"Hey," Teddy softly said to his wife, "I came by again. Wanted to tell you I found a way. I told you I would do it and I truly will this time, I promise."
She was silent. Only the whistle of the cool breeze, the first sign of fall, could be heard.
"I know you don't believe I can do it, but I can. I'll do it this time. I will."
Not a word.
Teddy sighed, "Of course, you won't respond. What else should I expect?"
Teddy pulled his wand out and waved it. Three red tulips sprouted in front of the grave of Victoire Audrey Weasley. Born May 2, 2000-Died November 22, 2023. Numquam obliviscar Victoire. Never forget the Victoire.
Bill and Percy thought it sounded appropriate. Fleur was too busy crying. Teddy hated it. This grave was meant for his dear Victoire, not to commemorate some damn war that took he everyone he was supposed to love before he even knew he did.
He dropped to his knees and hugged the grave, careful not to crush the new flowers, murmuring about how he would do it.
Victoire had been hungry. She just wanted to go down to the store to get some cheese. Strange, Victoire hated cheese usually. Made her feel sick. But that night, she just really wanted some cheddar cheese.
"I'll take you to the corner store," Teddy volunteered, standing up from his spot on the couch. Teddy had gotten his license and could drive her down within minutes and be back in time to watch that spy film on the telly. Victoire loved spy films, the suspense and action and secrecy. That was her favorite.
Victoire shook her head as she pulled on her boots, "It's a short walking distance and I could use a little good old fashioned walk."
"I'll walk with you."
Victoire pulled her left boot onto her left foot. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"I'm very capable of walking on my own, you know? And someone needs to be here to watch Apollo," she gestured to the sleeping cat on the back of the couch.
Teddy scoffed, "He's sleeping. And he's a cat. He doesn't need anyone to watch him."
Victoire had buttoned up her coat and grabbed the wallet of Muggle money off the counter, leaving her wand in its place, "I'm leaving."
"But-"
She shut the door behind her, cutting him off.
Teddy sighed and settled into the sofa, starting the film. Time passed so quickly with the movie, it had been a half-an-hour and it had only felt like ten minutes.
That was when the knock came.
A police man stood outside his door, a grim frown gracing his already sad features.
"I'm so sorry."
The rest was almost blurred out for Teddy. The cop telling him what happened. How his Victoire, his precious, beautiful, lovely Victoire, was dead. Killed by a couple of thugs. Muggles. The cop handed him the wallet, the one that had lead him here. Teddy didn't even bother to catch it as it fell to the floor, himself soon following it.
Victoire. Victoire couldn't have gone in such a simple manner. Victoire didn't deserve to die in a dingy alley in Harlow. She deserved a life well lived, with children and grandchildren and a long, long life of happiness. This, this was wrong.
Wrong.
Teddy wouldn't let this happen.
The right combination. He just couldn't get it. No matter what talents he possessed in potions, the talent that gave him a job as a potioneer at St. Mungo's, he couldn't get the right combination for it. For the Restitue Vita. The Life Restorer. The one from the legends in the books hidden the darkest nooks in the dingiest stores of the dirtiest alleys.
Teddy had only heard of it once before and it was during his training to be a potioneer. One other student had mentioned it to their instructor who laughed in his face, calling it a myth, a simpleton's wish.
Teddy hadn't thought of it much before, but now, it was all-consuming. It would save his Victoire. It would bring his lover back to him.
He would do it. He knew he had the potential for it. Everyone of his teachers and coworkers told him he was one of the best they had ever seen. He should, could, and would.
Victoire would lay in his arms once more.
He scoured every book in his collection, his aunt Hermione's, Luna's, anyone's he could get his hands on. He even, with McGonagall's permission, searched the Restricted Section at the Hogwarts Library. He got kicked out of nearly every shop in the renovated Knockturn Alley for searching every store for anything that could give him help, information on the potion. Anything that could help.
His family became worried about him. He didn't leave his flat. He forgot to show up to family dinners. They knew Victoire's death had destroyed him and they didn't know how to fix it. Losing a loved one was something the elders had experienced, but losing their lover? That was something they had yet to understand.
