The bell above the door tinkled as the four teens wandered into the diner, their wands hidden up their sleeves and their eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. It was rumored that a couple of Death Eaters lived in the area, and the little team was sent to ensure that no Muggles were being harassed. They'd been frequenting the area for about a week, about a year after their graduation from Hogwarts, and were staying in an apartment the Order had secured for them about two blocks down. With no sign of any danger so far, they were all getting rather antsy. It was only a matter of time.
"Booth or table?" Remus asked, attempting to rub the fatigue out of his eyes. He'd taken watch for the majority of the night.
James scoffed, leading the way to a booth in the corner of the diner. "Booth, Moony. Booths are far superior." He let Lily slide in first, sitting down next to her.
"Obviously," huffed Remus, sitting on the other side. Sirius took up the remaining seat, leaning back and tapping his fingers against the table. "I was just being polite, Prongs."
"Lay off of him," the redhead next to James grinned, patting her boyfriend's shoulder. "He's tired."
Before anyone else could argue, the waitress approached the table, pulling a pen from behind her ear and offering a chipper smile. She had blonde hair that, although it was held up in a messy twist by a pencil, was clearly a curly nest, and dark brown eyes that projected warmth. "Good morning, you four." They all looked up, offering weary smiles. "Can I start you with some drinks?"
"Coffees all around, I think," Remus told her with a polite nod.
The girl nodded and tucked her pen back behind her ear, flashing that smile once again. "Gotcha. I'll be right back with those." With that, she turned on her heel and marched off.
"This is one of the places they're rumored to hang about," Lily murmured, straight to business. "One of us should probably keep watch here at all times."
Moony nodded along with her words, grabbing a few napkins from the dispenser. That was their resident neat freak - not that Evans was any better. Sirius grunted and stood, startling James, who had begun to doze off into the crook of his elbow. "I've got to take a piss," the gray-eyed man announced, ignoring the way Lily crinkled her nose.
"Careful, Pads," Remus said lowly, his mouth pressed into a grim line.
He scoffed but nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It's eight in the bloody morning. I'll be just peachy." Turning, he stalked toward the restroom in the corner of the diner, passing the waitress on his way past. She was shorter than he'd thought, barely coming up to his shoulder. The blonde offered him a smile as she walked by, a tray full of mugs in her hand, and maybe it was fatigue or just general insanity, but something made him stop and ask, "What's your name?" His eyes flicked down to her nametag, which was worn beyond legibility.
She paused, turning, and blinked in confusion, a crease forming between her brows. She then made a noise of realization once she understood what he was talking about, her little hand flying up and rubbing over the edge of the nametag. "I've still got to get a new one," she explained with a laugh. It was loud, as if she forgot she could make that noise, and it made Sirius' morning just a little bit better. "My name's Annie." She extended her hand toward him.
He stared at it for a moment, his mind screaming at him that this was just a Muggle girl, and he can't let her get attached to him. But she was looking at him with all the genuine kindness in the world, and he couldn't resist reaching out and giving her hand a polite shake. "Sirius," he replied. "Pleasure."
"A pleasure indeed," she grinned, before heading back toward their table. It wasn't until he'd gotten into the bathroom and locked the door behind him that he realized she hadn't made some stupid remark about his name.
The first time Sirius went into the diner to do surveillance alone was a Wednesday evening, and he was terribly bored. It wasn't until the third time, that following Tuesday morning, that he realized why. The explanation came in the form of a storm blowing into the little restaurant. She was frazzled, her hair still damp and one of her shoes unlaced. "I am so sorry, Vince!" she called, practically gliding behind the counter and kneeling down to put her apron on. The blonde quickly twisted her locks up into a knot, securing it with the pencil that was behind her ear. "My alarm clock didn't go off, I-"
The ginger man stuck his head out of the kitchen window, looking her up and down before replying with a gruff "don't let it happen again, Clark." He disappeared back into the kitchen, and Annie's shoulders slump. She leaned back against the counter, looking up at the ceiling and taking a moment to collect herself. Sirius watched from his booth. He'd began to favor taking the one all the way in the corner. Lilly liked to sit up at the counter and chat politely with the waiters and waitresses, and James and Remus stuck with their original booth. After a minute or so, the blonde turned around and grabbed her notepad from under the counter, heading over to his booth. She gave him a bright smile. "Good morning, you. What was it, coffee and…?"
