A man stands in a dark corner behind a small stage in a room full of too many people. His dark sunglasses block out the lights directed towards the empty podium, the loud noise of chatting witches and wizards and the occasional pop and whiz make the room loud and stuffy. He glances down at his expensive watch for the fifth time in the last minute cursing his publisher for forcing him to show up this early to his own book launch. But it's almost seven, the light of the sunset barely peaking through the covered windows that stretch across the opposite wall of the room. They're probably ten stories up, so all he can see from this dark corner is the building next door, and he finds himself looking at his watch again.
"Richard, the least you could do is take off those ridiculous sunglasses." His publisher and now ex-wife sneaks up next to him while he's staring longingly at his watch and it makes him jump a bit. "That scared of me huh?" She reaches for his glasses but he turns his head.
"Gina, always a pleasure." He gives her a sarcastic grin and she just looks up at him, even the heels she's wearing barely let her reach his shoulder. She leans back against the wall, looking out at all the people anxiously awaiting for whatever speech she's going to give and whatever pathetic wave that he'll accompany it with.
"You ever going to tell me why you decided to kill off your most beloved character? Or will Derrick Storm get no explanation?" She's stalling the start of all of this, and she knows all he wants is to get it over with. He finally takes off his sunglasses and looks down at her.
"Did you even read the book? There's enough explanation. Plus, I needed a fresh start." He contemplates sliding his glasses back on but instead tucks them inside his jacket next to his wand.
"Hmmm... according to your mother this fresh start has featured you walking around your loft in your underwear avoiding your office at all cost." Her smile was evil as he looked down at her in shock. But before he could make a comment, before he could spin a wild tale that would counter whatever it was his mother had told her, she took two steps and walked up on stage. He leaned back against the wall, listening to her overused speech he'd heard her give too many times. The flashing lights of camera's already giving him a headache and he slips his sunglasses back on, not caring what Gina has to say about it. The seconds go by much faster now and soon he's taking the same few steps and walking up on stage, where the noise of the crowd gets louder, somehow the camera flashes brighter. He waves like he always does, flashes his usual smile, and then he's exiting the stage on the other side, immediately making his way to the bar where he's sure he'll find his mother.
She's nowhere to be found so he takes a seat and orders a drink, wishing his daughter was here to talk to. She usually made it to these kinds of things, but it was late September and she was already over in London starting her last year at school and he wouldn't see her until Christmas. He took out his wand and tapped his drink, putting a layer of ice at the bottom that made the fire whisky burn less as it went down. When he unscrunched his eyes from the burn, he looked up to see his mother approaching, short bob of glowing red hair bouncing with every step. He had forgotten why he went looking for her but when she approached with a smile and a wave of her arms, he contorted his face into something he hoped would show that he was mad at her, but that usually didn't work.
"Oh Richard, these things are always dancing with the most marvelous wizards of our time. You know, I'm sure one of these days that Ludwig fellow will show up." She sat down next to him and scooped up his wand off the counter to tap the empty glass sitting in front of her to fill it with water. He reached for his wand and stuffed it back in his pocket, not knowing who she was referring to.
"Don't you have your own wand?" He asked smugly, thinking of all the times she's just picked his up and waved it around, and it always surprises him how well it works for her.
"Oh of course dear but," She waves her empty hand to make him acknowledge her tight fitting dress. "It's a bit difficult to reach when it's strapped to me somewhere down there." She just chuckles to herself and waves to the bartender to bring her something stronger than water.
"Have you been telling Gina that I haven't been writing?" He leans his shoulder against the bar to watch her and gauge her reaction, but she doesn't seem to have one.
"Oh honey, I might have mentioned that you've been walking around in your underwear a bit too much for someone your age but you know," she waves her arms in the air in some significance that he has learned to ignore. "writers will be writers."
"Hmm... well I'd appreciate it if you didn't go telling my publisher about my writers block, thanks." He said, words muffled by his glass hovering by his lips. He tossed back the rest of his whisky and spun around on his bar stool to look at the crowd. He sighs, "These things are always the same. Same people, same outfits, same conversations. Signing the same thing in the same books."
"And the ever so popular 'Will you sign my chest.'" His mother chimes in with a grin.
"That one I don't mind so much." He swivels back around to look at her and his empty glass. "That's why I killed Derrick," he waves his hand, mimicking his mother in so many ways, "I was tired of the same story, the same characters."
"Just once I wish someone would come up to me and say something new." He hears someone clear their throat behind him and he swivels back around in his chair, reaching for the quill in the pocket on the front of his coat, hand stopping halfway there when he sees the woman in front of him. She's holding out a badge, it's so close to him he has a hard time focusing on anything but the word Auror and his eyes dart to her lips as they part to let out words he can barely concentrate on.
"Katherine Becket, Auror department. I'm going to need you to come with me Mr. Castle." He just sits there and blinks at her, and he feels his mother lean in behind him and whisper something in his ear.
"That's new."