Ted couldn't even count the amount of people who had shown up for their dragon pox presentation. He had expected maybe ten people; prominent Healers and researchers who would turn up to hear about what the Russians were up to so that they could apply to their own methods and findings to the information. Instead, at least forty to fifty people were sitting that small little lecture room.

Most of the faces were familiar looking from around the hospital. In fact, except for a few of official looking Ministry people peppered around the room, it seemed that quite a few of the more senior level officials had turned up. Directly in the back was Healer Pullman and several of her Trainee Healers, as well as Herbertson and various other senior level researchers. It was Herbertson, in particular, who seemed most interested in what Ted and his colleagues had to say, but Ted couldn't be sure if that was because of the information they were giving or because he was evaluating their performance in itself.

Ted had never been much of a public speaker. He'd always preferred to be the one who the entire room wasn't looking at, but, with his pulse quickening and his brow now feeling a little sweaty, he stood in front of that entire room and told them everything he knew and had learned about dragon pox. After what seemed like the longest ten minutes of his life, he stepped back and let Hazel lead the conclusion of the presentation. As he passed her on the way to his seat, he had to admit that for as much crap as he had given her for being "too prepared" or "too intense," he almost felt as though her crazy ways were the only reason he had remembered everything he was supposed to say up there.

"Nice," Nate whispered to Ted once he sat next to him.

He breathed a huge sigh of relief. Nate had done his part just as he was supposed, and Ted felt as if his part had been solid, which only left Hazel. Given the way she was currently addressing the room as if she owned the place though, they were as good as perfect. They'd actually done this.

"How did I do?" Hazel asked once a mild applause rang through the room.

"Couldn't have gone better," Nate said as several people came up to shake their hands and commend them on a job well done. Ted saw Herbertson gloating about the performance and seemingly taking credit from the other researchers while Healer Pullman was addressing some of her trainees and asking if they had taken notes and understood some of the finer points of the Russian healing system.

Ted smiled a little, unable to believe that that presentation was finally in the past. He'd managed to maintain a sense of professionalism until he and the others were all safely back in the lab, but as soon as they entered, Paul and Magda greeted them with expectant smiles.

"And?" Magda asked.

"We killed it," Nate said proudly. He grabbed Ted's shoulders and shook him jovially as Hazel started jumping up and down excitedly. She rushed up to quickly hug Nate and then Ted, which in itself was amusing to see considering she was always the serious one of the group.

"Congrats!" Magda said. "You three worked so hard. Reminded me of my days back when I used to be a junior researcher being forces to present information." She made a face. "Not that I wish for those days back."

"I cannot believe we didn't make any mistakes!" Hazel said happily as she went and collapsed into a chair behind her desk. "At least none that I can think of."

"I mispronounced a few words," Ted admitted, "but I corrected myself."

"For your first time in front of that lot," Nate said, "that's nothing."

"You should have seen me when I had to give my first presentation," Paul said. "This was fifteen years ago and I was maybe nineteen. I was terrified, so I was sweating buckets. One of the Healers had to stop and ask me if I needed a minute to dry off."

"How embarrassing," Hazel said before as the door to the lab swung open and in walked Herbertson. He had a broad smile on his face and seemed relatively pleased. Ted wasn't sure he'd ever seen his boss smile before.

"Excellent job, you three," Herbertson said.

"Thank you, sir," Hazel beamed.

"Of course, there's only going to be more of the same now that we've unlocked so many doors in terms of finding a cure," he added. "You're all just skimming the tip. In fact, Healer Pullman was so impressed that she has requested that you three assist her in teaching her new set of trainees about dragon pox remedies. You'll be answering to quite a few of the healers now."

Ted grinned. For the first time, he really felt as if he had done something. Being given more responsibility meant more leverage to push his own projects. He knew it wouldn't be tomorrow, but at this rate, he'd be able to do what he wanted in no time.

"Who's working right now?" Herbertson asked as his tone suddenly grew far more official sounding.

Paul raised his hand. "I am until nine."

"I'm done for the day," Magda said. "I was just waiting for Ted to finish so he could start his shift."

Ted's good mood faltered when he realized that he now how to work until the early morning hours on New Year's Eve. In all the excitement, he'd almost forgotten.

"All right, everyone else clear out. The rest of you back to work," Herbertson said. "Lupin, can I see you in the office for a moment?"

"Sure."

"I'll be back at six," Nate said as he patted Ted on the back before turning to leave. "Looks like you and I will be ringing in the New Year together. Not exactly my ideal date, but you'll have to do."

