A/N: DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE LYRICS BELOW. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.
Yeah, that's a little late . . . sorry . . .
TESS/THERESA
Tess woke up so late none of her friends were in the dormitory when she stumbled from her bed. She dressed quickly, hoping she wasn't late for class, and realized that she didn't need to go to class: she needed to do research.
She went down to the Great Hall. Many people were still eating. She found Draco among the Slytherins and surprised him by kissing his hair, ignoring the odd looks from the other Slytherins at the table. "We need to talk," she told him.
"Okay," Draco replied easily. "Just give me a moment."
Tess told him to meet her at the Ravenclaw table and made her way over to said table. She sat down next to Luna. "So, Draco and I are dating," were the first words out of her mouth.
"Ginny owes me five Galleons, then," Luna said, putting down her copy of the Quibbler. "We were betting on how soon you'd be getting together. She said at the end of April: I said before the end of March. We're okay with it, you know. Malfoy's really changed since last term, and if he's changed then you go ahead and date him."
"Oh," Tess said, unsure what else to say about this. "Well . . . okay, I suppose."
Draco sat down next to her, slipping an arm around her waist. "What's up? You needed to talk . . ."
"Oh," Tess said. "Yeah, hang on a mo, I gotta tell Luna something else." She scooted away and told Luna in a whisper, "Tomorrow morning I'm going to go look for my mother with Draco. My real mother."
"Uh," Luna whispered back, "isn't she . . . dead?"
"Kendra Wilford is, but as it turns out, my mother is James Potter's sister, Indigo Potter. So therefore I am Harry's cousin. Oh, and my dad is Snape." She scooted back into Draco's arm. "Done. Now, I was thinking that one of us could do the research and the other could do the packing, what do you say? The general packing, like food and portable shelter and stuff, not clothes. I can pack my own clothes."
Draco shrugged. "Okay. Please do the research."
Tess handed him a plate, piling her own with waffles doused in whipped cream. "I was going to anyway."
Tess shoved her large stack of books into her back and closed the drawstring. It was a simple backpack, but it had an Undetectable Extension Charm on it (man, was she a fan of those). She slung it onto her bed and headed down to the library. Then she changed her mind, backtracked, and went into the Room of Requirement Number Two. As soon as she landed on the trampoline she was bounding off, calling, "I need a record of all the pureblood families that say where each family lived/lives!"
When she reached the table there was already a stack of eight books sitting on it. The top ones were always the most helpful. She flipped to the table of contents, not bothering to look at the cover, and moved her finger down the list. The only M's on the list were the Malfoys on page six hundred seventeen. The Potters were on page eight hundred nine. Tess stopped at the Malfoys first. There was a current picture of Draco on one of the pages; she ripped it out with no qualms and continued on to the Potters.
"James Potter, father of Harry James Potter, was killed by Voldemort . . . I don't want that . . . the Potters lived in Godric's Hollow . . . no . . . here we are. William Potter, father of James Potter, grandfather of Harry James Potter, is still living in the center of Ottery St. Catchpole." Tess sat back with a satisfied sigh. "That's where we'll go first."
She closed the book, tucked it under her arm, and climbed up the ladder one-handed.
"I told you," Ginny said, "I don't care whether you date Malfoy or not. I do care, however, if you go to Ottery St. Catchpole and not stay at my house!"
Tess had told Ginny and Luna all about her mini quest, and where she would start. Now the three were in the Great Hall. They were supposed to be studying, but Tess figured Snape would let it go if she didn't.
"I didn't ever find out who lived in that mansion," Ginny went on, "but under no circumstances are you to give up my mother's hospitality! I already sent an owl saying to expect you; you can't refuse now."
"Yes, but how will they react to Draco?" Tess pointed out.
"I already explained that," Ginny said brightly.
"Have they agreed?" Tess asked.
There was a long, awkward silence. Then there was an enormous THUD. Everyone in the Great Hall looked up in surprise in time to see a gray owl slide down the outside side of the window, a letter in its beak.
