Part Three: Recognition

Part Three: Recognition

One month later ...

Teddy lay on his bed, his hands clasped behind his head as he stared unseeingly at the poster-covered walls. The room had been his when he was growing up, and although he had moved out soon after he had completed Hogwarts, his grandmother had not touched anything since. It looked and felt exactly the same.

Teddy only wished the same could be said about him.

Thirty days. It had been thirty days since his disastrous conversation with Abigail at Ben and Victoire's wedding. He hadn't been able to bring himself to contact her again. Foolishly, he had hoped that his declaration of love would be enough to convince her to give him another chance ... but she'd been justifiably angry and hurt.

More importantly, she was now with someone else. It seemed almost a daily occurrence to see her face smiling up at him from the gossip column of the Daily Prophet, always on the arm of the same man...Edward Albright. The reality crashed over him once again...he had been too late. She was gone from him forever.

Merlin knew he had tried to fix things. He had made his apologies, and measly though they might have been, they had been utterly sincere. Abigail had not forgiven him, however...and with good reason. He had been a total prat to her, and his stupidity had cost him not only her love, but knowing Abigail as he did, he was all but certain that their friendship was irrevocably damaged, as well.

Teddy had spent much of the past month contemplating his next course of action, and he had come to the conclusion that he would have to leave Britain. Unlike Abigail, he didn't think he was strong enough to stand by and watch as she made a life with someone else. It was time to go back to Romania and the reserve.

He rubbed his sternum with his fingers, hoping to alleviate the empty ache he felt in his chest. With a sigh, he got up and pulled his trunk away from the foot of the bed. He had cleared out his flat near the reserve in the hope that he would not be returning, and so all of his earthly possessions had been shrunk and stored inside his old school trunk. With the way things now stood, he was glad he'd only unpacked a few necessities. Within minutes, the rest of his belongings were packed away, and he was ready to leave Britain once again.

He was standing in the doorway, giving his old room one last lingering look, when his ruminations were interrupted by the voice of his grandmother.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked from behind him.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his dull, brown hair before turning to face her.

Andromeda Black Tonks had always been a formidable woman. When his parents had been killed in the war, Grandie Andie had taken him in and raised him as her own, even as she grieved the devastating losses of her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. She had never given in, never given up. Teddy had never known a stronger woman. He would miss her.

"Yeah, I just finished packing," he said. "I need to get back to the reserve."

She eyed him coolly, one perfect brow arching in query. "Is that so?"

His cheeks flamed, and his eyes dropped to the floor. "Yes."

"Hmm."

Teddy fought the urge to squirm under her steely gaze.

Finally, she nodded and turned to head back down the stairs to the kitchen. "Come with me, Ted."

He didn't like the sound of that. Grandie only called him Ted when she wanted to have a serious discussion for some transgression on his part. "I really ought to get going. I'd like to be at the reserve before dark."

She paused on the steps. "You will make time for your grandmother," she said firmly, and then she resumed her descent to the kitchen.

Teddy pressed his palms against his closed eyelids and sighed. He knew she would have her say one way or another. Might as well get it over with now, he thought, following her into the kitchen.

Andromeda was already sitting at the table when he arrived, her elegant hands clasped in front of her, her lips thinned into a disapproving line.

He felt like an errant schoolboy, unable to meet her eyes as he pulled out a chair and sat down. He stared at the top of the table, waiting, but she said nothing. Finally, he glanced up at her, only to flinch and look away at the cold expression on her face.

"What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing, boy?" she asked, her upper lip curling in distaste.

Teddy shifted in his seat. "I don't know what you mean."

The brow lifted again. "Oh, really?" she asked. "Tell me, were you planning to inform me of your departure before you left, or was this to be a repeat of the last time you ran away?"

"I didn't run away," he denied, his spine straightening with indignation.

She merely continued to look at him.

He slumped in the chair and shrugged. "Not exactly, anyway."

"And now?" Andromeda asked, her tone carefully neutral.

Teddy fidgeted in his seat again. "I was coming to tell you."

