Chapter 23

- Sectumsempra -

The sun shone threw the windows of the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey placed her hand delicately on the unconscious Ron's forehead, checking his temperature. Around him, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, Arkie and Teddy were all watching silently. They all wanted to be there when he woke up. But the doors to the Hospital Wing suddenly open and for figures entered the room.

Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, Snape and Slughorn, who was carrying the very bottle that contained the poisoned liquid, all stared at Ron in shock and empathy. Hermione held on to Ron's hand, not looking away from him for one second. Teddy had seen that look before, he himself had given it to Arkie, who was massaging his shoulder reassuringly.

"Quick thinking on your part, Harry, using a bezoar." Dumbledore said, breaking the silence. "You should be very proud of your student, Horace."

"Hm?" Slughorn looked up the nodded. "Oh, yes. Very proud." His mind was obviously elsewhere.

Professor McGonagall closed her eyes for a second. "I think we agree Potter's actions were heroic. The question is, why were they necessary?"

"Why, indeed." Teddy looked up at the professor's in interest. Dumbledore had turned and was walking towards Professor Slughorn, gently taking the bottle. "This appears to be a gift, Horace. You don't remember who gave you this bottle?" Slughorn shook his head in response, yet was unable to utter a single word.

Dumbledore sniffed the top. "By the way, it possesses remarkably subtle hints of liquorice and cherry... When not polluted with poison."

Slughorn finally seemed to have found his voice. "Actually, I had intended to give it as a gift, myself."

"To whom, might I ask?"

There was a pin-dropping silence. "To you, headmaster."

Teddy wasn't at all surprised to hear that and by the looks of it, neither was Harry. Teddy hoped Harry had dropped his whole idea of Draco's loyalty to the Dark Lord and new Death Eater status, yet he knew he hadn't. But even so, slowly the idea was becoming less unlikely. Suddenly, a new noise filled the room. The quickly sound of shoes and suddenly, a familiar curly haired girl entered the Hospital Wing.

"Where is he?" Her high pitched voice trilled. Teddy watched with annoyance as she pushed right in between him and Arkie, struggling to get to Ron. "Where's my Won-Won? Has he been asking for me?" Lavender's eyes fell on Hermione with absolute loathing. "What is she doing here?" She hissed, her voice like acid.

Hermione's gaze also darkened. "I might ask you the same question."

"I happen to be his girlfriend." Lavender stood tall and proud, like it was some badge of honour.

"And I happen to be his..." Hermione's voice cut short. "Friend."

"Don't make me laugh." Lavender said, but looked nowhere near ready to laugh. Her face had gone red with anger. "You haven't spoken in weeks. I suppose you want to make up with him now that he's suddenly all interesting." Teddy felt his eyebrows knit together angrily, yet he didn't join in on the heated conversation. It wasn't his battle to fight.

"He's been poisoned, you daft dimbo!" Hermione gasped. "And for the record, I've always found him interesting." At that moment, Ron shifted, his head lolling to one side. Teddy glanced up at Arkie was she was still watching Lavender with interest.

"See?" Lavender said. "He senses my presence. Don't worry, Won-Won. I'm here. I'm here." She moved closer, again pushing Teddy to the side, and brushed Ron's hair from his face. Ron's lips moved, yet his eyes remained shut. At first his words were too silent to hear, but the grew slightly louder.

"Hermione... Hermione..."

Teddy's eyebrows raised and his lip curled up in a genuine smile. Lavender however was on the verge of tears and ran out of the room, her sobs echoing off the walls. Dumbledore cleared his throat and Teddy realised the professors had been there the entire time. "Oh to be young and to feel love's keen sting. Well, come away, everybody. Mr. Weasley's well tended."

Teddy took the hint and, still holding Arkie's hand, followed Harry and Ginny out of the room, glancing at Hermione over his shoulder. She was looking down at Ron, holding his hand. When she noticed their staring she blushed. "Oh, shut up."

"About time, don't you think?" Ginny whispered to Harry and Teddy watched as he nodded, blushing ever so slightly.

"Love is in the air today." Arkie whispered into his ear and Teddy smiled, leaning down and kissing her lightly. "I'm going to try talking to Lavender." She said kindly.

"Good luck."

A week or two had passed since Ron was let out of the hospital the five of them were all seated at the breakfast table. Teddy and Arkie sat side by side leaning over an issue of the Daily Prophet. Harry was completely invested in his Potion's book, as usual.

Teddy began to wipe someone cold and white off the newspaper. "Stop it, Ron." Hermione whispered. "You're making it snow."

Ron blinked and the snow stopped. He looked at the others silently. "Tell me how I broke up with Lavender again." All eyes went to Hermione, who was glancing between Ron and her half finished breakfast.

"Well, she came to visit you in the hospital. And you talked." Hermione said, being careful with each word she said. "I don't believe it was a particularly long conversation."

Ron let out a relieved sigh, twirling his spoon in his hands. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm bloody thrilled to be shot of her. It's just, she seems a bit... put out." They all followed Ron's gaze, to the blonde curly haired girl, glaring at them, gripping her spoon so hard Teddy could imagine it bending over. There was a slight joy in Hermione's voice.

"Yes, um... She does, doesn't she?"

