Teddie stared at Dumbledore.
Either side of her, equally as nervous, stood Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. They had just returned from the Chamber and, led by Fawkes, reached Professor Dumbledore's office on the seventh floor. Inside the room, waiting patiently for them had been Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster. After a brief explanation of what had happened, with Harry trying to explain without dropping Teddie in the middle of it, only for the young girl to explain the whole situation with as much honesty as she could muster, Professor McGonagall had left to inform Professor Snape of the sudden turn of events.
"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," said Dumbledore, staring intently at Harry and Ron. Both boys looked equally horrified.
Playing with her hands, Teddie stepped up to the desk. "Professor, if I may," she said, her voice quiet. She swallowed hard and looked up at her Headmaster. "If there is anyone who deserves to be expelled, it's me. I'm the one who attacked people this year. Harry and Ron were only doing what they believed to be the right thing by coming to save me. Please don't punish them for my mistake."
Ron exchanged a look with Harry. He still didn't understand why Teddie, a Slytherin no less, was defending them.
"Be as it may, Miss Green," said Dumbledore. "Their actions, as valiant as they were, are still their own."
Teddie lowered her gaze and nodded. She should've guessed that taking the full blame wouldn't have worked. Even if she was the sole person to blame.
"Nevertheless," said Dumbledore, speaking again. "Your actions saved the life of an innocent that had been caught up in another scheme by Lord Voldemort -" Ron winced at the name, while Teddie and Harry exchanged unsure glances. What was Dumbledore playing at? "In that case, you will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and - let me see - yes, I think, two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."
Ron blushed so darkly it clashed with his hair.
Dumbledore beamed at the three of them. "Now, Mr Weasley, would you kindly wait outside," he said, turning to Ron. "I'd like a few more words with Mr Potter and Miss Green."
Casting an unsure glance at Harry, Ron left the office. The door closed softly behind him.
Teddie felt her heart drop. Was Dumbledore going to expel her now that Ron was out of the room? Maybe he knew of the distrust that the young Weasley harboured for her, and to save her from being humiliated in front of him, he preferred to expel her in private.
If he wanted to expel you in private, he wouldn't have asked Potter to stay. Calm down!
Teddie took a deep breath and looked back at the Headmaster. He was watching her with a calm expression.
"Do not worry, Miss Green, you are not in trouble," Dumbledore said, easily.
"I'm not?" Teddie blinked.
Dumbledore shook his head. "No. I understand your situation," he said. "Tom Riddle's powers of persuasion aren't the easiest things to fight, even for someone as strong-minded as yourself. You aren't the first person to fall under his false sense of security."
Teddie looked down. "I'm sorry for the trouble I caused this year, Professor," she apologised. "I know that words aren't enough, but it's the best I can do."
"Nonsense, child, it is not you who should be apologising," said Dumbledore, waving her off. "It is the person who slipped you the diary. Do you have any ideas as to who may have wanted to be the subject of Riddle's possession this year?"
Teddie thought long and hard. She then shook her head, looking disappointed. "I have many enemies at Hogwarts, Professor," she said. "It could be any one of them or even their families. I have… angered… a lot of Pureblood families in my last two years, I'm afraid, and there are a few who would love to see me dead at the hands of Lord Voldemort."
"I'm sure there are, Miss Green," Dumbledore nodded. "But I sense the matter of the diary is not the only thing bothering you."
"No," Teddie said, shaking her head.
"Then speak, child," Dumbledore encouraged.
Teddie took a deep breath and looked up at her Professor, meeting his gaze. "Why me?" she asked. "I can understand Voldemort wanting to target Harry, no offence," she added to the boy beside her, "but why me? Harry defeated Voldemort when he was just a baby, that makes them enemies, but what why would Voldemort target me? I'm just a lowly muggleborn to him. Someone who isn't worth his time."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, almost knowingly, as they surveyed Teddie. "I'm not sure I'm the best person to tell you this, Miss Green," he said. "But, I do believe there is something intriguing about you that has caught Voldemort's attention. Something inside you, perhaps, a strong personality that can match his own."
