I Hate You, I Love You, Chapter 164

Chapter Summary -Tom and Danielle begin to plan their wedding, the only issue is, they are struggling at even deciding the location.

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Rating - Mature (some chapters contain smut)

Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.

authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long.  This will be updated daily, so long as I can get time to do so, obviously.

Copyright for the photo is the owners, not mine. All image rights belong to their owners

tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog @jessibelle-nerdy-mum @nonsensicalobsessions @damalseer @hiddlesbitch1 @winterisakiller @fairlightswiftly @salempoe @wolfsmom1 @black-ninja-blade

Tom sighed as he looked at the coffee mug in front of him. “So, trouble in paradise?” He looked up at Ben, who sat beside him with his own cup of tea in his hand.

“No, we just were getting bothered by arrangements so we said we’d take an hour or two away from everything to just take a step back before an actual argument took place.”

“Good plan. So, what was the issue?”

“Location.”

“Yeah, Sophie and I spent a while talking about it. I mean, you know how it is with the Isle of Wight, it’s a fucking island, so there was the transport costs, and it’s a holiday resort and it’s expensive to live in, so that doesn’t help but it means something to Sophie’s family and is far easier to police than London, so we went with it in the end. Where are the different options?”

“I want Oxford, it’s where I grew up, maybe even Suffolk, just not London, too open.”

“And Danielle wants?”

“Ireland.”

“Oh, there’s not much room for compromise when there are two different countries involved,” Ben commented.

“It’s impractical. Most everybody that will be at the wedding will have to travel there for it from here, only a few of her family would not have to, and even at that, some of her family are in the States so they will have to travel also, how is that fair?”

“What’s her reasoning for it?”

“What?”

“Why is she pushing for Ireland?” Ben queried.

“I am not even sure.”

“Why, did she just say the country in general, or is it that she is talking about some random area outside of where she is from.”

“No, I think she is talking about Connemara. It just makes so little sense.”

“Well, not exactly. Kuala Lumpur would make little sense, her hometown in her home country at least makes sense.” Ben pointed out. “She did say that for her cousin’s wedding, that the tradition is to have it in the bride’s hometown, has that something to do with it?”

“I don’t know,” Tom recalled the conversation at the awards ceremony with Sophie and Ben a few months previous.

“Well, how about you ask her. If this cannot even get past location, how are you supposed to go any further? This is sort of an integral part of it all.”

“It just all seems so much stress and bother.”

“Most of it is and you wonder what’s the bloody point to it also, but that is all part and parcel of it. At the end of the day, it is worth it if you are both happy and I know, for all of the madness that this entails, you do actually want to marry Danielle.”

Tom nodded. He wanted that, he did not want the madness that it would entail and if he and Danielle could not agree on even something as simple as location, then he worried for it all. “I need to talk to her.”

“Yes.” Ben encouraged.

Tom took out his phone and dialled Danielle’s number.

“Hello? Tom?”

It was clear her phone was not to her ear and that he was on loudspeaker. “Yes, I thought….are you not at home?”

“No, I am in the car, pulled in, obviously. I needed to do some stuff. I thought we were going to take an hour or so to settle?”

“I know, I just...Elle, can I ask, why is it so important to you that it is in Ireland. I just want to know.”

“I...we said we’d talk later.”

“Elle?”

“I just thought it would be nicer, my grandparents got married there, my dad was christened in that church, then he and Mam got married there, I was christened there. According to the parish records, the Hughes’s have been there since pre-famine times. They have my great great grandfather’s signature in the records at that church and I know it’s small and dated, but it’s thirteenth century and I just...I think that’s nicer. I know it’s a different country and I know it’s a pain in the ass area to get to in another country but it matters to me.” There was no response to her statement. “Tom?”

“I’m here...I never realised.”

“We’ll talk later. I just need to get this done, I will talk to you soon, bye.”

“Bye.” The phone line went dead and Tom looked at his phone for a minute before looking at Ben, who was looking at him expectantly. “So…” He knew that with him being right next to him, Ben heard all of what Danielle had said.

“Seems a logical reason to want it there, if I’m honest. It matters to her. Now you need to ready your reason for having it here.”

“I don’t really have one, other than convenience.” He confessed before going silent for a moment. “Convenience does not trump tradition and historical sentiment, does it?”

“How long has it been since that famine, a hundred and fifty or so years, and Danielle can trace her family using that exact church in that time, that’s noteworthy, and it clearly means a lot to...wait, that’s another thing.”

“What?” Tom asked, worried at the look on Ben’s face. “What’s another thing?”

“Danielle’s a Catholic.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You’re not a Catholic.”

“No.”

“How does that work? Can you get married in a Catholic church if you’re not?”

“I have no idea.” In truth, Tom had not even thought of such issues. Neither he nor Danielle were in any way religious and their different faiths had never been much of a discussion as a result, but he had to wonder how it would work. “I need to check that.”

“You do.” Ben urged.

*

Tom parked his car into the drive and got out, going to the boot to take out the few bits of shopping he had gotten on his way back from Bens. He stood looking at Danielle’s car for a moment, knowing that something was peculiar about it but uncertain what the difference was. It was only when he realised the tyres were darker than before did he realise that she had gotten them changed. He huffed slightly in amusement, he had gone rushing to a friend to talk while Danielle did something practical and sensible.

Bringing in the shopping, he noted the quiet in the house. Both dogs greeted him as he placed the groceries on the counter before putting them away. After a few minutes, he wondered where Danielle was as her car keys and keys to the house were in their usual spots, meaning she was somewhere within it and with the boiler not making noise, it was obvious that she was not in the shower. He walked up the stairs and heard the telltale whirring of her fax machine. He knocked on their office door, which was slightly ajar and waited. A moment later, Danielle opened it and gave him a small smile. “Hey.”

“You got your tyres done?”

“Yeah, they were bothering me recently, getting a tad thin so I said I would grab four more.”

“How much?”

“Six, I got them from a place on the edge of the city, for cheaper than here, one place quoted me a thousand.”

“Jesus.” He looked at the machine. “Fun?”

“I wish, the paperwork for the Paramount job.”

“When’s that?”

“Two weeks in November. I will have to go to Croatia for it.”

“That’s fun.”

“Is it? What is Croatia even like at that time of year? I also need to do a week in Budapest. The joys of being the European Coordinator.”

“You love it really.”

“I love the paycheck and the doors it will open for me.”

“Brutal honesty.”

“So, what did you get up to?” Danielle asked curiously, not wanting to focus too much on work.

“I spoke with Ben.”

“And how is he?”

“Good. He was asking for you.”

“Bless him.” She smiled as she looked for a paperclip to keep certain pages together.

“He actually mentioned something to me that I never even thought of.”

“Oh yeah?”

“The fact we’re not the same religion.” Danielle paused and looked at him. “And how that will affect us.”

“Well, we’re not exactly utterly devout to our two branches of Christianity.”

Tom nodded in agreement. “But say we do this in that church you were talking about, how does that work, how can we get married there if I am not a Catholic?”

“Well, we could always convert you but that failing, they are not overly bothered.”

“Really?”

“You know, for all the wrongs that the Catholic Church has and there are plenty, it is not as backward as you all think over here. I mean, I have seen Protestant schools that demand a letter from the local reverend proving kids go to service at least every second week, Roger in work asked to use the fax there to send on his paperwork when getting his daughter into their local school. In Ireland, the schools may have a Catholic priest on a school board, but if you don’t even get Christened, you are fine to get into the school usually. The church isn’t as it was, it will marry Catholics and Protestants, as long as you fulfil what is required of you in their eyes.”

“Me?”

“No, plural ‘you’. It’s just they go through the ceremony and you have to do a stupid course on the meaning of marriage and all that other bollix no one pays heed to. It’s a ‘tick the box’ exercise really.”

“You clearly hold it all in such high regard.” Tom joked.

“Oh, yeah, clearly.” Danielle scoffed in return. “It’s a tad hypocritical of a man that will never be allowed marry giving marriage advice. I don’t think its something they can give practical experience of. I know what it will take to be married to you, patience, understanding,” She leant in close to him. “And nice underwear.” She added in a whisper, causing Tom to chuckle and lick his teeth.

“You’re not wrong.” He pulled her to him. “I was thinking.”

“Oh dear, those words usually lead to something terrifying. What, dear Thomas, were you thinking?”

Tom scoffed at her referencing his full name. “I wanted Britain for convenience, but all things considered, I think Ireland is the better place for the wedding.” She said nothing in return. “It matters so much to you, I can see now why and as long as at the end of it, I get to call you my wife, I don’t care if we have to travel for it. I only care about us being married.”

Danielle bit her lips together and inhaled deeply. “I…I don’t want this to cause arguments. I don’t want something fancy, I don’t need twelve thousand pound dresses and chandeliers, but that...that is something I would love, so much. It’s such a big part of our family tradition, so much so that my Mam forewent the usual tradition of her parish for Dad’s. All of my family, all of our records are there and it means a lot to me. I...thank you.”

“Just promise me if I give in to this request, you won’t turn into Bridezilla.”

Danielle snorted at his comment, knowing him to be joking. “I promise I’ll try not to. But if someone does not RSVP on the right date, or wears pink…” She laughed playfully.

“Oh dear, she’s started.” Tom laughed in response.

Important Guide to Designing Your Office

The method we utilize our houses is transforming. Whether you run your own business, job freelance, have children that need somewhere to examine and browse the net or need an area to keep top of personal admin, a home office space is a necessary addition to any type of modern home.

 ' It's all about utilizing your house in a different method,' claims Judith Tugman of Designer Your Home. 'I get actual satisfaction from working as well as going to residence. I like the reality that I can make myself a suitable mug of coffee, placed the cleaning on as well as take pleasure in the view whenever I feel like it.'

 Much more budget-friendly computers, faster internet link and also the development of Wi-Fi imply it's currently also much easier to attach to the outside world, however it's still critical that you plan your workplace effectively.

