Cicatrices- Marks That Remain

Dinner and a Knife

"We already cast detection and reversal charms on it. The hair hasn't been tampered with magically. It's curly and dirty-blond, just like Goyle's."

"Oh, Harry! Come on. In you get. We're glad you could make it."

Harry turned his attention to the present moment, pasting on a smile and greeting Molly Weasley with a hug.

"Hello Molly, thank you for having me."

"Of course, dear! Our home is your home." She turned and began toward the kitchen. "The boys are in the sitting room, by the way. Go say hello."

Harry began the walk to the sitting area, where he could see Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Percy, and Charlie.

"Hello."

"Harry, mate! Glad you were able to come. They approved having someone else watch Malfoy, right?" Harry smiled, taking in a breath.

"Yeah, just like you said." Though the two of them had a nasty row over 'neglecting your duty to protect' just before he'd left.

Just then, Charlie and Percy stood to greet him. General smiles and courtesies going around. Harry turned to Ginny then, who merely gave him a smile and a wave, quietly greeting him. Harry did the same, not wanting to cause tension at dinner.

Harry and Ginny had barely spoken since they broke up. They were not on bad terms by any means, but it hadn't been quite long enough for them to pretend nothing was ever there. And if she wanted to be subtle about it for now, he was more than fine with following along.

"Andromeda and Teddy are in the dining room. She's trying to get him to eat, if you want to say hi." Hermione stood to guide Harry in the direction of the table, as though he hadn't been there for many years before. She held him by the bicep as they walked away.

"Ginny hasn't quite been herself lately, With being rejected from the Magpies. Maybe you should give her some words of encouragement later. Don't be ignorant," she whispered.

"Ah." Harry had forgotten about that. He supposed that made him a bad ex-boyfriend, or a bad friend. Hermione had just saved him loads of torment by reminding him. Just then, Andromeda and Teddy were in their line of sight. Harry and Hermione arrived just in time to witness a plastic spoon flying across the table. Andromeda huffed, getting up from her seat to grab it. Hermione rushed after her, retrieving the spoon and handing it to her.

"Here you go."

"Thank you, dear." Then, Andromeda looked up and saw Harry. "Oh, hello Harry. Fancy seeing you here."

Harry smiled shyly, waving hello. "Yeah, I haven't been here in a bit," he chuckled.

"A bit? Try half of a year, at least!" She went over to him, arms wide for an embrace. "It's good to see you. Would you like to say hello to Teddy?"

"Yes, please." Harry turned to Teddy, and it was then that he felt a genuine smile creeping across his face.

"I'll leave you three to catch up," Hermione said, making her leave back to the sitting room.

Two-year-old Teddy was grabbing fistfuls of yoghurt from a blue plastic bowl and smacking it into the table with utmost concentration. His hair was morphing from orange to a deep, brick red. Harry couldn't help the feeling of joy at seeing him anyway. His smile broadened and he moved to sit in front of his Godson, attempting to push the case from his mind if just for a moment.

"Hi, Teddy." He spoke gently, attempting to get the young child's attention. However, he was far too engrossed in the process of smearing yoghurt across the table. Andromeda brought out her wand to spell away the mess.