Chapter Eight

A/N: I only own the plot of both this story and the story in bold. Anything else belongs to either JK Rowling or Ryan Murphey.

*ducks projectiles* Okay, if I'm honest I have no reason as to why it's taken me a year to update this story. I wish I did have a reason—but other than real life being horrible and dictating my time, I have no reason for being so late on this. Thank you to everyone who has stayed with this story, and I promise that I will do my best to make sure updates happen much more frequently.

Okay, with that elephant in the room addressed, on to the chapter! Let me know what you thought in either a review or a PM! Also, if you haven't already, be sure to vote in the poll for which In-Progress story will get updated next. You can vote for five choices so be sure to do so!

Please enjoy the chapter!

"Alright," Harry said, shaking the pages to straighten them out. "Chapter Eight."

"So how have you been?" Harry asked as Molly Weasley poured some tea and passed around cookies.

"He'd be better if he was home with us," Harry muttered under his breath. He could understand why Teddy had run off, but he would be lying to himself if he didn't admit that it had hurt.

"I've been good," Teddy said with a smile. James and Fred were causing the usual explosions that brought a smile to their grandmother's face.

"When you name your children after the worst pranksters Hogwarts has ever seen, explosions should be the least of your worries," Ginny said with a chuckle.

"Where are you living?" Charlie asked.

"In a house," Teddy shrugged. Harry sighed, but Teddy wasn't going to give him any leeway into where he was staying. He liked being in Lima, and he liked being in Glee.

"I'm glad he's happy," Harry said, but the frown on his face spoke volumes as to how he was feeling. He missed his godson and wished he'd return home where Harry knew he'd be safe. Ginny, though, couldn't help but chuckle at Teddy's response to Charlie's ridiculous question.

"Teddy?" Victorie gestured to him from outside. Teddy got up and went to her.

"Saved by the girlfriend," Cooper muttered, hiding his smirk.

"Yeah Vic?" he asked. Victorie held something over his head, something which wasn't a small feat as she had inherited her mother's height.

"Mistletoe," she said with a grin. Teddy chuckled and kissed her.

"That's brazen, to do that right in front of Bill," Ginny said, smiling at Teddy's happiness.

"Bill wouldn't notice that unless it happened right in front of him," Harry told her. "Mistletoe would just be written off as a holiday tradition between friends."

"I hate how you know so much about my brother."

"Your mum practically raised me!"

"Happy Christmas," James popped in between them. Teddy groaned but ruffled his god brother's hair.

"Happy Christmas little man," Teddy said. "Hey, I've got something for you."

He pulled a chocolate frog out from his pocket and handed it to James.

"Thanks for giving those bullies hell for me," he said with a grin. James grinned back and ran off.

"Is that something we should be rewarding?" Ginny asked.

"Given who he's named after, I would say no," Harry told her. "However we can't stop Teddy from doing it either."

"But Teddy would know who James was named after and know the dangers of encouraging him."

"Yes but Teddy is also the son of the best friend of those namesakes. Ergo, he would encourage the behavior."

"DINNER!" Molly shouted, and the entire table got jammed packed with people.

"So Ted," Harry said halfway through turkey, "when shall we tell the headmistress that you're coming back?"

"We're not," Teddy said suddenly. The table grew silent.

"Wait what?" Harry asked, all joy from his previous conversation gone. While he knew he was being hypocritical since he himself never finished Hogwarts, that still didn't mean he wanted Ted to follow in that path.

"You mean," Hermione said tentatively, "that you're not going to continue your education?"

"Oh I am," Teddy said, "just not in a traditional manner."

"That's ironic," Cooper chuckled. "Normally we'd call a school of witches and wizards non-traditional schooling."

Harry cleared his throat. "Teddy, I think your parents would want—"

"They'd want me to be happy," Teddy said firmly. "I'm happy where I am."

He was through with Harry and Ginny using his parents as leverage. He was an adult now; he could do what he wanted.

Harry couldn't help but agree with Teddy on that point. There were times (especially when he learned about Sirius being friends with his parents) that he resented people using what his parents would have wanted as a way to dictate how he should act.

"But think about it," Ginny said. "How will you become an Auror if you don't sit for your NEWTs?"

"Harry did fine without them," Teddy shrugged, and the entire table took a collective breath. It was a well-known fact that Harry regretted not going back to Hogwarts, but with so many Death Eaters still loose, the Aurors needed him.

