Getting back to the castle in the middle of the bloody forest in Wales was just the next headache for Teddy to deal with. It was, being a several hundred year old castle, unplottable and apparition was impossible, much like Hogwarts. It seems these 10th century castle builders were very anti apparition.

He could, at least, floo to the closest town. Though describing it as a town was a bit of an overstatement. Village was a better designation. Wybren village was quiet and populated with wizards and muggle alike. He flooed to the cottage of retired auror Gawain Robards and his granddaughter, Braith. They had previously agreed that his cottage would serve as the floo point, for two reasons. One, he could be trusted with the sensitive nature of the castle's new occupant. Second, the forest was difficult to traverse, the Robards family had served as the castle guardians for centuries and knew the best ways to get there in the ever changing Gwraidd Forest.

Teddy stumbled into the cottages small sitting room, a bit out of sorts from the long distance floo. He looked up and saw the startled face of a teenage girl, legs curled up on the sofa reading a book on transfiguration.

He smiled, "You're Braith, right?" He asked, the girl hadn't moved from the chair to introduce herself. "Gawain's granddaughter, yeah?"

She nodded, and raised an eyebrow at him, as if to ask what he was doing there. Ah yes, he thought, Harry had made a magical password of sorts, to ensure no impostor could find Delphi.

He straightened his shirt and looked directly at her, "Saw a green dragon flying over Wybren,"

At that she stood and smiled brightly back at him, saying the agreed upon answer, "I heard it had a twelve forked tail." She extended her hand, "Sorry about that, Grandpa says I'm not to speak to anyone who comes calling unless they give the password. Not that the old man will give me even a hint of what you guys are up to out in the castle. But, yes, I'm Braith."

He took her hand, secretly impressed by her maturity, she looked around James' age, but he had trouble imagining the boy keeping so strictly to the rules when there was a secret involved, like this one.

"It's nice to meet you," he said, "I'm Teddy Lupin,"

"Oh yes," she said, "I remember when you were Head Boy at Hogwarts. I was a second year. It's nice to see you again."

He smiled, a bit embarrassed, "I was hoping to go to the castle," he continued, "Is your grandfather here?"

She shook her head. "No. He took Mr. Potter to the castle this morning. I'm not sure when he'll be back."

Teddy didn't exactly mind the delay, he wasn't exactly in a great rush to deal with his task. He still wasn't even sure if he could or should do this.

Misunderstanding his inner turmoil over the obliviation of Delphi as disappointment over not having a guide, she said "But I can take you,"

He was slightly worried about this young girl going into, from what he had read as practically the forest of death. His face must have shown it.

Used to such reactions, Braith pulled up the arm of her cardigan to reveal a blue gray mark upon her forearm, from a distance to someone who didn't know to look for it, it seemed to be just a bruise or birthmark, but Teddy, having seen the same mark upon Robard's ankle knew it to be depiction of the Pendramwnwgl Castle turned upside down.

"Everyone in our family is born with it," she explained, "it gives us some protection to the spells on the forest so that we can always find our way there."

"And," he started, a bit skeptically, "you-you don't mind going in there. The forest, I mean,"

She laughed, "I've played there since I'm a kid, the centaurs don't particularly like it, but they can't hurt me. I have the protection of the castle, apparently. Some kind of old blood magic. I've never been inside, though."

"How come?" he asked, though he immediately regretting it. He remembered what Harry had told him about Robards' son, the man who was probably Braith's father.

"My grandfather won't allow me," she said quietly, looking down at the floor.

"I'm an idiot. I'm sorry," he said, seriously.

"That's alright," she said, though still seeming a bit less cheery, "I'll bring you on to the castle now, let's go."


AN:

Hey all, thanks for checking out my story! Hope you're liking it so far. Special thanks to FanHPTW for giving me my first review and to carryongaran for the follow and fave. To all you silent readers, I see you! Hit me with a review. Or not. Whatever you like. Buttt, I do like reviews! Once again thanks!