"In that case," Hazel said as she gathered her things. "I may be a little late. I'm supposed to be here at midnight, but if I have to ring in yet another new year with Nate, I'm bound to go mad. I need to start a year right for once."

"Oh, you're hilarious," Nate said sarcastically as Ted disappeared into Herbertson's office. He was behind his desk waiting for him.

"You outdid yourself," he said before Ted had even finished closing the door behind him. "You know, making you help Connolly and Gilbert was a bit of a test in a way."

"A test?" Ted asked.

"A test," he repeated. "Remember when you started here, Lupin? I said that if you could get through the first six months, you would make it here in this department. Well, you got through those with flying colors, so I had to see how far you bent when pushed to the limits. You responded well."

"Thank you, sir," he said with a small smile.

"It's a nice change to see someone actually stick around here. The last one who stuck was Connolly, and as you can tell, he's sort of marches to the beat of his own drummer."

"I can't argue that."

"So," he said quickly. "With risk comes reward."

Ted's ears perked up a little.

"You're making entry level salary now. I feel given your performance, you're entitled to a raise."

Ted tried his hardest to keep himself from smiling like a goon. "Thank you, sir."

"It's nothing much," he said as he signed off on some piece of paper. "But it's certainly a step up from what you've been getting."

"I could definitely use it," he said happily.

"Congratulations," he said, handing Ted the paper he had just signed. "You've earned it. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Absolutely," Ted said as he turned to leave. "Thank you, sir."

"You know," Herbertson said, gesturing to the paper, "you have to take that up to processing on the fifth floor?"

Ted hadn't known that, but now that he did, he was sure to do just that. "I was just about to."

"Just making sure," he said dismissively before he turned away. Ted took that to mean that they were done and that he could finally leave. He left his office and immediately bounded for the exit in an excited daze. He couldn't help it what with all of his sudden energy.

"Where are you going?" Paul called after him.

"Upstairs really quick," he called back as he reached for the door knob. "You want something from the tearoom?"

Paul shook his head. "No, but if you're going, could you take these patient forms to the second floor?" He held up several folders.

"Absolutely," Ted said as he walked over to grab them. Given his mood, Paul could have asked him to jump off the roof and he would have done it with a smile.

"You're in a good mood," he said curiously.

"It's just been a really good day," Ted said. With a quick turn, he took the files and left. As he made his way to the fifth floor, he found himself thinking about how good things were going lately. He was doing better than even he could have anticipated here at the hospital, and was even getting a small promotion and a raise. A raise he definitely needed. Best yet, things weren't going to be as chaotic anymore now that the presentation was over. Things were finally going to calm down.

He stopped on the fifth floor and dropped the paper informing them of his raise off at processing before hopping back into the lift and pressing the button for the second floor. As he got off the lift at his stop, he suddenly thought about the last year and how much things had changed what with school ending, work staring, and Celia and he splitting up. He was in a completely different place than he had been earlier in the year and it was crazy to even think about the new direction he was taking in his life. If this new year was anything like the day he was having today, then he was in for quite a year.

He stopped and smiled at Agnes standing behind the nurses' station as he dropped off Paul's folders. She returned the smile. "I heard some good things about you today," she said.

"They're all true," he said.

She laughed. "Healer Pullman is in there," she pointed to a nearby patient room, "with her new crop of trainees that start their rotation here tomorrow. She was just talking about the presentation you guys just gave. She seems impressed. Even by Nathaniel. That shocked even me."

"Nate's actually a really clever guy if you give him a chance."

"I never said he wasn't clever," she said as she picked up several items and began stocking a high shelf. "He's just a cocky prat."

"True."

At that moment, Healer Pullman exited the room that Agnes had just moments before mentioned. She was followed by ten or so individuals, some of which looked vaguely familiar. Ted recognized a few from school and some as being a few years older than he was. It was almost strange to be reminded of their existences after having all but forgotten them after they had left Hogwarts.

"Mr. Lupin," said Healer Pullman when she saw him. "I was just talking about you and your associates to my new trainees here." She gestured to them. "We were all thoroughly impressed by the presentation and I am looking forward to you being able to offer some insight when it comes to dragon pox cases."

He smiled.

She gave him a quick pat on the shoulder before addressing the group. "Now, if you will all just follow me, I'll show you a few last things around here before we're done for the day."

"You're not going to go getting an ego on me, are you?" Agnes whispered once Pullman walked off. "Because I don't think I'd be able to handle you and Nathaniel at the same time."

"Nah, I'm not really the ego type," Ted said. "I'm just here to get my job done. The accolades are great, but if you really let them get to you, you'll lose your focus, you know?"

She made an amused face. "I sometimes forget you're only eighteen."

