Chapter 22 The last days of summer

"Stop fidgeting young man. I don't have all day."

Obediently Teddy stood still allowing the aged Madam Malkins to pin needles into his new robes and occasionally himself.

He rolled his eyes impatiently at the ceiling. Everyone else got served by one of the shop assistants or the old shopkeeper's niece, who had taken on most of the work. But no such luck for him. Every time they came in here the old women fussed over them - another perk of being part of the Potter Clan. And with nearly all of them together today, public attention was sure to be high even if Harry was at work.

James, Albus and Lily were sitting on the plush sofa in front of him, showing off their very best behaviour. Despite the fact that they had been in the shop for over half an hour and had previously been to get his books and potions supplies, the three Potter kids had not yet complained or caused any trouble.

Then again, Ginny had promised them an afternoon at their cousins' and Uncle George's if they behaved. So James and Al were playing quietly with a miniature set of Gobstones, for once not arguing and Ginny occupied Lily with a book.

Teddy jumped as a needle pierced his arm. He instinctively went to touch the assaulted area, only to have his hand batted away.

"Stay still, we're nearly done here. Heavens, you're worse than your father."

Teddy very much doubted his father had ever had the pleasure of being measured for new robes. From all he knew about the man, he had been much more likely to buy them second-hand in one of the shops off Diagon Alley. But of course telling her that would be pointless, the old bat wasn't referring to Remus Lupin after all. Willing himself to bite his tongue, Teddy looked around the room and met Ginny's sympathetic smile. A smile that communicated understanding and a touch of gratefulness.

Yes, Ginny knew how much he detested these outings and that he was trying really hard to make this go as fast and smooth as possible.

Of course, he had a whole afternoon of shopping ahead of him, but they were done in Diagon Alley and shopping in the muggle world was a whole lot easier to endure. There was no one to recognise them, no whispers, stares and comments. Or at least none apart from those he got for his blue hair.

"All done. You can hop down now love."

The proclamation from Madam Malkins brought general relief to the occupants of the measuring area. As Teddy wriggled himself out of the fitted robes Ginny quickly gathered their belongings. Meanwhile Al and Jamie scampered to their feet, the unfinished game happily abandoned.

James had apparently decided that he had played nicely long enough for today and now asked whiningly:

" Mum, are we done yet. I'm starving, can we go eat? Even Al said he's hungry."

As if they had rehearsed this, Al enthusiastically nodded his head in support of his brothers plight.

With a fond smile Ginny ruffled her sons' hair and said:

"We're finished here, so we'll have lunch at the Leaky Cauldron next and then you can go to Uncle George and play with Fred and Roxanne."

While Lily, James and Albus gave a happy cheer in response, Teddy inwardly scowled.

"Couldn't we go eat in in muggle London?" He asked barely able to keep the whine out of his voice.

Before Ginny could answer however, a male voice sounded from the door.

"I think that could be arranged."

"Harry?"

"Daddy!"

Heads had immediately turned to Harry, who stood in the door with an amused smiled on his face. As Lily squeaked and ran for him, he scooped her up and tossed her in the air playfully, only setting her back down as Ginny cleared her throat.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had a full day at the office?"

Stepping closer to his family to clear the door, Harry responded: "I took the afternoon off. Have been searching all over Diagon Alley for you, figures you're in the last shop I go too."

The twinkle in his eyes gave away that he didn't mind at all, even if his voice was exasperated.

Ginny had quickly shoved some galleons over the counter to pay for the robes and now ushered the whole group out of the shop saying:

"Great, so we can all go have lunch now."

"Actually Gin, I was finishing work early to take Teddy's shopping off your hands."

"Oh, okay. Sure, I'll take the children home for lunch then."

Teddy's face lit up as he listened to his godparents conversation. This was just getting better and better. First, he wouldn't have to sit through an uncomfortable lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, and even the afternoon of shopping had just gotten a bit brighter. Not only had he traded Ginny's shopping enthusiasm for Harry's nonchalance, but he would also have a whole afternoon alone with his godfather, which had been a very rare commodity this year.

While Teddy had a hard time hiding the grin plastered on his face, the three Potter kids were far from amused. All three faces had visibly fallen when Ginny announced that they would go home for lunch. However, they hesitated to protest, their mother's warning still fresh on their minds. Nevertheless, Ginny must have noticed as she was quick to proclaim that she would use her newfound freedom for some work for the paper. So Jamie, Al and Lily would still get their afternoon with Fred and Roxanne.

