Tea Time With Death (𝗵𝗽/𝘀𝗽𝗻)

Ch. 2

CHAPTER TWO

November 1992

Lily Evans wasn't sure how her friend had convinced her to go to a bar but there she was, sitting on a stool surrounded by half drunk adults and a smell she was sure was weed.

Her friend, Gabriella, had abandoned her not even two minutes after stepping into the place to go and grind on some stranger's lap.  As such she sat alone, sipping her cheap whiskey and feeling sorry for herself.

Her face pinched at the sight of two people half humping one another in the corner and turned her gaze to the shelves of alcohol behind the counter. "Need anything else?" The bartender — Karl, according to his name badge — asked her.

She glared down at her disappointed drink then gave him a tight smile, "Do you perhaps have a bottle of water?"

"Only got water on tap," Karl told her. "That, okay?"

Lily eyed Karl for a moment, then nodded. He hadn't drugged her whiskey and he probably wouldn't drug her water. She would also test it with her wand anyway.

The glass was placed in front of her. "Enjoy," Karl said. "Call me if you need anything."

The tight smile on her lips didn't leave until his back was fully turned. She sighed and knocked back the last of the piss poor whiskey, grimacing at the poor taste.

Lily glanced around once more, then admitted to her that that night was not one she was going to remember. She decided to do something productive in the meantime.

Reaching into her handbag — with an extendable charm on it, of course — she pulled out a textbook titled 'The Paranormal Dictionary: A Complete Users Guide to Everything Paranormal'. It was a set book in her training to be an Unspeakable that she quite enjoyed. She also had no qualms about reading it in public because the book was available in Muggle bookstores .

She had made a page of notes and was halfway through her second glass of water — which was, thankfully, unroofied — when she was interrupted.

"Interesting read you have there, you interested in the supernatural?"

Lily looked up to meet the brown eyes of a man a few years her senior. Now, don't let that fool you, he was very attractive. If Lily were a little drunker she'd probably go home with him.

"I am, is it safe to assume you are as well?" She asked him, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear just as Marlene McKinnon had taught her.

"You could say I'm an expert on the topic," he replied as if he were amused by the question.

Lily's eyes almost narrowed, a wizard perhaps? She didn't feel any magic around him but it wasn't too hard to mask your aura.

She closed her book and set down her pen, very aware of the wand hidden beneath her jacket. "What's your name?" She asked him, trying to sound more flirty than tense. The Wizarding World is in the midst of a war, she had every right to be cautious.

He gave her a charming grin letting her know that her tone had sounded flirty enough. "Joe Dispenza, and yours?"

Her eyebrows rose at the name he gave her. "Lily Evans, can I just say that I am a huge fan of your work Mr Dispenza."

Joe tensed at her words. "What do you mean?" He asked clearing his throat.

She took another one of her textbooks from her bag. "You're the author of this book, are you not?" Lo and behold there below the title 'Becoming Supernatural' was: 'Dr Joe Dispenza New York Time Best Selling Author''. "Although I must say you look very different from your picture." She turned the book around to show a picture of an old greying, blue eyed man.