A/N: This chapter was giving me writer's block for some reason, so I'm sorry if it's a bit rough! I think I'm just a bit more invested in the Rose/Al/Scorp story line right now (even though I love Teddy dearly). Anyways, hopefully it'll pave the way for some better chapters now that it's out there!
Teddy's cubicle at the Auror office was a mess. Not that Teddy minded, of course. It was an organized mess. He could find everything. Except, maybe, for that one, very important document on the Seelie Queen case. Not that it was lost. It was just…momentarily misplaced.
"JAMES," he yelled across the office. He actually didn't know where James was, it was more of a generalized yell in the hopes that James would hear it.
The meeting with Magnus and company was in half an hour, and he needed to review the file before they went over. Or rather, James needed to review the file and tell Teddy what was in it. Teddy was a fighter, a duelest. He was not a reader. The fact that he had passed the written portion of his NEWTs in order to become an Auror was nothing short of a miracle. It was, in fact, a small miracle in the form of private tutoring from Professor McGonagall herself.
"Looking for this?" James had appeared, dangling the imporant file in front of Teddy's face.
"James Potter, you blessed hero, conqueror of unspeakable fears," Teddy nearly shouted. "You have succeeded in bringing me the much treasured, ever important, top secret file."
"Well, it's not much of a secret any more, is it?" James smirked at Teddy, whose look of triumph had turned to a look of horror at the realization that he had just publicly proclaimed his glee over having a top secret file.
"Seriously, Ted," said James, "keep it down. This is important, even if, apparently, the minister doesn't think so."
"What's in the file, then?" asked Teddy with a rare display of responsibility. He sat down in his chair and leaned back to listen to James, who had perched himself on the messy desk.
"Well, it looks like Shacklebolt talked to the Clave. They're worried, but he's been passing it off as a Shadowhunter supremacy sort of thing. He doesn't think the Seelie Queen is actually going to do anything major."
"So it's low priority in the eyes of the Minister is what you're saying. Do we agree with this?"
"We'll hold off on a decision until we talk to the Shadowhunters. Somehow, I don't think we'll agree with the minister. I don't think he thinks anyone can be as bad as Voldemort."
Teddy sighed and rubbed his temples. He was pretty sure his hair had changed colour during this conversation. He hated that. It was like his emotions were written all over his hair or something. "Isn't Harry worried?" he asked after collecting his admittedly scattered thoughts.
"Yeah, but Shaklebolt is passing it off as stress after the Wizarding War. He said that Dad's been suspicious of everyone ever since. Which is true. Dad's a bit paranoid. So is Uncle Ron. But they hide it well, and I think he should trust Dad's opinion more. After all, Dad is Head Auror and he was the one that believed Voldemort was coming back when no one else did."
"You know," Teddy started, brightening at his own idea a little bit. James looked slightly trepaditious, which was natural, he supposed, considering Teddy's ideas were rarely any good. "I don't think Shaklebolt doesn't believe that anyone can be more evil than Voldemort," he paused for a moment, trying to mentally make sure his double negative at least sort of made sense. It was a long moment. It also didn't make sense, he didn't think, but he continued anyways, assuming that James would understand his point. "I think that he doesn't think that an area of the Ministry that no one ever talks about could be concerned with us, considering they don't talk about us either."
James nodded his head in agreement, which surprised Teddy. James rarely agreed with his ideas. Unless they weren't work related. Then James usually agreed with all of them.
"So, I guess we just have to prove that they are concerned with us. Or, you know, go into another war woefully unprepared," James sighed, slightly dramatically. That was one thing Teddy liked about James. James had a flare for the dramatic. Teddy did, too. And he liked drama. Once, he tried to start a drama club at Hogwarts, but apparently not many wizards feel acting is a suitable use of their time. And the Gryffindors, for whatever reason, bullied a lot of the Hufflepuffs into not coming. So, Teddy kept it up through his entire Hogwarts career as a one-man club. With creativity and individualism like his, he could practically have been a Ravenclaw.
"Are you two almost ready to go meet the Shadowhutners?" came a voice from the doorway of Teddy's cubicle. "You're going to be late."