After a quick lunch and a whizz through several department stores, Teddy was equipped with two new trousers, a pair of new shoes identical to the ones Ginny had threatened to throw away the day before, some shirts and three jumpers. Teddy wasn't overly bothered about clothes and the fact that Harry wasn't either had made the shopping trip a lot smoother than any other had ever been. They'd been a lot faster too, and stood with full bags in their hands back inside the Leaky Cauldron at just four o'clock.

"So, what do you think we should do for the rest of the afternoon?" Harry asked.

Teddy shrugged.

"I have all my stuff, I'm sure Ginny would appreciate if we collected the small ones on the way home."

"No Ted, I took the afternoon off to spend it with you. So what would you like to do, just you and me?"

Harry smiled as he saw Teddy's eyes light up at his words. However, despite his obvious enthusiasm Teddy only shrugged in response. It wasn't that he didn't want to spent time with his godfather. The opposite was true, but it had been months since they had done something just the pair of them. When Teddy had been young, their bonding sessions had been frequent and varied, but as he got older his godfather's undivided attention had become a scarce good. For the last years, if Harry felt like they needed some bonding time it had nearly always been about flying. Something that wasn't an option now.

Whether Harry could read his mind or took the silence as his cue, his godfather patted his shoulder and led him to the floo.

"I think." Harry said. "I have just the thing for us."

...

Ginny Potter stood in her kitchen absently chopping vegetables for the family dinner. Frequently her gaze wandered to the window that overlooked the back garden, where her three children were happily running around and playing. They had protested of course, when she had cut their time with their cousins rather short as she had left the office again only 2hours after arriving. It had been no use to try to focus on the latest match reports, when in fact her mind kept going back to her oldest child and godson. She had been surprised when Harry had shown up at Madam Malkins, but it didn't take her long to understand his reasons.

They both were worried about Teddy, concerned he would resort back to bad habits once he returned to Hogwarts next week. She also knew that her husband felt that Teddy was slipping away from him, that the close connection godfather and godson had always had, was fading.

So she understood his desire for some bonding time. She just wished there was a way to dispel her own worries too.

She turned her attention back to the vegetables, the sound of the rhythmic chopping taking over her mind until she heard the floo chime in the living room.

Immediately she put down the knife and followed the two familiar voices that now echoed from the corridor. She peaked her head around the corner only to see the back of her husband as he ushered their godson up the stairs.

"Go on and put the bags in your room and then change into something comfy. I meet you back down here."

Ginny leaned against the wall and closed her eyes taking in the sound of footsteps above her. She would wait here for Harry to come back down.

A moment later she heard footsteps on the stairs, then the floor, the sound growing louder as it came closer. She hadn't opened her eyes, but even before she could smell his aftershave she knew it was him. She had learnt the unique sound of his walk years ago. Whether it had been on the creaky floors of the Burrow, in their tiny first place in London where every move had echoed through thin walls, or now in their family home, she had come to recognise and take comfort in the familiarity of his footfall.

He gently grasped her shoulders and as she opened her eyes, bright green ones were starring into her own brown eyes worriedly.

"Are you okay?" He asked, affectionately moving a strand of red hair behind her ear.

She hummed contentedly under his touch.

"I'm okay. Worried about him that's all."

"He'll be fine. We make sure of that." Harry assured her before giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.

They were interrupted as footsteps sounded from above. Teddy came bolting down the stairs and stood in the hall wearing an old pair of jeans, a shirt and trainers. He looked at Harry expectedly.

"So..., where are we going? I didn't know what we were going to do, so I wasn't sure what to wear."

With a smile Harry opened the cupboard under the stairs and then turned to his godson.

"You might want to grab a jumper, it gets awfully chilly in the air."

A puzzled look appeared on Teddy's face.

"In the air? But we aren't..."

His rambling was stopped as a broom got chucked his way and he hurriedly grabbed it with his right hand. He looked in wonder from the broom to his godfather, who now held his own broom, and back to the one in his hand. It wasn't his own - no, that one still resided in the broom closet where it had been locked away ages ago.

