There were no numerals around the face, but descriptions of where each family member might be. "Home," "school," and "work" were there, but there was also "traveling," "lost," "hospital," "prison," and, in the position where the number twelve would be on a normal clock, "mortal peril."

Chapter 1: Lost

"I thought that was the whole reason we were here," James Potter told Teddy Lupin when Teddy refused to buy him a broom that he could sneak into Hogwarts as a first year.

Harry had asked Teddy to get the kids out the house for him this afternoon. As his godchild, Teddy tended to play babysitter over the summer holiday. He took them to Diagon Alley today, since James was old enough to help with the younger ones: Albus, 8, and the twins Lily and Ariana, 7. James would be starting at Hogwarts in three weeks.

The shop was getting very crowded and so Teddy suggested that they leave. Ariana, dark-haired like her father, was trying to reach a broom and was about to knock over a tower of polish. Teddy swooped his hands under her arms and picked her up, setting her down two feet away. She swung around and pouted at him.

"But daddy taught me how to fly!"

"A little girl broom, but those are big girl brooms. You'll learn how to fly those when you start at Hogwarts."

Her brown eyes were angry. "I want to go now, why does Jamie get to start next month when I have to wait..." She started counting with her fingers.

"Four years," Teddy finished. He took his eyes off of her to spot Albus leaving the shop alone.

"James! Follow Albus. Lily, Aria, give me your hands."

Lily was crying on the floor in the corner. He really needed to start charging Harry and Ginny for this.

"You didn't answer my question." Ariana tugged on his robe.

"Come on girls, lets go. Lily, why are you crying."

"I- hurt- my- knee!" She told him between sobs.

"What can I do to make it feel better?" He asked. "What about ice cream?"

Lily brightened up and took Teddy's hand. Aria was still asking questions, but he ignored her and took them both outside where James and Al were waiting.

"Ok, kids, we're getting ice cream and then going home."

"I don't want ice cream," Aria said. "Uncle George said that we should go back and I can try their new bubble-gum."

"Believe me, you don't want to try anything from Uncle George's shop." Teddy told her.

"But he said it would turn my hair pink. I want pink hair." Aria insisted.

"Why?"

"You get to turn your hair whatever color you want, all the time, and I want to too."

"But Lily hurt herself and wants ice cream."

"I can take her to get ice cream," James said. "I want to go to Uncle George's too. We'll meet you there."

"Ok, here's two galleons." Teddy was happy to sort this out and get home already. "Al, you coming with me?"

"I want ice cream too."

"James, can you handle both of them?"

"I'm standing right here," Al glared at him.

"Ok, just, go get ice cream, meet me at Uncle George's by 1:45, got it?"

"Got it," James took both their hands and walked away from Teddy. Aria was happily walking toward her Uncle's shop and Teddy ran to catch up with her and grabbed her hand.

"Stay close to me," Teddy told her. She rolled her eyes.

On their way to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, Teddy heard someone call his name. Emily Baker was waving at him and he waved back. She skipped over to him, her blond curls bouncing, and he started to feel his hands grow sweaty. She was in his year, Hufflepuff, and rather pretty.

"Hi there, how's your summer going?" She asked.

"Just fine, you?"

"Lovely, my family just got back from a Greek holiday."

"I can tell, you have a nice tan."

"Thank you." She smiled. Aria pulled her hand out of his sweaty one and walked toward the shop window where there were high heels on display. Teddy kept her in sight, and when he noticed her settle for looking at high heels, he focused again on Emily.

"How did you fair on your OWLs?" She had asked.

"Oh, I did well enough. I want to be an Auror, like my mum, and I got a good enough score for all those classes, so I'm happy with that.

"Wow, you'll have a full course load. I'm dropping potions this year. But, I guess we'll still have Transfiguration together."

"I guess so," he smiled at her and she bit her lower lip.

"The Gyffindor quidditch team has a few openings, right? You going out for one?"

Teddy couldn't play quidditch due to the technicality that he wasn't 100% human. "No I don't think so, not really my thing. How's the Hufflepuff team looking?"

"We don't have any openings, so hopefully we'll be as good as last year."

"That game against Slytherin was pretty impressive; I'll give you that."

"I should go find my parents, but it was great to see you again!"

"You too, see you on the train."

"Bye!" She turned to walk away and Teddy remained fixated on the view. He took a deep breath and then glanced at the shop window. Aria was gone.

"Shit!" Teddy began searching for her. He walked toward the Weasley shop and didn't find her. He went in and looked around for George, who was behind the counter.

"Hey, Uncle George, did Aria come in here?"

"No, haven't seen her since earlier today. Don't tell me you lost her."

"We were on our way here and I lost sight of her, are you sure she isn't here?" The two of them looked around the store, and then began searching Diagon Alley.

"Aria!" He yelled. "Ariana!"

It was a busy day and he couldn't find her anywhere. He started to panic, his heart racing. Where could she have run off to?

He caught sight of James and ran to him. "Is Aria with you?" But he only saw Lily and Al.

"No she went with you."

"I lost sight of her and I can't find her."

"Did you try Uncle Geo-"

"Yes," he cut him off, "He's looking too."

"Don't worry, we'll find her." Lily and Albus were closed inside a WWW office with one of the employees to keep watch. George, James and Teddy searched Diagon Alley.

Teddy never forgot this day or the months that followed. They called Harry and Ginny once a good hour had passed since he last saw her. The alley was searched by Aurors but with no sight of the girl. Teddy didn't see Harry sleep over the next three weeks before school started. He grew deep bruises under his eyes and Ginny always seemed to look like she had just stopped crying.

Aria's hand was still at "Mortal Peril" on September 1st, the day before Teddy and James were to leave for Hogwarts. Lily sobbed at the train station, saying that she couldn't bear to lose the two of them too. Harry wasn't even there to see them off, rather, he was working with the Auror office, searching for his missing daughter. Teddy couldn't stand the sight of Ginny tearing up at Lily's outburst.

This was all his fault.