Vydráel stood at the door to Professor King's office, his hand paused before nocking. Would he be welcomed back? Could he come back at all? He wasn't even really Vydráel Wyvernblood anymore, accepting his alias more readily then he could ever really accept his own birth name; Grause Hitchins. A name he had no idea where it came from and had become part of one of the most active segments of his life.
The sickness he thought would kill him didn't necessarily make him stronger or weaker, it had made him rethink who and what he was. Leading him to a life he should never have ignored before it cost him so much and even now he didn't know if he was any more of a human then when he dissappeared so mysteriously. Mysteriously enough for him to not even know how it happened, one moment he was falling face first into the soft New Zealand meadow just outside of the school grounds in part of the forbidden forest and the next.. he was somewhere in the forests of Germany, with no idea how he had gotten there. Still falling, he had hit the harder ground which was riddled with all sorts of rotting wood and plant life and the next thing he remembered was meeting two of the most influential men he had met in his life..
"It's alright lad." Harington told Vydráel, patting his shoulder with reassurance as he saw him just standing there holding his arm out in half nock. "You'll be welcome here just as last time."
Vydráel felt Harrington's hand and smiled softly. It took two men about a year to fix what a lifetime had made him, ironic that it would never had happened if he hadn't gotten himself sick sitting in the dungeons in the first place.
"I hope so." Vydráel replied, "I really do."
Vydráel could remember the day he first met them as if it happened only yesterday:
Waking up in a coughing fit and expecting to see the ceiling of trees and almost gasping in shock at seeing a completely different scene. Two men sitting down at a small makeshift tabe of suitcases playing cards, all 3 of them inside of a sort of earthy cavern, tree roots surrounding every 'wall' and even coiling around the floor. Both men stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Vydráel with concern.
"I thought you had 'm cured, man!" The lighter haired one spoke first, his attention directed to the first.
"I never said I had cured him, Michael. Only that I had done the best I could. What with him being asleep and all." The other one responded, turning to the first man with a dignified look before turning back to Vydráel. "Are you alright, lad? Do you want anything?"
Vydráel shook his head in negative and immediately regretted it. A splitting migrain almost hitting him full force at once, he groaned loudly before laying his head back down. "Ow." he said coughing again, almost smiling in elation when he noticed that no blood followed.
"Nasty chest infection. When we found you, we were worried you wouldn't make it." The second man said, as if reading Vydráel's mind. "We brought you here, gave you something to ease it and.. well, hoped for the best." Both men gave eachother a quick grin as they turned to look at eachother.
"Stronger then you look, can tell you that." The light haired one said happily grinning away.
"What do you mean?" Vydráel asked, almost annoyed at their inside joke.
"Look how thin you are!" "I'm surprised you weigh anything at all with that bag of bones!" Both men exclaimed at the same time, seemingly scolding Vydráel for his lack of any real size even so, Vydráel hit it off with both of them. Easily accepted into their small group, introducing himself as Grause instead of Vydráel hoping he could lose his old identity.
Vydráel got to know both men well during the rest of their stay in the cave, playing cards to keep entertained until Vydráel got over his infection. Michael had been friends with Harrington ever since the two of them met at school in their fifth year and both had been travelling the countryside when they happened upon Vydráel. Deciding to stay with him until he was well enough to take to his home.. until they found out where it was.
"New Zealand!?" Exclaimed Michael, "How did you manage to get to Germany from all the way down there!?"
"I don't know, I never even knew how to apparate anyway." Vydráel replied sheepishly. "I'm only a first year at Hogwarts New Zealand.."
Both men looked at eachother with shocked expressions. The three of them had been playing a card game they called texas hold 'em, when Vydráel casually answered Harrington's question.
"Well that certainly changes things." Michael chuckled, "I think you may have to come with us for awhile." he added after a lengthy and thoughtful pause.
Harrington nodded in agreement and breaking into another of their signature grins. "Maybe he'll be able to cook better then us, Michael." He said enthused, all three looked casually at the series of pans that were tied up to one of the bags before laughing out loud.
With that settled, all three of them slowly set out. At first travelling slowly to allow Vydráel to regain his lost strength and so he didn't get sick again. They travelled the countryside always sticking to the forests and small wizarding communities rather then any bustling cities. Any questions about what they were actually doing were tactly evaded by either man, as if they may welcome him readily to their party but trusting him was another matter.
"You can stop using that fake name lad." Harrington told him one day, almost randomly. He had collapsed in a heap next to the sleeping Michael and watched as Vydráel stoked the fire.
Vydráel looked at him in alarm for a few moments before realising he had no need to be fearful, he quietly told Harrington everything...
Vydráel couldn't bring himself to nock at the door, he felt like an imposter here. Being away for so long and possibly causing untold pain.. he stood there mute but not alone.
"Vydráel.." Michael said softly, he was standing right beside Harrington. "I don't think anyone could blame you for what happened, they could only blame you for not getting back sooner and telling them you were ok."
"That's right." Agreed Harrinton. "But I think it is best if you stay as Grause, at least for the moment."
Vydráel turned to look at the two of them, shedding a tear with the memory of just how he had happened upon them. It really made no difference which name he used, at least to him anyway. They were only names, nothing more and did not speak of the person more then the person's actions.
He looked down at his worn hands, noting how different they looked now to then. How rough they had become from the constant wandering of forests and dangerous places, even his face wasn't the same. It was heavily scratched and scarred in some places from not protecting himself fast enough, each mistake teaching him a well earned lesson.
He straitened himself up, his head held high as he turned around and nocked at the door. Still unsure of just what exactly would become of him. Would he remain as Grause as both Harrington and Michael had allowed? Or would he go back to Vydráel, only older and content with himself?
