Remembering Me

Although I had expected it, I was a little surprised by the speed of Jessica's recovery.When I came down from the attic at night, I heard the sound of bathing water coming from the guest room, so I made some sandwiches and other food that would not cause harm to my cooking skills and sent them to the room.

It was more than ten hours before she reappeared in front of me, holding the dinner plate I sent the night before, without making any comments about me and the wine bottle beside me.When she came out of the kitchen again, the bottle of whiskey had run out, and I woke up after drinking the strong tea she handed me, and found that dinner had been set on the table.

The dishes are uncomplicated, pasta, pies and vegetable soups, smelling delicious.Once again, I force myself to swallow a portion, long enough for Jessica to finish her meal and then slowly tackle the ice cream for dessert.Jessica ate my portion of the ice cream in passing, licking her lips contentedly, after I expressed my conviction that I would spit out what I had just swallowed if I swallowed even a drop of water.

"Looks like you've, uh... reapplied?" My throat was a little dry, and I was immediately aware of the subtle change in the atmosphere, "I mean, the stuff you use to change your skin tone."

"Yes. I'll be leaving right now," Jessica said.

"Isn't there still one more day?" I was a little surprised.

"Now that I'm out, there's something to check. And it's better sooner than later."

"……All right."

While Jessica cleaned up the dishes and put them back in the cupboard, and walked from the dining room to the door, I was in a state of self-war.

"Goodbye."

"You..." Jessica, who turned around to leave, looked at me again, her probing gaze made the second half of my sentence stagnate.

It's a shame, isn't that a problem?it's not a big deal……

I took a deep breath: "If you...are free, would you like to come for Christmas?"

Seeing her stunned for a moment, I explained: "No other meaning, but I think you may not be too willing to go home for Christmas, and here...you see, the place is very big. Of course, if you have a job, it's okay Now, it doesn't matter if you want to spend the holidays at the Burrow or somewhere more pleasant."

Jessica blinked and took a quick glance into the empty old house.She must be envisioning the most likely way for me to spend this Christmas: drinking the last few bottles of whiskey all by myself on Christmas Eve and sleeping through December 12th, with Kreacher mumbling around me.This made me even more frustrated and annoyed.

"You can refuse, don't worry about me. I'm just asking." I said.

Jessica thought for a moment, "I think I can."

I try not to surprise myself too obviously.

"If I hadn't, you know, died by Christmas." Jessica grimaced, "Christmas with my father really bores me, and I've been absent for years under various guises. "

Most people would frown or even protest at the first half of the sentence, but I've joked with Jaime about it enough times for me to appreciate the humor.I smiled: "So, see you at Christmas?"

"Goodbye."

With some kind of ulterior motive, I gently pushed against the door that Jessica had closed, and peeked out through the gap.

As dusk fell, a mist fell over Grimmauld Place.Just as a background, there is not much difference between the beginning and the end of a day. I think what I see must be very similar to what Jessica has in mind—she walks leisurely from the Residents passed through, and soon became a small silhouette in the light purple and rose red background.

Only a small number of people can understand the meaning of "turn around and never look back".

Jessica and Bob cleaned up the old house more than nothing, and within a few days the dining table was piled up again with dishes and leftovers.No crossword puzzles to pass the time this time though, partly because no one brought a new paper, but partly because I was doing something I hadn't done in at least 14 years: making plans.

Christmas trees, ribbons, bells...what else?I agonized over the pitifully short list, trying to wring out from the depths of my brain the memory of Christmas at Hogwarts.Of course, turkey and Christmas pudding can't be left out, and since - in the most optimistic case - it's just me, Jessica and Remus, and maybe Tonks, it might be better to order a smaller portion Fits... who cares!Anyway, the coins in the Black family vault are about to grow hairy, and Jessica may be able to solve the weight of four people by herself.

I was amused by the thought for a few seconds, and without hesitation marked "Biggest Serving" on the list.

After confirming that new nouns can no longer be dug up, we entered the next question-how to purchase.Even if I don't mind exposing the existence of No. 12, Grimmauld Place, I can't disclose this address as I am not a secret keeper.In theory, it is enough for the owl mail to have the name of the consignee. Imagine the expression of the owner of the restaurant receiving a letter from a murderer who has been at large for two years and has 13 lives in his hands. It seems to be a good idea to do so. idea.

Alas, there is always a way.

After scratching my chin with the end of a quill pen and struggling for half an hour, I went down the stairs from the living room again and kicked open the door of the wine cellar.No one was bothered enough to lock the wine cellar, the brass lock was so snugly embedded in the wall beside the door frame that it looked as though it had been there to glimmer in the basement since the beginning of construction.This is due to the effort I spent all afternoon chipping away at the brass surfaces and carefully digging lock-shaped holes in the wall one afternoon in October.

On the way back I might have ordered the wandering Kreacher to get out of my sight, because there was that dry, slightly itchy feeling in my throat after a roar.Even when I did I didn't realize that nearly half a year of beating on Kreacher clung to me like the smell of alcohol, depression, and rot, becoming part of the air of the old house.

"Arthur Weasley is seriously injured, wife and children will be here soon."

My "Merlin I would hate to see my family descend here" great-great-grandfather and most unpopular headmaster in Hogwarts history Phineas Nigellus Black paid him a rare visit around midnight here The portrait of the defiled old house, with his slow and contemptuous tone, pulled back my thoughts that had wandered into the Forbidden Forest, condescendingly conveyed such a message to me, and then just like when he appeared Disappeared as simply and neatly.

As soon as I figured out the meaning of the combination of these simple words, my godson in pajamas and some red hair appeared in front of me with a burst of blue light.The moment I saw Harry, I suddenly regretted those two bottles of whiskey I had downed earlier.

Harry's face was terrified, and his green eyes were terrified.He was always a brave boy who surprised me, and I had never seen him so frightened when he escaped Voldemort last year.

I want to pull him aside and ask directly, but the top priority is to stabilize this group of children whose emotions are already on the verge of losing control.Harry's eyes silently glanced at the deserted dinner flickering by candlelight in the basement kitchen - the part of me that as a reliable godfather should not be seen, this is really more important than Fred's "I didn't see your life in danger" Embarrass me.

I don't usually claim to be insightful, but disguising isn't by any means Harry's or James' strong suit, and in recounting that vivid dream of seeing Arthur attacked, I see him holding back.This is more likely due to the fact that it may not be a good idea to tell everything when there are a group of emotional and loud Weasleys in the dining room, but I still can't help but wonder if Harry has suddenly realized that he can rely on and trust his godfather Not so safe either.

After a sleepless night, Molly did not appear until the morning with the news that Arthur was out of danger.