Chapter 14

- Relocated -

"Harry! Harry!" Teddy, Hermione and Ron ran towards Harry who was walking into the castle beside Cho. They'd all just gotten off the Thestral drawn carriages. "Hagrid's back!"

Harry looked at Cho, conflicted about his options. "I'm sorry. I'll catch up with you later."

They all abandoned their luggage by the door and were off, running down the stone path and the grassy hills towards the familiar hut on the edge of the Dark Forest. A few times Teddy nearly tripped over and struggled to keep up with the others. Finally, they reached Hagrid's hut and were surprised to hear Umbridge's voice humming sternly from inside. They all gathered round one of the windows.

"I will say this one last time. I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been." Umbridge ordered, looking up at Hagrid with utmost disgust. Teddy felt a wrenching feeling in his stomach.

"I 'old you. I been away for me health." He replied and Teddy almost gasped at the big purple bruise decorating his swollen eye.

"Your health?"

"Yeah. Bit o'fresh air, you know."

Umbridge didn't look convinced. "Oh, yes. As gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by." Her voice dripped with sugary sarcasm. "If I were you, I shouldn't get too used to being back. In fact," she glanced at his luggage and gave a small giggle. "I mightn't bother unpacking at all."

Teddy felt Harry grip his shoulder and pull him back, he hadn't even noticed he had begun to march forward in anger. Umbridge left the hut, which they all hid behind, watching her spray the air with perfume and then the hut as if she was using sage to rid the space of demons. When she was gone they all gathered inside, quickly welcomed by Hagrid, who had expected their visit.

He poured them each a large mug of tea, though none of them drank it, their stomachs were still churning with worry and curiosity. "Now, this is top-secret, right?" Hagrid said, putting a large piece of meat on his swollen eye. "Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants."

"Giants?" Teddy gasped, though wasn't that surprised. His father had been attempting to do the same thing with the Werewolves. By the looks of things, neither of them had been successful so far. "You found them?"

"Well, they're not that hard teh find, teh be perfectly honest. They're so big, see?" He explained, the meat dripping warm animal blood on the floor which Hagrid's dog, Fang, quickly slurped up. "I tried teh convince 'em to join the cause. But I wasn't the only one that was trying to win them over."

"Death Eaters?" Harry whispered.

"Yeh. Trying teh persuade 'em teh join You-Know-Who."

"Did they?"

"I gave 'em Dumbledore's message. Suppose some of 'em remember he was friendly teh 'em. I suppose."

Everyone was quite, but Teddy couldn't hold back the question anymore. "And they did this to you?" He motioned to his face.

"Not exactly, no." There was a low whimper and Fang looked longingly at the piece of meat. "Oh, go on, yeh have it, then, yeh dozy dog." He stopped at the high pitched whistle coming from the wind outside. He stood up, towering over even Teddy, and staring out the window at the graying sky. "It's changing out there. Just like last time." Teddy and the others stood beside him. "There's a storm coming. We'd all best be ready when she does."

Teddy hadn't bothered to pass the Great Hall to check the decree, though he was sure there'd be plenty more. He could barely keep up with them at this rate and there was no avoiding detentions anymore, at least not for him. Umbridge seemed to long for her lessons with Teddy, just to make him miserable and remind him of his inferiority.

He'd see her in the corridor between classes occasionally but would walk silently passed her. She'd begun to pick on his attire, even though he always made sure he looked spic and span before leaving his room. So Teddy spent most of his mornings, straightening his tie, tucking in his shirt and tying his shoelaces.

At the end of the second day of school, Teddy was surprised to see his dorm door open. He peered inside and gasped when he saw Filch rummaging through his room, packing everything away. "What's going on?"

"Yeh movin'." Filch sniffed, disrespectfully shoving the photos of his friends and family into his suitcase.

"Since when?"

"Since this morning." He spun around, unsurprised to see Umbridge trotting towards him. "Didn't you check the noticeboard? Educational Decree number 108. All half-blooded creatures must remain at least five feet away from witches and wizards."

"What?" Teddy heart had sunk to his stomach. He couldn't breath, his lungs refused to work and instead his mouth hung open, silently gasping for air. He finally remembered how to breath, but barely had time to enjoy the rush air in his lungs before Filch closed his suitcase and trudged out of the room.

"This means you must keep your distance from wizards at all times, day and night." She smiled, taking a few steps away from his. Teddy's lip twitched when she said 'wizards', like he wasn't one himself.

"So why are you moving me? I'm nowhere near any students down here."

"I have reason to believe that it is no longer safe for you to spend full moons here." She flicked her hand to the small and now bare room.

"And what reasons are those?" He crossed his arms, glaring at the pudgy woman.

"I have recently been informed of your previous midnight wanderings, during full moons." His face went pale.

"That was two years ago," he said, quickly reminding himself that breathing was important and that he should do it quickly before he'd pass out. "And besides, the first time I was drawn to my dad, in his office. I ran into Professor Snape, yet I didn't hurt him. And the second time wasn't during a full moon." He said, remembering walking through the dark corridors with the Marauders Map.

"I'm afraid the risk is too high. But don't worry," she giggled, which did nothing to soothe him, not that she wanted to in the first place. "I think I've found the perfect place to... relocate you."

She gestured for him to follow Filch, still keeping her distance. Teddy followed the grubby man wearily. He stumbled slightly as they walked down the stairs into the dark rooms below. They moved past the Potions classroom and further down another flight of stairs. Grey water was leaking from the ceiling and the only light were from the strange green candles hanging on the walls. He almost slipped on the last row of stairs. "Where are we?" His voice echoed against the stone walls.

Umbridge simply giggled. "Isn't it just perfect for you?" She asked rhetorically as they stopped in front of what could only be described as... a dungeon. Teddy had heard of the underground dungeons below the school, but had never dared to visit them. It was said that misbehaving students were once tortured down there back when Hogwarts was first founded. "Please tell me this isn't what I think it is." He begged and bawled his fist at the High Inquisitor's giggle. He would love nothing more than to use the new knock-back charm Harry had taught him in their secret Dark Arts lessons.

"Welcome to your new dorm. We'll leave you to get set up." She said as Filch threw his suitcase inside the cell. It burst open, spreading its contents all over the wet, dirty floor. There was desk, no wardrobe, no nearby light, not even a bed, only a thin sheet crumpled up in the corner.

"You can't- Dumbledore would never allow-"

"Dumbledore has no choice in the matter. Oh, not too close dear!" She warned, forcing him to take a few steps back. "This is a Ministry matter and its for the safety of all witch and wizard kind. Now, each night Filch will make sure to come past and lock the door and will let you out in the morning, is that clear dearie?"

Teddy looked back at his new room. But he knew it wasn't a room, it was a prison. Then he noticed something, something that made him want to break down into tears. It couldn't be... she wouldn't!

"Are these?" He picked up the long object, attached to the wall at the back of the cell. Chains.

"For full moons, and if I'm correct there should be one tomorrow night. Right?" He didn't respond. "All right then. Have a good nights sleep." She wished and Teddy heard a bang and the turning of a key, followed by two sets of footsteps. Until he was completely alone, in the dark, damp and dreary cell... and there was nothing he could do.