"You mean to say that there is a hidden part of me that he identifies with?" Teddie asked. She paused, trying to sort her jumbled thoughts.
"Identifies, feels threatened by," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure you've heard this many times before now, Miss Green, but you are a very special girl, and you will one day soon realise just how special you are."
Teddie frowned. What did that mean?
"Now, is there anything else?" Dumbledore asked, pushing the conversation along.
Teddie shook her head. "No…" she paused. "Yes…"
Dumbledore smiled, patiently.
"May I be excused?" Teddie asked.
"Of course," Dumbledore agreed.
Teddie turned away from the table, offered Harry a supportive smile, and hurried across the room to the door.
"Oh, Miss Green, please do pay a visit to the Hospital Wing," said Professor Dumbledore. "Just to allow Madam Pomfrey the chance to examine you for any lasting damage. I don't think your parents would approve if I sent you home with threatening injuries."
"Yes, Professor," Teddie promised. She pulled open the door and slipped out, dashing past Ron as he sat silently outside.
~X~
The Slytherin Common room was abuzz with students ready to head home. Their trunks had been packed, and they had all gathered in the common room awaiting the arrival of Professor Snape to escort them to the carriages that would take them home.
"This is Green's fault," Parkinson sneered. "Why must the rest of us be sent home just because she was stupid to go and get caught?"
"I thought you wanted her to get caught!" Daphne snapped, unable to help herself.
"Not at the expense of the rest of the school," Parkinson argued. "Why should we Purebloods be punished for a stupid Mudblood."
Daphne opened her mouth to argue, but the words that came out were not her own.
"Didn't think you'd care, Parkinson."
Parkinson scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Green!" she snapped.
Silence fell in the common room. One-by-one, eyes turned to the portrait hole. Teddie Green, their Muggleborn, stood looking tired, filthy, and rumpled, overlooking the room. Her gaze swept over the arguing girls' and landed on the one person she honestly thought she'd never see again.
"Theo…" Teddie whispered, a smile breaking out on her lips. She jolted forward, her legs carrying her across the room to where her best friend stood. He seemed confused, and slightly nervous, almost like what he was witnessing was too good to be true.
Tentatively, Theo reached out a hand and wrapped it around Teddie's shoulder. She was solid. As if that was all the confirmation he needed, Theo pulled Teddie close and hugged her as tight as he could. She laughed, winding her arms around his neck and squeezing him back.
Blaise and Daphne exchanged looks, as did Marcus, Adrian, and Derrick. As much as they all were glad to see Teddie alive, and wanted to reunite with her, they knew that both Teddie and Theo needed this more than them.
Slowly, but surely, Slytherins all around the room stood and started to clap. Seventh year Slytherins, like Matthew Richards and Gemma Sharp, whistled and cheered, followed by fourth-year Slytherins Larika Nightingale and Stephen Wilkins.
Teddie pulled away from Theo and looked around at her house. Students she thought that hated her, were now giving her a standing ovation, although she was unsure as to why? She hardly deserved it. She had caused nothing but misery and harm this last year.
"Welcome back, Green," Grayson Farley said, appearing behind Teddie and patting her on the back.
"Thanks, Grayson," Teddie said, beaming. "Has Sierra been awoken yet?"
Grayson nodded. "They're administering the potion now," he said. "She should be back with us by the time the feast arrives. She'll be happy to see you, too, especially after I tell her what happened. Don't scare us like that again, alright?"
"I make no promises," Teddie said, shaking her head.
Grayson smiled and walked away.
Teddie grinned and turned back to her friends. The other students were still cheering and clapping, but Teddie could barely hear them as she wound her arms, once again, around Theo, and buried her face into the crook of his neck. She breathed deeply, feeling the rest of her group of friends pressing in on her from all sides.
Neither of them knew what the future would bring, but if there was one thing that they were more than happy about right now, it was that they had Teddie back, and no one was going to take her from them. Not again.
The End of Book Two.