He cleared his throat, remembering Lily's command to behave after Annie had asked her about her sweet friend Sirius. "French toast."
She nodded, tucking the pad into her apron. "That's right, with extra powdered sugar. Just a minute." The girl turned around and headed back behind the counter.
He took the time to look out the window, enjoying the mid-June sunshine. A group of children outside were as well, taking turns riding a bicycle in the yard across the street. Over the music playing in the diner - some woman sounding mopey - he could hear the birds chirping. It was a perfectly peaceful neighborhood, if you didn't count the ruthless Death Eaters hiding away. The thought made Sirius' blood boil, and he checked once again to ensure that his wand was still stowed up his sleeve.
"Coffee," a voice next to him suddenly announced, followed by the gentle thud of the mug hitting the table. His head snapped to face her, cursing himself for being too lost in his thoughts to hear her coming. "And french toast, with extra powdered sugar." Annie also set down a container of hot syrup and some creamer and sugar. "Is that all I can get for you right now?"
He nodded, offering the girl a stiff smile. "Thank you, Annie." She nodded and turned, returning to her spot behind the counter to speak to a customer sitting there. Sirius dug into his food, happy to have discovered on his second trip there that the french toast was to die for. He dumped two creams and three sugars into his coffee, because what was the point in keeping it bitter? Despite James, Remus, and even Lily's relentless teasing, he was proud. At least he had good coffee.
As he was emptying his mug, Annie strolled back over, singing along to the music as if she wasn't even realizing it. "All the same, every time you hear his name." She swayed on her way to his booth, her eyes unfocused as they stared down at her notepad. "It sure brings out the love in your eyes." Her hip hit the table, and she looked up suddenly, her cheeks pink. "Sorry! More coffee?" He ducked his head to hide his grin and nodded, sliding his empty mug across to her. She laughed, picking up the mug and grabbing the coffee pot from over the counter, filling it up once again. "One of my favorite songs."
"I like it, too." He hadn't cared for it when he'd heard it begin, but once she heard her voice drowning out the man's, it had certainly grown on him.
"Let me know if you need anything else, Sirius," she said, reaching out to touch his shoulder before turning and strolling away.
He exhaled.
In July, Sirius finished off the last bite of his french toast, biting back the satisfied moan that threatened to spill past his lips. Mary's Diner truly did have the best french toast on the planet. He'd finished his coffee long ago when Annie offered to make it 'the Annie way'. She wouldn't tell him what she did, but it was absolutely heavenly.
"All done?" she asked, walking over with the biggest grin on her face. He nodded, so she took his dishes and disappeared into the kitchen. He left a ten on the table, standing up and adjusting his collar. He walked over to the door, opening it just as Annie came back out, her hair down and wild and her apron somewhere else.
"Done with your shift?" he guessed, unable to hold back his smile.
She beamed and nodded, strolling over and reaching out to touch his arm. "Walk to me to my car, Sirius?"
Perfectly logical move. A Death Eater could come out and curse her. "Of course." She led the way out and he followed, walking at her side with his hands shoved into his pockets as they headed for the side of the building. It was relatively silent, aside from the crickets, the nearby sound of traffic, and the humming coming from the short blonde.
They stopped next to her car, a purple Morris Marina, and she turned around to smile up at him. The neon lights from the diner's sign washed over her, painting her in shades of violet. "Thank you kindly," she said, and all he could do was smile.
"Not a problem at all," he replied, glancing around them to ensure that there were no lurking, bloodthirsty witches or wizards.
"You're always doing that," she observed, a crease forming between her brows. It looked wrong. "You're always looking around like someone's about to attack you."
Someone very well could. He forced a grin onto his face, shrugging. "Paranoia, I suppose. I'm surprised you've noticed."
