A/N: Do not own. So...you get a chapter instead of me sleeping. Or updating my other stories. But for thos of you who read them, they will be updated soon. There is a bit of sexual slurs in here, but I tried to keep it PG-ish. (You try keeping slurs PG, see how hard it is!) These come from the mouth of a bully and were necessary. So you get twoish scenes(one could be several scenes but it is passed my bedtime so...) A Teddy and Harry scene, where we finally hear of Teddy's illness, and an Alexis and Charlie seen. Enjoy! Italics are often thoughts, x's are scene breaks! As always, use your words.

-x-

"Hey Harry." Teddy stopped a few feet behind the boy, speaking a bit louder so not to startle him. He did, after all, know how it felt.

"Teddy! You okay? What happened?" Harry spun around, green eyes betraying his worry.

Teddy hesitated, glancing around the camp lounge. It was their free period, just after lunch, and Charlie had retrieved him from the hospital wing, with strict instructions from the annoying mediwitch. He liked Alexis better, she didn't nag him or treat him like a child. Nor did she talk about him like he wasn't there. The Headmistress had come to check on him, after Tim had run his scans. With his leg now bandaged and strict orders to not pick at it or mess with it, he was free. Just not quite happy. "I'm okay. Not here, Harry." He muttered finally.

Harry nodded immediately, understanding exactly what the other boy meant. There were too many children around, too many people in general. For a boy as private as Teddy, it was not a place to share something, even something simple. "The bunks, then?" He questioned, nodding to their room.

"All right." Teddy turned toward their cabin, frowning at the older boy who stepped in front of them. He glanced at Harry, subtly gripping his wand and giving a slight nod when the messy-haired boy closed the space between them, so that they were standing side to side. His brown eyes quickly took in the room, locate three counselors automatically. Severus had taught the Slytherins that adults could be quite helpful in breaking up fights, not that this would become a fight. He knew at least two of the adults were watching them intently now. Teddy stepped to the side, trying to step around the older, blond boy. But the bigger boy blocked him, glaring down at him.

"If it isn't the batty boy and his brownie. Tossers, you two." Derek sneered, blue eyes narrowing on his two victims. It wasn't that they had done anything to him, of course, but they were there and they acted like such fairies. It was against what his father had thought him and that made it Wrong. It didn't even matter that they were younger than him, they were just...there.

Harry tensed, moving slightly closer to Teddy while mentally loosening his wand from his holder. Not that he would use it if he didn't have to. But it was best to be prepared. He wasn't even quite sure what the older boy had said, but he had heard his uncle say similar things about two men once. A couple like his guardians. So he knew it couldn't be a good thing.

Teddy, quite unlike his friend, knew exactly what the boy meant. He also realized that the boy was a muggle born, as such bigotry was not usually found in Wizarding society. It stung to hear those words referring to his and Harry's friendship, but it was just a friendship...Or perhaps a brother-ship? Harry was almost like a brother to him after all. If nothing else, he was one of his best friends. He took a deep breath, forcing his temper down. They could not rise to his bait. He knew that, logically. So he wouldn't. "And? Excuse us." He shrugged, raising an eyebrow and trying to move around the boy once more.

Derek, however, was not going to accept that. They could not just ignore him! No one was supposed to ignore him when he was like this! Were they? He didn't ignore his father when he said such things, especially since words were usually accompanied by fists. And not listening would earn him a beating. He was angry, but he wasn't quite sure why. He didn't really have a right to be angry, did he? Wasn't Henry always telling him that he couldn't just lash out at people? But he wasn't. Was he? Derek growled, confusion evident in his eyes. Without thinking, he did the one thing that he hadn't really been planning to. He shoved Teddy, hard, causing the boy to stumble backwards and two wands to instantly be pointed at his chest.

"Enough!" Charlie growled, finally reaching the small group of boys. He had heard the conservation, the little of it there had been and had been on his way to put a stop to it anyway. He had paused briefly to share a quiet word with Henry, knowing that he had two preteens to calm and he really did not have the patience for the fifteen year old bully. He had turned his back for one second and it had become physical. Grand, just...grand. The three boys had frozen, stiffening, at his tone, but the wands were not lowered.

