If Teddy had thought progression would speed up with their finding of the Elder Wand he was sorely mistaken.
Agonizingly slowly, the weeks dragged by, February dissolved with the coming of spring showers and the return of birds . Teddy and his friends found that it was harder to lose themselves in the usual school buzz as time wore on. There had been no word from the teachers in ages and Teddy didn't feel like asking his father again and risk more scolding for not letting matters drop.
Teddy had taken up checking the Map frequently between classes, looking for any sign of Clair within the building which there were none.
Professor Heartfilia was never seen outside her office and classroom anymore, not even for meal times and Roy had taken to snooping around the Slytherin common room, asking people what she was up to and pretending to take an interest in her classes. The general populace was under the impression Heartfilia was simply getting tired of Hogwarts and spending most of her time at home. Only Teddy and his friends seemed to have any suspicion as to why.
Even the ever optimistic Victor Sage had also felt the pressure and instead of star watching with his omnioculars like he often did, he now found himself staring at the Forest most nights, trying to see anything that was out of place.
And all three boys waited for a signal. Any little thing that told them to be ready. Because they knew something was coming. They just knew.
And then, finally, on a cold March day, Remus Lupin told his son that Harry Potter was in Mungos having been ambushed by some wizards on patrol.
"He just got a hit by a few jinxes before they apparated him away. He'll stay overnight and be released by tomorrow," Remus insisted but Teddy and his friends had glanced knowingly to each other before they went back to their respective dorms.
They knew the wait was over.
The game was on.
It was Vic who saw them first, having been staring once again at the Forbidden Forest with his omnioculars that night.
"Ted. Take out the Map," Vic said, quickly shaking his friend awake who had dozed off during their makeshift guard.
"There's something in the Forest."
Ted awoke with a start and rubbed his eyes only to freeze at the names pouring off the map.
Hundreds of names were swarming their way onto the parchment, the letters long and mangled, curling in on themselves and on top of others as they tried to find space away from the others. Names crossed paths with each other, their letters getting jumbled and confused until they all just merged together. It was the plague had spread into Hogwarts.
Ted shut the Map in horror and dashed to the window where Vic had pressed his face against the glass.
The trees near the edge of the Forest were shifting, expanding out as a hoard of ominous moans and scream were heard.
With batted breath, the boys waited first of the creatures to wander into the moonlight grounds and when they did it was surely not pretty sight to see.
"What did you say the Resurrection Stone did again Ted?" Vic said, trying and failing to sound lighthearted.
"Just like its name. It can bring back the dead," Ted said a bit weakly as he watched more and more of the undead coming towards Gryffindor Tower. Only this wasn't exactly what he had in mind. He had thought they'd be spirits or ghosts, similar to the ghosts in the castle who could be seen and heard but couldn't physically harm you.
These spirits were different, they actually took physical shapes and had an influence on the things around them. Tree branches were pushed aside, some tripped over themselves in their new yet decaying bodies. Some were missing limbs and others just look ghastly.
The boys had already planned for that and had plethora of books with them that should be able to contain and even banish those types of spirits. Right now however, Teddy didn't think they'd do much good. They weren't just spirits.
"It's like. They're still trapped in the bodies they died in," Teddy said in breathless horror.
Vic gave a low whistle.
"Think whatever you want Ted. But in my eyes we have a whole zombie apocalypse on our hands."
Ted's attempt at a laugh was more of a twitch.
"We need to let everyone in the castle know," he said instead with determination, taking out his wand.
"So Plan B?" Vic asked, taking a step back out from the window as the spirits got closer and closer to Gryffindor Tower.
Ted nodded and was fully prepared to turn and run through Hogwarts shouting that the top of his lungs before a voice floated in from somewhere above them.
"Teddddyy Luupiinn," it hissed and both boys jumped a mile at the venom dripping from those words. "Youu have something the Maassteerr wanntts."
"Plan C!" Teddy shouted as he blasted a spell towards the ghost trying to come through their ceiling.
Already, Vic had shattered the window with his own spell and in one fluid motion, grabbed Teddy and propelled himself through it.
The boys gagged at the stench of death that was coming from the spirits below them.
