Chapter 27

- Unforgiven Feuds -

Hogwart's win at the Inter-school Duelling Competition had, had enormous effects on Teddy's popularity. Most of the school ceased staring at him whenever he entered a room, occasionally they would say hi as they passed by and congratulate him on his recent win. The only students whose perspective on Teddy hadn't changed were the Slytherins, Snape, Filch and all of Marcus' friends.

So far, Teddy had been able to stay clear of the Head Boy, but always got the feeling that Marcus was trying to put as much distance between them as possible. Occasionally, Teddy would walk into the Ravenclaw Tower to see him picking on a third year, but he would quickly retreat to his room upon seeing Teddy.

Another thing the competition had positively effected was Teddy, whose confidence looked as though it had decided to stay for good.

Although he constantly worried for his father, it had been good to see most of the other Order members and know they were okay. Of course, he had always been certain that Mad-Eye was fine. If he had gone missing it would most likely have been in the papers, beside the guy was practically unkillable.

Hogwarts had been silent for a while, ever since Harry was able to retrieve Slughorn's memory he'd become curiously secretive. He refused to say anything more the memory, nor if Dumbledore had told him anything else. All he would say was that the Head Master didn't want him to say anything just yet. After the twelfth time Harry had turned down Teddy's plead for information he finally gave up and stopped asking questions.

Instead he tried his best to continue as if nothing had happened. He spent more time with his friends and Arkie, who had begun to spend less time with her friends, who still sadly despised. "They're just too stuck in their ways." She'd said when Teddy had asked her why she wouldn't even so much as glance at them.

"How so?" He asked, yet already guessed the answer. Arkie shrugged, flicking her hair, looking completely unbothered.

"I've tried convincing them but... If they can't see past something as silly and uncontrollable as DNA, then they're not worth my time."

This gave Teddy mixed feelings. It always felt nice when someone stood up for him and it felt even better to watch someone stand up for themselves. But he did feel guilty for being the reason she'd lost her friends. "I should've done that sooner." She'd huffed. "Besides, you, the boys, Harry, Hermione and Ron are all my real friends."

Since then the six of them would always be at each others hips. But their willingness to stay so close to each other wasn't just a sign of their friendship. Despite Teddy's attempts to return to the way things should be, where his biggest worry was passing his History of Magic test - which he had regretfully taken as a subject at the beginning of term, a eerily feeling had fallen over the school and its students.

No one could shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen. The Daily Prophet had begun to print twice the number of papers as usual, the covers covered in missing people ads. The death tolls had increased dramatically all over London. The weather soon became grey and stayed that way, constantly.

One day Teddy looked up to the grey sky as he and the gang sat out in the courtyard after dinner. They were trying to enjoy their last moments outside before they'd have to retire to their dorm, but the stormy weather and cold winds just made the whole thing miserable. "It's too bad I don't have an umbrella." Freddie said. "Looks like it's going to rain soon."

"Hey, did you guys see Professor Dumbledore at dinner?" Leonard asked. A book laid closed beside him, yet he didn't reach to open it like usual.

Teddy shook his head, playing with Arkie's hair as she rested on his lap. "I haven't seen Harry neither. Ron and Hermione said Dumbledore wanted to see him and the two just kind of, disappeared."

"D'you reckon it has something to do with... You-Know-Who?" Arkie asked, sitting up. The boys glanced at each other.

Teddy's lips pursed. "I'd be surprised if it wasn't."

"Where're you going?" Terry asked as Teddy stood up.

"Upstairs. This weather is miserable."

The others also stood up in sync. "We'll come to." Arkie said, slipping her arm around Teddy's waist. They all walked through the nearly empty corridor. Thunder sounded in the distance and the storm clouds thickened almost instantaneously. Teddy couldn't stop thinking that they were somehow a sign, a warning.

Finally they reached the Ravenclaw Tower staircase, but Teddy's stomach dropped when he saw Marcus' group of friends waiting for them. Teddy tried to get past them but they only blocked the staircase further. Teddy, pocketed his hands, secretly holding his wand. "Bad weather, isn't it? Heard Nathan's making hot chocolate in his dorm for anyone who comes knocking. Might drop in for a quick visit before bed, how bout you guys?"

They didn't reply and didn't move. Someone came down the stairs. Teddy looked Marcus in the eye and released a long tired breath. "Marcus, I really don't want to do this now."

