To Wait or Forget

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Finally.

Prodan Vassil Zhefarovich could see the light. Well, it was not a light per say, but it was the darkness that his family lived in, and finally he gave in to it. Now it was his son that needed to do the same, and he was sure that Austin will in come time. It was too strong to fight if it weren't for Asparuh not brewing him anything to keep him in a calm, almost happy state of mind. Looking back on how many years of his life he wasted, Prodan was now disgusted. First it was Dorothee, and while she had this feisty attitude and her lies, Prodan should have done what his nightmares had told him, and that was kill her. And then the next woman he married, the prankster and fun loving Cecily. How could he have been so blind to what she was doing to him? She managed to cover up this good feeling, this nice feeling. He was bitter to what everyone called 'love' and now he just wanted to do what Axel did. He left his wife, without any notice and his kids were bouncing from the Zhefarovich Manor to her house. It was not perfect but it worked for the time being. For now, Prodan was free to do what he want, with whomever he was pleased with. He already has some girls he had slept with while traveling, but he made sure that they were not going to get pregnant. The fact was, they were young too, and the younger they were, the better off. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but maybe it was just the danger of it all. He looked down at how he was dressed and he didn't look that shabby. Even his jeans and boots were brand new. He was walking the streets of Germany. He didn't know any German at all, so he didn't know how he was going to converse with anyone. But he did know Bulgarian and English. So maybe someone knew some of either language. Then he could strike up a conversation or something. Prodan decided that he was going to go to a cafe and get something to drink. It was awfully cold up here, but the chilly air was refreshing. What he didn't realize was that this village was awfully close to Durmstrang.

Walking into a cafe, or what he hoped was a cafe, his dark eyes looked around. Once silver now almost onyx washed over the area in a wave. Everyone here looked like teenagers, and here he was. Prodan walked over to the counter and managed to order a regular cup of coffee. No sweets, just black. That was the way he enjoyed it. Bitter. Prodan looked around for an empty table, and he found one. He walked over to the booth and he took a seat. He sipped his coffee, and looked outside where snow just started to fall. This would have been something that women liked or whatever, but he didn't find it to be really that romantic. In fact, he hated anything to do with romance and love. It was all appalling, and he wanted to just fool around. No strings attached. No feelings. He probably should finish filing for a divorce but he was getting too lazy to do so. He already got it approved by the portraits, and since Asparuh didn't like Cecily, Axel and Benjamen just told him to do whatever he wanted. Prodan loved the sound of that of course. He wanted to be free. To make his own life, and to not have to worry about a ball and a chain. He knew that there was some sort of pattern going on about it. Demitris was having issues, Axel completely left and was doing what Prodan did only Axel finished the divorce, and then Austin broke up with Arianna before vanishing. Prodan was worried over the boy, but he was sure that Austin could take care of himself. Prodan took another drink of his coffee, and wondered if he would ever have anymore kids, of it Austin would have kids and settle down. It didn't seem like it right now, but maybe in the future. Little evil grandkids he could spoil and teach the Dark Arts to. That would be wonderful. Prodan looked down at his coffee, and then back outside. He was getting bored so he pulled out a book from his jacket, and started to read while he held his coffee in his right hand.​

 

[Astrid Zhefarovich]

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<COLOR color="#000">Astrid Castellanos fought back the urge to gag as she picked up in the conversation her two best friends were having. The two of them were discussing the same thing they always seemed to be talking about these days. Boys. It seemed to be the only thing on Olette and Gia's minds. Not that Astrid could talk much, she had her moments where her mind seemed wander onto the topic of boys. But in Astrid's opinion, there were so many other things she would like to accomplish first. Like Graduating at the top of her class. Or getting a decent job in the Ministry. Stuff like that. "Can you two shut up about the opposite sex for like two seconds? Please?" Astrid practically snarled as she pulled open the door to their usual hang out spot during breaks. This cafe had been their favorite place to go since just last year, but Astrid loved it. It was a smaller cafe, but it had a rustic quality to it that Astrid couldn't get over. Gia and Olette immediately silenced their discussion and scoffed. They hated being told to shut up. Yet they still did it every single time she told them to. How weird was that? Astrid walked alongside her two best friends, trying to hurry and get to their usual table before it was taken by someone else. Normally even when it was, Astrid had a way of getting it back, but she preferred not to have a struggle for it. "Ugh there's someone at our table! And in my seat!" Astrid hissed. Astrid tried not to advertise it, but she was a little bit of a control freak. Things needed to be done her way, when she wanted it, and she had to have a plan for everything. Astrid hated change too. This guy being in her seat pretty much threw the inner control freak within her all over the place. "So? He's really hot!" Gia whispered. Astrid could easily agree that he was very attractive for being an older man, but he was still at her table. That didn't fly well with her. Even if her friends wanted him to stay there. "I'm going to say something." Astrid bit back quickly with a roll of her bright blue eyes. "Excuse me sir but you're currently sitting at our table and I'd kindly appreciate it if you'd mo-mmmph!" Astrid was cut off when Olette slapped a hand over her mouth, quickly muffling anything word that came out of her mouth. "Please excuse her sir! You're fine sitting where you are! Sorry to bother you!" Astrid felt Olette pull her away. There were no other free tables at the moment either, so now what were they supposed to do? Astrid was hungry and wanted to relax with her friends!