"If they look like zombies and walk like zombies and stink like zombies I think they're zombies!" Vic shouted as if to prove his point.
"I think Clair found out we have the Wand! Try to get near the dungeons. We need to give Roy the signal to wake everyone up!" Teddy shouted instead and Vic gave a grunt to comply. Letting go of one of Teddy's arms so the other boy could reach into his jacket pocket.
"Hey little guy," Teddy said to the blue puff of fur that he took out. Fuzz, his pet Puffskein, emitted a startled little squeak back.
"Sorry for the bumpy ride but my friend's got some food for you down below. You're just going to have to go through a bit of a ride."
"Ted! Stop talking to it and just throw it!" Vic hollered as they neared the only window leading to the dungeons.
Ted gulped but, after a silent apology, tossed Fuzz through the window. Puffskein's were quite durable and didn't mind being tossed around but he still felt slightly guilty for his little pet.
Fuzz had brilliantly blue fur, very much like Ted's hair and it was very noticeable as it was hurled through the grates that sealed up the window.
"If Fuzz doesn't find Roy we're in trouble," Vic muttered as he looked up over the Hogwarts grounds. Teddy followed his gaze and felt slightly terrified when he noticed the zombies were closing on their position. No doubt they'd noticed their escape through the Gryffindor windows and were coming after them.
"Just how many dead people are there at Hogwarts?" Vic asked and Teddy thought a bit to himself. Technically, whether or not the body was buried on the grounds or not, anyone or anything that died at Hogwarts could be reawaken. This also counted those that died in the Wizarding Wars as their souls had made this their final resting place. The thought was making Ted a bit sick and quickly stopped thinking about it.
Vic and Teddy circled the area slightly. Hoping Roy would give his signal that Fuzz had indeed managed to find Roy, lured by the smell of food and warmth.
"Come on, come on," Teddy muttered under his breath but finally, a stray spark of fire shot through the grate that Ted had thrown Fuzz through earlier.
It was almost immediately followed by an even bigger flame as it burst into a giant shower of sparks above them, illuminating half the grounds before sizzling out like a fireworks display.
"That's my bro!" Vic said happily, "He's probably woken up half the castle already. Now let's go find Clair."
Ted nodded in satisfaction before both boys made a beeline into the Forbidden Forest.
In a way they had planned this. The initial idea was for Roy to take care of any threats with the help of the rest of the school and Vic and Ted would take down Clair on their own. As two magical boys on Hogwarts grounds, they had the advantage over Clair who was essentially a Muggle that couldn't use magic.
Of course, they never exactly realized that Clair knew this too.
A blast from below slammed into Vic and he just barely managed not to faceplant the two into the ground.
"What the hell?!" he shouted as Teddy wrestled himself to his feet.
"Good evening Mr. Lupin. You boys are certainly out of your rooms late," an sickly sweet voice said.
"Professor Heartfilia," Teddy said instead, drawing out his wand while Vic did the same behind him.
"Drawing your wand on a teacher? Now that's a bit cruel. Don't make me deduct house points boys," Heartfilia said almost cheerily as she stepped out of the shadows by the Forest with her own wand drawn.
Teddy's eyes narrowed as his eyes were drawn to the Stone Heartfilia was happily holding in her left hand. So it was her behind the loose spirits.
"Zombies," Vic whispered behind him.
Teddy turned his head slightly, careful not to let Heartfilia out of his sight, and realized Vic wasn't trying to correct him. The zombies were indeed making their way towards them. No doubt being ordered by Heartfilia, the ringleader for them all.
"Where's Clair?" Teddy said, now just realizing that of course Clair wouldn't be on Hogwarts. He'd send Heartfilia or some other witch or wizard instead. Someone much more skilled in this domain than he was.
"Young Master is currently away on business," Heartfilia said with a casual shrug, "He expressed his warm desire to meet you one last time before he left but I'm afraid we're on a bit of a tight schedule. It would be in your best interest now if you could give back what is rightfully ours."
"We don't have it," Teddy shouted at her. Of course no one would believe him but hey, he'd tried.
"And even if we did. If you want it you're going to have to come and get it!" Vic shouted, firing a stunning spell only for Heartfilia to deflect it with a wave of her wand.
