one day off a month. Her nose looks like a parrot's beak just like Trina, her mother's. She is very happy tending the flat for Diego and Tiago Silva just as she had been for Bernardo years ago when he was a young man. Around her head, to disguise her ears and cover her baldness, she wears a bandanna that matches her outfit. Chica has no problem going shopping at the local market, everybody knows and likes her, she also has two little dogs named Rico and Rica, Jack Russell terriers, who apparently had had an accident when they were puppies leaving them tailless. She walks her crups often and it's plain to see that the crups adore her but don't take kindly to anybody else.
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That summer evening she was with Rico and Rica on the veranda overlooking the garden embroidering unicorns and hippogriffs on an arraiolas rug as she sat listening to the wizard's wireless. As is common in some parts of Lisbon this street of apartment houses encloses some ground where each tenant can have a bit of garden all to themselves; Chica had a lot of things planted there; tomatoes, green beans and other vegetables, some flowers too, all non-magical of course. It was really nice and peaceful on the veranda when there were two pops and she knew the two men had come home. Rico and Rica scurried to investigate, running around the newly apparated people.
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"How is you two? Does you want some dinner?" she asked as she put her rug away and went into the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks because there were three, Lena had come as well. "Menina# Lena, how is you? You is looking so good! I is glad to see you!" She ran over and gave Lena a hug somewhere in the vicinity of her belly button.
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"It has been a while, hasn't it? I'm glad to see you too," returning the hug. "I'm afraid there's some bad news though," Lena sighed, "Maybe we should all sit down, could I have a glass of water, I'm so thirsty."
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So Chica got a jug of cold water from the ice box and glasses and Lena and her brothers told her all about the fire as they sat at the kitchen table. Chica was very sad and tried not to cry. "Is you sure my mother is ok?" she asked wringing her hands.
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"Yes, Trina is fine, don't worry," Diego assured her.
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"The thing is, I need one of those pots guaranteed to promote good growth no matter what plant it is and my brothers told me that they had some here," Lena explained. "Would you mind lending me one of them?"
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"No, not at all! Come over to the veranda and take what you want," Chica motioned them all to the veranda where there various pots, some big, some small. All had some kind of plant residing in them: a mimbulous mimbletonia that glowed and twisted eerily, a bunch of honking daffodils, fire breathing snap dragons, blue bells that actually tinkled in the breeze and snarling tiger lilies to name a few. The largest pot held a miniature shrivel fig tree.
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"The one with the shrivel fig tree is the one I need, give me an ordinary pot to put it in," ordered Lena.
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Chica went to get it from the pantry and with her hand transplanted the tree to the ordinary pot. "There you goes! Want to eat? Is Menina Lena staying the night?"
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"I don't want anything to eat, thanks, we already had dinner, I'm so tired, it's been a long day and I just want to sleep." Lena admitted. "Is that alright with you, Chica?"
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"Alright? Of course it's alright! Chica be happy to see Lena, no problem!" she gushed and waved her hand to make a bed appear in the corner of the living room completely made up with sheets and pillows, Rico and Rica immediately ran over to lie curled up beside the bed.
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"Oh, thanks, I think I'll turn in. What about you two?" Lena asked her brothers.
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"That's probably a good idea, we have a lot to do tomorrow and I know I'm bushed," Diego remarked. "What about you, mano?"
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"Yeah, that sounds good to me, I guess I'll say good night then," Tiago said trying to hide a yawn.
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After she was sure that her charges were asleep Chica conjured her little bed on the veranda with a wave of her hand, gave a prayer of thanks that her mother was alright and went to sleep too.
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At about 5:30 the next morning the sun woke Chica and she went to her dainty bath room for a quick shower before donning a pink shift dress with matching bandanna and flip-flops. The Silvas woke up as Chica was making breakfast, they all had some coffee and toast in the kitchen. Diego had urgent business at the ministry so he left on foot dressed in muggle pants and a short sleeve shirt. Since they lived so close to the ministry he usually walked to work, he knew he would probably be stuck inside all day and wanted to get some fresh morning air. Lena couldn't apparate so Tiago was going to side along with her to the forest before he too would be going to work at the bank. Lena bent down and scratched the crups' ears, bade Chica good bye and was off with her brother.
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Chica watched them fondly as they left and then went to the market with the crups keeping her company. She bought a lot of fresh oranges at the fruit stand, went home and advised Rico and Rica, "You two be good now, I is going to visit my mother and I will be right back, guard the flat until I'm back." She patted each of their heads, grabbed the oranges, snapped her fingers and was gone in a puff of smoke. The two crups curled up and went to sleep.
