So hello all! It's been forever, hasn't it?
I'm returning to this story…hoping I still have readers! I keep telling myself that I need to finish this and, doggonit, I'm going to! We still have YEARS left to go through, people, YEARS!
Anyways, it's been a while, so make sure to leave a review and let me know what you think. I'll be writing a lot more often. I've missed you all, your messages have not gone unnoticed by me!
Read, review, and enjoy!
The autumn weather blew in earlier than usual, rushing away any reminisce of summer. I sat back on my heels, huffing as I looked at the last packed box in the middle of my bedroom. It had been a tense summer living in the same house as my father, who was convinced that I had thrown away my future for a boy.
Which, in some respect, I actually had.
"If you aren't going to be a contributing member of society," he had said during one dinner in mid-August, "then I want you to get out of my house." Even my brother, who was watching me with wide-eyes from across the table, had nothing to say. He had taken a job in the Division of Magical Games and Sports as an assistant to the director. He scooped a large portion of mashed potatoes up with his fork and scraped them into his mouth, keeping busy in case the conversation was turned onto him.
My mother, not wanting to upset my father, hadn't come to my aid either.
I rolled my eyes, grasping the hot plate with the tips of my fingers before charging up the stairs. There was no arguing with my father, no changing his mind once he had it set on something. I had tried over and over again to integrate my new plans, along with Sirius, into my family. Tried and failed.
"Are you absolutely sure you need…this?" Lily smirked as she held up a pair of underwear, waving it in the air as a banner. I grinned, leaning over and snatching them from her before cramming them through a crack in the box in front of me.
"I will be now," I replied slyly, causing the two of us to break out into a slew of giggles. It was only a week after my father had informed me that I was officially on my own that Sirius and I were wandering around Diagon Alley for ice cream.
"So he just…kicked you out?" he had asked with a look of disgust on his face. "He knows the war is going on, right? He knows how dangerous it is out here?"
I nodded my head as I pulled open the door to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, joining the long line of patrons who were seeking out ice cream in the late summer heat. "I'm not a contributing member of society," I mimicked, crossing my arms over my chest.
Sirius shook his head, placing a hand on the small of my back as he joined the line behind me. "Well…" he started before trailing off, "what if you moved in with me?"
I snapped my head back to look at him, my eyebrows furled as our eyes met. "What? Are you sure?"
He nodded slowly, the smirk that I had grown accustomed to spreading on his lips. "I have to keep you safe somehow. I can't have you sleeping on the streets."
I had rolled my eyes at him, shaking my head at his reply. It was surprisingly sincere, however, and that is how I ended up sitting on my bedroom floor with Lily.
She played with her wedding band thoughtlessly, glancing out of the window to see if Sirius and her new husband had returned to get the last of my boxes yet. The fall breeze nipped at the trees, sending leaves in all shades of red and orange twirling into the front yard. I glanced over at Lily, who had inadvertently picked up a new copy of the Daily Prophet in her boredom. She perused it slowly, turning the pages as she skimmed them over. It had become a habit for her, especially in the last few months.
"Everything coming along up here?"
I looked up from Lily to the doorway, where my mother stood, wringing her hands nervously. Her hair, which was usually neatly pinned to the back of her head, had wisps and strands falling out. Flour adorned the front of her black dress in patches. It was clear many things worried my mother these days. Both my father and brother working at the ministry, which was known to have been infiltrated in the past few weeks. Her only daughter being kicked out of the house.
I smiled and nodded, pushing myself up from the floor. "Just waiting on the boys to come back arou-"As if on cue, I was cut off by a sharp crack resonating through the neighborhood, the front door opening with a creak just a quick moment later.
"I was lost without you, mate," I heard James joke around as the two boys thundered up the stairs, "it's like a piece of my soul was left behind." Sirius hurled himself over the banister, coming to a skidding halt as he noticed my mother lingering in the hallway.
"Ma'am," he nodded and bowed his head slightly as he approached my room, sending her a heart stopping grin. She politely smiled back, stepping out of the way so James and he could get through.
"I would be finished before your father came home," she warned, "he wouldn't be happy with…" She stopped short, gesturing toward my three best friends ominously.
"It's the last trip, mum," I replied coolly. "We'll be gone in a few minutes." She didn't say anything as she turned to finish her journey toward my brother's room, probably to ask him what favorite meal of his he wanted for dinner that evening. No doubt there would be a celebration when my father got home that the estranged daughter was finally out of the house.
Lily pushed herself up from the floor, placing a hand on my arm in support. I smiled slightly at her, patting her hand gently. It had been hard on me, living with my family over the last few months. Especially having to hear the spiteful comments my father had thought up during his day at work.
"Who would have known Daniel Brams would become the successful child in the family."
"Get any more packing done today, Haley? Was hoping to expand my office into your old bedroom."
"I was thinking, Marg, that we should throw a party for Daniel. In celebration of his new found career."
My brother, who was soaking up the positive attention, never came to my aid.
I had finally known what it was like to be ostracized by your own family. There was that one final push that Sirius and I had in common. My family hated me for choosing the man I loved over a career. His family hated him for choosing to turn his back on the dark side. I wasn't sure which family was worse, to be honest.
