Don't Forget to Remember Me

It had been too long, really, since Keiran had gotten in touch with Avery and Robin, though he was fairly certain he had never invited them to drinks at the same time before. So he just hoped they would get along like he expected they would. They both tended to take his sense of humor well, and both stomached alcohol like champions. Obviously, he had something important to tell them each, and figured it would be just as easy to tell them at the same time. At least, Keiran hoped, he would be able to keep from dealing with the same questions from each of them. He was already struggling, to say the least, so he wasn't entirely sure how he would deal with it.

Sure, with Millie, Keiran could just ask questions and get answers without feeling strange about it. He didn't know her, which made it much easier. If it were Robin or Avery, who he had been friends with for ages, he had this ridiculous fear that he would be judged for it somehow. It wasn't like he didn't remember them before that last year, after all, so he wasn't sure what he was worrying about, really.

When Avery had gotten her owl at work, she had sent a little note to Robin, saying that she had plans for the evening and would be home late. With their trying to get back to normal, it hadn't surprised her when he didn't ask too many question or didn't say much about his own plans. Prying had not gone well for either of them in the past. And after what had happened at Bridget's they were slowly but surely trying to work their way back to normal. Behind closed doors, though, they couldn't find a way to interact smoothly. Maybe she could talk with Keiran about it. After all, she had overheard him talking to Robin before she decided to change. If it made him happier, she had absolutely no problem with that. None.

She wasn't surprised that they were meeting at the Hog's Head. Not really. Keiran had been promoted to Deputy Headmaster, and Avery had never been more excited for him. Even after nearly ten years of knowing him, she couldn't wait to congratulate him in person. So she stepped in, peered around, and found him sitting at the bar just as he had about a year ago, when he had first introduced her to Robin. Who was she supposed to meet this time? She doubted it would affect her as much as her meeting Robin had. Nothing much could, really.

"Keiran," she greeted gently, sitting beside him. A bright smile lit her face as he turned to look at her. "Congrats, big guy," she offered, unsure exactly where they stood but not about to ignore his big news. He stood and hugged her to him, making her blink in surprise but wrap her arms around his shoulders. "How is it so far?"

"First week, actually," Keiran replied, "so I haven't messed up yet."

Avery laughed, turning to the bartender and requesting a whiskey - as she had before the pregnancy - and realized how badly she had missed just going out drinking. She couldn't help but wish that she and Robin could do so sometimes, as they had when they were first married and getting to know each other. Yeah, really. Awkward, right? Except it had just been casual and they were able to laugh, dance, or just talk. They didn't seem to do any of those things anymore. Keiran had just opened his mouth to ask her a question when a shadow fell over them as someone approached.

September was always a little lonely. It pushed many foreigners, who had been visiting for the summer months, back to their various corners of the world. The leaves changed and his younger brothers were sent back to school where they would be held captive until Christmas. Even his best friend had chosen a profession that required him to leave behind the social world and immerse himself among teenagers for the next three months. In the past the pair had been able to schedule get-togethers throughout the year at the Hogs Head. Of course it was enormously inconvenient for Robin to drive cross-country but he never complained, simply scheduling their drinks for the afternoons Misha threatened to stop by.

Robin wasn't sure how to respond to the owl he had received asking him to drinks that evening. He had already gotten word from Avery that she would be out so there was little hesitation in his decision to go. Robin hadn't expected the note so early. Things had been almost as rocky between the two men as him and his wife - normal on the surface but an unavoidable feeling that something had changed between them. Regardless, Robin felt better and better about the evening the longer he thought on it and by the time he was on the road he was genuinely excited to spend time with his friend.

And someone else, apparently. The note had been vague but Robin hadn't mulled over it too much, rightfully assuming that if someone was important enough for Keiran to arrange a semi-official meeting between them they must be important. Robin had chosen the Knight Bus as his method of transportation tonight. As much as public busses concerned him (for very different reasons than other magical trouble) he wasn't sure how late his evening with Keiran would go and he thought taking either the car or the bike might have been a bad call in the long run.

