Author's Note: Hey y'all! Sorry for being a bit slow on the update- I was out of town and didn't have much time to write. Luckily for you, I'm awarding your patience with the longest chapter yet! I really like this one. And before you start reading, I wanted to let y'all know that in this little universe, I have James Potter (Harry's dad, not son) alive. I always like AU's in which he survives, so I made him alive here lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Please tell me whatever you love or hate about it!

Chapter 5

It had been a week and a half since Sunday dinner. Victoire and I had so much fun laughing and joking and shoveling down piles of my mum's treacle tart that night, being without her now was even more bitter. Normally, it was standard for us to see each other at least a couple times a week. She was naturally apart of all the goofing off and meeting up with friends I partook in over the summer. My grounding snatched away any opportunity I had to be with her. Of course, I wasn't permitted to see any of my mates at this time, but it was different with Victoire. The shift happened when my feelings changed. Every time I felt Vic's owl fly into my open window, my heart fluttered. The feelings that stirred in my chest at every thought of her made my isolation absolutely agonizing.

It was now offically ten days I'd been locked in my prison, aka the Potter household. In the process of trying to keep up with my friends, I had managed to use nearly half of my family's parchment supply. That was a feat in and of itself, considering my mother wrote for the Daily Prophet and used a ton of paper every day.

I was simply dying to actually talk with Victoire, but my parents were unmoving.

"Can't I just go see everyone for 5 minutes and talk to them?"

"That's not how grounding works, honey," Mum would say.

So in the meantime, Vic and I had been exchanging owls upon owls. We were both in the same situation, so it was our shared form of entertainment. I opened the letter she had just sent me.

Dear Teddy,

I'm going crazy! Little brothers are so annoying. We finally got our letters in the mail, and Louis will NOT stop talking about Hogwarts. I guess we were excited too at eleven. So I suppose I get it. Really though, when I hit the big one-one, I was just happy I could finally see you again. The year you were shipped off to Hogwarts and I was stuck at home MAJOR sucked- I was ten and couldn't even see my best friend! It'll be interesting now, though, Louis is the first of the littles to go to Hogwarts. It's gonna be crazy when Jamie and Freddie get there next year!

Anyway, I miss you like crazy. Sunday dinner was so fun with you the weekend before last. I wish we could have had another one this past Sunday, but I suppose our giant family is too busy to have one every single week. Well, don't have too much fun being grounded without me.

Love,

Victoire

I grinned at the letter. She could send me a 20 second doodle and I'd be the happiest bloke alive, but being able to see her words and picture her voice made my situation much more bearable. I quickly jotted my response, eager for her to read my own letter.

Vic,

I miss you more! I'm tired of being grounded, too, for about the same reasons as you. Lily's alright, but Jamie and Al have been driving me up the wazoo. Yesterday, Mum made me supervise as they played this game in the mud while she was working. It was exhausting. I'm happy Louis got his letter though. I'm still waiting for my list of stuff. Normally it comes in around the time of last weekend, not the Wednesday a week and a half before school starts. I digress. I'm so excited to go back to Hogwarts.

I wish we could've seen each other this Sunday too. It would've made life a lot more exciting. But I still promise I won't have too much fun without you. It's a bit difficult with my family breathing down my back, anyway.

Miss you,

Teddy

As soon as I signed it and sent it back off, I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."

It was Mum. "Hey, darling."

"Hi." I scooted over on the bed to make a spot for her. She accepted it, gently setting into place.

"What are you up to, little man?"

I nodded my head up to the window where Curly was flying out. "Writing letters."

"Ah. Victoire, I suppose?"

I grinned. "Of course."

She smiled at me. "You two have been even closer than usual, it seems."

I shrugged. I didn't want her realizing my feelings. "I guess it's because we're both eternally grounded together."

Mum rolled her eyes. "You're quite dramatic, you know. If you don't want to be grounded, don't pull dangerous stunts and disobey your parents."

I pretended like I fainted at her words, dramatically folding onto my back with a hand pressed to my forehead. "You make it sound so easy!"

I heard her chuckle. "Well, you are distracting me from my purpose of coming in here and talking to you."

"And what reason is that?" I asked.

"Your father and I have a banquet to attend at the ministry tonight."

This sounded like an event she was trying to persuade me to join. "Are you about to tell me I have to wear dress robes? Because if you are, I'm not."

Mum laughed. "Let me finish, silly. Your father and I have a banquet to attend, but we don't want our four little babies there with us. We wanted to ask if you could babysit your brothers and sister for us tonight while we are out."