"Errol," Ginny exclaimed, leaping from her seat. "Crap, crap, crap!" She tore from the Great Hall, Tess and Luna on her heels. They made their way outside and to the back, where Errol would be. Ginny stared at the gray lump that was the owl. The envelope of the letter was red.
"Oh, no," she whispered.
Luna tugged on Tess's arm. "Maybe we should go now . . ."
Ginny had grabbed the letter from Errol and was opening it.
Tess nodded and the two Ravenclaws slowly backed away. All of a sudden Tess heard Mrs. Weasley's voice, screaming out over the grounds. She winced. "Come on, Luna, let's run—"
"—I WILL HAVE NO MALFOY SHELTERING MY HOUSE GINEVRA HOW DARE YOU THINK THAT HE CAN IMPOSE ON MY HOSPITALITY, I DON'T CARE IF TESS IS THERE TO KEEP HIM IN LINE I AM NOT OFFERING UP MY HOME TO A MALFOY THE LAST TIME I DID THAT IT BURNED TO THE GROUND, DON'T YOU REMEMBER THAT GINEVRA, YOU WERE EIGHT DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GO THROUGH A BURNED DOWN HOUSE FOR A THIRD TIME IN YOUR LIFE—"
"INCENDIO," Ginny screamed. Mrs. Weasley's voice was cut off abruptly. Ginny came storming around the corner of the Great Hall, her eyes blazing. "My mum is an IDIOT," she exploded. "You're trying to find your real mother and all she can go on about is Draco Malfoy! Oh my GOD!"
"Ginny," Tess said quietly, "it's okay."
"No it's not," Ginny shouted, stamping her foot. "She's terrified and I don't blame her, but FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! You're trying to find your MOTHER!"
"Ginny," Luna said. "Calm down. Tess can find other shelter."
"She shouldn't have to, though," Ginny growled.
"Theresa, there you are. Jeez, are you trying to hide from me?"
Tess turned in time to see a flash of black; then she was being smothered in a hug. It was Draco. She recognized him because he smelled like pine trees and no one else in school smelled like pine trees.
"Hello," she said thickly.
Draco released her. "How's the packing going?" He glanced up at the sky, shielding his eyes from the sun for a split second. "It's getting close to dinnertime."
"I know," Tess answered. "Ginny was offering—"
She got a warning glare from Ginny and stopped.
"Offering . . . ?" Draco prompted.
"Never mind," Tess said. "Have you found portable shelter?"
Draco nodded. "It's pretty cool, so don't be surprised, okay?"
Tess pulled her checklist out of her back pocket and crossed off shelter. "Now all we have to do is . . . eat dinner, go to sleep, wake up, and leave. I found out where we're going first. You will not believe it."
"Where?" Draco asked.
"Ottery St. Catchpole," Tess told him. "Come on, if you like I could find it on a map." She started tugging him away. "Thanks for everything," she called behind her at Ginny and Luna. They smiled and nodded.
"Let's collect our things and put them under my bed," Tess suggested. "That way it'll be a lot easier to leave early in the morning. You packed food, right?"
"All non-perishables," Draco said.
They moved everything up to under Tess's bed, and then Draco ran off to get his broom. By the time he came back they had to go to dinner, so they went down together. Before they walked in, Tess balked. "Who knows that we're . . . together?"
"Well, Weasley and Lovegood," Draco said, "because you told them, but no one else. Not even Crabbe and Goyle. Why?"
"When people see us walking in holding hands . . ." Tess trailed off.
"Oh," Draco said. Then, "OH."
"Yeah," Tess said. "Because then we just disappear the next day . . ."
"I'll go in first," Draco offered. He straightened his tie, assumed a cold, unforgiving look, and stalked into the Great Hall. Tess pulled out her wand and pretended to shoot a spell at him. Smirking, she entered the Great Hall and found a seat next to Luna.
"Are you getting along with Draco Malfoy?" Luna asked.
"Of course," Tess said. "We just don't want rumors."
She stabbed a piece of steak with a serving fork and dropped it on her plate.
"Can I sit here?"
Tess looked up. Neville Longbottom was standing behind here, gesturing at the bench. Tess slid over instantly, grinning to herself as she made space for him between her and Luna. "How are you, Neville?"
