"Do you need something?" Teresa asked, but Ted continued to stare at her.
"Hello," She waved her hand in front of his face. "Ted? Are you there?"
Liv hit his arm, finally pulling him out of his stupor.
"What? Umm… Yes, sorry." He averted his gaze.
Teresa gave him a look somewhere between worried and bemused before returning to her work. As soon as she turned away his gaze returned to her.
He should just tell her what those boys were planning to do, but every time he thought about it, he pictured the look of horror on her face, and his resolve died. There had to be way of saving her without giving her reason to look over her shoulder every five minutes for who knows how long.
Despite his anger at Andromeda, he couldn't bring himself to tell a teacher either. What if she was right, and someone found out about them? He couldn't risk hurting her, which only made him feel more guilty every time he saw Teresa.
Though "them" may not be the best way to describe Andromeda and him, since they'd scarcely spoken all week.
But he really needed to stop thinking about Andromeda. Teresa came first. At least, she was supposed to.
He sighed. The only thing he could do was make sure Teresa wasn't alone and didn't go by the greenhouses. If their plan failed then they wouldn't try again, hopefully. Otherwise, he'd have to guard her every Friday for the next two years.
He could see Liv staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Out of habit he looked at her. She nodded her head in Teresa's direction, and raised her eyebrows. Clearly she wanted an explanation.
He wet his lips. He could tell her. He almost wanted to tell her, but she'd have the same question everybody else did. How did he know? Besides, getting her involved might make her a target. He had enough people to worry about at the moment.
Lunch came. Ted practically ran to the Great Hall, leaving his friends behind. Teresa was already there, sitting next to Susannah, as per usual. Ted quickly took a seat on the other side.
"You mind?" he asked.
She stole a quick glance at Susannah, before returning to him with a smile. "Of course not."
"Great." He reached for the food nearest him, stuffing it directly in his mouth as he put more on the plate.
He caught sight of Susannah staring at him as shot her a grin. She blushed. He turned to Teresa, she was watching him with a slightly amused expression, though upon catching his glance she rolled her eyes as she looked away.
Though if he wasn't mistaken, he caught something else in her eyes, something far less judgmental.
Under different circumstances he might be embarrassed, but the stakes were high. He had to be done eating by the time Teresa was ready to leave, otherwise he'd be facing the prospects of being starving until dinnertime. That was almost as horrible as what the snakes were planning to do to Teresa.
"Look who decided to join the civilized," Jake said tauntingly as he and the others took seats around them.
Liv quickly noticed who he was sitting next too, and her eyebrows raised even higher than last time.
"I think it's cute he's so in touch with the outdoors," Teresa said, smiling at him again.
"What you think doesn't count," Jake said. He had a point. Teresa found the good side in everyone. It was probably what originally attracted Dolohov to her. He wanted to snuff her light out.
Almost without thinking, he glanced at the Slytherin table. He saw some of the Slyhterin seventh years, such as Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Black. And even, his face flushed, Rabastan Lestrange. But Rabastan's brother, among the other three, were missing. Unless they all had last minute homework to do, it looked like Andromeda was wrong, they hadn't been bluffing.
And speaking of which, there she was, sitting across from Rabastan Lestrange of all people. Her gaze flickered over to the Hufflepuff table, and landed on him. They widened at first, as her lips parted slightly, but then they flicked to Teresa sitting next him. He thought he saw a lump rise in her throat, but then her eyes narrowed. Ted just lifted his head, not averting his gaze, until she finally looked away.
And just like that he seemed to deflate. That was it. Barely speaking, and now they could hardly look at each other.
His returned his gaze to his food, but he couldn't make himself eat a bite. He wasn't hungry anymore.
Ted could barely keep up with the conversation for the next few minutes. He kept his eyes on his lap, though every time Teresa shifted, he shifted with her.
"I'll see you guys later," Teresa said. She stood up and Ted hastily did the same, meaning he ended up in front of her. He just stared at her, not moving, until finally she cleared he throat.