Babysitting? James, Albus, and Lily? The trio was crazy. And I didn't particularly love the idea of being responsible for their health and well-being. But then again...

"If I say yes, will you unground me?" I asked, only halfway joking.

My mum mulled it over. "You'll say yes, because we don't have anyone else to watch them, and I'm your mother and I'm telling you that you will babysit for them. But if you do an extra good job, perhaps I can talk with your dad about maybe letting you off your grounding a bit early."

I jumped up, turning to face her. "Really?!"

She smiled at my excitement. "Really. It's Wednesday, so you're only a few days from Sunday, when you're officially free, anyway. Plus, I can say in complete honesty that you have been a perfect angel since your punishment." She paused. "But I'm not sure we can let you off the hook quite yet. We'll see after tonight."

"It doesn't matter to me! Thanks, mum!" I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"No promises," she warned, but it didn't have a lot of weight as she affectionately ruffled my hair, then left to go see what trouble Lily had likely managed to get herself into.

This was great. If my parents decided I could be ungrounded, I would get a chance to actually enjoy the days simmering out of summer. Maybe I could somehow see Victoire and hang out with her. Even seeing my other friends would be just as thrilling, at this point.

Yet again, I pulled out a quill and started jolting down another note.

Vic,

Me again. I just talked to Mum, and she said I could possibly get off of my grounding a little early. If I do, please do everything in your power to get your parents to let up and allow you to see me. I wanna finish out the summer with you!

Teddy

I read over the letter, contemplating if it was too forward or not. What did it matter at this point? Shaking my head, I grabbed some twine and quickly tied the letter onto the leg of my own owl, a beautiful tawny named Eagle. A bit ironic for an owl, of course, but it fit his overbearing stance like a glove. Eagle loyally nipped my finger, then ruffled his broad wings and flew through the still-open window. I trusted him to deliver the letter.

I felt my hopes rising at the thought of tonight. All I had to do to be free and ungrounded was babysit my little siblings. That was only a small price to pay, right?

Wrong. It was 6:00, the designated time for my parents to leave for the banquet. Although I had watched the little ones about a billion times and really enjoyed it before, I had always had extra help- whether it was Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron a Floo call away, or my grandmother across the hall, there was always some sort of assistance in case I needed it. Besides, just about every time I was placed in charge, we had other cousins or friends over to keep James, Albus, and Lily occupied.

This time, though? I was on my own, as the majority of my family would be at the event. It was up to me to be the sole source of entertainment for my siblings.

Mum stepped out of her and Dad's rooms, and was wearing a dazzling blue set of dress robes that shimmered off her shoulders at every step. My dad nearly matched her in his own set of navy dress robes. They always looked brilliant when they were going somewhere press was likely to be, as they were rather famous in the wizarding world and would likely be victims of the paparazzi.

"You ready, Teddy?" asked Dad, straightening his tie.

"I guess so."

Mum smiled, highlighting her freshly painted red lips. "You'll be perfect. You've watched these hooligans plenty before," she said, offering hugs to each of us.

"I'm not a hooligan!" complained Lily, sending a pouty face at Mum.

Dad laughed. "You're right princess, it's just these mini marauders." He gestured to Jamie and Al, who grinned appreciatively. Dad turned to them, fixing them with a stern glare. "Who will be on their best behavior for their older brother tonight, right boys?"

"Yes sir," Albus chorused politely.

"Of course, Dad, I'm always on my best behavior, aren't I?" answered Jamie, pretending to be hurt at the accusation.

Dad playfully ruffled his hair. "Right, right. James Sirius Potter never causes any trouble. As a matter of, I don't remember ever even having caught him in a prank!"

Even little Lily caught on to the sarcasm and giggled.

"But, seriously, be good for Teddy."

My siblings all promised their compliance eagerly, excited at the prospect of a parentless house.

I, however, rolled my eyes at the man's inquiries. "Dad, they're fine. Really. We're gonna have a ton of fun!"

My words were true, I loved spending time with the munchkins. But honestly, I was laying it on a bit thick, hoping to earn bonus points to free me from my grounding.

"I know you will. I love seeing you four spend time together," said Dad happily, squeezing each of us in a tight hug.

Mum glanced at her watch and turned to Dad. "Alright, Harry, we've gotta go. Teddy, bedtimes at eight for Lily, nine for the boys." She thought for a moment. "And behave, I love you all!"

With that, they disappeared into the Floo, leaving me with the kids.

