Collateral Damage
Anastia,
I don't have a lot of time so I’ll keep to the point. Theodore isn't well, Mia is going through a particularly rough patch and is in hospital right now, and Theodore is there by himself. Please, I beg you to not ask questions, it will only complicate things. I wouldn’t ask for your help if I could stay with them, and I know you don’t owe me any favors. So I ask for Theodores sake to be there for him. I’ve attached Floo directions, please go as soon as you can.
Phoebus
She read the letter at least six more times before she could understand it. Even then she didn’t have a clue what was going on. Surely this was one of her anxious spirals, surely this boy that Mia was seeing isn’t asking this of her—surely Theodore isn’t once again in the middle of whatever it is that Mia’s father’s done…
One way to find out, she supposed.
She stood, sending the owl away with a small bit of food. Ana couldn’t shake the ever growing list of questions in her head as she dressed to leave. How could she possibly help? Would they even let her into wherever Theodore was? Was this some sort of trap from the Dark Lord because Theodore’s done something bad? She groaned out loud, rubbing her eyes to try wiping these thoughts away. After a few deep breaths she made a line to the nearest ‘jailbroken’ Floo. This Umbridge bullshit really made all of this all the more inconvenient…
With a green flash she stepped into a little waiting room, somehow ostentatious despite the somber aura of the space. If she’d done this right, Theodore and Mia would be just down the hall—if Phoebus’s instructions were correct.
Ana stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and knocked twice. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and her wand felt warm in her pocket as she awaited an answer.
Theodore had been sitting with his head against the bed, holding Mia’s hand ever since Phoebus had left. He knew she was sedated, he knew that it was impossible, but he’d been hoping she’d wake up all the same. He was so caught up in wishing and hoping she’d wake up, as well as panicking about what was to come, that the knock on the door startled him. He jumped up, his wand raised, already on high alert after the events of the past few days, was Phoebus back already? No! He couldn't be, although he wasn't sure how long it had been since he’d left,
Theodore was certain that Phoebus’s parents wouldn’t have let him go yet. Besides, Phoebus wouldn’t knock. None of the healers had knocked yet, they just walked in, her father certainly wouldn’t knock, so who could it be? Theodore hadn’t even sent for his father yet, although the healers could have sent for him early, they did seem very keen to talk to him. Well, it was no use guessing, he’d have to just open the door to see who it was. That could be risky though, no, he’d peek through the slat in the blinds first to see who it was before making a further decision on what to do.
The very last person Theodore was expecting to see when he peeked through the blinds, was Ana, his Ana. Phoebus! As much as Theodore wanted Ana here, needed her here, Phoebus shouldn’t have told her, he’d just put her in danger. He didn’t know it was possible to be so happy and so upset at the same time, yet both of these emotions flooded and overwhelmed him at the sight of her. He snatched open the door, pulling her into the room and closing the door before anyone could see her.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into the tightest hug, sighing deeply,
“What are you doing here? Oh I have missed you so much, you can’t be here though, you shouldn’t be here, you’re in danger.” He mumbled into her hair, inhaling deeply as he nuzzled his face against her, her scent soothing him instantly.
Ana saw his eyes through the blinds and for a wild second she wondered if perhaps it was Theodore’s father—but thankfully she felt Teddy's arms around her and she melted. She hugged him as tightly as she could, rubbing his back and soothing his hair.
As he started speaking, she couldn’t help but feel a little stupid—of course he wouldn’t want her here, he was always going on about protecting her, how all of this was dangerous. Little does he know she’d had her own brushes with danger in her life.
But those things were best saved for another time. “Don’t worry about that right now, it’s okay, I’m here...” She whispered in his ear, continuing to soothe him with her hands “Your friend Phoebus sent me a letter, I came as soon as I could.” She pulled away only enough to produce the parchment, giving it to Theodore. “I won't ask you what’s going on, I'm just here to be with you. I promise.” She stroked his cheek, pressing her forehead to his “I'm just here for you…”
Theodore couldn't help sigh a deep sigh of relief as he held his Ana. This was what he’d been craving since this mess began. Yet, he’d felt so guilty for even wishing for such things. The way he’d seen Phoebus sat over Mia, so lost, so torn, not knowing if he’d ever see his love again. Theodore knew Ana was safe, hell, he’d kept her away at his own expense just to keep her safe. Now that she was here though, now he was feeling her touch, smelling her scent, there was no denying it, he needed her.
