The Halfwolf (Year 1)

Holiday Plans

The next few weeks didn't fare much better for the first years. Zach's temper had become considerably more hostile, with him lashing out at Tyson any time he was near and snapping at his classmates unprovoked. Teddy and Matt took the brunt of this in stride, waving him off when he tried to pick a fight with one of them and steering him away from potential arguments whenever they could. However, this created problems of its own. Matt had begun disappearing on Wednesday evenings, leaving Teddy to deal with him alone in the dorm. This usually involved Teddy sitting with his back against the door with a book in his lap, attempting to do homework, as Zach stomped around the room grumbling about Tyson and Gretchen.

One Thursday evening found Teddy in the library, flipping through a massive book on potion ingredients for his essay, when he felt someone slide into the seat across from him. His quill stopped mid-sentence and he closed his eyes in annoyance.

"Matt, look, if I don't get this essay done tonight Professor Maw is going to have my..."

"Long week, Teddy?" Teddy jerked his head up to look into Harry's smirking face. He raised an eyebrow at his godson, leaning back in his chair with his arms across his chest. Teddy set his quill aside and leaned his face on his arms. He nodded his head tiredly in response.

"Zach's temper is exhausting." Harry nodded his head slowly.

"How many detentions is he up to now?" Teddy rolled his face down to press his forehead against his arms as he thought. He had told Harry everything that had happened the night of the Halloween ball, and had been spending a lot of mornings hiding up in his office for breakfast, leaving Matt to deal with the morning shift of Zach's fit.

"I'm not sure. Something like 8 or 9. I'm pretty sure Tonya has given him most of them in the common room. But Flitwick caught him trying to levitate a book into Tyson's head in the Charms corridor yesterday and gave him one, and Sprout has given him a few. I'm losing track, to be honest." He shook his head, face still against his arm.

"You boys need a break." Teddy looked up at Harry, who was now leaning forward, elbows on the shiny surface of the table. Teddy started to shake his head, but Harry held up his hand to stop his protests. "It's not your job to babysit him. He needs to keep himself out of trouble. You boys have been killing yourselves between keeping him in line, your lessons, and your homework. When was the last time you or Matt did something enjoyable?" Teddy opened and closed his mouth several times, unsure how to respond. This lack of response seemed to answer the question for him. "I thought so. Now listen, I know from a good source that Mr. Finch-Fletchy has one of his numerous detentions with Professor Sprout tomorrow evening starting at 7 o'clock. Why don't you and your friends find something to do for the evening to let yourselves relax?" Teddy blinked at him. Harry smirked again. "Not a suggestion. Go, make plans with your friends." Harry went to get up when Teddy found his voice again.

"But what would we even do? We haven't made plans with anyone aside from us three before." Harry smiled at him.

"Didn't you boys start collecting things for a game night some time ago? Don't you have those things up in your dorm that you could make that happen?" Teddy thought for a moment, then remembered him, Matt, and Zach planning the game night in the trophy room passage, but they had never gotten to make it happen with the announcement of the Halloween Ball. His face slowly relaxed into a smile.

"You're right! We do!" Teddy furrowed his brow, "But how am I going to get people together? I mean we see Gale and Hannah, but what about Molly? And Sophie? How am I going to get a message to them? Astor is home with Gram, or I could owl them. I guess I could use one of the school owls, right?" Teddy looked up at his godfather hopefully. Harry was still grinning at him. He beckoned him to follow him as he turned for the doors to the library.