This story is set in Toronto. In Canada there is a coffee chain called Tim Hortons. I use some slang pertaining to it but it isn't important.

A flashing light catches my eye. I turn my head but Eric's putting whatever it was away in his pocket. I suspect it's an engagement ring. We have after all been together for four years. Not all at once and not currently but what else could it be?

"What do you want to watch?" he asks.

"Anything but Harry Potter."

See, my dad was involved in this anime adaptation of Harry Potter an animation company in Toronto put on. When I say involved with I mean he was the producer. He died recently so I can't stand Harry Potter now. Or any anime or any reference to magic, BBC productions (I know they're hardly related and I'm just being racist but you get it). If it reminds me of his work? Not. Interested.

We watch a romantic comedy (if he is planning to propose I want to have the right mood). After it ends I look at him.

"Sakura… would you like to go for a walk?" he asks.

OMG this is it!

"Sure," I smile at him, as coy as possible.

We go to the liquor store of all places. I get in a pissy mood but it subsides when he says he wants to buy something for a special dinner. He goes to the wine section but I feel like champagne… we're getting married! The drink should reflect the bubbles I feel on the inside.

I suggest a drink and he goes with it. When we're walking back he hails a cab.

"Sakura, you're my best friend in this world. I'm about to do something that will forever change life as I know it…"

Yes, yes, YES!

"…Wish me luck."

He gets in the cab and disappears.

I buy shawarma. It's big and messy and full of meat and I eat the whole thing. Then I buy a ten pack of Timbits and eat all of those. While I'm at Timmy's I pick up an extra-large café mocha and head home. I burn my tongue on the coffee and throw it out.

By this time I'm home. I fake a smile for my room mate then head straight to my room. I flump down on my bed. I pull out my phone. One text and one missed call. The text is from Eric- She said yes! The call is from an unknown number. I call the mailbox.

"Hi Sakura, this is David, we met at Lisa's party the other day."

Oh shit I remember him. I believe I wrote on an old receipt:

Cute guy from party- call me. 416-555-6336. Sakura.

I can be direct like that. The next day I was like why would I do that but I was drunk and he was cute and I didn't think anything would actually come of it.

"I was wondering if you would like to grab a coffee together. You can call me back at 647-555-9636. Hope to hear from you soon, bye."

You know what? Fuck it. I'm going on this date. I'm going to have coffee and wait for it to cool while talking to an attractive man and then I will drink my coffee and not burn my tongue and it will be a great distraction. I text back to confirm a time and place. It's tomorrow because no bloody time like the present. Also I might lose my gumption if we put it off.

When I meet David at Starbucks he has two roses, one pink one yellow. He offers me the pink rose. No freaking way real roses I'm a princess. Anyway, I get a coconut milk chai tea latte and he pays. He asks if I'd like to go for a walk.

We go to a park. I know this area very well. The gardens are gorgeous in the summer. Right now they are snow covered. He turns into the graveyard portion and I hesitate but follow.

He lays the yellow rose on a grave.

"This man was a mentor of mine. Sorry to bring you here on a first date. It's just that since I was buying flowers it would be a nice thing to do. Saves me a trip."

He flashed me a goofy smile but I scowl.

"What are you playing at?!"

Suddenly David keels over a look of intense pain on his face. I'm staring at him when ropes appear out of no where and bind me. I fall. I hear some running footsteps and someone grabs a hold of me. There's a cracking sound and the world and the light and the air seem to disappear.

A moment later everything returns to focus. Only I'm no longer at the grave. My father's grave. I'm in a warehouse. David is here too.

"What the fuck just happened?"

He's on his hands and knees panting. Eventually he looks up. He looks so tired, but I'm still mad. And tied up.

"This is fucked up Harry Potter shit and I don't want it so put me back!"

"You're a squib. Your father was a wizard. Most of the execs on the animation team were. You aren't safe, we're being hunted. They don't know you don't know. I'm sorry but you're stuck with me until this clears up."

"What are you talking about?" I start to cry.

The clicking of running high heels approaches.

"What the fuck is going on? Thompson you were not cleared to bring your charge to headquarters."

"I don't knoooooow," I sob. They ignore me and I'm honestly grateful.

"Watanabe's grave… there were some waiting. They attacked her. Just like you said. What do we do with her?"

"I wanna go hoooome."

The ropes around me disappear. I make a break for the exit.

"That's not an exit," David calls. I change my route.

"Neither is that. Or that. Sit down before you hurt-"

I don't hear the rest because I yelp in surprise. This is reasonable. I have just been swept up into the air by one ankle.

"It's too late to obliviate her."

"No! Obliviate me! I won't tell anyone anything just let me go!"

"The Segregates know what you look like now because this fool made contact during an observation mission."

For the first time since I've met him David looks sheepish. Maybe. Hard to tell from upside down. Dots are starting to form in my vision. Something changes and I fall. It's cushioned and so, so soft, but I still hate magic.

"Let's talk in my office. Thompson you're dismissed. Wu will send for you in a few hours."

She holds out her hand we apparate- fucking apparate - out of the concrete building.

We appear in a cozy office. It has a green colour scheme and an enormous fireplace. Most likely for floo travel I reflect. She gestures to a green armchair across from a much larger chair on the opposite side of a sizable desk.

I remain standing. She shrugs. Bitch.

She's dressed smartly in normal business casual. I wouldn't guess she's a witch. I shiver.

"Sakura Watanabe. You are now under the care of Wizarding Witness Protection."

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