I'm so sorry this took so long. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 19

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Ever since he was attacked by the Boggart, Teddy had been worryingly quiet. He hadn't joined Sirius for dinner that night and when Sirius walked to his room, carrying a plate of leftovers, he found him asleep on his desk, his head resting on the Marauders Map. By the morning Teddy seemed to be back to normal, or at least he tried to be. He smiled when Sirius spoke to him, practiced his spells obediently and helped with cleaning up the house. But he barely said a word for the entire day.

He spent the whole of the day reading, curling up in one of the armchairs beside the unlit fireplace. But Sirius began to notice he'd been staring at that same page for over ten minutes. "Hey, kiddo." He said, sitting down in the armchair beside him. Teddy looked up, his face casual but his eyes distant. "I think we should talk."

"About what?"

"About what happened yesterday, with the Boggart."

Teddy didn't flinch or reach little Sirius had expected he would. Instead he closed his book, resting it on his lap and looked his godfather straight in the eye. "It got the jump on me."

"I know that but... I know what Umbridge did to you and I probably should've talked to you about it earlier."

"I'm fine." Teddy shrugged, still looking at Sirius.

"As your godfather I want you to know that I'm here if you ever want to talk." He continued.

"Alright." Teddy said, his chest tightening, but there wasn't any emotion in his voice. Sirius gave him a short sideways hug which Teddy quietly leaned into. "I'm just going upstairs." He said once they were done and slowly climbed the stairs, walked down the corridor and shut his bedroom door behind him. He threw himself on his bed, letting out a quavery breath and rubbing his eyes. His chest felt tight as he bottled up all his emotions.

He wished he could talk to his dad, but he knew he would have to explain why the Boggart transformed into chains and he didn't want to deal with his anger, nor did he want anyone else asking him if he was alright, he was tired of being asked that. Slowly he got up and walked to his desk. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

He searched the map for Arkie's name and finally found it in... Umbridge's office. She was in there along with Umbridge herself, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, Ginny and members of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad. What were they all doing in there? He watched as Umbridge, Harry and Hermione suddenly walked out of the office together, leaving the others surrounded by Draco and his gang.

All three of them trudged down to the Dark Forest and disappeared off the map entirely. His green eyes shifted back to the names still in Umbridge's office. The names had begun to move ever so slightly, sometimes going on top of each other and occasionally backing away into the corner. "What's going on?" He muttered in worry. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting their before the names of Arkie, Ron, Neville, Luna and Ginny ran out of the office, meeting Harry and Hermione on the bridge, Umbridge was no longer with them.

They stood there talking for a few minutes before running to the edge of the Dark Forest. His head was spinning as they began to move over the map quicker than he thought possible. They walked straight over the map and through the walls... no that couldn't be right. They were flying? But how? Were they using brooms? And where were they going?

He leaned over the map, so much that his chair slid out from under him and he ungracefully slipped, catching himself on the desk at the last minute. He stood up, but all seven of their names were gone. Suddenly, his eyes flicked over to the Dark Arts Professor's office where a new name had shifted across the paper. He squinted his eyes. The sun had begun to set making the room even darker than usual. "Lumos." He said and the tip of his wand lit up the page.

Teddy started at the name, Severus Snape, standing by Umbridge's fireplace.

Suddenly, there was a commotion downstairs and he could hear his godfather's surprised voice. Abandoning the map, Teddy ran out of his bedroom and down to the dining room. "Sirius- Professor Snape?" Snape's head had appeared in the fireplace.

Usually, Teddy would've laughed at this, it truly was a funny sight but the look on the Potion Master's face silence him. "Close your mouth Mr Lupin or it might stay that way forever." The Professor's head ordered in a no-nonsense tone. Teddy's mouth snapped shut in responce.

"I hope there's a good reason why you've decided to pop in, Snivellus." Sirius said, leaning against a chair.

"I came to make sure that you were here."

"Well, here I am."

Snape didn't seem at all pleased by that. "Why'd you feel the need to check?" Teddy asked apprehensively.

"Mr Potter suspects you are being held at the Department of Mysteries by You-Know-Who." Snape's head turned back to Sirius.

"The Department of Mysteries? Like at the Ministry?" Teddy asked, though neither of the men looked at him.

The shaggy haired man straightened. "Harry? But I've been here the whole time... where is he?"

"I haven't yet been able to track him and his friends down-"

"They're not at Hogwarts." Teddy interrupted. "At least, not anymore. I saw them on the Marauders Map, I don't know how but I know they all left together. They may be there already."

"I'll make sure to warn the Order" Sirius said just before Snape's head disappeared from within the flames that quickly died out.

"Are you going after them?" He asked watching Sirius walk over to the table to grab his wand.

"After I warn the other Order members, yes."

"Then I'm coming with you-"

"No!" Sirius replied quickly, spinning around. Teddy opened his mouth but Sirius cut in quickly. "Your father wouldn't want you in danger. Just stay here... Teddy you're just going to have to trust me, I promise I will return with your friends and your godbrother." Teddy blinked and before he could open his eyes, Sirius had apparated. The kitchen was quiet, and Teddy rolled his wand around in his palm in frustration.

"Stay here..." he mumbled Sirius' words, shaking his head. "Yeah right." His hand dove into the small bucket of Floo Powder beside the fireplace, which he climbed into, crouching slightly to avoid hitting his head. He held his full hand out in front of him. "Ministry of Magic!" He said clearing, through the ash-like powder down and wincing at his vision was filled with bright green flames.