Teddy and the Marauders

sixty-seven

Late the next day, Teddy, Victoire, Dominique, and Louis, were walking through the damaged ruins of the Hogwarts castle. They trailed slowly through the entrance hall and then the Great Hall. There, they met with Bill and Remus. Tonks and Fleur were milling about somewhere, but not in immediate vicinity. Baby Vic and Teddy were there too with their mothers.

"So," Remus said, "are you leaving today?"

"Yeah, we are. But first, we're waiting for a couple people to show up." Teddy said.

"When are they coming?" Bill asked.

"Anytime now. Haven't got much of a more accurate guess than that."

"Then Bill can take the time to meet his kids." Remus laughed. "I'm going to go talk to Tonks and baby Teddy. " He walked off in the direction of his wife and son. He greeted them with a quick hug.

"I'll let you get acquainted as well." Teddy smiled. "I'm going to... I don't know. I'll be around though."

"Bill, this is Dominique and Louis Weasley." Victoire said. "Or for short, Dom and Lou."

"Nice to meet you." Bill said awkwardly. "I- I'm Bill."

"Hi." Louis mulled around.

"We don't have to do this." Dom said "We saw you yesterday, we don't need you to awkwardly say hello."

"That's probably for the best." Bill nodded curtly.

"Uh, why don't you two go and talk to Teddy. Ask him to show you some of the traps he set up with George and Fred yesterday."

"Yeah, sure." Louis muttered.

"Sorry about that." Vic sighed.

"No, no worries. I'm sure they love me just fine after I raise them." Bill forced a laugh. "I'm a stranger to them now. I just happen to be wearing their dad's face."

"We won't be here much longer."

"I know." The conversation halted there. Nothing much else to say. They had said it all already. Or would say it in the very least. Bill could say whatever he wanted to baby Vic. She would be around for the next 17 years and beyond.

George turned up not 15 minutes later. He was stressed and antsy. He went straight to Victoire.

"He's coming, right? You promise he's coming?" He demanded of her.

"George, I cast the spell myself. Anytime now, I promise." She gave him a hug. "Don't you worry."

"I just- I'm scared." he said. "What if he doesn't show up."

"George, that won't happen-"

"What if he doesn't show up!" he demanded again.

"I don't know." Vic admit quietly. "If he doesn't show up, he might be in some other time... or..."

"Don't say it." George snapped.

"I'm sorry."

With the sun setting, the two rescued were nowhere to be seen. Their hopes were really falling. George's heart was breaking. The Weasleys were all huddled in a group. They were all crying. They had lost all their hope. The poor family. Remus wasn't doing any better. Ron, Ginny, Percy, and Charlie weren't quite aware of the entire situation, but they knew Fred was missing and there was a possibility he would show up that day.

Teddy and the time travelling Weasleys were in their own clump. They refused to leave until the day was over or the rescuees had showed up. With time ticking on... nothing.