"What do we do?!" Victoire hissed, her voice echoing down the passageway. All the possible punishments she remembered Filch threatening the past six years came flooding back. He was ancient now but something about him still gave her the creeps and she knew he had been able to get even the slyest of students suspended, mostly thanks to that damn cat. Now they were cornered, and as Teddy pulled the map back out and cursed himself for misreading it they had to think of something quick.
"This is so stupid, I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Toire muttered, hands in her hair. Despite her family's history she still took her reputation as a prefect relatively seriously. Teddy on the other hand let out a laugh. She whirled on him, eyes blazing.
"You think this is funny? I'm not getting expelled over half a cask of mead!"
"First of all," Teddy said, reaching into his bag, "I'm pretty sure the only one who drinks mead around here is Hagrid and Nearly Headless. Second of all," he pulled something shimmering and light out of the knapsack, "I have a plan."
In a quick sweep he flung the invisibility cloak around Victoire. She raised her eyebrows at him and with a grin he tugged her closer to him, trapping her close with the robe. Slowly he watched a pink blush creep up her face and it only made him grin wider.
"This is your plan?" she mumbled, meeting his eyes defiantly despite the red in her cheeks.
"No. Well… maybe for later." Her blush darkened.
"Focus." she growled.
"Right." he let go of the robe. "Cover yourself with that and wait for my signal. You'll have to keep the keg under it with you-"
"You still want me to bring the keg after all this!"
"We are not showing up to that party with no booze." Teddy said firmly, turning his back to her. She frowned and opened her mouth to argue, but stopped as she noticed his hair suddenly shrinking back into his head, like a video in reverse. "What are you…"
A few moments passed and when Teddy turned around he wasn't Teddy anymore. His hair was shorter, curly and straw blonde. His chin had rounded out and his shoulders, once broad and strong were now bigger and pumped up with muscle. Sticking out from where his nose used to be was a rounder bulbous thing that looked a little like a nose that had met one too many bludgers. Standing before her was a man who resembled a very close alternate to the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. Victoire clasped a hand over her mouth to stifle a cackle.
"Kye Bolten" Teddy said, making his voice a little more nasally "may have decided to stir up some trouble tonight."
"You're wicked." Victoire said, unable to hide her glee through her hand.
"Only in the good way." he winked. "Care to snog me now?"
"Oh sod off." she glared and he let out a laugh, pressing a hand to the top of the trap door. "On my signal. You'll know when to go."
"Good luck." She said, squeezing his hand and having to remind herself that it was Teddy and not Kye she was touching.
"I'll see you back in the common room." he grinned. "Never say I don't do anything for you."
And with that he pushed open the door and scrambled out, leaving it open behind him. She followed close and peeked her head out the door after him. Above ground, he wandered toward the door exiting the room of requirement and slammed the door wide open. On the other side of the wall she heard Mrs. Norris let out a screech of surprise.
"Here pussy pussy pussy…" Teddy crooned in his best Bolton impression as the door closed behind him.
"Wingardium Leviosa" Toire muttered, letting the keg fly out in front of her as she scrambled up the platform sneaking up close behind it and draping the cloak over it as well. It was a miracle it once fit Harry, Ron and Hermione under it. If she had been just an inch taller you'd be able to see her ankles.
Peering out the door she could see Teddy and Norris at a faceoff just down the corridor. Mrs. Norris had her hackles up and was hissing angrily at the Bolton lookalike. The torches sent strange shadows around the hall making a shadow land on Teddy's face that on top of the disguise, rendered him almost unrecognizable. The staircase around the corner groaned with weight and there was the sound of jangling keys. Slowly, Filch rounded the corner and Teddy immediately slouched into a walk that feigned drunkenness.
"Mr. Bolton." Filch grinned, catching sight of Teddy. "A bit cocky of you to be out at this hour."
At this, Teddy let out a loud beltch and Victoire had to catch herself from laughing. "I do what I want, old man." he slurred, swaying slightly. "And no ancient squib is gonna stop me either."
Toire thought he might have been hamming it up a bit but he seemed to have the caretaker fooled.
