A/N: It's not necessary but there is a short one shot I wrote a while back that features Isabelle if you want to read it. Totally not necessary though. I hope you enjoy! EDIT; I accidently put this author's note twice on the original chapter. It was almost kinda' short so I wanted to add on a little.

Althea nearly leaped over the front desk. Her whole time back in London and she hadn't seen one familiar face and standing before her was her old fling, Seamus Finnigan. The blonde moved from behind the desk that she may as well apparated. In seconds her arms were wrapped around Seamus' neck and her head was buried in his chest.

Seamus was a little taken back. He definitely wasn't expecting to see Althea- at all. His hands staggered in the air before it finally clicked what was going on and he wrapped his arms around her in return giving her a tight squeeze and hoisting her in the air.

"Bloody hell, Mirna! Where 'ave you been?" He sat Althea down gently and looked her up and down. She had changed since he had last seen her. Of course, then she was a girl and now she was a woman. Her hair that had always been cropped so short to frame her face was now hanging well past her shoulders in long waves. Her face still held her youthful appearance with the apples of her cheeks rosey and her eyes a liquid blue. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, if not more.

Althea bit her bottom lip and shifted her eyes to focus on anything but his. "It's a long story and a rather boring and sad one, I'm afraid." It was then that she had the realization that the people she had left weren't just going to forget that she had walked out of their lives. A seven year leave of absence required a lot of explaining.

"Rubbish! We all thought you were dead, you just never came back.." His eyes were a lot softer now and the initial joy of seeing an old friend had faded and been replaced by hurt and betrayal. "I'm going to be honest with ya', Althea, I had more comort thinkin' you were dead. Now that I know you are okay it stings a little."

Tears were poking at her eyes and she felt her face grow hot with embarrasment. She didn't have a reason, not one damn reason, as to why she didn't say goodbye to anyone. "After my father died we couldn't keep the house- I had to move back to Greece. I-" she choked back a tear and patted the corner of her eye with her finger tip to blot away dampness. It sounded foolish, even to her. "I was scared. I didn't want to say goodbye because I didn't want it to really be goodbye. I was afraid that if I told you to keep in touch no one would so I made it to where it couldn't happen. It sounds stupid but I was a kid and I was confused."

It was a ridiculous excuse, if an excuse at all. Seamus patted her on the shoulder and gave a very forced smile. There was no use to be angry. Seven long years had passed and there was no time to hold a grudge. "We all make mistakes now stop the waterworks," he pulled her into another hug, though it felt a little more disconnected than the first one.

Althea sniffled back the rest of her tears and wiped her eyes dry one more. Seamus had easily forgiven her but there was another ghost from her past Althea feared wouldn't. "How- how is Cilwenu?" Her voice was almost a whisper. Seamus was only an old boyfriend- someone that she was one and off with. Cilwenu was her best friend and sister and yet she had disappeared from her too.

"She went and married that git, Malfoy. I reckon that if you were still hear you coulda' talked her out of it." He gave a playful smile but something in her told her that he wasn't completely joking. "She is doing well for herself...though, one here's rumors now and again."

Althea tried to hold back a gasp. It was something they had always joked about as kids. Cilwenu was going to marry Draco- since most of the time they acted like a married couple anyway. It never actually hit her that it could- would- happen. A realization spread over Althea. Had all of her friends grew up and moved on while she sat and had a seven year pity party for herself? Was Seasmus married with children? Her eyes nonchalantly wandered to Seamus' hand that was inconviently shoved in his pocket.

"That's wonderful. I wish I had been here...I'm sure the wedding was beautiful." For a moment Althea slipped into her own fantasy world like she often did. It was something she should have been there to attend.

"Seamus, I send you in here for one vile of stomach bug rememdy what could you possibly be doing?" The voice that snapped her from her thoughts was not the accented rough voice she knew. It was female and impossibly proper. A slender arm snaked around Seamus' waist and a wirey girl appeared at his side. No matter how hard she tried Althea couldn't put a finger on who she was. Her face was uncomfortably familiar. She had dirty blonde hair that was pulled bun on her head and dull slate eyes that pierced a hole through Althea's head.

"Is this the elusive Althea Mirna? I thought you were dead," the girl gave a wicked and twisted smile that made Althea think she meant I were really hoping you were dead. "Isabelle Morris-Finnigan. I was a few years below you and Seamus. Gryffindor." The devilish smirk didn't leave her face and she twisted her head to give her husband a kiss on the cheek and made sure Althea saw every bit.

"Althea, this is my wife...Isabelle." Seamus seemed to almost pull away from Isabelle but stuck to his side like a parasite. He no longer made eye contact with her, instead his face was permantely glued to the ground. Althea could only guess he was as uncomfortable as she was.

Althea remembered Isabelle quiet well, though she had never knew her name until now. She was a younger brat that Seamus engaged with during their split-up. It pained her to say that the girl had matured nicely. She was pretty and Althea started to feel a little self-conscience about her own appearance.

"Nice to meet you," she lied sweetly and tried to return to her spot behind the counter to free herself from the awkward tension as fast as she could. "Stomache bug remedy? Is that what you were wanting?"

"Yes, but we will find it elsewhere." Isabelle eyed the shop like the atmosphere was choking her and then ushered her husband towards the door. "Good day, Mirna and welcome back." Seamus gave a wave and a nervous smile before being nearly pushed out the door. Once he was gone, Isabelle lingered back. "I hope that you realize things aren't how you left them. Things have changed." Her words were threatening and easily relaying the message "If I catch you near my husband again I will hex you into oblivion".

The door slammed and Althea was left in what felt like a very quiet room. Without saying a word she grabbed a roll of parchment and began her letter addressed to the mistress of Malfoy Manor. If there was one thing that seeing Seamus taught her- it was that apologizing and explaining herself in person was a lot harder than she had orginally imagined.

Althea tapped her quill to the parchment and racked her brain for the right words. She found once she started the letter the words flowed very easily and naturally. Granted a good portion was her repeatedly apologizing. Once the letter was folded and sealed neatly she gave a light whistle to call Nyx, her owl, that was perched sleepily on her stand in the corner.

"I need you to deliever this to Wenny at Malfoy Mannor. Okay, girl?" Nyx cooed and nuzzled her beak against Althea's fingers which in turn stroked the dark feathers. The owl perched herself on it's owners hand and Althea lead it to the door where it flew off into the sky.

There was a nervous feeling lingering in her gut. She prayed to Godric that Isabella wasn't right. Things couldn't have changed that much. Of course, that was only wishful thinking.