MISSED CALLS ➡︎ TEDDY LUPIN [2] ✓

lxxii. THE PARTY

Avalon and Teddy were hand-in-hand as they walked towards her house, down the city street crowded with beautiful townhomes and little shops, boutiques, and cafes.

She was raised on this block; her parents had moved when Oliver was born, when their Diagon Alley flat was becoming far too crowded between them and Bellamy and George. So for all of Avalon's life, she had lived in the spacious townhouse, across the hall from Isabel and one door down from her twin brother and two down from her parents. This was the house she grew up in. She took her first steps on the hardwood floor of the living room, into her Aunt Fleur's arms. She'd said her first word in the kitchen, learned to ride a bike on the street outside, and learned to ride a broom in the backyard.

So as Teddy pulled her up the front steps, she smiled at the memories of her seventeen years here.

"Come on," He said, rushing her as she took her sweet time ascending the half dozen stone steps. "You walk so slow!"

She screwed up her face and stuck her tongue out at him, about to respond, but she was cut off when he threw the door open to reveal all of her friends.

"Happy birthday, Avalon!"

She slapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh my god!"

Teddy was all smilles as she was swarmed by the people she loved, backing off to give her the space she needed on her special day.

"Alright, everyone, get in for a picture!" Amelia Weasley shouted, holding up her phone.

Avalon grabbed Tddy's wrist and pulled him in next to her, pausing to whisper a thank you in his ear before grinning widely widely for her mother's photograph.

—

Avalon was forcefully sat down at the head of the kitchen table by her father, in front of a ridiculously large pile of presents ranging in size from a small box, probably holding some sort of jewelry, to a large, broom-shaped package.

"Can you open mine first?" Alaina said excitedly. When the birthday girl nodded, her teammate shoved the smallest parcel into her hands and clasped her own hands together, patiently waiting.

Avalon's hands trembled as she ripped into the wrapping paper. Inside the wrappings was a little pin that read CAPTAIN in etched letters.

"What...?" She looked at the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team quizzically.

Josephine glanced at the others briefly before replying. "Well, since Clarissa graduated, we obviously needed a new captain. We made a new groupchat and all decided that you're the best fit for the job. So... will you be our captain this year?"

Avalon nearly screamed. "You're serious? Like, dead serious?"

"Yes, Av. We're serious." Violetta said with a happy smile.

The remaining members of the team, minus Jack Westing, Clarissa Wood, and Alex Newport, who had all graduated in the spring, huddled around Avalon and squeezed her tightly into a group hug.

"Alright, mine next." Fred Weasley said, rubbing his hands together mischevously.

Amelia looked suspicious. "I thought we settled on one gift from the two of us. What did you get her, Fred?"

"Oh, relax, Meely. It's nothing crazy."

He handed his eldest daughter the broom-shaped package that she had been eyeing on the table.

"Fred Gideon Weasley!"

"Shh! Let her open it."

Avalon bit her lip and ripped the packaging away on what would be the handle-end of the broomstick, finding Nimbus 3000 engraved in gold lettering on the wood.

"I swear to Godric Gryffindor, I am going to file for divorce."

Avalon paid her mother no mind as she leapt up from her seat and flew at her father, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She said gratefully, over and over again.

Oliver, however, wasn't too happy. "You never got me a broom!"

"Yeah, because your Aunt Narcissa got you one against our wishes two years ago."

—

Once the party had wound down—after cake was eaten, and a typical Weasley family karaoke was extended to all of the party guests—and people had left, leaving just Avalon, her family, and her best friend and boyfriend, the birthday girl let herself sit down on the couch and relax for a moment.

"Bye, Av!" Lawrence called as Oliver walked him to the door.

Avalon smiled sweetly, not getting up from her comfortable spot. "Bye, Lawrence! Thank you so much for coming. Have a good night!"

Once the door had shut behind him, and Oliver had gone back up to his room, Avalon leaned back on the couch, resting her head on the arm rest and closing her eyes. It had been a whirlwind day, filled with people she loved and who loved her, but Avalon's little introvert self was very overwhelmed by the revolving door of people coming and going from the house, such as her grandmother and Kingsley, Uncle Charlie, and all her cousins from her father's side of the family.

"You gonna sleep on the couch tonight or are you gonna go back up to your room?" Teddy's voice came from above her, just as her eyes were slipping shut.

She opened her tired eyes and saw him hovering over her, a blanket in hand just in case she did decide to sleep on the couch.

She smiled sleepily, reaching for his hand. "If I sleep on the couch can you stay with me?" She said, slightly slurring her words due to how fatigued she was.

"I don't know if your mum will like that, Ava." He replied, sitting down next to her. He ran his hand gently through her red hair, and she shut her eyes again, cheeks going red.

She pouted. "Come on, please cuddle with me?" She pleaded.

It was very hard for him to resist her when she did her puppy-dog eyes. "Fine. But if your dad comes downstairs and kills me, I'll blame you."

She scooted to the edge of the couch, giving him plenty of space to crawl behind her and be her big spoon. He snuck an arm under her head, and she laced her fingers through his. With his free hand, he pulled her closer until her back was pressed flush against his chest, and he anchored her to him with a hand on her belly.

"Are you comfortable?" He asked quietly, warm breath tickling her ear.

She shivered, tightening her grip on his hand. "Very much so."

"Goodnight, Ava. I love you."

avalon is so loved i'm soft