Chapter Four

Hogsmeade

September 23, 2017

warning: sexual harassment, sexual violence

Teddy Lupin squinted into the mirror. He searched around for something to wipe the grime off to clear up his reflection. Grabbing the closest piece of dirty laundry, he rubbed an acceptable portion of the mirror clean and leaned back, sighing at his reflection. His skin was a pale grey and his bony heart-shaped face was looking even more tired than usual. He groaned in frustration, starting up a shower and stripping down to the bare necessities. He was looking more and more like his father with each day, particularly so on days when he woke with the more vicious hangovers, like today. Each time he went home to his grandmother, she regarded him harshly. "You're looking more and more like Remus, Teddy, and that's not a good thing. He had an excuse to look on the edge of death – what's yours?" There were times when he threw out retorts that undoubtedly tore at her heart a little, but they always tasted bitter on his tongue. Stepping into the shower, Teddy scrubbed every inch of his body with a threadbare washcloth and danced around a bit as the water routinely shifted from scalding to lukewarm to freezing. He never remembered to look up a spell to fix his ruddy pipes until he was enduring their inefficiencies. He stepped out, studying himself again in the mirror, but noticing little change.

Bloody hell, Teddy thought, Victoire is going to kill me. He morphed his body slightly, hoping Victoire wouldn't notice, trying to look a little healthier. He put a little shine to his raven black hair and color in his cheeks. He didn't often use his powers as a metamorphmagus to perform such subtle transformations, but the skill still came in handy.

A short hour later Teddy found himself sitting on a familiar stool in a bar he knew all to well in Hogsmeade. He waited patiently in The Three Broomsticks for Victoire, who was usually never late and always early. He decided to chat up Madam Longbottom while he waited. Hannah Longbottom was a sweet little witch, married to the Deputy Headmaster at Hogwarts but not looking a day over twenty.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Lupin," Hannah walked over and rested her forearms on the counter, leaning closer to her customer. "what's it been, four, five months?"

Teddy shrugged after downing a glass of mead. "Sounds about right. Haven't been back around since graduation." He was suddenly regretting his decision to chat.

The witch raised her eyebrows. "What've you been up to, then?"

Teddy shrugged again, pushing his glass forward for a refill. "This." was his only reply, which caused the barmaid to pour this second glass a little slower, keeping a steady gaze locked with Lupin's. Teddy was shortly rescued from a conversation that had the potential to be quite vexing when two thin hands wrapped around his head and clamped over his eyes. He didn't bother with guessing games and simply twirled the barstool around, catching Victoire by surprise and pulling her in close.

"Hullo," he said, hovering his mouth millimeters away from the blonde's.

"Hi," she replied, closing the gap. The two embraced longer than most would in public, but Victoire pulled away when she could feel her cheeks flushing.

"I missed you," Teddy slid his arms around her waist and rested them there. "No one told me how utterly boring life after Hogwarts can be if your favorite person hasn't graduated yet."

"I'm your favorite person now am I?" Victoire grinned slyly.

Teddy frowned. "I was talking about Fred, you dolt."

Victoire nodded smugly, her agreement laced with sarcasm. "Oh, right, of course." She slipped out of his grasp and climbed up onto a stool next to him, picking up his half-empty glass of mead. "Is this your first?" she asked before she took a large gulp. Teddy's eyes darted towards Madam Longbottom who was lingering nearby. "Yeah," he lied, "Just got here a moment ago, actually."

Victoire set the large mug down with both hands, licking a line of mead off her top lip and grinning. "I know we've been writing, but it's not the same as being able to see your face."

"Yes, your face is quite aesthetically pleasing as well."

Victoire felt like she would never stop smiling. "So, how did the last interview go? Am I talking to the Wizengamot's newest court attendant?"

Teddy cleared his throat, swiveling back and forth on the stool a bit before answering. "I didn't make it to the interview."

"Teddy!"

"I know, I just-"

"How could you just not go?"

"I didn't just not go I was just too-"

"Hungover? You were too drunk to apparate your arse out of bed to get to the first decent job interview you've had in months?"

Teddy glared, his eyes and the tips of his hair flashing a dazzling red. "Don't start in on me, we just got here."

"I wouldn't start in on you if I could count on you to start in on yourself. This is what I was afraid of."

Victoire didn't back down from her icy glare and Teddy's face didn't lighten. The two sat in stony silence for over a minute. Finally Teddy shook his head.

"I told you, you didn't have to say it back until you meant it. I didn't force you into this."