Her look of concern melts into a fond grin. "I always notice you, Sirius." She opened her car door, sliding in and looking up at him. "Thanks again. See you when I see you."
He nodded his head. "See you when I see you."
The next time Sirius entered the diner and sat down in his designated booth, he was a little disappointed when it was Anita who came bustling out of the kitchen, a notepad in her hand and a pen in the other. She headed over to his booth, all weary smiles. "What can I get you this fine morning?"
He smiled politely back at her, requesting a coffee and their french toast. Just as she was jotting this down, the bell tinkled, and a familiar blonde strolled in. She cast a glance over to them and beamed. "Make sure there's extra powdered sugar on that, 'Nita," she called as she strolled over and sat down across from him. "I'll have the same thing." Anita rolled her eyes (fondly) and nodded, walking off. Annie grinned and looked back to Sirius, her eyes twinkling. "Good morning."
He chuckled, confused but amused nonetheless. "Good morning. Day off?" The answer was clear - her hair was down, and she was in casual attire rather than the uniform the waitresses wore.
"Sure is. I figured you'd be here, and I decided I'd come pay you a visit anyways."
Sirius blinked, trying to ignore the warmth filling his chest. "Little old me?"
She nodded, looking rather pleased with herself. "See, you know me as Annie the waitress." Annie the beautiful waitress at Mary's who makes me feel weightless, sometimes. "I want you to get to know me as Annie, Annie. Annie Clark."
He grinned, reaching across the table and extending his hand like she had all those weeks ago. "It's nice to meet you, Annie Clark. I'm Sirius Black."
She had on this huge smile that made it difficult for him to notice much else, like how the stranger at the bar suddenly stilled, their mug halfway to their lips. "It is mighty fine to meet you, Sirius Black." His heart fluttered.
For the first time, mid-August, he found himself worried.
She was gazing at him, a smile on her face, and her dark eyes searched him. They upturned couches and tables in his heart, and he felt weightless for the first time in a long time. It should've troubled him, the effect that this Muggle girl had on him. What if she was a Death Eater in secret? What if she was here to kill him?
But her arms were bare, marked with only a couple of freckles that reminded him of fallen stars, beacons of hope, and the warmth in her grin could be nothing but honest. He should have been disgusted with himself for acting like James, for being so captivated with this girl so soon after meeting her, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He couldn't make himself care that she was a Muggle, and he was a wizard, undercover, and that there was no possible happy ending to this.
Once he'd realized why he always had dibs on the diner, why he was disappointed when it was Anita or Gabriel or Cynthia and not Annie, he couldn't look back. He wouldn't look back.
He'd nearly kissed her.
She was bathed in that purple glow again, and Sirius couldn't look away from her if he tried. They sat on the curb outside the diner, facing each other. They'd gotten to know each other on her day off, but it wasn't enough, so Sirius had discreetly put up wards around them so that he could fully focus on the blonde.
"Dog or cat person?" he asked, ignoring the weight behind the question.
She hummed in thought, tapping her feet against the pavement. "Dog, definitely."
He couldn't hide his delighted grin. "I - yeah, me too."
"Do you have any siblings?"
Sirius swallowed and nodded. "Yeah."
She sensed his discomfort and reached out to squeeze his hand, not pushing the subject. "Okay." Afterwards, he found out that she always painted her pinkies a different color than the rest of her nails for good luck, and it made him want to protect her from everything bad in the world.
The first time he finally worked up the nerve, she was beaming at him from across his booth, her hair down and her eyes twinkling. She'd just shown him her sketchbook, open to a drawing of him. He was sipping from his coffee, his eyes playful as they gazed outwards. It captured him well, and he didn't have any words, so he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.
She cupped his jaw with her hand, and it made him feel whole.
"I love you," he said, the second she pulled back. It was fast, since they'd only been there since June and the weather was finally changing into that October crisp. It was sudden - his realization had taken him by surprise.
All of his worries melted away when she repeated him, her cheeks pink and her eyes bright. They felt like they could live forever.
It all went to shit not long after that.
You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest.
Like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain.
