Chapter 2

- Expectations -

After the extendable ear incident the eight of them all went back to their rooms.

"Harry, I'm sorry we couldn't tell you about any of this."

"It's fine, Teddy." Harry said, but Teddy could tell he was lying. "So where's your room?"

"It's at the very end of the hall, on the left. I share a room with Dad." Teddy explained.

"It must be nice, to be here with him."

Teddy shook his head, glancing at Arkie who was talking with Ginny further down the hall. "No, really. Dad's been out a lot since we got here, says Dumbledore's given him a few recon missions to do. I barely see him anymore. And when he does come back... I don't know... I just get the feeling he's not telling me everything."

Harry nodded. "I know the feeling."

Mrs Weasley's voice drifted up from downstairs calling for them to come down.

"We'll be eating down in the kitchen."

Crack!

Fred and George appeared behind their mother who screamed in shock. "Oh! Just because you're allowed to use magic now does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything!"

She gave a angry sigh, turning to Harry. "You hungry, Harry?"

Mr Weasley appeared beside her, smiling warmly at Harry. "You sure you're all right, Harry? Gave us quite a turn."

"Harry Potter."

The two Weasley's moved aside.

Harry's face brightened as he ran forward, hugging his Godfather. "Sirius!" Sirius smiled at Teddy who grinned back.

"How are my two godchildren?"

"Same as always." Teddy sighed, his green eyes flicking up to his father who was standing behind Sirius. "What's for dinner?" He asked, taking a seat at the table across from Arkie and Hermione who seated on either side of Tonks. Teddy grinned as the witch, a metamorphugus - meaning she could change her appearance as well - jokingly transformed her nose into a pig's then slowly into a duck's bill.

It was a trick she pulled every time she visited, and yet it never got old.

On the other end of the table Mr Weasley was busy talking to Harry. "This is very, very peculiar. It seems your hearing in the Ministry is to be before the entire Wizengamot."

"I don't understand. What has the Ministry of Magic got against me?"

Everybody went silent.

"Show him." Moody growled. "He'll find out soon enough."

Kingsley Shacklebolt, an Auror for the Ministry, grabbed a familiar issue of the Daily Prophet and handed it to Harry. 'The Boy Who Lies' written across the front page. 'Fudge says: "All Is Well"'.

"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well."

Sirius sighed from the head of the table. "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence at the Daily Prophet to... smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."

"Why?"

"He thinks Dumbledore's after his job." Remus said.

"What? But no one in their right mind could believe that-"

"Exactly the point. Fudge isn't in his right mind. It's been twisted and warped by fear." The tired man replied. "Now, fear makes people do terrible things, Harry. The last time Voldemort gained power... he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear." He glanced at Teddy beside him who was staring down at his plate quietly. "Now he's returned, and I'm afraid the minister will do almost anything... to avoid facing that terrifying truth."

"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again." Sirius said. "Fourteen years ago, he had huge numbers at his command. And not just witches and wizards, but all manner of dark creatures. He's been recruiting heavily, and we've been attempting to do the same. But gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in."

Moody gave a short warning cough.

"We believe... Voldemort may be after something."

"Sirius." Moody said, but Sirius ignored him, leaning forward in his chair.

"Something he didn't have last time."

"You mean like a weapon?"

The quiet was broken as Mrs Weasley, who' be cutting vegetables in the kitchen threw down her knife.

"No. That's enough. He's just a boy!"

Sirius gave her an incredulous look.

"You say more, Sirius, and you might as well induct him into the Order."

"Good!" Harry responded. "I want to join. If Voldemort's raising an army, then I want to fight."

Teddy set down his cutlery. "We all do." Remus just stared at him, his expression unreadable.

Arkie had been busy in the room she shared with Ginny, packing her suitcase. She was usually more prepared, but like everyone else she was too worried the day before about Harry's hearing. She'd been relieved when he'd come back, saying he was cleared of all charges. So relieved she'd forgotten to pack the night before they left for the train station. Downstairs she could hear Mrs Weasley hurrying her children. "Hurry up, we're leaving in twenty minutes and you having even started!"

The Weasley family squabbles always entertained Arkie, though she would never admit it. But suddenly there was a shout that wasn't as comforting, and it wasn't from Mrs Weasley. Arkie recognised it immediately as Teddy's voice.

"What? But you promised you'd be there!"

"What's going on?" She asked, peeping her head out the door and noticing she wasn't the only one curious to hear what was going on in Teddy and Remus' room.

"Don't know." Ron said.

"Teddy I-" Remus said from inside their shared room.

There was a series of loud stomping as if Teddy was pacing back and forth. "You've been here for what? Two days? And you're already leaving again- to do what?"

"I told you, Dumbledore wants me to... he expects me to-"

"To do what? Whatever it is, it can't be more important than spending time with your own son!"

"Teddy we're on the brink of war!" Remus angry tone was scary, and made the listening kids all feel incredibly uncomfortable. "I need to think about the greater good-"

Arkie winced as Teddy shouted, outraged. "THE GREATER GOOD!?"

"I'm doing my best, Teddy."

"Well 'your best' doesn't seem to cutting it! I thought moving in with you would mean I get to spend my time with my father! But I hardly ever see you anymore!"

"I don't have a choice, Teddy!"

"Yes, you do. You've always have a choice!"

"Teddy-" Remus' voice was desperate but Teddy stormed out of their room before he could finish his reply. Everyone either ran back into their rooms or pretended to be staring at the walls in interest.

Teddy completely ignored them, racing up the stairs and out of sight. Arkie's eyes watched him go before glancing down the hall. Remus was standing outside his door before retreating back into the room. "I'll go talk to him." She said to the others.

"I'll finish packing your things." Ginny offered.

"Thanks, Ginny." Her footsteps were light and quick as she climbed up the staircase to find Teddy sitting alone in the attic on an old moth-eaten couch. "Teddy? Are you okay?" He didn't reply, just stared at the ceiling. Arkie joined him, wiping some of the dust before sitting down. "What happened?"

"He promised he'd be there... to see me off at the station. But now he claims Dumbledore has another mission for him, one that he has to leave for immediately. When he told me I just..." He sighed, watching the small dust particles float in the odd streams of sunlight. "I over reacted, didn't I?"

Arkie looked down at her feet, fiddling with her index finger and thumb. "Yes... and no." She replied calmly. "I think there's two sides to every story."

"Thanks." She smiled grimly at his sarcasm.

"What I mean to say is, I know how you must be feeling- even though I might not be able to relate to it. I understand that you feel left out, but he does love you Teddy."

"I know that."

She continued speaking quietly. "But I also think that your dad really is trying. These are hard times and I guess he..." She stopped as Teddy tiredly rested his head on her shoulder. She put her hand on his head, brushing her fingers through his fine hair. "Just, try to see things from his point of view. Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks. I mean it this time."

She held him closely, stilling fiddling with his light brown hair. "You need a hair cut." She said and could feel him laughing in her arms.