how it feels to be alive {tom riddle}

two: coffee

COFFEE

They found a booth at the back, and Tom eyed the technology in the room with extreme caution as he slid into the worn leather couch.

A waiter with dark under eyes came to take their orders quickly. Lucia ordered a latte and a sandwich, and Tom ordered a black coffee.

"So why do you want to know so much about the wizarding world if you're a wizard?" Lucia questioned once the waiter had left to process their orders, she wasn't even sure if her question made sense.

"I thought the deal was that I got to ask the questions."

"Far out, sorry." She replied, not fond of his unfriendly demeanour, "Can we at least wait until the coffee comes, my head is spinning."

"What are you doing out on the streets dressed like that at this time of night anyway?" He demanded.

"Obviously I was at a club. My God, when are you from? The 50s?" She joked.

She was close, only off by a couple of years.

He sighed in annoyance. He was rather embarrassed to be sitting with the girl, but he knew no one here anyway, and he needed her for information.

The waiter brought over two steaming mugs of coffee, and Lucia pulled hers toward her gratefully and thanked him. A sandwich was also placed in front of her, which she eagerly bit into.

"What has happened since the Battle of Hogwarts?" Tom inquired.

"Voldemort died, the world just kind of recovered and moved on... What would you expect? So many people lost loved ones, everyone just had to adjust and keep living." She explained, and paused to sip her coffee and take another bite of her sandwich. Having something in her stomach other than hard liquor was beginning to make her senses become clearer. "I wasn't even born when it happened anyway, I'm not the best person to ask."

He pondered her words for a while.

"And Harry Potter?"

"I don't even know the man, I go to school with his sons though. He just married Ginny Weasley and moved on. Where have you even been? How do you not know this? It's literally common knowledge, I don't get why I'm explaining this to you." She huffed. Upon sitting down, the lateness of the night was catching up on her and she felt fatigued.

"And what is the general feeling about Lord Voldemort himself? Surely people are impressed at the power he held." He commented carefully.

"Are you serious? He literally almost destroyed the wizarding world. No one thinks he was good. He was freak wizard who got caught up in immortality and killing a teenage boy." She scoffed, "I mean sure he was pretty good at magic, but he was still no match for Albus Dumbledore."

Tom tensed his jaw. A few minutes of silence passed while he thought about what she said.

"Listen I'm really tired. I think I'm just going to get a room at the hotel next door." Lucia revealed, pushing her empty plate forward and taking a last sip of her coffee.

Tom didn't make any sign that he had heard her.

She got up, stumbling a bit still. But she managed to cross the café and she tapped her card on the eftpos machine, paying for his drink as well.

He slid out of the booth, walking toward the door with her. He opened the door for her and she walked dreamily out into the street.

"How chivalrous." She scoffed at his gesture.

He shook his head. He wanted to continue quizzing her, but knew from her clumsy steps that she was much too drunk to answer any of his more complex questions. He realised instantly that he didn't have any money, he'd have to use the imperious curse just to get a room at the hotel without paying. An annoying inconvenience, but he'd do it nonetheless.