The first thing Sirius did was aim his wand at the ceiling, charming red sparks to fly up through the ceiling and into the sky. The second thing he did was stare into Annie's eyes, their terror and confusion causing his heart to ache. The third thing he did was call the Death Eater with his wand aimed at her a "foul little rat."
Like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses, come fill me again.
He wasn't much of a match for Sirius, in all honesty, especially when he heard him start the curse. "Cru-"
Sirius flew at him, slamming the scrawny kid against the counter and aiming a punch to his face. "You don't fucking touch her!" he bellowed, rage clouding his judgement. He kept himself between the wizard and Annie, who was backing into a booth and staring with wide brown eyes.
The DE was crazy. He laughed, and laughed, and took Sirius by surprise with the same curse. He crumpled to the floor, screaming and clutching at his limbs. Over the static in his head, he heard Annie crying, and it hurt him more than the curse ever could.
It could have been seconds, minutes, hours. He had no idea.
Come let me love you, let me give my life to you.
Let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms.
The door tinkled as three pairs of boots thundered in, all fiery hair, glasses, and scars.
"Petrificus Totalus!" James put the DE into a full body bind, his hair a mess and his eyes wide.
Remus passed them all and headed into the kitchens, presumably to Obliviate any bystanders.
Lily approached Annie slowly, as if she was a wild animal, extending her hand and helping her out of the booth. "It's going to be okay," the redhead murmured.
Let me lay down beside you, let me always be with you.
Come let me love you, come love me again.
"Padfoot," James said, shaking his shoulders. His nose was inches from Sirius', his hazel orbs practically dripping concern. "Padfoot, come on, you're okay."
"She won't be safe," the DE spat, fighting the curse off of his lips. "Not from us. Not anymore."
"Fucking can it!" Prongs yelled, silencing him. He couldn't keep the fear off of his face.
"We need to get out of here," Remus said, bursting through the kitchen door. "Now. James, Side-Along with Sirius back to the apartment. Lily, you take Annie, we can't leave her here. I'll take this asshole to the Ministry and then meet you all there."
Lily reached out, squeezing his shoulder. "Be safe," she instructed, before taking Annie's hand and Apparating away. Remus seized the DE by the shoulder before doing the same. Sirius could barely register the sensation of being squeezed through a tube before his world turned to black.
He woke up with phantom pains wracking his body. Panicking, he sat upright, a strangled yelp leaving his lips. "Pads!" Lily cried out, pushing him back onto his pillows. "Relax."
He stared up at her, swallowing hard. "Annie," he said, his voice hoarse. "Where's Annie?"
She sighed, reaching down to cup his cheek. "She's okay, I promise. She's in the shower right now."
"Did… did you Obliviate her?"
"No," Remus answered for her from his spot at the edge of the bed. "I don't know if we should, considering that the DEs apparently know who she is." His mouth was pressed into a grim line, and guilt wracked the taller boy's body.
"I - my fault. It's my fault she was…"
"No, stop that." Lily shot Remus a glare. "It wasn't your fault. They're disgusting, they would've hurt her anyway." She stood up, adjusting her collar and giving them both a look. "I'm going to get her some clothes to change into. We'll all talk to her once she's ready."
Twenty minutes later, the four of them were waiting for him in the living room. Taking a breath, he slowly made his way out of his bedroom and out to meet them. All of his apprehension faded away when he looked at Annie, who was perched on the arm of the couch, wearing Lily's shorts and t-shirt. She stood immediately, striding over and pulling him into a hug. "Sirius," she said simply, her face muffled by his chest.
"Annie," he exhaled, belatedly wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him. He ducked his head down, resting his forehead against the top of his head. The words flowed through them without needing to be spoken - I'm so glad you're okay. I was so scared. I love you. He then pushed her an arm's length away, looking her over for any injury. "He didn't hurt you, right? He didn't - I can't -"
"I'm okay, Sirius," she reassured him, her brown eyes so full of relief that he almost had to sit down. "I'm so bloody confused, though. Your friends wanted to wait until you were here to explain everything."
