"Teddie, a word, please?"

Teddie blinked and closed her trunk. It was sitting at the bottom of the stairs alongside Theo's and Masons, already to go to Kings Cross Station in a few minutes. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Mo was standing at the corner of the hallway leading to the kitchen and his study. He looked tired, like he hadn't slept a wink all night. A small smile tug at his lips, and he nodded. "Yes. Yes, of course, this won't take long," he said.

"Okay," said Teddie. She locked her trunk and followed Mo down the hall to his office. Once across the threshold she noticed that Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape sat in the two high-back chairs facing Mo's desk. She straightened immediately, her gaze flickering back and forth between them.

Dumbledore smiled at her, his gaze twinkling over his half-moon spectacles. "Good morning, Miss Green," he greeted. "I assure you're well."

Teddie shrugged. "As well as can be, I suppose," she answered. "Looking forward to going back to school."

"That's what I like to hear," said Dumbledore. "School is a safe place, even more so now, and shouldn't be feared. Although, I suppose you are curious as to why we are here?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," admitted Teddie.

Dumbledore nodded. "Severus and I have come to the decision that you shall need… training, for the lack of a better word," he said.

"Training?" Teddie asked, cocking her head. "What kind of training?"

"Shield training, for one," said Professor Snape. "I noticed last year that you rarely used it, and when you did, it was out of your control. Learning to control it will help you in the upcoming war."

Teddie nodded. Since her abduction at the hands of Avery two years ago, she hadn't used her shield as much as she used to - granted, leading up to the point of her abduction, her shield had a mind of its own, so some control would've been nice.

"Also, this year I will be hosting private after hour sessions with Mr Potter," said Dumbledore. "I would like to extend in the invitation to you."

"After hour private lessons with you and Harry?" Teddie asked.

Dumbledore nodded.

"May I ask what these lessons will be about?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," said Dumbledore airily. When Dumbledore didn't elaborate further, Teddie turned her gaze back to Snape.

"We will work out a schedule for you," said Snape. "This way, we can guarantee that neither of our lessons overlap, and you get the recommend rest and free time that you need to complete your school and homework."

Teddie nodded.

"While, we are on the subject of after hour lessons," said Dumbledore. "I would like to propose sessions between you and Miss Caroline Kyle, if you will, Miss Green. There are some interesting things she has that I believe you would benefit from."

Teddie tensed. "I want nothing from her," she said, bitterly.

Dumbledore nodded. "I understand why you feel this way, Miss Green, but the more you understand why she did what she did, then the easier it will be for you to forgive her," he said.

"I don't want to forgive her!" said Teddie. "She left me on the doorstep of two loving Muggles and it got them killed. It left Mason an orphan! Why would I want to forgive her for that?"

"She gave you a childhood," said Snape. "One that you should be thankful to have had. Many orphans don't get the chance at a happy family, Miss Green."

Teddie shoulder's dropped. She knew he was talking about himself. His father, Tobias Snape, had been a drunk and abusive man that hit both Professor Snape and his wife, Eileen every chance he had.

"Fine," Teddie sighed. "I'll see what Caroline has to say. What about John? Do I get to see him, too? He went to Durmstrang, right? Didn't he graduate last year or something?"

"You friend John is under the protection the Ministry," said Dumbledore. "Being the nephew of Avery Sutherland puts a target on his back, just as much as it does yours. Caroline is concerned that her sister will try and take her son in retribution for her taking you."

Teddie licked her lips. She wouldn't have put it passed Avery to come looking for revenge. It seemed like an Avery thing to do.

Seemingly forgotten, Mo cleared his throat as she snapped the small pocket watch he carried closed. "I hate to interrupt," he apologised, standing from his desk. "But, Teddie is due to leave for the train in five minutes."

"Of course," said Dumbledore, cheerily. "Just one more thing - I think I am correct in saying that you have not told anybody that you know what the prophecy said?"

"Just my friends," said Teddie. "I think Harry may have told Ron and Hermione, but I can't be sure. I haven't spoken to him since the end of last year."

"I have already had this conversation with Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore. "He assures me that he has told his friends."

"On the whole I think it is a wise decision for you to have told your friends," said Dumbledore, approvingly. "I do believe it would've been a disservice by no confiding something this important in them, seeing as you will need your friends going forward."

"Does that mean I can tell them about our lessons, sir?" Teddie asked.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "I do not see why not," he agreed. "But only your friends, understand?"

Teddie nodded.