Gia suggested that they waited by the counter/bar until a table freed up. The biggest downside to this place being as small as it was, was that there wasn't that many tables. But it didn't matter. Even if there were a hundred tables in the cafe, Astrid would still only want that table. That was her freaking table. Astrid was suddenly distracted by Gia asking what she was going to do about her Muggle Studies grade. Oh yeah, she had forgotten all about that. Astrid was trying her absolute best to get O's in every single subject she could. But Muggle Studies was becoming a bit of an obstacle for her. "I don't know. I'm probably going to have to find a tutor or something. If my parents see me fail this class they're going to have a freaking cow. I'm willing to do just about anything to pass this class. If I don't....my straight O streak will be ruined!" Astrid explain. She really didn't understand how she was failing. Muggle Studies was supposed to be an easy class. But for Astrid, it just didn't connect. Hell, her mother was a muggle born! So it should be second nature to her! But Astrid wasn't really close to her mother, or her muggle culture. Astrid was raised up in a Wizarding society as opposed to a muggle one. Astrid's mother seemed to barely even acknowledge that culture of hers. So Astrid had no idea what she was doing! She needed help! Astrid glanced around the cafe again. No one seemed like they were almost finished either. What a pity. It looks like Astrid wasn't going to be able to enjoy her favorite cafe today.​

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[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan continued to read up on the book that he was reading, and he was glad that he had brought something like this along. He was rather relieved that he was free from everything. Sure, his children were going from one house to another because of him, but did he care? Not at all. There was hardly anything he did now that he regretted. His family was liking him more, and that was something that he had always yearned for. There was not much that he wanted to do right now except enjoy life. He had Austin doing off whatever he wanted, and wondered what the kid was up to nowadays. He had not heard from him in so long, he wondered briefly if he was okay. Prodan flipped the page, and he listened as some girls entered in, and the only reason why he had acknowledged it was the fact that they were giggling or something. It was hard to miss. He did not look up, and he instead took a sip of his coffee, and continued to read. Prodan set the cup down as he continued to read in this interesting book over deaths. Prodan was getting close to finishing his coffee, and he was still very much entranced by the book that his silvery eyes were devouring. Prodan flipped through the pages and he continued to read, even at a faster pace than usual, since it was nothing but good horror. It was giving him chills, and he wondered if his brothers did this a lot. He might have to get into that himself. 'Hmmm, could be good fun,' thought Prodan as he continued to read. However he heard someone talking to him, and he drifted his eyes up to see a younger teenager telling him that he was sitting at their table. However before she could finish what she was saying, another girl covered her mouth up and said that they were find with him sitting here, and that they were sorry for bothering him. Prodan was rather confused on what they were talking about. However he shook his head and he went back to his reading when he finished the coffee, and decided that he was going to let the girls have their table even though he did not see a name or anything on the table.

Slowly, Prodan marked his place in his book, and he went to throw the coffee away. He tossed it away, and then went to tell the girls that his table was free, when he noticed just how pretty all looked. Even underage, they were quite hot. Especially the one that spoke to him first. He smirked a bit, before he overheard one ask the hotter one about a Muggle Studies grade. Wasn't this just her lucky day then. He was once a professor for that subject. He shrunk his book and he slipped it into his pocket, while he tapped the hotter one on the shoulder, "As I was coming over here to tell you that the table is free, I overheard something about Muggle Studies? I used to teach that subject at Hogwarts New Zealand, perhaps I can help in some what? After all, I did take your table." Prodan figured that would be the best way, she would get some help, and he would get to get back into teaching something, even if he hated Muggle Studies nowadays, he still knew so much about the subject. Prodan looked at the other girls to see if they would try to convince the other one otherwise, since he was offering up to help with this one girl's perfect Outstanding streak. She put him of mind of Kamaria, a niece of his. She was so much into academics, and nowadays she was trailing the course of darkness faster than Leviathan was. It was not something that Prodan would have ever predicted coming from Kamaria since she too took Muggle Studies, then again, so was Hades now, since he needed it for a career. Perhaps it was something to do with the careers, and that was why so many were taking it. However right now he was just wanting to help out this young woman. This very, very young woman. That was innocent enough.​