"Do you mind?" She said with perfect politeness, like she was asking him about the weather rather than to get out of her way.
"Umm…" Ted scratched the back of his head. "Actually, I umm… need to go with you." He'd meant to say "I need to go to," but it had come out wrong. Teresa raised her eyebrows and he flushed an even brighter red.
He cleared his throat. I'll walk you out."
Her eyebrows raised even further, but then the corners of her mouth turned up, and she even blushed a little as Ted turned to walk with her out of the hallway.
Olivia was watching him. She even mouthed the word, "what?", but Ted ignored her still. He'd lied to her enough already. Besides, he didn't really trust himself to speak. A nervous pit was setting in his stomach. He shouldn't be nervous. He was just going to convince her to go to the library. But what if those guys decided to come looking for her? Not that Ted was afraid of them, individually. But together they could be a bit of a problem.
He really shouldn't, but he couldn't stop himself from looking towards Andromeda. She wasn't looking at him though, but rather listening as Rabastan said something. That made the knot in his stomach tighten for a very different reason.
As soon as they got out into the hallway Teresa waved at him before turning toward the entrance hall; toward the greenhouse.
Ted moved so that he was in front of her again. "Wait," he said. She stopped, looking once again perplexed by his actions.
His heart was pounding, even though he kept telling himself they weren't in danger, at least for now.
"I was actually wondering if you'd come to the library with me. I need help with my transfiguration homework."
She cocked her head slightly, staring at him questioningly.
"What?" he asked.
"You skipped lunch to go the library?" She looked him over, like she was trying to make sure it was really Ted she was looking at. "You?"
From some people. That might've seemed like an insult, but this time it only made Ted chuckle. "Sixth year really does drive you mad, doesn't it?"
That made her giggle. "All right." She started to walk forward, looking a lot happier about helping with homework than he would've guessed. But some people were like that, like Andro—
At least it worked. That was the important part. She was safe.
But Ted barely had time to give a sigh of relief when he was crashing into someone.
"Sorry," he started, then stopped when he realized the someone was Andromeda.
She lifted her chin, looking down at him over her nose. "Watch where you're going, mudblood."
Ted stiffened. Whatever else Andromeda had done, she'd never called him mudblood before. Nor had she ever looked at him like that before, like she actually believed the words she was saying. He couldn't stop himself from staring at her, waiting for her to go back to the Andromeda he remembered, but she didn't.
Something in Ted shifted, like something had broke, which somehow managed to snap him out of it.
"Worried I chipped a nail, princess?" He sneered. Andromeda flushed, but he didn't say to watch as he stepped passed her.
"Where do you think you're going?" she said.
"Elsewhere," he said, but she grabbed his arm.
"Not until you help me pick this up."
Something jolted through him at her touch, but he ignored it. "Aren't you worried you'll get tainted?"
Hurt flashed across her eyes, and she quickly released him. He turned to go again, but this time Teresa stopped him.
"It's all right," she said. "I'll meet you up there." Her glance turned to Andromeda. Something passed over her features, not quite anger, or distaste the way Ted might've expected. It was more like- pity, even though that didn't make sense.
"It's better to just go along with them when possible," her gaze returned to him. "Trust me."
Then she turned to go, but not before giving Andromeda a polite smile. At least Andromeda had the decency to redden as Teresa walked away. Then slowly, her gaze turned to him.
Neither of them moved, and neither of them looked away. The disdainful look had left Andromeda's face, leaving her usual wide-eyed, tight-lipped expression.
'Aren't you…" She gestured to her fallen books, aren't you going too…"
Ted folded his arms across his chest, not moving. Sighing, she bent down to scoop them up, her arms shaking ever so slightly.
"Well," he muttered as she finished, "Looks like they're all picked up."
He turned to go. He had to remind himself not to run. The boys we're waiting for her by the greenhouses, there was no reason to think she'd be in danger before he got to the library. Still, he couldn't help but quicken his step as images of her skin being ripped off flashed before his mind.
