"What dinner?" Bryan inquired.
"Our celebration, it's been 60 days for 'Wicked witches' we are celebrating that" I beamed at him. He pulled a face.
"What do I have to do with your stupid shop's 60 days." He replied in boredom and flipped another page sitting in my chair again in my shop. The audacity of this boy! I threw daggers at him and he didn't even flinch.
"It's not my fault, I hate this place to the core. You are always freaking busy and hiding in this pit hole.!" He complained.
"Bryan!" I called his name in long lectured tone. So that he doesn't start again.
"You ignore me, you do realise how many plans you have cancelled, because there is always an emergency, always a final call, always this or that., It's not like I'm competing here with a guy I'm competing with a damn shop!" He blamed my precious shop infuriatingly.
I listened to his blabbering intently resting my face in my hands leaning on the desk, making an eye contact throughout, I couldn't help but crack a smile. I snorted actually. This made him more mad.
"Go to hell" He hissed and went back to reading. I snatched away his book and forced him to look. "That's why we are going out! To celebrate. Genius" I lightly smack his head with his own book.
"I am not interested" He growled.
"That's a relief to hear!" Sara chipped in. He immediately turned around to look at me. "She was in the plan? Weren't we both enough?" He sounded more irritated than a minute before.
"Yeah! Us three." I nodded in confusion. "I have been saying us. Right?"
"Us as in US. You and me. That's make us. Not some third wheel" Bryan gave Sara a side glance.
Sara gasped hearing Bryan and immediately started attacking him with her hands. "You are the third wheel, you insufferable Moron!" She shouted in his face.
I ran in between to safe Bryan from Sara's unforgivable wrath. To my surprise Bryan wasn't joking he was furious as her. What is happening!! "You guys! Stop acting like kids." I pushed them apart.
They both had ragged breathing still looking for a way to kill eachother. "We are going out tonight! So we are! And that's decided" I pointed my fingers at both of them. Or else they both have to suffer my fury.
After a long battle they both meekly nodded there heads and agreed. "Good." I said. "9'o clock at 'Winter Night' " like small kids pouting there faces they nodded there heads again. "Good. Now shake your hands" I commanded.
Bryan snorted and pushed me away as he walked out of the shop without looking back. "Shake our hands!" Sara mocked.
"I can always try" I laughed, yeah. I asked for world peace. How silly of me!
"Fiona, can you help me in arranging this boxes" I asked Fiona our assistant to help.
"Yes, of course" she smiled at me. She was a pretty little lady. With dark raven hair and black eyes. She was a cutie. But a smarty pant!
"There has been a low sales with 'Kerix'" Fiona said arranging bottles, "Okay. I will talk about it with Sara" I replied. Happy she is paying attention to the sales, She is fast learner and almost memorised the lotions and it's uses. Unpacking the boxes I saw a new product. 'Dust Drafe' it was black in colour and it smelled odd. "Sara, have you made another potion?" I asked her examining it closely. She came around and looked at the bottle. "Yeah, its my latest innovation. 'Dust Drafe' cool isn't it?" She took it from my hand and smelled it.
I smiled. "Yes, what does it do exactly?" I asked further more placing more of them on the rack.
"Oh. it's for a bad head aches, just like oil, you need to apply two only two drops of it and decrease the pain and also let you sleep for quite hours." She explained. I listened to her and my ears caught the word sleep. I turned around "Does it helps you to sleep?" I ask her wearily.
"To some extend, it will definitely knock you out for some hours" She replied. "Are you having trouble in sleeping?" She furrowed her eyebrow. "Nah! some on can borrow it from me, may be you can take a sample from my blood to mix in sleeping potion" I joked. She laughed along.
"Can I leave it's 7 and you said I can leave early today." Fiona asked. We both looked at each other "I need time to get ready, Its been ages since I went to party out. I am going home," Sara raised her hands up, I thinned my lips. She needs excuse to doll up, may be we all should retire early tonight. "Fine. You heard her. Be early tomorrow morning." I kept my hands on my hips. "Gotcha" Fiona beamed for bring released before time.
We packed our bags and closed the shop, Sara and I departed to get ready, we took our bikes back, just like we used to ride our bicycle before leaving for Paris. And I padded my way back home. Throwing the bag I straight went for shower and started getting ready. I couldn't decide for the dress or casuals. After almost emptying my closet I settled for A blue fit jeans with a white top beneath and a light blue denim shirt pairing it with mud coloured wedges. Strapping my Bag on my shoulder I brushed my red hair with my fingers throwing it back and sliding a long silver chain around my neck. I put a light pink gloss.
Moving to the kitchen I saw Mum had already cooked dinner, I took a plate and filled it with food covering it with foil, I went outside. Just a quick stop before heading 'Winter Night' The weather looked dark, and clouds gathered covering the sky, I rushed back and took an umbrella, just in case. And it thundered.
*************
"You can do it." I parked my bike aside and look at the centuries old house. Made of stones and craved with rich history, it has witness many great event, secrets which have been digged deeply in its chest, never to be reveled. Taking a deep breath I climbed the slippery steps, I knocked the door loudly once. And stepped back. No answer. I knocked again quickly scanned for any newspapers around. It was clean. I tried looking through window but it was heavily draped. Wind took a harsh blow and it raised a curtain inside of the house, stealing a light.