 

[Astrid Zhefarovich]

Astrid was angry at her friends. She disliked the fact that they were standing up for that man when they hardly knew him. They yelled at hundreds of people for sitting at their table. Young, old, rich, poor, it didn't matter. But this guy was good looking. Apparently her friends found good looking guys more important than their tradition. It was like they were choosing a guy over their old friendship. But Astrid knew better than to blame the man for that, it wasn't like he knew. Astrid was about to open her mouth and tell the group that they should head out, but instead they were approached by the man himself. He was offering to be her tutor since he used to teach the subject at a wizarding school in New Zealand. Astrid was shocked. After she yelled at him, he was willing to teach her? Astrid had half a mind to say no, but she knew that if she didn't, she was going to continue to struggle with this class. Astrid was dying to come home with all O's. This man may just be her ticket to doing so. Astrid glanced at her hands briefly before she turned her eyes back onto the man. "Fine." She pulled put a pad of paper and a quill and scribbled something down onto it. "Here's my address. If you're truly serious about your offer, stop by. We can talk about payment and stuff there. Oh...and thanks." Astrid ripped the piece of paper and handed it over to the man. She didn't even know his name, but she wanted to get out of here fast. They needed to be back at school soon, plus Astrid was embarrassed that she had yelled at him moments ago. Astrid gave him one last look before she stepped passed him and exited the cafe.

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Astrid had just finished cleaning her bedroom like her mother had asked. It was kind of weird that she was only home for a couple of months out of the year, and her room still managed to get very dirty. It must have been a teenage thing. Astrid sighed and closed her dresser drawer just in time to hear her mother call for her. Astrid hurried downstairs to see what the woman wanted. Astrid froze at the edge of the steps when she saw the guy that had offered to become tutor standing there. She had forgotten that he was supposed to come over today. "Your tutor is here. I have to go get some groceries, so I'll leave it to you to show him around. Be nice." A frowned crossed Astrid's features as she watched her mom leave and close the door behind her. "Come in, go ahead and sit down." There was no way she was taking him up to her room. Astrid sat down on the couch across from him and bit her lip. "My name is Astrid...in case you didn't catch on earlier. I don't know your name either so...you might want to start by telling me what it is." Astrid crossed her legs and pulled out the big ugly textbook for Muggle Studies that they were going to need and set it on the coffee table separating the two of them. "Also, I'm not sure how much you expect to be paid, but if you can guarantee me an O in this subject...you can have whatever you want as the price." Astrid was willing to pay big money out of her own pocket to pass this class. It was the one thing keeping her from being the top student in her year right now. "Does all this sound good to you?" Astrid questioned the man. She was hoping he didn't remember that she had yelled at him not to long ago. Especially since she was willing to pay him to tutor her.

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[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan had recently moved to Greece, which was actually next door to the girl that he had said that he would tutor in a subject that he was an expert in. Though it was shameful to his family that he was such a thing, but it was true. He knew it, and he had quit the job because he realized that it was just shameful to learn anyway. So now he was getting ready to go over next door to Astrid's home. He had learned her name from the address, and was positive that she would be eager to want someone to tutor her in something that seemed so foreign. Prodan was a joy to be around, so he thought. His ex might not think so anymore, since he turned sinister. Someone could only battle that evil for so much before they finally give in. And now his family members respected him for to some point, and that was what he enjoyed now. He wanted to be loved by his family. Family meant everything to him. He knocked on the door, and then a woman answered, which he shook her hand and introduced himself as Prodan. He left out his last name conveniently. Greece might not know about his family, but he could not risk it. He waited until he looked up to see Astrid coming down the stairs, and he couldn't resist smirking just a bit. The mom was going to leave them alone, which she should be able to trust Prodan with her daughter. He had kids of his own too. One was older than Astrid, and he looked back to see the mom leaving them, and figured that it wouldn't be that bad anyway.

