After the opening ceremony, the Queen did not leave immediately. She toured the airport apron and showed great interest in the large tow tractors.
Only then did Pomona remember that the Queen had served in the military when she was young. She had even driven heavy vehicles and knew how to dismantle and repair trucks.
When she stood beneath those enormous machines, it was hard for onlookers to imagine that the elderly woman could actually handle them.
But even though the Queen stayed longer than expected, she and the guests eventually had to leave. It was nearing lunchtime, and Pomona and Severus had another working meal.
Much of the food had previously been laid out for guests at the buffet, but no one had touched it. After all, who wanted soy sauce splashed on their coat and then immortalized in photographs for others to see?
Thus, the high-end sushi became lunch for the staff.
Then someone brought over some alcohol.
"This is the secret to the Queen's longevity," the liaison said as he handed two bottles to Pomona and Severus. "A glass of gin every morning."
"Oh, thank you," Pomona said eagerly, accepting the beautifully packaged bottle.
"You're welcome," the liaison said with a smile, then looked at Snape. "Come by later."
He nodded solemnly. Then the "head waiter" pushed his cart away to distribute gin to the others.
The bottle came in pale blue packaging, rather like a robin's egg, or perhaps the blue sky that day.
What she had not expected was that the producer was Buckingham Palace, with all the ingredients sourced from the royal gardens.
"I heard the Queen uses it to wash diamonds. Is that true?" another newcomer asked.
"Of course, darling." The older employee smiled mysteriously, making it impossible to tell whether she was