Chapter 4

- Dumbledore's Will -

Arkie sat the kitchen table facing the window showing everyone preparing for Bill and Fleur's wedding that night. Her thumb rubbed harshly over her knuckles and she sat in isolation. Suddenly, there were footsteps coming down the stairs and she turned around to see Teddy rolling up the sleeves of his collared shirt as he descended.

He looked up when he noticed her from the corner of his eye. Arkie smiled gently back. Mrs Weasley's healing sessions every night for past week had truly paid off. Teddy's wound had completely healed over, the only evidence it was ever there was a light scar neat the top of his temple and another at the bottom of his jaw. He was still as handsome as before and if anything the scars made him look older, but she couldn't shake the feeling it was her fault it was there in the first place.

If she had realized how hurt Teddy had been she would've been there to catch him, possibly heal the mark before it became permanent. "Hey." He smiled, doing up the last of his buttons. The casual tone of his voice was annoying, yet she knew it was to cover up his feelings of pain and loss.

"Hey." She simply replied, looking lovely in her floral patterned dress.

Teddy walked towards the door, ruffling his hair as he did. "I'm just about to go help the others set up. Your parents are coming to the wedding, right?"

"Yeah, they'll be apparating here tonight."

Teddy stopped with his hand on the doorknob. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yes I'm fine." She lied flicking her hand carelessly. "You go help, I'll be out in a bit. Just need to... wash up." Her chestnut hair bounced lively as she glided to the stairs, climbing up them in search of the bathroom. Teddy watched her leave before opening the door.

He quickly joined the others who were standing around a large white tarp. "All together now." Mr Weasley instructed. "One, two, three." They all raised their wands slowly and with it the tent began to rise, setting itself up. "How's it looking at your end, boys?"

"Brilliant!" George replied from behind the rising tarp.

Teddy looked to his left watching his mum and dad standing together, talking in a hushed whisper. Ever since the attack a two weeks ago, Remus had not let Teddy out of his sight for longer than a few minutes.

"Bloody hell." Fred groaned, staring at a tall man dressed in smart clothing that had appeared out of no where and was strutting towards the house. "What's the Minister of Magic doing here?"

Teddy curiously followed after the man but no one else seemed keen on following. "Mr Lupin." The Minister said with a nod looking at the tall, scarred boy. Teddy could sense a little apprehension around the Minister. Teddy had the same gut feeling, he had no yet forgotten the new Werewolf legislations. "I have something for you, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger."

"Come in then." Teddy pushed open the door unfriendly and they both filed inside.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, Minister?" Harry appeared at the end of the room, along with Ron and Hermione.

The Minister gave a knowing stare. "I think we both know the answer to that question, Mr. Potter."

Soon all four of them were sitting on the sofa, facing the Minister who began to open his briefcase and pull out a small cloth parcel. "And this is...?" Harry said. The Minister pulled out a long roll of parchment the hovered and unrolled itself effortlessly. The Minister cleared his throat before reading aloud.

"Herein is set forth the last will and testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." The Minister leaned forward, unwrapping the parcel gently. "First, to Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, a device of my own making, in the hope that when things seem most dark it will show him the light."

He held up a strange cylinder-shaped device no longer than his palm. "Dumbledore left this for me?" Ron took it. "Brilliant... What is it?" The Minister shook his head and shrugged at the same time, as if to say 'no clue'. Ron flicked open the cap at the top and suddenly all the electric lights in the room flew into the Deluminator.

The lightbulbs were still attached, but the light itself was gone. Ron opened it again and the lights shot back to their original sources. "Wicked."

"To Hermione Jean Granger," The Minister turned his head to read the floating will once more. "I leave my copy of 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' in the hope that she finds it entertaining and instructive." Hermione took the book quietly and Ron grinned.

"Oh, Mum used to read me those. The Wizard and the Hopping Pot. Babbitty Rabbitty and the Cackling Stump." Teddy, Harry and Hermione stared at Ron cluelessly. "Oh, come on. Babbitty Rabbitty. No?"

"To Tesdon Teddy Lupin." Teddy looked up, wondering what on earth Dumbledore would have wanted him to have. "I leave this jewelry box, a possession of one of my students long ago, in hope he is encouraged to seek the best in himself."

Teddy took the small encrusted jewelry box. It was small and silver with what looked like tiny black pearls embedded in the shape of a large 'C.H.' on the lid. His fingers slid across the smooth pearls before unhinging the hook-like lock. Inside was a number of numerous little knick-knacks. There was a small brown quill, an old handmade half-breed rights poster, an empty Cauldron Cake wrapper, a gold ring with a beautiful white moonstone in it, a half finished letter addressed to an unknown source and a small moving picture of a young Hogwarts boy sitting alone in a library.

Teddy stared at the random objects in confusion. Why did Dumbledore want him to have this? He had to have some sort of connection with the objects inside, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

The Minister saw the little knick-knacks and raised an eyebrow. He'd been expecting something different, more significant. "To Harry James Potter I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill." He held forward the golden orb to Harry who took it silently.

"Is that it, then?" He said impatiently, eager for the Minister to leave.

"Not quite." The Minister replied. "Dumbledore left you a second bequest: The sword of Godric Gryffindor." Harry glanced at the others. "Unfortunately, the sword of Gryffindor was not Dumbledore's to give away. As an important historical artifact, it belongs-"

"To Harry." Teddy interrupted, staring at the Minister coldly. "It belongs to Harry. It came to him when he needed it in the Chamber of Secrets."

"The sword may present itself to any worthy Gryffindor, Mr Lupin. That does not make it that wizard's property. And, in any event, the current whereabouts of the sword are unknown."

Harry sat forward. "Excuse me?"

"The sword is missing." There was a long silence before the Minister stared straight at Harry, ignoring the others. "I don't know what you're up to, Mr. Potter but you can't fight this war on your own. He's too strong."

As the Minister got up to leave Teddy stared down at the jewelry box, rubbing his thumb against the pearls. Who was C.H.?