Prodan nodded at the young teenager and followed what she said. He sat down in the living room, and looked over to see that Astrid was sitting across from him. The more distance, the better. He would have to look at her and whatnot to explain things. Prodan said simply, "I'm Prodan." He told the mom, but Astrid was not down here just yet. His eyes looked down at the textbook, and noticed how familiar it was. He remembered using that to teach the others anyway. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his legs. He almost smirked when she offered payment, and he shrugged, "I can get you the O. But no payment is necessary. I kind of have enough funds to last me until I die." He did not really want the money at all, he just needed something to do while he wasn't out there, getting things done for his large family. Prodan looked back down at the text and wondered what all she would be learning about right now. He inquired, "What are you learning right now? Judging by your year, you would be either learning about movies and cinema, or muggle transportation and electricity." However he could be wrong about her age. The latter was in the fourth years, and the other one was for fifth years.​

 

[Astrid Zhefarovich]

Astrid was still unsure about having a tutor that she had just met. She had little knowledge about his teaching style, or whether or not he was even able to teach her. He claimed that he used to be a Professor for the subject. But was he a good enough teach for her to get that O? Astrid had mistakenly left out how pushy she could be about her school work and her grades. He would find out in due time though. Especially once they began their lessons. He’d most likely reconsider tutoring her all together. Why else would she have difficulty finding a tutor at school? Astrid was willing to pay very well for anyone who could teach her what she needed to know. But her reputation for being a bit controlling managed to get around the school. Now no one wanted to teach her. Astrid became confused when Prodan told her that he didn’t need any money. Apparently he had enough money already. If he wasn’t in it for the money, what made him decide to tutor her? Astrid raised an eyebrow and stared Prodan down crossly. "You seriously don’t want money? Then what do you want?" Astrid questioned. Slowly she was becoming more and more suspicious of this guy. He was handsome as hell, but he was also a little bit creepy. What if he was a freaking serial killer or something? Astrid loved school, but she didn’t want to die because of it! "Nobody likes doing something for free." They always expected something. Whether it is something as simple as saying thanks, people often liked to get something. There had to be something that he wanted. Astrid was smart enough to know that she needed to be weary of this man until she knew him well enough to know that she could trust him.

"I’m a Fourth year. So we’re learning about transportation and stuff. Its super lame, muggles make everything more difficult for themselves. Seriously. " Astrid rolled her eyes and pulled out the book they were supposed to be using. This was her vacation and she was using it to study. How lame she was. "But if you’d be willing, we can go over that too. It’ll only benefit me a lot next year. I really need to remain at the top of my class. In my opinion; if you’re not on top…you’re nothing. So I’d like to cover as much as I possibly can." Astrid explained as she opened the book to the section they were going to be going over, and then looked at Prodan as if she was demanding that he get to it. He clearly had no idea how bossy Astrid was either. He looked like the type of guy that wouldn’t put up with that crap though, so Astrid was going to tread very carefully. Gia and Olette were both so jealous that such a handsome man was offering to tutor her. They urged to go for it and see if he was interested in her. Astrid thought that was just weird. He was attractive yes, but he was so much older. Chances were that he was into women is own age. Astrid wasn’t going to go there. It was inappropriate and unprofessional. Though she did hope that Prodan avoided trying to hook up with her mom. Believe it or not, it was a common occurrence in her household. Astrid only wished her father was smart enough to figure it out just as Astrid had. Astrid wondered how long he planned to tutor her for, and how often. They needed to set up a schedule by the end of the day. ​

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan raised an eyebrow when she seemed a little surprised at his statement about not wanting money. Then she asked what did he want. He did not really want anything. He was simply bored, and he needed something to do. And teaching was something that he had done for years and years, so he wanted to get back into that. Would she even want to have some guy like him teaching her if she knew that? Well, he was not about to lie to her either. Prodan was really good at lying, but for some reason, he did not want to lie to her. "Look, I am bored of sitting around all day and doing nothing. Since I do not want to go back to Hogwarts New Zealand and teach again, tutoring someone will satisfy me to some extent. As long as I do not teach potions because I am not very good in that subject." Could that be helped? Yes, if she really wanted to be taught. No one liked doing anything for free, and that was something that he knew by experience too. He did not like doing things for free, but he got something out of doing this. He now had something to do, which was better than nothing at all. He shrugged, "All that matters is that I can get you that Outstanding you desperately want. That is all that you need to worry about." Prodan knew that knowledge in mind, she would probably cease with the questioning. She would love that Outstanding, and he was the one to do it. He had the old textbooks too, and he could teach her so much about the muggle world. He hated it now, but he could still teach her everything he knew. He was an expert. Perhaps even a trip to the muggle world for examples would help her out.

