The Brightest Sun

Chapter 27

She’d woken to the feel of Aegon shifting restlessly, the younger boy fidgeting in equal parts excitement and sadness at the thought of what was coming.

“Egg, if you poke me one more time I’m going to kick you,” hissed Rhaenys, a spark of fire playing at her fingertips.

“Not poking you on purpose,” Aegon muttered, shifting and bumping his elbow into his sister.

Elia felt her hand quickly grasping Rhaenys’s, a small bit of water dousing the flame as she shot her daughter a warning look. The sheepish look and murmured apology was enough to get Rhae to sit up, and Elia met amused green eyes as the two siblings left the room, their light bickering heard as they shuffled to their bedrooms to get ready.

“Alright kiddo?” Harry murmured, eyes drifting to where Teddy still lay in bed, the boy’s arm sling over his face.

“I’m fine,” he muttered.

“It’s alright to feel sad about leaving, Teddy,” Harry soothed, a hand smoothing a loose curl over his forehead.

“Were you?” Teddy asked, arm shifting so that he could look at Elia, the green irises changing to mimic her dark orbs. It was startling, at times, the way Teddy fluidly shifted between their looks, small parts of Elia making itself known in his features. Warmth filled her every time, knowing it was his way of showing his love, something that became more obvious as the days passed.

“Very,” she told him, scooting closer to hug him to her. She felt Teddy bury his head in the crook of her neck, and Elia placed a soft kiss on his head. “A good thing we have letters and holidays, hmm? You’ll be home before you know it,” she whispered.

They lay there for a few moments until the roars of the dragons seemed to breathe excitement into him.

“Thanks Mum,” he said, pressing lightly against her before he was clambering over his father, a soft groan leaving Harry as Teddy gave him a swift hug before running out of the room.

A soft chuckle left her, Harry’s arm wrapping around her waist as he pulled her flush against him. Her head settled against his chest, and she could hear the strong thrum of his heartbeat.

“He’ll be fine,” she told him. “You’ve raised him well.”

“We,” he corrected, arm tightening slightly before he released a sad sigh. “I didn’t want him to deal with the burden of being my son,” he murmured, “not at Hogwarts.”

“It’s not a burden,” she replied, tilting her head back to look at his face. “Teddy certainly doesn’t see it as that, nor would he ever. He’ll be fine.”

A small grin twitched at his lips as he said,” Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

She poked his side, ignoring the twin roars outside as he leaned forward to steal a kiss. Elia felt herself arch into him, a hand reaching to cup his jaw.

There were moments like this, when they had a number of things waiting for their attention that were ignored for a brief minute, that Elia felt how deeply they had lodged themselves into her heart. Teddy was not a child of her body, but he had become hers in every way that counted, and she was filled with the anxious joy of a mother watching her son embark on a new adventure. They pulled apart, bodies still tangled together as she felt his hand twitch, the ghostly whisper of the time forcing them to get moving.

Having one child off to Hogwarts was saddening enough for them, and as they entered King’s Cross Elia was faced with two despondent children, each competing over who was more upset over Teddy leaving.

“You’ve got your wand?” She asked when Harry left to place his trunk aboard the train, ignoring the countless eyes that drifted to the small corner they stood at. They had debated using a notice-me-not, but Harry had spent long enough hiding behind his wards that he wanted Teddy to not feel as if they still needed it.