Mischief Management

“Hello, Violet. It's very nice to meet you.” Andromeda Tonks stood on the platform at King's Cross station, looking at her tiny grandniece. Teddy beamed when he saw his grandmother, but rather than running to her side, he stayed next to Violet and fought the impulse to hold her hand.

He could sense Violet's nervousness, but as she usually did in emotional moments, she appeared utterly calm and unaffected as she gazed at her great-aunt. Teddy knew that she would be embarrassed and angry if he did anything to force a crack in that facade.

“It's nice to meet you too, ma'am,” Violet replied.

Andromeda snorted. “Oh, please tell me Narcissa doesn't make you call her 'ma'am'!” And she stepped forward, and swept Violet and Teddy both up in a hug.

As Violet hesitantly returned her great-aunt's embrace, Andromeda whispered in her ear, “And I'm delighted to have you here, Violet, but Narcissa and I sat down and had a few choice words to say to my nephew. You're going to spend Christmas Eve with your father's family. How long has it been since you've seen your little brother?”

Violet swallowed. “A while,” she whispered.

Teddy was grinning from ear to ear, and his hair had changed color to a glorious reddish-orange. Andromeda didn't even admonish him, just shook her head as she took the childrens' hands, and the three of them vanished from the train station.

On Christmas morning, Violet was shaken awake, which was not something she was used to. “Hey, sleepyhead!” she heard Teddy saying. “Grandma's made breakfast, and it's time to open our presents!”

She sat up, frowning at him. “Don't you knock?” she demanded. Andromeda had given Violet a guest bedroom to herself, but at home, it was just her and her mother. A cousin who had the run of the house and felt free to enter her bedroom and wake her up was completely new to her, and she didn't much like it.

Teddy just grinned. “I did. You didn't answer, so I figured you were asleep.”

“That was good thinking,” she replied sourly.

“You got home late last night,” he said, plopping himself down on the edge of her bed. “Did you have a good time at your father's?” He regarded her seriously.

She nodded. “Scorpius is talking now.” Her expression was unguarded for a moment. “He calls me 'Vi-Vi'.” And at Teddy's delighted, open-mouthed grin, her face clouded over and she glared at him. “If you repeat that to anyone else, especially Kai...”

He hastily crossed his heart, and made the gesture with his finger understood by all wizarding children to represent a Silencing Charm cast on himself. “I won't! I promise!” He grinned at her.

“Well, get off my bed then, and let me brush my teeth!”

“Okay, Vi-Vi.” He laughed and ran out of her room before she could throw something at him.

Andromeda was waiting downstairs. Violet was used to sumptuous breakfasts prepared by house-elves, yet the modest breakfast that her great-aunt had prepared pleased her much more. Andromeda had been gracious, but not doting, throughout the length of Violet's stay, which was exactly as Teddy was used to.

Teddy was also used to having lots of presents to unwrap on Christmas morning. Violet was not; she usually received something nice from her mother, some smaller gifts from her grandparents, and a card from her father with a note that she could give to any shop in Europe to purchase whatever she pleased. Now, however, besides these presents, which had arrived by owl delivery, she had gifts from her great-aunt, from Teddy, the presents Dewey and Kai had given her before leaving school, and, to her utter surprise, more presents for her under the tree from the Potters and the Weasleys.

“But... they don't even know me!” she stammered.

“Well, they will after today. We're going to visit Harry and Aunt Ginny this afternoon, and I reckon we'll go to the Burrow after that.”

Violet stared at him blankly.

“That's where Aunt Ginny's parents live, so I reckon most of the Weasleys will be there. There's about a hundred of them now.”

“You're exaggerating,” said Andromeda. She smiled slightly. “But not by much.”

Violet looked as if she'd just been told she was going to visit a tribe of centaurs, and would be expected to gallop through the forest with them.

“Don't worry,” Teddy said. “They're very nice.”

“They're Weasleys,” Violet said.

“So?” Teddy frowned.

“They... hate Slytherins,” Violet mumbled.