"Good. Now, Professor Snape and I will take our leave," said Dumbledore. "See you in a few hours, Miss Green."

~X~

Platform Nine and Three Quarters was as busy as usual, even as Teddie was escorted through the barrier by Cruise and hurried onto the train. He found her an empty compartment at the very back, which he loaded with her belongings, including her trunk and snake house. Behind him came Quinn and Mason, followed by Dominic and Theo, leaving Melanie to bring up the rear.

"Any particular reason we're always late?" Theo asked, slumping into a seat near the window. He noticed people pointing at him, and pulled the curtain closed, hiding his face.

Mason pulled the second curtain across, meeting with Theo's in the centre of the window. When the train compartments got curtains, neither of them were sure, but it helped to hide away from prying eyes out on the platform.

"The later we are then the less likely we are to run into trouble," said Cruise. "The rest of us have the compartment next door," he added to Teddie. "If you need us, we'll be there."

"So, you're not sitting with us?" Teddie asked.

Cruise shook his head. "Mr Flint suspected that there would be less room in here with all your friends, plus, he has advised us to back off when necessary at the school. You'll see us less within the castle, but we'll still be around."

"Oh. I was under the impression that you'd be following my every move," said Teddie, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Why was she feeling guilty suddenly? Was it because she had judged Cruise to soon, or maybe because she had reassured herself that she would be watched constantly? Did she really want that? Maybe subconsciously, she did.

"Not unless you need constant supervision," said Cruise. "It is like I said in Diagon Alley, Miss Green, you are not a child."

Teddie rolled her eyes. "Great. At least I don't have to worry about you breathing down my neck in Charms lessons or Care of Magical Creatures, even," she said. "I could just imagine you running to defend me against a Crup or something."

Cruise bit back a growl and showed himself out of the compartment. He paused in the door, turning back to the three teenagers. "Don't try and escape, we may be next door, but we're always watching," he warned.

"Escape too where?" Mason asked. "We're on a moving train."

Cruise closed the door without a response and disappeared next door.

"I think I see what his problem is," said Theo looking to Teddie.

"Oh yeah?"

Theo nodded. "He cares about you, and it scares him," he admitted. "And you care about him. Which is why you're both trying to desperately push each other away."

Teddie barked out a laugh. "If that were true, then I would be trying to push all of you away," she said.

"You did try," reminded Theo.

"But it didn't work, did it?"

Theo smiled. "That's because everyone you come in contact with is stubborn," he said.

Teddie chuckled.

The train whistled blew outside the window and the sound of slamming doors echoed on the left-hand side of the train. Students were rushing for the train, jumping through the doorway before it was sealed shut to them.

"What happens if someone does miss the train?" Teddie asked. She looked to Mason, it was more than a good chance that he would know the answer over Theo, despite him being a Muggleborn and Theo a Pureblood.

Mason peeled back the curtain as the train started to move. The station was still full of parents, some of them waving to their children as the train left the station, and those that caught sight of him pointed and then started whispering to their neighbours.

"They're parents contact the school, and a Professor or Ministry Official is sent to collect them from home," Mason answered, allowing the curtain to fall back into place. "Unless your names are Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, then you fly an old Ford Anglia to school."

Theo snorted and Teddie rolled her eyes.

"The protocol can't be well known if that was their first thought," said Teddie. "But, granted they were locked in Kings Cross Station not on the platform."

"They could've still gone and waited by the car," said Theo. "They didn't have to steal it and fly it to school."

Teddie shrugged. "They're Gryffindors," she said. "Sitting around and waiting isn't in their nature."

"Yeah, but if John had dared you, then you would've done it, too," said Mason to Teddie. "Don't try and deny it."

Teddie folded her arms and pouted.

Mason and Theo laughed. It was the first time in months that they had all managed to feel relaxed enough to have a laugh. Normally there was something bad happening in the world, or Mo had a story to tell from the office, or Teddie would react to some article in the Daily Prophet, not to mention past grievances always seemed to rear their ugly heads and cut off any fun the trio were attempting to engage in.

The door opened after a while and Astoria stumbled inside. She looked windswept and was breathing heavily as she lugged her suitcase behind her. "Finally!" she exclaimed, as Teddie and Theo jumped to help her. "Why are you so far back? Normally we're in the first carriage."

"Cruise chose this compartment," said Teddie, hefting her suitcase up with Theo and storing it on the rack above.