Instead Harry had given him Ginny's broom, which compared to Teddy's had come into the years although it had been top of the range back in its day. Not that he minded. For all Teddy cared, he would have flown on a wet mop or one of the dreaded school brooms for that matter.

Moving his eyes from the broom back to his godfather, he asked: "So, we can go fly? You mean it? Really...?"

Still smiling Harry nodded.

"Can't let you go back to school without a reminder of how it's really done, can I?" Harry teased. "Go get a jumper before I change my mind."

Teddy disappeared upstairs in a blink of the eye and Ginny turned back to her husband with a raised eyebrow.

"Flying? Really Harry?"

He shrugged: "It's just for today. It's not like I'm going back on the punishment. Plus I think he learnt his lesson or at least I hope he has." Harry sighed, then without waiting for Ginny's reaction continued.

"I'm taking him to the Burrow for a bit. It will give us some space to fly and talk"

...

One hour later Harry had to admit to himself that his 15-year-old godson had upped his game since the last time they had flown together. He had allowed the teenager to roam the air freely for the first quarter of an hour and enjoy the feeling of whizzing through the air. As Teddy had gotten acquainted with the unfamiliar broom, they challenged each other to a game of catching the snitch.

So far Teddy had beaten Harry only once, but it was by no means as easy a game as it used to be. His godson's moves were fast, technically advanced and executed with confidence. He wasn't quite as good a flyer as Harry yet, but what he lacked in experience Teddy made up for in boldness. Harry had no doubt that if Teddy would be flying on his own broom, the score would be equal if not tipped in his godson's favour.

He really was getting old, Harry mused as he started to feel tired from the flying.

When moments later Teddy caught the snitch or the second time in their game, Harry signalled for a stop and both fliers started to descend.

Harry touched down first, watching Teddy land next to him only moments later.

Windswept but glowing with joy Teddy said: "You aren't tired already, are you? Your age is showing old man."

Harry mock-glared at the smirking teenager.

"Watch who you are calling old. You may be getting a lot better, but you still have plenty to learn."

"True, but while I'm getting better, you're only getting slower. You want a rematch?"

Smiling Harry shook his head.

"Let's sit down for a bit. You can have another go before we go home."

Picking up his broom Harry led the way to a secluded area at the edge of the Burrow. They weren't visible from here to the house and they most likely wouldn't be disturbed either.

Harry sat down and patted the area next to him as an invitation for his godson. As they both settled, silence ensued between them and Teddy curiously studied his godfather, while Harry took in the quiet of the summer evening to gather his thoughts for the talk he was adamant to have.

After a few moments, he started speaking, his eyes still focussed on the distance, never once glancing at Teddy.

"We need to talk - about Hogwarts and about next year." He finally said solemnly.

Teddy grimaced, but nodded in response.

Changing his focus, so he now looked at his godson, Harry continued: "I'm very happy about how the last weeks have gone. Things aren't perfect maybe, but that's okay. We can argue and you mess up sometimes and me or Ginny will mess up sometimes, but we muddle through. I am not however going back to how things were last year."

There was silence amongst them as Harry waited for Teddy to respond. The teenager had gone solemn during his godfather's talk.

Taking in the words, he answered:"I don't want to go back to how things were last year."

A small smile hushed over Harry's face.

"Good, because I'm tired of this."

"Me too." Came the mumbled response.

"Then I won't have to worry about letters from school telling me of missed classes, detention and failing grades?"

"No." Teddy shook his head. "I promise Harry. I got it."

With an unusual sternness that made Teddy squirm a bit, Harry studied his godson.

"Good. I will hold you to that. But Ted, the rules we set this summer are just as valid at Hogwarts as they are at home, and so is my promise of consequences. If I get one more letter about skiving classes, I'm withdrawing my Hogsmeade permission indefinitely and my threats to pull you off the team aren't idle either. Are we clear?"

"Yes, absolutely. No more messing around, got it." Teddy answered honestly.

"Glad to hear it. Now go on and have another fly before I drag you back home again, where your feet are to remain firmly on the ground."

Harry watched on as Teddy scrambled to his feet picking up his broom and kicking off into the air at once.

