a long road ahead

Alex's voice trembled with vulnerability as he confided in Teddy, his feelings laid bare. "If I go to St. Mungo's, I'll be even more isolated. Being alone isn't enjoyable anymore." It puzzled him why he found solace in opening up to Teddy and Lily, but the experience felt comforting, a departure from the judgment he often faced. It was a new and unfamiliar sensation, leaving him struggling to fully comprehend its implications. Meeting Teddy's gaze once more, Alex expressed his heartfelt desire, "I don't want to be alone anymore."

Alex's words hung in the air, heavy with his longing for companionship. The weight of his loneliness seemed to intensify as he contemplated the implications of his plea. Opening up to Teddy and Lily had allowed him to glimpse a version of himself beyond the mistakes he had made, and it stirred a newfound yearning within him.

He looked at Teddy, his eyes revealing a mix of hope and apprehension. The vulnerability in his voice echoed the depths of his emotions. "I've spent so long isolated, ignored by the two people who were supposed to care about me.," Alex admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze shifted to Lily once again hoping she wouldn’t stay mad at him once again for not wanting to go to St. Mongos. Alex's heart brimmed with a fragile hope, unsure of what lay ahead but willing to take the leap into the unknown.

Teddy listened patiently. Deep down he marveled at the difference in Alex, in just a matter of weeks no less. Alexander Greengrass, who has buried his head in the sand and laid all the blame at the feet of Miss Kane, who acted as though it was all born of jealousy of him, the high and mighty. To now have self reflected to the point of humility and vulnerability, to lay bear the needs unmet.

It was beautiful. Even in the sadness.

Alex turned back to look at him and Teddy easily met his eyes.

“One of the worst parts about my job,” Teddy began, “Is meeting kids who have parents who don’t realize how special their child is. I’m sorry for it, Alex. I really am.”

His voice was low. Parents did not take well to professors challenging their parenting (or lack thereof) and even a famous Lupin was not above being censured by the board of governors. But Alex needed to know.

“And you don’t have to be alone,” Teddy said. “We can arrange to ensure that. My uncle and cousin are actually sort of the people in charge there. I can make sure you’re not only not alone, but that you get support from people who care.”

The concept of being alone held a myriad of meanings for Alexander, each deeply personal. It could manifest as complete physical isolation or feeling invisible amidst a crowd of people. In his short fifteen years, he had experienced various shades of loneliness, leaving an indelible mark on his soul.

"But even if I'm not alone," he continued, his voice tinged with vulnerability, "I wouldn't know them." The only respite from his solitude had been in the confines of the dungeon with Lily, where a unique bond had formed. Even in their quiet coexistence, there was an unspoken understanding, a shared purpose in their work. Alexander had come to appreciate those moments spent together, and it was the fear of losing that connection, that undefined but precious bond, which prompted his introspection. It was the catalyst that set off a chain reaction, propelling him toward change.

He paused for a moment, searching for the right words to convey his feelings. "She's the closest thing I've ever had to a friend," he murmured softly, the weight of his emotions evident. "Lily... she's genuinely good, in a way that I can't quite explain." The depth of his admiration for her shone through, as he whispered the sentiment with both reverence and apprehension, aware of the significance it held in his evolving journey.

The hospital wing was quiet and still. The Matron and her staff had slipped into the back offices with only Alex and Lily to tend to, and Teddy there to briefly bear their burden.

In that quiet, truth spilled forward.

Teddy listened with an open heart and open mind as Alexander treaded into this unexplored water. His voice was silent but it filled the the Wing, his emotion expanding to fill the quiet emptiness. Teddy met his gaze with understanding, feeling that Alex did see his dear sister in the way she was.

Teddy opened his mouth to speak, but found himself interrupted.

“I’ll go with you.”

Teddy started in surprise and turned towards the voice, only to see Lily, who had turned and was looking at Alexander. She pushed herself up, a bit weakly.

“Lily…” Teddy began, turning in his seat, opening his mouth to encourage her to relax, to rest.

But she sat all the way up and kept her gaze on Alex. “I’ll go with you. Teddy can write me a note, and Khaat and Robert will let me stay past visiting hours. I’ll go.”

