One empty glass already sat in front of him and Isaac found himself staring at a second round of fire whiskey.  A stack of papers needing grading sat on the table next to the empty glass, quill resting on top, and a copy of the Daily Prophet sat next to the papers.  The usual haze had settled over his brain that always seemed to happen around Remembering Day.  It marked the passage of another year since his plans for the future had been drastically changed.  Opting for the Daily Prophet he picked it up scanning the front page for anything of interest.  As predicted it focused on Remembering Day, the events honoring those lost and stories from that night 12 years ago.

His eyes were on the paper, but his mind had already drifted.  In the years since he had done a great deal with his life.  He had published a book, started a more stable career path, been there for his family....Yet, there was a lot he had failed to do.  Everything in his life had revolved around other people and there was a noticeable lack of close personal connections.  Certainly he had family and friends, but at this point he had practically accepted the fact that he would like remain a bachelor.  Regret was a powerful thing and it seemed likely to always haunt him no matter how much time had past.

Suddenly realizing he had read the same sentence at least ten times and still had no idea what it said, he gave it one more try as he reached out for the glass of firewhiskey.  Not looking at where he was reaching the glass slid off the table hitting the floor and shattering.  He winced, looking around sheepishly at the other patrons who had surely noticed, his cheeks burning a bit at his own foolishness.

It was odd, running errands on Remembering Day.  In 1998 she’d been at King’s College with her father in London – pushed out of Hogwarts and the wizarding world as a whole because of things she couldn’t control.  Even now she was dealing with the residual tension of the time: blood purity, terror, discrimination.  It was all still around.  There was no determined reason about what happened to her husband, but his political affiliations had always been controversial, his publications were outrageous to the conservative community and she knew that his interests in the statute of secrecy had ruffled more than a couple of feathers…

Of course, it was all speculation.  No one could know for certain, which left her confused and a little forlorn whenever she thought of it.  Plus, the addition of another mystery in her life: the diary that had been delivered to her door by a stranger, scaring her senseless, and then she’d had to translate it from Yiddish to English, which was still on-going, particularly as the mention of Grindlewald and things that sounded strangely like descriptions of spells were starting to come together…

Akiva didn’t know how she felt about it.  There were a lot of questions she had, but her grandparents were dead.  She didn’t have access to that part of their background, and her father wouldn’t know.  He wasn’t even an idea in the portion of the diary that she was in.  Her grandmother had just been mentioned. 

It was all fairly fitting for thoughts over Remembering Day, but Akiva was just done.  She’d needed to run to the Quill shop for the MAO (not that she’d been going very often – but she still tried to maintain her part-time status and her husband’s vision as much as she could).  Then, she stopped to get some sweets.  She intended to bake later and putting sugared butterfly wings on top was just what she was looking for.  She could only get them in Hogsmeade.  Thankfully, her mother had volunteered to spend time with her grandson, so Akiva could finish all the quicker.

She did, however, have to make a quick, non-business related stop.  The Three Broomsticks.  She hadn’t been there in ages!  It seemed like the last time had been in sixth year, a hogsmeade weekend.   She would be happy to have a butterbeer.  She pushed the door open and walked in started to walk towards the table area, searching for a place to sit.  It wasn’t necessarily packed, but there was a crowd – somber, she noted – probably all thinking about the same thing.

As she perused the area, unsure of where to sit, she suddenly heard a crash right near her, jumping back a little, blinking as she looked down and then back up.  “Are you okay, Fraiser?” she asked, putting her bag on the table and bending down to help pick up the bigger pieces.

“Are you okay, Fraiser?”

Glancing up he felt certain his cheeks burned an even brighter shade of red.  When he made the decision to leave the Ministry he had felt a lot of guilt over leaving Akiva to try to maintain Dreogan's vision on her own.  He had tried to continue on for a time after the other man's disappearance, but he felt he had been unable to really do justice to his work in the department while trying to juggle helping to keep the still developing department together.  He knew his strengths, and none of them were being utilized in that particular situation within the Ministry.

"Yes," he said as he stooped and started to pick up as many of the larger pieces of glass as he could, "although this is probably a reminder that alcohol doesn't exactly do much for an already foggy mind."  Grabbing a nearby napkin, he placed the pieces of jagged class on them looking for any larger escapees in the vicinity.  A waitress had made her way over, using the all too familiar scouring charm to clean up the remainder of his mess and remove the napkin of larger shards.

"Can I bring you another, sir?" she asked, looking at expectantly.

"I think, I'll take a butterbeer, please," he said, figuring that perhaps the first drink had indeed been enough for one fay.  Looking at Akiva he said, "Would you care to join me for a round?"

