order to go (dm/hp)

[ order to go. ]

―THE 'KNEAD FOR SWEETS' BAKERY SAT ON THE EDGE OF DIAGON ALLEY, but one wouldn't have simply known that from the sight of the multitude and lines of customers that continued to pour in and out of it on a daily basis, crowding the passageway(s) and bringing the street alive with their constant buzz of chatter as they waited to get their hands on one of the creations from the well-known paisterrie. Harry himself would've been amongst those who complained about the long lines, for anyone was to barely able get through to the other shop doors ― especially during rush hour ― but the lines often brought in good business for him, so he didn't. Instead, when he opened up his coffee shop/open bar within the mid-early hours of morning, severals crowds took notice and entered through the door, Harry greeted them as if they were regulars; giving a bright smile before rushing behind the counter and beginning on their orders. Being situated right beside this popular bakery, Harry's mornings were not only filled with strong brews of coffee beans and mochas of his own shop, but also with powdered and baked sweets of the shop next door.

Rather than going into the Auror Department as everyone expected of him ― and even despite dreaming of it constantly when he was younger in his Hogwarts years ― after the war, Harry took the route of a quiet life: deciding that, more than anything, he needed time to think and to gather himself before stepping back out into the face of the public. So, for the first two months following the war, Harry lived in small little place similar to Shell Cottage with Hermione; taking comfort in the shadows of his bedroom upstairs, only leaving his room when he heard the pitter patter of the rain atop the roof and read a lengthy book by the window, or if it was to eat — enjoying the occasional visits from Ron, whenever he stopped by and wasn't up at the Ministry training for the Auror program.

This life was nice and it was peaceful, but Harry felt his stay was becoming heavily overdue. Days had turned into weeks, and weeks had begun to turn over into months.

The changes Harry had expected arrive within this time period never came. He knew that if he kept sitting around and blaming himself for all that, that nothing would ever change, and that this repeated cycle would never stop. So one sunny afternoon with nothing but a duffle-bag full of things in one hand, and his wand in the other, Harry left to find himself. Letters were sent after him, but not a single one got a reply. There was even a search, but Harry James Potter wasn't found within the Wizarding World...which led to tears of joy when he came back the following year, unharmed and appearing much better than when he left off. Within his time away, Harry had grown a full beard, and his form had filled out a bit more, a sign he'd been keeping himself in shape, and had been fed well. Hermione, The Weasley family and some of Harry's old school mates questioned him of of where he'd been, but Harry never let it spill that he traveled down to Muggle London in his year away, and even spent a while in Muggle America, befriending many.

Eventually, the questions turned onto his availability status. His relationship with Ginny ― if it could even be called that ― never resurfaced after their years at Hogwarts, and while he was a single as ever, when he returned, it was to find that she had begun a relationship with Dean and Seamus. Harry hadn't been bitter upon finding this out, however. He was actually glad about it, if he were being honest. Harry would probably never have said this aloud to her, or to anyone, really, but things between him and Ginny had been rushed from the start, and to continue after the War would've been an absolute disaster, not only for himself but for the both of them. While both lost someone or something within the War, their means of coping would've clashed and there would've been endless nights of arguing ― and Harry simply wasn't up to deal with that on a daily basis. Though, one good thing came out of it: the separation gave Harry the chance to understand himself a bit better.

Upon his year-long leave, Harry not only traveled widely, but he also took a trip on self-discovery. After severe long thinking and talking with those he met in similar situations, he finally came to the conclusion that he liked both women and men. All of his relationships in the past had been with women, but despite that, Harry knew he was attracted to men as well—perhaps even a bit more than women. However, his thoughts soon turned over to his attractions to his friends who identified as nonbinary, and other gender identities. He was bisexual, a Muggle friend had told him one day during lunch, and it perplexed him. Harry was happy there was a name for it, but he was unsure of how to react. He was unsure if he was supposed to keep this himself, whether this should be his official label, or if others would have somehow already known.