Hign end interior designer London

The perfect office need to look just as good as the rest of your residence, but, naturally, be sensible, ergonomic as well as functional, also.

 Resting Conveniently

When working from home, it is very important to bear in mind some basic functional designs. Resting terribly can elevate the tons on your back discs virtually 200 percent, compared to standing. Flexing onward for a very long time is likewise harmful, so a great chair is a smart investment (attempt Vitra for style classics or, if you're on a spending plan, Ikea). BCA chiropractor Tim Hutchful has this guidance:

 Make sure you sit back into your chair so your back is supported. Knees ought to be slightly less than hips, to put your back into a neutral placement.

 Adhere to a desk-top computer as opposed to a laptop as it has a screen at eye degree. If you have a laptop computer, buy a stand so the screen goes to eye level to stop you stooping (you'll also require a USB keyboard).

 Having your arms sustained will certainly take the stress off your neck and shoulders. If you can not, keep in mind to take normal breaks (five mins every 40 minutes).

 Analyze your needs

 Regardless of just how large or small your area, it is necessary to plan meticulously. Before you begin, sit down and make a detailed list of things you are likely to need and exactly how you are mosting likely to use your workplace.

 Consider that will be making use of the workplace - will it just be you, or your family members also? Are you utilizing it for company or purely for personal admin? Are you going to welcome clients right into the area? Are you mosting likely to be functioning by yourself or will the office requirement to suit one more individual?

Walk in wardrobe London

What equipment are you likely to require? A computer system, printer and also telephone are one of the most standard demands of any kind of workplace, but you could also find you need further items, such as a fax machine, scanner or laptop computer docking terminal.

 Will you need shelving for recommendation product such as publications and also publications, or area to archive documents or past tasks? Designers might require strategy chests, or you may need lockable cupboards for expensive or delicate tools. Always overstate the amount of storage space you think you'll need.

 Obtain the light right. Poor lights can cause eye stress as well as if the environment is flat, it can make you much less effective. Preferably you need lots of all-natural daytime, preferably from home windows, not skylights. Extra general illumination will certainly additionally decrease strong contrasts.

 Just how do you intend to provide the space? Should it look cool and organized, or modern and also creative?

 Super Small Places

 If you just use your computer or workdesk for short durations each time, after that you might be able to accommodate a workdesk and chair in a repetitive nook such as a hallway, touchdown or under the stairs. Lengthy corridors usually have great deals of potential for storage room in the type of floor-to-ceiling shelving. An option is to stash your workplace essentials in a purpose-built cabinet. A well-designed system can conveniently house a COMPUTER or laptop, as well as when the work is ended up, the whole great deal can be closed away hidden.

 For a bespoke design, go to ratedtradesmen.co.uk to discover a joiner that can customize a space to your exact requirements.

 Conversely choose a cool, free standing office-in-a-box or a bureau that you can take with you when you relocate. 'Well-thought-out storage space is naturally, a crucial part of any workplace,' says Judith Tugman. 'It's vital to be able to access tools and also files conveniently, and whatever must have its very own space. Yet I do assume that when you have completed functioning, every little thing needs to then be stashed nicely so it does not come to be a continuous component of your life.'

 Dual Function Rooms

 Whether it's a workdesk hid in a peaceful room, a laptop computer established in the cooking area or a job station in a living-room, this sort of home office needs to incorporate effortlessly right into its environments.

 Take a fallen leave out of cook and full time mum Sophie Conran's book - she has an open-plan home, which likewise acts as an office. A lengthy table provides a lot of desk area, and also a financial institution of unobtrusive Vitsoe shelving ensures her reference library of publications as well as magazines are all to hand, in addition to all her declaring. When clients check out your house, the oversized dining table additionally increases up as someplace to convene.

 Devoted office

 If you work at house on a permanent basis and also have tons of work-related paraphernalia, then devoting a whole space to the reason is a sensible plan, as a cramped workplace can end up being dismal and counter-productive. Consider converting an extra bed room and even the attic, both of which are typically rather separated from the center of your house, which suggests a serene and also quiet workplace - especially handy if you've got youngsters around.

 ' We have great deals of clients that intend to convert a bed room or tiny area right into a research study,' states Daniel Nelson of Vitsoe, whose flexible 606 shelving system, developed in the Sixties by Dieter Ram, is a style classic. 'In this sort of situation, we constantly attempt to motivate people to construct upwards with their storage as opposed to sidewards (which is what people often tend to do). By doing this you can take advantage of a reasonably little room.' For alternative super-slick storage and also home-office solutions, Hülsta, Neville Johnson and Hammonds can all fit out a room with bespoke office furnishings.

 Yard Workplaces

 If you're a house worker who simply can not press an office right into your existing room but have room outdoors to save, it might deserve buying a separate structure.

In order to see to it your outdoor office carries out all year round, it deserves asking an expert for guidance. Connect with Riba for a list of certified architects in you area. Additionally, speak to a professional business such as The Yard Escape. Architecturally backed, they can provide a completely designated framework that meets all building law requirements, including attaching electrics approximately your property, mounting and also networking the phone line and broadband in an ultra-fast 2 weeks from start to finish. They can also install bathrooms, bathrooms as well as showers if you require them. Rates begin at around ₤ 17, 500 (and also keep in mind, if you're self employed after that occupational expenditures are tax exempt).

 Currently for the scientific research little bit

 When working at house, a really speedy internet connection is leading of most individuals's shopping list. If you're running an organization from residence as well as have other individuals working with you, you might likewise require to network Computers as well as printers in order to share data. If computer science was never ever your best subject, companies such as Geeks on Tires and also The Mac Dad can not just assist you set up your wireless network, back up your information and even just obtain your printer working once more, but can also encourage on the devices you will certainly need and also even provide it - a true blessing for technophobes almost everywhere.

Couple revamps London’s famous red telephone booths as coffee stalls - it s viral

https://liveindiatimes.com/couple-revamps-londons-famous-red-telephone-booths-as-coffee-stalls-it-s-viral/

Two of London’s famous red telephone boxes have been reborn as a coffee stall, and the owners say the lack of inside space that was a drawback when they opened a week before lockdown could now be an asset in a socially distanced capital.

Couple Loreinis Hernandez and Sean Rafferty said Amar Cafe, which is operated out of two adjacent disused phone boxes in west London, was trading for just a week before the city shut down at the end of March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were so excited, you know, just starting this business, and then the lockdown came up,” Hernandez said. “We closed for six weeks.”

Loreinis Mejia Hernandez from Colombia serves coffee to a customer at a converted telephone box she runs as a take-away coffee shop with her husband. ( Reuters )

The easing of restrictions this week prompted them to reopen the cafe, which specialises in coffee from Hernandez’s native Colombia.

“We invested everything in these boxes before lockdown,” Rafferty said.

“It was always going be takeaways and maybe it might be better now for us because people would prefer to be outside, sitting in the park.”

While stocks are good for a few weeks, at least, Rafferty and Hernandez are hopeful that the lockdown restrictions in the South American country do not prevent future deliveries.

Live India Times

Caffeine Calling: London Phone Boxes Serve Up Coffee After Lockdown

Caffeine Calling: London Phone Boxes Serve Up Coffee After Lockdown

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Loreinis Mejia Hernandez from Colombia smiles at a converted telephone box she runs as a take-away coffee shop with her husband Sean Rafferty from Ireland as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown eases in Chiswick, West London, Britain, REUTERS/Kevin Coombs

The easing of restrictions this week prompted them to reopen the cafe, which specialises in coffee from Hernandez’s native…

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The Potion Master’s Grace Ch. 7

Madame Malkin arrived within the hour of Severus sending the letter. Grace stood on a pedestal in the middle of her room as the old woman pinned and measured Grace.    “I never get to do many pieces outside of the school uniform, so I’m rather excited! Oh, stand straight dear, I don’t want to make this too long,” Madame Malkin said, pinning Grace’s hemline.    Grace fixed her posture, standing perfectly still, “Sorry. I’ve never had someone make my clothes before, so this is all new to me. Frankly, a lot of things are new to me here.”    “Strange to see Severus so kind to someone. He seems like an entirely different person,” the woman said. “Now, tell me what your style is, dear.”    Grace knew she had to get certain styles of clothing, Severus said it was necessary to a young lady’s wardrobe and she passed this on to Madame Malkin, who wholeheartedly agreed. But then, Grace got an idea, “Do you know who Audrey Hepburn is, Madame Malkin?”

-

   Grace woke up early the next morning to start making breakfast. Not at all a morning person, she padded downstairs and immediately made a pot of coffee. At least he’s got that, I won’t die. Severus wasn’t up yet, and the house was dreadfully quiet. She pulled out her wand, that was twisted to keep her hair up in a messy bun, and flicked it, “Accio record player and a Beatles album.” She figured since she was still in the Wizard world, she’d be safe from the age restriction laws on magic. Her record player flew down into her arms along with the Beatles Greatest Hits album. She put the record on, replacing the empty atmosphere with a little morning pick-me-up.    Her mood was diminished when she opened the refrigerator and there was nothing in there. Not a single thing! I guess I’ll have to go grocery shopping. Merlin, what does the man live off of if Missy doesn’t do it for him? Grace was in no mood to go walk over to the town and get food, nor did she want to change out of her PJs, so she begrudgingly called Missy. 