Harry suppressed a flinch, eyes darting from Derek to Charlie. He wasn't quite sure whether Charlie was angry at them or not, but he suspected that he was. After all, they were just trouble.

Charlie eyed each boy for a moment, before looking at Teddy and raising an eyebrow. The boy finally, slowly, lower his wand, but he made no move to return it to its holster. He then turned to Derek, frowning at the older teen. "They are younger than you, Derek. You should be setting a good example, not acting like a bully. To Henry with you, I am too frustrated to deal with you." He bit out finally.

Derek grimaced, staring at his feet. He felt...ashamed. It was an odd feeling and he did not like it, not one bit. He knew that if Charlie was angry, he must have done something bad. He just wasn't quite sure what yet. He turned his eyes toward Henry, who was beckoning to him, and sighed. Time to go see what his consequences would be this time.

Charlie sighed, looking down at the two preteens for a moment, before crouching to their levels. "Boys." He murmured softly, quickly raising a silencing spell around the three of them. Two sets of eyes looked up at him, staring out from blank masks. But there was fear there, and uncertainty. Teddy's brown eyes also held anger, but he knew it was not directed at him.

Harry looked up when the anger suddenly disappeared from Charlie's voice. He frowned slightly, feeling magic surround them. It felt like Charlie and it felt almost like a hug for a fleeting moment, before it settled in a circle around them. Somehow he knew it would not harm them, but that it was a good spell. He glanced at Teddy, relaxing slightly when he say the other boy relax. Teddy was his friend and he also trusted Charlie. He knew, logically, that even if Charlie was angry, he wouldn't hurt them. Not really.

He surveyed the two children for a moment, trying to figure out a way to make this better. But bullying was not always an easy problem to solve and the older boy had said some nasty things, things he was not sure the younger two had completely understood. But from the look in Teddy's eyes, at least one of the boys knew what he had meant. "Boys, I am not angry at you. You did nothing wrong. You tried to avoid the situation entirely, and for that, I am proud of both of you. What Derek said was wrong and cruel. He should not have said such things. He is a bully and you two are the better men for trying to ignore him, and then standing your ground when it became necessary." Charlie finished softly, smiling briefly at the two boys. He really was proud of them. He bit back a sigh, eyes settling on Teddy. The child was pale still, but a quick glance at his watch showed that it was not time for the child to check his blood sugar just yet. Which was a bit worrying, actually.

Harry frowned, a bit confused. Charlie was proud of them? Adults were never proud of them, of him especially. Well...Remus and Severus acted like it sometimes, but they were just pretending, right? Because that's what adults did, they pretended to be proud and then smacked you one when your guard was down. But Charlie wasn't lying, he wasn't sure how he knew but he just did. It felt..odd to have someone proud of them. For doing nothing too. Huh.

Teddy grimaced suddenly, fighting down the wave of dizziness. Not here, please not here. "Erm Charlie? Could we please move to the bunks? I don't feel well." He scowled at the floor, his cheeks reddening slightly before it vanished beneath his mask. He would never admit it to anyone, except perhaps to Harry, but he was scared of this new...disease? It wasn't even something that could be healed with magic. He knew that one of his yearmates, and some of the older years as well, had Asthma, but this wasn't asthma and asthma seemed scary, when they stopped breathing. This was scarier. He had even less control over his body now and he hated it. But Tim and Alexis had spent a good while with him, talking to him about it and explaining how they would treat it. Charlie, Tim, or Alexis would help him with it for a while, until he felt comfortable handling it on his own, and they would remind him when it was time to take his medicine or test his sugar if he forgot, not that he planned to forget. He was quite responsible for an almost thirteen year old. More than more of these children anyway.

"Of course we can, Teddy." Charlie straighten instantly, understanding the boy's phrasing quite well. The child might not want any of the other children to know, but all the relevant adults have been or would be informed. After all, it wouldn't do for the child to faint or get severely sick because an adult didn't know what to do in case of an emergency. He canceled the silencing spell with a wave of his hand, stepping toward the 'cabins'. If nothing else, he could pull the two boys into his and Phil's room, since he knew that both Phil and Bain, who had asked to stay with them, were out with other students.