Maiko could never pinpoint exactly what her feelings were about Remembering Day. It varied from year-to-year. This year, it ached more than the last. Some information had come up implying that her own father had actually been a wizard. If that was the case, she had gone through the years of discrimination, bullying, and being treated as ‘less than’ for a lie. At the time, it was her reality. And now? She didn’t know what to think. She was ambivalent, conflicted. She still identified as a muggleborn—it was how she was raised. That label had defined her life whether she had wanted it to or not.

She had lost friends, she had been forced to grow up before her time. Mai resented her lost childhood. She was only fourteen when Voldemort was defeated. The events leading up to that had changed people, and anyone who insisted that they didn’t were straight-up lying.

Her brother was going to be out late, and Mai didn’t want to be alone.

The Three Broomsticks was bound to have someone she knew there, others who didn’t want to be alone with their memories. Remembering Day had a way of pulling things up that you’d rather not think about.

She entered the pub just in time to hear the sound of breaking glass. It was crowded, but it wasn’t difficult for her pinpoint where the noise came from—especially when there were two familiar faces right there!

Her mood lifted instantly.

“Akiva! Isaac![1] And Akiva!” Mai exclaimed, squeezing through the crowd and bouncing up in down while waving like a maniac in the hopes that they’d see her. She took note of Fraiser’s red cheeks and froze. “I’m not, interrupting a personal conversation or anything, am I?”

1.	Maiko tends to be familiar with her coworkers, using first names unless corrected.

Akiva would have been embarrassed too, had she done the same thing, so she was not one to judge.  Besides, it seemed like everytime she had Gabriel in public he was knocking or grabbing - it didn't even really strike her as odd.  Putting the pieces she'd carefully grabbed on the napkin, Akiva raised her eyebrows when he indicated that he had a foggy mind.  "Thinking?" she questioned vaguely.

Today was a fairly personal day for many people.  The most painful memory associated with it, she supposed for herself was the fact that it had been the real moment she'd seen the type of person Dreogan was - levelheaded, steady in a crisis, smart... That was probably the hardest part. She sighed: the dull ache of loss had either ebbed from the crippling pain it had been, or perhaps became so familiar it didn't hurt quite so badly any longer. 

Whatever the case, when Isaac asked if she'd like to join him, Akiva nodded - looking to the expectant waitress.  "A butterbeer for me as well, thank you."  She smiled at the young witch, who nodded pleasantly back before shuffling away.
 
Akiva turned to Isaac, about to ask him how he was doing when she heard someone yelling from the doorway - what she thought was her name.  Twisting her head quickly, Akiva was surprised to see another familiar face.  Maiko Biladeau-Yukawa was not someone she expected to run into anymore than Isaac Fraser, though she supposed she was far closer to their place of work than her own. 

Akiva smiled easily, Maiko's enthusiasm was contagious.  "Hello!" she greeted warmly, blinking for a moment at her observation.  Furrowing her brows, Akiva didn't quite understand the question.  "Not at all," she answered easily. "I just showed up," she looked at Isaac and then back at Maiko - they seemed familiar, if Maiko's address wasn't a sign of friendliness, she wouldn't have known.  "Why don't you join us? We were just getting some butterbeers..."

Hearing his name Isaac turned to see Maiko approaching them.  For a brief moment he wondered why it was she would think she was interrupting something personal.  Then realizing it was likely his embarrassment over the glass being misinterpreted his cheeks felt flush once more.  It seemed no matter how old he got the opposite sex would always have the ability to turn him into a blushing fool.  Thankfully Akiva handled the explanation and invitation to join them, allowing him a moment to recover from his foolishness without having to add a stammering to the list of his ridiculous reactions.

The company of the two ladies would certainly be a nice change from his usual Remembering Day solitude.  Everyone had their own way of dealing with the memories of the past.  Almost everyone life of those in the wizarding world had been touched in some way years earlier.

"The more the merrier," Isaac offered, motioning to an empty chair.  "It's lovely to see familiar friendly faces on a day like today."

Francis had been paying respects and visiting a few ageing family friends in Hogsmeade on Remembering Day, and had been mulling over thoughts as he trod down the village High Street. He felt so very fortunate that his boys were attending Hogwarts in peacetime, and even attending during a tournament year. He just hoped it wasn't possible for matters to repeat.

The noise from the 3 Broomsticks spilled into the street as the door opened and a couple stepped out, passing him by. He didn't have to hurry home tonight, and somehow the company would erase those thoughts and shared memories with the folks he'd been to see that day.

On pushing open the door and stepping inside, his eyes sought about the room for familiar faces. It didn't quite do to drink alone, and although he didn't mind making small talk with strangers, the effort seemed almost too much that day, along with the fact there'd be at least one conspiracy theorist at the bar convinced that Voldemort was going to rise again.

