A Wizard Is Never Late

The sound of a staff clanked through the halls of Hogwarts. The owner, Gustav Stabler glanced around the school with intrigue. Hailing from Durmstrang the mysteries of Hogwarts still remained to the wizard, particularly of this corridor. Although he visited the school often in the recent times, this area was all brand new, unchartered territory for him.

He had just dropped off his youngest grandchild Nemo; a child forsaken by his Mother and forgotten by his Father, with said parent for the week, as dictated by the custody agreement set forth between Gustav and Hedda and Lucas Evian. Liesel had opted to have no contact with the child, not wanting to see or hear any talk of the child, opting instead to pretend the child did not exist. Nemo; nobody indeed. As a result the child was treated as though he were a hot potato, tossed between Stablers for a few days in a rotation before spending various bouts of time with Lucas. An exhausting lifestyle to be certain. Only time would tell how Nemo would be affected by such treatment.

Having a bit of time to spare Gustav decided to pay his old friend, Altair Aquila a visit, knowing that he was currently working at Hogwarts as well. It had been a while since he had seen the other wizard and Gustav missed his friend's company. Though acquaintances tended to fluctuate around in Gustav's life his friendship with Altair had stood for quite a few decades now. With that said, Gustav had ventured forward, seeking out his old friend's office. He had started with an intention of exploring the castle and seeking Altair's office without aid but after a good half hour had passed... Well, with no progress made in the large castle Gustav had decided to do what he normally did, pay someone for their services, and thus enlisted the aid of a student, paying him a few galleons to "keep him honest" as he had told the lad.

Approaching the doorway to his old friend's office, A smile lined the wizard's face as he knocked on the door precisely three times. 

Altair sat at his worktable, grinding ingredients in a mortar and pestle. It was a simple enough recipe. However the item would not be featured in any of his classes except for when his associates paid the school a visit. Young, immature students would surely abuse such a dueling aid and Altair did not want that. At the same time he felt the need to restock his supply of it - a hunch, many would claim.

Off to one side of the worktable was a stack of essays. They were already graded and would be going with him to his next class, which wasn't for a few hours yet. Altair's focus on his present take was so much that he barely even remembered that the essays were perched there. It did not take much for the wizard to slip into an active meditation with many of his daily activities.

The first of three knocks instantly snapped Altair from his train of meditative thought. He tilted his head at the pattern of summons, finding it familiar yet he couldn't quite place it. Something told him he should've recognized it like he recognized his own name. Not about to keep his visitor waiting, Altair spelled open the door and stood to greet them. "Enter."

Azure orbs scanned through his friend's office in curious intrigue as their owner stepped forward, the jeweled dragon-topped cane clicking in time with his steps. It was a familiar sight indeed, for Gustav remembered his friend having such tastes in decor as a student and later on in further decades in life. He gazed onward fondly, enjoying the familiarity with his curiosity roused in the unfamiliar.

"Guten tag, Altair." he greeted jovially with a smile. With the years of friendship between the two wizards there was an inflection of warmth and sincerity in the older wizards voice that would have been absent had this merely been a business meeting. "It has been too long since we have last seen each other. Have you been well?"

He approached the desk in a moderate pace, appropriate to both the wizard's age and the occasion. "You look as though you have kept quite busy." he chuckled, gazing at the mortal and pestle set, as well as the pile of essays on his friend's desk.

All it took was the click of the cane, and catching sight of the ornate top and the hand that controlled it, for Altair to recognize who had come to call. A smile that was almost a grin, a rare event since the passing of Andromeda, lined the wizard's face.

"Guten tag, Gustav," Altair returned, approaching his friend. Much like Gustav's own voice, Altair's also contained a degree of warm familiarity. There was also surprise. It wasn't every day that old friends turned up at one's place of work for a chat. However, it was clear on Altair's face that the visit was definitely a welcome one.

"It has been a long time, indeed... although there are times when even the week feels ages long," he chuckled, then nodded at the question. "Oh, yes, I have been well, and kept busy... despite the tragedy over the summer regarding my son-in-law. It has been a bit of a challenge: appropriately mourning the loss of a great family man, yet rejoicing in finally having the opportunity to meet my granddaughter...

"How have you been, my friend?"

A raven-haired head that had yielded to grey due to age nodded in sorrowed sympathy. Decades of friendship with the younger wizard before him had allowed him to witness the trials Altair and his family were forced by Mistress Fate to face, and although he had done what he could to aid his friend, sometimes, it seemed, one must bow out to the rulings of Destiny. He sighed in a blend of sympathetic and empathetic understanding.