Ted faked pompous and leaned forward on the counter in a way that Nate tended to do when he was trying to schmooze with the nurses. In a very Nate-like tone, he said, "Because I'm so focused…"

Agnes laughed, and Ted was happy to see that his Nate impression hadn't failed to impress. At that very moment though, he was suddenly distracted by someone poking him in the side with their finger.

"I know you," said a friendly sounding female voice. When he turned to look, he saw that the voice was connected to familiar face, a familiar set of really pretty dark eyes and dark shiny hair, and a familiar perfect smile that was currently directed at right at him. It was Elizabeth Cole.

He stood up straight after having been leaning on the counter. "I know you," he said blankly before smiling out of reflex. "I mean, hi. What are you doing…?"

She pointed after Pullman and took a few steps to follow. "I'm training to be a Healer. I just finished my rotation on the Spell Damage Floor and now I'm here." She smiled. "I saw your presentation this morning. Impressive."

"Oh…" He suddenly couldn't seem to find the words to talk properly. "It was okay."

"I thought it was really interesting," she said with a quick glance over her shoulder. "But I just wanted to say hi. I've got to go catch up."

Ted stared at her before suddenly nodding and searching his head for something relevant or even charming to say. "So, wait, you'll be working on this floor now?"

"Uh-huh," she said as she walked off. "So, I'm sure I'll see you later." She smiled and waved quickly. "Nice seeing you, Ted."

"Yeah…" he muttered as she disappeared around a corner. He half-smiled as he leaned back against the nurses' counter. Just when he thought this day couldn't get any better, Elizabeth Cole was now training to be a Healer right here on the ward he spent most of his time on. And, she had stopped to say hello to him. Not to mention that she'd been impressed by his presentation. She even said so! Plus, she looked incredible…

"Uh-oh," Agnes said. Ted snapped back to reality and saw she was watching him. "There it went."

"There what went?" he asked.

She smiled and shook her head. "Your focus."

"So, Elizabeth works where you do now?" Simon asked the following day as he and Ted sat in Ted's flat.

Ted nodded. "Well, I mean, I don't actually work on that floor, I just go down there to check on patients and see how they're responding to treatments and stuff. I'm only down there for bits at a time."

Simon nodded as he took this in. "But she works there now?"

"Yeah."

Simon hummed. "So, how's she look?"

Ted exhaled. "She looks good," he said slowly. "She looks really good."

"I don't think it's possible for her not to," Simon said as he stood up from the sofa and stretched. He looked at the clock. "All right. It's time."

Ted nodded. For the last hour, Simon had been killing time at his flat and waiting for seven o'clock for roll around so that he could go and meet with his new "friend" or whatever she was. He'd been quite vague on the details. As it were, apparently while Ted had been busy with work and traveling halfway around the world, Simon had been busy here making up for his poor attempt at the Dragon's Breath.

The girl he had been flirting with and talking to had apparently started talking back. As he told Ted, he hadn't asked her out, but that's not to say things weren't happening. They were just being friendly with each other. They were getting to know each other. They were taking things slow…

"There's nothing wrong with taking things slow," Simon had said after Ted seemed confused as to what exactly Simon was doing. "You of all people should agree…"

"All right, all right," Ted said throwing up his hands in surrender. He wasn't in any mood to hear Simon attempt to justify his logic by using his own inherent behavior when it came to girls against him.

"Okay," Simon said as he made his way towards the door. "So, I'm going go get her and bring her back here so you can meet her."

Ted nodded. That was Simon's plan tonight. He wanted him to meet this girl he was apparently mad about. He wanted Ted's opinion, though, given the way Simon talked about her, Ted was sure that his opinion would matter very little one way or the other.

"Remember," Simon began, "when you meet her, don't be afraid to talk me up as much as possible."

"Right."

"And you should clean this place up a little," Simon said, gesturing around towards Ted's work bench.

Ted made a face. His flat wasn't that bad. Only his work bench was really cluttered, and that was because it was where he spent most of his time. Plus, who was Simon to tell him he should clean? Half the reason he was bring the girl here was because his flat was a disaster area that no witch or wizard should ever be subjected to stepping inside of.

"Why should I clean? Who am I trying to impress?" Ted asked.

"It's just a suggestion," Simon said as he pulled the door open. "I'll be back in about ten minutes." He pointed towards Ted's work bench again, as if to further make a suggestion before he disappeared outside.