So they were going over transportation, and he knew that the best way to go over it, would be to experience it firsthand. Prodan decided that he would be getting started with just the simple knowledge. "Well, first you need to know about what you are learning now. Transportation is something that muggles have to do in order to go from place to place since they lack the ability to apparate like we can." Prodan went over several automobiles and other types of transportation such as the boat and the plane. The train was a little difficult to explain because some carried passengers and some carried goods. However when he was done explaining the bit of it, he would let her take a break from that because there was still the dangers of traffic and then the fossil fuels that when burned too much, what it would do to the atmosphere. "Actually, I think the best way you can get a real grip of muggle transportation would be to see it and experience it firsthand. Would your mom be shocked if I took you on a field trip, so to speak? I feel that you would get a better understanding of each type of transportation if you were to see it. Examples are key to understanding muggles." Explaining it to someone that was magical sometimes was difficult because they did not understand what made things work. He wondered if Astrid would go for coming with him to the muggle world, and see for herself. Perhaps that was what Durmstranf was lacking, was a proper way of teaching one to go forth and showing the students what the muggles did. It was fascinating on how they had to adapt. The magical folk had it easy, since they did not have to worry about phones and electricity, like the muggles did. The magical folk did not have many bills like they had either.​

 

[Astrid Zhefarovich]

Astrid still wasn't convinced that Prodan didn't want something out of this. Surely the thought of money would appeal to him? Astrid felt like it was human nature for people to desire things. No one wanted to do something that they didn't feel was going to reward them. That was why people had jobs. They were rewarded with money to buy the things they needed. It was also why kids went to school. If they worked hard they would get good grades in return. Rarely, if ever did anyone work for free. Event he people that claimed they wanted to charity, they did it for the good feeling they received at the end of the day. Astrid wasn't sure what this guy wanted, but she would keep an eye on him just in case. There had to be something he was in this for, and Astrid was going to figure it out in due time, whether he realized it or not. "You're an odd one, but if you say so." Astrid would have to remind herself to tell her father that he didn't want money, so the hefty check her father was willing to write was completely unnecessary at the moment. Astrid glanced down at her notes and textbook for a brief moment. "As long as you don't completely suck at teaching, me getting an O should be easy work." The teaching part was the the part he was going to likely struggle with. He had no idea how much of a pain Astrid could be when it came to the way she learned. Astrid was a control freak who liked things done her way and pretty much only her way. Which meant that Prodan would have to teach at her pace or suffer the consequences of her griping at him every moment she got.


So they can't apparate....why don't they just use a broomstick instead of those creepy metal death traps they currently use?" Astrid wasn't raised with much knowledge of muggles and their lifestyle so she had no idea what they could do and what they couldn't do. It was hard for her to believe that these people lived without any sort of magic around to aid them. The look on Astrid's face should be enough to let Prodan know that she was genuine with her confusion. Astrid wasn't really used to this sort of stuff. Just reading about it barely helped her either. It still felt like there a lot that she didn't know. Like how were the things they traveled in made, and what made them go? Why did only the adult muggles tend to use them? Astrid wanted to know anything and everything that she could. When Prodan offered to take Astrid on a field trip to see some of the muggle types of transportation for herself, Astrid liked the idea. Perhaps if she got to see some of it for herself, she'd find it easier to understand it. "I think a field trip would really help. My mother wouldn't care so long as I actually learn something, so it should be fine with her." Astrid brushed some of her hair away with excitement and weaseled herself back onto her feet. The thought of getting out of this house for a couple of hours allayed Astrid. More often than not, the blonde found that actually moving around from time to time helped to stimulate her mind.​

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Astrid called him an odd one, and Prodan merely smiled at her, knowing for certain that he was an odd one. People called him that all of the time, before he went nuts that was, and started looking for satisfaction in all the wrong places. Even now, he was really liking the way that Astrid was looking right now. She was a hot teenager. "I used to be a professor, so I definitely don't suck at teaching. As long as you pay attention and work hard, that O is yours for the taking." Prodan knew that she would be one of those that might ask some odd questions, but he was certain that she would pass with flying colors, now that he was going to teach her. And then the questions were asked, and he could not help but laugh a bit. She was confused, and it was adorable. Prodan took a deep breath and explained, "Broomsticks require magic to fly, and the muggles lack that. So they cannot fly on a broomstick. So they need those metal death traps." Prodan explained a bit more about the automobiles and how they were different from the magical transportation, but he really thought that a field trip would be the best learning experience that she could ever have. She also agreed that a field trip would really help her too. Prodan grinned some more before rising to his feet. "So we are going to be going to the United States. That is the best place to go to when you want to see muggles. Some of them are hilarious too." Prodan approached her and he wrapped his arms around her, almost in a hug or a warm embrace. "I need to hold you to apparate." A complete lie, but it worked. He focused on where he wanted to go before apparating to the location safely, to show her first hand at muggles and their transportation needs. Why he did not think of this before, he did not know.​

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Fin​