Back from the Journey

[Tristan Howard]

Tristan walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Openings it doors. He hadn't been here for a long time. Tristan had been wandering around the world the last few months. His blonde hair had grown to his shoulders and he grew a goatee. Many people probably wouldn't recognize Tristan the way he was. He been gone from everything where now he doesn't even know what the latest news was. He hasn't talked to really any of his friends or even his girlfriend. Not even Drew. He hadn't talked to him in forever.

Tristan looked at the people. Tristan was wearing a outfit that looked like a Ranger would wear. The family heirloom sword that he had taken with him had been destroyed in the fight of a fiery dragon Tristan had fought, which Tristan utterly was defeated and treated by villagers nearby which sent him back home.

Sitting at a nearby table. He looked at his hands. And felt his face. It was still young and pure, but he had long hair and a goatee. It wasn't Tristan. He had almost gotten himself killed. And neglecting his friends, family, and girlfriend. It wouldn't be suprised if they thought he was dead. He never sent a letter. Never did anything to communicate with anyone.

What was going to happen?

((Open, preferably someone Tristan truly knows. But if not, it's cool. Join in =D))

[Drew Thornton]

A couple of times every week, Drew ended up having his lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. It was close to work as well as his house, the food wasn't half bad, and every so often he got to hang out with a friend or two who was working at the tavern or just stopping in.

This particular afternoon seemed to be fairly slow. A few patrons sat at the bar, but for the most part, the place seemed to be empty. Drew took a seat at a table by the back door, which he had found was a perfect vantage point to see what was going on. The waitress came over quickly and Drew smiled up at her, ordering a sandwich and a butterbeer. As she smiled back and rushed off to place the order, Drew caught a glance of someone sitting at a nearby table. "Dude... Tristan?" he asked, not sure if his eyes were playing a trick on him. His former classmate had gotten an appointment to the Auror Academy as well and then up and disappeared almost before the training had even started. It seemed odd to see the former Gryffindor sitting there in the Leaky Cauldron now.

[Tristan Howard]

"Dude... Tristan?"

Tristan turned over and found it to be Drew. Tristan grinned. "Drew-man. Long time no see," he told him. Tristan started to itch his head. "I really need a haircut and a shave," he chuckled. It hurt to move. He still had a few bruises and scratches on him.

"Sorry about leaving and not telling anyone. I j-just thought maybe a little adventure around Europe would do me some good. Apparently not," he said chuckling.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew chuckled back. He looked way different, but it was the same old Tristan. "Looks like you might need more than just that," he answered, thinking it would have taken him more than a couple of months to work up that much hair on his face. "You look like crap. You get attacked by a manticore or something? Hey, Layla's over at Mungo's if you want some of those looked at," he told Tristan, nodding to the abrasions.

[Tristan Howard]

"Yeah I do," he grinned as he felt his face. He really needed to shave and get his haircut back to what it needed to be at. He looked at some people coming in. And then hearing Drew say something did he get attack by a manticore or something. Tristan didnt really laugh about this one. He cleared his thoart.

"Not really. I decided to leave because I wanted to experience wildlife without magic. But I left in the shadows. I didn't tell anyone I was leaving except for my uncle. I didn't notify you or anyone. I didn't even notify Anna," he said as he realized he never did notify her. It just popped in his head.

"I..... approached a fiery, monstrous dragon. I didn't try to immediate it. I just tryin to get across the land. But it saw me and acted hostile towards me. Forcing for me to defend myself. I only had a sharp sword. But that didnt take enough. I was defeated in less than 15 seconds. I blacked out until I came across this village people who took me in and nursed me back to health. Then I said I couldn't do it and came back," he said sighing.

"I guess I'm not much of a brave person for coming back. But I learned my mistake," he said. He scratched his face.

"Layla?" he pondered. Layla. He remembered her. She was in Ravenclaw. He didnt talk to her much, but he remembered her.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm pretty good. It just hurts to move. So how's life been? What's the latest news so far?" he asked him switching the subject.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew listened to the story, but with Tristan, he could never tell how much was real and how much was just really good story telling. Sometimes, Tristan's adventures seemed too crazy out there to be real.

Then again, it was Tristan...

"He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day," Drew quoted, though he wasn't sure how much of that he actually bought into. "I guess as long as you learned from it, it was good, right?"

"Not a whole lot happening here," he answered. "It's been pretty quiet except for the pixies that somehow found there way into my locker at work. Other than that, it's all good."

[Tristan Howard]

He nodded at the quote.

"But you don't understand Drew. It was a miracle. And when the doctor was treating me. He came to and told me I was a lucky man and I asked why and he said I just was," Tristan said.

Scooting up in the seat to talk clearer.

"Then a man walked in and was talking about how crazy I was. But you know what he told me Drew? This is his exact words," he said clearing his throat

"People break down into two groups. When they experience something lucky, group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there, watching out for them. Group number two sees it as just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance.

I'm sure the people in group number two are looking at these troubled times with the Elevens and Deva in a very suspicious way. For them, the situation is a fifty-fifty. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that whatever happens, they're on their own. And that fills them with fear.

Yeah, there are those people. But there's a whole lot of people in group number one. When they hear of the Deva and bad wizardry happening. they're looking at a miracle. And deep down, they feel that whatever's going to happen, there will be someone there to help them. And that fills them with hope. See what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, that sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky?

Or, look at the question this way:

Is it possible that there are no coincidences? And that everything just happens for a reason?" he told Drew.

He looked around the room for a bit and back to Drew. "And he was right. Once I knew that. I knew it was a miracle. I'm a miracle man. I could of died or been eaten alive by a huge monstrous bird," poking fun at the dragon, "it's crazy."

"And really? the pixies? I wonder what works been like lately," he wondered.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew tried not to smile too much as Tristan spoke. Crazy was definitely a good word for it all, but at the same time, he understood was Tristan was trying to tell him. Sure there was such a thing as fate and sometimes things happened just because of coincidences, but Drew believed that ultimately, there was a Higher Power watching over them all. He wasn't sure if Tristan's escape from the dragon was a miricle, fantasy, or just dumb luck, but which ever way it went, yes. Drew believed in God and everything happened for a reason, even if his mortal mind couldn't figure out what that reason was.

"It's all been kind of crazy," Drew answsered, using Tristan's phrasing in the hopes of getting more out of him. Whether it was true or not, it was a damn good story.

[Tristan Howard]

"Well thats great," snickering. He really didnt know what else to say. Scratching his head and looking around. Then something popped in his head he been wanting to know.

"So.... What's the news about the Deva?" he whispered to Drew. He didnt want to cause anything inside the place. He hasnt been around the drama and the news lately. He hasn't even returned home. He was gonna go back later tonight. Probably going to get a yelling from his grandmother but Tristan was considered a adult so she can't do anything about it.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew snickered along, but was a little disappointed the story of Tristan's adventures seemed to be over. Either way, he wasn't too keen on the change of subject. Why did people always want to talk about stuff out in the open where anyone could hear?

"No, not a whole lot," Drew answered, being truthful, but still trying to stay vague. " Of course, that doesn't mean they aren't planning something." He had plans for that inevitability... plans he intended to share with Tristan if the occasion came up.