Chapter 6

- Safe House -

"Quick! Inside!" Teddy hissed in a hushed whisper as he pushed Arkie through the doorway of number 12 Grimmauld Place. He looked up and down the dark, lamp lit street. Once he was sure there was no one about he followed in after Arkie, whose faces was wet with salty tears. He closed the door with a soft, creaky thump.

Suddenly, Arkie yelled. Teddy followed her eyesight and gasped in shock as Dumbledore's ghostly figure came flying towards them from the other end of the thin hallway, his hand extended threateningly. Teddy instantly wrapped himself around Arkie like a shield, but the ghost-Dumbledore burst into dust less than half an inch before it reached them.

Arkie's body shook in his arms. "It's okay. It's just a security measure, probably Mad-Eye's idea." Just the mention of the Aurors name sent shivers down his spine, but he had more important things to think about than the loss of a friend and former teacher. "Come on." He led her down the hall, listening to her shaky breaths.

He sat her down at the kitchen table, but just as he turned towards the kitchen, she shot up out of her seat as if she'd just had an electrical shock. "I have to go back!" She shouted, running to the hallway, but Teddy grabbed her before she could reach it. "Let go of me, Teddy! My parents, they're still there!"

"So are mine, Arkie. But they'd want you safe!"

"They need our help!" She fought against his grip, slamming her fists into his chest continuously, though it had no effect on him. Teddy let her hit him, it didn't hurt and he didn't know what else to do.

"There were plenty of Order members at the wedding, I'm sure they're all fine." He said, expertly hiding his inner distress. Arkie's hits slowed as she grew tired, finally she leant against him, bury her tear stained face into his chest.

"I saw them. Mum was shot back, she fell backwards. Dad went to help her. Next minute they were both gone." He placed both arms around her, one of the back of her head and the other in the center of her back. He rubbed her back with his thumb, trying to relax not only his weeping girlfriend but himself too. "They'll be fine, I promise... They have to be."

Eventually, he was able to get Arkie to sit down while he made them both steaming cups of tea. Teddy took a sip of the boiling flavoured water which burnt his throat, yet he barely noticed. He was waiting for something, a sign, a message from someone saying that everything was okay. But no such message came for hours.

By the time the bright Patronus shot through the doorway and into the kitchen, their teas were ice cold. Teddy watched the Patronus and his gut wrenched when he realized it wasn't his father's. Remus' Patronus was a wolf, exactly like Tonk's whose had changed form from a hare to a wolf shortly before the two had started dating.

Teddy's mind flicked to when Arkie had used her own Patronus to surprise a Death Eater. Only her Patronus too had changed from a sparrow, to a grizzly bear.

But he had no time to dawdle on the thought though as the Patronus, Mr Weasley's Weasel, began to talk. "Everyone's safe. Gone into hiding. Do not reply." Then it disappeared. Arkie let out a sigh mixed with a whimper and Teddy stretched over the table to put his hand on hers.

"So what are we supposed to do?" She finally said. "Just sit and wait here?"

"I told Harry and the others to meet at the safe house. I hope they understood I meant here." He stared down at his own palms. "But, yes. We wait." After another hour or two of sitting silently in the kitchen, Teddy coughed. "You should probably get some sleep. I'll keep watch."

Arkie didn't have to be told twice as she excused herself from the room and mounted the stairs quickly. Teddy could've sworn he heard a small sob escape her lips before a bedroom door cut off all noise. He'd finally had enough of staring at the same spot on the kitchen wall and walking up the creaking, molding stairs towards the next floor.

He made sure he was quiet when he passed Arkie's room and continued down the hall. As he walked his hand brushed past one of his dress robe pockets. Something was inside it, he quickly pulled it out and stared at the jewelry box. He remembered putting it in his pocket before they left for the after party. The letters C.H. stared back at him and he kept getting the feeling he should know whose initials those were. He opened the box again and stared at its contents.

He picked up the small picture of the boy, which no longer than his pinky finger. His eyes studied the boy intensely. He was a Gryffindor, Teddy could tell by the symbol on his Hogwarts robes. He was very good looking, a little shaggy though, yet familiar. Where had he seen that face before?

The boy was leaning over a large scroll, quill in hand. Deep lines of thought forming above his brow as he pondered over his incomplete essay. Was he C.H.?

He picked up the unfinished letter lying at the bottom of the box, but before he could read it properly he heard noises from downstairs. A muffled scream. He pulled out his wand and crept towards the staircase, staring down from over the railing at the hall below. Harry, Hermione and Ron were all standing together. By the looks on their faces they too had met Mad-Eye's security system.

Teddy ran down the staircase loudly, his wand pointed at them. Arkie appeared at the top of the staircase, having heard the commotion below. "Guys?" She said.

"Stay there, Arkie!" Teddy called out and Arkie stopped mid-step. "Tell me something only the real of you would know." He demanded.

Harry searched his thoughts. "I was there when Fred and George gave us the Marauders Map."

Convinced, Teddy pointed his wand at Ron and Hermione. Hermione stepped forward slowly. "I got you that wolf necklace for Christmas in our third year."

"Um..." Ron thought slowly. "Remember the time you stayed over at our house, when you were still at the orphanage? Fred and George played prank out you and dyed your hair bright pink."

Teddy lowered his wand with a smile. "That stuff took forever to wash out. Your mum was so mad at them." Arkie, sensing everything was now okay, descended the stairs quickly.

"We were so worried." She sighed.

"So were we." Hermione said as they all squeezed down the hall towards the kitchen.

"Ron," Teddy put his hand on the red head's shoulder. "Your family is alright, your dad sent us a message earlier."

"Thank God. What happened after we left the wedding?" Ron asked.

Teddy shook his head, walking towards the kitchen hastily to make another round of tea. "Dad told us to run, I grabbed Arkie and apparated here." He glanced up at the chestnut girl. "We don't know what happened to Arkie's parents. We lost them in the crowd."

They all sat quietly for a few minutes, sipping their teas before one by one retreating to the bedrooms upstairs. Teddy ambled into the room had shared with his father the year before. The room had barely been touched since they'd left. Remus' bed was immaculate and neat while Teddy's sheets were clumped in a pile on one side of the matress.

He laid down on his father's bed, closing his eyes and falling into a deep sleep.