Teddy was stirring his newest attempt at the potion when the knock came. He never bothered to lock his door these days so he just yelled, "Come in!"
Teddy poured in the measured amount of Bat's blood and looked up at Albus as he came into the house. He started stirring counter-clockwise.
Albus gazed around his flat with wide eyes. The couch was pushed against the wall, along with the television. The table and floor around it was piled with books, some open and other not yet to be touched. Papers with scribbled notes were poking out from everywhere.
Teddy was at the kitchen counter with a cauldron in front of him. Jars and jars of potion ingredients were spread everywhere in the kitchen. A atrocious scent was filling the air.
Albus, choking, asked hoarsely, "What are you doing?"
Teddy responded shortly, "Potions, what does it look like I'm doing."
Albus flinched. Even that throwaway comment showed change in Teddy. Teddy was usually so kind and gracious. Sarcasm and abruptness were two things most would never associate with Teddy Lupin.
Albus pushed aside some books and sat down, oddly gracefully, on the edge of the table in the living room. Albus was always a very graceful guy, strangely bird like in build and attitude. Ron always said it was what made him a great seeker, similar to the way James and Freddie's rippling arm muscles made them a great chaser and beater respectively.
Albus sat perched on the table and sighed, "Teddy, you can't do this to yourself. Victoire's," Teddy's hand tightened on the spoon he was using as a makeshift stirring rod, "death hurt us all. It's been a year, but Fleur still cries every time someone says her name. Bill won't look at any pictures of her. Percy had thrown himself so hard into his Minister campaign that he doesn't talked to his wife and daughters for weeks at a time. Dominique dyed her hair brown so she wouldn't see Victoire every time she looked in the mirror."
Teddy winced. Another reason he didn't come to gatherings anymore. Dominique. Victoire's younger sister and practically her twin. If one looked closely enough, they would see the subtle difference like you Victoire's face was rounder and her eyes bigger and her chin dimpled, but when it comes down to it, they were identical.
Teddy looked at the next task on his list. Let the potion rest for ten minutes. He decided to indulge Albus, give him something good to take back to the family.
He looked him in the eye and said, "Dominique, how is Dominique?"
Albus smiled delicately, "Oh, she's as good as she could be. Her and that Mark boy are going strong. You remember Mark, right? That boy she met on that modeling job in America."
Teddy had a faint memory of a tall boy with tan skin and messy brown hair. And a very thick accent that Dominique identified as a Boston accent. It irked Teddy to no end so he subtly avoided the boy. Victoire had always found that comical.
Teddy inwardly shook the thought of Victoire away and continued appeasing Albus's want for talk.
"What about Molly? Her lawyer training going good?"
Albus nodded, "Hermione's been helping her with it."
"And you? You still going out with Lysander?"
Albus flushed a little, "Yeah."
Teddy remembered that Scamander boys quite well. They were a strange pair. Lorcan was like his mother, flighty and dreamy, while Lysander was much more like his father with a sarcastic and cynical disposition.
He was an entirely different person around Albus though. He was much kinder and the frown that usually adorned his face fell away and his whole face seem to soften. That was the kind of love Teddy had with Victoire, he'd like to think. That even when he wasn't feeling great or she was down that they could immediately brighten each other.
Teddy talked a bit more with Albus while ushering him subtly to the door. He only had another four minutes before he had to get back to his potion. Oh, Lily is working on becoming on a Healer in the maternity ward. Rose and Scorpius are moving in together. James is stills single and still getting smacked in the head by bludgers.
Teddy had just led Albus out the door when Albus turned back around to him.
"Teddy," Albus paused and looked Teddy in the eyes, making sure he was paying attention, "Don't… hurt yourself, okay? We all really care for you and we honestly can't take another loss in this family."
Teddy felt his hardness soften. Albus was a really sweet kid and he and Teddy typically got along (though there was that one time Albus ate his favorite chocolates, but Teddy couldn't stay mad long at the kid who was crying and apologizing and saying he would get him some new ones). He was closer to Albus, more than he was with any of the Weasley-Potter kid. Other than… Victoire.
