As always, thanks to Niko for looking this over and letting borrow her concepts for Toire and Andie~ And special thanks, of course, to the lovely people who've reviewed! I apologize for the relative shortness of this installment, but hopefully it gets across what it needs to. Enjoy!
"Did you get Fleur's invitation?"
Teddy's lips pressed into a thin line, like they always did when a certain branch of the Weasley family was mentioned, as he lifted up a wine glass and sipped the liquor within. It seared going down his throat, but the warmth of it settling in his stomach did him good. Tonight was supposed to be a generally happy affair. Talking about her for any length of time was just going to send him spiraling into a stupor that he likely wouldn't be out of for at least the rest of the night.
And he wanted to enjoy his Auror initiation party for as long as possible.
"Invitation to what?" he asked bitterly, trying to act like he didn't know what his godfather was talking about. In most cases when it came to a certain someone, he found it best to simply play the fool and avoid thinking about her if he could. It hurt less that way.
"She'd mentioned something about sending you one. Victoire's graduation party is next week, are you going?"
"Oh. That." Teddy gritted his teeth and tried to look at anything but his godfather's scrutinizing expression. He had indeed gotten the aforementioned invitation, as well as two personal letters folded into the small card – one from Fleur Weasley and the other from, of all people, Victoire's younger sister Dominique (Teddy wasn't entirely why her, either). He had ignored every bit of them. "No, I'm not going."
Harry sighed. That was never a good sign for where the conversation was going. "Teddy-"
"Oi, Uncle Ron, what did you think of the Cannons match last night?" Teddy pointedly cut his godfather off and ventured to the other side of the room. If there was one way to immerse oneself into an attention-taxing conversation or argument, it was to get Ron Weasley talking about whatever latest catastrophe had befallen his favorite team on the Quidditch pitch.
It wasn't that Teddy didn't want to talk to Harry. He just didn't want to talk to Harry about Victoire, whom Teddy had barely spoken to since they'd broken up almost a year-and-a-half ago. The last time he'd seen her was the annual Easter get-together at the Weasley household, and even that small glimpse had been more than enough for him. Seeing her crystalline blue eyes, that smile… hearing her laugh with one of her family members… and then the nonchalant way in which she had addressed him, as if they were mere decent friends all their lives, that had stung more than Teddy was ever going to admit. Or, rather, at least not out loud to his uncle or anyone else in his extended family.
The little get-together was being held at Grimmauld Place, Harry's residence, as Teddy's flat was too small for such a party and the other venue Teddy might have considered was not one he even pursued. Because while Harry's family, as well as a number of the Weasleys, and all their children (the Hogwarts Express had brought back all the students for the summer just days before) had showed up to celebrate, there was one person who was noticeably absent.
Andromeda Tonks never really accepted or supported Teddy's decision to become an Auror. On some level, he was sure she understood, and she'd let him make his own decision, but she'd been true to her word that she wasn't going to support him. To her, it was an occupation where he was pointlessly putting his life in danger, for a cause she didn't find worth it anymore. And because Teddy understood her stance, his training and now his new job were topics they always avoided in conversation. Plus, she hadn't been to the ceremony, and she'd refused to come to the party. Though he was saddened and even a little hurt by her nonverbal statement, Teddy felt like he'd made the right decision.
But, as an eleven-year old Lily Potter came crashing into him to give him a hug and wish him congratulations and good luck, Teddy knew that he had enough family happy for him that it wasn't as big of a blow as it could have been.
The party lasted for a few hours yet, and there was hardly an end to the people, mostly family, who came to greet and congratulate him on his recent feat. He would be a junior Auror now, probably with minimal responsibilities, but it was a landmark occasion in any case. Teddy was starting a new life, and he already looked ten times happier for it.
As the festivities started to wind down, and people began filtering out, only a number of people and their children remained. Teddy was standing amongst his godfather, Aunt Ginny, Uncle Ron, and Aunt Hermione, the five of them talking about the Ministry goings-on that Teddy was now proudly a part of. The children were off elsewhere, likely getting into mischief, but nobody was overly concerned.