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Diego walked the empty streets until he came to a dim and dingy bar called "The Albatroz"; it was situated between an electrical appliance store and a book shop, he walked in, said good morning to the bar tender, Manuel, who was wiping down the counter and walked out the hidden back door into St. Vincent's Square which was the center of the wizard section of Lisbon.
It is a large square with citrus trees; oranges, lemons, tangerines, limes and grapefruit planted down the middle shading benches; the square is cobbled with different colored stones depicting the ship carrying the matyred Saint Vincent& with the famed two crows accompanying it.
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First on the right is a store called "Escrivaninha%" where wizards can buy books and writing materials like parchment, quills and ink, first on the left is the "Portuguese Association of Alchemists" that has a stock of every known potion ingredient and also a section of ready-made potions. Further down on the right is "Moura's Menagerie" that sells owls as well as magical pets, facing that is "Oliveira's Wands" and "Ferreira's Broom and Quidditch Supply". There are also small shops, tea houses, cafes and restaurants on the square and down the narrow side streets. At the end of the square is the Ministry of Magic on the right, the "Wizard Hospital of Lusitania" in the middle and Gringott's Bank Lisbon Branch on the left. Both the ministry and Gringott's have only one story visible from the square, the rest is all undergrouind. The hospital, however, is an enormous building by far the tallest in the square.
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Diego paused for a minute, waved his hands over his clothes which immediately changed into light weight cream colored wizard robes and strolled down a side street to "Zeca's Cafe" for a quick coffee before entering the ministry.
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"Morning to all," he greeted the pleasant cafe which was empty except for Zeca who was tending the coffee maker.
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"You're early today, Diego," remarked Zeca as he poked his wand at the coffee maker getting it started. "I'll have a brew for you in a moment." When the coffee was ready, Zeca served Diego.
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"I know, but I prefer coming in early while it's still cool," Diego took a sip of his coffee. "I also like missing the breakfast hour when it's packed," he admitted to Zeca.
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"True, true," Zeca said with a laugh.
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"Well, thanks, see you later," Diego said as he put some change on the counter and left.
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Diego continued on his way stopping to check out what dish for the day was at "Va a Fava+" restaurant; octopus salad, 'sounds good, I'll come here for lunch if I get a chance,' he thought to himself as he continued on his way to work stopping to buy the D.D. at the newstand.
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He also paused at "Ferreira's Broom and Quidditch Supply" to have a look (drool) at the team poster of the "Lisbon Love Birds"; an all female team with the best looking women Diego had ever seen flying around tossing the quaffle to each other smiling. There was nothing lovey dovey about these women! The most impressive player was the seeker, Eusebia, she was as black as a panther and just as sinuous, but the other players were just as good: the chasers Luisa Figo, Simone Sabrosa and Nina Gomes were superb, the beaters Pauleta and Cristiana Ronaldo didn't look like they would hurt a fly but they were savage to say the least, and their keeper, Vitoria Baia, didn't let too many quaffles in that's for sure:$
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As the shop hadn't opened yet for business he took his time admiring the team in their shocking pink uniforms until they noticed him and started blowing kisses at him through the window. He blew a kiss back, waved and cntinued on his way.
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When Diego arrived at the ministry, he pushed open the front doors and walked past the fountain which was a pretty thing with four fish statues spouting water from their mouths, waved a geeting to the receptionist, passed the floo fireplaces and the apparation point and entered the ministry itself. It had cork flooring, antique hand-painted tiles on the walls and the ceiling was enchanted to resemble water flowing back and forth. He approached the elevators and pushed 5: where he and the minister of magic had their offices.
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He arrived at his office which was small and cramped with barely enough room for a desk and filing cabinet. He pulled some parchment to him and began to write:
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From: the desk of Diego Silva, secretary to the Portuguese Minster of Magic, Jacinto Horta
To: the IFMAS (Imternational Federation of Magical Animal Sanctuaries)
On the 31st of July 1980, a fire destroyed the Silva family's area of the Magical Forest of the Algarve. It has been decided that the Silvas will move to their vacation home somewhere off the coast of the Açores where they will set up a magical bird sanctuary. Please notify all known sanctuaries.
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He got up, went to the owlery and dispatched the note. He then returned to his office, picked up some parchment and quills and knocked on the minister's door.
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"Come in," he entered the lovely spacious room full of antique furniture with a hand-embroidered arraiolas rug depicting flying Lusitano horses and portraits of former ministers hanging on the wall, they were all sleeping. Jacinta Horta was sitting behind her magnificent desk with her reading glasses on. She was about the same age as his parents; they had gone to school at round about the same time and they wre still good friends. Jacinta had never married. She was still a good looking woman with kind brown eyes and a little grey in her dark brown hair. She was also a very able minister running the magic governmemt with gentle control. She looked up at Diego as he entered the room and smiled at him over her glasses.