“Is that what your mother told you?” Andromeda asked, trying not to sound too snappish. “Or your father? Well, I suppose the Weasleys don't normally have many Slytherin guests, but they're polite enough to me, and I assure you, you won't hear an unkind word from any of them.” Her eyes flashed for a moment, silently adding, “Or else!”

Violet and Teddy spent several afternoons with the Potters and the Weasleys, over the next week. Violet was exceptionally guarded at first, surrounded by the famously Muggle-loving clan of Gryffindors. The older Weasleys were polite, trying to hide their curiosity, and gave her space. Teddy's cousins were more frankly curious. As Teddy pointed out, “It's not like you've got a sign floating over your head saying 'Slytherin,'” but she didn't need one to be the obvious outsider. She was completely unprepared for the raucous, spontaneous, exuberant playfulness and chaos and tantrums and pranks. Andromeda was right, no one said an unkind word to her, but after a while, she had to find a quiet spot at the top of the stairs and sit down, hiding herself away from all the younger children, as well as the well-meaning adults who plied her with food and kept asking worriedly if she was enjoying herself.

“Are you Teddy's girlfriend?”

Violet looked up. No matter where one went in the Burrow, it was almost impossible to be alone and unnoticed. One of the Weasley children, Victoire, had emerged from an upstairs room and was looking down at her, with a smile of perfect innocence and beauty.

“Of course not,” Violet replied. “He's my cousin.”

“Grand-mère says we're all related somehow,” Victoire pointed out, though what exactly she was pointing out, Violet wasn't quite sure.

“Well, we're only eleven. That's much too young to think about girlfriends and boyfriends, and anyway, I can't imagine –” She realized the younger girl was only becoming more intrigued, so she just closed her mouth.

“That's good,” said Victoire. “I think I will be Teddy's girlfriend when I'm older.”

“I wouldn't be surprised,” Violet replied, thinking that Victoire looked a bit like Chloe.

Victoire beamed at that, and ran downstairs to join her other cousins.

Violet had scarcely had time to watch her go when she realized that Harry Potter was at the foot of the stairs, leaning against the railing and looking up at her.

“It can be a little overwhelming around here, can't it?” He smiled gently, as he cautiously took a few steps up the stairs.

She nodded hesitantly.

“I remember the first time I was brought to the Burrow. I'd never had a family to speak of, and suddenly being thrown into the midst of the Weasleys...” He chuckled. “And there are even more of them now.” He was nearly at eye level with her when he stopped. His expression became more serious. “I'm sorry, I'll leave you be if you'd like. I can understand wanting to get away from it all for a little bit. Believe me, I understand.”

“That's all right, sir. Actually, I –” She hesitated. “I was wondering if I could ask you a question.”

Harry ascended the remaining steps, and sat down next to her at the top of the stairs. “Certainly,” he said affably. “If you stop calling me 'sir.' Call me Harry, like Teddy does.”

“Yes... Harry.” She looked down at her hands, which were plucking nervously at the edges of the large sweater Molly Weasley had given her. “I was wondering if you could tell me... what my father was like, in school?”

She could feel him studying her, for several long moments, and she tried to hold still, rather than shifting nervously.

“Your father and I were never friends, you know,” he said at last. “In fact, we were about as far from friends as it's possible to be.”

She nodded. “I know,” she said quietly.

Harry wondered how much she really did know.

“I think I understand him a little better now, but we're still not likely to ever meet at the Leaky Cauldron and reminisce about old times. There isn't much good I have to say about Draco when we were in school, Violet.”

She nodded again.

“I wouldn't presume to guess what your relationship with him is like. I think I know why you want to try to see him through others' eyes. But I'm not sure anything I could tell you would be helpful.”

She hesitated. “I know my grandparents supported You-Know-Who,” she said, very quietly. “They helped him, even had him and his followers living in their home.”

Harry was silent for a long time, then nodded. “Yes,” he said finally. “But they turned against him in the end.”

“My father...” she murmured, looking down again.

“Violet.” Harry hesitated, then reached a hand out, to lay it gently on her knee, stopping her. “I know what it is you're trying to ask me. But it's not my place to answer questions like that. It's for your father to tell you, or not. I think this is a conversation you should have with him, someday.”