   “Yes, Mistress Grace?” asked the tiny house elf.    “Missy, can you do me the biggest favor?”    “Yes, of course! Anything for the kind mistress!” Grace felt horrible for taking advantage of the poor creature but this was a drastic measure!    “I need you to run to the store to fetch me these things, and here’s some money. I promise this will be the last time. I really do appreciate it, though, Missy,” Grace handed her a list of all of the ingredients she’d need for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Later that day, she’d run to the store herself for more of a variety of ingredients.    “Missy doesn’t mind, Mistress Grace! Missy loves helping the young mistress!” and she vanished with a pop.    Grace sighed and leaned on her hand as she sipped more of the dark, bitter liquid. She’d gotten herself addicted to coffee at a young age, and now if she doesn’t get her fix, she goes through caffeine withdrawal and gets a headache.    Just then, Madame Malkin floo’d through the fireplace, startling Grace out of her sleepy daze, thankfully, not spilling any coffee on herself. Madame Malkin was carrying about a dozen boxes.    “Oh, I’m sorry dear, did I startle you? Severus said to just drop off your clothes when I was finished, I didn’t expect you to be up so early,” Grace rushed over to help her with the boxes, stacking them on the floor, fighting the temptation to rip them open.    “Oh no, it’s fine, Madame Malkin. I was up making breakfast, you didn’t interrupt anything,” Grace gave the woman a kind smile, running a hand through her unruly, red curls.    Madame Malkin looked at the tiny girl strangely, “Oh, I thought Severus had house elves for that.”    “He does,” Grace added. “She’s out getting me the ingredients because the kitchen is scarce. But, I think from now on, I’ll be making the meals from now on.” Grace winked and gestured to the fireplace, “Madame Malkin, I can’t thank you enough for everything. Anything you need, any help I could do around the shop, just Owl me, okay? Bye-bye now, have a nice day!”    The fireplace flashed the green as Madame Malkin stepped through. Grace sighed, Who knew I’d get weird looks for being a good person and not being lazy? She flipped the record over to Side B and checked her phone: nothing. Luna probably wasn’t up yet. She always liked sleeping in just as much as Grace did. Grace smiled to herself; she was so lucky to have a friend like Luna in her life. She hadn’t had any real friends before she met her, she never quite connected to the girls at the home and she left all of her childhood friends in Dublin when she was taken away from her family. She remembered the day she met Luna so crystal clear, it was such an important day to Grace.

   An eleven-year-old Grace walked aimlessly around London, looking for this Diagon Alley described on her Hogwarts letter. The Nobles’ said they knew nothing of the place, and they both had work, so Grace was left to her own devices to get her school supplies. She was starting to panic and was too afraid to ask just anybody if they knew of this secret place. She was looking high, low, left, and right for some sort of sign pointing her in the right direction. Then, she saw a tall man and a young girl with the same platinum blonde hair, and peculiarly dressed. She shrugged, and figured it was worth a shot.    “Excuse me, sir? Can I ask you a question, please?” Grace called out to the tall man. They both turned around to the redhead, the young girl, about Grace’s height, looked at the distressed letter in Grace’s hands and then back up to her with a wide smile.    “She’s going to Hogwarts too, papa!” the smaller blonde said to the taller. Her voice was high pitched and almost melodic. She had big blue eyes, long hair down to her waist, and chubby cheeks painted with freckles. If it weren’t for their hair, they could have been sisters.    The man gave Grace a slight smile, “What is your name, child?”    “Grace McClivert, sir? I-I don’t come from a wizard family, sir. I don’t know where to go for my things and no one here has heard of Diagon Alley,” Grace said, checking her letter once again to make sure she had the right place.    The man knelt down to Grace and whispered, “That’s because non-wizard folk can’t even get to Diagon Alley.” He pulled back and held out his hand, “Xenophilius Lovegood. And this is my daughter Luna.”    Grace shook his hand, “Pleasure to meet you.”    Luna grabbed Grace’s hand from her father’s and took it in her own, their hands dangling at their sides, “You can come get your supplies with me. I’m a first year, too.”    Grace followed the odd girl and her father to a pub named The Leaky Cauldron that Grace hadn’t noticed before. Inside, there were dozens of people dressed in jewel-toned cloaks with peculiar hats. Suddenly, the Lovegoods fit in perfectly, and it was Grace who stuck out like a sore thumb judging by the strange stares she was getting. Mr. Lovegood led them out back to a brick wall and tapped on the stones in a particular pattern and the bricks disappeared.    Grace’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she saw Diagon Alley for the first time. It was so much more colorful and cleaner than London’s inner-city. The buildings looked to be misshapen, or it could have been the streets. Plus, the air smelled much cleaner than that of London’s. Grace couldn’t believe her eyes, the place was truly magical.    Their first stop was Gringotts Bank, and Grace was glad, especially after Mr. Lovegood told her that the shops didn’t accept Muggle money. Mr. Lovegood went to one counter to speak to a goblin, but Luna led Grace to another counter, never leaving the redhead’s side, which made things much easier. Grace set a stack of three month’s worth of allowance on the counter, “Is there any way I could… maybe get this converted into Wizard currency, please?”    The goblin grumbled something in annoyance but started counting her notes. “Wow,” Luna said, picking up a note and holding it up to the light. “I’ve never seen Muggle money before. Is that the Queen? Our currency doesn’t have anyone like Minister Fudge on them,” and set the note back on the counter.    Grace giggled at the girl’s amazement over a note. What strange girl, indeed. Grace noticed the two beaded radishes dangling from Luna’s ears, “Did you make your earrings?”    “Why yes, I did. Aren’t they wonderful? Radishes are so cute,” Luna said, reaching up to her ears. “I love making jewelry and clothes, anything that has to do with art, really. I can make you some if you’d like. But then, you’ll have to teach me more about Muggle things.”    “It’s a deal then,” Grace said, taking the pouches of Wizard money from the counter. She peeked inside to see gold, silver, and bronze coins, no bank notes of any sorts. “I have no idea what these are, Luna.”    “Think of gold for Galleons, silver for sickles, and copper for Knuts. They’re actually bronze, but it helps you remember. And there are seventeen Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Sickles to a Knut. You’ll catch on, but I’ll help you for today,” and with that, Luna pulled Grace back out into Diagon Alley to start shopping for supplies.    Grace made a few observations throughout the day: Luna was very intelligent, despite her airy personality, her father worked for a magazine called The Quibbler and was a bit neurotic, Wizard currency made no sense, and most all Wizards were very kind. The two girls got their books together, got their robes fitted together— where they learned they were almost exactly the same size— and got their wands together. Luna’s wand was made of mahogany, 12”, unicorn core, and had a tulip handle. Grace’s was ebony, 10”, unicorn core, with a handle that sort of spiraled, almost having a blue sheen to it.    Luna got a light gray owl, but Grace decided while in the owlry, the birds were too much, and an Owl would never be allowed at the Nobles’ flat. So, she decided on a cat, a black one just like the witches in the movies had. She named the tiny kitten Cas and the shop owner promised that he was trained to be a perfect witch’s assistant, but really, Grace was just looking for a good excuse to get a pet cat.    Before the day ended, and Grace had to return home to the Nobles’, Luna grabbed both of Grace’s hands, “Promise that no matter what houses we’re sorted into, we’ll still be friends?”    Grace couldn’t believe that in just one short day, she had already made a friend, and she wasn’t even trying. She wondered if Luna was like her, and didn’t have many friends. Plus, going to a new school with a friend already made would make the transition a lot easier. Grace nodded and smiled, giving Luna’s hands a squeeze, “I promise.”    Luna’s smile went from ear-to-ear as she hugged Grace tightly, “Oh, wonderful! I can’t wait for school to start now! Be careful of the Nargles!” That was the last thing Luna called out before disappearing with her father among the London crowd.

-

   Missy soon returned with the ingredients and Grace began on breakfast, despite Missy’s protests to help. Instead, Grace put her in charge of record duty— just to get her to stop hitting herself— and had her run upstairs to her room to fetch her Sound of Music soundtrack. Missy’s job was flipping the record once the one side was finished and Missy was very proud of her new role, especially after Grace had convinced her she was being a very big help.

-

   Severus woke up that morning to the house being filled with The Beatles, but now as he made his way down the stairs, dressed and ready for the day, the house was filled with happy-go-lucky, sing-songy, music, along with a voice he had never heard before. He peeked into the kitchen to see a tiny redheaded girl dancing in her pajamas around the stove and singing along to the record playing.    Grace had her eyes closed as she spun around, not noticing the professor leaning up against the kitchen door frame with a very amused smirk on his face. “I have confidence in confidence alone. Besides which you see I have confidence in me!” she hit the last note, which Severus may add was quite impressive, with her arms open wide. When the button hit, she took a breath and finally opened her eyes, seeing her audience. The girl practically jumped back with a screech and hit her back on the counter, “Bloody hell!” she let out on accident. She’d probably have a bruised spine from her reaction.    Severus couldn’t help but laugh. Not at her, but at her reaction, “Are you alright?”    “ ’s not funny!” her face was as red as her hair now. “You should really wear a bell! Bein’ all mysterious and shite and poppin’ up outta nowhere like that! Now I’m gonna go hide under a rock for the rest of my life! I made fresh coffee!” her accent was thick and with her embarrassed state, she just went off with no filter.    She tried to stomp out of the kitchen but Severus held out his arm to stop her, “You’re not going to hide for the rest of your life.”    “Yes, I am!”    “Why? What happened to that confidence you were singing about? I thought you were pretty brilliant,” it had been so long since the house wasn’t filled with misery and tears, Grace’s aura of sunshine and happiness accompanied by music was a pleasant shock to Severus that seemed to chip away at his stone cold heart.    Now Grace was blushing, “Really?” She had never sung alone in front of anybody before, and therefore never had any feedback and had her believing that she wasn’t any good to be able to sing alone in front of people, to begin with.    Severus, with a straight face, said, “I never lie, Miss McClivert.”

