Wow! The one hundredth chapter!

This has been so much fun and I'm sad to see the ending coming nearer and nearer. But we still got a way to go!

Please leave them reviews/comments as they really do encourage me a lot. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, these are difficult times right now. But this chapter is just what I needed to write.

Chapter 16

- Godric's Hollow -

Teddy woke up to find Harry running out of the tent, snitch in hand. "Guys!" He was shouting to the girls outside. Pulling on a jumper Mrs Weasley had made for him years ago with the Ravenclaw colours, he followed Harry outside and towards the girls who were leaning over Hermione's copy of Beetle the Bard that Dumbledore had left her. "Hermione. You were right." Harry panted, holding the snitch in the air. "Snitches have flesh memories but I didn't catch the first Snitch with my hand, I almost swallowed it."

He passed it to Hermione. Teddy looked over her shoulder, reading the small writing that'd appeared on the gold surface. "I open at the close."

"What do you think that means?" Harry asked, sitting opposite Hermione.

"I don't know." She said, shaking her head. "But we found something as well." Arkie glanced up at Teddy who crouch down beside her, running his fingers through her hair. "At first I thought it was an eye, but now I don't think it is." Hermione pointed to a strange symbol that looked closely like a triangular eye. "It isn't a rune, and it isn't anywhere in Spellman's Syllabary. Somebody inked it in. It isn't part of the book. Somebody drew it."

"Wait, Luna's dad was wearing that at Bill and Fleur's wedding." Harry breathed, looking almost excited.

Hermione looked up at the sky in confusion, closing the book slowly. "Why would someone draw it in a children's book?" As she tried to stand up Harry suddenly begun speaking quickly, as if worried Hermione might cut him off if he stopped. "Look, Hermione, I've been thinking. I want to go to Godric's Hollow. It's where I was born. It's where my parents died."

"Harry," Teddy sighed. "That's exactly where Voldemort will expect you to go, because it means something to you."

"Yeah, but it means something to him too, Teddy." He rebutted. "You-Know-Who almost died there. I mean, isn't that exactly the type of place he'd be likely to hide a Horcrux?"

Teddy shook his head, but he had to agree with the shaggy haired boy.

"It's dangerous, Harry." Hermione mumbled. "But even I have to admit, recently I've been thinking we'll have to go there." She begun walking back to the tent, the others close behind her. "I think it's possible something else is hidden there."

"Like what?"

"The sword." Everyone went silent. "If Dumbledore wanted you to find it, but didn't want it in the Ministry's hands... where better to hide it than the birthplace of the founder of Gryffindor?"

"She's got a point." Arkie said, mostly to Teddy as she stood beside Hermione. Harry glanced at Teddy, waiting for his approval. Teddy crossed his arms in thought. "Fine." He agreed finally.

Harry smiled, while Hermione and Teddy shared the same nervous expression. "Arkie," she said. "Don't ever let me cut the boys hair again."

Crack!

"I still think we should've used Polyjuice Potion."

"No, Hermione. This is where I was born. I'm not returning as someone else."

The streets of Godric were covered in a thick layer of snow. Snowflakes feel from the grey sky, falling into the girls hair and eyelashes. The frost covered streetlamps were alit, but they did little to light up the streets. Further up the empty street, a church was brightly lit. Across from the street a door open and a happy couple walked out, waving goodbye to their friends.

"Good night. Ha-ha-ha." They laughed, walking down the street.

Teddy felt a light tug on his jumper sleeve and look down at Arkie whose eyes were wide. "Teddy, I think it's Christmas Eve. Listen." From the church, children's voices floated out into the cold wind. Like a hundred angels. Teddy held his lover's hand tightly, trying to warm her frozen fingers.

"Do you think they'd be in there?" Harry's voice trembled and his eyes stared out at the cold, dark graveyard. "My mom and dad."

The snow crunched under Hermione's boots. "Yeah, I think they would."

Without another word, Harry stepped forward, walking into the graveyard, his eyes searching for his parents names. The others followed him inside. Teddy's hand broke from Arkie's as he wandered off through the maze of headstones and memorial statues. As he searched he felt a cold chill run through him, and it wasn't from the wind. He couldn't quite explain it, but he didn't like it.

The sight of the graves weren't exactly a pleasant sight and, to his despair, a lot of them looked relatively new. He looked back in the direction of the others. In the distance he saw Harry and Hermione standing in front a small headstone, their heads bowed.

Teddy wanted to comfort his friends, but his legs stayed rooted to the spot. "Teddy." Arkie whispered and finally he was able to move. He trudged through the crunchy snow towards her. She was staring down at two very old and grand looking headstones.

Teddy begun to read the names written in gold on the first headstone.

Rupert B. Helson

( 1942 - 1997 )

Loyal Husband & Father

'He will be missed.'

Teddy felt his heart thumping in his throat as he read the second headstone.

Carla Helson

( 1972 - 1980 )

Dearest Daughter

'Strength Lies In Those Who Fight For Love'

"Why is she here?" Teddy voice shook. "Why is her headstone in Godric's Hollow? I- I thought they lived near you parents."

"I don't think Godric's Hollow is far from my home." Arkie's voice was just as weak as she wrapped her hands around his arm, little a small hug. "I'm so sorry Teddy." Teddy pulled the jewelry box from his pocket, turning it over in his hand, then glancing at his grandfather's headstone. So he had died earlier that year. He wondered what from?

The choir was still singing within the church and Teddy took a long breath in. As painful as the scene was to see, he felt better, more fulfilled. Finally, he was close to his mother for the first time since he was born. "Merry Christmas, Arkie."

Arkie was surprised to hear the joy in his voice. A warm feeling crept into her heart. "Merry Christmas, Tesdon." She glanced over at the others and tapped Teddy softly. He turned around to see what she was looking at. Harry and Hermione had begun to walk off with a very elderly witch. With their hands intertwined they gave one last look at the headstones then followed the others out of the graveyard.