Draco and the Old Man

Ten

"So you'll be gone by morning, then?"

"Yup. I just need to pack up my research."

"With the both of you gone, it'll be a good riddance."

"Ah, you don't mean that."

"No, I really don't." The two gave each other half asses smirks. Draco stuck out his hand and Aberforth shook it. They paused like that a moment, they they roped each other into a tight hug.

"I'l see you in twenty years then."

"Yup. You come by my bar. But you'd better head straight from my bar to that other list of things we discussed."

"I promised and I'll stick by that promise."

"Good."

Draco moved to the study to pack up his papers and books. Aberforth had graciously let him keep them all and had even given him a bag to keep them all in. He was going to miss spending his days in this study. He'll have to go back to his draft mansion with the large rooms. It'll be worth it, though, to have his son back.

The loud wailing of a cat sounded outside. It startled Draco for a quick moment. It was the caterwauling charm outside. Draco heard Aberforth mumbling in the other room about something along the lines of "Stupid kids that always need saving."

Abeforth had left the house and dragged three figures inside. He came in shortly afterwards. Two more figures appeared in the room.

They arrived in 1998 in the little, rundown bar, known as the Hogs Head. They were greeted by wands. Four wands, all pointed at their heads. They quickly raised their hands and turned to face the attackers. Two of the wands dropped quickly.

Draco hung around the corner and sulked a little bit. He knew who the two new figures were. Victoire Weasley and Teddy Lupin. The two kids he had condemned to living in the past for who knows how long. Draco realized he didn't know where they had been or for how long. He'd gotten rough dates from Neville, but even he admit he knew almost nothing.

The three figures who Aberforth had shoved inside, were Harry Pottr, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. They were all younger than when Draco knew them, Head of the Auror Department, Co-Head to Britan's most successful franchise, and Minister for Magic, but it was the nonetheless.

Teddy and Vic had revealed themselves to Harry, Hermione and Ron, so Draco knew he was absolutely right.

In time, Neville came, and took them all away to Hogwarts, leaving Aberforth and Draco behind.

"Are you going to join the fight?" Aberforth said to a seemingly empty house.

"I fought in that battle once." Draco sighed. "I can't go through that again. I only got rid of the nightmares about five years ago."

"Well, then we part ways here."

"Goodbye, Aberforth."

"Goodbye, Draco, and don't you dare reach for a bottle after you leave."

"I already promised you that."

"I'm just reminding you."

"Goodbye."

Draco was gone within fifteen minutes. He returned to the twenty-first century and to what he had hoped would be 2016, but ended up being 2017. He'd overshot, but it wasn't the end of the world, he decided. He could reenter life.

His first stop was the Hogs Head, just like he promised. He walked through the front door of the open business and was hit with the horrid stench of bourbon and other, harder, drinks.

He walked up to the bar and hit the little bell on the counter. As he waited he looked to the clientele. Only about five people were there. They were mostly the drunkards and the alcoholics, Draco would have been among them, all those years ago.

Aberforth came out of the back room, wiping his hands with a towel. He wasn't looking up until he got to the counter. He froze when he saw Draco before slowly smiling.

"Well look what the cat dragged in. How long has it been for you?"

"About twenty minutes."

"You've had hardly any time to miss me! Try twenty years next time."

"I was hoping that there wouldn't be a next time, if that's alright."

"Bah! Whatever you want."

"How've you been?"

"Better than when you last saw me, I s'pose. Have you done the things you promised? I hardly remember what they were, I'll be honest."

"I promised I would come see you, not to take a drink, go see my son, then confess what I did to Potter."

"And how many have you done?"

"Well, see you for starters."

"Have you taken a drink in those twenty minutes?"

"I have not."

"Then we're all good." Aberforth nodded. "Now you need to go see your son."

"I'll bring him by to see you, one day. I think he'll get a kick out of you."

"If you get locked up, I'll be sure to check in on him from time to time."

"The vote of confidence coming from you, Abe, is quite overwhelming."

"I'm trying to be realistic and sincere but you can be a jackass trying to ruin it if you want."

"I'm sorry, Abe, and thank you."

A/N: I haven't been to school yet, but I have to leave in like 40 minutes. I'm not looking forward to any of this, mind you. -J.C

P.S. the italicized paragraph was a direct quote from TATM