LONG TIME NO SEE [NATHAN]

[Deleted]

Four years it had been. Four years since Teddy had since his family, his friends, and... her. She was the reason he had left. She was the reason that he had broken off any and all ties with any of his loved ones when he left. And she was the reason he was afraid to show his face to anyone now.

Teddy left Britain four years ago after dropping out of the Auror training program due to hearing that his ex-girlfriend, Victoire Weasley, was joining the program. Teddy and Victoire had been together and in love for most of their school years. They had practically grown up together and had just happened to fall in love in the process. Once Teddy graduated however, the two broke it off after many years. It was amicable and a little out of the blue, but it was decided by both of them that it was best. Victoire had still been in school, so it was easy at first for Teddy to push all memories of Victoire aside and pretend that they had never happened. Though that became very difficult when Victoire had also graduated and wanted to move in the to Auror program. Teddy felt a huge wave of anxiety hit him when he got that news, and suddenly realized that he couldn't handle it. Without warning or a note, Teddy fled, unable to face Victoire for he still was very much in love with her. It was all childish and regrettable in retrospect, but Teddy left Britain.

Now Teddy found himself back in Britain after living in Italy for a few months and then spending the remainder of the four years in Greece. He had taken up writing, and was actually in the process of getting one of his works published. It was very exciting for Teddy, but he was also very nervous to be back in Britain. A few nights ago, he had made the trek down the road of Godric's Hollow to knock on his godfather's door. Teddy had been very nervous, for he had simply up and left some of his only family. Fortunately, Harry Potter welcomed back with open arms and had actually tried telling Teddy that Victoire was indeed still in love with him. Teddy doubted this highly, for how could someone as beautiful as Victoire Weasley still be hung up on someone as plain as Edward Lupin?

The Potters were the only people that Teddy had visited, or that even knew of his being back in Britain. Granted, it was only Harry and Ginny. Teddy wasn't even sure that James, Albus, and Lily knew he was back yet, and they were like his siblings. Teddy certainly hadn't notified Victoire, and he truly had no intention to at this point. He didn't want to bother her, for he figured that she had to be with some handsome and successful wizard by now. But there was one other person that Teddy found himself thinking of as he walked into the Fountain of Fair Fortune Pub on Horizon Alley. Nathan Devereux. Nathan had been one of his very best friends growing up. No doubt by now Nathan was probably an Auror, as the two had graduated and entered the training program together. That was another person that Teddy felt absolutely awful about leaving. How could he have done that to his best friend?

Teddy took a deep breath as he walked over to the bar, taking a seat on a chair and ordering a glass of Schletter's Fine Whiskey. He looked at the counter as he thought about where his friend could possibly be now. Could he be out on some mission for the Aurors? At the Ministry itself? Teddy wondered what he would be doing beside Nathan if he had stayed. As the bartender set the glass down, Teddy nodded in thanks then took a big sip. This one was for Nathan.

@overlord

[Deleted]

Around the clock work and exhausted evenings. That's what life was like for Nathan as of lately. Rarely was there time to sit down and relax. The Auror Office was constantly in commotion as they tried to figure out who or what was behind the recent suspicious happenings. The mysterious death of Kingsley Shacklebot, the string of disappearances and murders of aurors, and the death of a Hogwarts student. Something was definitely wrong in wizarding world.

These events were the rumblings of a thunder; Mere warning signs of a terror that was about to unleash a cold darkness. A storm was coming. Dark times were ahead of them and many refused to acknowledge that. Getting to the bottom of it as fast as possible was the best solution, but with little to no leads that proved to be nearly impossible. Nathan was trying his best, but maybe his best just wasn't enough.

With a sigh he shook the thought of work out of his head. He needed a break and that's why he was here in the comfort of a pub known as The Fountain of Fair Fortune. From his seat at the far end of the bar, Nate was enjoying a glass of Campbell's Finest Old Whiskey when the entrance of a man nearly shocked him to death. He couldn't believe his eyes at the scene before him...Teddy? Was that really him? It couldn't be, could it?