"Ah yes, I do recall you mentioning your granddaughter now being one of your students. I am happy for you. This moment took years to reach and it lifts my spirits to see that it has cheered yours. You deserve to finally be able to bond with your kin, bruder." Sincerity was intricately laced through each of the german-accented word. The last spoken word manifested this sincerity and care, for although the two wizards were not bonded by blood, Gustav saw the wizard beside him to be as good as family, united by both their roots at Durmstrang, and their pasts turned present.

"Does she know now that she is your kin?" he asked curiously

"It is... most unfortunate, when the sins and faults of one alter the innocence and life of another." Gustav mused briefly, his thoughts lingering on both his youngest grandson and Altair's granddaughter and the trials that have passed and ones that are also to come. At his friend's question he broke his reverie and nodded with a pleasant smile.

"Alas, bruder, I find myself greyer and more wrinkled with each passing day." he chuckled merrily.

"I must commend you for taking on such as task as teaching the youth here at Hogwarts. I find myself exhausted spending dinner with my children, only five of them and all adults at that! If I were in your position I would very well have had a handful of heart attacks by now!" Gustav joked, admiration for his friend clear in his tone.

"Is it easier though? Teaching students rather than the older crowd?" he inquired, genuinely curious. The wording "older crowd" was meant to refer to the mercenaries employed by Gustav that he often asked Altair to train.

“Danke,” Altair smiled. “It has indeed been far too long. Sometimes, I think that perhaps I was a fool for allowing Calliope such an indulgence. Then again, after all that had happened, who was I to deny her?” The wizard gestured to an armchair and began making tea, nodding at the question. “Yes... I told her a few days ago. Not certain what she thinks about it all quite yet. There are so many things I would like to tell her – to teach her. What is even better is that she has interest in it all, Gustav!” Had Altair’s movements matched the animation in his voice he would have certainly spilled their tea all over the floor. Instead, he placed the hot cups of tea placidly on a table between them, and took a seat near the wizard - the brother Altair never had.

The wizard chuckled with Gustav on the remark about age. Altair himself was not without his own bits of gray and white. He tried not to notice it, though, and didn’t pay it much mind when or if it was mentioned. ‘Selective ignorance is indeed bliss,’ he would jovially reply to any such individual that would remark upon appearing his age.

He nodded his thanks at the verbal applause and laughed lightly at Gustav’s joke. At the inquiry, Altair turned thoughtful. “There are pros and cons, as in all things. Most of the students are fresh-minded so the amount of those who think they know it all isn’t nearly as predominant. That’s not to say there aren’t at all, because trust me –“ he chuckled “–there are!

“At the same time a younger audience cannot be taught as thoroughly. The amount of force and the extent of what I should teach are both limited, for their safety. Older pupils know precisely what they’re potentially getting into, and I don’t have to worry about angry parents beating down my door,” Altair answered, grinning. There was more to it than just those things, but the wizard wasn’t about to bore his guest with a full reflection and analysis on the comparison between the two.

“How is the ‘older crowd’ faring since their last round of training?” he asked, genuinely curious about the condition of both the business and the men and women under Gustav’s employment.

Gustav nodded in understanding, taking the offered seat and easing into it, leaning on both cane and armchair for support. He could relate to that, for although he was firm, even harsh, when it came to business and his mercenaries at times, it was entirely different when it came to the wills and wishes of his children. "Understandable, bruder. I may not always agree, nor approve of what paths my children wish and choose to take but, alas. If they so wish it, then their wills be done. After all, is it not the role of a Father to give the last bite of food we have, even if we ourselves are in throes of agony? It matters not the age or hour, our children will always be our children and we shall give what we can, at all costs." he replied.

A light chuckle escaped the older wizard at the younger ones excitement. How wonderful it was to see such life and light in his friend's eyes. Andromeda, May all Deity's rest her soul, must be so thrilled to see such joy upon her husband. "And I am sure you shall have the chance to do so, bruder. Now that the veil has been lifted and enlightenment reigns, I am confident you shall know all the joys Grandparents are blessed with. All of them." In play, Gustav also pointed to his grey-haired head, winking in light-hearted merriment before chuckling.

Gustav inched closer, bringing the tea nearer to him, careful not to spill and burn himself. At the same time he listened intently to Altair's response, alternating his gaze between the tea and his friend. He chuckled in reply to Altair, nodding in comprehension, light-heartedly replying. "Ah, I see. I personally have yet to have one of the "older crowd's" parents coming at me with fury, but I can understand where that would be potentially problematic."

"Ah bruder, they are just as they were when you left them: limp with exhaustion at the brutality of your trainning regime." Gustav joked before replying in honesty. "They are doing very well. We sent a flock of them to Sweden recently and our clients were particularly pleased. I thank you again for your patience and willingness to train them." Gustav smiled inclining the cup towards his friend in a mini toast of sorts before taking a sip.