- - -

Robin pushed open the doors of the Hogs Head, glancing around the lightly packed restaurant before recognizing the back of Keiran's head at the bar. As he took a few steps into the room a large man moved out of the way and he caught sight of the golden curls that he would have recognized anywhere. Avery?

The young man made his way across the room to the bar where the two most important people in his life sat. Once in reach, Robin brushed Avery's shoulder to greet her and leaned down, his lips brushing her cheek lightly. "I didn't know you were meeting Keiran tonight." Of course it didn't bother him that she was here, it was just surprising. Why on earth would Keiran need to go about pushing them to be here together with such secrecy? Robin moved to sit in the seat beside Avery so she was sandwiched between the two men. He signaled the bartender and commanded "scotch" before turning back to the pair with a smile that was perhaps too lighthearted to feel completely natural.

Keiran looked up and waved as the third person approached, making Avery swallow back part of her drink, set the glass down, and follow his gaze to see who he had asked to come out with them. He'd invited.... Robin. What? He ended up beside her, his lips brushing over her cheek in greeting. "Hey," she greeted. "Join the club."

"I'm sorry," Keiran cut in, making Avery return her focus to him. "But what the hell is going on?"

Avery's brow furrowed, as she gave a very slow reply. It half sounded like something you would say to someone you were sure had just been knocked over the head, or someone who perhaps didn't speak English very well. "Yeah, really. Why don't you tell us?"

Keiran just blinked, clearly frustrated and lost. "I don't understand. You two... you know each other?"

"Keiran," Avery frowned, reaching a hand towards him to check if he had a temperature. "You introduced us last year. Are you okay?"

Turning to look at Robin, she took her hand back, a wary and upset pout crossing her features. Something was very wrong with their friend. Even though the three had been torn apart due to all of the things that had happened, she knew full well that Robin, too, would be endlessly worried about his best friend of many years. Keiran looked down at his drink like it had betrayed him, but then understanding dawned in his eyes and Avery let herself watch him as he came to terms with whatever was happening.

"Right. That makes sense," he mumbled finally, looking over at the pair of them and seemingly adding them up in his mind. "Um, that's kind of the real reason I asked you here. I mean, I knew you two would get along, and there's the Deputy Headmaster thing, but something happened during the train accident. You heard of that, right?"

"Of course," Avery put in quickly. The hand closest to Robin snuck over to take up his, squeezing it probably a bit too tightly. Something was really not right, and it was freaking her out. They might not have been perfect at home, but she needed that solace he inevitably gave.

"Well, after the Death Eater attack," Keiran's eyes jumped to Robin, checking to see if the other man had been there. Somehow, he just knew that Robin had been, even though Millie hadn't said. "I wasn't feeling up to apparating. So I was on the train, and one of the students said I was helping kids get out, so I must have still been in there when it flipped. Head trauma, among other things, apparently meant that I lost about a year of time. The last thing I remembered upon waking was that I had read about the Marriage Law being printed for the first time in the Prophet. Robin, your cousin - um, I forget the name - helped me and Millie when she, too, was hurt. I'm told he's saved me twice, now. Baldric, too. I guess I owe a lot of people at this point."

"Oh, Keiran," Avery breathed, shoulders falling.

Robin found himself looking back and forth between Keiran and Avery, his head bobbing to each face as they spoke, his brain not making the jumps of what was being said quite quickly enough. Avery reached for his hand began squeezing with a death grip but he barely noticed. As Keiran blatantly explained what had happened to him Robin finally understood the older man's confused looks and felt a rush of panic flow through him. A whole year just.. gone? His entire marriage.. both of their marriages.. they were just gone. Robin suddenly felt self conscious of his closeness to Avery, torn between wanting to pull her closer and release her completely.

"Mate" Robin breathed aimlessly, his tone perfectly mirroring his wife's. The Russian was not able to hold in a low chuckle as he looked at his friend. "I'm sorry, that really blows." It wasn't funny and Robin certainly wasn't amused but laughing at inopportune times was one of his particular charms that he had never been able to shake. The hand that wasn't clinging on to Avery moved to ruffle his hair back uncomfortably as he continued to process the situation at a glacial pace. "Are you staying with Mills still? I mean, shit, you don't remember anything. It would be strange, wouldn't it?"

