Like a Wonderful Adventure

Harry walked down the hall with Teddy, his arm around his godson's shoulders. Ron followed a discreet distance behind them. All of the other kids had gone back to the towers, and of course, everything they had told the two Aurors would soon spread throughout the school – embellished, exaggerated, distorted, and dramatized. But right now, Teddy didn't care about that.

“If you'd like to come home,” Harry offered, “that's perfectly all right. In fact, I think that would make your grandmother very happy, though she won't ask you to.”

“What's going to happen to the school?” Teddy asked.

“I think you can disregard the more hysterical rumors,” Harry replied. “There are too many of us who have too much invested here to let it be shut down. Half the parents would probably come and teach classes themselves, if that's what it took to keep Hogwarts open. But I know the professors are just as determined to keep the school running. It will take at least a week or two to repair the damage enough to resume classes, and it's going to take a lot longer than that to reequip everyone with wands.” He closed his mouth, realizing he'd probably answered at greater length than Teddy needed to hear, and squeezed his shoulders. “But there's nothing wrong with taking a little holiday, and coming home to see your family.”

Teddy nodded. “I'd like to. But just for a little bit. I want to be here with my friends too.” He looked up at Harry. “That's all right, isn't it?” he asked anxiously.

Harry smiled. “Of course it is.”

Teddy's eyes became a dark, dark blue. He was not trying to hide his metamorphmagus abilities anymore, and Harry knew that at times, Teddy literally displayed his emotions openly, but he wasn't always sure what his godson's small transformations signified.

“I want to see Chloe too,” he said quietly.

Harry's smile became a little sadder, but he nodded. “Of course. I'll take you to see her.”

Teddy was still standing there, deep in thought.

“Is there anything else you want to talk about?” Harry asked gently.

“I don't know. I think I need some time to sort it all out. It's just, so much.”

Harry nodded. “I am incredibly proud of you, Teddy. We all are. What you did – what you and all your friends did – I have no words.” His voice was thick with emotion, but he was surprised when Teddy looked up at him as if he were about to cry.

“Everyone keeps saying that!” Teddy whispered. “That I was so bloody brave – I heard some kids saying I'm a hero!” He spoke the word almost in disgust, and shook his head. “I didn't have a clue what I was doing! I just made it all up as I went along! I wasn't brave! I was terrified!” Tears did spill out of his eyes, now, which had become pale brown, then gray, and then a dark green to reflect Harry's. “All I could think the whole time was that everyone else was counting on me, and if I botched it, they were going to die! And I had no plan! I just got lucky! It was horrible, I get sick just thinking about it, and Chloe... Chloe...” He choked up, and Harry put his arms around him, and pulled him close, and Teddy accepted the hug and pressed his face against Harry's chest, not worrying about whether other kids walking through the hallways might see.

“I know exactly how you feel,” Harry said, and Ron looked away.

It had been a long, grim two days. It was late in the evening when Harry and Ron finally headed downstairs, planning to Apparate home from Hogsmeade Station, or what was left of it.

“I hope Calliope's funeral won't become a huge media event,” said Harry. Paying the necessary visit to inform her family of her death had been another one of the things he'd added to the list of “Most difficult things I've ever had to do” over the past couple of days. Ron knew that Harry was still reeling from the young Auror's death. Compounded with everything else that had happened, it was the most difficult period in their lives since the end of the war.

“It's not the first time we've lost someone,” Ron said quietly.

“It's the first time we've lost a member of my team, while I was there,” Harry replied grimly, and Ron nodded. They both felt as if they'd aged quite a few years that night.

They encountered Professor Sinistra on the way downstairs. The Astronomy teacher felt obligated to stay up late and help as much as she could with clean-up and defense of the school, now that she was one of the only adults around still in possession of her wand.

“Mr. Potter. Mr. Weasley.” She smiled slightly at the two Aurors, whom she remembered as a pair of smart-mouthed Gryffindors who'd never showed any great dedication in her class.