"Oh, Dad mentioned you had got Jonathan Cruise as your Head of Security," said Astoria. "Daphne and I have Donald Oakley, as ours. Blaise has some Russian bloke; I forget his name."

"I'm surprised Blaise' stepfather is still allowing him to associate with me," said Teddie.

"Are you kidding? Blaise says he is ecstatic," said Astoria. "His mother feels bad for you, but his stepfather is apparently very pro-dark lord. I mean, he wouldn't sign up and join the Dark Lord's ranks, but he believes in what he is trying to do in the world."

"Of course, he does," Teddie muttered. "Speaking of Daphne and Blaise, where are they?"

"Prefect compartment."

"Oh yeah. Where are their trunks?"

Astoria nodded her head into the hall. "Donald just left them while he went and joined the other Auror's," she said. "He's not very useful when it comes to manual labour."

With a shake of her head, Teddie bypassed Astoria and headed into the hall. She took out her wand, noticing how many students who were already in the corridor eyed her cautiously, a few smaller students, she noted, dived back into compartments at the very appearance of her wand. She rolled her eyes, pointed the wand at the two trunks, and muttered "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The two trunks floated into the air, and Teddie navigated them into the compartment. She lifted her wand higher, and the trunks floated up onto the racks overhead. They nestled in safely and securely, as Teddie stepped back into the compartment and closed the door behind her.

"Thanks," said Astoria, slumping in her seat beside Mason. "How's your Summer been?"

Mason shrugged. "Happy Birthday," he said, hugging her. "Sorry we couldn't make it."

"It's okay. We had a quiet dinner at home," said Astoria. "Where we used to have big parties, Dad reckons things are going to be a bit subdued for a while."

"I feel like I should apologise," said Teddie.

Astoria shook her head. "It's not your fault," she protested. "Dad is an Auror. He would say things need to remain under the radar regardless of your status."

"She's right, Ted," said Mason. "Not everything that happens in the world is your fault."

"I know. But everyone are afraid to live their lives in fear that Death Eaters will come knocking on their doors," said Teddie. "Most magical families that are dead were targeted because they knew me or had some sort of correspondences with me through the Flint's."

"That's still not your fault," said Theo. "You can't blame yourself for their actions, Ted."

Teddie sighed. She knew that her friends were right, but it still didn't stop the feelings of guilt bubbling up in her stomach. People were dead, people who knew of her, or her whereabouts were dead because they either refused to tell Avery and Voldemort, or they did, and the pair just didn't believe them or couldn't leave witnesses. The worst part was, it wasn't just witches and wizards that the pair were interrogating her whereabouts out of, they were going after Muggles that had known Teddie has a child, too.

Teddie remembered an article in the Daily Prophet over the summer. A Karen Mouse, 56, English teacher in Cokesworth had been found murdered in her home. There was no signs of a break-in, no medical history of abuse (of any kind), and Karen just dead in the middle of her bedroom. To the average police office, it was as tricky case, but to someone who has skilled at magic as Mo Flint, it didn't take much to figure out that magic had been involved.

When she had read the article, Teddie had recognised Karen immediately. She could remember her from school. She had taught both Teddie and Mason when they had attended Primary school. She was a nice woman, who loved her job and her kids. She didn't have a family of her own, and treated her school kids like her own, always making sure that they had something to eat at lunch and break, and even at Christmas time she would bring in presents for students whose parents struggled to provide.

Teddie and Mason owed a lot of their personal belongings growing up to Miss Karen. It hurt to think that she was dead.

The door opened for a second time as Daphne and Blaise wandered inside. They looked tired.

"You both look wrecked," said Mason, sliding closer to the window. Astoria slid into him, and Blaise sat down beside the door.

Teddie slipped closer to Theo as Daphne took the seat opposite Blaise. She puffed out a breath, her blonde hair flying away from her face and into the air. "What's up?" she asked.

"The new head Boy and Girl," said Daphne. "It's Richard Charmed of Ravenclaw and Kelsey Stuart of Gryffindor. They're nightmares, honestly."

Theo cocked his head to the side. "I don't remember them being Prefects last year," he said.

"They weren't," said Blaise.

"Then how are the Head Boy and Girl?" Teddie asked.

Mason perked up. "Because you don't need to be a Prefect to be Head Boy and Girl, remember," he said, sound exasperated. "We had this conversation before, Ted."

"Alright, alright," said Teddie, holding her hands up in defence. "Don't get your wand in a knot. I've slept since our previous conversation. I don't have your memory capacity, either."