Teddy looked up to see Harry Potter, the Head Auror and his godfather standing in the doorway. Harry's hair was graying faster these days, Teddy noticed. And the scar going across his face seemed to be more pronounced even than it had been the day he got it. Teddy didn't remember that day very well since he was at his grandmother's house, not Harry's, but he rememberd comign back over to a slightly more terrifying Harry. His lighning scar was hardly noticeable in comparison.
"We're just meeting Jace, Magnus, and Tessa at Hogwarts today," James told his father. "McGonagall's not even opening the floo line for another ten minutes."
"Oh? I'm actually also going into Hogwarts," Harry said. "Your brother is in a bit of trouble," he added in response to the questioning looks from both Teddy and James. At least, Teddy thought his look was questioning. Sometimes, when he tried to hard to convey thoughts through his facial expressions, he just ended up looking significantly constipated.
"What did he do?" asked James with a grin. He looked genuinely surprised that Albus was in trouble. Albus wasn't really one for getting in trouble. He didn't get into trouble, really. Actually, he did when he was younger, but he rarely got caught. Probably some sort of Slytherin voodoo.
"That's something he can tell you, if he wants to. McGonagall hasn't even told me what's happened yet. She said she wanted Scorpius and Albus to tell us themselves." Harry responded.
James and Teddy both winced. "You and Draco Malfoy in the same room?" James asked. "Either something really bad happened or McGonagall is a complete nutter."
Harry gave James a stern, that's-the-headmistress-you're-talking-about look. Or at least, that's what Teddy thought the look meant. But he did add, "Not just me. Astoria and your mum will be there, too."
Teddy's eyes widened. He and James had both gotten into a lot of trouble by themselves at school, but never had Professor McGonagall been angry enough at them to have Ginny come in.
"He's a goner," Teddy said solomnley, shaking his head in disbelief.
"We should go," said James, breaking the solemn silence in the room, although he also appeared terrified on Albus' behalf. "McGonagall's going to open the her fireplace in five minutes, and I reckon she won't keep it open long if we're late. I'd rather not get dumped somewhere any less pleasant."
Together, the three of them trooped towards the lift that would take them to the Atrium in the ministry where the fireplaces were located. This was where McGonagall would open her floo to, since most offices in the ministry didn't have fireplaces and it would be foolish to have to apparate home only to floo into Hogwarts later.
After a rather uncomfortable lift ride involving awkward small talk (Teddy's least favourite thing) with the Minister for Magic himself, they arrived at the Atrium and in front of the fireplaces.
"See you in a moment," said Teddy brightly, winking at James, before he threw some floo powder into the fireplace. "Hogwarts!"
Floo powder was not, to say the least, Teddy's favourite method of travel. It was hot, uncomfortable, and generally disorienting. So, it was reasonable to say that it wasn't his own clumsiness that caused him to trip when he stepped out of the fireplace, landing in a heap in McGonagall's office.
He heard a noise that sounded like a cross between an amused snort and an embarrased groan and looked up to see Albus, Scorpius, Mr Malfoy, Mrs Malfoy, Ginny, and Professor McGonagall. Evidently, the noise had come from Scorpius, who was trying hard not to conceal a grin. Albus was doubled over in silent laughter.
Teddy stood up and cleared his throat in embarrasement. He couldn't be sure since there wasn't a mirror, but he had the distinct feeling that he had subconsciously changed his hair colour to some form of pink or red in his embarassement.
"Professor McGonagall," he said, extending his hand to the woman behind the desk. Teddy was pleased to see that her usually stern face appeared to be mildy amused. A mildly amused McGonagall was hard to achieve. Teddy was quite proud of himself.
"Mr Lupin," she responded. "And Mr Potter," she said, turning to the fireplace as James stepped through. "You will find Professor Bane in his office. Third floor, past the statue of Warwick the Weird. You are invited to stay for dinner and eat with your family, if you would like."
The atmosphere of the room was distinctly awkward. Teddy hated awkwardness. He noticed that Albus and Scorpius had both stopped laughing and were now just staring. Typical.
