All the Time in the World | Sirius Black

22. Forever Young

I haven't a single clue why there are wizards and witches that detest muggles. Muggles are beyond interesting with their electricity and ideals. Lily's mother, Jade, is absolutely one of the best muggles I'd ever met, probably even one of the best people I've ever met— in par with Mrs Weasley. Petunia, Lily's older sister, on the other hand, is horrible. She is probably why pureblood wizarding families have such problems with muggles.

My favourite appliance that Lily had shown me was a music box, much like a wireless but it connected with a wire to a plug into the wall.

"Rory, are you going to sit around the stereo all day or are we going to go to the diner in town?" Lily laughed at me.

"Oo, the muggle one?" I stood up quickly.

My family had never taught me anything about muggles or anything about them. Hermione had never invited me to her home, I had only met the Grangers once in Diagon Alley. The more time I spent with Lily, the more I find muggles amazing.

I heard a scoff from the kitchen and knew it was Petunia. Any instant where I say "muggle" or seem overly fascinated is some type of electrical device, she always made a comment or scoffed about me. Lily always told me to ignore her despite my heavy desire to jinx her.

"If I do it now, Lily, I can jinx her," I huffed, "right between the shoulders!"

"Aurora," Lily warned, "it's illegal to—"

"I know," I said. "She's just— ugh!"

"I say we Apparate there, yeah?" said Lily, changing the subject. "It's on Tottenham Court Road."

"Oh," I breathed as the color drained on my face, "is it now?"

"They have the best diner cafe there," Lily smiled completely oblivious to my newfound anxiety.

The first and last time I was there, Death Eaters awaited Harry, Ron, Hermione, and me. Although the situation being two decades into the future, I still held on to the small fear of meeting a pair of Death Eaters there again.

Slipping on my shoes, I gave Lily a tight smile and Apparated onto the street. I landed in the same spot my friends and I landed after Bill and Fleur's wedding. My heart raced as I looked around at the scenary, not much has changed, but this time it was midday instead of nightfall. I heard a crack next to me and saw that Lily landed to my right.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Lily gushed and grabbed my wrist, weaving us through the throng of people.

"What cafe are we going to?" I asked.

"This one," Lily said, pulling me into the dreaded diner.

It looked cleaner than before and had small semi-oval music boxes on the tables. Lily and I slid into a booth and she picked up a menu.

"Do you have muggle money?" I whispered.

"Yeah, I have a few notes," she smiled.

As the time passed, I grew a little less anxious about being in the diner. Lily passed it off as my anxiety about being around so many muggles, I let her. Growing more comfortable, I laughed at Lily's horrible jokes as we ate our shared meal.

"So have you given it any thought?" Lily asked me.

"Given what thought?"

"Spending some of your summer with Sirius," said Lily.

"Oh," I said softly feeling sad. Did I annoy her that much that she doesn't want to spend—

"Don't think negatively," Lily added at my lack of response. "I was just curious being that he had invited you and you've been sending each other owls all summer. It only makes sense for you to see him! We have two and a half weeks until term begins and your birthday is coming up."