Harry hesitated, glancing at his friend. Teddy was really pale and sweating, something was wrong, he knew. Hadn't Teddy already hinted at that, before Derek stopped them from going to the bunks? He frowned slightly, green eyes filled with worry, following his best friend and Charlie quickly into the bunks.

Teddy grimaced, glancing around the brightly lit messy room. Some of the boys were such slobs and even though Phil and Charlie made them clean up after themselves, the other boys seemed to mess up the room by merely walking into it. There were two other boys there, which he didn't really want right now. He didn't want anyone to know but Harry. But waking the thirteen year old who had trouble sleeping at night, like he did, was not something he could do either. The other twelve-year-old boy, a Hufflepuff, looked up at them for a moment before turning back to his book. Charlie had paused for a moment, before continuing to the back of the room, to a door on the left, opposite that of the loo. He followed at the man's beckoning glance, nodding at Harry to follow. The counselors' room was a bit different from theirs, with three curtained beds instead of bunk beds,as well as desks and wardrobes. It was a bit plain, but it had a homey feeling.

Charlie glanced around the room for a moment, before finally settling his gaze on his own bed. That would have to do, although the bed was nearly as tall as the boy. "Alright Teddy. Why don't you sit down on this bed here for a moment?" He requested, nodding to his bed before conjuring a small armchair for Harry. "You may sit in the chair if you like, Harry." He added quietly, turning his gaze briefly to the small, worried green-eyed child. This was not, perhaps, how Teddy had planned on his friend finding out but sometimes things just happened.

Teddy frowned, staring at the bed for a long moment. He understood Charlie's reasoning, of course, but he wasn't quite sure he could get onto that bed without jumping...and he wasn't sure that jumping was a good idea right now, as he was standing still and very dizzy. He grimaced, turning his eyes to meet Charlie's for a moment. "I...can't. Could you...help me?" He muttered finally, glaring at the floor. Alexis had told him, repeatedly, that there was no shame in asking for help when he needed it, and that he might need help for a bit, until he was used to this illness of his.

Charlie blinked before smiling slightly at the frustrated child. "Of course." He moved slowly, gentle hands wrapping around the boy's torso before lifting him securely up onto the high bed. It was a good step, that Teddy was finally starting to recognize his limits and ask for help. He let the boy settle for a moment before sitting down beside him and holding out his hand. "Why don't you explain to Harry what's happening?" He suggested softly, tapping his wand to the index finger of the small hand now resting on his much larger palm.

Harry tracked the two with his eyes, scowling slightly. He was so confused. Teddy never asked an adult for help, ever. The slightly older boy hadn't even accepted his help in climbing on the castle's walls. Teddy was stubborn, he had just kept trying until he managed to get on top of the wall, even though he had scraped his knee. But Teddy had said that he bruised easily, so it didn't matter. It did matter, to him at least. Maybe his friend was really sick...he wasn't sure he could handle losing Teddy. Not at all.

He nodded, turning his brown eyes to meet green, instead of watching Charlie's movements. It didn't hurt, but he really did not like it. "It's alright Harry. I'm gonna be okay, Tim said. I just..I have diabetes. It's well...I don't know how to explain it." Teddy scowled, eyebrows knitting together. How did he explain that his body didn't make enough...insulin? He hadn't even heard of the illness until this morning. Tim had explained that while type 2 Diabetes was uncommon in wizards, Juvenile diabetes, what he had, was as common in wizards as in muggles. But he didn't know anyone who had it and that made it seem frightening, although he was a Slytherin and Slytherins did not become frighten, especially of a dumb sickness.

Harry frowned, running the word through his thoughts for a few moments. Oh. "That's what Uncle has. And this girl at primary school, but hers was different from uncle's. Uncle got it 'cause he was fat. But Elizabeth's body stopped making the stuff that absorbs sugar and she had to have these shots every day and stick her finger. Do wizards stick their fingers?" He asked absently, before blinking. He had called Uncle fat. Badbadbad. He slammed his hand into his head, repeating the action quickly.