"That was a low blow," Burt winced as Harry tried his best not to look affected by that line.

"I think I'll be having words with Teddy on how to act during a family argument," Ginny frowned. "Honestly, bringing that up was just beyond the pale."

"It was fair game though," Harry told her. "I did become an Auror, but I didn't sit my NEWTs. The only thing I could think of that would prevent Ted from doing the same thing is not wanting to be seen as getting the spot just because of who his godfather is."

"That was uncalled for!" Ron shouted, standing up.

"Ronald, sit down!" Hermione grabbed his arm. "Maybe we should wait until after the holidays to talk about this?"

"That makes sense," Carol nodded. "Everyone's there to enjoy the holiday. Arguing just makes everyone uncomfortable."

"That's not how it works in my family," Ginny told her.

"No I think now is fine," Teddy said. "Unless you want to say something unfit for anyone under seventeen to hear?"

James and Fred looked excited. They always got sent out of the room when the adults were to speak. Rose frowned though; they really shouldn't be having this discussion. Teddy needed his NEWTs.

"Are we sure Hermione didn't just clone Rose?"

"Considering what you walked in on nine months before Rose's birth, I would say no," Ginny told Harry, who shuddered at the reminder.

"Ted—" Percy leaned over to whisper something to him, but Teddy turned his head before he could.

"Thanks for dinner Molly," he said and stormed out. The table was silent.

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm remembering the Christmas mess of 1996," George said. "When Percy stormed out."

Percy flushed, causing Molly II and Lucy to giggle.

"Do you think that's why Percy was trying to talk to Teddy?" Cooper asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," Ginny sighed, frowning at the memory of that Christmas. "Percy always said he regretted how he acted during that time, but the only difference is Percy stormed out because of his beliefs and because I threw mashed parsnips at his head."

"That was you?" Harry asked.

"What, you honestly think it was Fred or George?"

"I'll go get him," Victorie said.

"Victorie," Bill said, "I think you should let the adults handle this. What if he apperated?"

"Granddad can take me," Victorie argued. "Besides he'll listen to me!"

The adults all looked at each other, no one wanting to admit that Victorie had several valid points.

"I counted two points," Harry said. "Since when is two several?"

"Actually it's really only one point," Ginny corrected. "Victorie is the only person Ted seems to listen to."

"Alright," Bill sighed. "Dad, can you—"

Arthur already had his coat on.

"Dads always seem to know when they're needed," Cooper said with a smile, thinking of his relationship with his father.

"It's a gift," Burt shrugged.

"One you'll have to teach me apparently," Harry said with a frown, thinking of everything he missed that Ted had to go through.

"Ready?" he asked his eldest grandchild.

Harry couldn't help but shake his head at that. Everything he knew about the Weasleys meant that he knew Ted was considered a grandchild as well. Granted, he might not be a biological one, but then again, Harry had been told several times that he was practically a Weasley himself.

"Ready," Victorie nodded. The two of them walked outside and then stopped at the edge of the property line.

"Where do you think he went?" Victorie asked Arthur.

"It's Christmas time dear," Arthur said. "He's probably with family."

Victorie wanted to ask what that meant, but then she gasped as she realized.

"The graveyard at Godric's Hollow!" she exclaimed. "Where Tonks and Remus are buried."

At Burt, Carol and Cooper's look of confusion, Harry started to explain. "Tonks and Remus were his parents. Remus Lupin was one of my father's best friends. When they died, I got permission from Tonks' mum to bury them next to my parents."

"Since Andromeda was disowned, she couldn't use the Black plot anyway," Ginny told him. "At least this way Tonks would have had a proper burial and not buried in the middle of a field somewhere."

"I know," Harry sighed. "But it's still a hike for Andromeda, and I still feel as if I was selfish, burying her only daughter so far away from her."

"At least Tonks was buried next to Remus," Ginny pointed out. "You made it so that she could stay with her husband."

Burt, Carol, and Cooper didn't know what to say. It was more than a little uncomfortable, and yet they all felt that it would be tactless to change the subject.

"That's right," Arthur nodded. They apperated there, and sure enough, they could see a lone figure standing out in the snow.

"I'll let you have a moment alone," Arthur whispered, and Victorie nodded. She walked up to him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Dad could always tell when we needed a moment without grownups hovering around," Ginny smiled.

