Chapter 2: Betrayal

Lily spent the rest of her week avoiding Teddy. She wasn't waivering on her threat to Victoire, but Lily knew if she spent her usual time with Ted, the truth would eventually spill out.

She wanted to give Vic the chance to tell him the truth, but one day turned into three, and three turned into five. Finally, after a full week had passed, Lily decided it was time to tell Ted the truth.

She made her way down to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, and this time, no one stopped her. She paused at Ted's office door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

"Come in." Lily opened the door. "Hey, Ted," Lily began, shyly. Ted turned around, surprised. "Oh, hey Lil, I wasn't expecting you."

Lily looked a little guilty, "Yeah, I know I haven't really seen you much this past week, and I can explain that. It's, uh, been a rough week."

Ted gave a small laugh, but Lily detected no humor in it. She immediately knew something was wrong. "I can assure you, Lil, that your week was significantly better than mine."

Lily looked up at Ted and noticed that for the first time, Ted's hair had turned dark black, very different from his usual turquoise hair. She also noticed that his green eyes, usually so full of light and humor, were now dark and angry.

"What happened?" Lily asked, amazed Victoire may have told the truth for once. "I found out that my "loving" fiancée has been shagging Roger Davies for the past six months," Teddy stated. "Six months?!" Lily exclaimed.

"Six whole months. That's how long they've been shagging apparently, and I've been the stupid fool to not see it," Ted spit out.

Lily was so confused. It didn't make sense because Vic surely would've tried to play the victim like she did with Lily. Unless she was wrong about her cousin, and she had actually become remorseful. "So, what all did Vic say when she told you?" Lily asked, trying to understand.

Teddy gave a dry laugh, "What makes you think she told me anything? You, of all people, know that Victoire never admits when she does something wrong." Lily still looked confused, "Well if Vic didn't tell you, who did?"

"Oh, Davies couldn't wait to tell me all about it. In detail, might I add. I sent for Victoire about an hour ago. That's who I was expecting when you came in. I'm going to make her to tell me in person." Lily felt so guilty and heartbroken for Ted. Despite her feelings for him, Ted was the last person who deserved to go through this.

"Ted, I am so sorry," Lily expressed. She wanted to take the blame for his heartache because Lily now knew that she should've told him sooner. "Aw, don't be, Lil, this isn't your fault. I always knew Vic could be hateful at times, but I always thought the good I saw in her outweighed the bad, and no one ever expected her to do this."

"Ted, there's something I need to tell you…" Lily once again began to tell Ted what she knew, but before she could say more, the door burst open.

Lily looked around and saw Victoire run in, tears already streaming down her beautiful face, as she threw herself into Teddy's arms. "Oh, my darling Ted, why would you send me that horrid letter? Why would you call off our wedding?"

Victoire was sobbing into Ted's shoulder, but Ted was not holding her. "I think you would know why I would call off the wedding, my darling," Ted said in disgust. Victoire looked up at him, confusion evident on her pretty face. "I-I don't know what you mean."

Ted's expression hardened. "Well since you want to act like you don't understand, let me explain it to you. See, it's come to my attention, you have had a rather heated "friendship" with my colleague, Roger Davies."

Victoire froze. "Wh-what did you say?" Her voice barely a whisper. "You heard me, Victoire." Lily knew she was intruding and began to back away towards the door. "Ted, I-I can explain. It isn't what it looks like, I swear!" Victoire began pleading.

Lily, whose clumsiness couldn't have shown up at a worst moment, tripped over the rug, and knocked a lamp off the nearby table. The crash alerted Victoire to Lily's presence for the first time since she entered the room.

Victoire's eyes darkened, and she drew her wand as she screamed, "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TOLD HIM, YOU NOSEY LITTLE…" "It was not Lily who told me, Victoire," Ted stated harshly. Lily looked up at him, thankfully, but Ted would no longer meet her eyes.

"I don't understand. Who told you, then?" Cried Victoire. "Your dear friend, Roger, of course. He made sure to tell me in full detail about all the fun you've both been having together. So now is the time to finally be honest, Vic."

Victoire started sobbing, trying to cover up for whatever Roger told him. "It's too late to try to talk your way out of this. I already know it's true. The least you could do is admit to it." Ted did not raise his voice, but spoke with complete finality.

"Pl-please don't tell anyone about this. It will ruin me. Please," Victoire begged. Ted stared at her, emotionless. "Don't worry, no one will know the real reason why we're over. You can even blame it on me, if you'd like. I, unlike you, don't really care what people think of me, so I give my word not to say anything. It will be my parting gift to you."

Victoire continued to cry, "T-Ted, please..," she began, but Ted cut her off. "Just get out, Victoire. Go." Victoire ran out, sobbing as she went.

Lily realized that the atmosphere remained tense, and when she looked up at Ted, he still refused to meet her gaze. "Ted, I.." Lily began. "No, Lily, I need you to leave, too," Ted said, firmly. Lily was taken aback. "You want me to leave? Why?"

"Lily, it's obvious that you knew about Victoire and Davies, and you didn't tell me." Even though Ted's voice was steady, he couldn't hide the hurt that was evident all over his face. "No, Ted, I can explain. Just let me explain," Lily pleaded.

"I don't want to hear another word from you, Lily. You were supposed to be my best mate. Out of everyone, I didn't think you would ever lie to me." Now, the pain was clear in Ted's voice. "Teddy, I didn't lie to you!" Lily started to say again.

"How long did you know about them?" He asked. "A week, Ted, that's it, but listen.." "So, you knew for a week, and didn't think to tell me?" Then some form of realization dawned on his face that quickly changed to anger. "Of course, that's why you were avoiding me, to protect Victoire's secret. I really am a fool."

Lily was angry now, "No, that was not why!" Ted wasn't listening anymore. "You and Victoire are just alike," Ted began. Meanwhile, Lily looked as if she'd been slapped in the face. "You use people, and don't care who you hurt in the process." Lily just stood there, still stunned at the harshness in Ted's voice.

Then Ted looked at her, his eyes a mix of anger and pain. "Get out of my office, Potter. Now. Whether you choose to respect it or not, I am still your professor, and you will do as I say."

Lily snapped back to reality and looked at Ted, mirroring his anger with her own. "Don't worry, professor, I'm going." With that, Lily turned around and stomped out the door, slamming it shut.

She refused to allow her mind to feel or process anything that happened until she made it to her dormitory. She fell on her bed, closed the curtains, murmured the muffliato curse, and began to cry her heart out. Thankful that no one could hear her.

How did she possibly manage to screw things up so badly? She knew she could never get the look Teddy gave her out of her mind, like she was the scum on the bottom of his shoe.

She understood why he was upset, and she knew that she should've told him about Victoire as soon as she found out, but he was being a git by not letting her explain!

Lily was going to fix this. She just needed to figure out how.