Violet frowned, and nodded slowly.

“I can tell you that family is more important than anything to the Malfoys. Anything. Everything Draco did was, ultimately, for the sake of his family. Narcissa betrayed Voldemort, and saved my life – did you know that? – for the sake of her family.” He paused, then said, “And I know, because I am aware of more than Draco thinks I am, being that it's in my interests to know how political and financial influence is being exerted, including at Hogwarts – I know that he is thinking about you more than you know.”

She stared intently at a small spider crawling across the step between her feet.

“Ginny wants to adopt you, you know.” And when Violet looked up at him, startled, he laughed. “Not literally, of course. But she's... a bit less forgiving than I am.” Harry gave Violet an admonishing look. “Please don't go asking my wife to tell you tales from school. She'd be only too happy to fill your ears with what she thinks of your parents, and you really don't need to hear that. She thinks you've been neglected and mistreated.”

“I haven't been!” Violet said quickly.

Harry's expression was thoughtful and appraising, as if he were trying to decide whether he believed her. “Well, that's good to hear.” Then he smiled at her. “We're all very glad to have you spend time with us, Violet.”

“Thank you, s – Harry.”

“Hey, Violet!” yelled Teddy, from downstairs. “C'mon, we're going to go outside and teach the kids how to play Quidditch!”

“I don't even know how to play Quidditch!” she protested.

“They only have toy brooms,” Harry said, bemused. “I don't think you have much to worry about. But you can stay inside if you like. Teddy loves having cousins all around him. I know you aren't used to that.”

Violet thought a moment, and then she slowly stood up.

“Maybe I'll give my brother a toy broom for Christmas next year,” she said, and she went downstairs to join Teddy and Victoire and James and the other children.

It was on the last day before they had to return to school that Teddy finally had a chance to speak to Harry alone. They were at the Potters'. Violet was in the family room, playing catch-a-bat with James and Albus, while Ginny fed Lily.

“I'm really pleased that you've made friends with Violet,” said Harry. “You kids may be able to put aside all the old grudges we haven't been able to.”

“Not if things keep going the way they have been at school,” Teddy replied.

Harry nodded grimly. “I've been reluctant to send Aurors to Hogwarts, because it would cut the legs out from under Mair Llewellyn. But another month like the previous one, and I'll have no choice. Either the Ministry is going to step in, or the Board of Governors will remove her.” He sighed.

“I sort of wanted to talk to you about that,” Teddy said quietly. Harry raised an eyebrow.

“Someone should investigate the wand-thefts, right? And you don't want to send Aurors to the school, so it would be better if someone at the school was trying to find out who's doing it.”

“The staff is already trying to do that, Teddy,” Harry replied. “And they're very good at magic.”

“Well, apparently the thief is too clever for them, then.”

“I'm not so sure about that,” Harry said.

“Well, anyway.” Teddy was nervous, and took a breath before he finally asked what he'd been preparing to ask all vacation. “I was wondering if... if I could borrow the Marauder's Map?”

Harry's eyebrows went up. He scratched his head, as he looked at his godson.

“You want to try to use the map to catch the thief?”

Teddy nodded.

“I don't suppose you had any other uses in mind for it?” Harry asked, with a little smile.

Teddy flushed. “Not really,” he said, rather unconvincingly.

Harry chuckled. “If you don't, I'm sure other uses will occur to you soon enough.” He continued looking at Teddy thoughtfully. “I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to try investigating the wand-thefts on your own,” he said at last. “If you were to learn anything, I'd want you to report it to Neville, or Professor Llewellyn, not go running off to do something about it on your own.”

“Like you always did?” Teddy replied.

Harry stared at him, and then chuckled dryly. “Yes, like I always did.” He shook his head, and grew serious again.

“But, the fact is, you have as much right to it as I do. It was your father's as much as it was my mine,” he said at last.

Teddy felt his heart leap. His godfather was actually going to let him have it!

“And it's not much use sitting in my desk,” Harry continued, and then, as Teddy's face broke out into a grin, he pointed a finger and said, “But there are conditions!”

