Professor Needs His Vacation
This is a writing prompt for my forum. The prompt is an average day during summer vacation featuring at least one OC. Mine is the best and worst History professor ever.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any piece of its universe.
The pain was terrible. It was enough to get the older man to wake up and notice it was daytime. He rubbed at his face as it was a disgusting mix of dirty and wet. It was also tender. He tried to remember what happened as he noticed he was in the middle of a forest. His head bent over a puddle, it was enough to see the black eye he'd received. Oh yeah. Jonathan chuckled as he sat up and used the puddle water to wash away the rest of the mud from his face. The real pain in his head was the result of his hangover. He'd been in a small town nearby. There, he'd met a lovely woman almost as old as him named Grace. They shared a few drinks at the bar and then, she invited him back to her place… He swore her husband must have charmed the place because it wasn't long before he arrived to break them up.
Now Jonathan Eldridge is many things, even noble. But when you're caught in the arms of another man's wife that other man does not want to hear that you didn't know she was married. So he apologized, gave her a curt bow, and was on his way. The man was built like a bear though and not in a forgiving mood. Not wanting a fight over something he could understand would cause him anger, he decided to tire him out in the woods nearby. He had hoped that this man would tired out quickly, maybe even get lost. Well, those things did happen, just not in the best order… and they happened to Jonathan instead. He thought he'd lost the guy when the punch came out of the darkness into his face. A slip of the foot by the recoil sent him tumbling back and down into a creek. Scurrying to shore, he collapsed beside it. Now he was a mess and lost.
"I hope no one went through my stuff." The forty-four year old man muttered to himself as he walked slowly along the creek, hoping it would lead out. That was when a raven flew down to him with a letter. "I wonder how the hell you guys managed never to get lost", he commented as he took the letter and paused to read it:
'My dearest condolences Jonathan,
It appears that it is summer once again, that means you are bored out of your skull and traveling for women, fun, and danger. Please come to my encampment at your first possible chance. We are not far from Lake Eerie. Word has it a Re'em has been spotted in the area. If you can do this for me, we will celebrate and you will have a new story to brag about to your students. Come quickly.
Your friend,
Sig'
With some laughter, he tried to write a response but realized his pens were in his luggage. He gave a sigh, stuck his hand in some dirt and wrote ok before pressing his hand print to it. Carefully folding it up, he deposited the note back on the bird's leg and let it take off. He watched the direction it went and headed after it. The way led him to follow along the creek for a few hours. He was starting to break quite a sweat and was longing to get a good relaxing shower and another beer. Finally, he broke through the tree line and, as if there was some sort of great power watching over him, it had a road! He gave an excited holler as he made way along the concrete path. Only another hour later and he found a town looming up over the hillside.
"What can I get you, sweetheart?" The waitress, he'd just learned was named Nancy, said to him.
"Oh, I've been lost in your local forest all day, so I think just a water and your special", Jonathan said as he smiled eyeing the name tag on the strained top the lady possessed. "Um… I am going to head out in the morning up north. I was wondering if you knew the best way to travel since I don't happen to own a car."
The blond giggled, already enraptured by his charm and gestured to a building nearby. "Oh for about twenty bucks Eddy, the mechanic, will take you to the bus depot. It's only about half an hour out of town. "
"Well thank Eddy for his generosity then. I'll see him in the morning... "His lips curled slightly into a dashing smile. "Until then… why don't you tell me why a drop dead gorgeous gal like yourself is in this dead end town? Don't tell me, you and your husband are schoolyard sweethearts and have never even dreamed of leaving this place. "
With a blush and another giggle, Nancy batted her heavily mascaraed eyes, "Oh no, sweetheart... I ain't married. But you look like you're a mess… you say you really been wandering in those woods all day? Well I know just the place for a good rest and a shower."
"Yeah? Where's that? A cheap hotel in town?" He didn't have to say more. The way the woman leaned over towards him told him so much more than mere words.
"Well, my place, stranger... I get off at six."
A little attempt at a shy chuckle, he carefully took out his wand under the table and tapped the underside of it. His luggage dropped down with a soft thumb. His hand grabbed it quickly and pulled it to his side. "Oh sounds great. I can leave any time you want, Nancy. And you can call me Jonathan!' He quickly added a beer to his order and sat back to relax under the cool ceiling fan. It seemed like this might be his last time in a bed and with lovely company until the school year would start again.