Mason stuck his tongue out.

"Did you get your OWL results?" Blaise asked. "How did you do?"

"Mostly A's and E's," said Theo. "Got an O in Ancient Runes, though."

"How about you?" Daphne asked Teddie.

Teddie shrugged. "Three Os. Mostly A's and E's, too," she answered. "You?"

"O in History of Magic," said Blaise. "And an O in Divination, can you believe it? A in Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions, and E's in everything else."

"Two O's and a couple of A's," said Daphne. "What did you get three O's in? Obviously, one is Charms."

Teddie nodded. "Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, and Defence Against the Dark Arts," she answered. "But, I think it was my Patronus that sealed the Outstanding for me in Defence, to be honest."

"How can you be so modest?" Blaise asked. "You're brilliant at most lessons, and you still say you're not. I don't get you. Just take the praise and be happy about it."

"Does that mean you're taking the praise for excelling in History of Magic?" Teddie asked.

"You're damn right I am," said Blaise. "It's a boring subject with Binns, sure, but it's also rather interesting. You never know when the knowledge of History could come in handy. Besides, it's like they say in the Muggle world - those who don't know they're History are doomed to repeat it. The Wizarding World is no different."

Teddie looked thoughtful. Blaise had a point. No one had learned from the last time Voldemort rose to Power, and now they were paying for their ignorance with another impending war.

The door opened for a fourth time, and a small girl with bright purple hair stood on the threshold. She was breathing heavily as she leaned against the frame. She looked no older than twelve-years-old, but Teddie couldn't recall her from the Sorting Ceremony last year.

"Are you okay?" Teddie asked. She reached for her backpack and pulled out a bottle of water. "Here. Drink this."

The girl stared, wide-eyed at Teddie as the bottle hovered in the air between them. "Um, I don't -" she started.

"Whatever you may have heard about me is probably true," said Teddie. "But I'm not going to hurt you. Take the water. It'll help you get your breath back."

Still hesitant, the girl did take the bottle and uncapped it. She sighed in relief as the cool liquid passed across her lips, over her tongue, and down her throat. When she was finished, she recrewed it and offered it back.

"Keep it," said Teddie, smiling. "I have plenty."

The girl returned the smile and nodded.

"What's your name?" Teddie asked. "You look familiar, but I can't place you."

"My name's Sofia Watson," the girl said. "I'm a second year Hufflepuff. I've been asked to deliver these to Theo Nott, Blaise Zabini, Mason Green, and Teddie Green." She held up four envelopes.

Blaise took them and passed them around to the correspondents they were addressed too.

"Thank you, Sofi," said Teddie. "See you around school."

Sofi nodded and stepped out of the compartment, closing the door in her wake.

"What is it?" Astoria asked, glancing at Mason's. It was rolled into a tight cylinder, tied with a purple velvet sash, and their names were written in elegant green ink.

Mason shook his head as he unfurled it. "It's an invitation," he said, managing to get it open. "Mason, I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C. Sincerely, Professor H. E. F. Slughorn."

"Slughorn?" Daphne asked, peering at Teddie's invitation. "New teacher?"

Teddie nodded. "Potions, apparently," she answered.

"Potions?!" Astoria, Blaise, Daphne, and Mason exclaimed.

"But what about Snape?" asked Daphne.

Teddie shrugged. "As far as I know he's still at the school," she answered. "The only thing we," she gestured between herself and Theo, "can gather is that he finally got the Defence job he has been after."

"How do you know Slughorn is taking over Potions, anyway?" Mason asked.

"I overheard Dumbledore when he came to visit Mo during the summer," said Theo. "They were in the study, and I was looking for Teddie. You were in the kitchen making cookies with the House Elves," he added to the girl in question.

"Oh yeah," said Teddie. "Fun times. I thought Dinky was going to have a stroke when I told him I knew how to cook."

Daphne giggled. "House Elves find it hard to manage when witches and wizards are in their kitchen," she said. "They consider it their domain."

"How do they think Muggles survive?"

"Probably think that they have servants, too," said Astoria.

"Some do," said Mason. He looked back at his invitation and then up at his sister. "Are we going to this lunch or not?"

Teddie shrugged and glanced at Daphne. If she and the boys left the compartment that meant leaving the two sisters alone.

"Go," said Daphne. "Bring us back some food, if you can."

"You sure?" Teddie asked.

Daphne nodded. "Besides, this gives you a chance to get a read on the new Professor," she said.