-

   “What do you mean you’ve never had pancakes before?” Grace gaped at the man across from her as he drank his coffee and shrugged.    “My parents weren’t exactly… Mr. and Mrs. Brady, Grace,” he gave her a sad smile.    Grace decided not to push. She knew how difficult it was to talk about a dark childhood and wouldn’t appreciate it if she was on the receiving end of questions. Instead, she chose to brighten the mood, “Well, then I am honored to be the first to serve Severus Snape chocolate chip pancakes. Now eat your bacon, mister, before it gets cold!”    “Can’t believe I’m getting bossed around by a fourteen-year-old.”    “Hey! I’ll be fifteen July 8th! It’s a national holiday, I mean, everyone should know,” now she was just being silly. Severus wouldn’t expect any less since she’s had three cups of coffee. He was just glad she wasn’t jumping off the walls at this point.    “I’ll alert the papers,” he said sarcastically. “Anyway, Grace, do you have any plans on changing out of your pajamas?”    “On a normal day, no, but today, I have to garden, so yes! I’ll be right back!” Grace got up and ran up the stairs. Severus turned around to see Missy standing in the corner where Grace had put her so the house elf would stop trying to help.    “Missy, you may clean up.”    “Oh, thank you, master! Missy has been dying to help!” the tiny house elf couldn’t have gotten back to work faster.

-

   Grace came down the stairs moments later in an old t-shirt, patched up overalls, sneakers, her hair braided in two long side braids, and an old straw sunhat. She was awfully pleased with the farmer aesthetic of her outfit, but Severus didn’t seem to share the same opinion.    “They’re gardening clothes! They’re not supposed to be pretty and new. I do look adorable, don’t I?” she gave a little twirl.    Severus just rolled his eyes, “Sure, Grace, whatever you say. Did you remember to take your inhaler?” She nodded. “And you have your wand?”    “Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I’m not back in twenty minutes you can send a search party, you’ll find my body mauled by a rake and strangled by a gardening hose,” she made her way to the door but he followed her and grabbed her wrist.    “Grace, I’m being serious, I-“ and then he noticed them. The thin, silver scars on her tiny wrists. She was so pale, they could hardly be noticed, but he felt the raised skin under his fingers. He grabbed her other wrist, flipping them, checking for any new marks. Thankfully, they were all old, and tiny. What happened that made her do this? Who hurt her so badly to make her think that she would deserve this? Why has no one ever said anything about this?    Grace’s cheeks were tinted a dark red and her eyes had started to fill with tears. She pulled her wrists away from Severus’ grasp and went out the door, keeping her head down. “I’ll be back soon,” she called over her shoulder and ran down the driveway, rubbing at her eyes to stop her tears. She could feel Severus’ stare boring into the back of her skull, the stare that everyone gave her. Oh, you poor thing, being taken away from your parents. Oh, you poor thing having to live in an orphanage. Oh, you poor thing with depression. Let me give you a sympathetic look every time I see you. That was why she didn’t open up to just anybody. The only other person she had told was Luna, but thankfully Luna didn’t change how she acted towards Grace. She made sure not to mention certain things, but she didn’t treat Grace like glass. But now she was afraid Severus would change his ways towards her. She liked how things were going, she liked how they had just started to casually talk to each other, not as a professor and student. And now everything was going to change.

-

   Severus didn’t know how to feel. He was mad at Dumbledore, even Filius, for never noticing the signs. Or maybe they had, and never done anything about it, making it even worse. The least someone could have done was warn Severus about her. Now he was sure she’d be avoiding him for a while. And of course, he didn’t want that. He didn’t blame her, though, for not telling him. It’d take her a while to completely open up if she ever chose to, but he wasn’t going to prod at her.    She had been outside for a few hours planting. Severus looked out the window; now she was using the Aguamenti charm. Silly girl. She spent hours in the dirt but chooses to use magic to water them? He sighed, setting his book down, and went outside, careful not to startle her. When he finally got to stand next to her, she didn’t say a thing, just kept her gaze towards the garden.    Finally, he spoke up, “Grace-“    “I’ll wear long sleeves,” she cut in. “Or lots of bracelets.”    “Why on Earth would you do that?”    “To hide them. So I won’t embarrass you when we’re out in public or something.”    Severus couldn’t believe she had just said that. His heart felt heavy, but also wanted to slap the daft girl for even thinking such a ridiculous thing. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. Her eyes were red from crying. “You stupid girl! What could have possibly happened that made you think this way? It is not your fault, there is no reason to hide it, but you need to talk to me, or else I can’t help you. And I’m not going to stand back and watch you self-destruct from the inside-out, Grace!”    Grace stared at the man with tear-filled eyes, but when she opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a strangled sound before she covered her face with her— dirt-covered— hands and began to cry. “Merlin…” Severus muttered, pulling the girl close. He had gotten used to troubled children, being the Head of Slytherin House, but he never had one of them as his ward. There were no other parents call to come console their child. He was the one who had to console her and take care of things.    “I’m so stupid!” Grace said, wiping her face, but only smearing the dirt she had on her hands across her cheeks.    “You’re not stupid, Grace. Far from it, actually. Though, apparently you have no common sense since you forgot to put on any sun protection!” he said, gesturing to her pink arms. “And you’ve got dirt on your face.”    “Bloody hell!” She tried rubbing it off with the backsides of her hands, but it was only making it worse.    “Here, let me help,” Severus pulled out his wand, pointed at her face, and said, “Aguamenti.”    Grace now stood there, soaking wet, gaping at Severus. He had the audacity to laugh. A full-blown, doubled-over, laugh!    When he looked back up at Grace, her eyes were narrowed and her fist was clenched around her own wand. “Run,” she growled.    Grace chased Severus throwing every harmless charm she could think of, but the potion master just kept blocking them. She chased him up the walkway to the front door before he ran inside, closing the door as Expelliarmis hit the wood. “Come out here and fight like a man, Severus!” she pounded on the door, but he was not budging.    “No!” he called back and leaned against the door to catch his breath.    Between Grace’s screaming demands to be let inside, he heard a new voice coming from the other room. “Severus, is that you? What is that banging?”    Severus felt the color drain from his face, and then he went into a panic, “C-coming, Grandmother!” Merlin, why is she here? Why didn’t she Owl? He threw open the door and was met with a wand in his face and a very pissed off Grace. “Go in through the back door, run upstairs to your room, clean yourself up, and be the perfect young lady. You have ten minutes,” Grace had no idea what was going on, but Severus looked dead serious, and she knew not to question him when he was in a mood.    “Audrey Hepburn?”    “Yes, sure, whatever. Nine minutes and fifty-three seconds,” and he closed the door.    Grace sprinted around the manor and went in through the back door very quietly and up the stairs. By the time she reached her room, she was out of breath, but the clock was ticking for some reason Grace did not know yet. She grabbed the first box she could get her hands on and threw it on. Luckily, it worked in her favor. The dress was black and knee length, with spaghetti straps and in a fit-and-flare style. And thanks to Madame Malkin, who included shoes and accessories with every outfit, she put on the black kitten heels and black elbow-length gloves. She had no time to fix her hair and face, so she waved her wand and instantly, her face was clean and her makeup was done and her hair had been put up with her curls pinned. Finally, she could take a few puffs of her inhaler.    Grace made her way down the stairs and stopped before she went into the sitting room, where she saw Severus and an elderly woman conversing over tea. Who is she and why does she have Severus totally spooked? The woman looked very stern and composed herself almost regally. Grace figured she was from an important Wizard family that descended centuries back. And by the way, Severus fidgeted in his seat whenever the woman directly addressed him, Grace waited by the door so she would not interrupt the woman.    When the woman took a moment to sip her tea, Severus looked over at Grace and a look of relief washed over him, “You may come in, Grace.” The woman looked over at Grace and eyed her up and down. She seemed to take in every detail of her as Grace stood before with her hands behind her back. “Grace, this my grandmother, Margaret Prince.” Grace looked over at Severus— who was awfully pale, paler than usual— and back to the woman. Merlin, if looks could kill.    “It’s a pleasure to meet you, madame,” and she curtsied. Grace mentally slapped herself for doing so because Madame Prince raised an eyebrow to the naive girl and Severus couldn’t help but smirk.    “Excellent manners, you have taught this Muggle girl, Severus. She looks and acts like a perfect young lady,” Grace had to bite her tongue not to snort at that comment. Oh, so this is how it’s going to be? I’m the damn Muggle charity case?    “I’m glad to hear you think so, grandmother, but I taught Grace nothing other than Potions. Miss McClivert has always been well-mannered, even as a First Year at Hogwarts. And she’s one of my top students,” now Grace had seen everything; an actual compliment coming from Severus Snape. He looked over at her to give her a small smile, and Madame Prince just “hmph’d.”    “Are you enjoying your stay here, Grace?” she asked, turning back to the young girl.    “Oh, I love it here. It’s beautiful here, even more, beautiful than Hogwarts, but I suppose Hogwarts lost the initial charm after it became more and more like school as the years went on.”    “What is your house, dear?”    Grace was almost too afraid to answer, even though it was a simple enough response. But Severus was a Slytherin, and maybe he had come from a lineage of Slytherins, and Madame Margaret would dislike any other house just like Severus loathed the Gryffindors. Severus nudged Grace to answer when she started to zone out into her thoughts, “Ravenclaw, madame. I’m a Ravenclaw.”    At that, Madame Margaret’s face lit up, “I was a Ravenclaw as well when I attended Hogwarts! Is there still a crystal garden in the center of the common room.”    Grace relaxed and mirrored the woman’s enthusiasm, “Yes! And the stairs turn into a slide.”    “My dear, we were the ones who created the spell!”    “Really? That’s amazing!” The two girls carried on with their conversation about the Ravenclaw Common Room, favorite classes, professors that were Margaret’s that are still there to this day, and Margaret even went on about the Quidditch teams during her years at Hogwarts which really sent Grace on a tangent. Severus sat back in astonishment; he really couldn’t relate to what they were talking about, and he was in shock at just how well Grace was getting along with his grandmother. He didn’t even get along that greatly with his grandmother and they were related.    His grandmother had loved his mother so much, she was her pride and joy, her Princess Eileen. But then Eileen fell into wedlock with his father Tobias and Margaret forced the two to get married as if to not shed so much darkness on the Prince name, even though his father was a Muggle. And that made Margaret resent Tobias, though she had a very good reason to because he was an alcoholic and abusive to both he and his mother. Once Severus was born, Margaret barely even saw the boy enough to form an opinion, and therefore a loving bond was never formed between the two. Instead, Tobias would call the Princes’ “freaks,” and forbid any magic in the manor. His parents would fight constantly, and it would always end in Tobias getting piss-drunk and beating Eileen before passing out. When Severus would try and stand between his parents, he would only receive the first of Tobias’ throws, and get locked in the closet. Finally, Eileen just couldn’t fight him anymore, and Tobias hit too hard, and she never woke up. Margaret had almost killed Tobias, but Tobias threatened that if anything were to happen to him, he would send Severus somewhere far away from where Margaret would never find the boy. So, at the sake of keeping her grandson, the only memory of Eileen, in her life, she stepped back. Tobias moved them out of the manor, which now bore the ugly name of Snape Manor, and into a small house in Spinner’s End.    Severus looked over at the two women, who were still talking and laughing, and he thought about Grace’s adoption papers, still tucked away in his desk. He really hoped Margaret would have an overall approval of Grace. Yes, she was Muggle-born. But she belonged there, with him, with them.

