LessWrong (30+ Karma) “A Harried Meeting” by Ben Pace
Nov 29, 2025
In a timeworn pub, the mysterious wall taps draw patrons who vanish without a trace, while the drugged-out owner remains oblivious. Tension escalates between two characters, both claiming to be Harry Du Bois, culminating in a standoff with a gun. As they delve into Hermione's tragedy, they debate murder rates using quirky Fermi estimates, all while sharing a moment of grief over butterbeer. The unsettling atmosphere and enigmatic wall lead to a desire for answers, hinting at deeper mysteries beyond the faded pub walls.
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The Timeless Pub And Its Secret Wall
- The pub is ancient, drugged-out, and centered on an unchanged brick wall that people tap to vanish.
- The narrator investigates a murder while drinking and watching patrons use the wall as a portal.
A Wall That Transports People
- Patrons tap a pattern on the brick wall to leave the pub and enter other places.
- The wall functions as a persistent, selective portal linking lives and locations across time or space.
Tapping The Pattern Leads To Harry
- A man in a tall hat taps a precise brick pattern and an ominous feeling follows.
- When the narrator taps the wall, he whooshes into a convention-like room where a boy named Harry Du Bois appears.