"Were you?" she replied sceptically. "And Harry? What about him? Were you planning to owl your godfather once you arrived?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but Andromeda continued to fire off questions.

"What about the rest of your friends? What about Abigail? Doesn't she have the right to know you're leaving again, or are you planning to leave her in the lurch for a second time?"

Teddy didn't appreciate the blatant reminder of the pain he'd caused his best friend. "I don't think that's any of your business."

"The hell it isn't!" Andromeda snapped. "And mind your tone, young man. I'm still your grandmother, and you will show some respect."

Chagrined, Teddy closed his eyes for a moment and then nodded. "I'm sorry, Grandie."

"As you should be," she replied with a haughty sniff. "Now, answer the damn question. Were you planning to leave without speaking with Abigail?"

He sighed and rubbed his face with one palm. "It doesn't matter. She doesn't care if I stay or go."

"You are an idiot."

Teddy groaned. "Grandie..."

But Andromeda was not finished. "Be quiet, Ted. You know it's true as well as I do. The girl was your best friend, and you mucked it up. I understood your infatuation with Victoire...hell, even your grandfather and I went in for a little slap and tickle with other people before we finally wised up and realised we were meant to be together."

"Grandie!" Teddy exclaimed, his eyes wide in mortification at his grandmother's words. The woman had never uttered a profanity in his presence, and in the last thirty seconds, three had slipped from her mouth. Now she was using the words "slap and tickle"...she was his grandmother! He had a distinct urge to Scourgify his brain.

Andromeda merely waved a dismissive hand. "The point is that Victoire was a lovely choice for a first girlfriend, but I was not the least bit surprised when the two of you called off your engagement. There was always something missing, something that didn't feel quite right.

"What I take issue with now is how you've treated the witch you claim to be your best friend. She doesn't deserve such thoughtless disregard from you ... especially since the situation is entirely your fault. Abigail has adored you since she was a child, and you have always encouraged it, even revelled in it."

"That's not true," Teddy insisted, struggling to remain calm in the wake of such an accusation. "I didn't even know she was in love with me until her eighteenth birthday."

"I didn't say anything about love, Teddy. I said that she adored you. Think very carefully. Remember how Abigail was always trailing after you? Remember how her face would light up whenever you entered a room, how she'd run to you and throw her arms around you in welcome?"

Teddy took a deep breath. Yes, he did remember, and he had enjoyed the attention that Abigail had always lavished on him...before he had bollixed everything up. "I suppose that's true, but I adored her just as much..."

"Perhaps," Andromeda interrupted, "but not enough to see what was right in front of you. What did you think her reaction would be when you started avoiding her? Did you ever consider how it would hurt her when you left for Romania?"

"I didn't know what else to do. I ... she ...." Teddy let his head fall onto the table and spoke into the wood grain. "I told myself it was just a crush, and that if I left, she would get over it. Things would go back to the way they were before."

Andromeda nodded curtly. "As I suspected. Well," she said with another sniff, "normally I would be proud of you for taking after your father ... but not today."

Teddy lifted his head and stared at his grandmother in bewilderment.

The corner of her mouth rose in a humourless smile. "I see I have your attention." She nodded, almost as if in confirmation, and then said, "Sit up, Teddy. You'll be interested in hearing this. I don't think I've ever told you about the times your father left your mother."

At the mention of his parents, Teddy was instantly alert. He sat up in his chair and prepared to pay close attention to his grandmother's words. Discussing his parents had always been difficult for her, and so she rarely indulged in storytelling, leaving such "sentimental claptrap" to his godfather.

"Ah, Teddy," Andromeda said, her eyes glazing over as she remembered her only child, "my Nymphadora was such a delightful girl, filled with mischief and a zeal for life that I must admit, I often didn't understand. She was always so clumsy, and Merlin, did that girl speak her mind. She was such a troublemaker...she didn't make prefect at Hogwarts, thanks to her penchant for misbehaviour, and yet she was also very loving and kind, so loyal and hardworking. A Hufflepuff like you, you know," she inserted with a fond smile. "When she left Hogwarts, she worked very hard to become an Auror, and as you well know, she eventually joined the Order of the Phoenix. I couldn't be more proud of the woman she became.