Ted shook his head and let out a doubtful laugh, but he couldn't help but glance at his work bench as he did. It was a little messy. He squinted the more he looked at it, wondering if it was really that bad. With an aggravated sigh, he stood up, grabbed the rubbish bin, and pulled it over towards it. Stupid Simon with his dumb suggestions…

He picked up several old documents and immediately discarded them before he began to clean off the desk entirely. He couldn't even remember why he kept half of this junk as he threw out old pieces of parchment, discarded ingredients, potions samples, chocolate frog wrappers, broken quills, stale owl treats, stale owl something…

He glanced at Auggie in his cage. "That's disgusting. My desk is not a toilet."

Auggie hooted.

He shook his head as he came across an open envelope. He tossed it into the trash before noticing the letter that had been sitting underneath it. He immediately recognized it as being from Victoire. It was the letter she had sent him ages ago forewarning him about her birthday. He picked it up and scanned it, as if it might contain some new information that it hadn't before, but quickly folded it up again. He leaned over to drop it into the rubbish, but hesitated. He sat in that position—letter in hand, out stretched over the bin—for several seconds before he turned back around and faced the tabletop.

Grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill—which was much easier to find now that he'd cleaned his desk—he decided to write her, seeing as the letter had reminded him of his promise to keep better touch. Now that he had a free moment, he might as well. It was about time he made good on some of his promises.

He stared at the blank sheet of parchment in front of him before putting his quill tip on top of it. He thought that actually putting quill to paper would inspire him to think of something relevant to write, but still, nothing came to mind. He literally had nothing to tell her. Work was boring, and even if it wasn't, it was never exciting to write about in a letter. He couldn't think of anything happening in his life at the moment that was worth writing about.

He puffed up his cheeks and let the air out as he tapped his thumb against the desk. She wasn't going to write him until she knew he'd actually correspond, that much he knew. He had to write something. After all, he had told her he would write…

As he thought that, his quill wrote the words: I told you I would write. He laughed a little as he read the words back and pictured the face Victoire would make if he actually did only send her that simple sentence. He knew she'd be annoyed, but not really. She would make a very particular expression; one that he could see in his mind as clear as could be. She would raise her eyebrows, frown, and get a concentrated look in her eyes before rolling them at the ridiculous of the situation and at him. It was the face she always made when she disapproved, or pretended to disapprove, of something.

Smiling, he folded up the piece of parchment. He was sending this as is. It was far too funny to pass on the opportunity. He had just finished addressing the envelope when a knock at the door made him hastily put the letter to the side where he knew he'd remember it tomorrow. He stretched his arms in front of him before yelling, "It's open!"

"Hey," Simon said as he was followed inside by the familiar dark-haired, round faced girl with the pretty smile that Ted had met at the Dragon's Breath. She smiled a closed mouth smile as she entered and glanced at Simon as if waiting for him to take control of the situation and introductions.

"What's up?" Ted said once he stood from his work bench and threw a few last minute items into the rubbish.

"It's cold out," Simon said cheerfully as he took off his cloak and hung it up.

"Yeah, I bet," Ted said as he smiled at the girl. He stepped forward to shake her hand. "Hi, I'm Ted. I think we've met, but—"

"At the Dragon's Breath," she said as she shook his. "I'm Susan."

"Susan," he repeated. "That's right." He turned towards his sofa. "Well, feel free to sit. I'm not sure what the plan is exactly, but—"

"I figured we could hang out for a bit here," Simon suggested.

Ted glanced at him. He didn't have anything to offer in the form of entertainment, and he wasn't even sure if he had food in his kitchen to offer as a gesture of being polite. "I guess so."

"We can go out in a bit," Simon added with a quick glance at Susan. She was currently curiously admiring the shelves above the workbench that held various potions ingredients.

"What are those for?" she asked as she pointed. For the first time, Ted noticed that she had an accent. It sounded American.

"Um," he said as he followed her gaze, "potions and ingredients."

She smiled a little, but didn't take her eyes off of the shelves. "I can see that. But why? Why do you keep them here in your place?"

"Ted's in antidote research over at St. Mungo's," Simon explained. "He makes potions and whatnot."

She nodded thoughtfully. "I was going to say, I haven't seen some of those things since I took Potions at school." She turned to Ted. "That sounds really like an interesting job."

He shrugged. "It pays the bills."

"You secretly love what you do," Simon said. "Don't pretend like you don't."

"There are aspects that I love," he corrected. "Some parts I could do without. The crazy hours for one."

"You work crazy hours?" Susan asked.

"He works all the time," Simon said before turning to Ted. "Though, I thought things were going to be better now that your presentation was over?"

"Things are boring now that it's over," Ted said. "I'm sure things will pick up, but right now I don't even know what to do with myself. Well, besides allowing myself to be an experiment for everyone else."