I ran a hand floppily through my turquoise hair. "What do you guys wanna do?"

Much to Lily's dismay, being the little girl of 3 older brothers outnumbered her in major decisions, such as babysitting activities. We elected going outside and playing Quiddich, so she naturally dragged me to the side to sit with her while Jamie and Albus flew around tossing a Quaffle.

Lily sat down with a huff, picking at a flower in the patch of yellow dandelions next to us. "Teddy?"

"Hmm?" I asked.

"How come I can't fly?"

I sighed. This was a repetitive issue. Lily was always wanting to get out on the brooms with Albus and Jamie, but Potter house rules stated one had to turn eight before flying on "big kid" brooms. "You can, Lils. You just have to use the mini broom."

She plucked the dandelion from its roots. "I don't wanna use the mini broom, Teddy!"

I put an arm around her tiny shoulders. "I'm sorry, that's just how it is. If it make you feel any better, I'm not allowed to fly either."

Lily glanced up at me, the setting sun hitting her freckles and making them pop. "Really?"

"Really." I was glad she felt better quickly, I wasn't the best at reassuring girls of any age.

We sat in silence for another moment, watching Jamie guffaw as the rubber Quaffle mistakenly bounced off of Al's head. I hid my laugh, as Lily continued peacefully ripping grass from the yard. She signed in a manner of perfect little-girl innocence. "How come girls can't fly like boys?"

I furrowed my brows. "Girls can fly like boys. What do you mean?"

She straightened herself, suddenly sure. "Well, when I asked Lorcan if his mummy would let me play on his mini broom at his house the other day, he said girls can't fly as good as boys. Why can't girls fly as good, Teddy?"

I frowned. Mum had made sure to instill in my brothers and I from day one that girls could do anything we could, and she had better, not ever, hear us saying or acting different.

"It sounds like somebody needs to have a talk with Lorcan." I muttered. "Lils, girls can fly just as good as boys can. Even better, sometimes. It just depends on the person. One day, you'll probably beat me! Which is impressive, considering I'm a Quidditch champion."

Lily beamed up at me. "Really?"

I smiled back. "Really."

She stood up decidedly, hands on her hips. "Is that why Dominique is so good at flying?"

I nodded. "Yup. And you know Mum is real good, too."

"Oh yeah! She said she'll teach me when I'm a little bit bigger. Daddy will, too."

"I'm sure they will," I agreed, glancing around her to make sure James and Albus didn't somehow manage to get decapitated while I was focusing on this educational conversation with Lily.

"What about Victoire?"

I whipped my head back around to look up at her. "Huh? What about Victoire?"

The little girl rolled her eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You know, Vicky? Our cousin! Is she good at Quidditch?"

I breathed out a sigh of relief. For a second, I was convinced Lily would ask me some crazy question about the two of us. "Victoire doesn't really like playing Quidditch all that much."

"Oh." She plopped back down on the grass, twirling a red braid around her finger. Lily then spun around carefully, as if checking to make sure no one else was looking. "You wanna know a Big Secret?" she whispered.

I leaned in carefully, fully prepared to hear something about how Hugo was getting a Chudley Cannons jersey for his birthday. "Of course, little princess."

She grinned mischievously. "At last Sunday Dinner, me, Rose, Lucy, and Roxy were playing Super Secret Spies. And we saw a bunch of sneaky stuff! We saw Uncle Bill pick his nose. And then we saw Mummy and Daddy go to the bathroom and kiss. And then we saw Aunt Angelina tell Aunt Fleur that Freddie was being bad. And then we saw Grandpa James show Hugo-"

This was getting old. "Get to the point, Lily."

She gave me a disapproving look. "We had to split up because Uncle Percy almost caught us, and he woulda been a meanie and tell our Mummies on us. So Lucy and Roxy got to spy while me and Rose hid in Grandmum's closet." Her eyes were filled with excitement, like she was divulging the most sacred information in the world. "And Teddy, you'd never guess who they spied on!"

"Who?" I gasped, playing along with her story.

"The big girls! Molly, Vicky, and Dom!"

"No way!"

"Yep! And guess what they reported back at the Super Secret Spy meeting!"

"What did they report?"

"Vicky has a crush on a boy!"

"Wait, what?" This was new information. Victoire liked someone? Everything was sinking inside of me, a new pit of disappointment swallowing up my stomach.

Lily couldn't tell I was upset, so she continued nodding gleefully. "Vic likes a boy! And Lucy said that Dom said that Vic said that she couldn't even be with him!"