Lights are on. He is home, I knocked again and called his name, "Harry!!" and knocked again. No reply. I stomped my foot and pulled my coat around, it was getting cold. I banged his door again, with pure frustration. Just when I was about to give up, He moved the drape and I can only see his one eye. If I wasn't familiar with that eye. I would have freaked out. He took a full glance of me, top to bottom. I waved my hand "Hi. Harry, could you open your door?" I asked him nervously.
He stood there like a stone, irritation swelled up in me now. Am I not even welcomed in his home. He moved and after a beat I heard a click. The door opened, And I pushed it with my free hand. It opened with a creak echoing cringe noise. I stepped in and closed the door behind.
He already went inside, not bothering to stay, I took a good look around as I can barely see anything, it was dark and to be honest it looked haunted. I am sure he can spare some candles, adjusting my bag strap I followed the only thin light which was glooming the way to next room. The only room which beamed light.
Hesitant I took a step in and a soft glow of light illuminate the room, the room was equal to the living room back at my house, and it was just another room in this magnificent house, it was divided into two equal parts, two huge soft boards were hanged on two opposite walls facing each other, with equally large tables as a set. The boards were covered in hundreds of small notes, maps, and bullet points, treads were webbed connecting the points and blurred photos of various streets and different locations along with few repeated faces were pinned. On the table files were opened and thousands of lose papers covered the floor, it was a mess. Harry had his back on me and he was on the other side of the room marking some more points on another soft board. Where treads were hanging lose.
While looking at both sides, The side on which I was standing looked completed the treads in zig zag designs made my head spin, I started studying it with more curiosity, may be this is his work room, looking at the pictures I saw few older men, some scary scared looking men, some blurry images keeping my finger I started tracing the pictures as I can only understand that. rest everything was coded. My finger stopped at a bright picture, it was a family photo, A man and A Woman with a cute little chubby boy all of them smiling brightly at the camera, I smiled at the picture, next followed the pictures of the same small boy, a running one, and a picture of him laughing with his mother in her arms showing small milky tooth of his, I kept tracing them with the tread that allowed me to follow up avoiding the notes and route maps, The last picture made me gasped as I saw his tiny body covered in blood.
"Did you hacked the case?" Harry voice startled me and I jumped around my heart beating so fast it could outrun the Cheetah. I placed my trembling hand on my heart and I gulped, my throat went dry.
He stood in the middle of the room in black t-shirt and black jeans gazing me with his piercing gaze, He looked shabby, like had not showered in days, his eyes had dark circles even bigger than I last remembered, His shoulders hunched lower as if world's weight resides on them, yup! he definitely lost few pounds.
"Are you just gonna gawk at me, or tell me why are you here?" He asked irked.
I blinked and stood a little straighter shaking my head as a 'no' speak you fool, hand him the things and just run! His jaws clenched and I coughed.
"No!! I.. I actually.." Why am I stammering, "I came to see you," when he dint speak I awkwardly continued. " I came to see you and how are you doing? you know I actually came once before, you weren't home, To give you the invite! I hope you did saw, because you dint showed up." I blabbered without thinking.
"You came to ask me did I get invite? After months time?" He dryly asked.
I bit my lip and averted my eyes, " Yes, no, Yes...."Just shut up you fool. I should have made a list before, I inwardly scolded. "You have a interesting room here" I crocked my neck desperately trying to change the subject.
"Anything else to say? I am working. you can leave" Harry replied.
I bit my inside cheek, trying to let pass his insult, Opening my bag I took out the lotion 'Dusty Drafe' and food plate which I kept on his table. I took them in my hand and cleared my throat . "I bought you some food, and a lotion from my shop for your.."
"Don't need it, take it back with you" He replied turning back to his work.
"Mum made it, and this lotion is for your bad head aches and it helps you to sleep." I completed my sentence even after his interruptions.
"I. Don't. Need. It " Harry said darkly this time and his eyes turned dark matching his voice scale.
"Harry..." I said his name slowly and placed the lotion and food on the table again, his behaviour concerned me this time.
"Take it back and just fucking leave!" He said again his voice escalating a notch and I was shocked, he never cursed infront of me, never at me.
When I made no move, He came marching ahead and took the plate throwing at the wall, smashing it to piece, he took the lotion next throwing it again at the wall and it meet the same fate as the plate. I gripped the table behind me as I thought I might fall from his intake. The sound of breaking glass echoed in my ear and I looked at Harry, His breathing was heavy and he was trembling like me, but the difference was he was trembling with uncontrollable anger and I was with fear. He looked into my eyes and took a step back gulping as tears swelled up in my eyes.
"Just leave." He said again and exited the room.
I blinked rapidly as tears felt and I quickly brushed them away, intense Fear rose up in me, I should have never come here, or may just leave already when he was asking for it. with shaky legs I went to the pick the broken pieces, I scrunched down picking the glass carefully, food was splashed all over the wall with odd smell of lotion, black liquid mixed with my Mum's food. More tears made there way but soon my mix emotions of fear and sadness turned into agony and that stirred up suppressed anger in me.
I took my wand out "Reparo" I cast a spell and the plate was back to new. Getting up I went outside the room looking left and right, the house was still dark like the present mood. I went inside not outside like he commanded.
"Lumos" and bright light evaded darkness. We need to talk Potter!! I am not gonna run this time.