“Professor,” Harry replied. “You know, I never thanked you for all the help you gave us.”

She waved a hand dismissively. “I did what I could. I'm afraid it wasn't enough.”

“You're too modest, Professor.” Harry paused. “You and Miss Karait's rescue of the Slytherins, that was remarkable. You know, there's talk of recognition... possibly even the Order of Merlin.”

Sinistra looked away uneasily. “Oh, surely not. I'm not interested in any medals, Mr. Potter.”

“Perhaps not,” Harry said slowly. “But nonetheless, you might be nominated for one. And that would require a detailed account of your exploits.”

Sinistra shrugged. “Miss Karait deserves more credit than me. She was brilliant, you know. Even with a borrowed wand.”

Harry nodded. “You killed quite a few goblins.”

“Yes, we had to, Mr. Potter.” Her eyes gleamed darkly. “It was self-defense!”

“Of course. I'm not suggesting otherwise.”

Ron listened silently, as Harry chose his next words carefully. “Some of the other Aurors commented on the lack of marks on their bodies.”

Sinistra seemed to be studying one of the portraits hanging at the bottom of the staircase.

“Most spells leave burns, blood, bruises at least,” Harry went on.

Sinistra raised her head slowly, to meet his gaze.

“Are you asking a question, Mr. Potter?” Her voice was perfectly even, her expression impassive.

The two of them stared at one another for a long moment, neither of them blinking, and then Harry shook his head. “No.” He nodded to her. “Good evening, Professor.”

“Good evening, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley.” She inclined her head, and continued upstairs, and they continued down.

They got almost to the main door, before another voice stopped them. “Mr. Potter!”

Harry sighed, looked at Ron with an expression that said, “Give me strength,” and turned to face Ophilia Karait.

With her long, flowing robes, so unlike the tighter-fitting flying clothes and short cape she'd been wearing earlier, she was able to conceal the extent of her injuries, and while she moved slowly and carefully, one might not notice the stiffness in her motions or the slight limp to her gait, if one hadn't seen what Slipfang's last spell had done to her. Harry and Ron were both impressed and appalled that she was walking around.

“Miss Karait, you really should be in bed,” advised Harry.

“Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Potter. I shall be soon.” She strode across the floor as if she were taking a slow tour of the Entrance Hall, until she was face to face with the two Aurors. “I just wanted to give you my deepest condolences regarding Calliope,” she said quietly. “Her death was very upsetting to me.”

Harry nodded. “Thank you.” He and Ron exchanged a look.

“We were friends, you know,” Ophilia said.

The two men tried to hide their surprise. “Really?” Harry asked.

“Not best mates or anything like that,” Ophilia continued. “She was four years older than me. But, when I joined the dueling club my second year, she said I had a lot of talent. She took me under her wing, so to speak.”

“Really?” Harry repeated.

“You look surprised.”

Harry paused, then admitted, “I suppose I am, a little.”

“Because she was a Gryffindor?” And when Harry nodded, Ophilia smiled tightly. “If we hadn't been in different houses, we probably would have been better friends. We didn't really stay in touch after she left Hogwarts, but I remember her sending me an owl after she was accepted into Auror training.” Ophilia smiled. “She was so proud and happy.” Her smile faded. “When I saw her with you and the other Aurors, I hoped we'd have a chance to talk, even for a little bit, and catch up.”

She fell silent, and after an awkward pause, Harry said, “I appreciate everything you've done, Miss Karait. You're a... remarkable young woman. I'm sure you'll be very successful in whatever you choose to do.”

“Thank you, Mr. Potter!” Ophilia gave him a surprisingly broad smile. “I'm so pleased to hear you say that. You see, I'm planning on applying to become an Auror myself.”

Ron made a choking sound. Harry said, “You're... serious?”

She frowned at him, and put her hands on her hips. “Why would you think I'm not?” she demanded. “You don't have a no-Slytherins policy at the Auror Office, do you?”