"Harry! Put your hands on your lap please." Charlie frowned, glancing up from the results of the quick scan. He waited until the child had obeyed, before rummaging in his pocket. "Wizards have created a few spells so that they would not have to 'stick' their fingers." He added absently, finding the potion's vial he wanted. Teddy's blood sugar was low, too low for his comfort.

Teddy sighed, turning to look at Charlie, since the man had long released his hand. He grimaced at the potion, knowing that whining would not help and he did not typically whine. But it was the principal of the matter. "I just had one, a few hours ago Charlie." He stated finally, in a bit of protest. It tasted god awful and he really didn't want to have it again so soon. Granted, he had been given one at breakfast and Madam Pomferry had released him at lunch without another one...Not that he needed one, even though he probably did. Alexis had said that he would probably be taking two or three of the potions a day, hopefully they would work. He really didn't want to have the insulin shots. He hated needles.

Charlie raised an eyebrow at the child, silently holding out the potion. He knew that the boy was only being stubborn because he felt he had to be, it was almost...endearing to hear this child whine like a normal child would. The poor boy had enough on his plate without this but there was nothing they could do except treat it. Wizards and witches lived happy, long lives with diabetes; it would just take time to make Teddy's more manageable and to calm the child's fears. A wizard's body was much different from that of a muggle's. His magic would help balance the equation, it would keep him alive if necessary. But wizards also used more energy than muggles, so they needed to intake more energy. The child was too skinny, from years of living with only his father, a man who disdained and abused the boy. They were working on getting him to eat more, which would help balance his sugar, and helping the child realize that there was no shame or weakness in needing a bit of help. Both would help greatly in this battle. As long as the stubborn, usually solitary child did not decide to push them on this. He already knew that Tim and Alexis would be quite unhappy if the child started refusing the potions. As would he, as Charlie had come to care greatly for his boys, especially this two little people, who remained him so much of himself when he was younger. Not that he had ever been that small.

Teddy scowled, finally taking the potion and downing it with a grimace. He hated it. It tasted so nasty. Maybe Professor Snape could make it better? If he could, he'd be much more willing to take it. He didn't want to be sick, after all. He liked having control over his body, so controlling this disease was his new goal. He sighed, turning back to Harry. "I have to sit here for a bit, so that it takes hold and I don't throw up."

Harry merely nodded, getting up and moving over to the bed when Charlie stood. The man looked pointedly at the bed, but he shook his head. He could climb up on it without help.

Charlie merely shrugged, going to do work at his desk, so that he could keep an eye on the boys while giving them some privacy. He watched Harry out of the corner of his eye, gaping when the child merely jumped and floated up onto the bed. Damn. Either Harry can fly or...his magic is growing.

Harry grinned at Teddy, bouncing down on the bed. He had not realized that he could do that, but it was so easy. He just bend the magic in the air to be under him, so that he wouldn't crash down. He could see it, glimmers of magic here and there. It was very dim at the moment and very brief, but he could feel the constant hum of magic. It was nice.

-x-

This was...frustrating. Irritating? Either way, it was trying her patience. Did this people think that she had nothing else to do besides responding to their owls all day? It wasn't like she had a school to rehabilitate or a summer camp to run. There was no staff to over see or students to care for, no appointments with said staff and students to hold or plan for. Clearly, these..people believed that she did not. Perhaps if they had to spent an hour with a child, explaining to them why their parents were not fit guardians and why their guardianship had now been passed to the school, as well as another hour to calm that child down and a third hour to calm herself down, maybe they would be more considerate...or at least stop sending her damn howlers. Howlers for taking over Hogwarts, howlers for not responding to their letters fast enough, howlers for being non-British. The worst, of course, were not the howlers, but the owls that brought the signed terminated guardianship forms, in a bittersweet way. Alexis sighed, glancing up from the most recent letter from a concerned parent at the knock on her door. This was her open office hours, so to speak. Perhaps that was why she waited so long to read this post, so that she'd have an excuse for opening it and then forgetting about it, or incendio-ing it, whichever was more beneficial for her. The incendio-ing held much promise of stress relief. "Komm."