Teddy's resolve to rid of Albus returned and he responded with a grin, "I'll be fine, Albus. Don't worry about me. Worry about your brother. I think he is losing some brain cells with all the knocks to the head."
Albus smiled back, though a bit shakily. Like he was uncertain and as he was walking away, he kept looking back at Teddy's smiling face.
As soon as Albus disappeared from sight, Teddy went back to his potion, right as the tenth minute past.
He hadn't slept in nearly a week. He hadn't ate meal in three days and he only last remembered having a drink sometime around 3am and it was a shot of whiskey mixed with some Pepperup Potion to keep him up.
He was pouring over his ingredients, cutting and setting them all in order. He was sure he got it this time.
He had to.
Had to.
He poured in the antimony. He stepped back as he knew it would react with the deadlyius. The potion shot up some blue sparks. Blue like Victoire's eyes.
Teddy added the other ingredients and followed the directions he had set out to a tee. He mustn't rush it. That would only make the potion mediocre.
The anniversary of Victoire's death was next week and he needed it done by then. He found it fitting to raise her on the day she was put to rest.
Teddy stirred it seven times counterclockwise and five times clockwise. The haliwinkles and then the knotgrass. Let sit for five minutes.
That was fine. Just fine. Teddy had the time. He would wait forever for his love.
November 22nd came. The whole family gathered around Victoire's grave, looking awkward and unsure what to do. This was the first anniversary of her death, and if Teddy had anything to say about it, it was her last.
This was the first time many of them had seen Teddy in weeks, months for some. He looked like a mess, but it was his wife's death day. No one was going to say anything about his unshaven face or his solemn black hair and eyes or his pale pallor. They all just gave him sympathetic looks or wallowed in their own pity.
Teddy clutched the vial of potion tightly in his hand. They wouldn't be looking at him like that for long. Not after he brought her back. Not after he brought Victoire back.
The potion was perfect. It fit all the things listed in the books. A simpleton's dream. Ha, he was clutching it in his hand.
He glanced at his wife's grave. It was covered with leaves of all colors. A blanket of red, yellow, brown, and orange.
He pulled his coat tighter around him as a gust of wind hit him on the back.
Percy started to give a speech about love and family and togetherness. Teddy tuned him out and kept his eyes on the grave. Victoire Audrey Weasley. His sunshine, his happiness, his light. She would be back. He would make sure of it.
When they all started leaving, Teddy stood still in front of the grave. Staring like he had before.
Fleur hugged him and cried into his side, whispering about how much she missed her and how sorry she was he had lost her. Her sobbings eventually turned to French and Teddy lost sense of what she was saying, only picking up the few words Victoire had taught him. Teddy hugged her back as quickly as he could without looking like a jerk. Bill pulled Fleur off and nodded to Teddy. His eyes were red with tears like his wife's.
Dominique didn't even say bye to him, only glanced at him before leaving. Teddy think she knew on some level how much her resemblance to her sister hurt him.
Freddie, James, and Louis all hugged him tightly and invited him to their flat for drinks later. Teddy told them he would think about. Lucy and Roxanne laid some flowers down on her grave and gave him a sad glance. Rose gave him a tight squeeze and Scorpius shook his hand. George and Angelina gave their sorrows and laid down some daisies. Harry hugged him longer than anyone and Ginny told him he'd better be by for dinner soon. Teddy gave her a promise he would. What he didn't say was he would be bring Victoire with him.
Albus and Lysander were the last to leave. Lysander had his thick, beater-muscled arm around Albus's thin waist. Albus gave Teddy a sad look.
"You look terrible," Lysander said bluntly. Teddy had always kind of liked that about him. He didn't sugarcoat anything. He just said it.
Albus elbowed him, but glanced at Teddy with concerned eyes, "Teddy, you can't do this. You need to take care of yourself. Victoire would slap you if she saw you like this."
Teddy knew she would hit him the moment she came back. He looked like a bum.
Teddy patted the small eighteen year old on the head, "I'll be fine. It's just… so hard without her."
Lysander nodded and glanced at Albus with eyes full of love. Teddy felt a twinge of pain in heart, only to remember that he was getting his love back in minutes.
Teddy sighed, "May I-may I get a minute alone with her?"
