Disclaimer Harry Potter, the subsequent characters, and universe belong to J. K. Rowling.

Summary: Ron suspects that Rose might be dating Scorpius Malfoy. He enlists the help of Teddy to figure out if he's right, but Teddy becomes quickly entangled in the situation. Rose/Scorpius Rose/Teddy.

Author's note: Thank you for all of the reviews. I especially want to thank nonentity since they went through and reviewed each of my chapters when they noticed I wasn't getting many responses after I updated the story so close together.

Part 5: A New Job

Teddy didn't see Rose for the rest of the summer. He'd like to say it was because he was obeying her wishes never to see him again being a mature unselfish sort of person. Unfortunately, the real reason he was avoiding Rose was because he was a coward. After their confrontation, he decided to really sit down and think about his actions. He was going to work this all out in his head before he tried to talk to Rose again. That lasted for a couple of hours before Teddy started feeling shite about himself. No one wants to sit down and think about what a complete and selfish prat they are not only in this situation but generally as well.

Thoughts of the incident eventually led to thoughts about his girlfriend. He knew Victoire wanted to get married. If he proposed today, he was certain that she would accept. Though when he actually thought about it he didn't know why he was so certain that she wanted to marry him. He just assumed or more accurately feared that Victoire wanted to marry him; they had never actually discussed the matter before. They had been discussing moving in together since she left Hogwarts, but they had never broached the subject of marriage. The things Rosie said made him question how well he knew anyone, especially the woman he was in love with.

He did love her. He was certain about that. You can't just make yourself believe that you're feeling something. He just wanted to pinpoint exactly why he was in love with her. There were the obvious reasons. She was attractive and fun. She also had an unmistakable confidence about her that drew people in. She was certain about what she was doing in life and Teddy admired her for that. Then again he didn't know what she was afraid of or uncertain of. She just seemed so sure of herself that he didn't even think about it, but everyone had fears. He didn't know her long term plans or goals. He often avoided talking about the subject, because he was afraid it would revert to a conversation about the future of their relationship. Honestly, Teddy didn't even know if she wanted to live in London all her life or if she wanted kids. He knew her mother wanted kids, but Victoire had never mentioned anything, probably sensing his reluctance to talk about the subject.

Teddy was resolved to change that today. Just because he wasn't ready for marriage or the future, didn't mean he couldn't talk about it. He had owled her to meet him for lunch in Diagon Alley. Victoire was in between jobs and was working at George's shop until she found something more permanent.

Teddy arrived first and got them a table and began fiddling nervously with his fingers. Teddy didn't typically fidget and he realized it would be a dead give away that he was nervous. He forced his body to calm down. On the plus side his metamorphagus abilities had stabilized. His hair could still be a bit finicky. For example at the moment it was a brooding black which went quite well with his look, but wasn't normally his hair color of choice. His hair hadn't been in the habit of expressing his emotions since he was nine and figured out that's how Harry and Grandma always caught him in a lie.

Teddy got a table outside and when he caught sight of Victoire she took his breath away. It was amazing that she still had that effect on him even after so many years. She was wearing the ridiculously colored and unflattering shop robes and she still looked gorgeous. Her long flaxen hair rippled in the breeze caused by her stride and her eyes sparked with a fierceness and confidence that most wizards only dreamed of.

She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss before sitting opposite of him. She crossed her legs with elegant precision and raised an eyebrow. "So what's this about? You said 'we needed to talk'." Her tone of voice had that death knell quality about it when she repeated his words.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Teddy assured her quickly.

Victoire let out her high pitched tinkling laugh. "Oh Ted, of course you didn't. I was just kidding you." Teddy was relieved and at the same time frustrated. After all he could have meant 'we need to talk' to be in that very serious relationship ending manner for all she knew.

"Right," he grumped. He had been put a bit off kilter by her comment and tried to regain his purpose for meeting with her. "I'm not going to mince words. I think we should move in together…Before you say anything let me explain why. We've been together for ages, I love you, and I want to get to know you better." This had all sounded much better when he had practiced it out.

Victoire was looking at him skeptically. "Ted…"

"It sounded better before. Just think about how generally charming I am and imagine how it would come out if I was up to standard," he tried to lighten the mood.

Victoire laughed slightly and smiled sweetly at him. The kind of pitying smile she sent boys when they asked her out. "We've been together for six years Teddy. How do you expect to get to know me better?"

Teddy tried to explain as best he could. "I mean I do know you Victoire, but I want to know even more. What are your bad habits? Do you pick your nose when you're at home alone or maybe have a weakness for muggle soap operas? I want to know the things you've kept from me…" He elaborated when she gave him an offended look, "Not like purposefully keeping secrets, but things you thought wouldn't interest me or might drive me off. I want you to know that I won't be scared off and I want to know you, desperately I do."

Victoire just looked floored. "I don't know what to say," she stumbled.

"Well you could start with what you want to do after the joke shop. You've been saying it was a temporary situation for the last two years. You must have something in mind," Teddy suggested.

Victoire looked distinctly uneasy and nervous. "Well I have been meaning to talk to you about something." She was studying a stain on the table very carefully. "I've been offered a job at the ministry."

"Well that's great!" She didn't answer him right away. "It is great isn't it?" he asked starting to feel slightly apprehensive.

"They've asked me to be the liaison to the French ministry. I'd be moving at the beginning of September. I'd only be back in London four times a year for a quarterly report unless there was tension in the government."

"Oh," was all Teddy could think to say. "Couldn't you just apparate to France?" He asked her.

This comment seemed to have upset Victoire, because she pierced her lips and gave him a withering look. "No I can't just pop over to France for work and then pop right back to make you dinner. You know the restrictions on international apparation! You're a bleeding auror. Besides maybe I want to live in France." She crossed her arms across her chest huffily.

