The Enemy of my Enemy

The High Inquisitor

Once again, this chapter contains a flashback.

"Here," said Mason, setting a bowl of green liquid in front of Teddie. They were in the library, catching up on homework.

Teddie eyed the concoction carefully. "What is it?" she asked.

"Essence of Dittany," said Astoria. "It will heal your hand."

Teddie whipped her head around to look at Daphne, her jaw opened in shocked surprise. "You told them?!" she exclaimed.

"Shh!" someone hissed from behind a bookcase.

Teddie rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow at Daphne. "Well?" she asked.

"What? He's your brother," said Daphne. "I thought you would've at least told him, by any account."

Teddie grumbled and pulled back her sleeve. She dipped her fingers into the bowl and submerged her hand, allowing the cool liquid to wash over the lines on the back. There was a little stab of pain, but nothing too serious.

"Just so you know, I have told Mum and Dad, too," said Mason.

"What? Why?!" Teddie asked.

"Because Daphne said you wouldn't," answered Mason.

Again, Teddie looked at Daphne.

Daphne shrugged. "If you won't take care of yourself then it is down to us," she said. "Just be thankful we didn't go to Professor Snape or Dumbledore."

"No, but my parents now will!" Teddie moaned.

"Good," Daphne argued. "At least someone will be willing to call her out on her actions. You'd think for someone who spent the first week of her summer being tortured would want to protect others from the same fate."

Blaise nudged Daphne and nodded at Teddie. The young redhead was sat, her eyes narrowed at her best girlfriend.

"Oh Merlin," Daphne muttered, realising what she had said. "Teddie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"Forget it," said Teddie, looking back at her essay. She removed her hand from the dittany extract and, using her free hand, wiped away the excess liquid. It now looked like she'd never experienced detention at all.

Mason waved his wand and cleared away the bowl and silence fell around the table, broken only by the scratching of quills and the occasional turn of a page.

Daphne shared a look with Blaise and Theo, as Teddie avoided eye-contact with them all. She was more focused on her parchment and was scribbling away furiously.

The group worked until the Library was due to close, and only stopped when the librarian, Madam Pince came over and ushered them out.

Again, Daphne tried to talk to Teddie, but she got nothing but silence in return. She really hadn't meant her words, but her mother had always warned her to be careful with what and how she said things.

"Words cannot be taken back once they have been said, Daphne, you will do well to remember that" Darla had warned. "You may not mean it, but there are consequences to every action."

As they parted ways with Mason and Astoria, the Slytherin quartet returned to their common room and found Professor Snape sitting in his armchair beside the fire. It was a most peculiar sight, given that Snape never joined his students in the common room unless there was something, he needed them to know, or it was the start of term.

He looked up as they entered and met Teddie's gaze. "Miss Green," he said, addressing her as he stood. "Your presence is needed in my office. Immediately."