Victoire slumped, resting a hand on Teddy's leg. "I meant it, Teddy, and I don't regret saying it, no matter how long it took me to come around. I've always loved you, I've just been-

"Cautious. Scared. Skeptical. Of getting close to an orphaned son of a werewolf with no prospects in life."

Victoire drew her hand back. "It's not fair to be self deprecating in this kind of conversation, Ted."

"Then maybe we shouldn't have this conversation."

Victoire's eyes widened but her reply was interrupted as the door to the bar blew open and a large group of students entered.

"Teddy!" James yelled as he walked into the bar, rushing over to the couple to say hello. "What brings you around here? Surely not this wretched cousin of mine."

Teddy gave a small smile before patting the younger boy on the arm in greeting. "How's life, James?"

"Life is great, my friend. Fred, Frank, Louis and I were about to go over and see the uncles, do you two want to come?" James' eyes sparkled. Growing up, Teddy was like a big brother to him and he still had lingering admiration for the boy.

Teddy nodded. "Sure, we'll tag along." Victoire rolled her eyes behind him.

As the threesome left the bar to meet the others in front of the Hogsmeade branch of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Victoire pushed past Teddy to get out the door. "You're a coward, Teddy Lupin." She growled loud enough for only his ears. Teddy leaned back with a softly stunned attitude, his piercing eyes following the blonde witch as she trotted down the street with her cousins. He took a moment before he continued on, slamming the bar's thin wooden door hard behind him.

"Boys!" Ron Weasley popped out from the back room and stood behind the counter to greet his nephews. "How is the term treating you?"

"Hey Uncle Ron." they chorused, coming up to the counter.

Fred craned his neck to see into the storage room. "Is Dad in?"

Ron shook his head, "Went out for lunch three hours ago, the bloody bastard. I told him if I was going part-time in my Auror position to come run his shop by myself while he lounged around, he'd have it coming."

Fred laughed. "If mum's running Diagon Alley today he's probably just popped in on her."

Ron paused, looked pensive. "I suppose he did mention something about checking in on London later on."

The boys laughed.

Teddy finally caught up with the group and waltzed in the shop.

"Teddy!" Ron called out, raising a hand in hello. "Where've you been, mate?"

Teddy smiled at the older wizard he had come to know as a half father-figure, half mischief mate.

James jumped in. "He and Victoire have been having a row, as usual."

Teddy slapped James on the back of the head. "Have not. Say, where's she gone off to anyway?"

The boys shrugged. "She was following but she wasn't with us by the time we got to the end of the lane."

Teddy frowned, glancing around the store. "I guess I'll go off and find her. I'll see you lot soon enough."

The boys waved and engaged Ron in a conversation about the newest product that was sitting near the front of the store, Mysterious Midnight Moon Madness.

Teddy paused in front of the shop and scanned the area. He ducked into a few of the surrounding shops, looking around and asking people if they'd seen a platinum blonde walk by recently, but found no good luck. A good half-hour later he sat down on a bench not too far from the joke shop, head in hands. Finally he took a deep breath and sat up but then jumped slightly backwards in his seat, startled by the close proximity someone was standing to him. He relaxed quickly.

"Victoire."

"Teddy I'm only going to say this once-

"Please don't, I know you're just-

"Would you listen?" Victoire's voice was slightly heightened, and her face was contorted in the oddest of frowns. Teddy realized she was trying not to cry.

"Okay." He calmly rested his hands in his lap.

Victoire took a deep breath, waiting for a group of school-aged witches passed by. Finally, she opened her mouth again. "I'm sorry for pushing you. I realize that by dating me you haven't entered into any kind of contract to get your life together, and as that was never the deal, it's unfair for me to hold you to any kind of expectations regarding your career. However," She took another deep breath, looked down and started fiddling with her rings. "Once I'm out of Hogwarts I can't imagine myself being with someone who doesn't have purpose in their life, and I love you so so much, I really do," She looked down into his eyes then, "but I just need to give you that heads up, that I won't feel comfortable dating someone who hasn't the same … goals as I do when I'm graduated. I can't-" Victoire broke off, visibly upset.

Teddy quickly assessed his emotions, but came back empty handed. He didn't know quite how he was feeling, but as this obviously wasn't a time to be rash, he stood up, taking a hold of Victoire's elbows.