Heartfilia eyes with a flash of confidence, "My family has been the sole protectors of the Leonelli family heirs for generations. Do you honestly think you can defeat me with your childish knowledge of magic?"
Ted gave her a grin, "Honestly? We can't defeat you," he admitted in mock surrender.
"But we know someone who can!" Vic shouted back enthusiastically.
And as if on cue a line of fire was drawn into the ground, separating Teddy and Vic from Heartfilia. The zombies around them also shrank back from the heat and Ted found himself grabbed and lifted off the ground.
"We'll leave her to you Roy!" he shouted behind them as Vic flew as fast and as far away from them as possible.
He just made out Roy's black head give an empathetic nod before he turned into a speck in the distance.
"You sure that was a good idea?"
"As long as Roy's got the Cube with him. No magic can touch him," Vic said proudly, "Either way he's a much better match than we would ever be. Roy knows way more magic than we do!"
Ted nodded but then a though struck him, "Where are we even going?" Ted shouted up to Vic.
"No clue! I can't fly all the way to Hogsmeade. It's too far!"
"Put us down for now. Save up your energy," Ted said and Vic gratefully landed them on the other side of the grounds.
"The Hogsmeade graveyard is on the way there anyways and it's probably crawling with these guys. We'd be dead as soon as we got off the grounds," Ted said with a frown.
"Less thinking. More running!" Vic said, as the telltale hoard of zombie groans seemed be upon them in moments.
"How many of these things are there?"
The boys chose a random direction and booked it across the field before an idea dawned on him.
"Wait. The Whomping Willow!" Ted said, changing direction as Vic skidded to follow him.
"Remember last year when the Death Eaters invaded the castle?" Teddy asked to Vic's questing glance. "They had this little entrance from the Shrieking Shack out to Hogsmeade. We can use that.
"Unless someone's boarded it up already."
Teddy frowned. He really hoped not. The Shrieking Shack wasn't exactly a popular destination for anyone so with luck the tunnel would still be there when they got there. If they got there.
A hoard of the zombies blocked their way to the Willow causing Ted and Vic to slow their sprint to a stop and rethink their options.
"I can fly over them," Vic said, looking ready to do just that but before he was able to act several shouts were heard behind them.
"CONFRINGO!" they shouted in perfect unison and suddenly their way was clear.
"Matt! Travis!" Vic said in a whoop of delight as their Gryffindor prefect and Quidditch coach captain ran out from the shadows.
"Well? What're you waiting for pipsqueaks? Go go go!" Travis shouted over to them as the two boys stood back to back, taking on the zombies that circled them.
"Roy said you guys have a plan to stop this crazy stuff," Matt explained as he sent another spell hurtling towards the pile of zombies blocking the way, "So get moving before I put you all in detention."
Ted felt a wave of relief as he laughed at the boys before he and Vic gave determined nods and resumed their run towards the Willow.
"Thanks guys!" Vic called back.
"Yeah! You two owe us big time when this is over!"
It took a lot of careful manoeuvring to make it past the Whomping Willow's swaying branches but at least the zombies were steering clear of the tree for that.
From there, it was only a few more steps until they reached the tunnel dug out from the Shrieking Shack that led into Hogsmeade. Teddy breathed an internal sigh of relief to find that the entrance hadn't been sealed up and before long, the two boys were racing down the deserted streets of Hogsmeade.
Although Ted had a feeling they wouldn't be deserted for long. The stench of decaying flesh was already wafting in from the direction of the Hogsmeade graveyard and Ted had a suspicion that the epidemic that was taking Hogwarts had slowly spread to the adjoining neighbourhoods.
"Where are we going?" Vic asked once they'd barrelled their way into the Three Broomsticks and had to stop to take a breather.
At this time of night, the pub was practically deserted, Madame Rosmerta had probably retired for the night and left the cleaning and closing up to her staff.
"We need to find Clair."
"How the heck are we going to do that?"
"I don't know!"
"Excuse me boys but it's almost closing time," a young waitress told them, noticing Teddy's vibrant hair in the dreary room, "Aren't you supposed-"
"We were just leaving!" Teddy interrupted before she could accuse them of leaving the Hogwarts grounds. He quickly pushed Vic into a Floo by the back of the pub and threw down a handful of Floo powder.