"Thanks, Headmistress," said James. Clearly James seeemed to have some of the presence of mind that Teddy didn't. What a boring way to live life.
They both stepped out of the office just as Harry stepped through in from the fireplace.
"Well that was awkward," said James finally.
"Are we staying for dinner? I miss Hogwarts food. Really just any food, I haven't eaten since lunch," said Teddy as he followed James down the staircase and jumped one of the trick stairs.
"We'll stay for dinner if Al and Scorpius are alive after that meeting, I want to hear what it's all about," responded James. Teddy couldn't tell whether or not his grin was a little bit triumphant. Probably was, he reflected.
"You know, I can't believe McGonagall brought Mum in to deal with Al, of all people," said James thoughtfully. "I had thougtht it would have been one of us. Remember that time I hexed Henry Zabini and he sprouted wings?" Teddy roared with laughter at the memory.
"You were only in second year," guffawed Teddy. "I think she was impressed with that one, really. What second year can make a bloke grow wings?"
They were both laughing as they stopped in front of the door to Magnus' office. James knocked as Teddy tried to calm down, but he was still laughing as they entered the room. It was okay, though. Laughter was good. Teddy liked laughing.
"Welcome," said Magnus with a flourishing bow. Jace and Tessa appeared to have already seated themselves around Magnus' desk, so Teddy conjured up two chairs so that he and James could join them.
Teddy looked aroudn the room and decided he liked Magnus even more than when he had first met him. It was full of old books and runes and, most importantly, glitter. The only thing that Teddy found strange was the unsettlingly still picture of Magnus, Alec, and two young boys sitting on Magnus' desk.
"What's been happening on your side?" asked Jace, forgoeing all pleasantries. Teddy didn't like Jace very much. He was too serious. "I mean, with the Ministry?"
"Nothing has changed, really," said Teddy. "They don't believe anything."
"Shacklebolt reckons dad is going mad," added James. "Thinks he's paranoid after the first big war. Doesn't want to believe that the Seelie's would bug us now, seeing as they've never bothered us before."
"Typical," said Magnus, with a small snort.
There was a moment's pause before Tessa, looking thoughtful, said, "We need to find a way to make the ministry believe the Seelies will be a problem. Before they actually become a problem."
Teddy considered this for a moment, along with all the others, but then grinned. "Veritaseum."
"What?" asked James and Jace together. They were both staring. Teddy wasn't a fan of staring, either, unless he was the one doing it.
"We catch a faeire. Then we use veritaseum on it to make it tell the truth about what they're up to." He, Theodore Remus Lupin, was a genius.
"Ted," groaned James. "Faeries already can't lie. Veritaseum won't help us. Although capturing one wouldn't be a bad idea."
"No, he's right," put in Tessa, just as Teddy's spirit had begun to fall. "Just because they can't lie doesn't mean they'll tell the truth.:
"The faerie might just refuse to talk, though," put in Jace. Teddy grinned triumphantly. His idea was smart. He was smarter than Jace.
"Veritaseum forces the drinker to talk," responded Teddy smugly. "The faeire would have to tell the truth plainly, they'll have to answer."
"Perfect," grinned Jace, almost ferally. "So, how do we go about doing this?"
"Legally we have to consult the Wizengamot first," sighed James. "We have to get permission for it. It'll be hard but I don't think it's impossible. I know for a fact that there are people on the Wizengamot that are as concerned as we are, and all we need is a majority vote."
Magnus nodded at this. "You and Theodore do that, then," he replied. "We'll keep an ear out on in the Shadowhunter world as much as we can. We can reconvene here when your process is done."
"It'll take a while," said Teddy. "If we're at the end of September now, it'll be close to Christmas probably, before we have the go ahead."
"Fine then," responded Jace. "We'll meet in a week or two, here, and discuss what we can do in the interim."
All agreed, Teddy stood up with James to leave.
"You know, I'm worried about you, Ted," said James as the door closed behind them. "You didn't say a single strange thing all evening."
"Not to worry, mate," responded Teddy, grinning although he was slightly put out at himself. He hopped onto James' back, startling him and almost causing him to topple. "Onward, good steed. Dinner awaits!"