"She met Remus Lupin through the Order and fell in love at first sight. I'll never forget it...she Apparated directly into your grandfather's and my bedroom in the middle of the night and woke us up when she knocked over a lamp. She'd come directly from Grimmauld Place and proceeded to natter on about your father for at least a full quarter of an hour before she realised that she'd popped into our bedroom at two in the morning. I knew immediately that she was smitten." Andromeda smiled fondly at the memory.

"And Dad?" Teddy asked, amazed and pleased by his grandmother's willingness to talk at length about his parents.

"Your father was a kind, gentle man with a heart of gold. He cared more about others than himself and was loyal to a fault. He had such a lonely childhood, and it wasn't until Hogwarts that he ever felt even a smidgen of acceptance. The few true friendships he had were priceless to him, and the betrayal by that rat Pettigrew, combined with the losses of James and Sirius, nearly broke him. He was a powerful wizard and a wonderful person."

Her fond expression turned serious as she continued. "However, Remus had his faults, just as your mother did. The worst was the way he used his lycanthropy as an excuse to hold people at what he considered a safe distance, telling himself it was for their benefit. The truth was, he was frightened of being hurt, of being rejected. It worked quite well for him, until he met your mother."

"What happened?"

Andromeda smiled, her eyes sparkling. "She refused to remain at a 'safe distance.' However, your father had fallen in love with her, too, you see, but he couldn't accept that. He told her that he was flattered that she fancied him, but it was nothing more than a crush, something that would fade with time and distance. Your mother was devastated when he turned her away again and again. When she was finally able to convince him that what she felt for him was love, he unilaterally decided that he was not young enough, rich enough, or safe enough for Nymphadora. He spent months denying that his actions were hurting her far more than the monster inside of him ever could."

"He wanted what was best for her, to keep her safe," Teddy said, feeling the need to somehow defend his father's actions.

His grandmother nodded. "He did, and yet, she was absolutely miserable without him. In fact, her normally pink hair looked, then, much like yours does, now." Andromeda paused and tilted her head in contemplation. "Yes. In appearance you are very much like your mother, but you are your father through and through, aren't you? A good heart, a gentle soul ... yet you do what you think is best and damn the consequences for anyone else."

"That's not true!" He didn't do that ... did he?

"It's true," she interjected, one shoulder lifting in an understated shrug. "But we'll deal with you later...let's return to your parents' story. Whilst your father may have been adamant, your mother was even more determined. Eventually, Nymphadora wore through his resistance, and they finally married. However, when she became pregnant with you, all of Remus' insecurities and fears returned with a vengeance. I'm certain his decision to leave your mother caused him pain, but it was nothing compared to the agony that Nymphadora experienced. Your father, at least, believed he was doing the right thing. Your mother had no such solace...she only knew that her husband and the father of her child had abandoned her. Eventually, he pulled his head out of his arse and went home to his wife, but not before he had caused great pain to the woman he so adored."

Andromeda fell silent for a moment, visibly contemplating her words. "On the surface, the situation with you and Abigail is obviously much different, but I suspect that you have indeed hurt her a great deal and will continue to hurt her if you persist on this current path."

Teddy remained silent, but his mind was whirling. Abigail's pain had to have been tenfold what he was experiencing now. She had loved him for almost her entire life, whilst he had only been aware of his feelings for a few months. She'd watched him with Victoire for years, whereas he had only had to endure seeing her with another man for a few short hours. He had been the one to cast aside her friendship, telling himself it was for her own good, and he had been the one to abandon her, dismissing her feelings as nothing more than childhood crush. If his pain were so acute now, he could scarcely imagine the agony he had unknowingly put Abigail through over the years.

He felt raw and exposed as he finally allowed himself to recognise the agonising truth. Abigail was his best friend, and he loved her, yet Grandie was right...he had made decisions without even considering her feelings in the matter. Like his father, he had done as he'd thought best and refused to acknowledge the pain of the woman who loved him.

"She deserves more than me," he muttered under his breath. "I've caused her so much pain. I should just leave and let her live her life..."