-

   Grace had snuck away while Severus kept his grandmother occupied to cook dinner. Often, Grace would come back while the roast was in the oven, talk a while, and then excuse herself to go to the bathroom or “check on the house elf.” But really, Missy’s job for the night was to watch the roast and make sure nothing caught on fire. Though, if you asked Missy, she was very proud of her role as Grace’s helper, because “Mistress Grace” was extremely kind to the house elf, and even sang softly as she danced around the kitchen, cooking.    Dinner went extremely well, and the food was delicious. Every time Severus or Madame Margaret said something nice about the meal, Grace would grin and wiggle happily in her seat, never giving Margaret the slip that she was the one who actually cooked, instead of Missy like she was supposed to. Madame Margaret had even let Grace have some wine during dinner. Severus was apprehensive at first on giving the child wine, as he was apprehensive on anything that had to do with alcohol because of his father, but he knew Grace was smart enough to know better, and it was only one glass. But he soon regretted it because every time she took a sip, she would glance at Severus and smirk, like, Look at me, I’m practically grown up, drinking wine and conversing with the adults.    It wasn’t until towards the end of the night when things took a bad turn.    “So, tell me about your biological parents, Grace.”    Grace froze and her eyes grew big, “Well, t-tell about what, madame?”    “What were they like? Or, were you orphaned at such a young age that you don’t remember them?”    Severus couldn’t believe this. He could see Grace grow paler by the second, and her eyes glanced everywhere but Margaret. Grace’s voice tightened, as he was sure her chest was doing the same, “N-no, I remember them, madame. And I wasn’t orphaned, I was taken away by child services.”    “Oh dear, I’m sorry. What happened?”    Grace’s pale skin was now turning a shade of green, and she was finding the floor very interesting. She stood, “I-I think the wine’s made me a bit dizzy if you’ll excuse me,” and left to go upstairs without a reply from Margaret.    Severus looked at the now confused woman across from her, “Grandmother, not even I know what happened to Grace and her parents. But whatever it was, it was horrible and made Grace very mentally unstable. She’s lived in a foster home for two years, then skipped around foster family to foster family until she came across one who kept her for four years and then threw her out all because they were having a baby of their own. You must understand that Grace may have had a dark past but she’s a wonderful girl, a brilliant girl. And I don’t know why she hasn’t already been adopted because any family would be the luckiest family in the world to have a kid like her and they’re moronic for ever giving up on her. And it’s all because of what her monstrous parents did to her, whatever they did to her, and it’s not fair. Everyone looks down at her like she’s some broken porcelain doll but she’s not. She’s so strong and so full of love and the nicest person in the world, I don’t even think she’s capable of hate. Have you ever met someone like that? Someone not capable of disliking someone because they see good in everyone, even those who don’t deserve it? Because I haven’t, no, not until this tiny, redheaded, Ravenclaw girl skipped into Potions class and has been, probably the only student in my entire teaching career, to not be afraid of me or not give me any problems. And-“    Margaret held up her hand to stop Severus from going on, as she had heard enough. Severus blushed, he hadn’t realized he went off on a tangent about Grace, he just didn’t know what came over him. The same thing had happened when Grace was still in school and he went off about her to Minerva and Albus. “Severus, I don’t know why you insist on going on. My impressions were made from the moment I met Grace. Tonight was just time to get to know more about her. Now, go, she obviously needs someone right now.” Margaret got up and went to the fireplace to flood home. “Oh, and Severus, do fill out those adoption papers. Like you said, any family would be lucky enough to have that girl,” and she left.    Severus stood there, blinked a few times, and finally things set in. When he wrapped his brain around what his grandmother had just said and gave him permission to do, all he could think about was Grace.

-

   Grace had already changed into her pajamas and washed her makeup off. Now she was staring at herself in the mirror, with a million things on her mind. She had barely heard the knock on her door, and then someone come in. “Grace?” Severus called out to her.    “In here,” her voice was strained from having a lump in her throat she was forcing herself to swallow. She didn’t want to cry, she was done crying over that. Crying never did anything but make people pity you, and she was tired of the pity too.    Severus came in and saw Grace leaning on her hands against the vanity surrounded by bottles of her different medications. A jolt of panic went through Severus and he grabbed both of Grace’s shoulders, “Grace how many of those did you take?”    Grace was both shocked by the question and by being man-handled, “What?”    “Your pills! How many did you take?” Now he was checking her eyes, making sure her pupils weren’t dilated.    “I took the amount I’m supposed to take before bed! Merlin, what’s wrong?”    “We need to talk, Grace?”    “About? And can you let go you’re gonna bruise my shoulders.”    Severus let go, “Sorry. And we need to talk about… about this,” and grabbed both of her wrists.    Grace sighed, she was really in no mood to talk, but she somehow knew the man wasn’t going to drop it until she did. She went over and sat on the edge of the bed, “Fine. We’ll talk since my life is just oh-so-important to everyone.”    “Grace, what I mean is, you can’t keep everything bottled up inside, or else you’re-“    “Or else what? Huh, Severus? Please, tell me what else I’ll do? Jump out the window? Because you already thought I had just overdosed myself! I’m not stupid, Severus!”    “I never said you were stupid, Grace! And I didn’t mean to imply that, I was just worried,” tears had already begun to form in her eyes and he sat next to her on the edge of the bed. “But I can’t help you if you never tell me what happened with your parents.”    She was quiet for a few minutes, staring at the wall, trying to gather her thoughts in a way to tell her dark secret. It was easier when she told Luna, she had written it all down for Luna to read. Grace never actually orally told anyone what happened, not since the court case. Then, the tears really started to flow, and she shook her head to stop them but it was no use. “You wouldn’t want to know… You’d think I’m broken and disgusting,” her voice was strained and she frantically wiped at her eyes to stop her tears.    Severus’ stomach started to twist in twenty different directions. He had an idea, but he didn’t want to assume and also wanted Grace to come to terms with it. “Grace…”    “He told me if I told anyone he’d hurt me! I didn’t know any better. And she knew, she knew and still did nothing! And it went on for years! My teacher was the one who called Child Services because I had asked her about a period because I was afraid of getting pregnant from my father! Shit like that happens all the time, Severus, did you know that? I was seven! I had to stand infant of a courtroom, at seven-years-old, and tell them what my father had done to me,” her sobs were uncontrollable now, and she was gasping and wheezing for breath. Severus, whose heart was now shattered into a million pieces at the sight of the girl, and now wanted nothing more than to kill her father slowly and painfully, pulled her close, hand on her head, trying to get her to calm down. He didn’t know what to say, nothing could have every prepared him to respond to this sort of thing.    Once she had gotten enough oxygen back into her lungs, she continued, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”    “What the hell are you apologizing for?”    “Cause I’m a mess! Congratulations, you’ve got a stupid, whore Mudblood for a ward!”    Severus could have slapped her, but instead just tugged her hair and pulled her away to look in her eyes, “Grace McClivert, I never, ever, want to hear you describe yourself that way again! Do you understand me? What happened to you was not your fault, and you didn’t deserve any of it. I’m sorry it happened, I’m so sorry you have to live with it, but you can’t make it disappear, and you certainly can’t hurt yourself in order to replace the pain he caused you. Promise me, Grace?”    Grace nodded and went back to hugging Severus, and she felt safe with him. She had spent years after being taken away being terrified of men, which made being in an all-girls home a good thing, but she had felt instantly comfortable with Severus. Now, with the relief of finally getting things off her chest, and the exhaustion from her breakdown, she relaxed enough to fall asleep against Severus’ chest. He didn’t leave her side for another two hours, afraid she was going to wake up from a nightmare.

If you see this, post a snippet of your WIP

It was raining pretty heavily by the time Louis got home from work, because that was pretty much the day he’d been having. The charger for his phone had died overnight, causing his phone to die as well, which meant his alarm hadn’t gone off this morning. Late to class, no time for breakfast, then late to work, no time for lunch, then rain.

 Luckily Louis had been able to nick an umbrella out of the Lost and Found at the coffee shop on  the way out the door so he wasn’t completely soaked, but this day had definitely been less than stellar.

 He was hungry, he was cold, and the walk back to his flat had never seemed so long.

 By the time he reached his building Louis was so caught up in his own bad mood trying to juggle the umbrella and his bag to get his keys out without dropping the whole lot, that he almost missed the movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and spotted a rather soggy and despondent looking cat perched on a pile of boxes in the alleyway next to the building.

 The rain was coming down just as hard as ever but the cat made no move to get out of it, instead sitting there watching Louis with a sort of miserably resigned look on its face.