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"Good morning, minister," he greeted Jacinta Horta. "I've already sent an owl to the IFMAS about the new bird sanctuary and I'm ready whenever you are to contact the Department of Mysteries."
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"First off, I'll dictate a note," she proceeded to dictate the following note:
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Inter Departmental note:
from: the minister of magic, Jacinta Horta
to: the department of mysteries
On the 31st of July 1980, a fire destroyed the Silva's area of the magical forest of the Algarve. A plant was discovered that has fabulous jewelled earrings instead of flowers. Albus Dumbledore was summoned arriving that very day at sunset. After perusal of said plant, Dumbledore proclaimed that the plant in question is not dangerous or dark in magic but filled with the purest of positive magic. He urged us to guard and protect said plant. It has been decided to move it and the Silva family to their vacation home off the coast of the Açores. There will be monthly updates on the status of this plant.
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"Now you and I have a date with the department of mysteries," the minister rose and they both proceeded to the elevators where they went to the ninth lever, the bottom most floor and got out. Diego had never been here before, it was very dark with only a few torches lighting the way. Diego shivered. Jacinta knocked on a section of the wall and a door opened.
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They entered a well lit room that only had a desk and some chairs, the minister sat down and motioned Diego to do the same. Diego looked around trying to find the light source but he didn't discover anything.
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Diego had worked in just about every department in the ministry; the misuse of muggle artifacts, transportation, the legal section, aurors, muggle liasons and now the minister herself. The only department he hadn't worked in was sports and games; he was looking forward to that; he loved quidditch.
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A minute later, a door opened in the wall behind the desk and a wizard entered the room; Diego was surprised to see that he looked quite normal; he was expecting the man to have horns or a tail from all the stories he had heard. In fact the man was dressed in light weight pastel green wizard robes; he was quite handsome and tall with grey eyes and greying black hair that seemed to wave as though he was in an invisible breeze.
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"Good morning, minister," he greeted Jacinta. "We've been expecting you."
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"Good morning to you too, Sr. Mistral," handing over the parchment.
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Sr. Mistral read the parchment and then placed it carefully on the desk, "We will also need a copy of your memories of this plant," he moved his hand slightly and a magical device appeared before him; it looked like a pensieve. "If you wouldn't mind removing your thoughts for a moment, this won't take long."
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So Diego put the tip of his wand to his temple and extracted the memory of the plant during the afternooon and also the memory of the plant at night and deposited them in the basin, a vial popped out into the waiting hands of Sr. Mistral and Diego retrieved his memories and replaced them. Jacinta Horta did the same. Sr. Mistral emptied Diego's vial into the basin, prodded it with his wand and the memory of the plant came into view first in the sunshine then at night. He repeated this with the minister's memories. It was awesome seeing it like that.
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Sr. Mistral noticed the amazement on Diego's face and declared, "I see you have never seen a memmor§ before; it's a device used to copy prophecies; it's also useful in situations like this where we need a record of the event for study." He smiled at them, bade them good bye and exited through the same door he entered from.
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Diego and the minister left the room, made their way to the lift and went back to the minister's office. Diego didn't want to admit it but he was relieved to be back upstairs, it was really creepy down there.
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"Well, that's it for now," Jacinta remarked. "I hope I don't have to go there again so soon, it gives me the willies," she wiped some sweat off her face with a handkerchief.
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"Is there anything else?" Diego asked.
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The minister looked at her secretary, "Not right now, why don't you finish whatever's on your desk and then get back to me."
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"Yes, minister," Diego returned to his cubby hole and got on with his paperwork. When he was finished he knocked on the monister's door and entered, "Do you need me for anything else?"
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"No, Diego, why don't you go to lunch as I'm going to eat something as well and then meet up here later," Jacinta suggested.
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"Good idea, I'll do that," Diego went to the door, "See you in a bit." Diego walked out of the ministry to the 'Va a Fava' restaurant which was now full of customers and had an octopus salad.
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*arraiolas rugs are hand embroidered rugs depicting flowers, plants, geometric designs or animals
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+va a fava translates as 'go pick some fava beans', or something along the lines of 'go jump in the lake'
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#menina/menino-miss/master
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$the quidditch team members are named after some Portuguese soccer stars present and past: Eusebio, Luis Figo, Simão Sabrosa, Nuno Gomes, Pauleta, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vitor Baia
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&the coat of arms of the city of Lisbon has the ship that carried Saint Vincent and the two crows that stayed with the craft from the Algarve to Lisbon
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%escrivaninha-Portuguese for 'writing desk'
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§memmor-combination of 'memory' and 'mirror'
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