Charlie hesitated before shrugged and pushing the door open. Blues eyes scanned the room, an old habit that was very handy with the children, before returning to the Headmistress. The woman still looked bad under the glamours but he could see health returning to her slowly. He saw it in his children too, every day, as their bodies adjusted to regular meals, positive attention and care.

"Charlie. Was brauchst du?" She asked absently, incendio-ing the letter with a snap of her fingers.

"Is now a bad time, Alexis?" Charlie asked quietly, studying the woman. She did look stressed, but he also knew that came with the job. He wasn't sure if her automatic use of German meant that she was angry or upset, or if it merely meant that she wasn't paying attention.

Alexis blinked, turning gray eyes to meet blue. Her mind had been elsewhere, with these howlers and nasty posts, instead of focusing on this young man. She spoke her native language rarely at Hogwarts, unless she was speaking privately with Tim and it was easier to phrase it in her language. She had slipped a few times in the last three years, of course, but she usually did not. Ah well, she was merely human after all. "I'm sorry, Charlie. I was pre-occupied. Now is fine. Do you need something? Is everything and everyone alright?" She responded finally, gesturing toward a chair and watch the blond slowly sit down. Every movement of the man was slow and deliberate, but she had also seen him stop a fight before it could even begin this morning. She knew he moved slowly unconsciously, because he was used to working with children and teenagers who startled easily, as many of the camp children did. Because he was once a child much like them and he knew that sudden movements were unsettling and sometimes down right terrifying. If only she had a reason to make him talk to a mindhealer, but she did not. Although she knew Tim was trying to get Charlie to come to him on his own. Her students counselors needed counseling. But alas, that was how the world tended to work.

"All my boys were alright, last I checked. Teddy is having low sugar problems but he asked for my help and he was doing much better when I left him." Charlie shrugged, settling into the armchair. Somehow sitting in her office always made him feel like a naughty school boy who had been caught snogging in a broom cupboard again.

Alexis forced back a snort, knowing quite well that Charlie would not have left Teddy if the boy was not alright, unless an emergency came up. And then, only if Bain was nearby. The man was very protective of 'his' boys. She sighed, thinking of young Teddy. To be almost thirteen, severely abused and to suddenly find out he had diabetes...the child had more than enough on his plate, without this thrown on top. "Hopefully, his body will adjust well to the potions. Severus has set to brewing, and improving, a new batch. It has been nearly five years since this school has seen a diabetic child, so all the professors will need retraining. But everything should be alright. Gods willing." She murmured, thinking aloud.

"Hopefully, yes. Besides from a slight bullying issue, and trying to explain sexual slurs to two twelve year olds, I did discover something...interesting." Charlie remarked, causing gray eyes to immediately snap to his.

"Oh?"

"Harry. I think..his magic is growing. I know that children's magic strengthen and grows at puberty but this is different. The child levitated himself Alexis! On to a bed that is nearly four feet off the ground, without so much as a finger twitch. He stares at the walls seemingly at random and he blinks, constantly. It's almost like.." He trailed off, mind wandering back to Harry. The child always seemed to frown when magic was cast near him, to tense up briefly. The child constantly dismantled charms on his bed, the charms on the bathroom meant to prevent harm, alert charms...everything. It was quite unusual.

She sighed, drumming her fingers on her desk. If the child could see and feel magic, if he could manipulate it without thought...it was a rare gift. Not necessarily a gift for only powerful witches and wizards. She knew a hedge witch who could do the same, a woman with low power levels but the ability to see, feel, and channel magic. Much like herself. The hedge witch had taught her empathic magic until she had started her mastery and Tim had found her. Natural empathic magic was rare in Britain and Scotland, she knew. It was not exactly common on the continent, but it was easier to find a teacher there. Touch Healers and most Potion Masters used empathic magic in their work, but it was only after years of learning to feel and sense magic. True empaths did not have to learn to feel, sense, or see magic. They did it naturally. And were often taunted and viewed as outcasts for an ability that many considered both weak and frightening. After all, does a powerful wizard really need to be able to feel magic? Is it natural that a witch could shape magic, without a spell? To many, the answer would always be no. The pieces were falling in to place for her now. It made sense. In his essay, Harry had mentioned that he knew the wards would not drop them. The child was always tilting his head to the side, something she had done at that age. The child had been telling her that he could feel the magic, if not in those words. An empath...it would actually make quite a bit of sense. He would need a teacher though. Empathic magic unchecked could drive the user insane or cause a spectacular disaster. "Like he can see magic?" Alexis suggested finally, causing blue eyes to snap back to her.