I glanced up from the spot where I had been staring at my hands. "She can't like him? Why not?"

Lily shugged her shoulders bouncily, hopping onto her feet. "I dunno. Can we go inside now? I'm hungry!"

I laughed and grabbed her hand, calling Jamie and Albus to follow us.

What Lily had told me never left my head for the rest of that night. Even as I turned on the kids' favorite Muggle movie, I was too busy letting my thoughts consume me to pay any attention. The fact Victoire had a crush on someone could mean so many things. According to my likely unreliable news source, it was someone she couldn't like- did that mean it was me? Maybe she felt as though I did, like it was a dangerous thing to like her. It was something that had the potential to change much more than an average, simplistic teenage romance would.

Then again, it could just as likely be some other bloke at school her parents happened to disapprove of. Or some snotty French boy she only saw twice a year.

I sighed. There was no reason to get my hopes up, no matter how much my heart flew while thinking about her.

I took a peek over at the other end of the couch, where Jamie and Lily were sitting. Lily was sprawled out, taking up over half the furniture, fast asleep with her hand still on the bowl of popcorn. Jamie didn't seem to mind the fact the six-year-old was snoring away on top of him. In fact, he was much too enthralled in the movie to notice just about anything.

Albus was leaning next to me, still awake, but was just on the edge of tipping off into Dreamland. I rubbed his shoulders with my thumb gently, a move my Dad always used on me when I was younger. He promptly breathed deeply and closed his eyes. I gently took off his glasses.

"Jamie!" I whisper-shouted.

He turned to face me with a frown, upset I had interrupted his show. I gestured to our sleeping younger siblings and mouthed "I'm taking them to bed."

He loyally gave me a thumbs-up and continued with the show. Gently, I shimmied Albus off of me and went to pick up Lily. Her little sleeping body snuggled into me as soon as she was in my arms. I chuckled to myself, carrying her up to bed carefully.

I reached her room and laid her gently onto her pink sheets. I peeled off her socks and lifted up the bed covers to her chin, tucking them into her sides so she would stay warm throughout the night. With a kiss on her forehead, I tiptoed to her doorway. I deserved the Best Big Brother of the Year.

"Goodnight, Princess Lily," I whispered as softly as I could.

"Goodnight, Teddy."

I cracked the door I was previously shutting back open. "You're awake?"

She giggled. "Yes. I just wanted someone to carry me to bed!"

I covered my mouth to mask my laugh. "Ah, very clever. Well, it's past your bedtime, anyway. Don't tell Mum."

She traced a finger to cross her hear. "I won't ever!"

I nodded. "Good. I love you, little sis."

Lily smiled and settled herself into her bed comfortably. "I love you too!"

The rest of my adventures in babysitting went smoothly. Albus really was asleep, so bringing him to bed was a simple task. And Jamie was pretty easy too, I only had to threaten to call Dad four times before he grudgingly complied.

"Night, Meany Head!" he called brightly from the warmth of his bed I forced him to lay in.

"Goodnight, little git!" I responded, giving him the one-finger salute. My mean older brother tactics failed, though, as Jamie didn't take any offense to my words, but instead burst out in laughter. I grinned as I carefully shut his bedroom door, hoping something would compel him to fall asleep.

I then quickly scurried to get back downstairs, in search of something to entertain myself with while waiting for my parents to get back.

I didn't have to search for very long, though, because the Floo lit up within about thirty minutes of my waiting.

"Teddy Bear!" my mum greeted, nearly falling as she stumbled out the chimney.

"Hi, mum. How was the banquet?"

My dad popped in quickly behind her, grabbing her hand to steady her. "Come on, Gin, try and stand up." He cleared his throat. "It went well, but also happened to be incredibly boring. Which is why I believe your mother had one too many pixie punches."

My mum giggled. "I didn't have too many, Harry! Don't be so silly." She pulled her hand away and began teetering over again.

Dad quickly caught her. "Oh, yes you did, love. Which is why I'm getting you into bed." He carefully guided her into their bedroom.

I had to chuckle to myself, seeing Ginevra Potter drunk was quite shocking. My mum only occasionally had a drink, and never so many, so the idea of her even getting tipsy was quite comical in a way. I didn't blame her though, my experience with pixie punch's taste at Hogwarts was fantastic. How could you not drink loads? I had tried it at a party, though, and drinking underage was a definite way for me to land myself in a world of trouble, so I kept it to myself.

Then it hit me. My whole point in babysitting all night was to get my mum to convince Dad to unground me! How would she have managed to do that in her current state?