“No, of course not.” Harry tried to compose himself.

“I wanted to be an Auror even before I met Calliope, actually.”

“I see.”

She smiled at him, just a little too warmly. Harry cleared his throat. “Well... good luck, Miss Karait.” She nodded, he started to turn away, and then he paused, as if debating something in his mind. He turned back.

“Miss Karait,” he said. “I can't deny that you and Mr. Truncher's aid in the fight with the goblins was invaluable. But at the same time, you put yourselves and Mr. Lupin and Miss Forte in unnecessary danger, and posed a distraction for the rest of us.”

Ron muttered something about trollish gits that Harry and Ophilia both chose to ignore. Neither of them had been happy about Hugh's leaving Deana at the top of a tree before he descended into the battle.

Ophilia's expression froze, and some of the color drained out of her face. “Are you saying we're to blame for Calliope's death?” she asked coldly.

“No,” replied Harry. “But you seem to have an... adventurous streak. Like Calliope did.” Ophilia looked down. “You disobeyed orders. If you're serious about becoming an Auror, you'd better get used to the idea that I expect people under me to do as they're told.”

Ophilia's smile reappeared. “I'm sure I can get used to the idea of doing what I'm told under you, Mr. Potter.”

Ron made another choking sound.

Harry's expression didn't change, though his fingers twitched, just a little. “Then I expect you'll work on your attitude, and your willingness to follow orders, instead of throwing yourself into dangerous situations.”

Ophilia stopped smiling, and looked at him very seriously. “Of course, Mr. Potter. I shall endeavor to follow your example.”

Harry looked at Ron. Ron looked suspiciously as if he were having trouble keeping a straight face.

Bastard, he thought silently, glaring at his friend. Ron's eyes twinkled back in amusement. He nodded to the Slytherin Prefect. “I'll... look forward to seeing your application. Assuming you get all the necessary N.E.W.T.s, of course.”

“I shall,” she said, sounding utterly certain.

As Harry and Ron left the castle, Ron said, “She will, you know. You're not going to escape her that easily.”

“I can always reject her out of hand. I have final authority over all candidates.”

“You can, but you won't.” Ron sighed. “You know, I remember when I thought being an Auror would be fun.” And when Harry looked at him, he shrugged his shoulders. “I know, I know. But seriously, George's invitation to help run the shop is looking better and better.”

St. Mungo's was in the process of another remodeling project. The new theme seemed to be “bright and sunny.” All the walls were yellow, and the ceilings on all floors showed a cloudless, sunny sky overhead, regardless of time of day or weather outside. It was supposed to improve the moods of patients and staff, though Teddy saw a lot of grumpy Healers wearing sunglasses.

It was awfully bright. Teddy's hair was turning an incandescent blond, without his even realizing it. But that didn't match his mood, which was anxious and apprehensive.

Teddy had stayed for the last couple of days at his grandmother's house, then went to spend an afternoon with the Potters, before Harry took him to St. Mungo's. Tonight they would return to Hogwarts. Teddy was hoping he'd be able to tell his friends that Chloe was recovering nicely and was in good spirits, but he had no idea what to expect. Harry warned him that she was still very weak, and that a complete recovery was still not certain.

“Her parents wanted her transferred to a Muggle hospital,” Harry said, as they walked down a corridor on the ground floor. “They don't exactly trust magic. I can't say I blame them, now. But explaining to Muggle doctors how their daughter came to be impaled by a sword would have been a bit difficult.”

Teddy nodded. He looked at the signs on the ward they were entering, and frowned. “Artifact Accidents” seemed like a very unfunny joke – Chloe hadn't gotten a sword stuck through her by accident.

“They'll be taking her out of here at the end of the week,” Harry went on, as they reached a private room at the end of the hall. “She won't be fully healed by then, but it was as long as we could persuade the Greys to allow the Healers to keep her.”

“They're just going to take her home while she's still hurt?” Teddy exclaimed, aghast.