"Then I'll guess we'll have to talk about this, because I can't leave Britain due to my job." He drew his eyebrows together in thought.

"I'm not asking you to leave your job," Victoire told him.

The tone of Victoire's voice led him to believe she was trying to tell him more than she was actually saying. "What do you mean?"

"Look Ted. It's nice that you've finally decided to get to know you're girlfriend of six years, but it didn't even cross your mind to move to France with me."

"My careers here and you're making it sound like you've already made your decision."

She looked him straight in the eye. "I have. I accepted the job last week and I've begun shopping for a place in France."

Teddy just let his mouth drop open. "I love you Teddy. I really do, but it's time I started living the life I want."

"Are you breaking up with me," he asked the disbelief in his voice evident.

"No, I'm not," she told him flatly. "I still think we could give things a go, but I need to be my own person and find the things I love before I decide to sacrifice them for someone else."

"So like a break?"

Victoire rolled her eyes. "Sure if you want to call it that."

"Right then," Teddy said looking down at the table in near shock. This wasn't a result of the conversation he had considered. He picked up his tea and began to unconsciously sip it his mind a complete blank. Victoire continued to look at him expectantly, but she would be left waiting a long time.

Victoire had not waited until the beginning of September to move. With Teddy becoming so distant and a new awkwardness present in their relationship, she decided it would be best to leave as soon as possible.

Teddy was at his desk staring despondently at some paperwork he should be filling out contemplating how his life had become so confusing. Teddy was a happy sort of person. You could throw him in any situation and he would make the best of it. He was confused by this new depression that surrounded him and he wasn't sure how to function inside of it.

"Lupin," someone barked sharply. "We don't pay you to sit on your ass and moon after some girl." He looked up shocked to find Harry looking down at him disappointedly.

"But Victoire…"

"This is the auror's office Lupin. I'm your godfather outside of it, but here I do what is best for the team and the ministry. You get the papers on the Dawson case to me by the end of the day or you're through here." Harry turned on his heel and stalked towards the door. Before he left his utterly shocked godson behind he turned his head over his shoulder and said in a much more Harryish voice, "I'd get that work done if I were you, because I have a case with your name on it that could make your career." With his mysterious bit said and a wink he left the office.

For the first time in a few weeks Teddy felt something besides despair. He felt excitement. He quickly began scratching away at the paperwork on his desk with a turquoise feather quill.

He had finished the paperwork within an hour, but had hesitated before bringing it to Harry's office. What kind of mission would it be? He hadn't heard anything too unusual at the department meeting. No hint of neo-death eaters or new dark lords; just the usual murder, mayhem, and prejudice that affected a large community. Then again Harry could have been taking the Mickey out of him. There probably wasn't an actual case. His godfather was probably just trying to lift his spirits a bit.

When Teddy had finished talking himself into a much more depressed state, he trudged down the corridor to Harry's office. He knocked on the door and slipped in when he heard a muffled response.

"Ah, so I see you've decided to keep your job here," Harry chided.

Teddy turned the corners of his mouth up slightly without a trace of humor. "I suppose so."

"Hmmm," Harry said pensively. "Do you want to hear the particulars of the case now or tomorrow in a proper debriefing?"

Teddy's eyes sparked to life. "There's an actual case then?"

Harry laughed at the expression of his baffled godson. "There's always a case." He gestured towards the chair in front of his desk and pushed an envelope across to him.

Teddy sat down and flipped open the file. There was the general information: a strange death, whispers of a new dark lord, muggles starting to notice things. There was a photograph of a thin bracelet or perhaps arm clasp. It was difficult to tell proportions from the photo. It was a silver snake wrapped in a circle. The head of the snake reared back and two one inch silver needles jutted out of its jaws in place of fangs. Teddy had pulled out the photo and was studying it carefully. As he watched it, the snake began to unwind and slithered about the picture frame before snapping at him.

"Nasty piece of work that," Harry began. "Found it on David Wicks's body. The department of mysteries is still trying to figure out how it works. They haven't even been able to identify the poison it injected him with."

"David Wicks?" Teddy asked.

"He's been the potions professor for the past two years at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Teddy looked up surprised. "What about Rose…and Al?"

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at Teddy after his little outburst. "They're fine. They haven't even gone back to school yet."

"Right," Teddy looked down at the folder embarrassed. "So the attack happened at Hogwarts then? Any suspects?"

"We've questioned all of the professors…under veritaserum. Voluntarily!" Harry defended when Teddy looked up at him in surprise. "None of them know anything. Wicks kept to himself mostly. They don't remember him leaving or having any dark shadowy meetings with the next dark lord."

Teddy looked at the case file again. He drew his eyebrows together in confusion. "You've already got Umbrill and Swanson on the case and you're supervising it yourself." Umbrill and Swanson were seniors within the auror department and always solved their cases. Teddy felt like he was a bit out of his league. "What do you need me for?"

Harry leaned back in his chair comfortably. He crossed his fingers together and created a joined fist. "The best lead we have at the moment is Hogwarts. It's the most secure facility in Britain and somebody managed to sneak a dark device in and kill someone. Someone must have really wanted Wicks out of the way. We can search his office and his rooms, but we need someone on the inside. We need to talk to the kids without them knowing. We need them to be open and honest about the things they noticed rather than clamming up or making up stories for an auror."

Teddy started to get a bad feeling about where this was headed. "We've already arranged it with the headmistress. You, Danny Miller, will be starting your seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Teddy fell out of his chair again only this time it was forwards instead of backwards.

"You alright Teddy?"

"No," he groaned.