I didn't have much time to ponder it before my dad was carefully shutting the door to their room and reappearing.

"Dad?" I asked.

He ambled out of the walkway with a grin. "Your mother is going to be so embarrassed in the morning. I think the last time she experienced pixie punch like that was back when we were still teenagers."

"Teenagers?" I asked, waggling my eyebrows. "Teenagers like me?"

"Of age teenagers," he corrected. "Don't go getting any ideas."

I rolled my eyes in good nature. "So you're telling me you never tried a drink while you were at Hogwarts?"

"I was too busy fighting Voldemort for any of that silly kid stuff." He laughed at his own joke, then paused to himself to think. "Actually, yes, I did. There were a handful of Quidditch celebrations and after parties for me to try plenty. But my Dad found out barely one time and just about busted my arse for it. I didn't try again after that."

I laughed. "I don't believe you. Grandpa James is too nice for that."

Dad ran a hand through his hair. "Oh yes, he's plenty nice. I probably look up to him more than I do anyone else, and of course I had a lot of fun with him growing up. But he was also the only parent I had, so he held me accountable whenever I needed it. And I needed it. A lot."

"I've heard stories," I responded cheekily.

He grinned. "I'm sure Grandpa has told you many. I'll be sure to tell your children about how their father thought he was clever enough to sneak out to London unnoticed by me," he teased, sitting down on the couch.

This was my opportunity. "Speaking of that highly unfortunate mishap..." I began.

Dad rolled his eyes. "I suppose you're about to try talking me out of your punishment?"

I summoned my best pleading face. "Think of how good I've been! I babysat the littles and have been doing so many chores all week and helped you in the yard last Saturday and have been respectful and practically perfect and-"

"Okay, okay. I get it." Dad sighed, holding up his hand. "Your mother seems to agree with you. I hope you know you have her wrapped around your finger."

Merlin, bless that woman. She needed more credit sometimes. "I do know."

Dad rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. "I really have been considering it. I mean, I knew the second you got back home the night of the concert you regretted it all. I could see it in your face. But that doesn't mean it's right for your mother and I to simply let your behavior go, does it?"

He was partially right. I know I would've felt incredibly guilty if I had simply gotten away with sneaking out scot-free. That didn't equivocate to me thinking it was necessary for my punishment to continue, though. I mustered up my best persuasive skills. "Dad, I can truthfully say I've learned my lesson. Honest. I think disappointing you and mum was reason enough in itself not to go against you like that again."

"Alright." Dad firmly nodded his head and took a deep breath. "Against my better judgement, you're ungrounded-"

"YES!"

"- But!" he paused, giving me a rather serious look. "It's only because I think you're a good kid who's learned his lesson. I don't expect you to put your life in danger like that again, son."

I nodded vigorously, anxious for my punishment to be officially over.

Dad ran a hand roughly threw his messy hair. "I'm serious about the danger thing. I love you too much to watch you get hurt. I suggest you don't make dangerous choices a habit, because you can expect just as, if not more, serious consequences if it happens again."

I scowled. "How much more serious can it get?! I've had nothing to do for days and days!"

Dad smirked at me, poking my side. "Well, keep yourself out of trouble and you won't need to worry about it, will you?"

I shot him a glare. "I will keep myself out of trouble. It's just helpful to know the stakes."

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. I must have been staring him down quite expectantly, though, because at my intense glance, he cleared his throat and straightened himself. "It shouldn't be a concern to you, because you know better than to do something like that again."

I hesitated, wanting to argue, but instead decided against it. "Yes sir," I agreed.

He held his unyielding stance for another moment, then relaxed into the sofa cushions. I mirrored the man, happy to be free of my ordeal. "Ted, I'm sure this may be much to your surprise, but I'm really glad you're done being punished. I hate having to be the strict bad guy more than anything in the world."

"Well, you do a damn good job of it, considering you hate it so much."

Dad laughed. "Language, Ted. And just because I can do it doesn't mean I have to like it at all."

I shrugged my shoulders. "You should try being the strict bad guy a bit more often with Jamie. He was being a prat and wouldn't listen when I told him to go to sleep," I remarked.

He purses his lips to hide a grin. "That's only because you're his big brother. It's his job to give you a hard time." Dad paused. "Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion he's going to be my difficult one. I'm calling it now."

I crossed my arms. "I take a offense to that! I've been working all my life to be the trouble child!"

Dad chuckled at my playful manner. "You're going to have to work a bit harder, then. Have you heard the cheek on that boy? Sometimes, that mouth of his is befitting of a moody teenager. Yet he's barely ten."