"Good, what about you?" Neville asked. "Hi, Luna."
They had all been in Dumbledore's Army in Tess's fifth year. It had been fun while it lasted, Tess thought, as Luna replied.
Seamus Finnigan and Ginny sat down on Tess's other side. The five talked about the good days, the days when they could meet in secret in the Room of Requirement and practice defensive spells. Then, as one, they all looked down at the backs of their hands, where they could still see the scars of those stupid quills Umbridge used for punishment.
As dinner finished, Draco made his way over and whispered in Tess's ear, "I forgot to pack something."
"I'm going to bed," Tess announced, shoving him away surreptitiously. "I'm really tired." She hugged Neville, Ginny, and Seamus, then trotted out of the Hall. Draco followed. "Okay, what'd you forget?" Tess asked, only half exasperated.
"My socks," Draco said.
"For the love of God," Tess snapped, "are you like this every time you pack to come here?" She smiled, letting him know that she didn't care, and pushed him in the direction of his common room playfully. "Go get your socks."
Tess woke up before it was light out and dressed quickly, then took everything down to the exit hall. She leaned against a pillar to wait for Draco.
He came soon enough. Tess was actually considering using her Patronus to go fetch him when he appeared around the corner. "Hi."
Behind him came Flitwick, Snape, and, for some odd reason, McGonagall. Tess wondered in the back of her mind why McGonagall would come to see her off when she was head of Gryffindor house.
"Good luck," Professor Flitwick squeaked. Tess knelt to hug him. When she rose, Draco was shaking Snape's hand. McGonagall was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.
Tess gave an awkward wave to the other teachers. Snape's eyes were full of an unidentifiable emotion.
"We've got to go," Draco pointed out.
"Right, right," Tess said quickly. "Well—hopefully we'll see you all again someday. Soon." She Summoned her and Draco's brooms from one of the many bags (which she had made weightless) and they mounted. Tess attached the bags to their brooms and they flew out of the castle.
By afternoon Tess's face was red from flying so fast, but they had arrived in Ottery St. Catchpole. They landed in the forest a few miles from the outskirts of town so they wouldn't be noticed by unwitting Muggles and dismounted. Tess fished a snack from the bag—cheese, really? That's not unperishable—and handed some to Draco.
Suddenly he started singing through his mouthful of food.
"Oh brother, I can't, I can't get through.
I've been trying hard to reach you cause I don't know what to do.
Oh brother I can't believe it's true.
I'm so scared about the future and I want to talk to you
Oh I want to talk you . . . you."
Tess swallowed her bite of cheese and chimed in with the next verse. They traded lyrics for a while.
Tess wasn't sure what alerted her to the fact that they were being followed, but she didn't tell Draco for a while. She heard a twig crack under someone's foot and whispered to Draco as he was singing, "Get out your wand carefully and don't stop singing."
Draco did as she asked.
When they were surrounded by people dressed in forest colors, all holding wands, Tess did not hesitate to Stun one and knock another back with the Knockback Jinx. Draco used more conventional methods, such as the Disarming Charm and Everte Statum.
So that took down four Snatchers (for that was who the people were) but there were still eight left. Draco and Tess had made a gap, though, and Tess dragged him through it, casting a Shield Charm behind them to buy them some time. They crashed through the trees and brush, branches whipping their faces. Once Tess tripped, but Draco had her back up on her feet nearly before she knew she'd fallen.
"Diffindo," she called over her shoulder at a tree. It toppled over but hit another tree and caught like a sort of arch. She used the Reductor Curse to blast it to little tiny bits of wooden shrapnel. They kept running.
"We're not going to make it," Draco gasped out. The Snatchers were indeed gaining on them. Tess reached up with her wand and tapped his head, casting the Disillusionment Charm. He didn't notice because it was wordless. Tess hoped he'd forgive her. She pushed him in one direction. "Split up!"
He veered away (how could she still see him?!) while she continued on in a straight line, really hoping now that he would forgive her. If they survived.