 Louis tucked his keys into his pocket and approached the cat slowly, fully expecting it to run from him at any moment. A cat out in this weather with no collar had to be a stray, but it watched him approach without tensing, its eyes tracking his movements calmly.

 “At least someone else is having a worse day than me,” he said with a wry smile. The cat mewed at him pitifully. Louis sighed. “Yeah, yeah, alright.”

 He put the umbrella down on top of the boxes, tilting it so that it covered the soggy animal, and then put his bag down as well and unzipped his jacket.

 “If you have a go at me you will regret it, mate,” he warned the cat, before carefully reaching out to pick it up. Instead of attacking him though, the cat began to purr. Okay, maybe not a stray. The poor thing was much heavier than was probably usual, its long fur completely soaked through.

 Still not entirely convinced he wasn’t about to get clawed to pieces, Louis gingerly tucked the cat into the front of his jacket and partially zipped it up. The cat purred louder.

 Right.

 Louis picked the umbrella and his bag back up and let himself into the building.

 By the time they made it up the lift to his flat on the fourth floor, the cat’s drenched fur had soaked through Louis’ partially dry clothes and they were both wet and shivering.

 His roommate Liam wasn’t home yet and wouldn’t be back until a bit later, so Louis didn’t hesitate to drop the umbrella and his bag in the hallway and start stripping off the sopping wet outer layer of his clothes as he headed towards the bathroom.

 The cat mewed quietly as Louis juggled it around while stripping his jacket and jumper but otherwise made no protest. It didn’t even wiggle when Louis switched hands to free each arm from his clothes.

 Louis may have discovered the most placid, docile animal in all of London.

 Once in the bathroom, he put the cat down on the lip of the sink and turned to fiddle with the taps on the bathtub. With the tub starting to fill, Louis rummaged under the sink, looking for...aha!

 His mum had left behind some Johnson’s baby shampoo the last time they had visited, which should be gentle enough for not-so-stray cats. Straightening up, he noticed that his new charge was shivering from the cold just as much as he was, despite the steam starting to fill the room.

 Louis clucked his tongue in sympathy.

 He squeezed some shampoo into his palm and rubbed his hands together to warm it up a bit, then gently began to massage it into the cat’s fur. Lifting the tail, Louis saw that his new friend was male, who reacted to the indignity with an annoyed sneeze, jerking his tail away.

 Louis laughed. “Sorry, mate,” he grinned.

 There was hardly any dirt coming out of the cat’s fur as Louis scrubbed him - he definitely had to belong to someone, but there wasn’t a collar, and no microchip tattoos in his ears when Louis checked.

 “I’m still sure someone’s missing a handsome lad like you, eh?” he cooed, finishing up.

 The cat blinked up at him, then purred and rubbed his head against Louis’ palm, making his heart melt. Despite never having even the remotest desire to own a pet before, Louis suddenly desperately wanted to keep him. He’d never been that big on animals, much preferring to coo over babies instead, but apparently all it took was a sweet and friendly cat to completely convert him.

 First things first though.

 He turned off the bathtub taps and shucked the rest of his wet clothes.

 “Come on, mister,” he said, scooping up the cat. For the first time since Louis had first picked him up, the cat squirmed in his grip, twisting to resolutely stare up at his face.

 Weird.

 With a mental shrug, Louis shifted his hold on him so the cat could keep staring at him, and lowered them both into the bath.

 The water was heavenly after the freezing bite of the rain, and Louis sank low into the water for a moment, loosening his grip on his new friend and balancing him on his chest. He carded his fingers through the cat’s fur gently, rinsing away the baby shampoo.

 His new friend endured the whole process without complaint, his big green eyes even sliding shut in pleasure and beginning to purr again as Louis gently massaged his fur under the water.

 The cat’s fur was a lovely mottled array of various shades of deep brown, with highlights here and there showing up through the wet coat. There was mark above one of his eyes, a lighter colour than the rest of his fur and Louis couldn’t help grinning.

 “Green eyes and a mark on your forehead? Should I just call you Harry, then?” he asked with a snort of amusement, then yelped as the cat moved suddenly in his hands, jerking upright out of his contended sprawl on Louis’ chest to stare right at Louis. Louis moved to catch him if he lunged from the bathtub, but the cat was completely still, just looking at him.

 “Okaaaay,” Louis said, watching the cat carefully. “Harry?” he tried again. The cat lunged forward, pressing their noses together.

 Louis started to laugh in disbelief.

 “Seriously? That’s really your name?” he brought his hands up to push the cat gently away from his face. “I bet your owner has just as much personality as you.”

 The cat went back to purring loudly. He tickled Harry under his chin, chuckling as his eyes slid shut again in bliss.

 “LOUIS!” an annoyed shout from somewhere in the flat told Louis that Liam was home earlier than he had expected and had found the wet things scattered everywhere. Harry jumped at the noise, his eyes snapping open, but he didn’t try to bolt like Louis half expected him to.

 “Oops.” Louis wasn’t looking forward to another lecture about leaving his stuff all over the flat, but he still pulled the plug on the bath and scooped Harry up against his chest before climbing out of the tub. He set Harry down on the edge of the sink again before reaching for a towel for them both. Wrapping one around his own waist, he used the other to rub Harry’s fur gently.

 Actually…

 He opened the top drawer of the vanity and pulled out his hair dryer. He plugged it in and turned it on to the lowest setting. He expected his new friend to freak out over the noise, but Harry barely even blinked. He even lifted his head when Louis turned the warm air towards him before flopping over onto his side and rolling unashamedly around so that Louis could fluff his wet tummy.

 Ha!

 This was the best cat ever. Louis didn’t care who he belonged to, or who had obviously trained him to do that, he was going to keep him forever.

Central London 3 bed flat next to public transport, spread over two floors with sunny roof terrace. Fast WiFi, TV with Netflix, coffee machine. Great neighbourhood with parks, cafes, restaurants and food shops. Refurbished central London (Zone 2) 3 bed Victorian house built in 1894, originally converted from a Blacksmiths. The house comfortably sleeps 7 people in the form of 2 double beds and 3 single beds: Bedroom 1: Sleeps 2: UK King (US Queen) 160x200cm 5'3"x6'6" Bedroom 2: Sleeps 2: UK double (US twin) 135 x 190 cm 4'5" x 6'3" Bedroom 3: Sleeps 3: 3 Singles (Bunk: 2 beds 2 'x 5 ' 10 " 61 x 178 cm and 1 sofa bed 79 x 200 cm 2'7" x 6'6" ) Private roof terrace with outdoor table and chairs, games cupboard, library of eclectic books, super fast WiFi, Smart TV with free Netflix subscription for streaming movies, kitchen with all mod cons including an coffee machine for the coffee addicts. Central London location within fashionable Islington (Zone 2) and on the borders of uber cool Kingsland Road, gateway to Shoreditch and Hoxton with all its clubs, restaurants, bars and art spaces, but also on the borders of family oriented Stoke Newington and its popular Stoke Newington Church Street lined with very good and mostly independent, shops, cafes and restaurants. Baby and toddler kit that includes: Folding pram, baby bed (travel cot 0-36 mths), baby bath, potty, toilet trainer seat, step stool, booster seat, infant activity seat, toy box (wooden train set, Duplo and regular Lego and art supplies), safety gates, door stoppers, table corner protectors, mains socket protectors, first aid kit. Access your own private roof terrace off the living room, enjoy al fresco dining with the patio table and chairs set or soak up the sun with the pair of lounge chairs. I'm on hand via Airbnb chat or phone to answer questions or share tips and tricks to help you get the most from your London stay. We Airbnb our home when we're away so it's unlikely we'll meet you in person but you might meet my brother or friend Richard who both live just around the corner and are close at hand in case of emergencies. Newington Green is a friendly neighbourhood with a very nice collection of local food shops, restaurants and cafes. Clissold Park is a 10 minute walk and has an excellent park cafe, small butterfly sanctuary, animal enclosures, summer paddling pool, and an amazing children's playground (suitable for toddlers and older) with zip line and an attached small skate park. The area also has a nearby public swimming pool, gym, tennis courts, rock climbing centre, cinema and plenty of seriously good coffee options. The house is literally only a 2 minute walk to major bus routes including the iconic 73 Routemaster that can whiz you in to see the sites. Alternatively it's a 9 min walk to Dalston Junction or a 10 min bus ride to Angel for rail and tube connections. Airports: Getting to and from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports takes just a little over an hour. Clean bedding, towels, environmentally friendly shampoo, conditioner body wash and hand soaps are provided. The house is cleaned with environmentally friendly cleaners. Iron, ironing board and hair dryer available. Allergy free bedding and pillows. Note: The bunk beds are 5Ft 10" long (Shorties get the bunks!). Confirm the height of your guests before booking if you plan on using the bunks. We also have a couple of single back up roll up futons for more flexible sleeping arrangements. Visto en http://es.habitoom.com/habitaciones/stoke-newington/1652

http://inmobiliariacasas.blogspot.com/2017/04/3-beds-sleeps-7-roof-terrace.html

Co-Working and the Sharing Economy Converge in Short-Term Home Office Rentals

Spacehop user Lavinia Osbourne poses for a picture in one of the homes available for hire as office space on the Spacehop website, in London. Tim Ireland / Associated Press

Skift Take: The growth of short-term home office rentals poses yet another potential threat to hotels' traditional stronghold on meeting and event, or alternative work spaces. Smart hotels should, like Ian Schrager recently suggested, start thinking about getting into the co-working game to convert potentially empty, unbooked meeting spaces.

— Deanna Ting

Claire Brynteson had a house, a job and a dining table that was empty once she got her three children out the door every morning.

When she received a flyer telling her she could make money by renting seats at the table to people looking for short-term office space, she jumped at the chance to list its virtues on the Spacehop website — where Airbnb meets the laptop entrepreneur.

“I wondered why perhaps it had taken so long since Airbnb has been running for so long,” Brynteson said at her home in south London. “People have for a long time been making money out of their home with guests staying over the night and paying to be there. This is a little less intrusive.”

