Teddy left as soon as Harry explained what happened. He may not of been the best Auror of the group, but he was the most qualified for this job. Being able to transfigure yourself on cue came in handy when you were trying to discretely track and follow someone who used to be as close to you as a brother. Teddy couldn't trail Al looking as 26 year old Ted Remus Lupin, turquoise hair and all. Harry couldn't do the same either, apparently. So Ted disguised himself as a half decade younger, completely average muggle and followed Harry's tracking spell.
Teddy wasn't surprised at how hard it was to trace Albus. After the run in he had with his father, Al obviously knew all too well the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would put a track on him the second he saw him. Albus Severus Potter wasn't stupid. He was leading Teddy all over the continent, and the day wasn't even spent. Once, when he got close to finally catching sight of him, Teddy saw Albus for the first time in 3 years.
It was just passed 5 in the afternoon. They were somewhere in northern Germany, apparating and disapparating from one city to the next. Teddy was getting sick of it. He felt like he was playing tag with Al again- like they did when all three of Harry's kids were little and practically worshipped Teddy, but now they were playing on a much larger and more serious scale.
When Teddy followed the tracking to a field, his gut told him to bypass it so he apparated a bit further on. That's where he saw Al. His back was against a tree as he hyperventilated. His clothes were dirty. Scruff was unevenly growing on his chin. His arms were clutching a muggle-looking backpack. His hair was uneven, reaching down to his shoulders in places. If Harry hadn't told him beforehand, Teddy would never have recognized this man as the boy he'd known as Albus Potter.
At Teddy's arrival, Al pushed his hair back hastily and began walking off. It irked Teddy. As soon as Teddy rose his wand though, Al turned on his heels and pointed his own wand threateningly at him. "Fuck off, Teddy. Tell my father I don't want to fucking see or talk to him- and Merlin, stop fucking tracking me! If haven't got the hint, I don't want anything to do with you people anymore!"
Teddy looked down at his body in amazement and shock. He'd completely transfigured. How did Al know who he was? Teddy lowered his wand and stared at the boy who was now a complete stranger to him. "How'd you know?"
"You forgot to take your necklace off." Al had the expression of utmost loathing on his face.
Involuntarily, Teddy's hand reached for his neck, where sure enough, a necklace which once belonged to his mother was hanging securely. As he held his mother's necklace in his hand, Teddy studied Albus some more. His should-be tight clothes looked baggy. The way he dressed told Teddy that these days Al wasn't living life like the weathly and famous wizard he is. Al has been living like he was nothing more than a homeless muggle. "You know-" Teddy started.
"I don't give a fuck." Al snapped and with a sudden crack he was gone.
As the days wore on, Teddy got better at predicting where Al was moving. For now, Teddy wasn't trying to catch Al, just keep tabs on him and write to Harry. Harry needed to be the one to lead Albus' intervention. So for now, Teddy followed Albus as he walked up and down sidewalks, asking pedestrians for their spare change. Al kept good spirits about being tracked by his father's godson for the most part, though he'd slam doors on Teddy's face or purposely lock them just to make him struggle.
Every night Teddy would offer Al to join him in a nearby hotel, but Al would rudely refuse with a few of his favorite curse words. Instead, Al would walk to a large underpass, pull out a quilt and read under the bridge until he'd fall asleep on the concrete.
As soon as Teddy would get into a hotel room, he'd pull out parchment, and begin writing to Harry.
Harry,
Well, what can I say about today? Al only told me to "Fuck Off" 8 times today and he's stopped trying to hex me. That's an improvement, isn't it? He's taken us to Scotland. I'm not actually sure where. It's a pretty small town, we can't be too far away from Hogwarts. I expect a couple hours at the most. I don't except Al to be going that way though, do you? No, I think we'll be heading somewhere populated next. I think he's running low on whatever drugs he's been trying to keep a secret from me, and I doubt he'll be able to get anything out here but cigarettes.
Today wasn't all too interesting. Al is out sleeping under a bridge, still refusing a room for the night.
Until Tomorrow,
Ted