Jamie was a funny kid. He always had some trick up his sleeve. I could see why my Dad thought so. "Yeah, I wish you the best of luck with that nut case," I joked.

He dropped his neck and shook his head, then glanced back up to me. "I take it the kids were good?"

I thought back to tonight, and how much fun I had with my little siblings. I really did love them loads. "Yes sir. They were absolute perfect angels."

He gave me a suspicious look and I just laughed, standing up and stretching with exhaustion. Although I had a rather fun time babysitting, it was also very tiring to haggle with a bunch of kids all evening. "I'm gonna go up to bed now. I have a very urgent letter to write."

Dad nodded. "Alright. I can see why it would be of utmost importance for you to let your friends know your ol' dad decided to unground you."

I grinned. "You got it exactly right!"

In my room, I pulled out a new leaf of parchment. I had been zooming through the stack lately, but the giddiness I felt at finally being able to tell Victoire I could see her again was overwhelming. I twisted the cap to the ink off and began writing.

Dear Vic,

I'm officially ungrounded! I'm coming to see you ASAP, so please tell me you can see me again, too.

Teddy

I grinned at the letter and quickly sent it away with Eagle. It had been so long since I had permission to see Vic, so finally being allowed to experience the tangible version of her, rather than her voice in letters, was an exciting prospect.

Hopefully, Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur weren't completely bonkers and decided to unground Victoire. I get it, we messed up, but we had both served plenty of time. The thought of being grounded like this again was enough to make me swear to permanently reside on my best behavior, so I'm sure it was the same with her.

As I showered and changed into my pajamas, I couldn't help but look forward to the next day. Maybe it would be the morning that brought the opportunity to see my crush- er, my best friend- whatever you wanted to call her! Maybe I could see her again. It was with that comforting thought that I crawled into my bed and drifted off into slumber.

I woke up to the bright Thursday sun shining brilliantly in my eyes. The light was shooting through my open window.

I froze. My open window? Why would it be open?

Glancing to my night table, realization hit me. My owl, Eagle, repeatedly pecked at the jar where I kept owl treats. It was his reward for successfully delivering a letter.

"Eagle, did you get Victoire's letter she sent back?" I questioned, running my fingers over his soft feathers.

He responded by only pecking more insistently at the glass jar.

"Okay, okay," I muttered, reaching in to grab a few of his favorite owl treats and tossing them to him. Eagle accepted gratefully. I pulled myself from the warm comfort of my bed and set my hands on my hips, eyeing the stubborn owl expectantly. "Where is it?"

If I had known any better, I would've insisted Eagle rolled his eyes at me. But he reluctantly pulled the letter out from my drawer using his beak, so I couldn't complain.

I tore open the letter eagerly, my heart fluttering at the mere trace of Victoire's signature

Dearest Teddy,

Grounded. I'm still grounded. I tried appealing to Maman this past morning, but it was apparently a bad time. I think Louis was being difficult. What did I say about annoying little brothers?

Unfortunately, she and Daddy talked about it and decided they needed to make a point with me. If I don't finish my grounding, 'how will I learn actions have consequences'? Or 'this needs to be properly addressed, not quickly forgotten about'. Either way, they think I have some wild side that makes me behave without any consideration for the consequences. It's kind of offensive, actually- I always picture how Maman and Daddy will react before doing something wrong!

I'm so sorry, Ted. You don't understand how badly I wanna see you. I couldn't fall asleep last night because I was thinking too hard about how I miss you. You and your crazy turquoise hair. It's almost as perfect as mine, if only you were a blond like me.

Much love,

Victoire

I smiled at the finishing line of the letter, and could feel my hair subconsciously shifting to match Vic's. But even that couldn't mask my disappointment about the content of the first part of her letter. She was still grounded! I was hoping her parents would feel a bit nicer.

I blew sharply as I dropped the dumb letter back on my desk. This sucked. Now I was being forced to wait even longer before talking to Victoire. And after what Lily told me? Vic liked someone. She had a crush on a boy. What if I wasn't that boy? What if it was some prat in the year below me?

I needed to tell her how I felt. There wasn't a point in wasting anymore time.

The question was, when would I see her again?

I moodily stomped down the stairs, fed up with the fact I had acted like a complete dolt. It was my own fault Victoire liked someone. If I hadn't waited so long to say anything, maybe that guy could've been me.

Albus was waiting for me at the bottom of the steps, jumping up and down with the ecstatic energy that could only belong to an eight-year-old boy.