Teddy nodded hastily.

“It's, er, not exactly something teachers would approve of,” Harry said. “Not to mention Ginny and Andromeda. And you certainly can't go around showing it off to your friends.” He walked over to his desk, while Teddy watched eagerly, nodding to everything he said.

“I'm sure I don't have to tell you, if I find out you've used it for anything malicious or unethical, I'll take it back and I'll be terribly disappointed in you.”

Teddy nodded more seriously to that.

Harry took the map out of his desk, and unfolded it. Teddy came around the desk to stand next to his godfather. Teddy knew a great deal about the map – how his father and the other Marauders had used it, and how Harry had come to possess it, and used it during his time in school – but he'd never actually seen it before. It looked like a blank piece of parchment.

“Do you remember the phrase that activates it?” Harry asked, with a smile.

Teddy nodded. And almost reverently, he intoned, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

A shiver went through him as he spoke the words that his father had once spoken, and lines and shapes appeared on the parchment. Then the whole of Hogwarts and its environs appeared. But it looked a bit fuzzy, like a drawing on a piece of parchment that had been allowed to get soggy, and Teddy did not see any dots moving around with names attached to them.

“It won't work at this distance,” Harry said. “James, Remus, and Sirius were good, but they weren't that good. Which is probably fortunate. Otherwise I wouldn't put it past Ginny to use it to keep an eye on the kids when they go off to school.”

Teddy nodded. He didn't comment on the name that Harry had omitted. The map had four creators, but they didn't speak of the last one.

“This is only a loan. I expect you to return it any time I ask,” Harry said.

“Of course,” Teddy replied.

“Do not sneak out of Hogwarts. I'm serious. I know you've heard all the tales of the things Ron and Hermione and I did in school, and what your father and mine did before that, but those were different times.” Harry stared at the map, lost in thought, and for an awful moment, Teddy thought he was going to change his mind. “You are not to sneak off to Hogsmeade, or go truant, or anything of that sort. Any misbehavior like that –”

“I know,” Teddy nodded. “You'll take the map away.”

“And I'll tell Andromeda,” Harry added. Teddy grimaced.

“Mischief managed,” Harry murmured, and the lines on the map faded. He paused, then very carefully folded it up, and handed it to Teddy.

“Keep it safe, and don't get into trouble. And I meant what I said – if you actually are able to identify whoever is running around stealing wands, you tell Neville. Understand?”

Teddy nodded seriously, trying not to let his hand shake as he took the map.

“I'll have to decide what to do in a few years, when it's time for James to go to school.” Then Harry smiled at his godson. “But it's funny, I have to admit, it's good to think of the Marauder's Map being back at Hogwarts.”

Teddy grinned. If not for Aunt Ginny and Violet in the next room, he might have jumped into the air and whooped in triumph.

“I don't suppose I could borrow your invisibility cloak too?” he asked.

Harry almost roared with laughter. “Not a chance!”

“Teddy! Vi!” yelled Kai.

“I'm going to kill him,” Violet said, sounding perfectly serious.

Teddy and Violet were at King's Cross station again. Dewey was being taken directly back to Hogwarts by his father, just as he'd been picked up, but Kai had owled that he was riding the train back to school with them. They were waiting for him in the Muggle part of the station, with Harry and Andromeda, between Platforms Nine and Ten.

Kai was waving to them from the curb area where the Muggles dropped off and picked up passengers, and Teddy was surprised to see that he had just emerged from a shiny Muggle automobile. With him was his older sister. As they walked away from the car, it pulled out and turned towards the parking area.

Teddy, Violet, Harry, and Andromeda waited for the two Ravenclaws. Kai ran ahead, eager to join his friends, but Cho Chang was walking much more slowly. Teddy saw that Harry looked bemused and just a little bit uncomfortable.

“Have a good Christmas then?” Kai asked, stopping in front of his classmates, and then he realized who was standing behind them. “Oh! Mr. Potter, sir!”

“You must be Kai,” Harry said with a smile, and he held out his hand. Kai took it and shook it, nervous and excited.

