Here's the next one! Thanks again for reading!
Harry didn't know where he was going. All he knew was that his legs were taking him down Borough Street and he didn't stop until he hit the Costa Coffee shop. Perhaps an iced coffee would snap him out of his rut. The place was busy, loud, and Harry managed to avoid the line by instead skimming the community board just to look as if he wasn't overwhelmed. There was an add for a 5k run outside of London, and a list of music lessons. In particular, there was one that caught his eye-
"Flatmate wanted: 300 per month 4/20 friendly, pays rent on time, no pets"
He wasn't sure what 4/20 friendly meant, but he knew for a fact that hotel hopping was getting expensive, and he wasn't returning to Grimmauld Place anytime soon. Harry did not have a phone, which would have been useful to call the number of the ad. He managed to act dumb, stating that his got dropped into the sink, and the barista let him borrow their landline. He was nervous. This was either a terrible idea or he was finally becoming independent. The line stopped ringing, and a rather casual male voice answered the phone.
"Yeah?"
Harry forced his voice to rise above the sounds of blenders in the shop. "Uh, yeah...I was calling about the flat."
The man's voice picked up immediately. "Oy, brilliant! You all good with us mates staying up late?"
"Don't sleep, so sure." He scoffed at himself...did he ever?
"Perfect! We are a rowdy bunch, one other bloke. You have pets?
"No."
"Good, we don't want them eating our stash."
"Um, okay. Can I look at the place today?"
"Just about to ask you if you could. We really need the income coming in, you know? We live just off Lambeth Walk and Lollard st. Get off the Lambeth North station and just follow the address."
Harry took down the address hesitantly. He really had no idea where they lived, but the man made it seem as if it weren't too far off as he described his living situation at the London City Hotel.
The man seemed to be able to feel his lack of confidence. "Never introduced myself, apologies. David, and you are?"
He responded after a pause. "Harry."
"Right, Harry, how about we just come get you at the station? We'll be driving a blue car, four door. What you look like?"
Harry gave his description down to his clothes...which has become easier since for once, no one knew what he looked like anymore.
"If you head over by 3 you can get the room. One other lad wants to rent, but he's a bit of a nut, if you know what I mean."
Harry felt a rush of adrenaline as he finished the phone call. He had a goal besides running away and he felt almost giddy. He forgot about the coffee and rushed back to his hotel to check out. The blonde woman at the front desk gave him another annoyed stare and went on about how he missed the check out time, and charged him 25 pounds. Chump change, he thought, and went off to board the next train to Lambeth North.
Kingsley stepped into the atrium of the Ministry and immediately had his secretary call for Arthur Weasley again. He was not quit sure what to tell the man, but he had asked to be updated regardless. It seemed that no longer than 10 minutes that the interdepartment memo went out did the man arrive at the door.
"Let him in Lana."
Arthur walked in as he usually did, pacing and limiting his eye contact while concentrating on the floor.
"You met with him, I assume?"
"Yes," the Minister replied. "It seems he was not as healed as I was hoping for. He continues to avoid talking about stressing matters, and I have serious doubts he is returning to the Wizarding world any time soon, Arthur. I am afraid we will have to wait until he reaches out again."
Arthur appeared disappointed. "I see. Troubling, indeed. I suppose I will have to tell the family about this. The elf, Kreacher, states that Harry had not come home since he left. He must have taken out a good amount of gold."
"I do not doubt it. But he will have to do so at some point. Perhaps he will buy a wand when he does."
"I do hope so, Kingsley. I really do."
Towards the end of the day, Arthur arrived home and went about his usual routine, attempting to avoid his family's questions in case he appeared too discouraged. He decided to wait until supper, which was his favorite (roasted chicken), wishing it would help with the awkward pauses he knew would follow the news.
"Pass the buns please, love," his wife asked cheerfully. He did so nervously.
"Of course, dear."
Hermione was able to make it that night after vacationing with her parents. Her and Ron sat together as always, and it saddened him that Ginny was alone near George-both of them appearing very morose. It was now or never.
"Ahem," he coughed. "Kingsley shared a bit of news. He met with Harry today."
Their eyes lit up immediately. "What did he say, dear?" his wife asked desperately, looking at Ginny who had the same look on her face.
"Well, I'm afraid it did not go as well as we would have hoped. Harry is still not ready to return, and he still refuses to get a wand."
Hermione was offended by Harry's decisions. Why was he being so difficult? "Couldn't Kingsley have brought him one from Ollivander? He needs the same wand as before, why does he need to come to Diagon Alley?"
"I am assuming Ollivander does not prefer this. He wants to be sure it is a true fit, especially after Harry has been claimed by the Elder Wand in the past."
"He snapped it. What choice does he have now?" Ron muttered under his breath.
Ginny couldn't take the continuing bad news. She pushed her plate away from her and removed herself from the table. "He's so stupid!"
Hermione wanted to follow her up the steps but Arthur motioned for her to stay where she was. "No use, just let her go. Nothing we say will change anything."
Ron donned on his sister's mood and started mopping up sauce with his bread. "She's right though. Harry's gone mad and keeps running away from his problems. Why can't I do that?"
"Because we are a family, and we do this together," his mother stated flatly. "Harry has always felt alone. So he deals with his issues in the same manner-No matter how many times I told the boy he was one of mine."
Arthur decided to use a bit of humor to lighten the mood. "Well, it works out in the end. Then Harry and Ginny's relationship would have been so much more awkward, would it not?"