"They're still testing your blood and stuff?" Simon asked as he sat on the sofa.

Ted nodded. "Magda, this woman I work with, she says she's catching some minor breakthroughs putting my blood on some small viral samples, so…" He trailed off. "Nothing really worthwhile, but honestly, that's the most exciting thing going on right now. Even then, that work is so complex that I barely understand what's happening."

Susan sat next to Simon, but was staring at Ted. "May I ask why your blood is so special?"

"He's a Metamorphmagus," Simon said casually before quickly glancing at Ted and realizing that that was the sort of thing that Ted usually decided whether or not to tell people. "I mean—"

"And your blood has healing powers?" she asked, seemingly unfazed by the revelation.

"There are theories," Ted said. "Nothing's been proven."

She made a noncommittal noise and leaned against the back of the sofa. Ted didn't know what was more surprising, her lack of interest in him being a Metamorphmagus or his own curiosity as to why she didn't seem to care. It wasn't as if everyone who found out about him always had a reaction, but he had just assumed she would. Most people did.

"So, you two work together?" Ted said for lack of anything better to say.

Simon nodded, which didn't help fill the ever present silence. Susan, however, sat forward and replied. "Yeah, I just started in October after I moved here."

"I can tell by your accent," Ted said. "Where are you from?"

"You know where Philadelphia is?"

He nodded. "I've heard of it."

"Not there," she said with a smile, "but around there. About an hour west, actually. A tiny little town that I promise you have never heard of."

"Oh," Ted said as Simon nodded in agreement with her. "So, why'd you come over here?"

"Different opportunities," she said as Ted began to notice that the more she talked, the more relaxed and friendlier she seemed. "I'd always wanted to go abroad and I figured why not some place where I can at least speak the language."

Ted smiled as Simon laughed a little. He was clearly enamored with everything she had to say and over the course of the evening, Ted wasn't sure he'd ever seen Simon take this sort of restraint when it came to leading or conducting a conversation. Susan did most of the talking and asked most of the questions, which was usually Simon's role. He simply sat back and let her. She appeared to be very genuine and, no matter the topic, she seemed to have something to offer in one way or another. It didn't take a lot for Ted to see why Simon liked her…They actually complimented each other.

They had talked for an hour or so before Simon stood and claimed he had to use the toilet. "We can go get something to eat or something after," he suggested.

"Yeah, okay," Susan said as Simon smiled a little before making eye contact with Ted. Susan was currently adjusting her shoe and not paying attention, so he took the opportunity to give Ted a signal to talk him up while he was gone.

"So, Simon…" Ted said once he and Susan were alone.

"So," she said as she cast him a sideways look.

"He's a great guy."

"I see that." She suddenly smiled. "Is he putting you up to this?"

"Up to what?" he asked attempting to feign innocent.

"I'm not an idiot."

"Never said you were."

She laughed. "So, he has no ulterior motive in bringing me here to his best friend's house?"

Ted tried not to grin, but he couldn't help it. "Not that I know of."

"And I'm sure it's just a coincidence that the second he leaves the room, you start in on how he's a 'great guy'?"

"It's not as if he needs to hear me say it."

She laughed a little. "But I do?"

"I just thought you ought to know," Ted said as he lost the battle against grinning. "I'm getting the word out."

"Riiiight…" she said slyly. "Well, dully noted. I appreciate you reminding me."

"No problem," Ted said as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Well, for the record," she said as she lowered her voice and slid down the length of the sofa closer to where his chair was so she could whisper. "You can tell Simon that he just needs to tell me all the things he's probably been telling you. It'll speed this whole process along."

Ted considered this. That was certainly a good sign. "Or you could tell him."

"I'm not sure how much clearer I can be," she said as she shook her head. "I've hinted at things, but yet, nothing." She made a face. "I almost think I need to beat him across the head with it."

"It would help," Ted said. "Simon's all about the obvious, so actually saying it would be more effective."

"So, I should be more obvious?"

"In my personal opinion," Ted said. "I think all girls should be more obvious. Every single one of you. No more games."

She nodded her head as she seemed to consider this.

"Trust me, if you just tell him, it'll make things world's easier..." He trailed off as Simon walked back into the room a moment later. He caught Ted's eye as if to ask how things went. Ted began to nod, but just as he did, Susan turned around on the sofa to face Simon.

"Simon," she said bluntly. "I like you. You should probably know that."

He stared at her, his face mostly confused. "Wha…Sorry?"

She glanced at Ted. "How was that?"

He looked almost as surprised as Simon was, but slowly nodded. "That's a good start."