The rise of self-employment and soaring office costs are fueling demand for shared office space in metropolitan areas, with a handful of firms renting workspace by the hour, similar to the way Airbnb offers overnight stays. Vrumi, founded in 2015, says it has 5,000 registered users and 120,000 square feet of rentable workspace across the U.K. London-based Spacehop joined the market last year, as did Breather, a four-year-old company that also operates in the U.S. and Canada.

It’s the latest development of the so-called sharing economy, where those looking for extra cash are generating income any way they can with the help of the internet and smartphone apps. Space itself has become a commodity, with people renting their driveways to commuters searching for parking, attics to apartment dwellers in need of storage and garden plots to those who want to grow their own tomatoes.

Boxful in Hong Kong promises to declutter your life by collecting and storing unneeded belongings. In Spain, LetMeSpace provides a marketplace to rent out anything from parking spaces to unused storage. Pubs are renting out space in the morning to people looking for peace to work, said Catherine Cottney, manager of trends at business research firm Mintel.

“It’s the final frontier,” Cottney said. “People are recognizing the worth of space and they’re looking to maximize that.”

With an abundance of investors and a computer-literate entrepreneurial population, the U.K. is driving the trend in Europe. In Britain, platform revenues more than tripled to 850 million pounds ($1.1 billion) in the three years through 2015, according to a study by PwC. Peer-to-peer accommodation, which includes shared office space as well as overnight stays like Airbnb, accounted for 27 percent of that total. Globally, PwC estimates that revenues in the sharing economy were about $15 billion in 2015.

The move toward new workspaces dovetails with changes in the workplace itself.

Cary Cooper, an expert on workplace issues at Alliance Manchester Business School, said he’s surprised the Airbnb model didn’t come to office space sooner, and he believes it will grow as millennials seek flexibility and others seek to make a living. Recent figures from the Resolution Foundation think tank found that self-employment accounts for 45 percent of the growth in employment in Britain since 2008.

“It’s an outgrowth of the recession and an outgrowth of people being re-employed on a contingency basis,” said Cooper. “Big employers don’t want to make a commitment to people.”

Lavinia Osbourne started her own financial counseling business in the wake of the global economic crisis but found working at home was too difficult when she needed to meet clients. She struggled to find peace and quiet working in coffee shops and hotel lobbies.

“I hate Starbucks,” the 40-year-old entrepreneur said. “It’s noisy. It’s dirty. Sometimes you can’t find a place to sit. You can’t find a socket that works.”

Hotels weren’t much better.

“Sometimes, if you are there too long, the maître d’ or the staff can give you a little funny look,” she said.

Her solution? Brynteson’s dining table, where filmmakers, entrepreneurs and novelists sit down to work with other creative people.

There, for 22 pounds a day, “hoppers” get one of eight places at the table, Wi-Fi, and access to the kitchen and bathroom. Fringe benefits include sliding glass doors that look out over a tree-lined garden and visits from Coco, the family cat.

Brynteson had been an Airbnb host and was accustomed to the idea of allowing people into her home. When she realized people would pay for a seat at her table, she teamed up with Spacehop.

“It’s just sitting there empty anyways,” she said.

The company vets both the host and client for the transaction, verifying the mobile phone, e-mail and identification. So far, there have been no major issues, though there’s an insurance policy that covers any gaps in a home insurance policy for claims or damage. Brynteson also does her own due diligence to make sure she’s comfortable with the guest.

The portable office represents a step forward from a time when the budding entrepreneur would find a coffee house and look for a free chair close to an electrical outlet. Freelancers and self-employed people need the ability to work without distractions, network with others in the same position and speak with clients with some degree of confidentiality. And for those in companies, open plan offices also make it hard for people who work for the same company to talk.

“The way we work is changing,” said Roddy Campbell, the founder of space rental firm Vrumi. “People like being with people but offices are the worst places to get things done.”

Campbell said the business isn’t just about laptop startups either.

Vrumi takes a lot of bookings from small groups who work at larger companies but need time away from the phone calls, email and office noise — for instance senior managers who want to meet without being seen or distracted.

Consultancy PwC estimates that the sharing economy will continue to expand. In Britain, it expects 30 percent growth annually over the next decade, generating 18 billion pounds of revenue for platforms and facilitating 140 billion pounds worth of transactions a year by 2025.

“We thought growth would have tailed off,” said Robert Vaughn of PwC, “but it’s actually accelerating.”

Copyright (2017) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This article was written by Danica Kirka from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].

Red Phone Box Convert into Coffee Shop in London

Red telephone boxes are iconic in London, but who uses a telephone booth nowadays, when everyone has a mobile phone?

Red Phone Box Coffee Shop Today, Lucy and I visited 'Walkmisu',  a tiny hole in the wall cafe just outside Russell Square Park in central London.

Nayem in London

The rise of the cashless city: ‘There is this real danger of exclusion’

Adam Forrest, The Guardian, 9 January 2017

Scrolling through my online bank statements at Christmas, I was surprised to find I had not removed cash from an ATM for well over four months. Thanks to the ubiquity of electronic payment systems, it has become increasingly easy to glide around London to a chorus of approving bleeps.

As more shops and transport networks adapt to contactless card and touch-and-go mobile technology, many major cities around the world are in the process of relegating cash to second-class status. Some London shops and cafes are now, like the capital’s buses, simply refusing to handle notes or coins.

Could we see a whole city go cash-free? From Seoul to Bergamo, cities big and small are at the forefront of a global drive to go digital. Many of us are happy to tap cards or phones to hop on a bus, buy a coffee or pay for groceries, but it raises the prospect of a time we no longer carry any cash at all.

No spare change for the busker at the station, the person sleeping rough in need of a hot drink, the market trader, the donation box. Although even on-street charity fundraisers are now broaching the world of contactless payments, what might the rise of the cashless city mean for street vendors, small merchants and the poorest inhabitants?

Some experts now fear a two-tier urban realm in which those on the lowest incomes become disconnected from mainstream commercial life by their dependence on traditional forms of currency.

“The beauty of cash is that it’s a direct and simple transaction between all kinds of different people, no matter how rich or poor,” explains financial writer Dominic Frisby. “If you begin to insist on cashlessness, it does put pressure on you to be banked and signed up to financial system, and many of the poorest are likely to remain outside of that system. So there is this real danger of exclusion.”

Ajay Banga, Mastercard’s CEO, has spoken about the growing global risk of “creating islands, where the unbanked transact [only] with each other”.

In India, the question of how the poorest might connect with the digitised world of the middle-class consumer is now of central importance. In November, the prime minister Narendra Modi announced the removal of 500 and 1000 rupee notes from circulation. Part of a wider attempt to jolt the nation into joining the cashless revolution, Modi’s government believes restricting currency and pushing the take-up of electronic payment will help tackle corruption and regulate India’s untaxed, “black” economy.

Saurabh Shukla, the Delhi-based editor in chief at NewsMobile Asia, says he has seen many small “mom and pop” store owners introduce card readers and learn how to use Paytm, a mobile payment platform, over the past two months.

“They realise a big change is here and they are trying to adjust to electronic payment,” he explains. “But they still want to convert back to cash at the end of the working day or the working week. It will be a gradual adjustment. We might not be able to create a completely cashless India, but we can aim to create a low cash economy.”

Modi is encouraging state government to create “smart” cities by connecting their public services with the latest online technology. Officials are aiming to make the Chandigarh--famously designed by modernist architect Le Corbusier--India’s first cashless city by insisting all bills are paid electronically at government offices. And the government of Goa is attempting to turn its capital Panjim cash-free by offering discounts in digitally bought services like train tickets, and by setting up classrooms to teach small traders e-payment technology.

Yet huge queues remain outside banks as many Indians continue to demand cash. Some of the poorest street vendors cannot afford card readers, and have struggled to operate Paytm payment transfers on their mobile phones.

Aires Rodrigues, a human rights lawyer in Goa, says traders in Panjim are suffering. Rickshaw drivers and fish market sellers have been left with no way of accepting payment from middle-class customers now inclined to do everything digitally. “It’s senseless to try to make everyone go cashless,” says Rodrigues. “The government seems to have lost sight of the plight of the common man.”

If India’s urbanites are being forced to undergo digital shock therapy, city dwellers in much of Europe have been moving steadily away from cash. Consumers like convenience. Governments like the idea of tax transparency. And retailers like cutting down on the costs of cash handling.

According to a recent report by Fung Global Retail & Technology, nine of the top 15 “most digital-ready” countries are in Europe. It predicts Sweden could become the world’s first completely cashless society. Niklas Arvidsson at Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology thinks it could happen by 2030.

Yet even Sweden has seen an enthusiasm gap emerge, mostly along demographic lines. Older people in the rural north, tending to be the least tech-savvy, resent the economic power of Stockholm and Gothenburg, now almost entirely cash-free urban zones. The National Pensioners Organisation is a key player in the “Cash Uprising” coalition now campaigning to make sure older Swedes can still deposit and remove cash from banks.

Wealth, however, remains the key factor in determining who might be entirely left behind by the evolving digital economy. Some of the poorest people in Europe’s richest cities have found themselves pushed aside.

In Amsterdam, homeless people selling street magazine Z!, the Dutch equivalent of The Big Issue, now struggle to find customers still using cash. Z! trialled card payments by giving a dozen of the city’s vendors iZettle readers back in 2013, but the method was deemed too cumbersome.

“After a few weeks, our vendors said, ‘Look, this is too complicated’,” says editor Hans van Dalfsen. “It became too clunky and time-consuming for the vendor to juggle their magazines, the card reader and their own mobile phone connected to Bluetooth--all that stuff was needed to carry out the transaction.”

Van Dalfsen says he is now talking to a major telecoms company to try to find a simpler way for homeless vendors to accept payment using only their mobile phones, perhaps with help of unique QR code on their ID badge.