It had been years ever since the disappearance of his best friend, Edward Lupin a.k.a Teddy. No one had heard a thing from him for four long years now, not even his family. For months Nate had tried to contact him by any and all means, but to no avail nothing came from his best friend. After nearly two years of searching and finding nothing, Nate could only presume that Teddy was dead.

Maybe he was finally going insane, or maybe he had too much to drink and now he was seeing things...Insanity or plain drunk, Nate found himself rising from his seat and approaching the seated man. Sitting on the vacant bar stool besides him, Nathan looked at the man and said; "You know...all these years and not even a single owl...I'm hurt."

@teddy

[Deleted]

While abroad, Teddy had spent a lot of time alone. He couldn't seem to bridge the difficult language barrier between English and Greek. He had learned a few words from an old man at a Greek bar who knew broken English enough to speak briefly with Teddy, but he only had learned necessary words like "ouzo, please" or "which way to the bathroom?" The only thing Teddy was proud about taking away from his time spent in Greece was his writing. Fiction, mostly. And some even based on his love for Victoire. But he would never admit that to her. Or anyone, for that matter.

Well, maybe someone. And as Teddy thought about that someone he thought he had heard that someone's voice. Teddy froze as he was bringing his drink up to his mouth. Slowly, the Lupin set it down. Then, just as slowly, Teddy turned his head around to face the voice he had just heard. His suspicions were confirmed.

"Nathan...?" Teddy looked utterly surprised as he faced his old friend. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth, unable to mask his instant happy mood. It was as if the universe had answered a prayer. "I can't believe it," he said, standing up and pulling his best friend into a hug. Teddy had no shame for his brotherly relationship with Nathan. When he pulled away, however, he grimaced at Nathan's comment. "Yeah... I'm sorry, mate..." he trailed off. So explain all of this was going to be a little more difficult than he thought.

@overlord

[Deleted]

It was no lie when Nate said he was hurt by Teddy's lack of communication throughout the years. Four years of silence and not even a single goodbye to start off with, Nate felt as if he had lost a friend. As much as he wanted to be angry at Teddy about it he just couldn't. It wasn't in him. He tried to maintain a stern face, but that didn't last too long. The joy of seeing his best friend overcame all feelings of anger and Nate quickly found himself smiling widely.

"It's good to see you too, buddy." Nathan said with a light chuckle as Teddy pulled him into the friendly embrace. "Four thousand years since we last saw each other - man you deserve a punch in the face right now." Nate joked once they parted. "Where the hell were you all this time?" he asked. That was the number one question on Nate's mind at the moment. What was the reason behind his unexpected disappearance and why didn't he tell anyone?

@teddy

[Deleted]

Teddy was expecting someone to be mad at him. He was expecting Harry to not answer the door, or at the very least not forgive him. And Nathan? Teddy didn't expect him to want to even speak to him! But the fact that joy was breaking through the stern look on his face was enough for Teddy to smile widely at his best friend of many years. He supposed the anger was all being saved for Victoire.

Sheepishly, Teddy ruffled his shaggy brown hair and grimaced. "I know I do," he said, then put his arms straight down against his sides. "And if you want to do it, by all means - I deserve it!" He closed his eyes, pretending to expect an impact but opened one of them to look at his friend with the same old mischievous smile he always had when he was younger.

Where had Teddy been? Well, Teddy really felt like he had been nowhere. Italy was short lived, as it just wasn't the place for him. And Greece? It was beautiful, sure, but... it was lonely. Greek was a hard language barrier to break and aside from the kind old man who had taught Teddy a few easy words, he spent most of his time alone and writing. It was nice to be alone with his work but it was also sad and depressing. It left Teddy more reserved than he had ever been in the past. He shrugged at his friend. "Italy briefly... then mostly Greece," he said slowly, nodding at Nathan. Both countries were beautiful but for Teddy, none could match the beauty of his home country... for more reasons than one. And all those reasons weren't just because of the country's scenery but rather the people in it.

