Chapter 2—

Mackenzie's POV

Light streams through the window and endless chatter fills the streets below. I know the windows are open because I can feel a light breeze. My eyes flutter open and I glance around the small room and realize no one is here with me. I listen for familiar sounds around the apartment and I realize I'm completely alone and I sigh quietly.

I throw on my robe and stumble to the kitchen and turn on my espresso machine. It only takes a few minutes, and I pour in my cream and a cube of sugar into my espresso, sitting quietly, thinking about nothing in particular.

I glance at the clock and realize it's still relatively early. I take a quick shower and wand-dry my hair. I throw on jeans, some boots and a leather jacket and grab my purse, sticking my wand in it. I swipe some mascara on my eyes before grabbing my keys and leaving the apartment.

I descend the spiraling stair case, and see Madame Chrzn coming up the staircase, holding a bouquet of flowers and I step aside for her.

"Bonjour Madame Chrzn!"

"Bonjour!" she smiles at me as I pass.

After I press the buzzer and hurry quickly to open the door (veering to my right), I end up on a street, in the middle of a market. I start wandering up the street, looking at the fresh produce, fish, vegetables and freshly baked croissants and other pasties.

I stop at the fourth vendor on my right.

"Bonjour Antoine!"

"Bonjour!" the middle-aged man smiles back at me.

"Can I have the usual s'il vous plaît?"

"Oui, oui Mademoiselle" he smiles at me kindly, handing me a ham and cheese quiche."

"Merci, Antoine!" I say, handing him money.

"Au revoir!"

I wander back up the street, munching on my quiche. I get back to my apartment and see an owl perched on the coat rack.

He looked quite unfriendly actually, but then I noticed the paper in his claws.

I dug in my bag and pulled out a knut. The owl took the knut and dropped the newspaper, flying away out the open window.

Sitting down, I had just opened the newspaper when the door opened.

"Bonjour!" Jacques yells.

"Bonjour!" I yell back and smile at him as he enters the kitchen.

Jacques is one of my best friends. He is pale with dark hair and brown eyes; sometimes we even get mistaken as twins. He is outgoing to customers and good friends, but more reserved towards complete strangers. He's a year younger than me and was the first friend that I made here.

His English is quite good, which might be one of the reasons we're such good friends.

"Claude is wondering if you'd take over Angelique's shift next Wednesday, she's going out of town with her boyfriend."

"Sure, I'm open next Wednesday…Angelique has decided to go with him? That's so exciting!"

"I know! She's been stringing the poor guy along forever!"

"How long will they be gone for?"

"Wednesday until Sunday- but Claude said that Anaïs can take over for her most of the time because she's the newbie and needs practice."

"That's fab! We should go to Versailles this weekend then!"

"Sure, sure," he says then nods to the paper in my hands, "anything new?"

"Harry Potter just caught a serial killer. Says the serial killer only killed women from the age of 18-20 with belly button rings. Ew- look at him!"

I show the picture of the killer to Jacques and we both study him for a few minutes. There's a picture of Harry right next to the picture of the killer and I smile fondly, remembering my pseudo-father during the school year.

"You know, I still can't believe you actually know Harry Potter's son."

I roll my eyes at Jacques because I am sure that we've had this conversation before.

"I used to know him Jacq, I'm sure that he's changed a lot since I saw him last."

"I wouldn't believe that you actually knew him if I hadn't seen all those pictures from your Hogwarts years. And Draco Malfoy's son too! And the daughter of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley! You sure had a group of popular childhood friends!"

*Flash back*

"And we'll write to each other all the time! Just because Al's going to be creating new potions and Scor's doing Healer training and Rose's is off being miss smarty pants studying Wizardring law…okay so I know you're all going to be busy but we WILL NOT LOSE TOUCH!" I say to my friends.

"Of course not, Z" Rose rolls her eyes at me.

She's sitting in Scor's lap looking perfectly content with life; like she has her whole future in front of her, newly graduated, fabulous boyfriend, and an internship for the Ministry of Magic in the branch of International Law.

Scor and Al quickly agree and I know that we will stay friends even though we won't see each other as often.

*End flashback*

"They're all great, really fantastic. I really should get together with them again. I write to them but it's just not the same; I guess we're just all busy now."

"How so?"

"Well Al is a potioneer, forever coming up with useful potions-like the cramps potion, Scor is training to be Healer, and Rose…well she's busy."

"If you ever get together with them, I demand an invitation."

"Whatever, Jacq. Anyway I have to get ready for work."

"I'll have dinner ready when you get home!"

"I'll be ready to eat it when I get home! And drink! Get a good bottle of wine for tonight-I have a feeling that I'll need it!"

"Done!"

He laughs and I finish up getting ready for work.

Luckily, work isn't that far away. Actually, it's under our apartment- at ground level on the street.

I throw on an apron and grab a pad.

Since it's high tourist season, I had quite a few tables (they tried to place me with people who spoke English because it's easier for them).

I'm bustling around- back and forth from the kitchen and to the tables-making sure all the tourists get their foot and are satisfied- when Claude (my boss/manager person) comes up to me.

"Mackenzie, zere iz a man requesting your table."

"Ok, Claude, just set him at table 4."

"Eef you say so."

"Wait, Claude, why is someone requesting my table?"

"I do not know…perhaps he knows you?"

But I do not know anyone here would request me as their waitress.

I hurriedly make sure all my other customers are satisfied and I head over to table 14.

Sitting there, in this café where I work is a familiar head of black hair. He's looking over the menu and I can tell just by looking at him that he's tired. I stand still for a minute, studying him from a distance; mostly just to make sure that he is not a figment of my imagination.

Though it's unlikely that he is a figment of my imagination- after all, Claude saw and talked to him.

I shake myself out of my stupor and approach the familiar man.

"Al?"


A/N: Dun Dun Dunnnn... so...not that I made it difficult but can anyone guess where Z is? No one has guessed where Rose is either! I mean literally, all you readers out there! Any ideas? I bet you are so excited for the next chapter!

My friend says that I enjoy torturing my readers because in TBF I didn't have two of the main characters get together and now here I am in this story making you all confused and wondering what happened to all of them! But I'm not torturing you, right? Let's prove her wrong!

Sooo let me know what you think!

~wwccd

p.s. for any of you that already read this chapter...sorry I had to repost the flashback was not in the chapter the first time I posted it!