New Friends

"That's fine," Lizzie said, pinning the order sheet to the steel shelving above the grill with a wave of wandless magic. Oh, the dessert menu changes frequently so we can keep the pastries fresh. Right now, we have 3 different cheesecakes in addition to our usual offerings. We have a key lime cheesecake, a chocolate mousse cheesecake, and also a lemon. I'm working on a chocolate orange cheesecake, but it won't be ready for sale until probably tomorrow."

"Lizzie, when you get that chocolate orange one done up, would you please forward two of them to Brian's and then put it on my tab? "

"Of course, Khaat," Lizzie smiled. "I know how addicted you are to cheesecake. "

"Ronata, Lizzie is an excellent pastry chef. We're known throughout the wizarding folk around here for our huge scones in the morning, our large warm cookies, and especially for the cheesecake. My husband actually started the cheesecake thing, but...well, he doesn't work here anymore. " As she was speaking, Brian apparated in with Abbey in her carrier and a diaper bag on his shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late," he smiled at Khaat, "I was having such a good time with Abbey that I just lost track of time. She's all yours, 'Mom.""

"Thank you, "Khaat said, taking Abbey out of her carrier. She looked at Ronata, "Ronata, this is my daughter Abbey. She's almost 3 months old now. And this is my friend, Brian Quinn. I'm sure you'll eventually meet all my family and friends. "

"Nice to meet you, Ronata, "Brian smiled, reaching out to shake her hand.

Ronata nodded as lizzy spoke about the chesse cakes "I'll make a noteof that " she said writing it in her note book as she wrote she felt some one enter the room looking up to see a man with a baby in a carrier. Ronata looked down at the baby and smiled as Khaat intoduced ehr as her daughter Abby.

"she looks like you" she said and held Abbys small hand "shes beautiful" she said smiling turning to look at the man who had brought Abby with him. Seeing his hand out she smiled again.

" pleasures mine" She said shaking his hand she felt a little uncomfortable around him. Taking her order witch now sat on a tray she moved back out to the table with the children and served them . Returning minets later she placed her tray back on the table.

"The lady on table 3 would like to try the chocolate mousse cheesecake " she said as she smiled at Abby holding her small hand she smiled " Ten tiny little fingers that always want to play,That never stop exploring the wonder of today. Ten tiny little fingers that from the very start, Will reach out for tomorrow yet always hold your heart. " she said as she could not resist Abbys charm.

"That's beautiful. I've never heard that before, but it certainly describes Abbey," Khaat smiled. "And Brian spoils her--a lot. "

"I do not," Brian said, watching Lizzie serve up a slice of chocolate mousse cheesecake to fill the new order.

"Oh, you do, too!" Lizzie laughed out loud, knowing how he doted on the beautiful little girl who had stolen his heart so completely. He loved to buy things for her--his last purchase being an enormous soft overstuffed teddy bear that came halfway up his chest. Khaat had laughed so hard it had brought tears to her eyes. She had told Brian that Abbey would be 16 before she could carry the darned thing. He'd brought the bear to Sparks while Khaat was writing checks one morning, and it had startled Lizzie at first. The Cockney cook had seen the bear just out of the corner of her eye and had first thought it was a troll strolling into her kitchen until she took a double take and had seen Brian carrying the gigantic bear. Even now as Lizzie told the story of it to Ronata, the visual picture she still had of it made Khaat and her laugh.

Ronata smiled "its an old romanian saying " she said smiling to Abby "Im not suprised she is so cute , you will have to watch her for boys chasing her when she is older" she said picking up the tray and walking back out. As she passed the man called Brian she smiled politly and continued into the dinning area to place the chese cake down for the lady who requested it before taking away the dirty dishes.

Returning she slipped each dish into the washer and started it going before placing the tray once more on the table and standing where she could see the cafe she the two children that had come with the woman. Ronata took out her pad and tallied up the cost for the family. Galncing threw she saw the father wave to her and she moved back out. With a ring of the till she smiled as they paid "come back again soon" she said cheerfully.

Walking back into the kitchen and noted the time on the clock on the wall "Khaat do you think this leacky coudren will have rooms spare, even this late ?" she asked her hoping she would say they would. She really didn't like the idea of pending the night over a pub as she didn't drink nor had she ever. just the thought turned her stomach. The sound of mens laughter the sonstand worry they would step into the wrong room or delibratly step in to take advantage of her , no she didn't like that idea at all hoping thre was another alternative in on the alley she could stay at. One not filled with roudy drunk men.

"Oh, I'm quite sure," Khaat said. She noticed Ronata's obvious anxiety about the Leaky's rooms. "You really have nothing to fear about their rooms. They don't tolerate any nonsense with the rooms. It's safe enough that sometimes we would stay there for a couple of days before the train took us to Hogwarts. My friends and I would come a couple days early so we could do our shopping for school and stayed on our own there many times. My parents are very protective, and they would not have ever allowed us to do that if there was any chance that we'd get mixed up in something frightening or bad. I know the owner of the Leaky Cauldron and most of the staff there, and they won't tolerate any riff raff or nonsense. And there are very reliable locks on the room doors. You'll be perfectly safe there for a few days while you get yourself settled. Would you like me to walk there with you so you'll feel a bit more at ease?"