"Dad!" Teddy said as they remerged in the Lupin's living room. The only person he could rely on to help him in a time of trouble would have to be his dad. He'd probably get into some major trouble for it but Ted figured this was a bit more important.
"Dad!" Ted shouted again only to realize the house was deserted.
"He probably got called back to Hogwarts!" Vic said throwing his arms up in frustration.
"And Mum probably went with him," Teddy groaned, collapsing on the couch.
"Or maybe she got called down to the Ministry on account of zombies invading England!"
"Enough with the zombies Vic," Teddy sighed. Even he was starting to call them zombies and it was getting rather frustrating.
"Not enough with the zombies until everything that's supposed to be good and dead stays good and dead. Bloody hell Ted what if the Muggles see them? What if we go to war?"
Ted frowned, he didn't think it'd get to that extreme but Vic did have a point...and then he had it.
"Q!" Ted shouted, jumping to his feet and grabbing a confused Vic by the shoulders, shaking frantically.
"If people find out about the zombies they'll know about magic and that's like a 'threat to national security'," Ted went on, emphasizing Q's words from last summer with air quotes, "Q's bound to want to help. Or rather, Q would help whether he wanted to or not...but he's our only chance Vic!"
Vic shook himself out of his friend's grasp and nodded excitedly.
"So what're on right now? Plan D or E?"
"No clue. Let's go. You still remember the way to his place?" Ted asked, grabbing a spare jacket from the hallway closet.
"Yeah. But how do you even know he's home?" Vic suddenly asked, with a more thoughtful frown.
Ted shrugged, "Won't know until we go. It's better than staying here."
And with that the two boys ran out into the yard where Vic quickly grabbed Ted's arms and took off for the Rodor house.
"Ted?" Vic asked, almost right after they'd taken off and Ted looked up at him only to find a concerned frown.
"You said yourself Roy will be fine," Ted pointed out and Vic shook his head before giving a wry grin.
"Yeah I know. But your parents are going to kill us."
It was a bit past midnight when Aristotle Rodor was shaken out of his daze in front of the television by frantic banging on the door.
"Who in the world?" he muttered, checking the time.
With uncertain steps he approached the front door and peeked through the peephole. What he saw had him wrenching the door open in just a few moments, confusion and anger on his face.
"Do you have any idea what time it is boys?" he shouted, "Do your parents even know you're here?"
"We need to see your son!" Teddy and Vic shouted back and Rodor gave him a confused look.
"He's back in America with his family."
Ted's mind froze in panic and he was left staring helplessly at the elderly doctor in front of him before he blinked.
"Wait, no, your other son," Ted clarified a bit more calmly.
"Oh the pylon?"
At Ted and Vic's frantic nods the doctor sighed before motioning the two wide eyed children up the stairs, "He came back this morning after almost a week. Holed himself up in his room since. Probably had a fall out with his wife."
"Thanks Doctor!" Ted interrupted before the man could go off on a rant. He and Vic gave a wave to the other man as they took the stairs two at a time.
"Q!" Ted hissed, wary that the doctor may still be downstairs listening, "It's me, Ted! Open up it's important!"
No reply came from the door except a rattling sound.
"Q? Oi! Open up!"
The rattling sound started up again.
Ted and Vic exchanged nervous looks.
"Scoot over Ted," Vic said, taking out the magic knife he'd gotten last year for Christmas. Jamming the knife into the keyhole, both boys felt a moment of triumph as the lock clicked open before nervousness took its place. What if Q wasn't there?
"We're coming in!" Ted announced, pushing thoughts to the back of head and opening the door.
The first thing he noticed as he entered the room was the unsavoury smell of antiseptic and drugs that reminded him of some unpleasant summer memories.
The second thing he noticed was the mobile buzzing violently on the desk, its screen lit up casting a dim glow in the otherwise dark room.
Finally, turning around, the third thing Teddy noticed was the man on the bed, bare feed tangled with the sheets and bandages littering his frame. A glass of water was on the bedside but there didn't seem to be any sign of the pills Q had most likely consumed to get him into such a deep sleep.
