The Unsuspecting Allies

An Afternoon Gone Wrong

Teddy took Lily out in her grandma's backyard. It was the last week of July, so the whole family was at the Weasley's house for his godfather Harry's birthday. Lily lead Teddy past the impromptu Quidditch game and the adults chatting amidst the garden gnomes ripping up Mrs. Weasley's prized hydrangea bushes. Teddy escorted her into the broom closet, sweeping away cobwebs and trying not to sneeze. He closed the door behind them, and as soon as it was closed, Lily blurted, "Teddy, I want you to teach me how to Apparate."

Teddy smirked, and said, "Sorry Squirt. Apparating's for adults only."

Lily scowled, and said, "Don't make me bribe you, Teddy, because you know I will." Teddy laughed, and Lily took a broom and used it to push him against the door, cornering him.

"Woah, those Beater trainings really are giving you muscles, huh Squirt? Alright, but you gotta convince me. Why should a twenty-two year old like me teach a twelve year old like you how to Apparate? Especially why I of all people should be your teacher," Teddy bargained, trying to wriggle out of Lily's grip. She didn't budge.

"Fine. I want to be ahead of the game when we learn in school, so that I'll seem like the best in Ravenclaw," Lily said in a condescending tone, to which Teddy responded, "Must be hard being the only Potter in Ravenclaw."

Lily squinted at him, but continued, saying, "And the only reason I'm asking you is because I know nobody else will teach me. Also, you need a life."

Teddy laughed, causing his hair to go from his usual turquoise color to a bright, bubblegum pink. "Wow, Squirt, you got me there. Alright, let's go up on some random hill and Apparate! Race you!"

Lily sprinted to a hill just out of sight of her mother's watchful eyes, and Teddy was panting by the time he caught up to her. "Ok Squirt, so there's these three D's to Apparating; destination, determination, and deliberation. First, you gotta think of where you want to go."

Lily shut her eyes for a second, then said, "Got it."

Teddy said, "Now, think of how much you wanna go there. Like with all your heart and soul, Squirt."

Lily shut her eyes, her forehead creased with wrinkles. She nodded, and Teddy said, "Now, when I say three, you're gonna turn and think really really hard about where you want to go and how hard you want to be there. I'm gonna help you, but the thinking is all you. Ready?"

Lily nodded, and Teddy said, "One... two... three!"

Lily and Teddy both turned and felt like the air was getting sucked out of their lungs, but Teddy felt Lily slip away. Shit, he thought, she's getting Splinched. He thought really hard about wherever she wanted to go, and felt him and Lily going in a direction, though he didn't know where they were going to end up. A dizzying second later, Teddy landed on his back on the top of a hill, but it wasn't the same hill. He rolled over and saw a giant statue in a harbor, and he thought, Of all the places she could go, why America? He looked to his right, and almost threw up. There was Lily, but it wasn't all of her. Her right arm and leg had been Splinched, and there was so much blood. She was unconscious, and Teddy couldn't find her missing arm and leg. He started to panic, but then he saw a strawberry farm in front of him and three people heading towards them. Teddy sighed, and whispered to himself, "Oh thank god they're gonna help us."