Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Thirty-Four | Hogwarts, September 2012

Chapter Thirty-Four

Hogwarts, September 2012

The leaves were just starting to change at Hogwarts, confirming that school really had begun. Two fourth years headed towards the Quidditch pitch, the wind catching their hair and scarves.

"How much do you wanna bet that we beat Slytherin next week?" Mitzie asked, slipping slightly on the dewy grass.

"I don't want to bet." Max told her as he had every week since first year. He didn't have much spending money, and what he did have wasn't going to Mitzie. She was usually right.

"Oh c'mon Weasley! You might actually have a chance this time." Her dark eyes sparkled with mischief. "Who knows, Slytherin might actually win."

It baffled many that Hufflepuff, who had never been exceptionally good Quidditch players, were in the lead, had been for a few years. Teddy had joined in his second year, overjoyed. Harry had been incredibly proud, Andrew had been terrified.

"What if he injures himself?" he'd asked again and again. "You did all the time when you were on the team!"

Harry had chuckled and tousled Teddy's violently violet hair. "I was being sabotaged by a house elf and Dementors, I don't think Ted has anything to worry about." Then he'd winked at Max. "You'll watch for him, eh Max?"

Max thought of that day as he followed Mitzie towards the pitch. Teddy and convinced him to go down to the pond with their cousins, even though he knew Max was afraid of water. As the younger kids had jumped into the water with delighted cries at the cold, Max had sat on the edge in his clothes, watching.

"Just put your toes in." Teddy had urged. "It'll cool you off."

It was abnormally hot out, so Max hesitantly lowered his toes down. He brushed Teddy's bare chest with his pinkie toe and just grazed the water - and something tugged on him.

"AHRG!" Max had cried, yanking his foot back and hitting Teddy in the jaw.

His friend hadn't even reacted to the pain, just laughed. "Don't worry, I won't let the monsters get you."

Max had glared at him, but he knew Teddy would always be around to either prank or protect him. It was just hard to tell which was about to happen.

"C'mon Max!" Mitzie called. "I can't go in, you go." She pushed him towards the changing rooms.

"It doesn't smell that bad, Mitz -"

"You disgust me." She said, screwing up her face. "It smells like my mothers cooking and your socks rolled in one."

Max sighed and stepped into the change rooms, finding a few members of the team left.

"Teddy around?" he asked Holly Campbell.

"Showers." She said. "Got a hit to the ribs earlier, trying to drown the pain." She laughed, but saw Max's face and stopped. "He's fine Weasley, geeze - he gets hits worse than that in an actual game."

"Er, yeah - I know." Max sat down by Teddy's cubby, waiting. Seconds later Teddy walked out of the showers, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hey!" he lit up when he saw Max, towelling off his hair.

Max smiled wearily, trying to keep his eyes above Teddy's chest. And what a chest. It was impossible not to notice how fit his friend was getting, especially with all the flying and training he'd done over the summer and past month. Water dripped down Teddy's bicep and Max couldn't tear his eyes away, didn't even realize he was staring - until Kyle Yates said something.

"Hey Weasley, you enjoying the view?" Yates chuckled, swinging his own hips back and forth. Yates was probably the meanest Hufflepuff around. He liked to tease you, and lacked the best of Hufflepuff's traits - patience and kindness. He was hard working and unafraid of toil, but if he could tease you, see where your armour was weakest - he'd get you.

Max ducked his head and felt the blood rush to his cheeks. He cursed his father's genes for his ability to go red at basically anything.

He mumbled something un-intelligible.

"I don't blame you." Holly giggled. "Looking pretty fit, Lupin."

Teddy laughed, hair going a shade of violet that Max knew meant he was embarrassed. "Looking nice yourself, Campbell. I like what you did to your hair."

Holly ran a hand through her dark hair, which was covered in dirt and leaves from a tumble on the pitch. "You know it." She winked and headed off to the showers, towel in hand.

"Nah, Weasley has it in for Lupin." Yates went at Max again, seeing the horror on his face. "You got a little crush on -"

Mitzie had always been good at timing. She burst through the doors, plugging her nose. "Get a move on, Lupin!" she shouted, glancing over at Max. She had been listening.

Teddy pulled a shirt and sweater on, having put on his shoes and pants while Yates was talking. He moved skittishly.

Mitzie grabbed Max and tugged him out of the changing room, yelling at Teddy: "Two minutes or you're not invited to lunch!"

She stopped them two feet from the door, talking fast. "You are way to obvious Max, seriously - in front of Yates?"

"What?" Max's throat felt tight and dry. Like it did when Teddy would squeeze his shoulder when they watched scary movies with Amara or one of the cousins did something especially cute. When Max was able to make Teddy laugh.

"You can't just go staring like that, someone like Yates is always around." Mitzie looked concerned. "I mean yeah, he's fit - but keep your eyes to yourself!"

"Mitzie, what are you saying?"

Mitzie rolled her eyes. "I'm not blind, Max. You obviously fancy him."

"What?" Max's hands began to shake a little, and he looked at the muddy ground.

"You - fancy - Ted." She said slowly. "You think I didn't notice?"

Max tried to keep his fear contained, but it was in his eyes as he looked at her. "I don't - I mean I can't -"

Mitzie took him in a crushing hug for someone her size. "Don't look so scared." She whispered. "Teddy may be good at school, but he's a damn idiot, too. You're secret is safe with me." She let go of him and smiled reassuringly. "I've known for a while, probably longer than you have."

"Mitzie, I don't -"

"Don't what?" Teddy came out of the change rooms, looking dashing in a pale grey sweater. His eyes shifted to match unconsciously, turquoise hair tousled from the wind already.

"He doesn't want to bet." Mitzie said quickly, crossing her arms in a huff. "Sore loser, this one is." She hooked her arms through theirs and led them up the hill. "So, lunch sound good, maybe a game of chess?"

Teddy agreed, and as he talked Mitzie shot Max a knowing look. Max's stomach felt tight, as if someone had practiced a knotting charm on it. If Mitzie - who couldn't pay attention to something for more than two seconds - could tell what he really thought of his best friend...who else could, too?

A/N: I HAVE BEEN WAITING SO LONG TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER, YOU ALL HAVE NO IDEA. In case you're wondering, I've known Max was gay from BEFORE he was even born. I always planned for him to be. As for our boy fancying Teddy Lupin...well, we'll see how this goes. And you all were thinking about Max and Mitzie!

Question: Thoughts on this interesting reveal? Ship names? I'm rubbish at them, I'll leave you all to it.

Rose