It took a moment, but the moodiness of the room filled with laughter. Hermione grinned, "I never thought about that!"
Mrs. Weasley was trying not to smile, but Arthur saw it. Crisis averted.
Harry almost missed the stop completely, being unable to see over the crowd what station they were on. He barely heard it over the loudspeaker and had to push through a group of teenagers to hold the door open and step out. The air smelled of the Thames and made him crinkle his nose at first. The station was smaller, and he managed to make it out to the road sooner than he thought, but he wasn't sure if he saw the blue car the man spoke of. Perhaps he was on the north side? Harry checked the station clock and realized that he had arrived a quarter to 3. He was a tad bit early. He managed to find a vending machine and got a pack of crisps and a water. He didn't realize he was starving. As the bustling of people came and went, Harry found himself becoming depressed again...what if he was being stood up? Why did that group of kids have to look like the Weasley's? Immediately his thoughts went to Fred, and how lonely George must feel without him. Harry wondered if the joke shop would be able to survive the loss of one of its founders, and it depressed him greatly.
His mood was disrupted by another group of kids pushing through, and he looked up and noticed a blue car begin to coast by the loading area. The driver scanned the crowd and the passenger opened up a pack of smokes. Harry liked them already. He walked up to them, attempting to appear confident, and called out the man's name.
A smile broke out on the passenger's face. "Oy, look it's him!"
They both appeared in their young 20's, and David was heavily tattooed while the driver had wispy red hair sticking out of his fedora and thick framed black glasses. David had dark hair, like Harry's but it was cut short and styled. He had a white Nirvana t-shirt, but Harry did not know who that was either. He really needed to find these things out if he wanted to be a Muggle.
"You look smaller in person." David noted.
"Bad genes," was the only thing Harry could think of to say.
"We will fatten you up, don't worry. Have you got your bags?"
Harry shrugged and tried to not appear as if he were a run away. "Nope, just my backpack. I've got stuff at another place but don't need it."
David appeared confused. "Oh, okay then. Well, get in and we will show you the place. It's not too far from here."
"Thanks." He quickly sat inside the car and before he could even strap himself in the driver took off.
David tried to fill the dead air. "So, Harry, where are you from?"
"Surrey. Awful Aunt and Uncle so I left."
"Wow, they must have been bad if you left Surrey. I would have loved to live in one of those homes."
"My parents were awful, too," said the driver. "Glad I cut them off."
"Harry, this is Jackson. Been my best mate since primary school."
"What do you guys do?"
They laughed sheepishly and each wanted to see what the other said. "Okay, well, part time I work at a damn dry cleaning place my old uncle owns," said David. "Jackson is part time at Queens Head bar. We have a side business of the illicit type, if you catch my drift."
Harry was getting an idea what 4/20 meant now. "I don't have anything but what belonged to my parents. They're dead."
David wrinkled his nose. "Oy, sorry about that, mate. Assuming the reason why you lived in Surrey? We can probably get you a job at Queen's Head."
Harry wanted to agree but realized one thing. "Oh, I don't have any ID or anything. Had to get out of there, you know?" He stared uncomfortably out the window.
"Shit, they were bad, weren't they? Bussers aren't usually paid in checks. I'm sure Daniel could give you that job."
Harry shrugged and attempted to avoid talking more about why he was on his own. As long as he played with the 'ran away from my aunt and uncle' charade, he would be good.
A few minutes later, they pulled down Lambeth Walk and into the last parking spot on the lot. It didn't seem too bad.
"Right, we are number 36, just there. Let's have a looksie."
It sort of appeared like student housing, but there was no university that Harry could see. The buildings were brick with blue doors, and 36 was just down the path and to the left.
"Is it just you two?"
"Mostly," Jackson said. "We have a lot of people coming in and out some weekends. Occasionally they will crash at our place, but we are starting to avoid that now. Too much vomit."
Harry forced a laugh.
David jiggled the keys into the lock, and Harry saw a black sofa take up most of the living space, and a galley kitchen to the left. There were only two rooms.
"You don't have your own spaces?"
Jackson shrugged. "We have bunk beds...we don't care that much. We need the income in the second bedroom, hence you."
Harry saw his presumed room and it appeared decent. There was an odd black stain on the floor, but other than that there was a twin bed shoved against the wall with a floor lamp.
David walked to the refrigerator and took out some string cheese to eat. "Yeah, I'm glad you have nothing. We didn't want to push that bed out if you had one."
"So the rent is 300?"
"Yeah, you'll have to buy your own food though, Jackson doesn't like to share."
"Well, if you would stop eating my cornettos I wouldn't have that problem. Buy your own damn ice cream."
"I think I'll take it."
David nodded, but became serious for a moment. "Look though, we know we don't run the most legal establishment, but we appreciate confidentiality on the matter. Plus, don't steal any of our stashes unless we give it to you, or buy it off us."
Harry shrugged. "Not to sound like a dolt, but I've done nothing of what you sell anyway. You won't find something stolen, trust me."
David and Jackson had a glint in their eyes that made Harry try not to laugh. "Really, now? Nothing?"
"No. How could I, I've never even seen them. All I do is smoke and that is a new habit."
"Jacks, I love this guy already! When do you want to move in?"
Harry peered back into the room and thought, "Well, I'm definitely not going back to Grimmauld Place."
"Now?"
"Done!"