“She'll be all right,” Harry tried to reassure him. “They can afford physical therapy for her. That's a sort of Muggle treatment for badly injured people,” he added, at Teddy's confused look.

They stopped at the door. “I'll wait outside,” Harry said, with a hand on his shoulder. “I'm sure she'd be happy to have you stay all day, but if she starts fading, you need to let her take her rest.”

Teddy nodded, and knocked lightly at the door, before pushing it open.

The room inside was sunlit, like the corridors. Chloe was lying in bed, shrouded in blankets. Her head seemed tiny, against the large pillow underneath it. Her hair had fanned out on the pillow like a golden halo, reflecting the light.

“Teddy!” she exclaimed. Her face lit up, but her voice was very weak. He was frightened at how small and frail she seemed.

He walked over to her bedside, and looked down at her. She smiled at him. “You came,” she whispered.

“They told you I was coming, didn't they?” He stared at her, taking in her pale, gaunt face, still pretty, but without the healthy glow that usually colored her cheeks.

She nodded. “Everyone has sent cards and letters,” she said softly. “But you're the only one who's come to visit.”

She had cards and gifts and sweets sitting on the table next to her bed. There were red and pink cards looking suspiciously like valentines from most of the Gryffindor first-year boys, and a couple of the Slytherins. Edgar had sent something electronic that Teddy didn't recognize. He saw that Colleen had sent her roommate a basket of exotic tropical fruit – how, Teddy had no idea. Aisha had sent a special wizard chess set made of chocolate. Teddy recognized it as one of his Uncle George's products; when you captured a piece, you got to eat it.

“I'm sure they'd all like to. If you were staying longer – I mean, not that I'd want you stuck in hospital forever, but...” His voice trailed off. She was just smiling up at him, and he started to choke up. She was so pretty, and he couldn't quite banish from his mind his last sight of her; her eyes staring sightlessly at the sky, and her mouth filling with blood.

She had her blankets pulled up to her neck, so he couldn't even see the hospital gown she was wearing, much less the bandages that must be covering her wound. But he noticed that she couldn't do much more than lift her head.

Then he felt her hand touch his. He looked down, to see her clutching weakly at his fingers, and he took her hand in his, swallowing. It felt warm, and tiny. She squeezed his hand lightly. He was afraid to squeeze it back.

“You look so sad,” she said.

He shook his head. “I'm sorry.” He swallowed again. “I'm sorry I got separated from you, and I didn't stop Slipfang in time.” Tears threatened, and Chloe frowned, and shook her head side to side.

“Teddy,” she murmured. “You're really not going to blame yourself, are you? Honestly? When you saved me? You saved all of us!” She managed to squeeze his hand a little more. “You were so brave, and clever.”

He shook his head. “Not clever enough.”

She sighed. “Please, Teddy, promise me you won't mope or be sad. I'll be all right, really. My parents were scared to death, but the Healers say I'll probably be able to get out of bed in a few days. Of course if Mr. Weasley had taken one second longer to get me here...” Her voiced trailed off, at Teddy's pained look, and then she smiled. “Tell me what's happened at Hogwarts. All these cards are very nice, but no one's told me hardly anything.”

So Teddy sat down, and told her about the flooded dungeons, the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs rooming with Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, about Kai, about the house-elves, about the ongoing goblin troubles. He managed to forget, for a little while, how weak she looked, as she smiled at his stories, eyes widening at times. She even put a hand over her mouth to cover a little gasp, when he told her about Alduin's ghost.

He noticed her eyelids were starting to droop, and he knew he would have to leave soon. But she still held onto his hand.

“It will be all right, Teddy,” she said at last, as if reading his mind.

“You're not coming back to Hogwarts, are you?” he mumbled.

She shook her head. “The Healers say...” She swallowed. “My magic is gone.”

Teddy felt the lump in his throat return.