The smile on his godson's windswept face as they disaparated an hour later, washed away all of Harry's doubts about bringing him here. He was all too aware that between work, home and the younger children, time alone with Teddy had been a rare commodity. And despite everything, Harry did not want the relationship to his godson to become one, where he only made time for the teenager when there was trouble and reason to reprimand. No good would ever come from that.

So in Teddy's last week at home, he went to the cinema with Harry one night, accompanied Ginny to a Quidditch game another day and the rest of his time was spent between the Burrow, Shell Cottage or at home with Jamie, Al and Lils.

However, as much as Teddy loved all of that, he was both excited and relieved as he stood at Platform 9 3/4 on the first of September. He had his trunk in one hand, the owl cage in the other. His eyes were searching for Alex or another familiar face, but he couldn't spot anyone.

Behind him stood the entire Potter clan. Lily was clinging to him as close as possible, while Ginny was busy with James, who whined about wanting to go to Hogwarts too. Albus, against his usual character, only fuelled James whining with brotherly taunts. He didn't seem bothered at all that he would have to wait even longer.

In this chaos, it was Harry who spotted a familiar face first. Bill & Fleur were walking towards them, only their young son between them, which meant Victoire and Dominique had already boarded the train.

Teddy's observation was confirmed as Bill greeted them.

"Hello everyone. You should get on the train Teddy, it's nearly eleven."

Teddy nodded mutely and peeled Lily off himself. He hugged her saying goodbye and his heart ached a little as he saw tears in her eyes.

Harry, who had noticed too, scooped her up in his arms to prevent a crying scene at the platform.

Teddy ruffled two black mobs and mumbled goodbyes, which got answered with a double hug from his quasi brothers.

He then turned to Ginny, who looked nearly as teary-eyed as her daughter. She gave him a hug and said: "Take care and don't forget to write. Let us know if you need anything."

Teddy murmured his affirmations and ducked his head in embarrassment as Ginny kissed the top of his head.

"Be good."

"Of course." He answered and then turned to Harry, who was handing Lily over to her mother and then led him by the shoulder away from the group.

They stopped in front of the open train door and Harry grasped his shoulder starring him squarely in the eyes.

"Have a great term, have fun at Hogwarts - behave."

Teddy grimaced and nodded.

"Right." Harry pulled him into an embrace speaking into his ear. "I love you Ted, don't forget that. If you need anything, I'm always just an owl away."

"Love you too." Teddy murmured back.

The sharp whistle of the conductor interrupted their goodbyes and Teddy quickly grabbed his luggage and boarded the train. It didn't take him long to find the compartment with Victoire and Dominique and he settled with them. He could find his friends later.

Teddy had just stored his luggage when the train started moving. He quickly looked out the window to wave goodbye as he had promised Lily. She was hoisted up on her father's hip and waved at him enthusiastically despite the fact that her tears hadn't quite dried yet. He stayed rooted at the window until the platform had completely disappeared from his view.

On the platform all the Potters had enthusiastically waved goodbye to Teddy, Victoire and Dominique till the train was no longer in sight. The only one still waving now was Lily.

"Sweetheart, Teddy can't see you anymore. The train has left." Harry said gently.

"Okay." She agreed and took her hand down.

"He'll be back sooner than you think and we'll get letters." Ginny said trying to cheer her up.

"And we could go see him play Quidditch." James added with a hopeful look on his face.

"Oh no young man. Children under eleven are not allowed at Hogwarts, not even for Quidditch." Ginny reminded him.

"They'll be home for Christmas." Bill stated. "Come on, I'm sure Grandma Molly has some cake waiting for us."

And so the Potter-Weasley clan left the Platform. As Harry stepped back out into the busy Muggle station, he send a silent prayer that the new term would bring letters from Teddy and not from Neville.

He had no desire for anymore of this teenage rebellion.

'Maybe, just maybe everything would be well.'

The end

AN: So that's a wrap. The "story that wouldn't end" is finished. I apologise for the incredible long wait, I did have some struggle finishing this. I'm not really ready to stop playing in this "story universe", but I feel that the end of summer is a good finishing point for Teenage Rebellion. It leaves me the freedom to get creative with one-shots and maybe (possibly) a short sequel that plays off this story. One-shots will be posted in the story now labeled "Pieces of a puzzle", previously known as "The day the earth stood still".

Reviews and feedback are as always very welcome.

Unfortunately I don't have a beta-reader at the moment so feel free to correct me.