“Phoebus! Of course, I’ll kill him, well, if I get a chance.” Theodore said as he rolled his yes, though he sobered at the thought of what might be happening to his friend at this moment.
“I wanted to tell you, I wanted you here, I needed you, Merlin I really needed you.” He said, his grip tightening,
“But, well, you know how risky things are.” He said, gesturing towards Mia. “It’s such a mess Ana, I don’t even know if she’s going to make it. They don’t know if she’ll survive.” He said, his voice wavering with emotion.
She soothed him as he spoke, her hands running through his hair, stroking his face, rubbing his arms. Ana shook her head slowly at his explanations, “don’t worry about that, I’m here for you now, thats all that matters.”
Ana lead them to the chairs in the room, sighing solemnly as he mentioned Mia’s dire situation “I’m so sorry Teddy. She’s my friend and everything of course so i am upset on my own behalf, but she’s like your sister… I can’t imagine…” her arms wrapped around his shoulders.
“Erm…Teddy’s elf?” She tried, jumping a little as the thing materialised in front of her “Will you get my blanket from my dormitory bed please?”
“Ooh, ‘please’! Master Theodore’s lovely girlfriend is too kind…right away!” The elf was gone as soon as it appeared.
“I know I’m not staying for long but I’m not leaving you without something of mine. I know id want that from you if i was in your position…”
The elf was back with a pop, wordlessly presenting the now folded blanket and bowing before disappearing again.
“here, it’s charmed to make you feel calm.” She draped it over his shoulders, rubbing it as it wrapped around him.
Theodore let out a ragged breath he felt he’d been holding for hours. He wanted to tell her everything, but he knew he couldn’t without endangering her, so instead he just held her. His head fell forward to rest against her shoulder as she rubbed his arms. He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing as the calming charm on the blanket began to work its magic, dulling the sharpest edges of his panic.
It didn't take away his pain for Mia, nor his fear, but it softened it, it stopped the world from spinning so fast.
He reached up, his fingers tangling with hers pulling her hand to his lips for a lingering, desperate kiss.
"I don't deserve you," he murmured against her skin, his eyes stinging.
He shifted, drawing her closer into his lap, so he could bury his face in the softness of the blanket, and her.
“It smells like you. It’s perfect. Thank you.
I just need to feel you here before you go."
Teddy leaned into her, his forehead resting against hers for a few stolen, quiet heartbeats. He breathed in the scent of her hair, closing his eyes and trying to memorise this moment of peace before the storm of their situation would swallow him whole again. For now, he just wanted to be a boy with his girlfriend, tucked away from the threat of the real world.
After a long while, he signed, a deep resigned sigh. He didn’t want this, he instead wanted to pull her tighter into his lap and never let go, to keep her right here in the safety of this room where the world couldn't reach them.
But as it always did, their harsh reality came crashing back.
He looked at her, his heart aching with a mixture of love and absolute terror. He knew the poison, the danger that followed Mia’s father.
He knew he was in danger, and so the closer she stood to him, the closer she stood to a blast radius that could destroy her.
"You're right," he said, his voice thick with the effort of being the one to have to let go. He reached up, gently cupping her face, his thumb tracing her cheekbone with a desperate motion, as if she’d vanish there and then. He pulled her face to his, kissing her deeply, putting all of his love and devotion into the kissing, praying that this wouldn’t be the last time.
“You can't stay. I want you here more than anything. I'm a selfish wreck right now, but I can't let you get caught in the middle of this. Not with Mia's father. It’s a hellhole Ana, and I won't have you dragged down here with me into the depths just because I’m struggling to breathe."
He pulled the blanket tighter, the scent of her on the fabric acting as a temporary shield.
“Go back to the dorm. Please. Knowing you're safe, protected, and far away from this, from his wrath, from his reach, that’s the only way I’m actually going to feel calm.
I’ll send an elf to you the second I have an update, or as soon as I’m clear. He’ll find you. I promise I’ll get back to you as soon as I can safely bring you back into my arms."