The last question was half directed at Avery and half sent off into the abyss of the lonely bar as he continued to survey the scene. At this moment the bartender returned, bearing gifts of hard liquor that Robin received gratefully. The man-child grabbed for the crystal glass like it was his lifeline and took a sip that almost counted as a shot in size. The familiar burning in his throat helped to calm his brain. If the last thing that Keiran remembered was the marriage law announcements.. what was his best friend's last memory of him?

After a few seconds of consideration Robin got a general idea. It must have been that party in London. Or was it the poker night? Robin just remembered reading the marriage announcements himself and genuinely wondering if what was printed was really true or if it was just the hangover talking. Either way, Keiran had missed a lot. It wasn't as if Robin was a saint now (the 3/4 finished glass of scotch in his hand was enough proof of that) but he had certainly changed. He was.. married. Had a daughter. Barely touched his broom any more and had all but given up casual crime in exchange for babysitting duties. What would Keiran think of him now?

Robin finished his drink in a single swallow and gave Avery's hand a final squeeze before releasing it and sliding his arm across the back of her chair. He stared openly as his best friend, wondering if he would even notice a difference. If one had to judge from the last two minutes alone they would never notice that Robin Ivanov was a "reformed man". There he was chugging a drink, his arm casually draped around a gorgeous woman. Even his posture was beginning to sink slightly lower in the chair, his legs sprawling lazily as he played with his glass, watching a single amber drop swirl around the base and leave a glossy trail.

Robin began to unconsciously play with a curl that was brushed up against his fingers. He twirled the golden loop between his thumb and index finger and glanced up at Keiran. An entire year. It might as well have been a decade.

"Robin!" Avery chided breathily, eyes wide in reprimand for his question. She wanted to laugh, honestly, which Robin might have noticed if he saw how her eyes crinkled at the corners, but Keiran's face was one of disapproval so she had to try and keep her actions proper.

"Of course I'm still living with her, Robin," he replied, voice low and unamused. "She's my wife."

Avery's laugh lines disappeared as Keiran's scrutinizing gaze roved over them. He didn't know what had happened between the three of them. He didn't know how much Robin and Avery had both changed. About Ariadne. About the fact that Robin wasn't (necessarily) with her just because the law required it. Not anymore. Avery wasn't naive enough to believe they would have ended up the same way without the Ministry's interference. So while she hated the Ministry for many things, she could never hate them for that. Not for giving her the love she would have been denied otherwise.

"Sweetheart," Avery mumbled as Robin knocked back his drink. The sarcasm that usually went with the word wasn't there, concern lacing her tone instead. A thought floated into her mind, evidenced by the sudden alighting of her features. Not knowing how to ask Robin's permission with Keiran sitting there, Avery just turned to the older man and tilted her head to the side.

"Keiran," she started slowly, "would you want to come by our house for a bit? There's someone you should meet.."

Avery glanced in Robin's direction again, hoping he knew who she was referring to. In the end, though, Keiran just lifted a shoulder, saying, "So long as you're up for it. I don't mind."

Keiran had an understandable frown on his face, reminding the younger man that is would be just about the worst possible time to push any buttons. Robin bit back a comment that while Melissa was indeed his wife she also happened to be a stranger. Avery mumbled to him, further enforcing the current need to hold his tongue. He realized just how long it had been since he had heard that quiet, albeit cute tone of disapproval in her voice. Was it because they hadn't been going out very much lately? Or that she had been more generous about his behavior, not wanting confrontation? Or perhaps he just hadn't been making so many comments.

Whatever the cause, Robin found a strange comfort in the old sound and he responded only by wrapping a curl around his finger in a golden spiral. He caught her look but interpreted it as more of a 'don't-be-an-arse' warning and didn't catch her much deeper intent until she turned to Keiran and began speaking, offering that he come over to their house. She looked to him again and this time Robin understood. He nodded, flashing Keiran an encouraging smile although feeling slightly unsteady at the thought.

It was a solid plan in theory but Robin was genuinely worried to put it into practice. If Keiran and been so startled at the idea of Robin and Avery knowing each other, much less being together (which Robin wasn't really sure he had figured out yet) how would he react to the knowledge that they had a child together?