"I really couldn't care what you want."

The two gangs stood face to face, both equally outmatched and both with wands in their hands. "Marcus, if we could just get past this-"

"Shut up!"

Arkie glared at him. "Don't speak to him like that!" Marcus didn't even bother glancing at her, his eyes just bore into Teddy's. Thunder boomed outside and a quick lightning flash lit the corridor. Teddy didn't move as the Head Boy came closer, he continued to stand his ground. "Marcus, I'm warning you. This is your last chance to step aside."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, not going to happen. So why don't we finish what we started in duelling training. Only let's skip the whole bowing and et cetera."

"Yes, let's!" Terry growled, wand pointing right at Marcus' face.

"It's okay, Terry. We're not doing anything of the sort." Teddy said, raising a hand and pushing down his friend's wand. It happened as quick as the lightning outside. Marcus raised his fist, ignoring the wand in his belt, aiming for Teddy's nose. At the same time a spell shot from Terry's wand, striking him in the face. Marcus' troupe fired spells and so did Teddy's.

Teddy looked down at Marcus who was crouched on the floor, holding his face in pain. A spell shot off the wall and flew towards Teddy who, without looking at it, raised his wand and deflected it. Marcus glared up at him, baring his teeth. His nose was bleeding and one of his eyes was covered in a dark black bruise. He pounced at Teddy like a tiger, pinning him to the ground.

Teddy fought to push the heavy seventh year off him, he jabbed his knee into Marcus' ribs. His big hands let go of Teddy's shoulders for the shortest second and Teddy quickly slipped out of his grip. Marcus was on his feet, groping for Teddy again but this time he fought back and slammed his foot down on Marcus' foot before firing a quick spell from his wand.

The spell pushed Marcus back a few inches yet did nothing of real significance, not that he had wanted it to. "Marcus, that's enough!"

Around him everyone was still fighting. Arkie was battling a young Ravenclaw girl, who was under the effect of a bat-bogey hex performed by Arkie herself. The girls was tugging at Arkie's hair trying to get her off balance. Teddy's thoughts of helping her were cut short when Marcus pulled out his wand. "It's enough when I say it's enough!"

"Flipendo!" Marcus was too infuriated and too reckless to think enough to perform a shielding charm and was tossed backwards. Teddy bolted down the corridor as the Head Boy was once again on his feet. Marcus had the endurance of a bull and the fury of one too. Where would he go? Marcus was catching up and Teddy wouldn't be able to hold him back for long. Sure he had to admit that at a time like this he was the better dueler, but Marcus was built like a truck and could easily overpower him physically.

The key to his salvation suddenly appeared in front of him. A familiar door he thought he'd never see again before he graduated. The Room of Requirement. Perfect. He ran to it, his heart racing as Marcus' footsteps become closer and heavier.

If he let out a yelp he couldn't hear it as the creaking of the door drowned out all other noise. He flew into the room. It had changed since the last time he'd been in it. Then again it was supposed to change depending on the user's needs and it'd certainly become a good place to hide. Towers of random objects including pianos, chairs, crystal balls, closest, books and strange objects Teddy couldn't even describe, went on for miles, the room didn't seem to have an end, only a beginning.

"Oof!" Teddy turned around just in time to see the doors close and Marcus come running through them at the last second. He landed on Teddy and the two rolled over in the room full of endless junk. Marcus was trying to pry Teddy's wand from his hand, but Teddy kept it close to his chest and used the other hand to push at Marcus' bleeding, bruised face. "Get off!"

His hand sprawled out to the side and his fingers wrapped around something heavy. Without thinking or caring to see what it was, Teddy swung it and the object smashed into a million tiny pieces as it came in contact with the back of Marcus' head. Teddy gasped for air from underneath the heavy, unconscious Ravenclaw.

With slight effort he rolled him off and looked down at his hand. The object appeared to have been something made out of glass, and guessing from the pile of similar objects at his feet, it'd been a crystal ball. His dashing eyes glanced down at Marcus. His chest was rising a falling slowly compared to Teddy's which was jerking up and down quickly.

"Alright, big guy." He grunted, tugging Marcus' unconscious body to the side and out of sight. "Why don't you just sleep it off?"

Suddenly, the doors to the room opened.