"Have any of the Auror applicants filed in for the training program yet, Harry?" Hermione questioned, sipping on her tea. "You're expecting a big pool this year, aren't you?"
"Er, yeah, we are. We've got some slotted already." When Teddy looked at him with lively interest, his godfather looked away and cleared his throat.
"You didn't tell me how many new Aurors are coming in," he said in curiosity.
Ron snorted and thumped Teddy on the back. "Just initiated into the Department and already thinks he's got a right to call anyone else new," he remarked, and Teddy's face went slightly red. "But yeah, shockingly enough, now that Harry's head of the Department every Hogwarts graduate thinks they've got what it takes to be out in the field." It was clear that he was being cynical, yet something about his comment made Teddy go even redder. "We do have a few shoe-ins, though, I bet. Before we know it, the Weasley family'll be taking over the Ministry."
That made Teddy look up in slight alarm. There was only one Weasley who'd just graduated. "Wait, what?"
Evidently his uncle hadn't heard him. "Little Victoire submitted her application the day she finished her N.E.W.T's, didn't she?"
It didn't take long for those words to register at all. Every one of Teddy's muscles locked, and any trace of flush from his face drained in less than a few seconds as his skin turned ghostly pale. His jaw tightened and his fists clenched, while his heart pounded against his ribcage. His uncle Ron had to be mistaken. Right? There was no way…
"Yeah. She did." Harry's tight, constrained voice made Teddy realize that he might have been trying to tell Teddy about this earlier, when Teddy had left him to go talk to Ron. And that this news was something he'd known for a while, that he knew exactly what effect it would have on Teddy, though the rest of his relatives continued prattling on.
"She'll make a great Auror," Ron declared. "Fiercest girl I know. She'll have all the criminals running and hiding into their holes the second she gets out there."
"She has to make it through training first, and not everybody makes it through. Harry's training regiment's rather rigorous," Hermione reminded everyone.
Teddy got thumped on the back again by Ron. "Toire'll make it. If Teddy did, she can too. No offense there, Teddy."
"Teddy?"
"Teddy, are you alright?"
But Teddy wasn't listening, and his mind was somewhere far, far away. He'd only just truly started getting over the wound of not having Victoire in his life. After the pair of them had broken up in that nasty fight, virtually all contact between the two had been lost, save for family gatherings where they were forced to be in the same space. When she always acted like he was just another family member, and never went out of her way to talk to him, Teddy had realized that she had cut him out of her life too. But now he was going to be forced to see her every day, or even worse, work with her? Pretend like nothing had ever happened? What were the fates trying to put him through?
Realizing that everyone had stopped to stare at him, he swallowed and managed to choke out, "I just, er, I need some air."
In his hasty retreat, he didn't hear his aunt Ginny smack Ron on the arm and hiss, "You tactless arse, what the bloody hell did you bring her up at Teddy's Auror party for?"
The air outside of Grimmauld Place wasn't particularly fresh, or cool, in the London summer, but at least it was an air free of the name Victoire. Sinking down onto the steps, Teddy rubbed his hands across his scalp, through his hair that was spiking darker colors in distress, and he struggled not to think about all this too thoroughly.
A few minutes later, he heard the door open and didn't even have to look to know it was his godfather. Harry shut the door behind him and sat down on the steps beside Teddy. Moments passed in silence.
"I was trying to tell you earlier, when I started-"
"I know."
"Will you be alright?"
Teddy shrugged. How was he supposed to explain the fact that, despite their breakup, despite their purposeful avoiding one another, his heart still thudded against his ribs at the sound of her name, or that he constantly wished for the sound of her laughter in his ear, or that he missed the way her eyebrows furrowed whenever she was concentrating on something? It hurt just to see her on the rare occasion, knowing that she had never really loved him, that she hated him. Her seemingly false smiles and casual but polite greetings stung him to the core. What was he supposed to do if he was working alongside her?