"Teddy! Teddy!"

I mustered up the strength to not take out my frustration on my innocent baby brother. In my most happy voice, I muttered, "What's up, Al?"

"Mum and Dad have a letter for you!" the little boy responded.

I nodded and quickly shuffled down the stairs into the kitchen. Surely it was my Hogwarts list of supplies, it was due by now. That didn't quite explain Albus's glee, though. It left me feeling confused.

I ambled into the kitchen, where my mum was waiting with her arms out, immediately embracing me in a hug. "Congratulations, to our latest Gryffindor Quidditch Captain! I'm so proud of you, baby!"

I gasped and pulled away. I was made Quidditch captain? "No way!"

Dad smiled broadly as he handed me the letter. "Yes, way. It says right here, son!"

I quickly scanned the letter, the Hogwarts emblem branded at the top.

Congratulations, Teddy Lupin-Potter, 2014-15 Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. Head of House Professor Longbottom looks forward to seeing you bring the Gryffindor team the Hogwarts Cup.

"This is crazy! I wasn't expecting it at all!" I said, stuttering. The joy of being chosen rendered it difficult for me to speak.

My dad ruffled my hair as he did whenever he was proud. "None of us are surprised. You've been a phenomenal flyer since you could barely toddle around, no one deserves this more than you."

A blush creeped onto my face, so I hid it by leaning into my dad's hug. Being the Hogwarts Quidditch Captain was always a dream of mine. Our old captain Jacob Barnes had graduated last year, so it only made sense they needed a new leader. I still felt giddy that Neville had chosen me!

"Teddy, this is awesome! If you're still captain when I start Hogwarts next year, can you give me a Chaser spot?" Jamie asked, his own little fingers snatching the letter to read it for himself.

I laughed. "Nice try, Jamie. Dad won't let you tryout until second year, though."

He shrugged and slumped into the seat of the kitchen table, shoveling a disgusting amount of waffles into his mouth.

I turned back to my mother, who was still practically singing in excitement. "We'll have to get you some kind of reward for this, love. I'm so proud! What do you think you want, Ted?"

"A new broom?" I asked hopefully.

It was a lost cause. "Don't be silly, honey. Your Thunderbolt is brand new."

I looked to my Dad. He was a bit less frugal than my mother insisted on being. "I think you can wait on a broom. Is there anything else you have in mind?"

Lily piped up from her spot at the table. "Get me the Magic Unicorn Dollhouse!"

Mum shook her head as she twisted her daughter's hair into a perfect swirl. "This gift is for Teddy, sweetie.

I sighed. There wasn't anything else I really wanted. My parents had already made sure I had everything I could wish for ('spoiled, but not rotten' Mum would say). The only thing my heart really desired was a relationship with Victoire. But how could my parents get me that?

Maybe they could get me something I could give to her that she would really love. What could that possibly be? And how could I ask for something girly without them questioning me? Finally, I came upon a decision.

"Could I just have some extra spending money, please?"

My mum and dad shared a look, their own form of communication, then simultaneously nodded.

"Yeah, of course, little man. Whatever you want," Dad promised.

"No fair! I want spending money too!" complained Jamie.

Dad rolled his eyes. He hated when we grumbled like that. "I don't speak Whinese, Jamie."

Mum elbowed him playfully at his overused line. "Really, Harry?"

He grinned and kissed her forehead. "Of course, Gin. Who would I be without my Dad jokes?"

Blech. But Mum giggled and turned to face the rest of us. "We really are so proud of you, Teddy."

Dad nodded seriously, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Absolutely."

Even Jamie, Albus, and Lily joined in on their agreement.

I looked down, embarrassed at all the compliments. "Thanks."

My family had completely erased my rotten mood, replacing it with a warmth and excitement for the school year inside of me. Quidditch was my favorite, and now I played an even bigger role in it. I couldn't wait to tell my friends!

Not only my friends, but Victoire. She knew just how important the sport was to me, and I felt it somewhere deep down that she would be incredibly proud.

I excused myself from downstairs when dad waved goodbye to head out to the Auror Office. I quickly raced up to my room, my hand itching to write the letter.

It was habitual, at this point, when it came to writing letters to Victoire. That didn't change the nervous energy that flooded me.

Dear Vic,

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I was in a pissy mood for some reason, and could hardly stand to sit and write. But good news!

I'm the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain!