"Precisely." Charlie shrugged, meeting her eyes for a moment before glancing away. It wasn't a bad thing but rather a gift. A gift that Harry would have to learn to control, a gift that needed training. And restrictions. Otherwise, the child would dismantle every charm and ward in this castle until Hogwarts fought back against it. The castle would only let so many wards be dismantled before She drained the wizard. He would know; he had tried when he was a teenager to remove certain wards surrounding a certain tower window. But he had used spells, not just shaping the magic at will. Of course if any of his charges tried to dismantle window charms, there would be problems. "He dismantled an anti self-harm ward in the loo last night. I'm not sure if he knew what the ward was for or if he just wanted to see if he could do it. But he needs...teaching, Alexis. I don't need him randomly taking apart wards. That could be...disastrous." He added quietly, turning back to look at her.

"I know he does. If he is truly empathic...there are few here who could teach him. Tim could if he was older, but he is too young to even think of channeling his magic that way." There was only one real solution and she knew it. She would have to talk to Severus and Remus, as well as test Harry's magic soon. "The only other Empath, that I aware of, is myself. We will work something out." She sighed, giving a slight nod. It would have to do. She would not have a child go through what she had. Not if she had a choice in the matter. "Is there anything else on your mind, Charlie?"

The younger man stiffened instantly. "No Headmistress." He responded automatically, before cursing himself for acting like a school boy hiding something. Her eyes had narrowed and she raised an eyebrow at him, leaning back in her chair. Damn woman. Nothing is wrong. She didn't even ask that. Everything is fine. Good. Safe. Cared for. Loved. His mantra was a little bitter lately, but it always helped. It kept him grounded.

"Charlie." Her tone was soft, gentle. One simple question and he was not just defensive, but he had completely shut down. She had merely wanted to make sure that that was indeed all he wanted to bring to her attention before dismissing him. "Talk to me, please."

He grimaced, averting his eyes. Nothing was wrong. Everything was fine. Except...he had almost lost his temper earlier. With Derek. But he hadn't. He would never become like that. He was fine, everything was fine. He was safe. Safe. Hogwarts was safe, Alexis was safe. He was fine. "There isn't really anything to talk about. I'm alright, Alexis. Just tired." He replied finally, looking back up at her. Eye contact, she was more likely to believe him if he looked at her. If he didn't blink or look away. If he smiled easily, as he did now. She'd let it go, because she had no other choice. Everything was fine.

"Be that as it may, you may always come to me, Charlie. If you need anything. Anything at all." Alexis sighed, she couldn't win here. If she pushed, he'd shut down. She could only hope that he would take her offer seriously. But she was not so sure. Charlie was, after all, quite good about avoiding things he did not want to talk about; with her, with the other counselors, even with the children.

He hesitated but gave a brief nod, standing. Before he left her office, however, he turned back to face her. "I will, Alexis. I will." He promised quietly, before heading back to his boys.

Alexis sighed, resting her head in her hands after casting a locking spell on her door. She needed a moment. Or several. So much to do, so little time. So many hearts and minds to heal...but she would do it. Because if not her, who?

-x-

A/N. Teddy is diabetic. I know, I know, it isn't in the books. But I believe that wizards can get the same, or similar, dieseases as muggles. It is all genetics my dear. If Teddy doesn't seem diabetic to you, I tried. I live with two diabetics, but they are both type 2, not type 1. And there is a major difference. So, all medical knowledge here may not be accurate, but it is fiction. And it is my fiction. I hope you liked it. Please, use your words.

~Cas