Always

Chapter Two

Twenty-one years ago...

"Harry, could you get the clamp-stick? Teddy's not playing nice today."

Looking up from his own cage, Harry smiled at his co-worker, Geoff. "Yeah, give me just a moment." He carefully put the pretty little boa back into her cage and latched it securely closed. Stopping to pick up the tool from the wall, he moved over to where Geoff was holding open the cage door and pushing some of the wood and trees that decorated the environment. The poisonous snake was coiled near its favourite rock and did not seem happy. "Oi, Teddy, come on out of there. You've got a nicer flat waiting for you," Harry called softly.

"Yeah, he didn't believe me either," Geoff chuckled.

"Could you get me the thick gloves and a hook? I hate using the clamp if I don't have to."

Stepping back after making sure Harry had the cage door propped, Geoff moved into the back room and was back in the next moment.

"Teddy, we have a nice new place for you. Even a mate," Harry explained nicely to the snake in Parseltongue.

"I am comfortable here."

"Yes, but you are getting big and this is getting too small. Your new home is much more open and we even gave you a nice spot of water. And there's a pretty new girl right next to you." Harry slipped on the gloves as he spoke.

The snake undulated against his rock and watched Harry with one yellow eye. "Two-legs will tap at the glass."

"Didn't I already promise you that I wouldn't let that happen anymore? We've got you behind a barrier and everything. I told you I'd take care of you, Teddy, didn't I?" Harry cajoled.

The black and yellow snake seemed to think it over and then relaxed out of its coil. "You did. You may move me."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Teddy. You'll like the new place." Using the hook stick, he carefully slid it under the snake and scooped him out. Once Teddy was settled under a tree branch in his new home, Harry slipped the gloves off and handed them to Geoff's waiting hands.

"Thanks, Harry. I'm glad we've got you around. You have a way with the nasty ones." Geoff laughed and hung up the tools.

"I guess I've just got a lot of practice at handling the arrogant testy kind," Harry replied with a grin.

"Yeah. By the way, how is your husband? What did he get you for your anniversary? I saw in the Daily Prophet that you went out to dinner in some fancy London place."

Harry grimaced as he wrote notes and details of Teddy's move down in the book. "You'd think it was the first anniversary of the world's rebirth the way they were acting."

"Aw, come on, you know it's a big deal. A year of marriage and you lot haven't killed each other yet. Even when I was still at Hogwarts, you little first years were scrabbling at each other." Geoff laughed again and leaned on the workstation. "The world was just surprised."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence." Harry grimaced.

"Hey, I said the world, not me. Me, I know you two are fit as a fiddle. In fact, I'm the one that sees you coming in here dazed and completely shagged-out."

"Shut it!" Harry hissed and looked around to make sure they were alone.

Geoff chuckled. "All right, so? What did you get for your anniversary?"

Harry sighed and then grinned. "The prat snuck around and got me tickets to the Cauldron concert."

"Wicked! I heard those are nearly impossible to get! They're only playing in that old amphitheatre that seats less than a hundred people."