“This is my grandmother,” said Teddy, and Andromeda said, “You may call me Mrs. Tonks.” She shook Kai's hand also, a little more loosely.

“Pleased to meet you, ma'am,” Kai said.

“Hello, Harry,” said a soft voice.

Cho Chang had finally caught up to her younger brother. She stood behind him, and wore a small, slightly embarrassed smile, much like Harry's.

“Hello, Cho,” Harry replied. “It's really good to see you again. How have you been?”

“She's engaged!” Kai exclaimed.

Everyone looked surprised at that. Cho hissed something indignantly in Chinese, and swatted Kai on the back of the head.

“That's who just dropped us off,” Kai continued, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the parking lot, ignoring Cho's pained look. “Her fiancé! I got to ride in a car and we went all over Muggle London and –”

“And you can tell your friends all about it once you're on the train,” said Cho, looking more than a little embarrassed.

“Congratulations, Cho. I'm very, very happy for you,” said Harry, sounding sincere.

“Yes, congratulations,” said Andromeda politely. Teddy and Violet both nodded, and murmured congratulations as well.

“Thank you,” Cho replied, still looking a little embarrassed, but smiling.

“Are you going to invite Mr. Potter to the wedding?” Kai asked.

Cho opened her mouth, and looked for a moment as if she wanted to strangle Kai right there on the platform.

“You kids had better get on the train,” said Harry quickly. “And I need to be getting back home.” He knelt and gave Teddy a hug, which Teddy returned without embarrassment, despite Kai's grin.

“Remember, stay out of mischief,” Harry whispered. Teddy nodded.

Then Andromeda hugged him, and then she hugged Violet. Violet was more self-conscious than Teddy, but she returned the hug a little more easily than she had the first one, when she met her great-aunt at this station only a couple of weeks before.

“I hope you will come visit again soon, Violet,” Andromeda whispered to her. “I would like that very much.”

“I would too,” Violet whispered back.

Then the kids all carefully approached the brick wall betweens Platforms Nine and Ten, looking around for Muggles watching.

“Be good, and study hard, Little Owl!” Cho said loudly, waving to Kai.

Kai almost tripped as he went through the wall.

As they all emerged onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Teddy was laughing out loud.

“Little Owl?” he repeated. Even Violet was smirking.

“It's just a family nickname,” Kai mumbled, his face turning red. He was trying not to look at either of them, as they approached the Hogwarts Express.

“Oh, I can see why!” Teddy snickered.

“There is a certain resemblance,” Violet observed.

“Only Cho calls me that!” Kai said heatedly.

“Really?” Violet asked, sounding a little smug.

Kai turned around, just before they boarded the train. He looked annoyed and a little desperate.

“Don't repeat it, okay?” he said, trying to sound demanding, but it came out pleading instead.

Violet and Teddy looked at each other. Teddy was grinning. Violet looked back at Kai, and as she stepped up onto the train, she said, in a very satisfied tone, “Well, I don't imagine you're going to be calling me 'Vi' anymore, are you?”

Teddy hooted laughter as he followed Violet up the steps, passing Kai, who stood there with his mouth hanging open. He was too indignant to sputter, as he realized that his sister had definitely one-upped him this time.

The train was less densely occupied than at the beginning of the year, between those students who'd stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas, and those who were traveling to and from school by other means. Teddy, Kai, and Violet had no trouble finding a compartment to themselves. They passed by Chloe, sitting with the McCormacks. She looked at Teddy, then saw Violet, and looked down. Violet passed by as if she hadn't seen the Muggle-born girl.

They spent the first part of the trip recounting their holidays. Teddy and Kai did most of the talking; while Violet did not hold herself apart from them, as she had when they first met aboard the Hogwarts Express, she was quiet as Teddy talked about spending Christmas with his relatives. She said only that the Potters and the Weasleys had been very pleasant, when Kai asked curiously how Violet had gotten on with them. When Teddy mentioned that Violet had spent Christmas Eve at her father's house, she sensed Kai's burning desire to ask her about it. But he didn't. For once, he had the sense to know when to keep quiet. Or perhaps a warning look from Teddy kept his mouth shut.

