Chapter 18

- Ice Cold -

After the attack at Godric's Hollow, everyone was more on edge. For the first time in months, they'd come across serious danger. They could've died.

As soon as they had disapparated, Hermione suggested they camp somewhere different. When they arrived they begun to set up camp in a forest. Not too far from the forest was a large frozen lake. Winter was defiantly upon them. The air was cold and Teddy could see his breath, like a thin mist. Huddled up closely to Arkie, sharing each others warmth and staring into the forest quietly. A full day had passed and Harry had spent the whole of it hidden away in their tent.

"Are you feeling better?" Teddy looked over his shoulder. Hermione, who'd been sitting against a tree, reading a book, looked up as Harry finally appeared.

"You've outdone yourself this time, Hermione." Was all he said, looking around the forest.

Hermione's eyes were sad as they took in every detail of their new campsite. "The Forest of Dean. I came here once with Mom and Dad, years ago." Teddy watched her empathetically. "It's just how I remember it. The trees, the river, everything. Like nothing's changed. Not true, of course. Everything's changed. If I brought my parents back here now, they probably wouldn't recognize any of it."

From where he sat, Teddy could've sworn he saw a tear forming in her eye. "Not the trees, not the river," she bowed her so the others couldn't see her face. "Not even me."

The fallen, dry, frost covered leaves shuffled as Teddy and Arkie stood up. He walked over to Hermione's side, sitting beside her and placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, her eyes and nose pink from the cold and sadness. But she smiled slightly as she sniffed. "Maybe we should just stay here." She turned her gaze to the others. "Grow old."

But from Harry's expression, she knew her idea wouldn't be seen through. "You wanted to know who the boy in the photograph was." She held tightly to her book. "I know."

Slowly, she rummaged through the pages. "I found this in Bathilda's house. His name's Gellert Grindelwald." She finally stopped on a page, decorated with the photo of the blonde haired boy.

"He's the thief I saw in Gregorovitch's Wand Shop." Harry gasped, then narrowed his eyes in thought. "Speaking of which, where is my wand?" All eyes fell on Teddy, who wouldn't meet Harry's. "Teddy." Harry's sharp tone frightened him. "Where's my wand?"

Taking a shaky breath her placed a hand in his back pocket. "Harry... As we were leaving Godric's Hollow, I cast a curse and it rebounded." He pulled his hand back out, revealing the two broken halves of the wand. "I'm sorry."

Harry took the remains, staring at them.

"I tried to mend it," he mumbled. "But wands are different."

"It's done." There was a harsh, effort in Harry's voice. And Teddy could tell he was doing everything in his power to hide his defeat, anger and fear. "One of you leave me yours. Go inside and get warm. I'll take the locket as well. Trust me."

Teddy pulled out his own wand, but Arkie lowered his hand and instead offered hers to Harry. "Arkie..."

"You're more powerful with your wand than I am."

"He's been out there for hours." Teddy murmured, sitting on his bunk and twirling his wand in his hand like a drummer would to a drum stick. Arkie watched him, mesmerized by the quick and agile work of his fingers. Sometimes she envied his wand abilities. She'd feel far more safer if she could perform spells as quickly and skillfully as Teddy.

"He just needs to be alone."

Teddy shook his hand. "No one should be alone right now." Crickets chirped from somewhere in the forest and the cold wind seeped into the tent. "I'm going to take over watch."

He pushed aside the tarp, walking out into the cold, dark forest. But Harry was no longer sitting beside the tent. A bright light glowed from deep within the forest and Teddy had to blink for a few seconds.

"Harry?" He called out, walking into the forest, gripping his wand tightly in his frozen fingers. He followed the light, until he was close enough to see Harry also following it. Only the light was in the shape of a sleek, white doe. A Patronus. "What..."

The light shot forward, sinking deep down into the frozen lake. Harry was staring down at it. "Harry?" He spun around, breathing quickly from fright.

"Oh, Teddy."

"What was that?"

"I don't know... but look." He was pointing down towards the water underneath the ice. Teddy slowly stepped out onto the ice and peered down. He blinked. Something shiny lay at the bottom of the lake, something silver and red. "The Sword of Godric Gryffindor!"

"We have to get it. Accio sword." Nothing happened. Not that either of them had expected it to. But Teddy's eyes widened when Harry took off his shirt. "What are you doing?"

"Going down to get the sword." Before Harry could move again, Teddy's hand landed down on his shoulder, holding him strongly in place. Harry was surprised. Not of Teddy's protective behavior, but of his strength. Teddy was lanky, but was stronger than he'd thought. "Teddy, we need that sword."

"We need you too. Let me go get it." For moment, as Harry looked at Teddy he was reminded fiercely of Remus.

"It's said, the sword only presents itself to a worthy Gryffindor-"

"My dad's a Gryffindor!"

"But you're not." He placed his hand on Teddy's, that was still gripping his shoulder. "Let me do this." He pried Teddy's fingers off, looking at him silently. He flinched when Teddy whipped out his wand. "Diffindo." The ice broke, forming a small hole for him to jump into. The two boys exchanged nervous nods, then Teddy watched as Harry plunged down into the back water.

Then he waited... And waited... And waited...

Something was wrong!

He leaned over the hole, searching for Harry. But he couldn't see him. Shouting was useless. Quickly, he jumped into the hole and gasped as the painful sensation of the cold. Spinning around in the water, blurred eyed. Finally, he saw him. A pale shape in the blackness of the lake, struggling against the ice blocking his off from the air. The locket around his neck was flying frantically, as if trying to strangle him.

"H... Ar... Ry..." He voice bubbled under the water as he swam towards the floating Harry. Was he dead? He wasn't moving! Grabbing him, he heard a muffled splash. Another pale shape had entered the water and was swimming down to grab the sword. As soon as the form did, they came to help Teddy in swimming back to the hole.

Gasp!

Teddy panted, pulling Harry onto the ice. Then he looked at their savior. "Ron!"

"Hey, Teddy."