If you don't learn history you're doomed to repeat it
like I forgot the way you broke my spine
It's a fun game ‘til we're dead and defeated
but maybe we'll be okay this time
Yeah, maybe we'll be okay this time
I don’t want to pretend to like your sister anymore

15th October, 1894 — Emsworth Estate, Oxfordshire

Sometimes the universe’s timing was impeccable – whether it was a curse or a blessing, or both. Hadrian knew the Emsworths’ grounds as well as his own. This had been almost more of a home than his had; he had spent more time with her parents growing up than his own. Maybe he had come here half in memorial of those times, to get one last look back before he moved on for good?

Or maybe he had just come here because he didn’t know where in London she was staying, and she was close enough with her family that there was a fairly good chance she was visiting.

Not that he was here to see her. In fact, Hadrian was aggressively hoping not to be seen by any of the Emsworths during his impromptu visit today, which was why he had snuck through the arboretum and scaled a wall at the back of their gardens. He had cast a disillusionment charm on himself on his way in, the way he had used to when on the trail of a rare wild creature – all one might notice here was an odd shimmering haze passing in front of the odd bush or water fountain. (Merlin, how many mild summers’ days had they spent out here together when they had been young and aggressively infatuated? Lazing on the grass and watching her sketch plant samples, or going on long romantic rides; stealing away for a secretive dip in the pond when her father had put his hat over his head and fallen into a doze.)

But he wasn’t here to reminisce; he was here on a mission. God, he hoped she’d brought the dogs with her if she was here today – but then she took them everywhere, didn’t she? Well, not for much longer. Those dogs were his. He stopped in view of the house, and flicked his wand. “Accio Ace!” Hadrian declared, and waited patiently for the first of the dogs to come zooming out of the house towards him. Success! Now time was of the essence before he was discovered. One dog down, two to go...

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It was not often that she deigned to visit her parents these days, but she had to keep up the appearances of Cindy's "illness" and so therefore she went often enough for it to be considered appropriate. Mostly she didn't to hear her mother bemoan the loss of her favorite child (Hadrian) or get side-eyed about what it was she was doing with her time these days.

Still, it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the dogs did like the estate grounds far better than that of her small townhouse garden. It was hard not to feel bad for them in that regard. After taking tea with her mother and leaving her parents to whatever it was they had planned for the afternoon, Delia thought she would at least get the dogs some good exercise before they returned to London.

They were playing a rousing game of fetch, Boone was half submerged in the pond like a typical Labrador, while Ace was hunting down the stick she'd just sent magically flying. Only Atlas, her beautiful best friend, remained by her side, faithful as ever and always close by. She laid a hand on his big soft head and sighed. She did sort of miss this. It brought back memories of fonder days, of happier times, but she was determined not to let herself sink into missing him.

As they headed toward the arboretum, Delia rather thought she might get a snack from the fruit trees within, when she felt something go whizzing by her. Ace was... flying? Both Atlas and a soaking wet Boone went bounding after him, Delia picking up her skirts to catch up.

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“Ace! There’s a good boy,” Hadrian cooed, ending the disillusionment charm on himself so the Irish setter was not confused by being borne down upon by seemingly nothing. Hadrian embraced him, giving him a good scratch all over – but, much as he could have fussed over him all day, time was probably of the essence here. So, with Ace sniffing at his side now of his own free will, Hadrian cast Accio again – this time for Boone.

He saw the brown labrador coming, skittering along through the air, except – there were two figures galloping along behind him. Hadrian squinted. One was a dog; the other was decidedly human. Decidedly Delia. Ah, blast. “C’mon, boy,” Hadrian said, because he had not gotten so far as planning for this, and fleeing seemed the first best option. He turned tail and ran back towards the trees, Ace overtaking him, and Hadrian let out a joyous yelp of triumph (part-triumph, anyway) as they increased their lead.

Only he had forgotten about the Accio, and hadn’t glanced over his shoulder for a moment to see Boone coming, until the floating, sopping wet dog had barrelled into the square of his back at enough force to bowl him over. Hadrian was thrust forwards into the grass, pinned down by four wet paws and an enthused round of barking. Hm. A subtle escape, this was not.

