July 2nd, 1893 — Padmore Park

The heat of the day was such that a sleepy cadence had settled over the town; despite there being much to do. Now that the Summer holidays had commenced at Hogwarts, its Groundskeeper had less responsibility, with fewer children trampling the grass and getting up to mischief; but it remained his job alongside his far more covert profession as ghost writer. And it was writing Natty had in his mind now, as he took a stroll along the banks of the lake in search of bright inspiration.

As he looked across the still blue water, he saw a number of flat pebbles on the shore and gave pause. The words of a certain memorable young man sprung into his head. Natty picked up a stone, and, for the first time in his life, skipped it across the water.

Winston Umbra

  

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It was a hot, sleepy day and Winston had naught to do but to wander. Which was something he often did so he did not altogether mind. He had a thought of swimming. Would Padmore Park be a good place to do so? The pond inlet there was a sizable one and perfect for swimming. Or he could go on one of those little enchanted boats and perhaps doze the day away?

Winston pondered his options as he walked along the shore. He looked up and saw someone picking up a stone. His face lit up as he recognized who it was. That handsome face was not one (even Winny with his often scatterbrained, forgetful mind) was going to be quick to forget. They had such a delightful conversation. Lightfooted as he was, it would not be surprising if Johnathan Copper failed to initially notice his presence. "Was that your first time? You did excellently," he praised as he popped up beside the other, akin to the ghosts he often studied.

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.

In thinking of him Natty seemed almost to summon him — for here he was, suddenly and without warning, the young writer with the mis-matched eyes. The Groundskeeper felt something stir in the region of his chest (surprise, perhaps?), and gave himself a sheepish ruffle of the hair. For his first attempt at skipping a stone had been nothing too grand — just three skips. "I've lots to learn", he replied with a smile, then went to procure another flat stone and pressed it into Winnie's hand. "Perhaps the master could show me how it's done."

  

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Winston smiled as the stone was pressed into his hand. "I'm hardly a master," he said, his cheeks a little pink with something akin to embarrassment. Even so, he took the stone into hand, hooking his index finger along the edge. He cocked his wrist back and gave a quick flick, making sure to do so at an angle that would allow for the most skips. His stone skipped merrily across the water before stopping at around ten or so skips. "Sometimes I wonder if, to the merfolk and sea creatures in lake, skipping stones are like someone knocking on their rooftop."

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.

Natty made a noise of admiration at the master-not-master skimming the stone with a deft sort of certainty.

But then his eyes returned to Winnie with just a little bit of wonder, greatly enjoying how the young man's imagination worked. "That's a very sweet thought", he said warmly. "Though..." he'd picked up another stone, but hesitated, looking at it with some amusement, "that makes me want to stop bothering them."

  

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Winston laughed a little as the other hesitated. "What do you suppose we do instead then?" He asked, as if it was a given that they should spend time together. "Though I think the merfolk live very deep in the depths so hopefully they're not usually too bothered." Especially considering the boats that tended to drift lazily along the lake and pond.

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.

Natty was indeed surprised when his young friend assumed blithely that they'd spend some time together. Though he was of course glad to hear it. "What do you want to do?" he asked. Natty was out here seeking inspiration for a book... but he could do that wherever Winnie was. The ethereal fellow was already proving to be something of a muse.

  

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Winston thought for a moment. "I want to explore! I haven't been in Hogsmeade for a long time. Do they still not let students into the Forbidden Forest?" During his school days, he had often wandered into the forest but usually got chased out. They said it was dangerous at any time of the day but Winston had always been insatiable curious about it. Being told he couldn't explore it only seemed to intensify the desire to see what was in there.

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.

"Let's walk on then", he replied with a rather charmed smile when Winston suggested they explore. The footpath led all the way along the lake. And if they continued long enough, into the Dark Forest. "It's forbidden to students", he confirmed. "But we're not students."

  

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For some reason, this did not fully occur to the future professor. Never mind the fact he had spend a lot of time in its depths some years ago when he had been interviewing the vampires. He looked at Natty as if he had proposed a most scandalous thing. Never mind that Natty was clearly in his thirties at least so obviously very much not a student. "Oh, that is true! In fact, we are staff of Hogwarts." Not that he had started yet but he was officially hired so it counted.

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.

As they walked, Natty could not help but be amused that Winnie had forgotten he'd be returning to Hogwarts not as a student but as a teacher. He did seem to have his head in the clouds somewhat. Natty found this endearing.

"What do you normally do with your Summers?" he asked, wondering if the answer would be similar to what other elite young gentlemen did, or if it would be something a little more... Winnie-like.

  

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"I travel a lot. Do research for my academic papers and books by talking to a lot of ghosts, vampires and such. I once lived among vampires in Romania. Like with humans, beings, spirits and so on can be so different depending on what country they are from. It interests me," Winston rattled on as they walked towards the Forest. "I also lived with some of the tribes found in places not quite explored. There was a lot to learn from them. What about you?"

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.

"Ah, you're an explorer", Natty realised with considerable interest. He was impressed. As far as he was aware, most people of means did not spend their privileges broadening their horizons.

"What do I do with my Summers? Work, same as any season", he replied, slightly embarrassed that Winnie had thought it appropriate to return the question. Maybe he'd never really mixed with a humble worker before.

"What was it like, living with vampires? How did you survive?"

  

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"I suppose so," Winston said with a laugh though he had personally never thought of himself that way. He just went places that interested him and stayed away from things that didn't.

The other just worked all the time? Winston was surprised by this since he had never really considered that this was a life some must lead. But even so —

"You must make time for some fun or find fun in your work," Winston said, a little sad that the other had likely never had the time for notions that were just for the pure fun of it. "It was fascinating and fun! I survived like I always do, eat, sleep, but I also had to try very hard not to bleed." This was all said in a sort of naive air. Because Winston was personally ignorant of the fact that he had likely mainly survived because at least some of the vampires had been genuinely fond and thus protective of him.

They were at the edge of the forest now and Winny turned to grasp Nattys hand with his own with a giddy smile. He tried to playfully tug him along as best as he could considering the other was both taller and broader than him. "Come on, Natty. Let us go see what adventures might find us."

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.

Natty rarely found labour particularly fun, but certainly he loved writing. That wasn't something he'd shared with Winnie yet, though. And it wouldn't be something he shared now, as their conversation was paused by the young sprite grabbing his hand and upping their pace with exuberance.

He let it happen, of course. Naturally, Natty was faintly aware that this wasn't something most young men did with older men, but here they were, and most certainly the charmed Groundskeeper was not complaining.

"Where are you taking me", he asked with an amused smile.

  

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Winston turned his head back to smile at the other. "To find you some fun and adventure, of course," he said teasingly, a thrill of excitement surging through him as they entered the dense depths of the Forbidden Forest. It was probably a good thing he had the others hand on his grip as he almost immediately tripped over a tree root that almost seemed to have purposely risen just then.

"Look how the sunlight barely permeates the treetops. That is partly why some of the vampires of our society picked out this forest in particular."

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Winny has heterochromia. His right eye is blue and his left eye is green.