Guilt chewed through Teddy for a bit until he stepped forward and shook Q's shoulder.
"Oi Q wake up," he said although without much effort, "Come on, please? We need you."
Still asleep, Q turned his head away with a frown and a bandaged hand rose up to swat Ted away as if he were an insistent fly.
"Hello?"
Ted jumped and turned to Vic who had taken the liberty to answer the phone.
"What're you doing?" Ted hissed but Vic ignored him.
"Um. No he's...out of commission right now," Vic continued into the phone, fiddling with it with a frown. "No like. He's asleep," Vic continued.
Ted gave a frustrated sigh.
"Yeah we shook him.." Vic said pausing as there was more chatter on the phone. "Ted," Vic finally whispered, covering the phone for a moment, "Dump the water on him."
"What water? This water?" Ted asked, pointing to the fairly full glass of water left on the nightstand. At Vic's nod Ted gave a sigh and with a muttered sorry to the sleeping man on the bed, upturned the glass onto his face.
After that it was only a moment of loud coughing and spluttering to get the man to full consciousness. He gave Ted and Vic a very questioning glance but before he could ask why the hell they were in his room, Vic wordlessly handed him the phone.
"Mmrph-eah?" Q groaned into the phone, still most likely feeling drugged and half asleep.
There was a moment of silence as whoever was on the other side talked. Ted took that moment to run into the connecting bathroom and grab a towel for the wet and miserable looking man still on the bed.
He tried to look deeply apologetic as he offered the towel but Q took it anyways with his usual silent indifference so he had no clue if it'd been successful.
After another round of silence, punctuated only by Q's grunts of responses into the phone, he covered the speaker to ask the two boys:
"Zombies?"
Teddy blushed a bit but still gave him a firm nod and Q raised an eyebrow before getting back the phone.
"Some leads already. Give me an hour. Expect guests," Q finished before ending the call and heaving himself to his feet.
"You OK?" Ted asked a bit worriedly, eyeing the bandages wrapped around the main's hands and torso. He also had a large gash along his jaw that wasn't yet bandaged and Ted felt uncomfortable looking at the stitches holding it together. Muggles had it rough when medicine was involved.
They didn't seem to be particularly bothering Q though, or perhaps he was just too drugged up to feel the pain as he slowly walked into the bathroom.
"Fine. Just. Need a minute," Q mumbled, closing the door behind him.
Ted heard the sounds of water running from the shower and gave Vic a frown. His friend shrugged back.
"You think we did the right thing?"
"Don't think it matters Ted. The guy calling him seemed to be pretty insistent that we had to wake him up anyways. In a sense we did the Secret Service a favour."
Ted sighed and still wrung his hands together guiltily as he sat on the slightly damp bed.
Vic sat beside him in silence and after perhaps the fastest shower Ted had ever witnessed, Q emerged from the bathroom looking tired and rumpled but fully dressed. He'd even put a bandage on the cut on his jaw line to cover it up.
"Ready to go? he asked, pocketing his phone as he ran a towel through his hair. He looked more awake than before at least so that was good.
The boys nodded, running out of the room and down the stairs.
"About time you came out pylon. You better be driving those kids back home you hear?" Tot Rodor called from the living room, television still on.
"Mrm," was Q's only response as he put on his trenchcoat from the coat rack.
"And the garbage needs to be taken out!"
Ted could have sworn Q rolled his eyes but it was hidden as the man put on his fedora.
"What happened to your face?"
Ted jumped when he realized the doctor had made his way to the front door and Q, equally startled, reared back as his father rounded on him with a curious yet stern expression.
"Shaving incident," Q said with an indifferent shrug, fingering the bandage he'd placed over the wound before turning to usher Teddy and Vic out the door.
Teddy hardly believed a shaving incident was responsible for the wound and Rodor probably didn't think so either, being a doctor and all."
"And what's wrong with your hand?"
Ted winced as Q's bandaged hand froze from fidgeting with his jaw and promptly went still at his side. His other hand was shoved deeper into his trenchcoat's pocket.
"Got caught in the door. Hard to shave after that," Q said with an air of indifference. Dr. Rodor narrowed his eyes at his son.