“I know it must seem horrible to you,” she said. “But... it's not really so bad.” Teddy frowned, unable to hide his disbelief. She was smiling at him, trying to look brave, though her eyes lacked the conviction of her words. “I'm Muggle-born, after all. I'm just going back to the Muggle world. And I did miss my friends from school, in London. It was very exciting, to find out I was a witch, and visit this... wizarding world, where magic is real, and there are goblins and elves and ghosts, but my parents were never really very happy about it, you know. They won't say so, but I think they're glad that I won't be going back there.”

Teddy just stared at her, not sure what to say.

“In the Muggle world,” she said softly, “we have so many books and movies about children who stumble through hidden doorways or find magic chests in an attic or faeries in a forest, or something like that, and they get to go on these wonderful magical adventures. But they always return home, in the end. And that's what I'm doing, Teddy. Going to Hogwarts was like a wonderful adventure. And now I'm going back home, where I belong.”

It felt like the lump in his throat had moved down to his chest, where it was going to burst out of him, but Chloe continued smiling at him. “Please don't feel sorry for me, Teddy. I wasn't a very good witch, after all, and I was a terrible Gryffindor.”

“That's not true!” he protested, so forcefully it startled her. He lowered his voice, and leaned forward, squeezing her hand. He felt tears threatening again. “There was never a better Gryffindor!” he said hoarsely. “And you'd have been a bloody brilliant witch!”

She smiled. He saw tears glistening in her long lashes as she blinked several times.

“We can still write to each other, and visit,” Teddy promised. “Lots of wizards have friends and family in the Muggle world.”

She nodded.

Teddy ran out of words. Chloe was still smiling at him, but he could see that this conversation had taken all the energy she had. She was fading, as Harry had warned, and he needed to let her rest.

“I did like you, Teddy,” she said softly. “I liked you very much. Violet was right about that.”

He blinked. He felt that funny feeling in his stomach again, and his cheeks flushed.

“Give me a kiss, Teddy,” she whispered, so softly he wasn't sure he'd heard her right at first. He stared at her, flustered. “Wh – what?” he stammered.

“Give me a kiss,” she repeated.

A kiss good-bye, he thought. Sure. That was all right. Except he knew she didn't mean a kiss on the cheek. She tilted her chin up, just a tiny bit, to raise her mouth invitingly towards him. He swallowed, and leaned very slowly across her bed. It seemed to take forever. Thoughts raced through his mind. He'd never kissed a girl before. Of course his grandmother and his aunts didn't count. Neither did his cousins, who gave him kisses on the cheek, or even Vicky, who had tried to kiss him on the lips when he was ten and she was eight, and he'd shoved her away and told her to stop being such a brat, and she'd cried and called him names in French. So this was his first kiss. Except Ophilia, but he was pretty sure she didn't count either. After all, she'd kissed him; he certainly hadn't kissed her back!

Chloe's eyes were closed, and Teddy wondered if he was supposed to close his eyes too. He hadn't ever practiced kissing before! He hadn't even thought about how you were supposed to do it. What if he pressed his lips too hard against hers? Which way was he supposed to tilt his head? She wasn't expecting him to kiss her like he'd seen some of the older kids snogging, was she? Or – Merlin! His face turned red as he remembered seeing Harry and Aunt Ginny kissing once, with their mouths open, when they thought no kids were around. That had just looked nasty to him. She didn't want to do that, did she?

Then their lips touched, and they kissed. Chloe's lips were soft and warm, and neither of them moved. It wasn't very long, but it felt like a moment suspended in time. A new feeling went through Teddy, like a flush all over his body. His heart was doing a strange, frantic dance in his chest. He didn't breathe, even when he finally pulled away and looked at her.

She smiled at him.

“Promise you won't forget me, Teddy,” she whispered.

“Never,” he whispered back.

She nodded, just once, and closed her eyes again with a tired smile.

Teddy got up, and walked to the door, before turning around.

“Good-bye, Chloe,” he said.

“Good-bye, Teddy,” she murmured.

He opened the door, and gave her one last look, before he left the room and the door closed behind him.