Incognito

Chapter 5 - The Manor house

The manor stood tall and proud amongst the forest, Lily smiled as she walked up the path, the trees casting shadows upon her. Teddy trailed behind her, apprehensive. He was uncertain about whether they would ever find Harry. Yet he trailed after Lily as she gazed around in child like wonder. When they reached the front door a house elf appeared
"State your name and business please" he said.
"Lily Luna potter, this is my father and I's residential home" the house elf then asked her for identity, she placed her hand in a fingerprint scanner. The house elf smiled
"Welcome home mistress potter, now who is this young man?" the elf asked. Teddy was about to answer when Lily spoke.
"This is Edward Lupin, he is my adopted brother and guardian for the time being" the house elf nodded and let them past. They continued up the path until they reached a wooden door. In this door creatures such as house elves, wood nymphs and hippogriffs were engraved. Lily placed her eye on the door scanner and was granted access. Walking into the hall way Lily felt a sense of home, whilst her brothers had been training she spent her childhood running around the halls of the manor, finding its secrets. She turned to Teddy
"You know where dads study is right?" she asked.
"Yeah but how are we going to get in? the door only allows access to Harry." At this Lily laughed, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Of course it does which is why we're not using the front door, I'm going to get in and your going to the front door" she told him. Teddy looked at her confused, he did as she asked anyway. There was one rule that everyone lived by regarding Lily. She was absolutely, undeniably nuts but her plans usually worked. So, he went to the office door.

Lily walked into the servant's quarters, House elves flocked her.
"Mistress Lily!" they yelled in awe. Lily smiled at them sweetly
"Hey guys, I'm afraid I can't talk right now" an elderly house elf chuckled. The other elves parted to let him past, he walked forward on knobbly knees.
"Oh, are you up to trouble again?" he asked, his voice raspy.
"Of course Slinky, I always am." The aged elf grasped Lily hand
"If you need anything, let us know dear" he said, Lily smiled and kissed the elves forehead. She then turned away and pulled a vent cover off a wall and slid herself in the hole. She crawled along the tunnel for a couple of minutes before coming to the end, blowing the vent cover off she climbed out of the wall and fell into her father's office. She wandlessly cast a revilio and then set about dismantling the traps her father set. She smirked these traps were only something a potter or a lupin could diminish as they were based on the pranks the children had done to each other over the years. When she was done she opened the door, Teddy stared at her in shock.
"How did you did that?" he asked. She shrugged, being the only child that knew the secret access she wasn't about to tell everyone. The two then went to work, tearing Harry's office to shreds. The found identity documents used when they all had to move again, they found pictures of the kids when they where younger and a picture of Ginny and Harry when they were sixteen. Lily stared at the picture, a pang in her heart. She had never really known her mother, being a month old when she died. Teddy would always talk about her as would James and Harry, they would try to keep her memory alive for Albus and Lily, but Lily missed her terribly. When Teddy realised she'd stopped looking he sat beside her.
"You know you are just like her" he said. Lily smiled
"Dad would say that all the time, that I was a spitfire just like she was" she admitted. Teddy looked at her, he wished he could be like the potter on many an occasion but not like this. He didn't want them to be able to be like him on this.
"You know... she'd be really proud of you guys. Harry is paranoid, but you could have turned against him, instead you've took what your dad gave you and turned it into a family. I always feared you guys would reject me because I wasn't one of you. I was a lupin not a potter, but you guys always made me feel like I had a family." Lily looked at him in shock, Ginny Weasley was always around due to everyone trying to keep her memory alive, but Teddy was an orphan, he had no parents and after Andromeda died when he was five, the last of his blood family had died. Lily grabbed his hand
"You know you are one of us Ted, not just because dad adopted you but because you were there. You didn't have to be, dad would have kept you regardless of whether we all got along but you were there." Teddy began to feel himself tear up.
"I always wondered what it would be like to have proper siblings, I guess I never realise I already had them" Lily smiled at him warmly, Teddy stood up abruptly and wiped his tears away, he sniffled slightly and got back to searching for a clue on Harry. Lily took the picture and placed it in her pocket before helping Teddy. It took hours to comb through Harrys office and after the fourth hour Lily jumped up
"I got it!" in her hand was a piece of paper that held the details of Harrys tip off.

Dear Harry,

I hope this letter reaches you, I have received word of a death eater attack at 1800 hours on Fred Weasleys resting place, they intent to target your wife after.
B. Lestrange

Lily began to feel herself fume
"Do they have no shame, upon a persons resting place?" she screamed. Teddy re-read the letter
"We still need to know who B. Lestrange is though, it's not Bellatrix because she's dead and as far as I'm aware she had no children." Lily sighed but she smiled as she got an idea, she grabbed the letter and ran to the kitchen.
"Slinky!" she yelled. The aged elf came forward
"What is wrong youngling? I sense anger and sadness in you" he commented. Lily looked at the elf before handing the letter. As he read his tiny frame began to shake as he finished he screamed in anger.
"How dare they attack my friends! Elves" he yelled. Teddy ran into the kitchen as the elves gathered around Slinky.
"Mistress Lily we will see if we can track the magical signature and find this lestrange!" Teddy looked at them confused.
"We can't ask you to do that!" he protested. Slinky looked at Teddy kindly
"Master Lupin, we want to, the creatures of both this manor and the forest it surrounds owe Master Harry a great debt" he admitted. Lily looked at the elf sadly
"Do not force them Slinky, you are an elf master and as such have power, I do not wish you majestic creatures to be slain in an attempt to find my father." Slinky laughed but Teddy was confused, why would they owe Harry a debt? When he asked Lily looked admonished by the glare Slinky sent her
"Do they not know of you and your fathers work? Master Teddy, Lily and Harry spent the better part of young Lily's life saving magical creatures and giving them refuge here." Teddy looked at Lily proudly, he thought that when Harry and Lily would disappear Harry was working, and Lily was playing. He never questioned it as he was usually training. Lily turned to Slinky
"Thank you but I'm afraid we must be going, thank you for your help" the elf then handed Lily the letter back.
"You find your father and we shall find his informant" Lily nodded and walked out with Teddy. They disappeared into the night.
When they landed in McGonagall's office they found chaos, Albus and James were backed up against the wall, knives in one hand and their wand in another. Ministry officials were facing the children their wands drawn too. McGonagall was observing the situation and a witch was passed out on the floor. With all the commotion Teddy saw red
"What the Merlin's Saggy Pants is going on!"