"Have to be, don't I?" he replied when he realized that Harry was actually waiting for a verbal response. "You can't throw out her application just because I'll…"
"You're right about that, at least, but Teddy-"
"Look, Uncle, I would rather just… not, alright? It's over and done, and nothing you say is really going to make it any easier," Teddy said. He appreciated Harry's efforts, he really did, but he knew they were wasted. Nothing was really going to change how he felt about Victoire Weasley.
Another moment passed, before Harry sighed and patted his shoulder before standing up. "Go on home, I'll tell them you're bushed. I expect to see you in the office bright and early Monday morning."
That, at least, made Teddy smile. He might soon be sharing a workplace with his ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend, but that couldn't take away from the fact that he was an Auror now. One of the best of the best in the wizarding world. He got to his feet as well and the pair embraced briefly. "Thanks, Uncle," he said. "I'll see you Monday."
Harry smiled back and headed inside. Teddy, on the other hand, strode a few more steps away from Grimmauld Place before Disapparating. He had some things to think about.
~ findo narratum ~
Hiding in his cubicle all day long wasn't really getting anything done, and quite frankly after a while Teddy started to feel like a real coward. The gray walls surrounding him and his small desk were starting to mock him, the papers on his desk starting to make him stir crazy. Or maybe it was just the grumbling in his stomach that was telling him that he'd delayed a break in the work for long enough. Eventually, he saw no other choice but to leave his office for a little bit.
The Auror break room was empty – everyone else was either out on assignment or busy watching the new recruits in training. Though he'd been invited to go see them with some of the others, Teddy had declined for obvious reasons. It killed him enough to know that Toire was in the same building, and he was positive he wouldn't be able to bear watching her, knowing she likely wouldn't even spare him a sideward glance. But he could imagine what they were going through. After all, it hadn't been so long ago that he himself was getting put through training.
Ministry coffee wasn't the best in the world, but it was enough to keep him satiated. He poured himself a mug, smirking when he recognized the cup from his Aunt Ginny's personal collection – the Auror Department was always Harry's depository for gifts that he didn't want.
The pile of papers still on his desk probably wasn't going to go away any time soon, so he knew that he couldn't take too long. As a rookie Auror, he was stuck with a lot of the grunt paperwork, but at least it was a step up from hauling boxes everywhere. At least for the paperwork, he had to use his brain. Teddy sighed. A little bit of coffee and then he'd be back to work, he promised himself.
Though, it seemed that fate had entirely different plans for him.
He plopped down into a chair and spun it to look up at the false windows sipping his hot cup of caffeine. Someone had decided it needed to be sunny and bright today, even though he knew for a fact the weather was fairly dreary out. He was caught up by his own thoughts when he heard someone come in. Teddy spun back around to greet whoever it was, but his voice died in his throat. And his heart might have stopped in his chest, but his primary focus automatically zeroed in on the person in front of him.
"Oh. Hello, Teddy."
Teddy's throat closed as he scrambled to his feet, putting the mug of coffee down on the counter before he could spill it all over himself. "Victoire. What, er- what are you doing here?"
Seeing her in front of him, the pale blonde hair and the piercing blue eyes, with her fair skin, it felt like the room had suddenly been closed off. And the distant, almost careful, expression on her face hurt far more than he was willing to admit out loud. She looked like she was facing a ticking time bomb, like he was an animal that had been backed into a corner about to lash out at her. His heart thudded against his ribs.
"I work here, now," she answered. It sounded like she was calculating every word she spoke. When Teddy didn't respond, she added, "Most of the trainees are eating together. I wanted to come take a look around."
"You didn't tell me you were going to join the Auror force," Teddy blurted out. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be angry or saddened by this notion.
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I would have thought Uncle Harry or Ron might have told you. And you didn't either, when you joined," she reminded him coolly.
"That was different."
In another time, he knew she would have argued with him. Half of him even wanted her to. It might mean she'd care enough to disagree with him. But instead, her lips seemed to tighten as she went on to ask, "Do you want me to leave? I just needed to find a place to eat my lunch."
"No. I'll go." Teddy was already getting up.