The trolley came by, and this time Violet didn't refrain from purchasing some snacks for herself, while the boys pooled their pocket change and bought the works. Soon they were filling the compartment with bubbles from Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, and laughing as Violet sighed and unsuccessfully tried to pop them with her wand, and failing that, propel them away from her.

“So, how did you like the Exploding Wand?” Kai grinned at her.

She shook her head and gave him an exasperated look. “I have never received a gift like it,” she replied, in a very dry tone. “Thank you ever so much.”

“She was making it go off all night for my cousins!” Teddy said to Kai, ignoring Violet's outraged expression.

Once they had stuffed themselves on sweets, Teddy and Kai sprawled lazily across the train seats, while Violet tried to look mortified at being stuck in a compartment with two such slovenly young men, but she was having trouble not looking amused instead.

“So your sister is engaged to a Muggle?” Teddy asked Kai curiously.

Kai nodded. “It's weird,” he said, as he unwrapped the last remaining untouched candy.

“Weird how?”

“I just always thought Cho would marry another famous wizard. It's not as if she couldn't have her pick of them.”

“Why am I not surprised? Your opinion of your sister is as inflated as your opinion of yourself,” Violet remarked.

Kai made a face at her. “Sheriushly,” he said, with his mouth now stuffed full of licorice wands. “She'sh had lotsh 'n lotsh of datesh...”

“Didn't you get in a fight with Alduin Beauxjour for saying that?” Teddy asked.

Violet's eyes glinted with amusement, as Kai glared at him. “Not the same thing!” he protested, swallowing the licorice hastily, with a grimace.

“What does your family think?” Teddy asked.

“That's weird too.” Kai frowned. “Our father and Cho's mum don't disapprove, exactly, but...”

“They're not exactly enthusiastic either,” Violet guessed.

Kai nodded. “Yeah, exactly. But he's a real nice bloke. He works with computers. I reckon it's going to take him a while to get used to magic. He kept using the wrong words, like 'mana' and 'levels,' whatever that means.”

Teddy and Violet didn't know what that meant, any more than they knew what computers were.

Kai talked enthusiastically about television and movies and automobiles and computers and cell phones and all the other things he had experienced, as the train proceeded north. Finally, the conversation turned to Hogwarts and the ongoing troubles there.

“Harry said the Ministry is going to step in soon,” Teddy said.

“Stolen wands, riots, students finally landing in hospital, and it's a ruddy good thing White's suicide attempt didn't get out,” Kai said. “Yeah, I reckon if Professor Llewellyn doesn't fix things soon, she's a goner.”

Teddy lowered his voice. “I heard Harry and Uncle Ron talking...”

“You were eavesdropping, you mean,” Violet said.

“And when I waved you over and you heard what they were talking about, you didn't walk away, did you?” Teddy retorted. Violet sniffed, and Teddy continued. “Uncle Ron said Llewellyn is no Dumbledore. Dumbledore would have figured out who was stealing wands and how to stop it already.”

“And Mr. P – Harry, didn't agree with him,” Violet pointed out. “He said your Uncle Ron idealized Dumbledore too much.”

“Well, Professor Llewellyn hasn't done bloody much yet, has she?” Kai said.

“Give her a chance,” Violet said, in an unexpectedly sharp tone. And as the two boys looked at her in surprise, she added, “Besides, remember what she told us after the sorting. The future of Hogwarts is in our hands.”

They found out that night at dinner that Professor Llewellyn was in fact doing something, and had done something.

It wasn't a formal event, but the dinner the night before classes resumed for the new year was traditionally something of a “welcome back” feast, and it was not unusual for the Headmistress to say a few words to the returned student body. Teddy, Kai, and Violet had had time only to say hello and wish Dewey a happy new year before taking seats at their own tables. The food was plentiful and delicious, as usual, and the Headmistress allowed everyone to finish the main courses, but rose to speak before dessert. Teddy noticed that a number of the teachers seemed to be absent from the High Table.