"We'll try not to be too long," said Teddie.

"We know," said Astoria. "Good luck."

Teddie checked her watch and then looked at the others. "It's nearly 12pm, we should get going," she said.

The three boys nodded and stood.

"See you soon," said Daphne. "Don't hurt anyone."

"I make no promises," Teddie teased.

~X~

Compartment C was in the third carriage. Teddie had to endure stares and whispers - something she was becoming familiar with - to get to it, not to mention students give her and her friends a wide berth when they passed. It wasn't hard to see the fear that came with the territory of being the Dark Daughter, and while normally Teddie would've loved for people to leave her alone, she didn't like that they were assuming she would turn on them, especially not after knowing her reputation for almost five years.

Having a security detail didn't help matters, either. Cruise had seen Teddie pass his compartment as she left her own and immediately demanded to know where she was heading. She had shown him the invitation, and he had insisted that he and Melanie would accompany them. Which was why they both now stood on opposite ends of the hall, herding straggling students back to their compartments.

Outside the door to compartment C, Blaise knocked and then slid it open. The blind had been drawn, hiding whoever was inside from the hall, so neither he nor his friends were ready for the sheer number of people already sitting inside. Where a normal compartment sat only six people, nine at a push, this compartment had been charmed with an expansion charm, allowing more people to fit snugly inside.

The largest of them all was an enormously fat, bald, old man. He had a potbelly which bulged out so far it rested snugly beneath the table in the middle of the room. He had shiny, prominent eyes, and an enormous, silver, walrus like moustache.

Teddie shared a side-long glance with Theo. This was their new Potions professor?

"Ah, you must be the Slytherin's," said Slughorn. "Now, wait, wait, let me see if I can guess…" he pointed at Blaise. "Blaise Zabini. Theodore Nott," he nodded and then moved onto Mason. "Oh. My apologises young Master Mason, you're not a Slytherin at from what I have heard, you're the smartest Ravenclaw ever encountered."

Mason blushed under the praise. "I wouldn't go as far as to say the smartest Ravenclaw," he said.

"Definitely the smartest in your year, that's for sure," said Slughorn. He beamed and his gaze finally landed on Teddie. "And, you, the news is so full of you this day, my dear, it would be an insult if no one knew your name. The missing heir, the daughter of darkness, herself - Faye Sutherland."

Teddie grit her teeth. "I prefer Teddie Green," she said, as politely as possible.

Slughorn seemed to deflate. "Of course, of course," he said, nodding. "My apologies, Miss Green. Please, won't you all come in. Sit down, sit down."

Those already at the table squeezed to their left, allowing room for the four newcomers to take their seats. Blaise and Mason squeezed in next to Neville Longbottom and a Gryffindor that Teddie did not recognise, while she and Theo took a seat next to Harry Potter and a Ravenclaw that she recognised but couldn't place his name.

"Now, does everyone know everyone?" Slughorn asked. "How about some introductions? I'll go first, shall I? Okay. I'm Professor Horace Slughorn. I'm going to be your new Professor this year." He turned to the Gryffindor beside him.

"Cormac McLaggen," the large, wiry-haired youth said, raising his hand. He nodded at Neville and Harry, but glared at Teddie, Blaise, and Theo. It was common knowledge that Slytherin and Gryffindor students didn't exactly get along. There were some exceptions, but the majority hated one another.

Neville blushed as the attention turned to him. "Neville," he mumbled, his gaze in his lap.

Slughorn beamed and looked past Neville at Blaise.

Blaise looked around at those present. Did he really need an introduction? He was best friends with Teddie Green, for Merlin's sake, everyone who knew her, knew him. He shrugged. "Blaise," he said, in acknowledgement.

"Mason Green," Mason said, without prompting. He smiled at everyone who looked his way and then glanced across at his sister.

Teddie avoided most of the glares that were directed at her and instead met Harry's gaze, returning the smile he offered her. "Teddie," she answered, simply.

Under the team, Theo squeezed Teddie's hand and looked around the table. "Theo," he replied.

The introductions continued through Harry and Marcus, before coming back to Slughorn. It was then that Teddie noticed an arm sticking out from beside him. It was too small and thin to be his arm, besides, his was on the table beside his plate.

Leaning sideways into Harry, Teddie tried to see who was sitting between Slughorn and the wall. "Ginny?" she asked, catching a flicker of red hair.