The walls felt like they were closing in on him, either that or they were laughing at him too. He was being a coward, and he knew it, running away to avoid this confrontation when he should have been facing it. But Teddy felt hollow, like his ribcage was completely empty. Being around Victoire ever since their breakup always had that effect on him. He rubbed his forehead with a small sigh as he turned away from her to grab his coffee mug. He might have been fleeing the break room, but he certainly wasn't going to leave his coffee behind.
Teddy turned around to leave but paused when he saw what she was pulling out of the little bag she'd been carrying with her. It looked like a sandwich, but it was just so… small. Before he could stop himself, he said, "That's all you're eating?"
Clearly she hadn't expected him to speak again, and she looked up in surprise. "I- no. I snuck a bag of crisps when Maman wasn't looking."
"But you're training."
"I'm aware of that, Teddy. Didn't we already establish this?"
Teddy furrowed his eyebrows and gestured to the pseudo-sandwich she'd pulled out. "You can't eat just that and a bag of crisps, you'll kill yourself out there. The afternoons are always harder."
"Maman told me if I walked out of the house with any more carbs, I'd have a heart attack." The bitter tone that Victoire used was the same one she always had in store for talking about her mother. It was no secret to Teddy, or at least it hadn't been when they were kids, how much she and Fleur clashed. Some things never really changed, he supposed. "So I took what I could get. It's not exactly like I can do anything about this."
For a moment, Teddy was quiet, contemplating his options. He had never been one to simply sit back while someone suffered, even if that person was Victoire. Finally, he just said,
"Follow me."
He didn't wait to see if she was going to do as he said, taking his coffee mug and started trekking back towards the little cubicle in which he worked. A part of Teddy was screaming that he'd regret this later, but most of him was simply… well, it felt right, taking care of Victoire. Even if she no longer cared for him, he honestly just couldn't let her suffer. Maybe he was a soft-hearted fool for it, but Teddy knew that deep down, he would always care about her. Even if it killed him in the end. But the scurrying footsteps behind him informed Teddy that Victoire had indeed chosen to follow him, and Teddy took her back to where his desk was situated.
"Hold on," Teddy told her, gesturing for her to wait at the opening. He set his mug down on the desk and opened up one of his drawers. When he wasn't looking, Victoire ignored him and stepped inside.
"This is yours?" she asked.
Realizing that she was closer from the sound of her voice and that she'd stepped in, Teddy tensed. "Yeah," he answered. "Most rookies get broom closets, practically, but Harry pulled a few strings." Teddy found what he was looking for (he wasn't entirely sure how it had somehow gotten buried). "Here. Take and eat this instead." He tossed her a wrapped half-sub that he'd made for his own lunch that morning.
Of the many skills Andromeda had made a point to drill into her grandson's head, one of the most important was the talent for cooking. She'd known Teddy would end up living on his own for a while, a bachelor, and had refused to acknowledge the possibility of getting takeout or leftovers on a constant basis. So she'd taught him how to fend for himself in the kitchen, and he had a fairly decent knack for it. Which was why, as he produced the sandwich and gave it to her, Teddy saw her eyes widen slightly. And maybe he was imagining it, but she looked happy to accept it.
"But isn't this your lunch?"
"Doesn't matter. There's a café in the Atrium I can get something from. You need it more than I do."
She moved to hand the sandwich back to him. "Teddy, I can't-"
"Take it. It's fine."
For a moment, the pair of them stood there, like at an impasse. The sandwich hung between them, Teddy refusing to take it back, and he shut the drawer it had come from as if that solidified the deal. Victoire watched him, a curious expression on her pale face, until finally, the sandwich lowered.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
Teddy nodded. "Yeah. Go on, you need to eat before the afternoon session starts."
The smile she gave him felt genuine. "Thank you," she said quietly, before disappearing out of the office.
It almost felt like they'd had a semi-normal conversation, that they might still be friends. Teddy sat down at his desk and rubbed his forehead, trying to ignore the fact that Victoire Weasley had just been in his tiny little office. Yeah, he thought bitterly, as he stared at the opening through which she'd just vanished. Almost.
