“Steady on, Johann.” Hannah muttered, a small smirk playing on her lips. “We’re only 14 days in.” And already she’d been ousted in a fake engagement, been sent a dead dog’s head, attacked the father of her only friend and been forced to parade in a wedding dress that made her look like a Christmas tree fairy but considerably more scarred. Perhaps she was a pessimist but Hannah was fairly certain the start of the year was simply a sign of things to come. How would things improve from here?

“It’s something.” She took a sip of wine. Johann was sweet, Hannah realised that. He was tying to look at the situation in a positive light, to be a good friend. But he wasn’t the one living in a singed flat with little funds and the sole company of a cat. As she looked at Johann through soft eyes, Hannah realised just how much she did really need him around. How lonely she was without him to come and annoy her with silly questions about taking unspeakables to Paris and question her lack of travelling. He kept her grounded.

“It’s something to look forward to. Merlin knows I need that.” Herbert appeared to have fallen asleep on Hannah lap and he was purring softly. At least someone trusted her. The little ginger fur ball she’d brought as a replacement for Clifford the Snake. Had Johann even looked the least bit upset when he’d died? Hannah was fairly certain she’d seen the shadows of a grin on his face the day she’d informed him of her loss.

“Even if you wanted Clifford dead, I’m glad you’re here.” She raised her glass to the wizard with a small smile.

It was good news all round then, they weren't engaged, still friends, Hannah's mother had vanished from the flat with the dress that made Hannah look beautiful like a Christmas decoration, the cat was alive, purring and in clear view, and Hannah had been promoted. And they had wine, good stuff, after all, they were drinking some of Hannah's Christmas present from Johann.

“Even if you wanted Clifford dead, I’m glad you’re here.”

"Never." Johann replied, but there was no commitment to it, being an awful liar anyhow. "He wasn't that bad... sometimes."

He raised his glass.

"To your new job, and to Clifford."

End