Jo attempted the floo thrice over the course of four hours. She gave different Hogsmeade addresses each time, hoping that since those floos likely remained online the chances of her leaving would be greater, and each time she remained trapped in Alfred's flat. Each time her resolve not to walk out through the front door died a little bit more. Being so close to him without being able to share even the most basic details about their lives was even more heartbreaking than their tense conversation had been.

She wasn't even gone yet and she already missed him.

The letter was stealthily retrieved an hour into the waiting. Cautiously, Jo felt for the thicker map and unfurled it to pocket the letter before replacing the map to the top of the pile. If their relationship was always going to be this way, then he wouldn't even want to read it, she surmised. He wouldn't want to know what he meant to her or have a way to reach her in the future. That was it, they were done.

Her body tensed when she heard him in the hall. It was his flat, she reminded herself, he could move about as he wished. Still, she had hoped he wouldn't approach her again at all, had thought to leave their goodbye as what it was and go.

"Sure," she answered, surprising herself with her agreement. Her stomach felt like it was wound in tight knots and her throat was dry. Jo doubted she would be able to eat much at all. "Need help prepping something?"