Lysander nodded and started to lead Albus away who looked at Teddy with sad and almost suspicious eyes. He would be happy when Victoire came back. She was the one who helped him when he wanted to come out to the family. Her kindness spread everywhere.
The moment his eyes couldn't see the shapes of Lysander and Albus, he fell on his knees in front of the grave and started pushing leaves out of the way until he could see the green grass. He pulled the vial out of his pocket.
Pouring the vial into the dirt, he pulled his wand out of his other pocket and waved it over the ground, muttering the words from the books, "Vita, mors et vita et mors denique si solus habes magisterium linea transitu ad potionem potest dici."
The ground flashed white and a portal opened in front of him. It was working. He did it. He was going to get her back. His wife. His love. His sunshine.
The portal sucked him in and he felt himself falling, falling, falling.
He landed hard on stone.
He sat up slowly, but eagerly. This was where Victoire was. He would save her. Bring her back.
He was on a stone strip with rock arches occurring every ten feet or so. On either side of the strip was bottomless darkness. He seemed to be in a chasm. The only light was coming from the crack at the top of the chasm that flooded down. It was rather bright though.
He was sitting up when he heard a soft voice ask, "Teddy?"
He almost got whiplash from how hard he turned.
There she was. His love. Only a 100 or so feet away.
Her soft blonde curls fell lightly down to her waist. She wore a knee-length white dress and no shoes. Bracelets lined her tan arms and a necklace of gold wrapped around her neck. Her heart shaped face and freckles. Her large, innocent blue eyes. She looked radiant. Gorgeous. Beautiful.
His Victoire.
He ran toward her.
She started running toward him.
"Victoire. I told you I would do it. I told you I would get you back. I love you, I love you so much."
Teddy shouted at her as he ran. She only repeated his name with a loving grin on her face, a hand on her stomach.
Twenty feet. Ten. Five. Three. One. Inches.
Teddy reached out and very lightly touched the tips of Victoire's fingertips.
That's when the pain hit. A excruciating burst of pain right between his eyes. He screamed and screamed. The pain forced him on his knees. He clutched his head tightly and breathed as the pain got more and more intense.
He couldn't hear much over his own screams, but he could tell Victoire was saying something.
"..sorry, Teddy…"
"...to be this way…"
'...I love you, Teddy…"
That's when it went black
He could hear voices, fervent and scared.
"Lysander! Move him, away from the grave."
Teddy hoarsely yelled as he felt arms lift him by his armpits and start to pull him away. He fought them off and launched himself toward the grave. His shoulder smacked hard into it as he hugged it.
His eyes wouldn't open for some reasons. All he could see was black. The back of his eyelids. He tried to open them as he tightly wrapped his arms around the grave. He wanted to see her again. She must be here. He saved her. Why couldn't he open his eyes?
"Teddy!" a voice yelled in his ear. Who was that? It was familiar, "Teddy, it's me, Albus."
Oh, Albus. Lovely, amazing Albus.
"I saved her, Albus. I saved her. I saved Victoire. Where is she? We have to tell Fleur and Bill and Percy and Dominique and everyone."
Albus sobbed, "Teddy, Victoire is dead."
Teddy laughed, "No, no, I saved her. I saw her. I got her back. "
Teddy stopped laughing.
"Albus, why are my eyes still closed? I can't seem to get them open and I want to see Victoire."
Albus weeped in his ear, "Teddy, your eyes are open."
Albus was so funny. Of course, his eyes weren't open. He would be able to see if his eyes weren't open. He wouldn't just see black.
"Victoire!" Teddy called out, "Where did you go? Hiding isn't funny. We have to go show everyone you are back! Victoire!"
Albus's cries were filling the air. Lysander was cursing through his own tears as he paced behind them, getting ready to send a Patronus to Harry.
Teddy was still calling for his lost lover.
A squall of wind came and brushed the leaves away, hitting all of them with a rainbow of fall colors. The colors of death.
/
Mixing Harry Potter and Greek mythology (two of my favorite things) has birthed this beautiful baby. Honestly quite proud of it.
Leave a review and let me know how it is :).
-Hannah