There was a soft wind blowing and a few scattered leaves lethargically moving this way and that, indecisive about where to stay. This was all disturbed briefly by a small pop and the entrance of a lone figure into the street. It was late and all the shops of Hogsmeade had finished their business for the day, leaving space for Finn Grosvenor and his creatures of the night to play. Play they certainly would, Signature was always open to friends of the owner and that was precisely what this figure he was. He moved freely through the streets, feeling the freedom of darkness upon him. In the dark his persona would not matter, not at all.

The butt of a cigarette dangled floated down to the floor before being stomped out by a pair of expensive dress shoes. The man attached to said shoes took a deep breath and continued moving forward. It wasn’t that he didn’t love being who he was, it was simply that the past few months had thrown his life into perspective rather jarringly. His unexpected trip to Italy - which he liked to remind everyone had been little better than a kidnapping - had not been the most pleasant of visits, particularly due to the events surrounding it.

Before long he was standing before the entrance of Signature, being allowed in and checking his lightweight coat. A pause at the mirror was all it took to replace his previous look with one of smug superiority. He was still the same person after all, no matter what had happened. Let someone else deal with home, here he was in his element. Besides, who wanted a dour figure during a night out. Hopefully Finn had - as always - no press in the club. Arius’ return to the modeling world would be like his disappearance, sudden and unexpected.

There was one thing about his disappearance he supposed that had worked to his advantage, these sorts of things always brought great amounts of free publicity. He was as popular as ever, and with this thought in mind he stepped further into Signature, tossing his hair and smiling in the direction of a few acquaintances. He ignored the whispers and breezily moved, looking to find some plaything to hang on his arm until he found Finn - or Finn found him. It wouldn’t be long before word got back to the club owner that Arius Tristisa had once more debuted into society and was doing it at Signature no less.

Perhaps it would be nice if someone leaked the information that he had been seen. Then all those silly rumors about his being dead would be dispelled. If he was dead where was his body? Of course, there were also interesting claims from people who had supposedly seen him in a slew of areas such as a Wizarding plastic surgeon... Why change that which people loved? There was also talk that he had been in a rehabilitation clinic being weaned off some upper or downer - or both. While these things amused Arius, he was almost regretful that none of them were true. Well, okay, except for that getting work done one, who would think that?

He finally found his prey in the form of a petite blonde who was giggling with her friends at the corner of the bar. He slid up to her smoothly and offered to buy her a drink. When she noted who it was her jaw dropped in awe. Yes, he was certainly back and better than ever. She seemed perhaps slightly awed and well, her bumbling was to be expected he supposed. At least she was pretty, that was all that mattered to him really. He ordered a drink for himself as well, firewhiskey on the rocks. Hopefully Finn would appear before the blonde bored him.

Finn had been up in his office filing throughsome paperwork before he was able to let loose and go have some fun for the night, when a knock came at the door. He called for them to come in, and the door opened hesitantly with one of the hosts peeping his head around the frame. Finn looked up from his papers and smiled. "What's up, Charlie?" He asked, before averting his eyes back down to the papers. So much to read, so little time to do it in. He picked up his quill, dabbed some ink on the end and signed his name at the bottom of the first leaf of parchment, placing it to one side of the desk.

"Sorry to bother you, Finn...It's just that, uh..."

The man scratched behind his ear nervously and winced. "Mhmm?" Finn prodded, not looking up from the parchment. This really did need to get finished.

"Mister Tristisa is here."

Finn stopped what he was doing. He just stopped still, like a marble statue unable to move. The paper was still held out in front of him, his eyes were still on it, but they had widened. Slowly, very slowly, he lowered the parchment and let his eyes wander up to the door with a glazed expression. When his eyes were on Charlie, Finn heaved a deep breath and leant back in his chair, letting the papers drop from his hands and flexing his fingers. His brow furrowed slightly. "Did he ask to see me?" Finn probed, his voice low and unamused. The host shook his head with an apologetic expression splashed across his face.

"He's at the bar."

Finn nodded. "Thank you. I'll be down in a moment." The host nodded and practically leapt away from the door, closing it behind him. Once the door was closed, Finn sighed and looked up at the ceiling leaning further and further back in his chair. He had a lot of questions, but the main two were 'where have you been' and 'why did you not think to tell me'.

After a couple of moments trying to steady his breathing, Finn stood up and went to the mirror on the wall. He ran his fingers through his hair, straightened his tie and checked to make sure there were no bits in his teeth. When he was satisfied that he looked presentable, he made his way out of his office, down the stairs and towards the bar.