A flash of green light shot past her ear and she thanked the heavens that Snatchers were untrained in dueling. She cast her Patronus and made it go at them, hoping it would have the same effect on them as it had on Draco last semester. She heard a few screams and grinned. She only had a few seconds. Maybe a minute if she was lucky. As she ran away she scanned the trees for a climbable one. At last she saw one and darted up the branches. As the Snatchers ran by she Stunned them and made them fly into the underbrush. When they were all gone she dropped from the tree.
A hand clamped down on her shoulder, making her scream. The largest of the Snatchers was glowering down at her. "Do y'really thin' I'm tha' stupid?"
There was a knife in the hand that wasn't holding Tess in place.
There was a flash of light and the man was knocked back. Draco burst out from behind a tree, his face contorted with rage. WHY COULD TESS STILL SEE HIM?!
The Snatcher blasted Tess with the Full Body-Bind and she fell over. Sadly, she had a perfect view of what happened next. It was almost as if time was slowed down a little. Draco lunged for the Snatcher, looking as though he intended to throttle him with his bare hands, and received a sharp kick in the chest. Tess heard a crack. Draco gasped, stumbling backwards and his hands flying to his chest. Then he Stunned the Snatcher three times for anger and released the curse on Tess. She ran to his side and propped him up. The crack must have been either his collarbone or a few of his ribs.
"I don't feel so good," Draco moaned, leaning entirely on Tess. Jeez Louise, he was heavy. She propped him up, slinging one of his arms over her shoulders (which made him gasp, whoops, broken ribs).
She didn't remember much of the trek through the forest, only showing up at the door of the Burrow as the sun was setting with Draco nearly unconscious. Molly Weasley opened the door, her wand out, and relaxed a little when she saw Tess. Then she saw Draco and tensed up again. "Don't think—"
"Mrs. Weasley, please," Tess begged. "I think his ribs are broken."
"Let them in, dear," Mr. Weasley called from somewhere in the Burrow.
Fred and George popped up behind their mother, one head on either side of hers. They saw Draco and both got disgusted looks on their faces. "What in the—what's he doing here?"
Mrs. Weasley shoved them away from the door, stepping aside herself to let Tess in. With a grateful glance Tess entered, pretty much dragging Draco. She felt exhausted.
Seeing this, Mrs. Weasley instructed the twins to bring him to Ron's bedroom—CAREFULLY—and led Tess to the sitting room, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders and forcing a mug of hot chocolate into her hands.
"Tess," Mr. Weasley greeted jovially. He was sitting in a large purple armchair. "Nice to see you again. How's Ginny?"
"She's okay," Tess said, choosing her words carefully. "A little upset, but Luna's keeping her company."
There was a loud crash from upstairs, sending everyone to their feet. They all waited in tense silence until Fred's voice echoed down the stairwell: "It's okay, George knocked over the birdcage in Ron's room!"
Tess sighed, sinking back into the folds of the blanket.
"What brings you here to Ottery St. Catchpole?" Mrs. Weasley asked, sitting next to Tess and fondly pulling the blanket tighter around the Ravenclaw.
"Ginny didn't tell you?" Tess was surprised. "I'm looking for my mother."
Mrs. Weasley got a pitying expression on her face. "Tess, dear—"
"Not Kendra Wilford," Tess went on quickly, before anyone could tell her yet again that her adoptive family was dead. "Indigo Potter." Thus she explained about everything. When she finished there was another tense silence.
"Good God, mate," Fred exclaimed, scaring Tess out of her skin because he was so close to her ear. "That's terrible, having Snape as a father."
"George," Mrs. Weasley snapped.
"I'm Fred," Fred told her.
"Whichever you are, I don't care," Mrs. Weasley reprimanded. "That was an awful thing to say."
"How long've you known?" This time it actually was George.
Tess calculated. "Oh . . ." And so she told the entire story of how she found out and the events afterwards.
"Ginny hasn't told any of this to us," Mr. Weasley said.
Tess shrugged. "Maybe she didn't think it was her place to tell you."
"So let me get this straight," Fred said slowly. "Your cousin is Harry Potter, your father is Severus Snape, and your boyfriend is Draco Malfoy?"