"We'll see about that." Filch wheezed, his face darkening. He took a step towards Teddy and almost as if on cue the staircase to the right of him started to shift. Teddy glanced down at it and let out a whoop- glancing once over his shoulder towards Toire he shot her a wink.
"Ravenclaw rules!" he shouted, and was off. He lurched toward the stairs and jumped onto the banister. Filch raised his lantern and noticed what Teddy was doing a moment too late- Teddy pushed and was gone in a flash sliding down the railing toward the descending level.
"BOLTON!" Filch yelled, scurrying after him, the staircase swaying in the air. It was just leaving it's stop on the east side of the lower floor and the only sound Victoire could make out from below was Teddy's disguised whoops and Filch cursing the stairs, his keys rattling. She ran to the banister and peered over just in time to see Teddy fling himself onto the hall just as the staircase pulled away, leaving Filch abandoned and carrying him to an adjacent part of the castle.
Victoire let out a loud laugh, watching Teddy scurry away, a flash of turquoise hair poking out from under his robes before it turned back to Bolton's sandy colour.
There was movement at her feet and startling she looked down. Circling her ankles, Mrs. Norris was sniffing the ground suspiciously, a low growl humming in her throat.
Time to go, she thought frantically and without concern for her ankles showing she turned and bolted down the hall, not looking back to see if Mrs. Norris would pursue them.
Down below Teddy ran through the halls, his Bolton disguise slowly slipping away as he made more distance between himself and Filch. The old man had proved himself easier to outrun in the last few years and although he felt bad for making the squib comment he could justify when he imagined the punishment Bolton would receive in his stead. If he was lucky maybe Ravenclaw would be short a beater for their match the following week. Turning a corner he passed by several suits of armour and the boys lavatory. Suddenly up ahead he saw a shadow flash across the wall and the outline of what appeared to be a tail blocked out the lantern's light.
"Shit…" he mumbled, hanging back. The shadow moved and not wanting to risk it he ducked into the lavatory. Pressed up against the cold stone wall he waited. There was no sound coming from outside but just in case he took a few more steps back and stumbled on something soft. Throwing an arm out he caught himself on the sink and looked down. Discarded under the basin was a pile of robes, balled up and put away with the intention of being tucked out of sight. A few green Slytherin ties could be seen in the mess and with a roll of his eyes Teddy imagined a couple students hiding in the castle somewhere who'd gotten to fooling around and left the rest of the clothes behind. His mind wandered to Victoire and with a rush of excitement remembered the dance she had promised him. It was time to be heading back- surely she had made it to the common room by now.
Sticking his head out the door he noticed the source of the shadow he'd seen before. Floating at the end of the hall hovered the Grey Lady, casting a hazy light on the ground. As he stepped into the corridor she turned and seemed to stare right through him.
"A bit late to be tormenting the staff, young Lupin." she spoke, her voice a hollow echo ringing out along the hall. "At the sacrifice of others, no less."
Teddy felt a lump in his throat and a small twinge of guilt at being caught by the one ghost he'd never had direct contact with before in the castle.
"Then I guess I'd better be going." he said, and with a nod and a cautious smile he turned and hurried off toward another moving staircase that would lead to the party awaiting him, and away from the glow of the Grey Lady's shadow.
Upstairs Victoire ran up to the Fat Lady's portrait who was grumbling in a frilly pink night dress.
She ripped off the cloak and the Fat Lady let out a perfectly pitched shriek of surprise.
"Ms. Weasley!" she cried once she'd composed herself. "How can you just go sneaking back and forth past me like that at an hour like this? For heaven's sake I have to put up with the racket inside as well as you coming and going as you please."
"Sorry mam." she grinned. "I was on an errand."
"And a rather short one at that. Harrumph.." she grumbled. "Password?"
"Treachery."
The Fat Lady yawned and the portrait opened.
The noise on the other side was deafening. Immediately bass started to pound out into the hall and Victoire scurried in with the keg and shut the door behind her so as not to attract more attention. The common room was a sauna, Gryffindors and students from other houses alike all crushed together in a sea of bodies. Everyone was drunk and sweating. Couples were paired off snogging in corners, friends yelled over drinking games and someone had enchanted a number of instruments to hover over the crowd and play the latest Smashing Cauldrons songs.
