Hiccup

Sacha had apparated outside the wards surrounding the cabin. It had been several hours since the cauldron exploded in the dungeons. A sizable chunk of the shrapnel had embedded in his side, causing a significant dose of the failed potion to enter his system. He and Brock had been taken by Ketty to St. Mungo's.

That was where Sacha had waken in a body far younger than he was supposed to have. The healers couldn't reverse the effects until they analyzed the potion that had de-aged the both of them. Apparently, that could take two or three months, and another to create a viable antidote.

Matthew had probably been worried. Ketty would have told him about the accident. The man frowned as he crossed the yard and entered through the front door. What would his son think of how he appeared, now?

Well, he was about to find out.

Matt was enjoying some quiet time at home reading a book. He had been trying to do something to keep his mind off the fact that his father had been hurt in a potion's accident. Although Ketty had told him of the accident and that his father was alive that was about all was told to him. He was told it was best just to wait at home for news than pace at St. Mungo's.

He had placed the book down and went into the kitchens to grab himself something to drink and as he was walking back into the living room he noticed someone that he didn't know walk in through the front door. He knew his father's wards were perfect so no one that wasn't suppose to be there could enter, but there was always a first time.

Pulling out his wand he pointed it at the stranger even though there was something familiar about them.

"Just who the hell are you?" Matt asked rather loudly because he was a little nervous, he had never been one for fighting but would if he had too.

Sacha held up both his hands in a placating gesture, an amused smirk overtaking his features. "Well, while you can certainly be commended for not firing upon a seemingly unarmed opponent, I have just one issue with that approach," he said. His right hand twitched and Matthew's wand flew to him palm.

"It is best to shoot first and ask questions later. A simple stupefy should suffice," Sacha said, walking across the room and handing the boy's wand back to him. "I need to start teaching you some nonverbal and wandless spells."

He ran a hand through his hair, looking at his son a bit sheepishly. "I see that Ketty didn't mention the full nature of my accident," he glanced about the room. "Where is she, anyhow? Has she gone back to Alise? That's likely. That's... good." Sacha nodded at the logic of this, failing to note that it was first time he had directly mentioned Alise since he'd let her walk out the door.

"It's me, Matvei," Sacha finally got to the point. "I'm Sacha, your father."

Matt was at a loss for words as his wand was taken from his hand and a lecture was given about how he should have handled the situation. He was just in shock I guess you could say by someone who did not look more than a year or two older than his self being able to do wandless magic.

"I suppose I will have to remember that information for the next time. But then I really didn't want to throw you through the wall. I guess I could have tied you up first."

The more he listened to him if he didn't know any better he would say it was his father and then when he talked to him about Ketty he knew that it had to be him.

"No I guess Ketty left me way out of the loop on this one." Matt just grinned. "Are you really going to teach me nonverbal and wandless?"

"This is so cool though, how long is it going to last?" Matt was a little excited now, the idea of hanging out with with father being around his age. Matt may sometimes act pretty mature, but he is still a 14 yr old teenager.

"Best to err on the side of caution," Sacha replied. He smiled widely. "No reason you shouldn't be able to learn them. It's a useful skill to have. At least with the more common spells."

He laughed at the boy's enthusiasm, giving a wry grin. "Not precisely the way most people would word the situation, but I suppose it could be worse. The healers at St. Mungo's have promised to have an antidote within two or three months. So, not long."

Matt had to smirk at himself he really needed to be a little more on the defensive side. But then he never has had the reason too.

"Guess I am just not used to having to be on the defensive side." Matt shrugged

"Well maybe if I was used to being old like you then it would bother me to be young again. But since I am already young I think its cool."

Matt thought it would be interesting to hang out with his father at this age, even if it was only for a few months.

"Oh come on, its going to be fun." Matt laughed, he was excited about the chance to hang out with his father like this. Someone almost his own age, this is where Matt tends to show how old he really is.

Sacha's expression turned somber. "For which I am grateful," he said sincerely. "Nonetheless, I have been a bit remiss in not encouraging greater wariness in you." He frowned.

"Merlin, do I really say things like 'remiss'?" His brows pulled together. "I really have gotten old."

The man-turned-teen laughed, the way his expression lit up and the genuine mirth behind it all but foreign to the solemn person he usually was. It was not, foreign to the boy he had used to be. Sacha Rusnak had changed greatly since he was a teen and the contrast between his former and current selves contrasted starkly, particularly since he seemed to be going from one to the next and back again.

"I suppose that true," Sacha grinned. He slung a companionable arm about his son's shoulders. "And of course, it'll be fun. Believe it or not, I was once a rather fun person." He gave a conspiratorial wink.

Matt just looked at his father as if he was speaking a foreign language to him, what on earth did he say.

"Dad, first off if your gona have to hang out with me your speech needs to change." Matt stated with a laugh. "You cannot be using words like remiss and wariness."

Matt placed his arm around his father when his father placed his arm around his shoulder,

"The only problem is what kind of trouble could we possible cause, cause my luck it will backfire on me when you become an adult again."

"Are you saying my manner of speaking is not cool enough to use in your company?" Sacha queried, attempting to maintain a straight face. It didn't work. In fact, it was hard to say when the last time his emotions were so visible on his features. "And I'll have you know that wariness is perfectly comprehensible word."

Sacha shifted his position and the next moment, he had Matthew in a headlock. Mussing the boy's hair, he released him with a mischievous grin. "At the least, I like to think I'm fair. Any mischief I would help you get into, I would never punish you for, later."

Matt was trying really hard not to laugh as his father continued to speak, "Yeah I am saying that, you need to talk like a 16 year old not like the old man you were ok." Matt smiled, still trying not to laugh. "There you go again with those big words."

When Matt's father put him in a headlock and messed up his hair he was trying to get away. Finally pushing his father away when he let him go.

"Don't be messing with the hair alright, I spend enough time getting it to look the way it does," Matt said and he tried to put his hair the way he liked it.

"Can I get that in writing?" Matt quirked a eyebrow at his father.

"Perhaps big words were more fashionable in my day," Sacha said.

He grinned at the boy, giving a soft laugh. "So sorry." He didn't sound exceptionally sincere and the mischief in his eyes certainly wasn't.

"In writing?" Sacha quirked a brow right back at the boy. "So little trust! Surely, I inspire more than that." He glanced down at himself and gave a wry smile. "Don't let appearances fool you."

Matt could not help but laugh, "Oh please I am not that crazy you know. Things always tend to come back and bite me.

Matt really hoped he could trust his father in teen form, but then he had taught him to be wary of whom he trusted.

"Oh I really someone saying earlier that I need to learn to be a little more wary."

Sacha laughed, the sound carefree. His grey eyes sparkled. "So you do listen," he teased. "Good to know." Summoning a bit of parchment and a quill, he crouched down beside the coffee table to write.


His writing was a bit messier than it usually was, as that also seemed to have regressed with his age and physical form. He signed with a flourish and handed it over to the boy to do the same.