"Victoire. When I say that I'm in love with you, I'm in love with all of you, and I mean that. I can handle the pushy, and I can handle the controlling." Victoire bristled at the implication, but stayed silent. "Obviously, I know what I need to be doing, but life since graduation has been weird and uncertain and I don't like it. What I can't handle is you saying that you were afraid of this, that you saw this coming and ignored your own warnings." He let go of her and shoved his hands in his jean pockets. "What I can't handle is you telling me that you saw me heading down the road to nothing from day one. It's devastating to hear that you think I don't have any potential."

The two stood in silence, staring at the ground. Finally,

"I never said you didn't have potential. I just, I don't know, implied that you weren't living up to it."

Teddy shrugged. "To me, that's the same thing."

Victoire nodded, purposely scuffing her boots in the gravel. "Well, I'm sorry that I hurt you."

"You could never hurt me, you're so wimpy-looking." Victoire yanked her head up to look at Teddy with a gaping mouth to find that he was grinning.

"You pasty little wanker." Victoire took a step closer to Teddy, her hands resting firmly on her hips. He stepped up to her as well, cupping the back of her head and bringing her in for a soft kiss. They were still standing there when James, Louis, Fred, and Frank left the shop.

"Oh, gross." Louis groaned, looking away from his eldest sister. "Can you not."

Teddy pulled away from Victoire, smiling. "Can we not what? Oh, this?" He and Victoire proceeded to make out messily, exaggerating for their audience. James and Louis made noises while Fred and Frank chuckled at the younger boys.

Victoire and Teddy separated after a good thirty seconds of the performance, and Victoire leaned sideways to glance in a store window at her reflection, smoothing out her hair. "Louis," she called at her retreating brother, "what do you suppose we should get Dad for his birthday. It's coming up next week and we might as well get it together."

"I don't know a book or something." Louis seemed to be preoccupied with discussing the contents of a purple shopping bag with three large W's emblazoned on it with James. The pair had their backs turned to the rest of the group, obviously plotting in secret.

Victoire's arms fell to her side in exasperation and she sighed. "Louis I literally don't know what you're going to do when I'm not around to guide you."

Fred laughed, clapping his oldest cousin on the back. "Oh mon dieu, Victoire. I do believe we can offer our assistance so you can unload a little bit, right Frank?"

Frank smirked, "Probably."

The two friends lifted a screaming Victoire above their heads and carried her down the pathway further into the village with Teddy following behind gleefully, dodging curses flying from his girlfriend's wand. Several minutes later, Louis and James looked up, unaware as to where their cousins had disappeared to. They walked down the lane in search of them.

Victoire was finally put down as they reached The Three Broomsticks. She straightened her clothes and looked, both fuming and amused, at her cousin and her friend. "I swear on Merlin's arse I'm going to kill all of you." The three boys surrounding her had already collapsed into laughter, Teddy leaning against the side of the bar's storefront clutching his side. James and Louis joined them, looking quizzically at the group for a second before ignoring them entirely and greeting the person who had just walked up behind them.

"Uncle George!"

George Weasley had just arrived back to the village via the public fireplaces at the end of the lane past the Hog's Head. "Hullo, everyone." George said, giving his son a quick hug and grinning at the rest.

"Have you been to London?" Fred asked.

George nodded. "Verity's out on holiday and your mum's not used to keeping the shop by herself so I went to check in. I'd have sent Ron over for the day but Merlin knows he's been working with me for three years now and still hasn't gotten the hang of things, the dolt. Then again he's never really been the smartest-

George was cut off as muffled screams reached the group's ears. Everyone was silent, listening for more, but there was nothing. George was about to continue insulting his younger brother when they distinctly heard a cry for help. Everyone pulled out their wands. The village street was busy today, and people around them seemed to hear the screams as well, but no one could pinpoint the sound.

Louis' eyes snapped to Victoire's. "Why does that sound like Dominique."

"It does, doesn't it. Have you seen her today?"

Louis shook his head. Hearing the screams again, George stepped forward.

"Alright, Victoire, Frank, Teddy, you and I'll search this way, James, Louis, Fred, go in that way. Search everywhere, alleys, cellars, anything. If you find her, send for us."

The group split paths. Victoire and Teddy headed down the alley on one side of the bar as George and Frank went down the other side, the two pairs meeting in the back with nothing to show for the run. They heard another scream, this time closer, and this time they were sure of where it was coming from. To Victoire's surprise, Frank was the fastest, running off ahead of the others in the direction of what she was now sure of being her younger sister's screams.