She scanned the tops of heads for teal hair but when she couldn't spot any, another familiar face materialized beside her.
"You're back!" Marcy grinned, pulling Clyde out of the group with her. Both of them smelled like booze and Marcy had another fresh hickey on her neck.
"You two really can't take a break can you?" Victoire laughed pointing to the hickey.
"You already commented on it you twat!" Marcy laughed drunkenly. Confused, Victoire opened her mouth to argue but Clyde interrupted. "Did you bring booze?!"
Smiling and with a flourish, Victoire reached behind her and ripped the cloak away dramatically. A couple third years jumped back in surprise as the keg popped into view and Clyde let out a whoop.
"WEASLEY BROUGHT A KEG!"
There was a huge cheer as those surrounding them turned and more people took notice and the next thing she knew a drink was being passed to her and she was being pulled into the throng as people laughed and shouted at her approvingly.
"Bottoms up!" Marcy said, throwing back a shot of firewhiskey and passing Victoire one to do the same.
What the hell… she smiled, and without a second thought tossed the whiskey back. It burned her throat going down and she coughed and sputtered much to Clyde's amusement. Then Sean was there tapping the keg, someone turned the music up loud and the party really got started.
Victoire and Marcy found their way onto the makeshift dance floor someone had made by pushing all the old couches and cushions away to the edge of the walls. The music pounded and as Victoire continued to drink she found herself getting lost in the music.
"How'd -ou g- down er- so -ick!"
She turned around and saw Ginger starting at her drunkenly, swaying behind her in the crowd. "Ginger!" Toire squealed, wrapping her arm around her friend. "Dance with me!"
"How'd you get down here so quick!" Ginger shouted in her ear, but she ignored her and the three girls started dancing harder.
"Where's Teddy?" Marcy shouted and Victoire looked around. "He should be here any minute!" she yelled back, but upon another scan of the room the teal hair was nowhere to be found.
Teddy slid up to the front of the Fat Lady who had been watching him round the corner.
"I swear if I'm woken up again to let another of your posse through Mr. Lupin…" she grumbled.
"Ah, don't be like that." Teddy grinned. "I heard you used to love a party in your day."
"In my day?" She repeated, her face reddening to match the shade of her nightdress.
"Treachery?" he said, wincing.
"Indeed." And with that the portrait swung open.
Teddy climbed through the doorway and was greeted with the sight of nearly a hundred students pressed together, nearly all of them holding plastic cups enchanted to match the colour of their houses. To the left of him, several couples were hunkered down on pillows pushed to the side of the room partaking in choices they would either regret or forget come morning. To the right of him, Alli Sekhon and Pierce Jordan were doing a kegstand. Same sentiment.
He passed by the keg where Sean and Jensen were officiating; apparently it was some kind of competition to see who could last longer and by the looks of things Alli was winning. "Lupin!" Sean called out, his face ruddy from drinking. "Join us!"
A beer was pushed into his hand as well as a shot and without thinking he downed them both.
"Atta boy!" Jensen yelled through the crowd, passing him another.
"Have you seen Toire?" Teddy yelled back, feeling bolder already. He'd stolen a keg, escaped Filch and even the Grey Lady couldn't sway him. He felt a fire in his chest and wondered if this was what liquid luck felt like- or maybe that was just the whiskey.
"She was upstairs talking to Ginger! I think she's really drunk, she was acting a bit odd!"
"Really?" Teddy shouted back, surprised she'd managed to get drunk so quickly when he hadn't been that far behind her. "I should go find her…"
"Help me with this first!" he yelled back as Alli pumped her arms triumphantly after descending from the stand. Jensen was already helping a sloshed Melanie Atkinson up on to the keg while Pierce Jordan swayed nautiously away from his opponent. Teddy laughed and grabbed Melanie by an ankle, helping Jensen lift her upwards so that another girl could have a go.
Victoire wasn't sure how much time had passed, she just knew that she was having a blast. She couldn't remember dancing this hard since her summer in France, and since then she had picked up more confidence. Or that could have just been from the alcohol. Regardless she felt eyes on her as she moved on the dance floor, shoulders and hips touching, not always being able to tell her friends from strangers as they all jumped and sang along to the beat.