He swallowed and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I - there's so much to tell you. You've got to keep an open mind, okay?"
She nodded, her jaw set and determination all over her face. It was a good look for her. She returned to her seat, and he sat on the armchair across from her. James looked up at him from his position on the floor against it, giving him a proud smile. Sirius could already hear the teasing -So it takes a Muggle girl to get Sirius Black to fall in love, hmm?
"You've seen a lot that you shouldn't have," Remus began, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But because they're targeting you now, we can't just Obliviate you and call it a day."
"Slow down, Moons," Lily advised, nudging him with her shoulder. "We're magic, Annie. Witches and wizards. That's why we had those sticks, those are our wands."
Annie stared at Lily, her eyes wide, before slowly nodding. "Okay. Yeah. So that guy, the one who Sirius punched…?"
"Also a wizard," James confirmed. "A bad one. The type that give magic a bad name. They're called Death Eaters, and they think that anyone who isn't 100% made up of magical blood is the scum of the earth. Not even just Muggles - er, non-Magical folk - but half-bloods and Muggleborns too."
"Half-bloods are the children of a wizard or witch and a Muggle," she gathered.
"Exactly. Death Eaters think that falling in love with Muggles, or even associating with them, is heinous."
The blonde cast Sirius a worried look, and he was tempted to reach across the coffee table covered in Lily's books to squeeze her hand. "So they just run amuck? I assume there's some type of l-law enforcement?"
Lily nodded. "There's the Ministry of Magic. They're a little bit useless, and often corrupted, and then there's us. The Order. Not just us, obviously, but we're the ones who were stationed here to make sure no Muggles are harassed."
"It was my fault," Padfoot said, running a hand through his locks. "I wasn't - we were told not to get attached to anyone. Not to let anyone get attached to you."
"No one is blaming you, S," James said firmly. "For all we knew, they were planning on targeting her since before we showed up."
Annie exhaled, looking at them. "Okay. How do I help?"
Remus blinked, gaping at her. "I - what?"
"How do I help? You could show me photographs of the - the Death Eaters - and I could find some way to signal you when they enter the diner, or try to do something."
"No," Sirius said firmly, his hands curling into fists. "Absolutely not."
"Annie," Lily breathed, her emerald eyes full of admiration for how she was taking everything, how she immediately wanted to help them. Annie's heart was visible to everyone, not just Sirius. "We wouldn't dream of asking you to put yourself in danger for us."
She shook her head. "I want to. You've all been protecting me since June, you saved me from that - that monster." She looked at Sirius. "I love you. I want to help you."
"You don't belong in this world," he insisted, his heart aching.
"One of us could use James' cloak," Remus suggested. "Stay in the diner, watch over her. They'd be idiots not to expect it, but they were idiots to attack her in front of Sirius. When she recognizes one of them from the photographs, we Stun them." He looked to Annie. "James has an invisibility cloak." If she was surprised, she didn't show it.
"It's not a bad idea," Prongs admitted.
Sirius leaned back in his seat, his arms crossed. It was a good idea, but he didn't want her in harm's way again. "I'm under the cloak," he declared, his expression grim.
No one dared to argue.
Annie helped them catch six Death Eaters before they were contacted by a Patronus - "Job well done. Return home until further instruction."
They all exchanged glances, eyes wide. "Home," James repeated, smiling. It was mid-winter, and they were all rather homesick. He turned to Lily, squeezing her hand. "Home, love." After kissing everyone goodbye, they were the first ones gone.
Remus gave him a little nod before Apparating away.
Sirius swallowed and turned to Annie. "Remus and I share an apartment, in London. He's extended an invitation to you to - to live with us, until different arrangements make themselves."
A large grin broke out on her face. "Sirius -"
"You'll be in danger for the rest of your life, Ann. Or until all of this is over, at least."
"Sirius -"
"I love you so much, but I - I completely understand if - should you not want to - or if you'd rather move away with your fami -"
He was cut off by a storm of blonde curls and her lips against his. "Shut up, Sirius. I'm going with you." A goofy smile found its place on his face, and he wrapped his arms around her. "I am always with you."