"Fred," Mrs. Weasley warned.
"You've got it all right," Tess said. "Aces."
"How could you be dating Draco Malfoy?" George demanded, ignoring Mrs. Weasley's growl. "That is completely insane. Like, insane insane, not just semi-insane."
"He's not that bad," Tess defended. "Once you get to know him, past his kinda thorny exterior, he's kinda mushy inside. And cliché. Definitely cliché."
Mrs. Weasley rose from the couch. "I'll be seeing to him. Tess, why don't you get some dinner?"
She headed up the stairs. Tess finished off her hot chocolate and set it on the table. "How am I supposed to . . ."
"Get food?" Fred finished. "Why, you go out, butcher a pig, get all the right meat, cook it, slice it, and eat it. Voila, food!"
"It doesn't have to be a pig, though," George added helpfully. "It can be a cow or a chicken if you like. Lamb if you're high-class."
"Boys," Mr. Weasley said, "get Tess some dinner."
"Yes, O Great and Terrible Father," Fred said, bowing low. "What else would his majesty like?"
"A good spanking?" George added on. Tess barely suppressed a grin.
"Just do it," Mr. Weasley snapped, ignoring their jibes. Sighing in defeat, the twins moved off to the kitchen.
They returned with a thick slice of heavy bread and a bowl of stew, along with a tall glass of water. Tess ripped the bread into small pieces and dropped them in the stew, feeling self-conscious.
"Say," she said through a mouthful of stew, "do you have ingredients for brownies?"
"Depends," Fred said slyly. "Do you want brownies or exploding brownies?"
"Normal Muggle brownies," Tess asserted quickly.
"Almost, bro," George said encouragingly in an undertone to Fred. "We'll get her next time, yessir!"
Tess scoffed and shoveled another bite of stew into her mouth.
"Brownies are up!"
Tess jerked awake from her near-stupor at the sound of Fred's voice. She bolted up and rushed to the kitchen before the twins could shove any explosives in her precious brownies. Just to be sure, she whispered the Finite Incantatem Charm with her wand pointed at the pan.
"You don't trust us?" Fred asked, sounding insulted.
"Can't imagine why," George agreed.
Tess found a knife and waved it faux-threateningly at them. "Shoo, go sit down. You've been waiting on me the entire night; its your turn to be waited upon."
"If you insist," they said together, grinning.
When they had gone Tess scrounged around for plates. She found a stack of clean plates near the sink and piled two brownies on each. Then she Levitated them out into the sitting room. Mr. Weasley was snoring quietly. Mrs. Weasley was knitting something rather unrecognizable. George was sitting on top of Fred, who was lying face down on the couch and trying to get his twin off him.
"Nineteen years old," Tess mock scolded, "and you still roughhouse like you're eleven."
"When we got our Hogwarts acceptance letters," George said nostalgically, "we hid them for four weeks."
"When Mum found out, though," Fred grunted from beneath George, "we had no dessert for a month. That was harsh."
Mrs. Weasley made a sound of protest.
George spotted the stacks of brownies and jumped up to get a plate. Just as he was sitting down, Fred Apparated away—with the couch. George, expecting the couch to be behind him, sat down and kept falling. Mrs. Weasley leapt up with a roar of frustration, and there was a loud thud and an explosion from upstairs. Mr. Weasley jerked awake with a snort. Tess burst out laughing, set the brownies on the coffee table, and helped George to his feet. A second later, Fred appeared with the couch in front of him. His sweater was missing a sleeve, and the shoulder was charred. "There went the Exploding Quills . . . and the Inkless Pens . . . and the Freezing Wizard Chess Sets . . ."
"Nice going," George said sarcastically, reaching over the back of the couch to ruffle his twin's hair.
"Well, the Inkless Pens were stupid anyway," Fred admitted.
"Those were my idea!" George protested.
"Precisely," Fred said, and Apparated away. With a loud crack, George Apparated also.
"I don't know how you raised them and survived," Mr. Weasley commented to his wife. She shook her head. "I don't know either."
