He was usually referred to as the three T's in summer: tall, tan, and tired.

Winter… That depended on where he wanted to be at the time. Coastlines meant only some rainfalls and small decrease in temperature while mountains meant heavy snowfall. Either way his tan would turn pale while his sleepiness increased drastically. In the cold weather, you could say he was like a sleeping bear, hibernating for a few months until rising in the spring.

This winter, Greece spent it in the mountains. At Albania's place. Yup, he walked to the mountains of Albania.

Why was he at Albania's home? Why else. Albania showed up 4 months ago at Greece's home and hasn't left since. The Albanian was really crowding his home and he needed a break. How else was he supposed to sleep his usual 12 hours a day with that guy constantly talking? His hibernation had been disturbed so he decided his best bet was to sleep at Albania's place since the nation wasn't there.

Greece walked the snow-covered forests, wearing dark, thick boots, a grey thick coat and pants that were snugly held up by a belt. He wished he were sleeping right now.

His green eyes rolled back and he let out a yawn, wanting nothing more to find Albania's home in the forest and stealing his bed. Payback.

Then somebody shouted at him. Greece tilted his head and looked to the source of the voice. A man waved his hand at the nation and shouted something to him in Albanian.

Greece blinked; the man was asking if he was lost. Greece wanted to say no, he really did. His current situation however made him hold back his headshake and 'no'. Greece was lost. Snow was cold and not a fun thing to sleep on and if this man helped him to an inn or something, then he could sleep for a day or two then continue his search for Albania's house.

The man was really persistent in taking him, probably thinking that he was going to die if he didn't. Greece listened to the man ramble about this and that as they walked to wherever the man was leading the Grecian.

The man, who mentioned his name was Korab, excitedly told him the stories of the forest. Korab has lived here all his life and knew the forest like the back of his hand. Greece listened half-heartedly, wanting to listen but wanting to shut his eyes. He nearly did shut his eyes and started sleepwalking but something caught this attention.

Somebody had gone missing here last summer and hasn't been found since.

Greece curiously gazed at the man. Korab was now solemn and shook his head, reminiscing about the foreign woman who still hasn't been found. Greece took a sharp intake of air wondering why Albania hadn't mention a missing person. Though it was curious. This is the second time something strange happened to a foreigner in Albania's forests.

Half an hour later, Korab and Greece came upon a small, dainty inn. Ah, so this is what the man had in mind.

Greece thanked the man who smiled brightly in return and wished him well. Greece watched his retreating figure into the forest. Greece silently wished him well too, for this country was notable for vampires.

"You gonna go in or dally in the doorway all day long?" Greece blinked. An elderly woman was the one talking to him, her dark eyes staring coldly at him.

Greece huffed silently, noting that this person had the same attitude as the country himself. He stepped inside with the woman in tow. She headed straight to the side counter that was a makeshift pub while Greece went the opposite direction and went to the front desk. He couldn't wait to sleep. Oh how he missed it so..

"Hey," the man behind the front desk, presumably the owner, directed his attention to his new customer, "don't mind her eh? Her niece hasn't shown up since last summer so she's in a state so go easy on her y'know? Been coming here ever since."

Greece halted, lifting his head to meet eyes with the deskman. "The girl who went missing last summer?"

The man nodded, "Yea, that's the one," then the man leaned and lowered his voice "When the girl showed up here, I was surprised to see how big of a ditz she was compared to her Aunt over there. Forgetful doesn't even begin to describe her. Bet she got herself lost out there and a vampire-"

"DON'T SAY ANOTHER WORD ABOUT MY NIECE!"

The two men jumped and turned their focus to the Aunt, and Greece's heart nearly stopped when he saw her. The woman's eyes were still dark and cold, but tears were brimming in her eyelids. Despite all these months, she still had hoped her niece was alive.

"Bertha- Bertha is a ditz, I know that, I am her Aunt. But-" she raised a finger and slowly stalked to the desk Greece was occupying, a menacing glare directed to the owner, "But she would never do something so stupid as to go out and get herself lost. Bertha wouldn-." She stopped. The woman's lower lip trembled and she dashed outside.

Bertha, wasn't she the girl from England? The one all over the Daily Prophet?

Greece shook his head and pulled out a galleon, dropping it on the counter, "Practice what your preach."

"The cost is-"

Greece interjected, "After that horrible service you gave to that woman, why should I? And if anything, I can take my business elsewhere."

The man was taken aback for a moment but regained himself and quickly took the money and briskly walked away.

Greece silently murmured curses under his breath waiting for the owner to return with his room key. The service in Albania was horrible.

"Oi mate," a man called out to him in Albanian. Greece closed his eyes, not wanting anymore attention, "Where you from? Not many foreign people who come here know about the missing gal."

Greece peeked one eye open, glancing to the man that had also decided to bug him today but the tired country decided to return the conversation, "Sometimes I read the Daily Prophet. Bertha Jorkins was from England and worked in the Ministry."

The man was chugging down his drink but had his eyes glued to Greece and nodded. After the swallow who sighed, "Yup, that one. Everyone's saying she went and got herself lost out there, which isn't true."

"What?"