Like many of the world’s poorest people, much of Amsterdam’s homeless population remain without a bank account. So even if they own a mobile phone, most fall back to cash.

Kenya may offer a guiding light here, having found a way to allow unbanked citizens access into the cashless society using cheap mobiles. Launched in 2007, M-Pesa has become the world’s leading mobile money platform, allowing millions of users to transfer money to each other by sending text messages and store their funds digitally without opening a conventional bank account.

In Zimbabwe, last year’s cash liquidity crisis led to renewed distrust in the banks and helped mobile money platforms take off as an alternative way of doing business, first in the capital city Harare, then in rural areas. The country’s most popular text-based service EcoCash now has more than six million users.

“There has been a huge explosion in cashless payments, down to the very poorest street traders using mobile money solutions,” says Nigel Gambanga, a Harare-based technology analyst. “Everyone has begun to realise, ‘If I don’t figure this out, I might not be in business tomorrow.’ People are adaptable.”

Dave Birch, director of innovation at UK firm Consult Hyperion, thinks it would be foolish to insist on clinging on to cash on behalf of the poor. “If you keep people trapped in a cash economy, you leave them to pay higher prices for everything, you leave them struggling to access credit, and more vulnerable to theft,” he says.

“We’re going to replace cash with electronic platforms,” Birch adds. “I don’t think poverty or being unbanked is necessarily a barrier, because everyone has a phone. Given the technology we have, we can develop new ways of moving digital cash around, even on the most basic of phones.”

The challenge for banks, regulators, tech innovators and officials keen to push forward “smart city” initiatives, is to make sure evolving platforms are accessible and keep everyone interconnected.

If we cannot find a common payment ecosystem, we may find ourselves wandering through divided cities, separated by the sound of bleeps and the shuffling of cold, hard cash.

The rise of the cashless city: ‘There is this real danger of exclusion’

Cities from Sweden to India are pushing for a totally cash-free society. But as more shops and transport networks insist on electronic payments, where does this leave the smallest traders and poorest inhabitants?

Scrolling through my online bank statements at Christmas, I was surprised to find I had not removed cash from an ATM for well over four months. Thanks to the ubiquity of electronic payment systems, it has become increasingly easy to glide around London to a chorus of approving bleeps.

As more shops and transport networks adapt to contactless card and touch-and-go mobile technology, many major cities around the world are in the process of relegating cash to second-class status. Some London shops and cafes are now, like the capitals buses, simply refusing to handle notes or coins.

Could we see a whole city go cash-free? From Seoul to Bergamo, cities big and small are at the forefront of a global drive to go digital. Many of us are happy to tap cards or phones to hop on a bus, buy a coffee or pay for groceries, but it raises the prospect of a time we no longer carry any cash at all.

No spare change for the busker at the station, the person sleeping rough in need of a hot drink, the market trader, the donation box. Although even on-street charity fundraisers are now broaching the world of contactless payments, what might the rise of the cashless city mean for street vendors, small merchants and the poorest inhabitants?

Some experts now fear a two-tier urban realm in which those on the lowest incomes become disconnected from mainstream commercial life by their dependence on traditional forms of currency.

The beauty of cash is that its a direct and simple transaction between all kinds of different people, no matter how rich or poor, explains financial writer Dominic Frisby. If you begin to insist on cashlessness, it does put pressure on you to be banked and signed up to financial system, and many of the poorest are likely to remain outside of that system. So there is this real danger of exclusion.

Ajay Banga, Mastercards CEO, has spoken about the growing global risk of creating islands, where the unbanked transact [only] with each other.

In India, the question of how the poorest might connect with the digitised world of the middle-class consumer is now of central importance. In November, the prime minister Narendra Modi announced the removal of 500 and 1000 rupee notes from circulation. Part of a wider attempt to jolt the nation into joining the cashless revolution, Modis government believes restricting currency and pushing the take-up of electronic payment will help tackle corruption and regulate Indias untaxed, black economy.

It has become increasingly easy to glide around London to a chorus of approving bleeps. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Saurabh Shukla, the Delhi-based editor in chief at NewsMobile Asia, says he has seen many small mom and pop store owners introduce card readers and learn how to use Paytm, a mobile payment platform, over the past two months.

They realise a big change is here and they are trying to adjust to electronic payment, he explains. But they still want to convert back to cash at the end of the working day or the working week. It will be a gradual adjustment. We might not be able to create a completely cashless India, but we can aim to create a low cash economy.

Modi is encouraging state government to create smart cities by connecting their public services with the latest online technology. Officials are aiming to make the Chandigarh famously designed by modernist architect Le Corbusier Indias first cashless city by insisting all bills are paid electronically at government offices. And the government of Goa is attempting to turn its capital Panjim cash-free by offering discounts in digitally bought services like train tickets, and by setting up classrooms to teach small traders e-payment technology.

Yet huge queues remain outside banks as many Indians continue to demand cash. Some of the poorest street vendors cannot afford card readers, and have struggled to operate Paytm payment transfers on their mobile phones.

Aires Rodrigues, a human rights lawyer in Goa, says traders in Panjim are suffering. Rickshaw drivers and fish market sellers have been left with no way of accepting payment from middle-class customers now inclined to do everything digitally. Its senseless to try to make everyone go cashless, says Rodrigues. The government seems to have lost sight of the plight of the common man.

If Indias urbanites are being forced to undergo digital shock therapy, city dwellers in much of Europe have been moving steadily away from cash. Consumers like convenience. Governments like the idea of tax transparency. And retailers like cutting down on the costs of cash handling.

People queue to withdraw cash at a bank in Lucknow, India, after prime minister Narendra Modi announced the elimination of the 500 and 1,000 rupee bills. Photograph: Pawan Kumar/Reuters

According to a recent report by Fung Global Retail & Technology, nine of the top 15 most digital-ready countries are in Europe. It predicts Sweden could become the worlds first completely cashless society. Niklas Arvidsson at Stockholms KTH Royal Institute of Technology thinks it could happen by 2030.

Yet even Sweden has seen an enthusiasm gap emerge, mostly along demographic lines. Older people in the rural north, tending to be the least tech-savvy, resent the economic power of Stockholm and Gothenburg, now almost entirely cash-free urban zones. The National Pensioners Organisation is a key player in the Cash Uprising coalition now campaigning to make sure older Swedes can still deposit and remove cash from banks.

Wealth, however, remains the key factor in determining who might be entirely left behind by the evolving digital economy. Some of the poorest people in Europes richest cities have found themselves pushed aside.

In Amsterdam, homeless people selling street magazine Z!, the Dutch equivalent of The Big Issue, now struggle to find customers still using cash. Z! trialled card payments by giving a dozen of the citys vendors iZettle readers back in 2013, but the method was deemed too cumbersome.

After a few weeks, our vendors said, Look, this is too complicated, says editor Hans van Dalfsen. It became too clunky and time-consuming for the vendor to juggle their magazines, the card reader and their own mobile phone connected to Bluetooth all that stuff was needed to carry out the transaction.

Van Dalfsen says he is now talking to a major telecoms company to try to find a simpler way for homeless vendors to accept payment using only their mobile phones, perhaps with help of unique QR code on their ID badge.

The M-Pesa banking service in Kenya allows people without bank accounts to transfer funds using mobile phones. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Like Scandinavia, we are close to being cashless in Amsterdam, he says. Im an optimist, but we really need bright people in the tech companies to come up with simple, convenient solutions that work for everyone. We cannot let people become cut off from the life of the city.

Like many of the worlds poorest people, much of Amsterdams homeless population remain without a bank account. So even if they own a mobile phone, most fall back to cash.

Kenya may offer a guiding light here, having found a way to allow unbanked citizens access into the cashless society using cheap mobiles. Launched in 2007, M-Pesa has become the worlds leading mobile money platform, allowing millions of users to transfer money to each other by sending text messages and store their funds digitally without opening a conventional bank account.

In Zimbabwe, last years cash liquidity crisis led to renewed distrust in the banks and helped mobile money platforms take off as an alternative way of doing business, first in the capital city Harare, then in rural areas. The countrys most popular text-based service EcoCash now has more than six million users.

There has been a huge explosion in cashless payments, down to the very poorest street traders using mobile money solutions, says Nigel Gambanga, a Harare-based technology analyst. Everyone has begun to realise, If I dont figure this out, I might not be in business tomorrow. People are adaptable.

Dave Birch, director of innovation at UK firm Consult Hyperion, thinks it would be foolish to insist on clinging on to cash on behalf of the poor. If you keep people trapped in a cash economy, you leave them to pay higher prices for everything, you leave them struggling to access credit, and more vulnerable to theft, he says.

Were going to replace cash with electronic platforms, Birch adds. I dont think poverty or being unbanked is necessarily a barrier, because everyone has a phone. Given the technology we have, we can develop new ways of moving digital cash around, even on the most basic of phones.

The challenge for banks, regulators, tech innovators and officials keen to push forward smart city initiatives, is to make sure evolving platforms are accessible and keep everyone interconnected.

If we cannot find a common payment ecosystem, we may find ourselves wandering through divided cities, separated by the sound of bleeps and the shuffling of cold, hard cash.

Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter and Facebook to join the discussion, and explore our archive here

Read more: http://bit.ly/2iuI1zW

from The rise of the cashless city: ‘There is this real danger of exclusion’

Red Phone Box Convert into Coffee Shop in London

Today, Lucy and I visited 'Walkmisu',  a tiny hole in the wall cafe just outside Russell Square Park in central London.

Here a Red Phone Box Convert into Coffee Shop.  It's an italian cafe which also sells tiramisu - an italian dessert made with coffee, biscuits and marscepone cheese.

Phone Box Convert into Coffee Shop

Red Phone Box Convert into Coffee Shop in London

Today, Lucy and I visited 'Walkmisu',  a tiny wall cafe just outside Russell Square Park in central London.