The Muggleborn Slytherin

The Unforgivable Lesson

Dear Teddie,

Made it to Amsterdam safe. Training starts tonight at eight. Still feeling nervous about playing internationally, but your words from yesterday have helped a lot. Thank you. Still don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am glad you're there.

Good luck with your first day. I'm an owl away if you need me, or, if you're desperate, request Professor Snape to send me a Floo and I'll come to you.

I'll see you on your birthday.

Love, Marcus.

Teddie smiled and re-folded the letter, tucking it safely back into its envelope. She was sitting at the Slytherin table eating breakfast, whilst her friends regarded their timetables for the year. The mail had just arrived, and Marcus' owl had been among them.

"Marcus settling in alright?" Blaise asked, cutting into a sausage.

"Yeah," Teddie replied. "His training officially starts tonight."

"I bet he's excited, huh?" Daphne asked. "Who wouldn't be? The Amsterdam Wolves are a formidable team."

Teddie smiled and reached for the pitcher of orange juice. "He's a little nervous," she said.

"Understandable," said Theo. "International Quidditch isn't like school Quidditch. You saw that over the summer."

Teddie nodded. "Yeah, but, as I told him yesterday morning, they saw potential in him or they wouldn't have chosen him," she said.

Her friends looked considerate and then agreed.

"So," Teddie added, adding some jam to her slice of toast. "What do we have first?"

"We have Charms first thing this morning," said Daphne.

"Cool. I wonder what we're learning this year," said Teddie. "What about after?" she consulted her timetable. "Care of Magical Creatures."

Blaise groaned. "We're still with the Gryffindors," he said.

Teddie rolled her eyes. Slytherin and Gryffindor had had a long rivalry since before she had come to Hogwarts and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. A lot of students said that it dated back to when the Founders - Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin - had a falling out.

"We also have Muggle Studies today, Ted," Daphne said.

Teddie's eyes fell to the second section of her timetable. "Great, Ancient Runes straight after lunch."

"You'll be fine," Theo soothed. "You did great last year."

"You're lucky you're my best friend," Teddie told him.

Theo grinned and helped himself to more toast and jam. "I know," he said.

Daphne and Blaise shared an amused look from behind their timetables.

~X~

After breakfast, Teddie met Mason in the Entrance Hall and wished him luck for his first day. He was entering his second year at school and was already excited to start his first lesson - Transfiguration.

"We're heading that way," said Daphne. "We have Charms. It passed right by the middle courtyard and the Transfiguration department."

Teddie nodded and headed for the Grand Staircase leading to the first floor. The others followed, with Mason walking alongside his sister and talking rapidly. He was telling Teddie of all the things he couldn't wait to learn that year.