Tess grabbed a plate off the table and started up the long staircase to Ron's bedroom, where Draco was sitting up on the bed and looking around with confusion and a hint of disgust. "Where am I?" he asked when Tess entered. "And are those your famous brownies?"
"The Burrow," Tess informed him, "and yes. You can have some. I should have brought some milk or something—"
"No you shouldn't have," Draco contradicted. "I hate milk straight up, and I already have water." Stiffly he gestured to the bedside table, where there was a pitcher of water and a half-full glass.
Tess tossed him a brownie and pulled up a chair. "What do you remember?"
Draco took a large chunk of brownie and popped it in his mouth. "Let's see . . . we were running and you tapped my head with your wand, making me feel like someone poured ice down my spine . . . we split up, and all the Snatchers followed you for some odd reason. I picked a few off from the brush, then followed and hid a few trees away from your tree. I would have warned you, but that would have given me away. When he grabbed you I shouted the first spell I could think of, which happened to be that one Zabini used on you, Everte Statum Maxima. And I think you know what happened from then on, don't you?" He glared accusingly at her. "Did you really have to put a Disillusionment Charm on me?"
"I thought it hadn't worked," Tess confessed. "Because I could still see you."
"Didn't you read A Standard Book of Spells, Grade Seven?" Draco demanded. "The caster of the Charm can always see the recipient of the Charm; if they can't, they either Vanished them or the spell didn't work."
"Wow," Fred and George said together. "You can cast a Disillusionment Charm? That's advanced work."
Tess leapt from her chair, shrieking in surprise. "You have to stop sneaking up on me! And yes, I can cast a Disillusionment Charm."
"Could you help us with the Vanishing Cauldrons, then?" George asked, his face lighting up like a toddler's.
"Sorry," Tess said. "This visit is strictly family business."
"Then why's he here?" Fred said, pointing to Draco.
"Didn't you get the memo?" Tess said. "Boyfriend and all that."
"I'd blocked it from my memory," Fred told her. "It's too shaming to think about."
"Oh, shut up," Tess snapped good-naturedly.
Draco raised his hand with difficulty. "I resent that."
"Who in the—" Fred started. Tess glanced at George, who dug an elbow into his twin's ribs warningly. Fred shut his mouth quickly. There was an awkward silence, broken only by a slight tapping sound. George's foot was bouncing.
"Who here likes Coldplay?" Tess asked suddenly, cheerfully. Draco's hand was still up, but he lifted it a few inches. Fred and George exchanged confused looks. "Dunno."
"Hang on a mo," Tess said, pursing her lips. She leaned out the window and Summoned her and Draco's stuff. "Might take a few minutes."
"What is Cold Play?" George asked.
"Coldplay, all one word," Draco supplied. "It's a Muggle music band, but it's really good. I've got all their songs on my iPod."
"Eye Pod?" Fred said incredulously. "You can put your eyes in a pod?" He looked like he had newfound respect for Draco.
"No, iPod," Draco explained. "It's a Muggle device that plays music. It's about yay high"—he showed them with his hands—"and yay tall. One of my cousins or something gave it to me for Christmas, but magically modified so that I can listen to it at Hogwarts. Muggle technology doesn't work there because of the magical energy field."
"We know that," George said. "We tried to bring a timed bomb in to blow up the dungeons, but it wouldn't start."
"Where would you get a timed bomb?" Tess interrogated, somewhat alarmed.
"What is a timed bomb?" Draco demanded.
"Ah, my young Padawan," Fred declared, assuming a knowing attitude, "A timed bomb is something that explodes after a designated amount of time. It decimates everything in the immediate area, and the larger the bomb, the larger the explosion!"
"We got it from our cousin," George told Tess. "He got it off a black market dealer and thought it would be great to help us with our pranks. It would have too," he added wistfully, "but of course it didn't work . . ."
"Thank God it didn't," Tess muttered.
Their bags arrived and Tess fished Draco's iPod and the matching speaker out. "Which song is their best?"
"The Scientist," Draco answered immediately. "Either that or Miracles. Maybe Talk."
"They've got a song called Magic," Tess said, giggling. "If only they knew."