Coming Home

A Dinner Reunion

Emma

 

Emma  had picked out a red dress with golden earrings and gold heels. She figured if they were going to talk Harry Potter she would dress in her house colors. Rupert was going to be late, so she figured she should at least get there on time so she could reserve a table. She was about to enter Olive Garden when she heard someone.

“Granger.”

Emma turned around to see not Rupert, but Tom standing before her. She didn’t know that he was coming! She ran towards him and gave him a hug. When he let go, she took a second and got a good look at him.  He had gotten slimmer over the past couple years, and his natural hair was much better now that he didn't have to dye it. He, too, was wearing his house colors. A dark green dress shirt, with a silver tie. “Great minds think alike, huh?”

Emma smiled. “I guess so. I didn't know you were in the states!"

"Our shooting moved here a couple days ago and Rupert called me to meet him here."

"Oh. So how have you been?”

Emma and Tom talked for a good thirty minutes, when they finally saw Rupert walk through the door, looking exhausted. They had a group hug, before Rupert told Emma and Tom to go to his car. When they got there, Rupert asked Emma her opinion on the sequel.

“So Emma, what do you think about the sequel? Are you up for it?”, Rupert asked.

“I don’t know. Are you two up for it?”

“Of course!” replied Tom. “David called my manager and everything’s fine. He told me he had talked to yours, but he was just waiting for your response.”

“Well, if it’s okay with my manager…..why not?

Emma looked over Rupert’s shoulder and saw Dan walking their way. Rupert, Tom, and Emma quickly walked over to where Dan was and embraced him in a group hug. Emma swore she felt her eyes watering up. She hadn’t seen Dan in forever. She looked at Rupert and Tom, and they both had large smiles on their faces. It was good to  have the Golden Trio back. Well, the Golden Trio plus Draco.

Dan

 

Dan had done his best to get ready in time. He didn’t want to look too formal, because it wasn’t a premiere or anything. But this meeting felt more important than any premiere of his life. Even though it had been his choice, he hadn’t seen Rupert or Emma in a while. He didn’t want any constant reminders of Harry Potter, so he had cut off all connections with all of the cast. Of course, if he ran into Rupert, Emma, or the Potter gang, he would have to say hello. But he would usually come up with an excuse to leave early, as to not re-develop any close relationships. But now, after a long time, there would be not excuse to leave. No laundry to do, or film shooting to attend. He would be with Rupert and Emma, two of his oldest and best friends in the world. When his driver pulled up in front of the Times Square Olive Garden, he got out. He saw Rupert, Emma, and to his surprise, Tom. He saw all three of them quickly approaching him, and embracing him into a group hug. He couldn’t hide a smile, and he saw Emma tear up. When they broke apart, there was a bit of silence before Rupert spoke.

“Come on then, let’s eat!”

Dinner was delicious. They all caught up with each other, future films, personal life, anything. Emma had the most to talk about, since she had graduated from Brown. Tom briefly talked about Timber’s death, before moving onto Murder in the First. Rupert joked about how auto tuned his voice was in his song recording. When they finished dinner, Dan looked over at Emma to see her tearing up again.

“I can’t believe it’s over.”, she said. “A couple hours and we won’t see each other anymore. And we haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

“Oh come on don’t cry!” replied Dan. “I thought we had just seen each other at the Quidditch World Cup!”

Everyone laughed at the Harry Potter joke Dan had made about J.K. Rowling’s small epilogue...

“Oi, Harry, I heard you got some gray hairs!” joked Rupert.

“Well at least my daughter won’t marry a Malfoy!" laughed Dan.

“Oh yes.” Added Emma. “I’ve read all about that. It seems that us muggles have created a newspaper called fanfiction. In one, I heard Rose has a baby.”

“Not under my watch she doesn’t! My little Rosie will never marry a Malfoy!" replied Rupert.

“Hey, what’s so wrong with the Malfoys?” asked Tom, in character. “At least I know that my daughter-in-law can afford the best. Be right back.” Tom quickly ran into the bathroom and returned shortly, his hair styled in a Draco Malfoy haircut. “That’s more like it.”

Emma, Rupert, and Dan ran into the bathrooms and came back with their hair fixed as Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s. When they sat down, they continued to talk about Harry Potter. After a while, Tom looked at Emma, who looked at Rupert, as a sign that they needed to ask The Question.

“Um, Dan, you got a call from David today, right?” Tom nervously asked.

“Yeah! Did all of you?” They all nodded silently.

“Well, as much as I wish I could, it’s a no for me. I don’t want to go back to that, it’s just gone on too long. Don’t you all think so?” The three sat in silence. Dan stared at them.

“You were going to ask me to do it, weren’t you? That’s why you’re all silent.” They nodded their heads again. “Guys….I honestly loved playing Harry. I really did. But that’s all I did, I played Harry. I’m not Harry Potter, I don’t want the press to keep calling me Harry Potter. We’ll probably be sixty and I’ll still be known as Harry Potter. I just want to keep this down to a minimum, and if I do the sequel, it’ll be Harry Potter all over again. I’m sorry.”

Rupert sighed. “It’s alright mate. We respect your decision. But before we separate, I want everyone to come to the car.

 Everyone followed Rupert into his car, where they all sat down. There was a small TV, and Rupert said he wanted the three of them to watch something while he videotaped their reaction. Dan was the smallest, so he had to sit in the middle of Tom and Emma. Rupert pressed play as Dan looked up to see a video montage of their time together in Harry Potter. While watching, Tom handed everyone a muffin. “Try these, it’s my new recipe.” Rupert ate the whole muffin in one bite, and Emma took small bites, savoring each bit. Dan ate it last. He was about to take another bite, when he blacked out.