She didn’t speak the rest. She didn’t need to.

And you won’t be alone.

The well-known tale of Teddy Lupin, the child of Lupin and Tonks, taken in and raised as their own by Harry and Ginny Potter, was ingrained in the collective memory. Nevertheless, it still caught Alex off guard when Lily addressed Teddy by his name. His heart skipped a beat as he exchanged glances between Teddy and Lily, a multitude of emotions swirling within him.

Words eluded him, leaving Alex at a loss. He yearned to express himself, to let them know how their kindness had touched him, but he found himself tongue-tied. With a mix of trepidation and anticipation, he mustered the courage to rise once more, unintentionally letting the towel slip from his head, forgotten in the wake of his overwhelming emotions.

Deep down, Alex recognized that no one had ever shown such care or offered such genuine kindness to him before. It resonated with him on a profound level, stirring something within his heart. There was an undeniable gravitational pull towards Lily, an inexplicable connection that made him feel both seen and valued. Perhaps, in the midst of it all, a flicker of a crush blossomed within him, coloring his interactions with a delicate blend of admiration and affection. "B-but what about school?" he finally managed blurt out in a stammer.

Consciousness had started to seep into her exhausted bones at Teddy’s soft touch. She’d felt it in her dreams, swirling things about soft leaves and the smell of potions. At one point she’d been in a greenhouse, harvesting not just herbs and plants for her potions, but some just for her. Bushels of lavender and poppies.

Their voices were low, soft, and comforting, and it made the transition from sleep into wakefulness pleasant, despite the throbbing ache still deep in her bones. There was something reassuring about hearing them speak, about finally witnessing the interaction between her brother and this friend of hers that Teddy knew of but had no context for, beyond his misdeeds.

They were speaking softly but there were no other noises to distract, and so she could hear Alex, and the fear and pain in his voice. The idea did not come from a sense of stubbornness, from getting him to Mungo’s no matter what, but instead to prove what she had been struggling to express. That if he was serious about making the right choices, she’d be there to see it through.

Teddy was looking at her and even without meeting his gaze she knew he was trying to check in, to make sure she meant it.

Lily shrugged. “I get good grades, what’s a few days? I also have a connection to a professor who can probably get me the assignments. We can work on them while we wait.” She looked at Teddy. “Right?”

He just stared.

Alexander's feet found the floor as he moved to the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on Lily in a mix of disbelief and hope. When Lily's gaze shifted towards Teddy, he instinctively followed, contemplating the possibility that had been presented to him. It was a decision that could potentially change the course of his life.

"Why?" The word escaped his lips, laden with curiosity and a hint of trepidation, as his gaze returned to Lily. His voice trembled with a mix of uncertainty and longing, seeking an explanation that would help him make sense of the newfound opportunity before him. In that moment, Alexander's vulnerability and yearning for connection hung in the air, awaiting Lily's response.

He was shocked. Of course he was shocked. Every instance of kindness, all of the times she had insisted he accept any form of self-care, it had all been challenged. He didn’t know how to deal with kindness.

So she wasn’t going to make it complicated.

“Because I want to.”

Her words lingered in the space between them, resonating deeply within Alexander. The genuine care and support Lily expressed stirred a mixture of gratitude and bewilderment within him. He couldn't fathom what he had done to warrant such kindness, yet he cherished every ounce of it.

Turning his gaze back to Teddy, Alexander's voice quivered with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. "Is it possible? Could she... be there for me?" The question tumbled from his lips, revealing his longing for connection and a genuine desire to believe in the possibility that Lily's words held. In that moment, he looked to Teddy for reassurance, hoping for a response that would affirm the glimmer of hope that had taken root within him.

Teddy had hoped for Lily to find friendship and company after her attack. He hadn’t expected it in this form, whatever this was, but he was going to trust her instincts.

Alex turned to him for confirmation and Teddy nodded. “Between my tenure here and my connections at Mungo’s… yeah. I can make it happen.”

“Even if he couldn’t,” Lily said. “The offer still stands.”

Teddy turned back to Alex and smiled. “We can make sure it was only a day, maybe two tops. A very odd day off.”