Over the few minutes that the trio had been sitting at the bar together Robin had been running this over in his head. A whole year. The more he thought things over the more worried for Keiran he became. He didn't think that Avery fully grasped just how little was the same. A year ago he had been casually sleeping with Cordella (with Elijah!) and would have openly mocked at the idea that he would have a wife and child to come home to. More than mocked, he would have hated the very thought. In that vein, he was amazed that Keiran wasn't running for the hills after realizing he also had a bride. Melissa must have a silver tongue in order to have swung this one.

But Keiran was agreeing so Robin continued smiling, already playing what he could say to explain in his head. Robin stood from his stool, leaving his empty glass on the counter and pulling his hand away from Avery. "Well, no time like the present." he remarked lightly. "We have a long bus ride to catch you up." It wouldn't be nearly long enough.

Keiran was incredibly confused, if he were being honest. Ridiculously. He half wondered why Millie hadn't told him about Robin and Avery, but for some reason, he had a gut feeling that the blondes didn't get along. Avery didn't seem to dislike his wife, but Keiran could just feel that Millie wasn't the older woman's biggest fan. The thought made him uncomfortable, and almost embarrassed, so he pushed it aside. Robin looked equally unsettled when Avery suggested they travel together, and though Keiran nearly said that they shouldn't go, he was honestly rather curious. And Avery seemed to think it would be a good idea, so perhaps there would be some sort of bonding involved that would help him start to understand.

Avery looked up when Robin pulled back, her forehead creasing in concern. Were things not well for them? Keiran couldn't help but think that Avery looked conflicted somehow. Like she thought he was upset with her. The last thing Keiran wanted was to put strain on them when the law required their being together. The Robin that Keiran knew would never be happy with being married, so who on earth was he supposed to be meeting? Someone staying with them? He couldn't come up with anything that made sense.

Her gaze focused on the floor, Avery led the way out and onto the street. They had the option of taking the Knight Bus, but Keiran had always hated the thing, and they had the time to take a regular bus to the coast and then ferry into Dublin. After all, Hogsmeade was only in the countryside of Scotland, so it wouldn't take too very long to get to a close port. So while Avery figured out the bus schedule, Keiran moved to stand next to Robin, giving the younger man a bemused expression.

"So, are things really that weird for you two? You both seem pretty off. I mean," Keiran conceded, with a little shrug and a vague hand gesture, "my issues don't help of course." He lifted his cane a bit to make his point. "But something seems more strange than usual, and that's saying something considering what you and I have gotten into over the past few years."

The joke was meant lightly, but he wasn't sure it actually came off that way in the end. Avery glanced over at them, and somehow Keiran could just sense her muted disappointment. Whether that was with herself, with him or with Robin, Keiran wasn't entirely sure. But he could read her better than anyone - aside from his mother, perhaps - and he knew that there was something they had yet to explain. Extending a hand towards Avery, he was pleased to receive a smile in return as she approached, giving him a one-armed hug.

"Who am I meeting, A?"

"Um," she faltered, her gaze jumping to Robin for a moment as she bit her lip. Releasing it, she looked back to Keiran and gave him a tiny smile. "Um, our daughter."

Keiran blinked, looking between the two of them in surprise for a moment before he remembered the confines of the marriage law. "You guys actually went through with it? I mean, ... I don't want to sound insensitive but wasn't that awkward? Knowing that the Ministry required it? I can't imagine you would do that just because they said to."

"Keiran," Avery chided, pulling away as a look of betrayal crossed her features. "Seriously?" She shook her head, wrapping her arms around her middle before walking away.

There were some things she knew they weren't supposed to bring up. Keiran didn't seem to know about his own inadvertent action of doing as the Ministry expected, so Avery was not willing to cross any boundaries that Millie had set up. He didn't need to worry about that until his wife felt it necessary. But that didn't mean she knew how to deal with the idea that Keiran thought she had genuinely tried to get pregnant because the Ministry told them to. Approaching the bus station window again, Avery leaned against the wall and stared at the road blankly, trying to understand what had happened to her oldest and dearest friend.