Strange Places to Make Rash Decisions

It was a crowded day in the muggle London when Dumbledore, Hagrid, Harry and Lupin decided to take a break from their long journey and enjoy the simple pleasures of a non-magical meal. They were dressed in their most muggle-like clothing but it apparently wasn't good enough. They had been getting confused stares from every passer-by they encountered. And also the fact that they weren't the most ordinary-looking of people; a half-giant, a very old man with an extremely long beard and a young, raggedy-looking boy with a peculiar lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. Only Lupin seemed not to attract blank stares, but walking with the rest didn't help. They all enjoyed a pleasant conversation while searching for a place to sit and eat. Then they found it, a homey little place that was somewhat in-between the Leaky Cauldron and Madam Puddifoot's called Dawn's Diner which reminded Harry of Valentine's day with Cho. Without words they walked in and sat down at the booth furthest away from anyone else and began talking cautiously about the Ministry and Hogwarts.

Hagrid looked tiredly at the rest, "I don't see why the rest of 'em would be movin' westward..." He rubbed his cramped leg. He looked around to see that the rest were extremely exhausted too. They had spent the first few weeks of the summer after Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts looking for the giants Hagrid met before with Madame Maxime. Only to find that they had moved to a different location. "Thank yer all fer coming with me."

"No problem Hagrid." smiled Lupin.

"It's been a pleasure." Dumbledore smiled too and Hagrid tried to hold back a relieved grin.

"Great workout also." Harry broke the awkward silence and they all laughed.

Twenty feet away, a young waitress saw them walk in and almost had to run over to help them. She loved helping the strange people that rarely ever walked in, she felt somewhat drawn to them. Like they immediately had connection about something she couldn't talk about. As she walked over she de-creased her dorky pink uniform for work and straightened her name pin. She started cheerily. "Welcome to Dot's Diner..."

"I thought it was Dawn's Diner?!?" said Dumbledore, looking suspiciously up at the waitress through his half-moon spectacles like he did a number of times for Harry.

"Oh, now that makes more sense...it's my first day here and I really don't care for the job." She put on her best helpful smile that got her the job in the first place. Her short blonde hair fell in her face and made her blue eyes stand out even more. "Now, can I start you all off with something to drink?"

"Hmmm..." They all looked down at their menus no knowing what to order. None of them had ever been to a muggle restaurant before. Even though Harry had lived in the muggle world for ten years, he had never been to one before because the Dursleys didn't like to be seen with him in public.

"Do you need a few more minutes?"

"Um, yes..." Lupin glanced quickly at her name pin. "Arrano? What a pleasant name." The others exchanged smiles then looked at him knowingly and Remus smiled when he saw Arrano slightly flush at his words. "What would you recommend?"

"Well..." Arrano was in her element. She loved to take charge and show people just what she was made of. When Arrano finished they all ordered and as she went to get their drinks Dumbledore turned to Lupin.

"Ah," he chuckled slightly, "Remus, you're old enough to be her father." The others laughed a bit too, including Lupin.

"I know Albus but she does seem very familiar, just something about that girl..." He turned to look at her working away to get their drinks.

"Here you are. Two waters, tea," she handed it to Hagrid, "and one hot chocolate..." she smiled at Lupin while she handed him his drink. She knew he was probably about her father's age if he was still alive, but maybe he had a son...

"Would you 'appen to know anything 'bout the magic show on the sign over there?" Hagrid pointed to a colorfully printed poster on the window. The four were very interested to see what magic these muggles knew.

"Never been to it, never actually wanted to... just a bunch of smoke and mirrors." Arrano never heard anyone ask about it before. "I honestly could do better..." she mumbled under her breath, hoping to be heard if they knew something that no one else ever even dreamed of.

"What do you mean?" asked Lupin.

"You know who I told you about a week ago? Well," Dumbledore nodded in Arrano's direction.

"Oh, you mean the witch that..." Lupin started.

"No way... you mean you're a..." Harry lowered his voice considerably as everyone else watched him. "-A witch?"

Dumbledore smiled while Arrano nodded. Harry gazed up open-

mouthed at her. Arrano sat down in the empty space next to Lupin and stared at Dumbledore. "I need to talk to you..."

"So, had enough of the Muggle world?" Dumbledore asked like he already knew the answer.

"What? No, I just- I just had to ask you if you could help me with... you know..."

"With what? Dumbledore, how do you know..." Lupin cut Harry off in the middle.

"Later," he told Harry under his breath.