"Something tells me that was needed a lot when you were growing up," Burt said.

"Well with six brothers, two of whom were practically grown-ups themselves, sometimes a moment alone was needed," Ginny nodded in agreement. "The summer before my sixth year of Hogwarts, for instance. Dad helped me get a moment alone with Harry on his birthday when Mum was constantly hovering around."

"Wait, that was your dad's doing?" Harry asked.

"What, you thought all eight Weasleys just decided to mind their own business while we snogged?"

"Well, I thought your mum had assigned them tasks for Bill's wedding which was the next day!"

"Can you guys stop having these conversations?" Cooper asked. "I don't know about Burt and Carol, but I never know if I should listen or change the subject."

Ginny and Harry stopped talking and flushed a Weasley red, causing Cooper to smirk in amusement.

"They're worried about you," she told him. "We all are."

"That doesn't mean they get to dictate my life," Teddy told her. "I'm seventeen, not seven."

"He has a point," Harry sighed.

"But running away does not show the strongest case of maturity," Burt interjected. "He seems like a great kid, but he should have told someone."

"He spent too much time with Harry growing up," Ginny shook her head. "He was taught the 'suffer in silence' method."

"I wasn't that bad!"

"Umbridge," was all Ginny had to say.

"Then tell someone about the bullies," Victorie told him. "Dad would handle it in a heartbeat, so would Uncle Harry."

"You bet your arse we would!" Harry growled.

"Bill would probably beat you to it too," Ginny told him. "I'm surprised Victorie hasn't said anything."

"Probably promised Ted she wouldn't," Burt told her. "Kids are funny like that."

Teddy shook his head.

"No, I'm fine," he said. "I'll go back to your place and get my stuff. You'll never even know I was here."

"Seriously?" Harry groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "He doesn't have to run every time someone finds out something he wants to keep hidden."

Victorie started to say something but Teddy apperated again.

"Stupid lousy…" Victorie began to mutter but then got an idea. Her mum wanted to work on her English some more didn't she?

"I knew I loved my niece," Ginny smirked. Teddy would not know what hit him.

0000000000000000000

Teddy breathed in that grubby McKinley High air and grinned. No worries, well if you didn't count the bullies. No problems…well, other than his dislike of Finn.

Carol frowned at the reminder of her son's behavior. She would have to talk to him about that once they finished with the reading.

"Hey, John!" Rachel smiled and called out to him. Teddy waved at her as the sea of people made it difficult to see her.

"The plight of short people," Cooper chuckled, thinking of his little brother Blaine.

"Oh, so is that what you had to deal with Harry?" Ginny asked, smirking at her husband.

"Shut it!"

"Hello Johnny boy," Rick sneered and pressed Teddy up against the lockers. "Miss me?"

"Not unless you started using dental hygiene," Teddy winced as Rick's breath came at him full blast. "What did you eat? An onion?"

Harry couldn't help but smile at his godson standing up for himself. While he wished there was someplace Ted could go without having to deal with bullies, at least now he was showing them who was boss.

"Still got to remember to make that appointment with Figgins," Burt muttered.

Rick started to say something, but a familiar voice stopped him.

"Oi!" a female voice called out. "You gonna let my boyfriend go or are you going to kiss him first?"

Teddy looked over in the direction of the voice and saw Victorie dressed in muggle clothes. He honestly didn't think she could look better.

"Don't tell me she ran away too?" Ginny groaned. "Bill would not be happy with that."

"You're dating this loser?" Rick raised an eyebrow.

"Going on two years," Victorie said. "Now let him go."

Rick chuckled. "Or what? You're going to realize that there are better men out there?"

"Like you? Please," Victorie scoffed. "No, but the entire school might just hear a rumor about you and another member of your team in the locker room. Alone. Naked."

Burt and Cooper winced at that statement as if Victorie was implying that there was something wrong with being gay. Harry frowned at that as well; while Victorie was born after the war, they had still taught her about the Death Eaters and how they persecuted Muggle-Borns and other minorities in their world.

"Victorie knows better," Ginny said softly.

"Even the most progressive person can hold a little prejudice," Harry told her, rubbing her shoulder. "I remember when Ron yelled at Lupin to get away from him after we found out he was a werewolf."

Rick dropped Teddy and backed away as quickly as he could.