“Welcome back, one and all,” Llewellyn said, as the clamor of voices began to die down, and eyes turned in her direction. “I hope you have all had a wonderful and restful holiday and enjoyed all the blessings the season may bring. I hope also, that you are prepared to begin the new year with a fresh start.”

Everyone was quiet now. Students at different tables cast furtive glances at the other houses. No open hostilities had been exchanged. All was peaceful, for the moment. But there hadn't been many greetings between students of different houses, and the same old nemeses had given each other the evil eye across tables. Even the first-years could sense that it would only take one incident for the grudges and vendettas to flare anew.

So could Professor Llewellyn, it seemed, as her expression grew stern, and her eyes became hard.

“I am afraid, however, that to ensure we do not have a repeat of the previous term, some changes are in order. First, we are implementing a number of new security measures to ensure the safety of all students. Some of those you may have noticed as you arrived tonight. The Secrecy Sensors at all entrances. The Sneakoscopes placed at random around the castle, which will also be moved at random. Others you will not notice – hopefully, ever.”

“Secondly, I wish it had not come to this, but I hereby announce Hogwarts' new Zero Toleration Policy. There are a list of offenses, posted in each of your common rooms, for which the punishment, effective immediately, is expulsion from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There will be no appeals, no second chances, and no exceptions. And I assure you, I have the full backing of the Board of Governors on this. No matter how spotless your record in the past, no matter how well-liked you may be by your teachers, and no matter how influential your family, no one will be exempt from this policy.”

The students were already growing restless and murmuring amongst themselves at this, but Llewellyn wasn't finished.

“Third, during the Christmas break, the staff – again, with the full backing of the Board of Governors, as well as the Ministry of Education, so all your protests will be to no avail – searched all common rooms and residential dormitories. And now that all of you have returned, your rooms are being searched again, as we speak, by your House Heads and Prefects.”

Murmurs and gasps of indignation rose from all the tables. Teddy looked around the Gryffindor table and only now noticed, at the same time that his fellow Gryffindors did, that Danny Boyle and Megan Lewis were absent. The Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin students were coming to similar realizations as they looked around and noted the absence of their Prefects as well.

The talking died quickly, though, as Llewellyn's gaze swept the hall.

“We did not, I am sorry to say, discover any of the stolen wands over the break. But we did find a number of other forbidden items. We shall see what turns up tonight. Some of you will be seeing myself and your House Head tomorrow morning.”

Teddy felt a cold chill go through him. A knot of dread settled into the pit of his stomach. He didn't even try to fight it as his hair turned white and then green. Other kids at the Gryffindor table glanced at him, but they were paying more attention to the Headmistress.

“You have not heeded my warning at the beginning of the term,” said Llewellyn sadly, “nor the words of the Sorting Hat. There are those who feel I have been slow to act. Perhaps I was too optimistic in hoping that such authoritarian measures would not be necessary. Well, heed my words now. You do not have to like each other, but you will get along. What the hat does at the end of the year I cannot control, but I certainly can control my school. I say this as both a warning and a plea: do not test me!”

Llewellyn sat down, and the Great Hall was almost as quiet as it had been following the Sorting Hat's song. But eventually, as they saw that the teachers were digging into their desserts, students followed suit, and conversations that began with hesitant whispers grew to animated discussions, and filled the hall once again.

But Teddy didn't take part in any of it. He had no appetite for dessert, even though the raspberry trifle the house-elves had prepared was one of his favorites. Not needing the Paralyzing Potion while he was at home, he had left it in his room over the break. He had hidden it well enough to keep his roommates from stumbling upon it, but he doubted it had remained undiscovered in a deliberate search for contraband. Even if the staff hadn't found it on their own, he bet that the portrait of Edan's meddling ancestor would have told them. How could he have been so stupid?

He sat silently at the Gryffindor table, too sick with worry to eat, in no mood to talk, and too afraid to go back to Gryffindor Tower by himself. Colin and Edan tried to engage him in conversation a few times, but gave up when he only mumbled and nodded in return. He didn't notice Chloe watching him, and he avoided looking at the High Table. All he could think about was the fact that he was going to be the very first student expelled under the Zero Toleration Policy.