Once in the bar it was obvious the night was starting early for a lot of people. It was barely past seven and there were already crowds of people in the bar waiting to drink the night away. Though it was busy it didn't take long to spot his long-time friend, trying to have it away with some blonde or another at the bar. Finn plastered a smile on his face, if only for appearance sake. The frustration could come later when they were in private. For now, however, he needed to save face.

"Arius." Finn greeted coolly from behind the model. "And..." he looked to the girl and flashed a smile. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced." He held his hand out to the girl. "Finn Grosvenor." She placed her hand in his and he brought it to his lips, letting them brush over the skin gently. "Charmed."

He savored his drink, trying to remember when he had switched from dry martinis to firewhiskey. He supposed the change had been spurred by whatever had been in his father’s decanter when he arrived home. Somehow he had grown accustomed to the burning down his throat, though he had been loathe to touch the cigar box which sat in a corner of his father’s desk. Well, his decanter and his desk Arius supposed. How anyone had managed to reach his father was astonishing to him, though it spoke of a double cross, something he did not wish to deal with. Yet, he would have to eventually, for now he had left someone in charge but it would be haunting him until he went home again. Thankfully he had uncles, and they were more than eager to step in for the young pretty boy.

He looked at his wizard watch and wondered if he might not have to get a hand for Finn’s pretty face, though of course if the man ever left Signature that was news to Arius. He was immersed in all these thoughts, sloshing his whiskey around in a seemingly careless manner, though one that was precisely calculated, as he listened to the dull hum of the blonde’s voice in the background. He simply wasn’t good company today despite the well placed smirk on his face and the usual nonchalant air, there was certainly something amiss.

The club was crowded for the time and the other option was that Finn was off preparing for the night still, unaware that his baby was so full or that there were people expecting his presence. For a brief moment the idea of asking for the owner flickered in Arius’ mind before he brushed it away, raising his spare hand to play with a piece of the woman’s hair, eliciting a giggle from her and causing him to ease slightly. This was his element. He was Arius. Nothing could unnerve him, right?

He heard his name coming from behind and turned to face his old friend. “Finn.” What a difference from the last time they had seen each other. Arius had likely grown up some since then, though soon he hoped that he could throw off this wretched veil of mourning that hung over him like a black shroud as though he himself were dying as well. He needed to throw off his troubles and move forward with his career and his life. His uncles could continue running the show, Arius had faith in them even if they would eventually turn to him. He simply wasn’t ready to grapple with everything that death entailed.

At Finn’s insinuation that Arius should introduce him to the girl Arius merely laughed. “I don’t have the faintest. Perhaps she can introduce herself to you.” After all, she was just a plaything, someone to amuse Arius until Finn arrived and well, he supposed that she had not so much amused him as annoyed him. Perhaps that had turned out not as well as he could have hoped. After Finn greeted her in typical fashion Arius shooed her away with a wave of his hand. Not that she would have stayed much longer anyhow if she had any self respect.

“I see Signature is doing well as always.” Arius grinned and took a sip of his firewhiskey, this would be a long night indeed.

Arius' greeting was cool, calm and collected. The same as always. He was acting as though nothign had changed. As though he hadn't just disappeared for months and then reappeared without so much as a warning. Finn narrowed his eyes slightly at his old friend in an attempt to discern what had changed. Something had, though he couldn't put his wand on exactly what it was.

“I don’t have the faintest. Perhaps she can introduce herself to you.”

Before the poor girl had a chance, she was being shooed away by Arius who had quite clearly grown tired of her. As he did with most of the girls he went out with. There was the odd one or two that he went back to now and then - the ones who managed to hold his attention for more than ten minutes. It was those women who clearly had intelligence as well as the good genes. Arius was way more picky when it came to women than Finn. He was a lot more highly-strung. He wanted a woman who would treat him like a king but also be able to hold her own. Most women he went with fluttered their eyelashes at the right time and looked pretty on his arm, but their fawning over him apparently got a bit boring at times. He needed someone who would tell him exactly what they thought of him, saving no graces.

Well, that was Finn's opinion. Arius would probably disagree.

“I see Signature is doing well as always.”

Finn raised an eyebrow as he motioned for the waiter to go get him a whisky. "Mmm." he agreed half-heartedly, looking around the room. "And how are you doing, Arius? Though I wouldn't need to ask if I had known you were going to disappear off the face of the earth for months. A publicity stunt, perhaps?" he turned his face to Arius and pursed his lips slightly, waiting for his response. It wouldn't surprise Finn if that was exactly what his disappearance would be. But he should have known that Finn wouldn't have breathed a word of it to a soul, living or dead.