@overlord

[Deleted]

Nate could read the guilt that was playing around Teddy as they spoke. He knew his friend felt some of regret for his actions and that was enough for Nate to forgive him. Teddy was probably expecting worse than warm and open arms from Nathan, but the burning rage of a dragon or deep feelings of disappointment weren't going to solve anything in Nate's point of view. He wasn't entirely happy about Teddy's decision to just vanish, but he wasn't about to hold it against him. If anything he was happy that he found his way back home instead of staying away forever.

So much about Teddy had changed in the course of four years and it wasn't just his appearance. Nate was no psychic, but he could sense a change in Teddy's aura. He was a different man in so many ways, but he was weirdly still the same Teddy. The mischievous smile that crossed his face was a clear reminder of their days as young Hogwarts house mates, yet his physical appearance was no doubt different compared to what he looked like four years ago. Time was good to him and maybe like Teddy, a change of scenery would be good for Nathan.

"Ah, Greece... I heard the culture and history there is amazing." Nathan said as Teddy told him of his adventures. Greece's magnificent scenery and beautiful society were always described as being tranquil and diverse, something Nathan always wanted to see for himself, but he rarely had time for vacations. Maybe one day he could witness the beauty for himself."Come on, let's get a few drinks. We have much to catch up on." he said as he guided Teddy back towards the bar.

---

@teddy

[Deleted]

If there was one person Teddy was glad to have back in his life, it was Nathan without a doubt. The two had got along so fast as youngsters, it was perfect that the two had become friends as fast as they did. It was also strange that they had gone without speaking for so long. Many times, Teddy had wished that Nathan had been with him in Greece. The two could have gotten into so much fun (and maybe trouble,) together and even just the idea hade made Teddy happy during their separation. But it was still lonely. And that made Teddy miss Nathan even more.

Teddy nodded at his friend, a genuinely happy smile on his face. "It really is, my friend. It is truly something else," he let out a sigh at the thought of the scenery back in Greece. That had been the best part, without a doubt. Forget discovering that he had a talent for writing, just being around the beautiful colors and smells and people in Greece was enough to make up for the sadness Teddy sometimes felt for leaving. As Nathan began to guide Teddy back to the bar, Teddy looked around. "This place must be new," he said, having never been to this part of town before. "Anything I should definitely try?" He raised an eyebrow at his friend, hoping he would have a delicious suggestion for Teddy.

@overlord

[Deleted]

"Oh, yes it is fairly new." Nate answered Teddy on the establishment of the pub. Rarely did Nate come around these parts himself, but he had heard rave reviews about the place that he just had to witness what the talk was all about. 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune'...it was only now that Nate realized how comical the whole situation was. Was it fair luck how their paths crossed in a place with the words 'Fair' and 'Fortunate' in it's name, or was it a pure coincidence?
Nate was never the superstitious type, so the thought of this being the work of mysterious entities was ruled out in his head. He chuckled at the thought and took his seat at the bar.

"Well, they say Sherry is quiet the drink for celebratory gatherings." Nate answered Teddy's request for a recommendation. Nate wasn't really a fan of alcohol. Drinking wasn't something he saw as a pastime, but more of a pick-me-up whenever he was feeling a little down or in this case a cause for celebration. He didn't even know how this Sherry tasted like. Another friend had recommended the wine to him and what better day was there to try it than today?

---

@teddy

[Deleted]

A lot had evidently changed since Teddy had left. New Minister, new alley, and brand new threats to the wizarding world. It was a bit overwhelming to return to but Teddy was thankful that, for the most part, the people had stayed the same. As Teddy followed Nathan to the bar, he thought of how happy he was to be back with his friend, as if nothing had ever happened.

