While most students were starting out the train ride in pure amazement, Teddy's face was smooshed against his-one-and-only Kings lap as he drooled a nice little puddle on her wool skirt. Bless her for having nice thighs and the patience enough to deal with his napping. He'd been up with James and Scorp the night before, being
serious for once and trying to get the plans finished for the first party of the year. Because, while the first years were thrilled for the opening ceremony, their first night in their dorms, meeting the people they'd come to know as family from now on- the older students knew what coming back to Hogwarts meant.
It meant waiting for your magically delivered golden script invitations. It meant crawling out of bed and sneaking through the halls. It meant elaborate escape plans from the castle to a night that you'd most likely have forgotten by morning. Thankfully they'd developed cures (at a good price of course) for that hangover the next day. They'd get caught for sure if most of the upper years didn't make it to their first day of classes. The first party of the year had become something of legend and Teddy was more then happy to deliver.
There was a moment of jostling- probably Kingsley making herself more comfortable with the mop of blue hair in her lap- that tugged him slightly out of his sleep. The other students were starting to make noise, meaning Hogwarts had probably come into view, "I'd like to die between your thighs one day, they really are heaven" He mumbled as he rotated to look up at her, "We there yet?"
Kingsley peeked at Ted behind tired eyes, smirking. He always had the right things to say. Her fingers pulled at his curls, tugging at the ends to see if they’d change colors. “Bloody hope so,” she said with a yawn “don’t reckon I could last another minute with the squealing first years next door.”"Oh, we were them once" He lifted himself off her but not away from her, leaning even closer to look out the window. He liked touching, he liked being touched. He liked hands in his hair and soft touches up his arms, something King had always been more than willing to give him. Hogwarts was definitely in sight now, its looming towers a stark contrast against the white overcast sky. He couldn't blame the younger students- it was glorious, a real hail mary to his tired brain. Teddy shook himself awake and cracked a few backbones, then grinned as bright as he could at Kingsley, "Fuckin' hell tonight is going to be glorious"
Teddy wasn't a Prefect- had
refused the job- but the guy they'd gotten instead of him had lost some of the first years on the staircase and he'd had to go save the lot himself. Because apparently, he was the only one that cared about kids getting lost in this demented castle. They'd been sniffling, trying really hard not look scared out of their minds when he found them in a dark corridor covered in the ceiling to floor in paintings. Said paintings where the only reason he'd found the kids- Teddy liked to morph into the moving figures when he was practicing his abilities (paintings were a very vain lot, he got applauses almost every time). So, the word had gone out that he was missing a few young Puffs and it had only taken 30 minutes to find them.
But that was 30 minutes that he was supposed to start getting supplies for the night ahead... but he could never deny a student in trouble, especially from his own house.
"Who's your favorite wizard?" He asked over his shoulder as they walk back to the Huddlepuff dormitory (after he'd explained how to navigate the moving staircase properly so this wouldn't happen again).
There was a chorus of answers, but he demanded they decide on only one. They debated, shouting out "Hermione Granger!" excitedly. No doubt they'd heard of his tours before.
He led the five kids back to the dorm as a young, frizzy-haired Gryffindor that seemed to know everything about anything they asked. He'd spent enough time with- and read enough stories- to know how Hermione was. Harry had told him she'd only gotten more knowledgeable as she got older, but never mastered the tacked to explain it. The kids were into it, tried to drag him into the dormitory so they could show the rest of the house who they'd found. But he just laughed, morphed back into himself (yellow and black hair for house spirit this time), and said he had to be somewhere tonight. He'd see them tomorrow, the next day, and the next. There was more time for heroes later.
Now, he needed to be blitzed. They kept a stash hidden from last year out in the woods, some in the Herbology greenhouse, even more in the potions closet concealed behind a false wall. They'd hidden some in the library once, out in the woods, even in the quidditch field. Weird ass locations because they were never sure when something was going to get found and had to ensure it couldn't all be connected together. It took him a few hours- he had to we sneaky, but not too sneaky. He spent most of the time as different students and teachers. Scorp got pissed when he used his face, but it was really the best way to move about the castle without being bothered. People tended to step aside when he was speed walking down a hallway.
He filled a large Quidditch bag. If anyone asked, it was Lysanders stuff he was returning. But if they looked inside, they'd see enough Pixie Dust, Fae Edibles, Muggle Weed, Moondew, Euphoria Elixir, Alihotsy Leaves, and Giggle Water to knock the whole school out and then some.
And hopefully, that's exactly what happened.
The Shrieking Shack always looks solemn and quiet from the outside. They'd spelled it enough so that it remained the same old, spooky looking self. He was glad for no radiating warmth, no sound greeting him on the narrow path leading there. Party attendees knew to come in small groups and spread out so as not to draw attention. But Teddy was sure at this point everyone was crammed inside and sweaty as hell.
God, opening that door was more of a coming home then walking into Hogwarts. It was like being greeted by your bed and just wanting to throw yourself into it. His hair went wild with colors- a rainbow of emotions throwing themselves through his locks. He let out a howl of excitement and the party replied in kind.
Teddy laughed and the chorus of screaming and made his way to their makeshift bar. He slammed the Quidditch bag down with an announcement of, "I've got druuuugs!" and unzipped the bag. His favorite was Euphoria Elixir, happiness bottle in a tiny vial, and he pulled that out first and down it in one shot. Instantly, a burst of golden yellow happiness glided through him, tingling his fingers and making his body feel like he'd been in the sun all day. His hair turned gold, his cheeks warmed with pink, and he
grinned.
Yes, fuck, this was home.
Thank ya to LindaRose for Kings words and Char for starting us up again. I luv u
RPG
