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75- Ghosts of Us

Again I woke before Theo, not out of choice or because I wanted to wake early, in fact all I wanted was a lie in, I was severely jet lagged and exhausted, but my sleep kept getting disturbed due to the fact that what I had learnt was eating me alive.

I hated myself for finding out myself, I should have stayed out of it and let someone else deal with it because I couldn't deal with breaking the news to Blaise. I was procrastinating just doing it, but I didn't want to risk him falling completely off the edge. So I contemplated for a while, and I wound up in Camden. Not to him, of course, but I don't know really why I went there, I think maybe I figured it might have calmed my nerves if I was to visit somewhere nostalgic, maybe it would take my mind off of things.

Draco wouldn't be awake yet, there would be no point going to his for advice, I needed to kill time in the early hours of the morning.
So I went to an old cafe, somewhere I had been a million times before. The owner didn't recognise me anymore, my heart sank a little. No one cared anymore, I meant nothing here, titles and power were a funny thing, Avery meant nothing but a last name now.

I ordered a coffee and took a seat on one of the small singular tables as I waited absentmindedly. I was the only one there, it was so early, the only other person was a staff member who was mopping the back. It was sort of peaceful. The streets were quiet too, people were probably getting ready for work in their rooms. A couple of minutes passed and an elderly man walked in, bingo cards in hand and a walking stick. The lady who was mopping rushed to hold the door open for him as he struggled to balance everything.
He ordered a tea and sat on the table besides me.

Please don't start conversation with me. Please.

"I heard the tubes are down, people will struggle to get into work today. Bloody nightmare." He muttered.

I hummed in response and drummed my fingers on the bare table impatiently. I was cold, it was freezing in there, I desperately wanted my coffee to warm me up, I was very cranky because it was morning and we were in the minus degrees and I didn't want to be rude but the last thing I wanted was to talk to him.

"It's the Northern line. There was a delay in Euston, took me a while to come here. I think Bakerloo and Piccadilly are operating as usual though."

I nodded, smiling politely. Why was he telling me? Did I ask for a daily update on the London Underground? Why were old people so strange sometimes? I felt like they were a broken record, like they just spoke nonsense and gibberish, that nobody asked for, but that sounded very mean.

"Your coffee is ready."

Finally.

I got up to go to the counter. The bells jingled on the main door, I assumed it'd be another staff member, the place had barely opened, so I didn't bother looking to see who it was as I grabbed the mug and went back to my seat.
As soon as I sat down, I cringed, I had forgotten to ask for sugar. So I got up again, this time as I raised my head, I was surprised I didn't trip over my feet and land flat on my face, because it was just my bloody luck wasn't it that he of all people would be here.

He was sorting out the ends of his coat, he hadn't seen me yet. I considered bolting, apparating away and if I was to serve time in Azkaban for performing magic in front of this old Muggle man then so be it, I would testify that he had dementia and was seeing things because I couldn't see Remus, I was.. I just.. I was embarrassed, it was awkward, it would.. just no.