"Well," Teddy said, straightening himself up in the bar stool. "This is cause for celebrating, am I right?" He jokingly gestured to himself and grinned at his friend. Teddy was also not a big drinker. He tried not to drink unless he was strictly celebrating, for he feared if he took to drinking whenever he was feeling down, he would likely be a lousy drunk. "So," Teddy turned to the witch behind the counter. "Let's get two of those Sherries," he called to her with a smile.

As the bartender prepared their drinks, Teddy turned to face Nathan again. "So, what's it like being an Auror now, mate?" He asked with enthusiasm. Teddy was curious, for he would be one now himself if he hadn't left the country...

@overlord

[Deleted]

As Teddy took to ordering their beverages, Nate took his seat beside him bat the bar. 'So what's it like being an auror?' He heard Teddy ask. There were so many answers Nate could give to that question that he took a while to gather his response. "Well it's exactly what I thought it would be...with a tinge craziness and a blend of insanity?" he answered with a slight chuckle and a small smile. Being an auror was no doubt hard work and not to mention exhausting. Going into the career, he always knew that the road ahead would be one of twists and turns, but Nate loved it because of that. If it was any easier he wouldn't have pursued such a career. As difficult as it was being an auror he had discovered so much about the world around him as well as himself. The experience of the job made him grow as a person. He made friends along with enemies, but it was all the people he had helped along the road that made him put up with the exhaustion and craziness of being an auror.

The talk of his own work had Nate immediately thinking about the approaching darkness that many were starting to speak of. The wizarding world was in a state of unrest. Ministry officials and Hogwarts students were being killed and the evidence that darkness was looming was in the newspapers and the whispers of gossip that strangers shared amongst each other. Even the auror office had received light of this and they were knee-deep in unsolved murder cases and other dark news and information. The buzz was everywhere and he wondered if Teddy had heard about it.

"You need to watch yourself Ted." Nate spoke, changing the whole atmosphere of the room to a stern mood. "It's not safe anymore." he spoke a little softer as he looked around him before focusing on Teddy. "I don't know if you've heard, but there's been a lot of bad weather in our world lately. You probably know about Shacklebolts murder and the recent killings at Hogwarts. There's been speculation that what's been happening is the work of dark forces." he finished just as the bartender came with their drinks

(OOC: Long overdue, sorry! )

[Deleted]

At times Teddy really felt some regret about not finishing his Auror training. If he hadn't run off to Greece, he would be working right alongside his best friend right now. Sharing the same experiences, fighting criminals, and just being with one of the people he truly missed during that time away. But if there was anyone who deserved happiness and a good life, it was Nathan. And as Teddy watched him speak about being an Auror, Teddy smiled as well. "Wouldn't expect anything less," he chuckled a little himself.

When Nathan's mood suddenly changed, Teddy raised an eye at him, surprised. His sudden stern mood had caught Teddy off guard. Unfortunately, Teddy did know about all of the recent happenings in their world. It was practically coincidence that this had all started occurring just as Teddy was returning. When he had gone to Harry and Ginny's house the first night he had returned, Harry had told him all about what had happened to the minister and the young girl on the train. Teddy was devastated to hear about it all, and it had really taken a toll on him. Obviously he felt terrible for James, who had discovered the young girl. He couldn't even imagine how James must have been feeling about it all...

Teddy looked down at the drink just as the bartender set them down. He put his hand around the glass but didn't move it. "I've heard..." he replied, quietly. He wasn't sure exactly how to act. Obviously the whole wizarding community was a bit up in arms about it all, but that was expected. This was the first hinting toward dark wizardry since Voldemort. He really didn't expect anything less from them. It just made Teddy wish more that he had not ran out on everyone four years ago. "It's... alarming. It really is." He said slowly. Then he looked up at Nathan, finally. "What is the auror office doing about it?" He asked even quieter now, so as to not earn the attention of any unwanted ears.

@overlord