Chapter 24

- Hidden To Be Forgotten -

Teddy sat on the stone cold floor of the school corridor, waiting for Harry and Ginny to return from the Room of Requirement. It was the one place they could think of that could truly hide the book, so that'd it'd never be picked up by anyone ever again.

The boy looked a little worse for wear. His robes were shabby and still wet, his hair were untidy and his fingers rubbed against the wood of his wand in worry. His eyes stared vacantly at one of the tall arched windows, showing the courtyard and miles away, Hogsmeade. His home. So close, yet he didn't know if he would ever be able to return to the little cottage he had called home for less than two or so years.

But it wasn't so much the cottage he missed, nor the garden, nor the shops nearby, nor the little hammock hanging from the rafters in his small bedroom. It was his father. For a moment, when he had first returned back to Hogwarts he had almost forgotten the mess that was his life now. But it had quickly caught up with him.

The corridor had been quiet for what felt like hours, until he heard footsteps. He looked up to see Arkie standing above him. "Teddy."

"I don't wanna talk about it, in fact... I think I just want to be alone." He continued to look up at her, his forest eyes meeting her starry brown ones. She nodded, putting her hand delicately into her robe pockets.

"Just remember I'm here, if you ever need to talk about it." She walked away once he didn't respond. Teddy squinted as the afternoon sun shone through the window and straight into his eyes. He moved to the side, rubbing his eyes in discomfort. As he did someone tripped over his extended leg. Teddy opened his eyes to find Terry sprawled out on the floor.

"Hey." He grunted.

"Sorry." Teddy replied, yet didn't sound very sorry at all. Terry picked himself up, brushing off his robes, but stopped when he saw Teddy's dismal expression. At Quidditch captain looked awkwardly up and down the corridor before staring back down at his room mate. "You okay, Teddy?"

"No." He replied. Terry continued to stand awkwardly.

"Freddie's been wondering where you've been. Should I tell him you're here?"

"No, I want to be alone." Teddy gave a polite smile then stared forward again. He looked to his left in surprise as Terry sat down beside him. From the look on his face, Terry didn't seem to know why he was staying either. "Bad day?"

Teddy was cautious to respond. Out of all of his room mates, Terry had always shown a bit of a resentment towards him. "The worst. But why do you care?" The words came out before he could stop them, yet his tone was dull.

Terry shrugged. "Because... I guess I feel... sorry for you." He said, his voice strained. Teddy smirked for a split second.

"That was excruciating." The two boys smiled towards each other. "But... thanks. You know, I always thought you kind of hated me."

Terry's smiled faded and he stared at the stone floor. "Not so much you... more like, your kind." Teddy shifted uncomfortably. "It was a long time ago but, my dad was turned by a Werewolf."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is he okay?"

"I wouldn't know. He left when I was nine."

Teddy looked at his friends with a sympathetic gaze. "Ter, I had no idea."

"No one does. I haven't told anybody, not even the guys." Terry bowed his head shamefully. "I guess I've just been so ashamed... and when you came in our first year, you were just a reminder of what I'd lost." A sob escaped the boy's lips but Teddy pulled him in closely so that Terry was resting his head on Teddy's chest.

Neither spoke, they just sat there. Enjoying each others company. "I'm sorry, I didn't give you a chance." Suddenly, Harry walked round the corner with Ron. Terry looked up and quickly rubbed his eyes, sniffing.

"Oh, did we ugh, interrupt something?" Ron asked.

"No. No." Terry shook his head. "it's fine. We're fine." He inhaled unevenly glancing at Teddy who was still sitting on the ground. "I'll see you back at the Ravenclaw Tower- and Teddy." He stopped halfway down the corridor. "Thanks."

Once he was gone Teddy looked up at the others. Harry could tell that the shock of recent events hadn't fully gone from Teddy's mind, but whatever he and Terry had talked about had helped. "Is it gone?" He asked and Harry nodded.

Teddy stood up btu turned around when another person walked down the corridor. Professor Slughorn smiled when he saw Teddy but stopped in his tracks when he saw Harry. "Oh." He gasped, spinning around and dashing away.

"Still no luck with Slughorn I'm guessing." Teddy sighed.

"Luck." A strange expression bloomed on Harry's face. "That's it. All I need is a bit of luck."