"Why don't you let me do that, Khaat, so you can finish your work here?" Brian asked, "Besides, Abbey will be hungry soon, you know." Khaat looked at the clock. It was getting to be her feeding time.

"That would be nice, Brian. Thank you. At least she could get her room reserved for the night and look the place over a bit. What do you think, Ronata?"

she felt a bit better at khaats sugestion and reasurance about the coudren and the locks on the doors. she looked at Brian then to Khaat and nodded "ok let me close up the front and grab my coat " she said moving into the front.

Returning moments later to slip off her apron and hang it on the peg where her jacket sat she didn't put it on but hung it over her arm as she crossed back to Abby "now don't you give your mother trouble dragă (dear) Abby" she said smiling as she readied her her self to leave.

Moving to the back door she smiled at Khaat "Multumesc (thanks)Khaat for giving me the job " she smiled as they moved out into the alley she could feel the warmth of the day now cooling and pleasant against her skin as they headed for the leaky couldren. She still had hjer own thoughts about places like what she was going to stay at. She hoped the next day she would find some where to stay more perminantly.

"Khaat is a nice woman" she said softly "Brian, right?" she was unsure she ahd heard Khaat right when she had to go serve "her daughter is beautiful, I know she isn't yours as I can see it in Abbys eyes , you are more an uncle to her" she had a good sense when it came to people also she was trying to brake the ice with this man as he was the first she had met returning to hogsmead and and Dyagon alley.

"Yes," he said, walking through Diagon Alley with her. "Brian Quinn. I've been a friend of the Lupin family for years and years. Khaat and I grew up together. And you're right. Abbey's not mine, but I'm the only father figure she has in her life. And I couldn't love her more if she truly were mine. Abbey had a difficult way into the world. Khaat was barely 6 months when Abbey was born, but we were fortunate that Abbey is very, very healthy.

"Look, I know you won't want to stay at the Leaky Cauldron any longer than necessary, but you'll find someplace that you really like. I don't have any idea what kind of a place you're looking for, but if you give us a bit of an idea, perhaps we can help you find something. Khaat and her family are well liked here and I'm sure they would be able to help you find something or another. Be patient with yourself. Not everybody call fall right into permanent housing the same day they reach a new country. It takes time. But you'll find you're among friends with Khaat and her gang. They're good people. I don't see any sort of bags or anything. Do you have your things with you or do we need to perhaps get them from the train station?"

Ranata smiled as he explained about abby and how she was born early. "Then Mr Quinn you are very lucky to have both Khaat and Abby as freinds , I know people back in my home contry that had children that gestation and they grew up quite well and healthy, I my self was bearly 7 months when I was born and as you can see I am quite healthy" she said with a chuckle.

Ranata turned her head as he spoke of her search for a permanant home. "yes I know it will take time , what Im looking for is some where close to work, not to big nor to small with maybe a garden to sit out in on warm nights " She could not help smile a little " Some place homely, I don't mind the inn but the smell of drink , it turns my stomach, the sooner I can find a place away from it the better I will feel." she said.

She looked at him as he mentioned her lugage and the fact she didn't seem to have it with her. "I have it with me " she smiled taking out her pocket two small trunks and a suit case. "Its a useful spell, that shriking one." she said chukaling as they drew close to the inn.

Pushing open the door to the inn she held her stomach as the smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke that hung thick in the air of the room the had entered. She soi hoped she would not bring back the tea she had consumbed back in the cafe as they moved to the bar.

Brian walked up to the bar and inquired quietly about a room for the night, as far away from the noises and smells of the pub's dining room as possible. The innkeeper said they had a room on the third floor at the other end of the building. He said it was in unusually pristine shape because it was so rarely used. Brian knew the room well. It was often a meeting space for clandestine official meetings and was better furnished than the others. "I'll take it," he said, paying for a week's stay. The bartender gave him the key and gave him directions to the room that were, for Brian, unnecessary.

"This way," he said to Ronata, starting up the stairs.

Ronata lent forward holding onto his arm the smell now making her some what dizzy as she stood waiting. when he said they could go she was relived moving with him thought holding on to his coat to a door and up some steps or rather a lot of steps. Soon she found ehr self on th third floor and her stomach started to settle at te lack of beer smell , taking a deep breath she let out a deep sigh.

"You didn't have to pay for the room , I have money" she said softly as they moved down a corridor , the further away they got the better she felt herself become "I am sory about before, down stairs, I just became so dizzy, I just can't somach the smell of alcahol , my mother said that it as a good thing, means I won't drink , and I haven't" she watched the doors pass by wondering just where they were going , then he stopped at one door.