16 juillet : Return to the Motherland: Leaky: Alphard

[Ophelia Prince]

She had never imagined that she would be sitting in a corner of the Leaky Cauldron once again, not now, not ever. Ophelia had given up the notion of ever returning to her home country again, but then again she also never thought she would be teaching students, or accompanying them on summer trips. Yet, here she was. At least she had Alphard to keep her sane. Finding him again after so many years abroad had been a blessing in her life. He was a piece of her past that was good, one of the only people at Hogwarts she had felt a kindred spirit with, and was her future as sure as she took her next breath. She believed it was fate that they had found each other again. And even though being back in England made her uneasy -Tom was here and she knew, though she had no proof, that he would find her, again- having the best Black as her companion made her feel a little safer. Besides, it was sort of nice to  get back to her roots. 

“Oh look.” she said, pointing to the students they had been watching since their arrival. “Looks like Marcel may be making his play.” Observing the lives and consequently drama of their students was one of her favorite past times. They had come for a drink and some relaxation but the students showing up was an added bonus and O had no qualms about watching and gossiping. Perhaps it was childish of her but it was just a bit of harmless entertainment. “Do you think he’ll finally get up the courage to ask little Luci out properly?” Merlin knew those two have been dragging it out for long enough. At least it looked like they had finally come together, she had been waiting on them to get over themselves for ages. Perhaps it was the summer of love, and all of their students would get together!

Ophelia loved to live vicariously through others, her own love was secure and she did have a suitor who was a certified madman-it was dangerous, but it kept things interesting. But teenagers had it much easier and their lives were, most of the time, more lively. It was better than any moldu television she had ever seen. Taking a drink she glanced at her long time lover to see if he was watching what she was witnessing. “Al?” she questioned, turning her attention fully to him. “Are you seeing this?”

[Alphard Black]

"Yes, darling, I see them," Al chuckled, hand dropping lightly to her thigh, brought back to Ophelia at his partner's question. He had been monitoring the activity around them, an unfortunate habit, as he had for much of their trip so far. Being in England after so many years away was unsettling for more than a handful of reasons, and their chosen table in the corner of the pub allowed him perhaps too much to see. There was such movement, constantly, as witches and wizards came and went through the opposing doors. Any newcomer could be someone from their past lives - housemates at best, family at worst. It was not unusual for the professor of Defense to be at attention but he did want to relax, minutely, for Ophelia's sake. It was unlikely that Tom would find them here. Highly unlikely. However bold their old classmate could be these days.

He raised a brow and drank from his gillywater, following her eye and his ear to survey their rather rowdy charges. He did enjoy these summer trips - being with the children outside of the classroom allowed a different sort of learning to transpire, and tending to their inquisitive natures with greater exploration of their world was one of the prouder points to tout for their program - but hoped that this one would pass quickly. Alphard held no desire to visit with family here, save his nephews and one particular niece. He and Ophelia would see Regulus and Bronwyn soon, and do what they could to put flint and tinder together. If the pair was determined to remain here, as they seemed to be, they may as well make the best of their chosen situation together. Their students had romantic entanglements of their own, a veritable web of them that Ophelia loved to draw his curiosity towards - and he loved to dissect with her, entertaining as it was. It was a strange thing to watch the youth grow into who they were, some rapidly outpacing those simply along for the ride - how Elias and Espen were related was beyond him - and stranger still to be so close and yet so far as they tried on different partnerships and roles as easily as trading wardrobes.

"Thorn and Legrand," he grinned. "This will be their tipping point, one way or the other. But I see young Vinkler's luck running out soon, sad to say. Have you heard from your niece since we arrived?" Arranging a meeting with the family they chose to indulge was a difficult affair, but Al was mildly optimistic that they could avoid at least one set of parents. Selfishly, he hoped that set was Walburga and Orion. He had heard from Regulus that he had been removed from the family tapestry last summer after word had gotten out about him amending his will in favor of another "disgraced" Black, and was in no hurry to see his rabid sister in the flesh. Leaving England behind had meant leaving behind the drama that was his family, as much as humanly possible. What good would it do to tear open old wounds now?

