Story Title: A Million Cups of Coffee

Chapter Title: Dark Shadows

Length: 1,055

Prompt: Loss


Hannah dragged Neville into the small undersized pub. Her hair flicked about lazily in the wind.

"Why is it," Neville asked, "That I have never been here before?"
"Because," Hannah replied breezily with a smile as she opened the small wooden door, "You've never known where to look, have you?" People of all kinds stared at them as they burst through the door. A woman with shaggy copper hair and horrid platinum blond extensions stood up. Neville eyes widened as she marched up towards them.

"Hannah!" She cried out, running into Hannah. She doubled back over with the girl's weight leaning on her. Sophie, however, didn't seem to notice.

"Sophie, hello," Hannah said politely. Sophie scanned Hannah, and raised an eyebrow at Neville.

"Personally, I thought you and Ernie were going along quite well," Sophie remarked bluntly, shrugging. Neville went red and Hannah shook her head, silently mortified.
"Neville and I – no – we, I mean – we're just friends," Hannah stammered.
"Oh, I get it. You're that kind of friends," Sophie smiled. Hannah didn't really think that her slightly insane cousin got it, but smiled and nodded and went along with it.

"Yeah…" Hannah trailed off, "You get it."

"Anyway, what do you sell around here? Food? Water? Beer? Anything?" Neville asked. Sophie grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Of course," She laughed, "Just over there, where Anna is. See, the girl in the little white dress with the black hair? That's her," Sophie pointed towards a small girl, most likely just out of Hogwarts, who was playing with her hair, which was black with pink streaks and bright blue beads in it. Neville nodded and rushed over to her, his stomach growling in ravenous hunger. Hannah hung back and decided to keep Sophie talking.

"So…" She asked, "What's new?"
"Not much, actually," Sophie grinned, "Although the shop is doing better. Much more cute little young boys are coming in,"

"Really?" Hannah smiled, looking over at Neville, who was miming cutting his throat. Anna was lying on the table with her dress off, and trying to woo him by her looks. Neville gave her a worried glance and Hannah nodded, trying to reassure him that her cousin wasn't a murderous killer who worked in prostitution.

"I see you're bi," Sophie shrugged, following Hannah's worried eyeline. Hannah's eyes widened.

"No – I've got to go," Hannah explained, "Bye!" She ran off to Neville and grabbed him. Anna looked disappointed.

"That place shouldn't be called The Monkey's Bar!" Neville cried out as they left, "It should be called The Prostitute's Bar!"

"Shut up!" Hannah snapped, "Those girls happened to be my cousins!"
"Oh," Neville said, feeling small.

"Yeah. They lost their two younger brothers and both of their parents in the war, so they opened up this place to keep them alive. Then they were tortured and killed by none other than Mrs Bellatrix Le-stupid-strange herself!" Hannah hissed.

"Sorry." Neville mumbled, "Wait…You said they were dead, right?" Neville asked.

"Right," Hannah grumbled, as they made way for a speeding bus.

"Then…How were they there, Han? Were they ghosts?" Neville inquired. Hannah shook him by the shoulders violently.

"They weren't ghosts! That place was the Room of Lost Memories!" Hannah growled menacingly, "That's my lost memory. Them. My family," Hannah wiped tears away from her cheeks.
"Then why didn't I see my parents?" Neville demanded. Hannah looked wounded and dubious at the same time.

"Honestly?" Hannah asked, her voice wobbling nervously.

"Honestly," Neville said firmly.

"I don't know." Hannah mumbled, "Maybe it's because my memory was stronger. Or maybe because you don't have a proper memory of them."
"But… I want to have a good memory of them." Neville whimpered. Hannah looked pitying.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you there. I'm really sorry, I am." Hannah told him.

"If you really cared you'd find a way for me to experience what I want in there, not one of your stupid fantasies!" Neville yelled. Then he clapped his hands over his mouth, realising what he'd said.

"I'm sorry!" Hannah screamed, tears rolling down her face, "I am! You just don't want to believe me, do you? It's not my fault you're parents are crazy!" Neville and Hannah instantly froze, realizing what they'd actually said.

"P-Pardon?" Neville asked.

Hannah gave him one last pitiful look, then she apparated.


"Hannah?" Ernie yawned as his girlfriend appeared next to him, "What are you doing here so late? You promised you'd be here by four! It's four thirty, and I have to go to work in an hour!"
"I'm sorry, Ern, I really am," Hannah sighed, flopping back on their rather small mouldy yellow couch. Ernie pulled the blankets closer to his knees.

"You're sorry! I'm the one who has to go to work at five in the bloody morning!" Ernie grumbled. Hannah sighed and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry, Ernie. I had to work overtime," Hannah lied, trying to make her tone sound exhausted and sympathetic, "They're getting new stock for Christmas,"
"Oh," Ernie flushed, "Sorry, Han, I didn't realize. I guess it's off to bed for you, then. Do you want me to make you a coffee?"
"I-I'm right," Hannah said quickly. Ernie stared at her.

"Are you sick? You always like some coffee before you go to sleep," Ernie frowned.

"I'm fine, Ernie, I'm just not in the mood," Hannah objected.

"You do look a little pale," Ernie thought, ignoring her objections, "Maybe we should go get you checked up,"

"Ernie, honestly, I'm fine," Hannah hissed.

"Hannah, you aren't. Don't bother lying to me." Ernie said, his tone rock-hard.

"Just forget it." Hannah snapped. Tears streaked down her face and she ran as fast as she could make her sore, abused legs go. She threw herself onto her bed, not even bothering to take off her trainers or brush her hair, and rolled over.

"Why is my life so hard?" She mumbled into her pillow rhetorically.

But the pillow, she knew, would never have the answer.