Dinner and Lies

"Would you like something to eat? I was just about to make dinner." Harry was sitting on the floor petting Dantes. The big sap (and by that I mean the dog) was certainly enjoying all the attention. "He seems to like you."

"What's his name?" Harry asked, looking back at me with those green eyes. Those were the eyes that haunted my dreams. I could never forget them, or the way they displayed every emotion. I cleared my throat.

"His name is Dantes." Harry's eyes widened.

"As is Edmond Dantes, the main character from the Count of Monte Cristo?"

"You know the story?"

"It's one of my favourites. A young man falsely accused of treason and locked away for years ingeniously escapes…reminds me of someone I know." He trailed off looking back at the dog. "What breed of dog is this?" He asked, keeping his eyes away from mine. From the tone of his voice I could tell he was trying not to think about Sirius.

"A Belgian Shepard Groenendael." I said as thunder crashed again. The house shook and a picture fell off the wall. "Food?" I asked again. Harry nodded, still keeping his eyes away from mine. "I'll be in the kitchen."

I walked quickly into the kitchen and took off my sweater. I grabbed the gun from the shoulder holster and stuck it back where it belonged…the cookie jar. I had never wanted to get a gun but after I decided to leave the wizarding world I tried my luck at being a police officer. It was the closest work I could find to being an Auror. I guess I didn't really want to give up on the fact that somebody might someday try and bring me back…but nobody ever did.

That's why I'm here, on this little farm in the French countryside. I raise horses. Or the wizard who owned the farm raised horses, and I've taken over for him since he is now occupying a bed and a Mediwizard Centre in Paris. The closest town is Chambord with its immense and imposing castle. The town isn't very big…a couple hundred occupants but it's quickly become like home.

I put on some soup for dinner and was just making some grilled cheese sandwiches when Harry walked into the room.

"I didn't ask you before but what brings a witch like yourself out to the middle of nowhere? Decided you'd like to raise oats and apples?" I laughed to myself.

"Oats and apples are great and the horses I raise happen to love them. But really, the man who ran the farm was a friend of my grandmothers. He needed someone to take over for him while he went to Paris. His health isn't very good." Harry stopped chuckling.

"I'm sorry. Was that Monsieur Rimaud? I saw when I drove by the sign for ' La Ferme Rimaud'." I nodded.

"He's a lovely little French man who never had children. His wife died last year and he hasn't been the same since." I looked down at the stove and flipped the sandwiches over. "What brings a wizard like yourself out to the middle of nowhere?" I asked looking back up at him.

"Looking for someone." He shrugged. "I haven't had any luck yet."

"Well I hope you find them soon."

"Thanks Helen." I picked the sandwiches off the stove and put them onto plates. I poured the soup into two bowls and set everything on the table.

"Mushroom soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Sorry it's nothing fancy. Cooking for just me and Dantes gets pretty boring." He laughed.

"Hot soup is just what I need right now." The small talk throughout dinner was almost unbearable. I was desperately trying to hold my tongue and not ask who he was looking for. Was someone finally trying to come and find me and take me back with them?

"I don't recognize your name at all. You didn't go to Hogwarts did you?" Harry asked me as we cleaned up the dishes. Oh no, I was going to have to lie again.

"No…I was born in England and lived there until I was ten but when the letter for school came I was living with my grandmother here in France. I went to Beauxbattons. Still went back to England to see my mum every summer though." He smiled at me.

"So you know Fleur Delacour?"

"Not well…She's a few years older than I am."

"She dated my best friend Ron's brother Charlie."

"From what I've heard she dated a lot of people." He started to laugh.

"So has Charlie." He smiled at me and the lights flickered and went out. "Lumos." He said pulling out his wand and giving the kitchen a bit of light.

"Oh fuck." I said under my breath. "Perfect."

Disclaimer – again…nothing