26th October, 1890 — Crowdy Memorial Library, London
Working the night shifts and living above the shop in Knockturn Alley always felt comfortably removed from the real world. Jay appreciated this for more than its worth in gold, had grown used to this, liked the comfort of the dark and the quiet and being almost the only person to exist.
But sometimes, still, there was a need to venture out into the rest of London, writhing mass of people that it was, even when he stuck to wizarding streets. He had slipped out on personal business, though he had not seen anyone to remark upon his going; even then, the library was one of the places he didn’t mind haunting from time to time. It was easy to blend in here, bowing over books, when everyone was more interested in their own research.
Jay had found himself a table and had piled a few books beside him, and had been poring over the open pages around him - a few tomes each on travel and cursebreaking - with a determined focus, for it was research he needed for a letter. He had been taking notes in a meticulous - almost illegibly cramped - hand, and perhaps it was the heated air in this building or the fact that late afternoon was unseasonably early for him or even the stress of selling an elaborate, decades-long lie, but somewhere amongst all that he had slumped forwards on the open pages, and fallen into a deep doze for a long while - far too long - until a touch finally startled him awake.
But sometimes, still, there was a need to venture out into the rest of London, writhing mass of people that it was, even when he stuck to wizarding streets. He had slipped out on personal business, though he had not seen anyone to remark upon his going; even then, the library was one of the places he didn’t mind haunting from time to time. It was easy to blend in here, bowing over books, when everyone was more interested in their own research.
Jay had found himself a table and had piled a few books beside him, and had been poring over the open pages around him - a few tomes each on travel and cursebreaking - with a determined focus, for it was research he needed for a letter. He had been taking notes in a meticulous - almost illegibly cramped - hand, and perhaps it was the heated air in this building or the fact that late afternoon was unseasonably early for him or even the stress of selling an elaborate, decades-long lie, but somewhere amongst all that he had slumped forwards on the open pages, and fallen into a deep doze for a long while - far too long - until a touch finally startled him awake.
![[Image: 4PrLtDw.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4PrLtDw.png)