"You seem a lot better!" Ginger yelled at her through the music. "I don't know what happened with Teddy, but I'm sure it'll be better soon!"
"What?" Victoire said, thinking she'd misheard her.
"I said- I'M SURE IT'LL GET BETTER SOON!"
"Okay!" Toire laughed back, confused. "Maybe I should find him!"
She scanned the room again and suddenly caught a flash of teal. Actually it was more blue than teal but she was sure it was him, moving through the crowd towards the boys dormitory.
"I'll be back!" she shouted to the girls who nodded, and she pushed through the crowd following the figure.
On the other side of the room, Teddy was busy still supporting Melanie. He was properly drunk now and his eyes scanned the crowd. He wasn't sure how late it was but Toire had to be here somewhere. Glancing upward he looked towards the staircase to the girl's dormitories. A few couples were wandering upstairs and he realized someone must have lifted the spell on the steps keeping boys out of the rooms. He hadn't managed to pick Toire out of the crowd just yet- maybe she was up there with Ginger and Marcy. "I'll be right back!" he yelled to Jensen who nodded as Melanie swung off the keg next to him looking queasy. Jensen nodded and Teddy turned towards the stairs.
He pushed through throngs of sweaty Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs alike, dodging a cheers between blue and green houses he took the first few steps towards the girl's rooms and when they held he continued upwards. Something in his heart fluttered as he imagined Toire up there. Maybe she was waiting for him. She'd seemed eager before when he'd been flirting with her in the tunnel. He had a flashback to when he'd lifted her down in the Hog's Head only hours before; how she'd wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest against him. How he wanted to pick her up again and really show her how he felt. He wouldn't hold back this time, he couldn't any longer. He needed her, had to feel her breath on his skin, her hands in his hair and her soft gasps say his name over and over.
He reached the top of the stairs flushed and excited. Several of the doors to different doors were ajar and he peeked in to each of them. Some held students giggling under covers, other were locked with large DO NOT DISTURB signs containing the less rowdy Gryffindors. Toward the end of the hall there was a door nearly shut and something about it caught his eye. There was a Ravenclaw tie hanging on the door handle. Hurriedly he rushed toward the door, throwing it open, his eyes searching. At first he thought the room was empty- the beds were unmade and clothes were tossed on the ground in piles. But then he heard it.
Soft sighs. Low moans.
He stepped further into the room and he saw them.
Victoire was pressed up against the wall in the corner of the room. She was sitting on a pile of trunks, her head thrown back and flushed, pink under her freckles. Her hair was loose and spilling down around her shoulders and her shirt was off. Pressed up against her, his face buried in her neck, his fingers disappearing under the lace of her panties, was Max Northwick. He was whispering something in her ear, his shirt off and tie thrown across the floor. Beside them two green plastic cups lay empty and as Max pushed his fingers lower through her underwear Victoire let out a low moan. Her eyes flickered open and they met Teddy's.
In that moment, all the warmth he'd known from those eyes vanished. She stared at him, stone cold.
Seconds passed.
Teddy recalled Victoire in her dress for the Yule Ball, how gorgeous she'd looked then.
Max dragged his teeth along her neck and still she didn't break his gaze.
He remembered her in the pool in the Prefect's bathroom, both of them soaked and hot and playful.
Victoire wound her hands through Max's hair and pulled his head back. Max turned around and stared at Teddy standing there.
He remembered them soaring over the Burrow at Christmas. Her arms wrapped around him. Telling him she loved him.
Taking it all back.
"Jesus, Lupin." Max laughed darkly under his breath, pulling his fingers out of Toire's underwear. They were wet, and suddenly Teddy couldn't see anything anymore. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to knock?"
Victoire looked at him long and slow.
"What is this?" Teddy asked her, ignoring Max's question.
"I'm sorry Teddy." she whispered, her eyes still empty, her hands still in his hair. "I was wrong. I couldn't make up my mind but I know what I want now." And with that she broke their gaze and turned back to Max. "His mother never taught him that." she answered. "She's dead."
Teddy doesn't remember much from after that.