The foursome rounded a curve in the lineup of buildings and turned sharply into the last, longest alleyway between two shops. The group froze. To their horror, they found Dominique halfway down the alley, hidden from the main street by a small wooden storage shed, pinned up against the brick wall by a haggard looking wizard. He held his wand to the side of her throat as he messed with something between them.

Frank bolted. Charging the man from behind, Frank knocked the wizard onto the ground and stepped on his wand hand, firmly twisting his foot on top of the man's fist. Victoire rushed to her sister's side as she crumpled to the ground and her attacker screamed in pain. George was nearly instantly at Frank's side, hauling the now obviously intoxicated wizard to his feet and slamming him into the wall opposite them, screaming into his face. Frank stood in the middle of the alleyway fuming, glaring daggers at the pathetic man before turning to Dominique who was huddled in the embrace of her older sister. He crouched down in front of the pair and spoke gently.

"What do you need?"

"My wand," Dominique whispered, her strawberry blonde hair falling into her face. "he has it."

Frank turned again to George and the animated heap of garbage that had attacked Dominique. "Where's her wand?" he demanded, getting into the man's face. The cowering man glanced over in front of the storage shed, where Dominique's wand lay in pieces. Frank slowly turned his head back to the man and spat on him. Victoire, who was comforting and shielding her sister, glanced up at the men quickly. She was surprised by Frank's anger. Teddy, who had gone to get the others and evidently Ron, rounded the corner with the rest of them. Ron wasn't on duty but was still an auror and was better equipped to handle these kinds of situations. Victoire was thankful for Teddy's foresight to grab him. George handed the man over to Ron and turned to assess the situation with Dominique, but first he once more pulled out his wand. Wordlessly, he conjured his patronus, which turned out to be not one but two small silver elephants. They came towards him and stopped less than an inch from his face, trunks raised high and mouths open. He whispered into their mouths, which Victoire had seen her parents and older relatives do many times before as this was one of their auxiliary forms of communication. After a moment, the patronus slipped away and around the corner of the stationary shop. Victoire watched it leap across the empty field behind the village and away into the forest, nearly faster than light itself.

"Victoire," Dominique said softly, and Victoire's attention snapped back to her sister. "Will you please walk with me back to the castle."

Victoire helped her sister up from the ground where they had been sitting. "Of course."

Ron had since apparated the man to, presumably, the ministry where he would be charged. The group walked protectively around Dominique to the nearby Hogsmeade station, where a carriage was waiting to take students back to Hogwarts as they tired from their day in Hogsmeade. Fortunately, only one other student was looking to get back to the castle just then.

Having been one of the recipients of George's patronus, Neville waited for the group with Headmistress McGonagall at the front entrance of the castle, where the carriage stopped and the silent bunch filed out. McGonagall stepped forward, her face marked with concern.

"Ms. Weasley, my sincerest apologies for your terrible experience in Hogsmeade. Please, if your siblings will escort you to the Hospital Wing I'd like it if you would check in with Madam Wainscott before you head back to the tower. I'm sure some people will have questions to ask of you, but first comes your health and safety."

The three siblings nodded and silently continued into the castle.

"As for the rest of you, fifty points a piece to Gryffindor for your admirable assistance. If you will proceed into the Great Hall you will find the house elves have left dinner for those who do not choose to eat in Hogsmeade."

Frank's face darkened. "It wasn't admirable, Professor, it was simply the only option."

Neville reached a hand out to his son and clasped his shoulder. "Go eat, Frank."

Frank shrugged his father's hand off and followed Fred and James into the castle.

George sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It was bloody awful, I'll tell you that. I haven't seen a wizard act that way since …." George trailed off, finding it unnecessary to repeat actions seen and heard of during the last war with Voldemort to two people who had lived through the war themselves.

It was silent for a moment, before McGonagall turned to Teddy, who was standing awkwardly apart from the three adults. "How are you, Teddy? What brings you to Hogsmeade?"

George clapped his younger friend on the back. "Here to see Victoire, of course. I'm pretty sure their lips have been magnetized."

Teddy blushed. He'd graduated, sure, but he wasn't quite used to people speaking so candidly in front of his former Headmistress. He looked up at McGonagall sheepishly and shrugged. "I was actually wondering if I could go catch up with them in the Hospital Wing. I don't want to stay long, I just want to say goodbye."

McGonagall appraised her former student coolly. "Of course, Mr. Lupin. Go ahead, I'm certain you know the way."

Lupin nodded, said his goodbyes, and walked up the front steps of the castle.

Thank you to all of my readers! I would love to hear any criticisms or commentary that you have!