[Ophelia Prince]

Ophelia shot her love a tight-lipped smile, not being fooled in the least. She could tell that though he was here, with her, his mind was also far away. She could not begrudge him. She had her own qualms about returning home, but his stretched further than hers in many ways. His hand was warm on her leg and she instinctively wrapped her fingers around it in a show of comfort. Letting him know, though he already knew without a shadow of a doubt, that she was with him always. She would stand beside him whatever he faced. That could not wash away the worry but it was enough to not be alone in it, she felt anyway. She never claimed to know Alphard’s mind completely. Later, when they were alone, she would make him forget his worries about his family and this place, for a while at least. For now, she settled for distraction.

“I agree.” she said easily. “One way or the other for them.” Of course, she hoped it went the right way. Two sweet souls deserved each other and she could think of few kinder than Luci and Marc. Ophelia looked their way again, hoping she would be lucky enough to witness their coming together, voyager that she was. In her own life as well. “Poor Vinkler, there is still time for him yet. He is young. If you recall, some people don’t settle down until much later in life.” She turned back to Al with a more natural grin, reaching out to brush her fingertips along his cheek. How had she gotten so lucky? After all her childhood had drug her through, the years of searching and finding herself, and then finding him, her other half. It seemed too good.

She removed her hand, leaning back in her chair as she contemplated his question. Not the query particularly, that was easy enough to answer. It was all the question entailed, everything Al had not said. “I’ve sent along a letter, she knows where to find us, or I’ll go retrieve her if I have to. Though she’s old enough now, she should be able to get away on her own. Regulus however…” she trailed off. The Blacks were a beast in and of themselves, neither she nor Al wanted to deal with them, but she was prepared if she had to. Bronwyn and Regulus were good kids, they were worth the sacrifice of peace of mind. For her part, Wyn was some of the only blood relations she had left in the world, and she loved the girl dearly. There wasn’t much she wouldn’t do for her. Reg was just as loved, but his situation was more, complicated. Ophelia was ready to go up against Al’s sister any day to secure him. She would kidnap him if she had to, however, she didn’t think it was kidnapping when the victim was willing. "Will we see Sirius you think?"

[Alphard Black]

Her warm hand found his, and with a return of her smile Al turned his over to intertwine their fingers, settling their clasped hands in her lap. Ophelia's perceptive nature was a blessing, most of the time, especially when the setting called for an exchange of subtleties rather than words. It would not do to publicly tear into their concerns about the trip in such a well-traveled place; she knew his mind on the subject, having heard more of his opinions on the state of England and its inhabitants while they packed than anyone should have had to. Why their administrators thought now was the time to bring their impressionable, vulnerable students to a place of war was beyond him, but his arguments had proved fruitless, and it could only solidify his commitment to chaperoning. Their professor of defense could not in good conscience leave them to fend for themselves in this foreign land, after all, no matter his personal distaste. Ophelia's company made it all the better; they were working, it was hardly a holiday, but they made it one in traveling together. A proper getaway between this and term would do...

Her attention to the love lives of their students was endearing, and he did hope the best for them, while expecting very little. He would interfere slightly here and there, but as they were not blood, his care extended primarily into their academics. Al grinned at the affection, lightly grasping her fingers and leading them to his lips for a brush of a kiss. While he may not have hit his stride until his forties, truly, he usually felt younger than his years. Unless he was waking up the morning after the dueling club, or one of the many others he supervised, had gotten out of hand. "I do recall. The waiting, such agony. It took you so long to find me again," he jested. "I dare say we are better for it, however. You would not have found me quite so charming at their age, and I would not have had the good sense to pay attention." He had been little more than a child upon leaving Hogwarts, an ornery one at that, and the shock in seeing Ophelia Prince decades later, interviewing at Beauxbatons...Thankfully, it had passed soon enough for their friendship to rekindle, and burn into more. 

If things were different and Bronwyn and Regulus were their official charges, this would all be so simple. Nothing with family could be straightforward, though - hence his lifetime away - and he nodded knowingly as his partner spoke. Regulus, however, indeed. "Good. She's a smart young woman, I have no doubt she will be able to steal away. As my sister is likely still reading the boy's mail, perhaps Ms. Nott contacts him on our behalf, and we are something of a surprise at his arrival?" He took his gillywater thoughtfully at her question, unsure. His other nephew took more after him than Regulus did, poor fellow. "I will send word to him and the Potters. It would be good to thank them in person, given the opportunity."