"Pylon-" Dr. Rodor warned, a speech no doubt in the works but Q cut him off.
"Will bring the boys home," he stated firmly, "And take out the garbage when I get back. And do the dishes and change the light bulb and fix the sink and whatever else you want. Leaving. Now."
Ted shrank back a bit at the clear agitation from Q. Probably for being woken up in the middle of the night, soaking wet and being told he had to go in to work while he was still recuperating. And on top of that he had to have this wonderful conversation with his father who treated him like he was 13 instead of 30 and was still under the impression he was only useful for doing household chores. Not the best of combinations.
Dr Rodor was also stunned into silence at the frustration in Q's voice but with a push, Q had Vic and Ted out the door and down the steps.
"Renton."
That was Dr Rodor and Ted watched Q freeze on the landing, face going from stern to furious. Ted stopped Vic from going fleeing to the car. The last time he'd seen Q furious was when he decided it was appropriate to throw a television and Teddy wanted to be there in case things got bad. Not that he'd be able to do anything but he still felt somewhat responsible for the other man's bad mood in the first place.
"Don't call me that," Q snapped, seemingly having completely forgotten about the two boys starring wide eyed as the fight escalated.
"Can't I call my son by his name?"
"You don't think of me as your son," the way Q said it was so matter of fact that Ted suspected he'd acknowledged this fact many, many years ago.
Dr Rodor's eyes seemed to flirt through a bunch of different emotions until they settled on one that, to Ted, was just plain sad.
"I know I've always held you at arm's length Renton but you will always been my son," the doctor said with guilt in his voice but Q turned away.
"You introduce me to your colleagues as 'the one who didn't get into med school'," was his final say before storming his way to the car, the boys scrambling in after him.
Ted dared not glance back to the stunned man left in the doorway. He had a feeling it'd break his heart.
The drive after was so ridiculously tense for the first few minutes that Ted wasn't really surprised when Q got sick of it, parked by the side of the road and went out for a smoke with a muttered apology. He left the headlights on though so Teddy wasn't too worried.
"Tell him not to go too far," Vic whispered as they watched the silhouette of the man practically disappear into the shadows of the nearby forest.
"He'll be fine. Let him cool off first," Ted said, trying to get comfy in the back seats. Now that they were relatively safe he was starting to feel tired from the day's excitement but his anxiety stubbornly refused to let him sleep.
He had almost fallen asleep when he heard something that sounded like a gunshot echo down the empty lane.
BANG
Teddy jumped as if electrocuted, grabbing for Vic beside him and definitely not in the least bit tired anymore.
"Please let that be Q please let that be Q," Ted heard Vic mutter, "Merlin Ted what if this is like those movies where the guy goes out and never comes back and the kids in the backseat just wait here forever and eventually get eaten by opff-"
Ted punched him and Vic shut up.
They sat in silence for the grand total of one minute before both boys seemed to have a simultaneous breakdown and Ted clambered into the driver's seat to honk the horn loudly.
They waited for another few seconds before Teddy honked again and the pattern repeated until Q re emerged from the forest.
"What's wrong?" He asked, breathing heavily and confused. No doubt he was probably expecting a battle only to get two terrified kids instead.
"Don't leave!" Teddy complained, throwing open the driver's door and throwing his arms around the startled man's stomach, "You want a smoke that's ok but we're coming too next time don't just leave us here what if you don't make it back?"
"I don't want to get eaten!" Vic interrupted from the back seat.
Q blinked several times before he awkwardly patted Ted on the head until Teddy let go and was silently coaxed back into the back seats.
"Right. Won't leave," Q said as he quickly got into the car.
"Promise?" Both the boys asked simultaneously, eyes huge as the man seemed to glance at them in the rear view mirror.
"Promise."
And as the car sped away at a near breakneck speed, Ted and Vic were blissfully unaware of the hoard of zombies that filled Q's mirrors just behind them.
AN: It's cliche but heck all stories need a zombie apocalypse. I didn't want them constantly chased by spirits because that just doesn't sound dangerous/scary enough.
Next chapter will star Roy and Remus for the most part. Maybe with some Snape thrown in.