"See you're talk went well." Teddy mumbled to his girlfriend who elbowed him in the ribs. "Sorry." He apologized. Hermione turned to Ron, her face all serious again. "You say you don't remember anything from that night. Anything at all?" Teddy could tell she was hopeful, yet he couldn't decipher whether she did or didn't want Ron to remember. Ron looked up, thinking.

"There is something... But it can't be." He laughed. "I was completely boggled, wasn't I?"

Disappointment was plain on her face. "Boggled." Harry glanced up from his book for a second and in that second Teddy was able to read a quick sentence that'd been scribbled in by the so-called, mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

'Sectumsempra - For enemies'

"Harry." Hermione said, pointing a group of girls passing by. "That's Katie." When Harry gave no reaction she rolled her eyes. "Katie Bell."

"Wasn't she the girl that got cursed in Hogsmeade?" Teddy asked, but Harry had already jumped to his feet and was practically sprinting towards Katie. The two talked for a while and Teddy tried his best to get a hint of what was being said. But unfortunately he was a terrible lip reader. Suddenly, Katie seemed distracted and was staring at the entrance to the Great Hall. Harry spun around and Teddy turned in his seat.

Standing by the door, was Draco. Looking, for once, scared and anxious. But the Slytherin boy didn't stay for long and quickly retreated out of the Great Hall. Teddy groaned though as Harry followed after him in quick pursuit. "I'll be back." He said to the group, getting out of his seat and toeing behind Harry. "Harry-"

"Not now, Teddy!" Harry snapped, sounding very unlike himself. Teddy hadn't expected him to react so angrily, yet continued to follow. There was no way he could just sit idly by while his friend did something stupid. "Harry, this isn't-"

"Seriously, Teddy! Go away!" Harry shoved open the boy's bathroom door in which Draco had disappeared into. Teddy pushed it open after him and grabbed Harry's shoulder. He opened his mouth to tell Harry to turn around and go back to the Great Hall when he suddenly heard sobbing. A boy's sobs. Draco was leaned over one of the sinks, the faucet running.

He looked horrible. His hair was messy and his eyes were red and puffy from crying. Teddy almost felt sorry for him, as if forgetting all those times he had bullied him due to an uncontrollable gene. Draco didn't seem to realize they were there. "I know what you did, Malfoy." Draco looked into the mirror, spotting Harry and Teddy and spinning around to face them.

Teddy tried grabbing Harry's shoulder, to stop him, but Harry shrugged him off. "You hexed her, didn't you?"

Draco grunted and an invisible spell shot towards the two boys. Both of them jumped out of the way and teddy fell on his side against a cubicle door. Harry however was still on his feet and returned the spell viciously. Draco dodged it but the sink behind him exploded and the pipes shot out heavy amounts of water.

"Harry, stop!" Teddy yelled, getting up yet keeping his wand tucked away in its holster. Harry ran around the cubicles, and Teddy could hear several spells being fired. He got up almost slipping on the wet tiles. "Stop!" There was a shattering of glass somewhere in the bathroom and then silence. Only the spraying of water could be heard.

Teddy ran around a corner and bumped straight into Harry, who had a murderous glare in his eyes. Harry barely noticed Teddy and was soon down on all fours, looking underneath the cubicles. Draco must've been doing the same as a bright curse missed harry by an inch. "Stop it! Both of you!" Harry ran off and Teddy finally slipped on the flooded floor.

Numb pain shot through his back which was now soaked. He forced himself once more onto his feet. He ran down towards the sinks and bumped straight into Draco, who held his wand up ferociously. Teddy raised both his hands in fear. His eyes widened as suddenly he hear Harry's voice. "Sectumsempra!"

Draco was tossed to the side like a rag doll and fell on the ground with a thud. And stayed there.

Teddy watched in horror as deep wounds began to grow all over Draco's body. The bleeding was uncontrollable. Harry stood on the other side of the room, looking like an animal as he panted loudly, no hint of regret nor guilt in his eyes. Draco's breathing had gotten croaky and he let out a few high pitched whimpers of pain. Teddy leaned down by his side, eyes wide and hands shaky. "Reparifors" He said, pulling out his wand. But the wounds didn't vanish, they just continued bleeding endlessly.

The door to the bathrooms opened and Professor Snape walking in. He didn't yell nor panic when he saw Draco lying on the ground in pain. Teddy stood up, walking towards Harry who had finally seemed to have gotten a grip on his humanity. Snape glared at the boys who walked out of the room.

"Vulnera Sanentur." Snape muttered, waving his wand slowly over Malfoy's boy. The blood slowly began to reentered Draco's body before deep cuts healed. "Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur." His voice disappeared as they walked out of the bathroom. Harry, still panting, looked up at Teddy. His eyes finally full of regret, guilt... and fear.

Teddy's eyes were also filled with the same fear.

In the last few weeks he had learnt that he had family who pretended he didn't exist, he'd come close to dying more times than any sixteen year old boy should, the Burrow was destroyed and now his best friend had just done the unthinkable. It was all too much... but he had to stay strong, he had to keep everyone and everything together. It felt like his job, his duty to his friends and family.

Teddy stared down at the potions book tucked into Harry's robes. He knew what had to be done, they both did. "We're getting rid of that. Right now."