"Ah, yes, yes, this charming lady did mention that she knew the majority of you," said Slughorn. He leaned back as far as his large frame would allow and presented Ginny Weasley to the compartment.

Ginny smiled bashfully and waved.

"Well now, this is most pleasant," said Slughorn cosily. "A chance to get to know you all a little better. Here, take a napkin. I've packed my own lunch; the trolley, as I remember it, is heavy on liquorice wands, and a poor old man's digestive system isn't quite up to such things…Pheasant, Belby?"

Belby started and accepted the half a pheasant.

"I was just telling young Marcus here that I had the pleasure of teaching his Uncle Damocles," Slughorn said, now passing around a basket of rolls. "Outstanding wizard, outstanding, and his Order of Merlin most well-deserved. Do you see much of your uncle, Marcus?"

Belby, who had just taken a large mouthful pheasant panicked, and, in his haste to answer, swallowed too quickly. His face turned purple, and he sucked in a breath, his eyes wide and watering.

"Anapneo," said Mason, pointing his wand at his fellow Ravenclaw.

Belby spluttered and then nodded his thanks at Mason. "Not… not much of him, no," he said to Slughorn.

"Well, of course, I daresay he's busy," said Slughorn. "I doubt he invented the Wolfsbane Potion without considerable hard work!"

"I suppose," said Belby, pushing away his pheasant. "He and my dad don't get on very well, you see, so I don't really know much about…"

Teddie glanced away from Belby to see why he had trailed off. Slughorn was giving him a cold smile before turning his attention to McLaggan. She furrowed her brow at the old man, he seemed extremely interested in Belby until he had admitted to not seeing his Uncle often.

"Now, you, Cormac, I happen to know you see a lot of your Uncle Tiberius, because he as a rather splendid picture of the two of you hunting nogtails in, I think, Norfolk?"

"Oh yeah, that was fun, that was," said McLaggen. "We went with Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeour - this was before he was Minister, obviously -"

"Ah, you know Bertie and Rufus too?" said Slughorn, excitedly. He passed around a tray of pies but missed out Belby entirely. "Now tell me."

Teddie furrowed her brow again. "Hang on, you're telling me that we've all been invited here because of who we know in the Wizarding World?" she asked. "Influential people, that is, and when we either don't see them," she nodded at Belby, "or they fall short of your expectations, you don't want to know anymore."

"I'm just trying to keep up-to-date on the wellbeing on my old students, Miss Green," said Slughorn. "Tell me, I remember your parents, you know, both. Your father was an extraordinary wizard for his age, and your mother was powerful. Both were amazing students of mine, I'm sorry I didn't stay connected with them over the years."

Teddie clenched her hands around her knife and fork. "They are not my parents!" she seethed, her eyes narrowing at Slughorn. "My parents are dead. They were murdered by your so-called perfect students."

"Come now, Miss Green, you cannot deny your heritage, surely," said Slughorn. "Your parents, regardless of their affiliations, were splendid students."

"My so-called father murdered millions," Teddie hissed, "and my mother helped! Do you know what she did to the people who took care of me all my life? To the people I loved?"

"Do tell," said Slughorn, leaning forward on the table.

Teddie shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't made aware of the details because they were too gruesome, apparently, that tells me all I need to know. If the bodies were too gruesome then it leaves little to the imagination on what happened to them, especially when you consider Avery's abilities had grown in the last fifteen years."

"If I remember correctly, she said Blood Manipulation was what she could do if her powers ever advanced," said Slughorn. He didn't sound sympathetic towards Teddie's story, only interested and excited at the idea of Avery gaining indescribable powers.

From the corner of her eye, Teddie saw Mason put down his utensils and bury his head in his hands. He didn't make a sound, but his shoulders shook, and she shoved her way around the table, drawing him into her arms. Leaning forward, Teddie whispered into Mason's ear and then opened the door to the compartment.

"Is everything alright, Miss Green?" Cruise asked, appearing in the doorway. He took one look at Mason and Teddie, and then called for Melanie.

Melanie appeared at Cruise's shoulder. She reached into the compartment and helped Mason out. The pair disappeared and Teddie stood, looking at Theo and Blaise. "I'm leaving," she said. "I'm not going to tell you what to do or ask you to come with me, you're welcome to stay if you wish, but Mason is my only priority right now." She turned to Slughorn. "Thank you for the invitation, even if it wasn't about getting to know us as people, but rather as trophies you can put on a shelf behind glass."

Slughorn blustered as Teddie left the compartment.