"Okay, seriously." Darin leaned back, bracing his arms on the kitchen counter behind him as he watched his best mate. "What is up?"

It wasn't to say that Derek hadn't come over yet because nearly as soon as the bloke had gotten home Darin and Taylor had been over to visit and he'd been at the pub quite a bit. It was just that the first day or two had been Derek settling in and kicking off the last of being sick and his mum and dad hadn't been keen on him taking off too much. Not that they'd stopped him but there was the clear implication that they wanted him closer and Derek seemed okay with that for awhile. Darin supposed it wasn't for him to say and he let the bloke do whatever he needed to do. They'd gotten in the necessary talks and Darin gathered that Derek just wanted to be away from most of it now. He was cool with that. What else were best mates for but to listen, offer advice, and then help you snub the problem by having a good time for awhile and making it seem like less of an issue? Exactly.

Derek's arrival today seemed to be in a mood of 'I do and don't want to talk about anything serious'. Since it was the middle of the day, the pub wasn't going yet and Darin let his mate in and put a kettle on as they settled into the back room kitchen. Derek was better on tea (and it was too early to offer a stiff drink). Besides, Darin was only really getting going himself. Working late shifts running the pub and a lack of real schedules in general was only helping to encourage his love of late mornings. At least he'd been dressed by the time Derek showed up.

Oh, Merlin. Darin couldn't believe that had just happened. It was official, he could never look Taylor in the eyes again. The bloke had been right of all things. It was just depressing. How could something so innocent backfire so horribly?

It was bloody cold out now. Darin's hands were getting damn near numb from the prolonged stay outside and the rain/snow combination but he sure as hell wasn't heading inside. There would be people inside, people that might have heard. This was sure to get around. Stupid blind date.

Muttering to himself and thinking that it was probably near dinner time anyway, he turned around and headed back down the street, intent on returning to the castle and playing the whole thing off when he was finally cornered.

((continued from here))

Darin gave her a 'yeah right' look when Dari claimed she wouldn't get enough NEWTs. "Are you kidding? Besides, I thought you got kicked out of Ravenclaw if you failed a class." He sent her a smile as he continued to stir. Darin didn't know her that well, but he had the feeling that Dari could get into pretty much whatever she wanted.

He tried not to look too pleased when she complimented his potion. It was nice to be getting it right finally though. "Thanks. I guess it pays to know a good looking girl who knows her potions."

When: Saturday, January 7th, Afternoon
Where: Hospital Wing

Darin had heard something about Dari being hurt and felt obliged to stop by and see if she was alright. Sure, he wouldn't be randomly snogging the girl anytime soon with Sam and all but Dari warranted a looking in on. He wasn't a total git, after all. The fact that he hadn't seen or spoken to her since the thing with Lucas really didn't cross his mind because Darin was moving on from that mess and planning revenge.

He spotted Dari on a bed a way down the wing and started over, bumping into someone he hadn't really noticed as he did so. "Oi. Sorry."

Owl Darin here. Send him love letters, he'll love it. ::wink::

Comments screened!

Okay, guys.

PRE-HOGWARTS:
+ Grew up in upperclass Muggle London with twin brother Taylor, younger sister Anya, mom and dad.
+ Mother was a witch, dad a muggle, didn't know that magic actually existed until going to Hogwarts.

FIRST YEAR:
+ Is sorted into Hufflepuff.
+ Met any sixth years?
+ Met Zak on the train, became friends in classes.
+ Met Brooke.
+ Met John and Charlie and became friends with them.
+ Met Derek through some random cousins; INSTANT FRIENDS. BFF, WHAT?
+ Rivalry with Lucas began; MORTAL ENEMIES.
+ Met Dari

SECOND YEAR:
+ Would have been secretly giving Anya rides on his broom while at home.
+ Turned Lucas' hair pink!
+ Became good friends with Brooke.

THIRD YEAR:
+ Snogged Addie.
+ Snogged Dari for the first (but definitely not last) time.

FOURTH YEAR:
+ Snogged Chloe.
+ Realized Taylor had also snogged Chloe, flips out and vows to never touch Chloe again.

FIFTH YEAR:
+ Dated Dani for about four months or so. (And they were actually kind of cute.)
+ Spent the summer hols with family and Derek, chasing girls on the beach.
+ Has PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE of Derek and Calie from the summer hols. ::snicker::

SIXTH YEAR:
+ Charms Lucas' robes to Gryffindor colors. XD
+ Totally hits on Sam after she breaks up with Lucas.
+ Helps Taylor out of a prank gone wrong.
+ Pranks the Slytherins to good cheer with Taylor and Derek.
+ He and Taylor make Vince into their project.
+ Had a FABULOUS 17th birthday party, in which he got amazingly drunk, punched Jaegar, had a wrestling match with Taylor, and shagged Sam (with an interesting morning after), among other things. The next morning, he is sorely in need of hangover relief.
+ He and Taylor have to make it up to Anya.
+ Tells Taylor and Derek about Sam, and supports teh Hannek.
+ Sees Dari as an actual person and not just a girl to snog for the first time.

((FUTURE TIMELINE, but this is the plan...))

SEVENTH YEAR:
+ Begins officially dating Dari at the beginning of the year.
+ He and Dari fight at the Halloween ball.
+ Confesses to loving Dari at the end of the year.

2007 - 18 ((post-Graduation)):
+ Immediately after graduation joins the Order of the Phoenix.
+ Begins Auror training

2008 - 19:
+ Dari freaks out and breaks it off with Darin, letting him believe she cheated on him with Alex D., even though she didn't.
+ Soon afterwards, they have a bit of a fight.

2009 - 20:
+ Darin completes his training and becomes a full-fledged Auror.
+ He and Dari reunite. ((In a different year, but about six months from the break. Also, him graduating from Auror training is in the beginning of the thread.))

2010 - 21:
+ Proposes to Dari.

2011 - 22:
+ Marries Dari.

2012 - 23:

2013 - 24:
+ First child -- a boy named James Edward.

2014 - 25:

2015 - 26:
+ Second child -- a girl named Victoria Lee

2016 - 27:
+ Third and fourth children -- twin boy and girl named Elizabeth Dawn and Benjamin Darin.

2017 - 28:

2018 - 29:

2019 - 30:

2020 - 31:
+ Is killed by Caer.


IN OTHER NEWS:
+ He will be protecting Vince.
+ He really, really hates the thought of Anya snogging.


HELP ME FILL IN MY TIMELINE!

Oh, and Raina? If we want to come up with specific pranks or whatnot that happened, that would be GRAND. :D