It wasn't until he'd ordered a pint at the bar that he spotted Isaac Frasier and Akiva Kats-Eleor sat together, with a lady who looked somewhat familiar, but Francis couldn't quite put his finger on where he knew her from.

Swallowing down a couple of sips enough not to accidentally spill it as he made his way over to say hello and test the waters for whether they were there together and not to be joined, Francis set off across the room. He slowed within hearing distance…

"… lovely to see familiar friendly faces on a day like today."

"I'll drink to that." Francis interrupted with a respectful nod and raised his pint before motioning if he could also join them.

"Akiva, Isaac, and have we had the pleasure, Francis Pepper," he offered his hand to shake to Maiko.

"I've just been out to see a few old faces in the village as it happens, and pay respects. Incredible to think how it was back then, here." He shook his head, curls bouncing and brow furrowed.
"But better times these days, thank Merlin."

 “I’d love to join you two for butterbeers!” Mai replied, pulling Akiva into an enthusiastic hug. She paused, seriously considering whether or not she should hug Isaac, before she shook her head (and any questions of personal space away) and gave him a squeeze as well before settling into the empty seat.

 It seemed that her assumptions had caused poor Isaac to blush even more furiously.  It was adorable, though she imagined it must’ve been frustrating to have any sort of emotion show in the form of red ears and cheeks. She wasn’t much of a blusher, but her cheeks tinted red as soon as she consumed even the smallest bit of alcohol. “I was thinking of going for something stronger, buuuuut~”  But with butterbeer her thoughts wouldn’t get as jumbled, and she probably wouldn’t become an embarrassment for the others around her.

Then a fourth person made his way over to them. He seemed familiar, but even when he introduced himself she couldn’t figure out where she knew him from. Pepper was the surname of several students at Hogwarts, and it was likely that he was related to them. As the saying went, it was a small world. And the wizarding world was even smaller.

“Nice to meet you, Francis. I’m Maiko Biladeau-Yukawa!” She shook his hand with both of hers, “I know it’s a mouthful, just call me Maiko. Or Mai. Whatever you prefer.” She had never been too picky about what others called her. She had a few nicknames, and they varied depending on who she was talking to.

"I've just been out to see a few old faces in the village as it happens, and pay respects. Incredible to think how it was back then, here… But better times these days, thank Merlin."

Her enthusiastic smile was quickly replaced with a much more somber expression, and all she could do was nod stiffly in agreement. 

Akiva was surprised by the hug, but then again, not surprised at all.  Maiko had always been an affectionate sort and their little party was rapidly growing.  It was probably, as Isaac put it, the more the merrier.  “Agreed,” she added, smiling at Maiko before turning another smile to Isaac.  He seemed like he needed it.  People could get quite down about these sorts of memories and Akiva was no exception.  She needed to keep herself busy. 

Gabriel was the best thing in her life, a distraction and the person she loved most in the world, but when he was tucked away into his crib at night… well, Akiva spent many sleepless nights just staring into the crib, or sitting in the room, trying to think about anything but the negative thoughts surrounding a number of things, Remembering Day included. 

She recognized Pepper as he approached, indicating that he’d drink to Isaac’s declaration.  Akiva smiled lightly and nodded at him, “Hello Francis,” she greeted warmly, indicating the other empty seat at the table.  “It’s good to see you,” she added politely. 

Spending far less time at the ministry, it was almost odd to see employees out of the offices, but it also added a little bit of comfort: it was someone she knew and could converse with fairly easily. 

She wasn’t entirely sure she agreed with these days being better though.  The bangle on her wrist, hiding her scars was enough to create suspicion that when one thing was gone another popped up.  The disappearance of a loving husband and new father was what sealed that belief.  Despite it, of course, Akiva tried to keep herself together and strong, even if it was hard.

She was happy when the butterbeer arrived – mostly because it allowed her to do something to distract her from talking before she could be more pleasant.  Lightly licking her lips, the witch sighed.  “It’s hard to believe it was that long ago,” she finally decided on, “and that things have changed even a little.  It seemed nearly impossible back then.”

"It seems like yesterday until you think about how much has happened since, certainly." Francis agreed. "The old school is back to its glory, the youngsters in there have no memory." He nodded to Akiva's observations.

"To the Order and those who stood with them." He toasted, raising his glass, wishing to push thoughts from his mind if he could, though the location and the company might not permit that fully.

"How are things for you all?" He asked - knowing Isaac and Akiva more than Maiko, who he hadn't realised was stationed up at the castle and knew his sons. He did know that Akiva was still without Dree and Isaac was back to teaching, but he'd barely seen either of them of late.