I got the letter this morning. Neville chose me! I'm beyond excited. It'll be hard to replace Jacob, but I'm really hoping I can bring the team to victory this year. Like I said, I refuse to let stupid Jesse win again. Absolutely not. But that's beside the point. All my hard work is finally paying off. I couldn't wait to tell you, I knew you'd be thrilled.

This year, I'm gonna win the Cup just for you.

Love,

Teddy

Grinning, I passed along the letter to Eagle, who dutifully accepted the job offer. He flew off. Now it was up to me to properly distract myself from the constant purr of Victoire on my mind.

I elected flying to disturb my thoughts. The wind beating in my face was a familiar rush, and after being grounded from my broom for so long, the change in pace was welcome. After a solid thirty minutes of whipping around the Potter property, I finally decided it had been long enough. Before I knew it, the familiar rush of nerves was accelerating inside of me as I saw Vic's familiar script patiently waiting on my desk. I dove into the letter.

Teddy,

I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! Dude, Quidditch Captain? Your parents must be over the moon! That's so exciting omg omg. I can't wait to go to all of your games and watch you in that cute Quidditch uniform. You'll be fantastic. You're already the best seeker in the school! (Or so Dominique tells me. You know I can hardly tell a difference)

I hope you do beat Jesse. Not since he's a prat, because he's not, but because I want a Gryffindor win. This whole family needs one. I have faith in you.

And I would be incredibly honored if you brought home a win for me. That's what you do for your favorite girl, right?

Love,

Vic.

I read the last line over and over. Was this what I thought it was? Was Victoire trying to flirt with me? It looked like it

Was she? Lily did say she liked someone, I just had never considered the chance that someone could be me. I had to find out. I needed to flirt back. Subtly.

Dearest Victoire,

Thanks. I'm so glad you're proud. Last season was impossibly exhausting, but it really makes it worth it as long as I make you happy! I can't wait to see your face light up when I win you the Cup. Because you are, in fact, my favorite girl. In the world.

Teddy

I signed the letter with flourish. It was rather forward, but I quickly sealed it and handed it back to Eagle. If I allowed myself even a moment to think twice about it, I would chicken out. And now was not the time to chicken out. It was too risky to spend any more time waiting for Victoire to declare her feelings.

After what felt like several agonizing days (rather than several agonizing minutes), her return owl fluttered through the window. The pounding of my heart was an old friend, at this point.

Dear Teddy,

Perfect. I can't wait for my favorite boy to win me the cup!

Love as always,

Vic

I closed the letter and dropped unceremoniously onto my bed, clutching the parchment to my chest.

We were flirting. I was sure of it at this point. It was obvious.

How would I know if the flirting was something more, though? How would I know that I wasn't just another boy she was bored with at school, but someone she actually wanted to talk to? I was sick of the wondering and waiting.

I needed to know. But this wasn't something I could carefully put in a letter. I needed to talk to Victoire. Face to face. How could I when she was grounded? The only solution would be for me to show up uninvited at her house.

Wait. What if I did just that?

I shook my head to myself. No, Teddy. That would be more trouble than it's worth. It's not like I could tell my parents I was up and headed to Victoire's- they knew she was grounded. No, if I really wanted to do that, I would have to sneak out.

The thought of sneaking out again made my stomach twist. After all my Dad's words from last time, I really felt as if repeating the very thing that got me in so much trouble was just going to disappoint him. But what was more important to me- my Dad's trust, or a chance at a relationship with Vic?

My stomach did a cartwheel at the mere thought of her and her beautiful blonde hair. That's when I knew the answer. Dad's trust in me could be mended, but losing a potential relationship with the girl I've loved for so long was unfixable. Plus, this time, I knew enough to not get caught.

I opted not to tell her I was coming in a letter. If I was really doing this, I wanted to see the shock on her face. Besides, the nerves I was feeling thinking about telling her were eating me up. I didn't think I had the capacity to write even a single word.

A voice called me from downstairs. "Teddy! Dinner, dear!"

I sighed and sat up, taking a deep breath. Being lost in my thoughts for so long was exhausting. I could think of one thing that cheered me up significantly, though.

Dreaming of Victoire's reaction to my confession was currently the only thing holding me on planet earth. My crush on her was filling me up with excitement like a balloon. I exhaled sharply. The only thing that could ruin the thought of Victoire was if she punctured a hole by shooting me down, effectively deflating me back to earth.

Only a few more hours until I told Victoire how I truly felt. All I had to do was wait.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you loved it. Please feel free to send any ideas or plot lines you want me to incorporate. I would love to write them in for you all. And again, please review! I appreciate it more than you know.