"Let's get out of here," I muttered to the three who remained in my room. "Wouldn't want Ralph Brams to have to say good riddance to his only daughter." I picked up a box and adjusted it quickly in my arms, so it was no longer pulling on my loose, blonde curls. Sirius nodded and, without saying anything, followed suit. I turned on my heels, apparating to my new home.
I didn't bother saying goodbye to my mother and brother.
….
I had been moved into the apartment for a week and I was dying. Dying slowly from boredom. I lay splayed on the couch, my right leg hung off the side as I muddled with the radio, trying to find something to listen to. I stopped as the warblings of The Fifth House came streaming through the speaker. I sighed, allowing my head to fall back onto the pillow.
I needed to get out, I needed to do something. Maybe my father was right after all…I was washed up now. A washed up, good for nothing, useless thing for a witch.
No, I needed to get off the couch. Sirius wouldn't be happy with me leaving the apartment, I thought to myself as I quickly ran a brush through my hair and threw on a jacket. "It's too dangerous, Haley. I can take care of us, I have enough money in my fortune for school, for this flat, everything. Please, just focus on staying safe" his words echoed over and over in my mind. But I needed to do something.
I was never the girl who could sit on the couch all day, every day. I quickly turned on my heels, apparating into the one part of London I was still comfortable with.
Diagon Alley was oddly calm, though I rarely frequented the block during the school year. The shops were easy to maneuver without the frantic families and I found myself enjoying the window shopping. I picked up a couple extra books that I knew would keep my interest peaked for a couple of days at the least. I wandered in and out of different potions stores, even flirting with the temptation of adopting a small kitten, which would only use to entertain me, since Sirius's animagus was a large, black dog.
The sun felt warm on my back, despite the brisk wind that whipped around the alley. I took in a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air for the first time in days. A jingle of bells and a roar of laughter caught my attention as I turned to my left to find the source of the noise.
That was when I saw it. A 'help needed' sign. I hesitated for a moment, Sirius's warning pulsed through my mind before lurching forward and crossing the cobblestone pathway toward Whizz Wiseacres, a newly opened pub in the north end of the alley.
The wooden door opened with a jingle of bells and a few patrons glanced over at me curiously, more so because of the cool breeze that filtered into the smoky bar. I walked slowly over to the barman, who was busy clearing a stack of used glasses from the wooden slab that sat between us.
"Erm, excuse me," I cleared my throat quietly, tucking a piece of curly hair behind my ear, "I- I saw-"
"What will you be having?" he asked roughly, not bothering to glance up at me.
I cleared my throat again. "I- I actually s-s-aw the help sign in your window," I paused to gesture over to the front of the pub, "I-I came to s-s-see if it had been filled yet." The barman looked up at me from his work, narrowing his eyes at me.
The lantern light reflected off the top of his bald head, where a dark tattoo swirled from the top, dipping down his neck, over his shoulder, and finally coming to a rest on the inside of his forearm. At closer look, I realized it was a dragon. A thick nose ring was stuck through his left nostril. His appearance made me nervous, but I stood my ground and kept my brown eyes locked with his green ones.
"Have you ever worked in a pub before, girlie?"
I shook my head, biting my lip anxiously. Of all the prep my father made me do for school, being a barmaid was not one of those things.
"Have you ever made a drink before?"
Again, I shook my head. He sighed, setting down the dirty rag he had clutched in his meaty fist.
"Have you ever even poured a butter beer before?"
I dropped my eyes to the ground, shaking my head again. I was screwed.
"What are you doing here, darling?" he asked. "You're young, you're a pretty girl. Go find a job at the ministry, start a career. A pub is no place for a girl with no experience." He was on the verge of turning away from me when I cleared my throat again.
"I-I can't."
He crumpled his eyebrows in confusion, staring at me with dark eyes. "Whaddya mean 'you can't'?"
I sighed, taking a few steps forward toward the bar. "I-erm- I just graduated from Hogwarts. I-I was supposed to start law school at the French Ministry of Magic. B-but I turned it down to stay here with my boyfriend. My-my father kicked me out of the house, dragged my name through the mud at the Ministry." I paused, taking a moment to tug on a stray string that hung off the bottom of my jacket. "I can't find a job anywhere." And I couldn't, I had tried.
The barman shook his head, placing both thick forearms on the bar. "That's no way to treat a child," he started, "especially your own child. You should have gone to France, girlie, saved yourself the trouble of this war." He paused, gauging my reaction. I kept my eyes trained on the floor, the same thought running through my head. He sighed, pushing himself up to full height. "Alright, I'll hire ya."
I looked up at him in disbelief. My heart pounded against my chest, my lungs swelled with the deep breath I had held in.
"On two conditions," he went on. I nodded vigorously. "One, you're taking care of the finances, I'm sick of doing inventory. Two," he paused again to reach under the bar. He quickly tossed a booklet over to me. I caught it between both hands, gingerly glancing over the cover. "Those are the drinks we make here. Study it, get acquainted. You start this weekend."
I thanked him again, a large smile plastered on my face as I left the pub. I could do this, I told myself, I could be a contributing member of society. Everyone needed to drink, right? Especially during these dark times. I would show them. I would show my father.
I apparated back to the apartment, a new pep in my step and a inkling of hope in my heart.