But he'd just reached the steps when someone grabbed his arm and pulled him into the stairwell. He had only one guess who.
"Get off," he hissed savagely, ripping his arm out of her grip. She did, while still glaring at him furiously.
"Are you out of your mind?" she seethed. "You can't be seen with her."
"I'm sorry, did I put you in charge of my actions?" He didn't wait for her to respond as he brushed past her, but she moved in front him.
"They're going to be suspicious if they see you with her. Especially Rodolphus."
"So you admit you don't think it's just talk," Ted scoffed.
Whatever else she was going to say slipped off her tongue. She swallowed, her eyes darting away from his face.
Realization washed over him, like getting doused with ice-water. "You never thought it was, did you?"
She looked up at him, her mouth, but gave no reply. What could she say? There was no excuse for this.
"So you were going to just let them hurt her?" Ted stepped closer to her, nostrils flaring, and she stepped back.
"No," she said, her voice shaking as she stared at him with bright, wide yes. "I… I didn't…"
But Ted had had enough. "You know," he said, his voice taking on an almost casual air even though he could barely keep himself from shaking in anger. "I think I read somewhere that Slytherins always save their own skins first." He looked her over, something he'd done many times before, but he'd never dreamed he'd do it in disgust. "Guess you belong there after all."
He expected her to recoil, but all she did was close her eyes, seeming to collapse inward. Something tugged inside his chest, wanting him to reach out and comfort her, but he resisted, turning his back on her and heading out from under the stairwell.
"It's not my skin I was trying to save," she said from behind him, her voice raw. He stopped, and even though he knew he shouldn't, he turned.
The pang inside his chest grew stronger, practically willing him forward, back to her. But he couldn't. He turned away again, leaving her alone in the stairwell.
He could barely speak to Teresa the entire time they were in the library, which made getting their homework done difficult. By the time the bell rang, signaling the start of afternoon classes, her brow seemed to be a permanent furrow of puzzlement.
But Ted's anxiety only increased as they left the library and made their way toward their first class, which was, of course, Herbology. Professor Sprout would be there by now, and theoretically they wouldn't try anything with her there, but he reached into his pocket and closed his hand around his wand, just in case.
However, they had barely reached the entrance hall when Liv and Lorie came in from outside, heading the opposite way.
"Class is cancelled," Liv said, catching his confused expression. "Someone multiplied the Boutubers and then made them explode, the whole place is covered in pus."
Ted cringed. Undiluted Boutuber pus caused your skin to swell into painful boils, something he knew from an unpleasant experience two years ago.
"Any idea who's behind it?"
She gave him a half-smile. "I'll give you three guesses."
Ted was pretty sure he only needed one, and sure enough, the next person to enter was Professor MgGonogall, looking tight lipped and furious. Following close behind her were none other than Sirius Black and James Potter, looking like they had just cured Dragon Pox and everyone in the world owed them for it. But then, they always looked like that.
Sirius gave him a tiny little nod, for some reason, while winking at Liv and Lorie. Lorie giggled, and Liv, to Ted's surprise, and discomfort, waved.
"We really shouldn't encourage them," Liv said, shaking her head, though she was clearly fighting a grin. "They could have seriously injured those guys."
"Guys? What guys?" Ted asked, though something told him he already knew the answer.
"These Slytherin seventh years." She gave him a pointed look. "You know. The nasty ones."
Well, nasty was one way to describe him. Imagining them covered in boils made him feel slightly better, but only slightly. He'd been right. They'd been planning to attack Teresa. If he hadn't interfered, and if the Marauder's hadn't happened to be there…
"You all right, Ted?" Liv said, nudging his shoulder.
"Yeah," he answered, too quickly. "Why?"
"You look like you've been force-fed Skele-gro." She continued to stare at him, finally forcing him to look away.
They'd beat the snakes this time, but it was only a matter of time before they went after someone else he cared about.