Sarah Beth~
As a few days went by, Mr. Dinkleberry started working me harder than ever. I barley had any free time to do anything. My weeks consisted of working and sleeping, and that was about it. That's what it took to realize that I missed the Wizarding World, where the fortune left from my Umbridge heritage let me work as I wanted. I never had to worry about money there. But I mostly missed Rufus the most.
That Friday at about 9:00 afterwork, Ashley sat with me on the couch. We were watching some of his Star Trek dvds on the TV Mr. Cornelius had gotten me for Christmas when I sighed, thinking about my old life.
"What is it?" Ashley looked over at me. I shook my head.
"It's nothing." I lied. He put an arm around me.
"You're lying."
"Oh, fine." How did he always know? "I miss Rufie."
"Rufie?" He questioned.
"Rufus."
"Oh," His face filled with understanding. "You're really close to him, aren't you?"
"Uh-huh." I sighed again.
"Well, you don't have to work tomarrow. Why don't you go see him?"
" I could, but he'd be at work." I yet again sighed. "I just miss home all together. Don't get me wrong, I love it here. You're amazing. And Jeff and Paige and Cal and Taylor and everyone, but it's just-"
"I understand." He kissed my cheek. "You should go."
"Do you want to go?" I asked. He looked taken by surprise.
"Can I...?"
"I don't see why not. The Ministry isn't harassing me about you anymore. They still bother me about working for them, though."
"Why don't you just take the job? Anything would be better than working at the Bean, atleast for you."
"Because, remember how Auntie is?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't pretend that she isnt' crazy. She is. That Ministry did that to her .I had a spot in the Ministry saved for me since Auntie got custody over me. As soon as I graduated from school I was suppose to take her place as Chief Undersecretarty to the Minister of Magic."
"Why didn't you take it? That shounds like a pretty good gig."
"By that time certian, er, events were happening, and I knew it would be the wrong thing to do." I looked down. There was no way I could bring up the Wizarding War. It had to many painful memories to go along with it. It would be like the band aids that were put over my shots; It's like I put some over those memorie so I wouldn't have to deal with them. Bringing it up would be like ripping it off, which, as I figured out, hurts.
"Oh, well." Ashley squirmed a bit, feeling uncomfortible. "You could still see him. I'll go with you if you want me to."
"Yeah." I smiled. I'd like that."
"Great!" He smiled back. I leaned it and let our smiles run into each other.
.................................................................................................
The next morning Ashley came over at about noon, ready to go. I could tell he was nerviously excited. I guess he was unsure of what to expect. I didn't really understand why, but I guess it was like when I went into the Muggle world. I was used to magic, and he wasn't. For all his life he thought it was some kind of fiction.