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Delia would recognize that voice anywhere. Thoughts of him still haunted her dreams more often than she would like to admit. She had been keeping pace quite well when she and the two dogs had been more confused than anything else, but upon seeing their other favorite person (oh, the betrayal), they sped up. Boone went flying, no doubt due to Hadrian's magical interference, but apparently the dolt hadn't taken that into account as he tried to flee. Boone was the most sturdy of the three dogs, certainly the heaviest and she laughed with a delighted sense of vindication as the lab landed squarely on the back of her ex-husband, knocking them all to the ground.

"What in the name of Merlin's beard do you think you are doing?" Delia knew what was afoot; he was trying to take the dogs, but she had gotten them fair and square in the divorce and so she was not about to give them up. (She had, more than once, thought about offering some time for Hadrian to take them for an afternoon or so, but she had always worried he wouldn't give them back!) Clearly she had been thinking accurately about that.

The dogs were going wild at seeing him, excepting Atlas, who had always been more hers than his, and she felt a little guilty about keeping them apart, if only for the dogs' sake. "I should have you arrested for trespassing and attempted theft!" Delia hated that this was where they were at in their lives, but he was just so infuriating. "Sit!" She commanded in a tone that left no arguing after letting the dogs assault him for a moment longer. All three butts hit the ground, but they were whining about it.

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   Hadrian Nott

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In the intervening moments between his fall and being caught, Hadrian had hoped that Delia might have gotten slower in her time staying in Britain, but no. She had spent too many years romping across the world to have forgotten her nimble pace, so before he had so much as managed to shove Boone off him, her voice was coming from just behind him. And the dogs were off, obedient as ever. Possibly more obedient than he remembered.

Hadrian rolled over with a grimace, and sat up, wishing he were a little less damp and dishevelled, if she was going to have the honour of seeing him. He was in no hurry to stand, though – as soon as he did she was going to frogmarch him off the property, he assumed. And she was calling him a thief? The cheek!

“Go on then!” Hadrian said bluntly, at her threat. He didn’t think she would. It would reflect just as badly on her as on him, Miss Emsworth with her maiden name and her marriage in tatters. (His marriage might also be in tatters, but generally speaking, it was more embarrassing to be a failed wife than a failed husband. And no doubt anyone in society here could plainly see that she was deranged. Who would blame him for their separation?) “Attempted theft,” he scoffed, pressing the palms of his hands into the grass defiantly. “A man’s allowed to see his hounds if he likes.” Hadrian glanced at them where they were sitting, trying to discern whether it looked like any of them had missed him as well, or were being mistreated or neglected, or – but all three looked as idiotically happy and hapless as ever. Bully for them.

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   Cordelia Emsworth

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Delia scoffed; she had half a mind to, but really didn't want to go through the hassle. She could handle Hadrian Nott on her own, she had for longer in her life than she hadn't (or so it felt like). Boys heel." She commanded and all three dogs came up behind her and sat again, waiting patiently.

"Whose hounds?" She had been working on their bad manners in their time at home. Delia would not have untrained dogs just roaming around the estate. It was easier to train them here than while travelling, but next time they headed off, she would be able to take them with her without worrying about it. It wasn't as if they'd ever been bad, she just wanted to tighten up their commands.

With her hands on her hips, she stared at her soggy ex-husband on the ground. "Is that all you're doing here, trying to see the dogs?" She didn't quite buy it, but she really didn't have any other idea as to why he would be here. They avoided one another like the laughing plague, even if she still felt that little flutter in her chest at the sight of him.

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   Hadrian Nott

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Of course the dogs listened to her. Morons.

And she was telling him off now, that much felt obvious from her hands-on-hips and her tone, and if this had been a few years ago, this moment of disapproving, uncharacteristic bossiness might have made him... well, feel something.

As it was, he didn’t like the question. (What else would he be doing here, in this place that felt almost more like his childhood home than his own family’s? Nothing, anymore. He didn’t have the right.) “Well I haven’t come to call,” Hadrian said, sardonically. Not on her, not on her parents... although it felt like he should have some excuse beyond the dogs. An excuse that wasn’t wanting to know how Delia was doing without him.

“But since you’re asking, I – think there are some of my old things in a chest of drawers in the house somewhere,” Hadrian said. He was making this up on the spot, but he fancied it was true. (They had never settled long in the country, themselves, so their possessions had been... somewhat haphazardly scattered between expeditions). He raised an eyebrow, in case she decided to refuse him entry. It was not attempted thievery if she invited him in, and they were his own things.

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