"That was amazing," Teddy told her. "But what are you doing here Vic?"

"Amazing might not have been the best word choice," Cooper muttered.

"That's a good question," Harry nodded, having not heard Cooper's mutter.

"Mum's subbing here," Victorie told him. "I convinced McGonagall to let me come as an exchange student for Muggle Studies."

"Wait, how'd you find out where I was or what I looked like?" Teddy asked. Victorie looked at him as if he was an idiot.

"You told me. Remember? You wanted someone to know in case you ended up in hospital here."

"Did he not expect to make friends at Lima who would care if he got injured?" Burt asked, frowning at the thought.

"Honestly, as sad as it is, I'm just happy that Santana's living with Ted now," Harry said. "At least now if something happens, there's someone who will care or at least notice something's wrong."

"Have you forgotten the hiding prowess of your godson?" Ginny asked.

"Oh. Yeah." Teddy chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "So, does that mean that your mum knows—?"

"That we're boyfriend and girlfriend?" Victorie asked. "Yeah, but she's cool with it. "

"Like the rest of the family," Harry chuckled.

"The only one who doesn't know is Bill," Ginny shook her head. "Well, and James."

"James is eleven. I don't think he counts."

"If Lily knows before James, it counts."

Teddy grinned. "So what's your first class?" he asked.

"The same as yours," Victorie said. "Walk me to class boyfriend mine?"

"How is that possible?!" Harry exclaimed, having been the only magical person to have gone through a muggle education system.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

"Victorie is two years younger than Teddy. In a muggle school, she'd be a….well I don't know the word, but it wouldn't be someone in the same classes as Ted!"

"A sophomore," Carol told them. "The word you're looking for is sophomore—and you're right. Unless Victorie is incredibly smart, most sophomores aren't in classes with seniors."

"And with the magical world's stellar track record in teaching muggle education," Harry sighed. "Vic, I know you want to be with your boyfriend, but you are in for a rough semester."

"I'd be happy to," Teddy grinned and linked arms with her. All through the day, Teddy could feel eyes on him and Victorie, but he didn't care. For once, he could walk through school with his girlfriend and not have to worry about it getting back to Bill. Finally, it was time though for Glee club.

"You want to join or—"

"I hope she does!" Ginny smiled. "Victorie has the most beautiful voice."

"Plus Schue is always looking for new singers," Burt nodded.

"I'll let you maintain your spot there," Victorie said. "Besides, it'll be like Hogwarts only without the magic. We didn't spend the entire time there did we?"

"I hate when they use logic," Ginny muttered but had to give Victorie credit for making a wise decision.

"No, I guess not," Teddy chuckled. He kissed her and then walked off into the classroom.

"Who is she?" Puck asked the minute he walked into the room.

"Geez, give the man time to breathe," Cooper said with a chuckle.

"My girlfriend?" Teddy replied, making it seem like a question though.

"Hot girlfriend," Artie corrected.

"She's fifteen!" Harry exclaimed, and Ginny glared at the pages. While they were fine with Victorie dating—seeing as they were her Aunt and Uncle and really had no control over her life—comments like that were inappropriate. With her Veela bloodline, the Potters knew Vic would get those comments. They thought it would be when she was older though.

Teddy growled at that. Victorie was his girlfriend, not some tart for the other boys to ogle at.

"Guys, cool it," Quinn snapped. Rachel was trying to get Finn's attention just as Tina was trying to do with Mike's.

"At least there's someone there with sense," Harry sighed.

"I don't think that's the reason," Burt said with a frown. "The girls are not going to like the attention their boyfriends are giving Victorie. Even if she's not in the room, the guys are acting like she is."

Teddy sighed, looked like Victorie was going to be right. It was going to be just like Hogwarts for her. Boys loving her and girls hating her without even trying to befriend the eldest Weasley.

"Do our kids ever tell us anything?" Ginny asked.

"Did Ron ever tell your mum and dad about his adventures with me his first year?" Harry asked, seemingly out of the blue.

"No, why?"

"There's your answer," Harry told her with a smirk. "You can't blame me anymore for Ted's holding stuff back. You lot did it too!"

"Ugh, I hate it when he's right!" Ginny groaned. Harry chuckled and held the pages up.

"Who wants to read next?" he asked.

"I will," Cooper said and took the pages from Harry.