WHO: Demelza Robins, open WHEN: Tuesday, January 13, 2002 WHERE: Diagon Alley WHAT: Breakfast RATING: PG STATUS: Public.
It was snowing.
Demelza was cold, her scarf frozen, she had to be in Caerphilly to attend her training session in an hour and then -- if, and there was a big 'if', she managed to survive that -- there was enduring some kind of a lunch with her step-brother. She didn't know how he'd managed to con her into agreeing, but she wasn't looking forward to it. Especially since he was hope to "talk", whatever that meant. Wasn't this some sort of a role reversal? Wasn't she the one supposed to unnerving him with the prospect of some kind of uncomfortable, unwanted inquisition in which the other party was to be cornered and intimidated into releasing answers to probing questions? And what on earth could Noah possibly want to talk to her about?
Unless Poppy had made a mess in his shoes and he wanted them replaced. Well, thought Demelza a little unkindly, If that is the case, then he's more of a whinger than his mother - and that's saying something. She was still struggling to accept these new additions to her father's life that had invaded her home and filled her pretty, childhood attic bedroom with boxes and boxes and boxes of their useless junk and belongings. Urgh.
Pushing her way through the morning crowd along Diagon Alley, she headed straight for a cafe that wasn't quite as busy as her more favoured stops - and pushed the door open. A man in a bowling hat shivered and frowned grumpily over his pot of tea, slice of toast and a copy of The Daily Prophet.
"Sorry!" she winced and closed the door behind as quickly as humanely possible before walking towards the counter to inspect the menu as she removed her gloves. There were a couple of familiar faces within this room, she surmised quickly. But her stomach was growling, and the cue was already four people long - so she'd have to wait to order before greeting anyone. And besides, they all seemed to be otherwise engaged in their own personal morning routines for the moment, anyway.