Now Greece was fully awake and attentive. The Albanian man motioned for Greece to move closer and the country complied and sat next to the near drunken local.

"She's forgetful yea, I saw her with my own eyes last time she was here but she wasn't stupid, " he whispered.

"The forgetful usually aren't."

The man nodded solemnly, "Yea, and this girl, she wasn't by herself. She was with somebody. I haven't the heart to tell her Aunt yet because knowing her, she'd go out and find him herself and do, well, things to him."

"Hm."

The man waved his hand, "Anyways, she met this guy here right? And he was speaking to her, telling her something but as they were talking, it looked like something in her clicked. I don't what but as soon as she realized, the man escorted her out of her and that's the last I've seen of her."

Greece pondered over this. Forgetful ministry worker presumed lost but could actually be kidnapped?

"What did the man look like?"

The Albanian slid his empty drink aside and Greece could smell the strong aroma of the downed drink, "One word could describe this creep: rat."

"Rat?"

"Yea, looked like one, acted like one. Been drinking even more right here ever since, hoping that she'd come waltzing back in here with that ditzy smile of hers. If I'd known he was up to something, I would've done something but instead, I was drinking myself half to death like the bastard I am," he murmured quietly, focusing on the wood grain of the table.

Greece looked over his shoulder to see the owner glaring at Greece and dropping his room key on the desk. Well, maybe it's time for another walk.

Greece looked back to the drunken man who was swaying slightly and stood, "Let's take a walk together."

The man stared questioningly at this newcomer, but shrugged and picked his heavy body up, stumbling after the foreigner who was already half way out the door.

Silence was the third member of the group, following them into the woods. Speaking was an option, but it didn't feel like one. Greece lead, the man followed sluggishly, gazing this way and that. Even in his drunken state of mind, the Albanian knew why this foreigner asked him to join. It was a long shot, but if they could possibly retrace Bertha Jorkins steps, they might find a clue to where she is.

Greece wasn't as hopeful as his new acquaintance, he wasn't even close to having a shred of hope. This was all too coincidental for him. Both incidents of subject were from England.

During 1991, Albania had mentioned the curious Professor from Hogwarts he who was traveling for personal affairs. Albania met the Professor one more time but he seemed, changed. Greece remembered hearing the news of the Professor nearly a year later, but why? How did he die?

Now there was Bertha, who was visiting family but was lured by a stranger, a rat. Something was here in Albania both times, and both times these visitors from England had something terrible happen to them.

When news first hit of Bertha's disappearance, Albania disappeared too for a week. Nobody knew where he was but then when the week was up, Albania showed up too at Greece's door.

Greece realized why Albania was still taking advantage of his stay. Guilt was eating at him. Albania wasn't the easiest person to get along with, but being his neighbor, Greece was close enough to know that whenever something terrible happened in his country, even if it was something miniscule as a missing persons case, Albania showed up with suitcases at the Grecian's front door.

The country sighed, a cloud of carbon releasing from his mouth. If Albania couldn't find her, why was Greece thinking he could find her? Or even find a clue about her?

Greece looked to the man who was steps behind him, his eyes like saucers and darting in every direction.

He was just giving out false hope.

Maybe an hour went by, and luckily, they haven't come across any vampires. With a drunk guy tailing behind him, Greece wasn't at the best advantage. Greece sighed (again), looking over the frozen lake they came across. His Albanian acquaintance was walking carefully around the perimeter of the lake.

This was all for naught, Greece thought. He reprimanded himself for doing this. Of course he'd want to help but what use was that? It's been nearly four months and he'd expect to find her within a day? An hour?

I'm so stupid.

Greece started walking the on the other side of the lake, glaring at it as if he could burn a hole through it. Not that the lake deserved it, but he was pretty pissed at himself. The country's face was probably in a twisted, angry look because even that person underneath the ice was scared looking at-

Greece stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oh mother, please tell me this isn't real," Greece whispered, his green eyes staring helplessly at the lake.

Greece gently hopped on the lake and tip toed the few steps to the face, taking note of the cracks that were indented in the surface. Inches away Greece kneeled down and brushed away the twigs that blocked his view.

Bertha Jorkins, forgetful, not stupid, employee in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, was frozen in fright.

Author's Note:

Tbh I completely forgot I had a fanfiction account and that I had stories that needed updating. Instead, I was attempting a Durarara! fic but that's turning out cruddy. I was also taking a month long break from all social sites, and I included fanfiction in that equation too since it wasn't good for my health. And this was sitting in my documents and when I was opening a school doc, I accidentally clicked this and was shamefully reminded that fanfiction existed. I was shamefully reminded a second time today when the new chapter for Price of Wisdom came out SO. (oh my god that person's writing is so flawless I wish I could write sentences as eloquently as them)

I know this is another chapter w/o the English in it but I know for a fact most of you have forgotten some things along the way in this story (I know I have bc I have to reread the whole story before every new chapter to see what the hell is going on). So don't forget, everything in HP, no matter how big or small, is important. Even if you are forgetful, doesn't mean you're stupid.

Thanks for all the faves/follows and just for even reading still! (spring break is next week so I'll update more then!)