"There! You see?" Andromeda snapped, slapping her hand upon the table. "You're doing it again! Or are you being deliberately obtuse? You're just like your father, deciding what is and isn't best for someone else! Let me tell you something, Ted Remus Lupin. If your father were here today, he would tell you to stop being such an arse. He would tell you that time is too precious, life too short." She reached out her hands and cupped his cheeks, her expression fierce. "He would tell you that when you find love, you must grab it with both hands and never let go. Don't waste a single moment. That's what he would say to you, Teddy. That's what he would want you to know. You have to decide: are you going to allow this agony to continue, or will you be the man I raised you to be and make things right?"

Teddy closed his eyes and placed his palm over his grandmother's hand, leaning into her comforting touch. "I love her...I do...but it's too late, Grandie," he choked out. "I ruined everything by leaving the way I did. I should have told her something ... anything! But I didn't, and then I only made things worse when I came back. I doubt she wants to even be my friend after the way I've treated her, and she certainly doesn't love me anymore. Not that I blame her."

"What makes you say that?" Andromeda murmured softly, her thumb stroking soothingly across his cheek.

"She's moved on...she's with someone else." His heart clenched as he remembered her dancing and laughing in Edward Albright's arms.

Andromeda released his face and sat back in her chair, smiling widely. "Is she, now?"

Stung by his grandmother's apparent lack of compassion, he groused, "Yes, she is. I saw them together with my own eyes."

She stood and picked up the Daily Prophet from the kitchen counter. "Well, then. Explain this," she said as she tossed the newspaper onto the table.

Teddy sighed and looked down, his eyes widening as he read the headline.

WAR HEROES' DAUGHTER SPLITS FROM UP AND COMING POLITICAL FIGURE

Teddy shook his head in disbelief. Was it possible?

His grandmother laughed in smug satisfaction. "It's time to grovel, my dear. I do hope your knees are up to the task."

The young witch flung the Daily Prophet onto the kitchen table. Her grandmother, Eileen Prince, ignored the display of temper and continued to delicately sip her morning tea.

"Did you see this?" Abigail ranted as she threw herself into one of the wooden chairs. "I can't believe Edward gave Rita Skeeter, of all people, an interview about our break-up! No. You know what? I can believe it! That man will do anything to see his name in the paper."

Abigail folded her arms across her chest, fully aware that she was sulking but not caring in the slightest. She had known that Edward had been using her, seeing their relationship as nothing more than another rung on his climb up the political ladder, but she had hoped he might care for her at least a little. Granted she had been using him as well, though her reasons had been rooted in emotion rather than ambition, thereby justifying her actions ... in her opinion, anyway.

Even so, she had been surprised and to her dismay, somewhat hurt by the events that had occurred earlier that week. She had gone to dinner with Edward on Wednesday, just as she had every Wednesday for the past three months, and as always, he had selected a restaurant where they would be seen. No quiet, romantic dinners for them. Oh, no. Instead, they had publicity stunts aimed at furthering Edward's political aspirations.

They had been in the middle of the soup course, Edward prattling on about some new measure the Wizengamot was considering implementing, when Abigail had suddenly had enough. She had calmly put down her spoon and reached across the table to place a hand on his forearm. He had immediately ceased talking and looked at her quizzically. Abigail had simply stated that she believed their relationship had run its course and it was time to move on.

Edward's response had been most unflattering. He had grinned widely and said, "Do you think? Fabulous! Just think of all the sympathetic press I'll receive when I tell the wizarding world that you dumped me!"

Abigail had never been so angry in her life. She had called him a very nasty name and then stormed from the restaurant. Edward had sent her a bouquet of a flowers and a card the next day congratulating her on her "stunningly dramatic" exit.

She had tossed both the card and the flowers into the rubbish bin ... after she had shredded them to bits with her bare hands. She had immediately fled London for Mousehole, seeking sanctuary and solace...and perhaps a bit of spoiling...at her grandmother's cottage.

"I don't know what I saw in that man," she muttered aloud.

"Oh, please," Eileen said, startling Abigail from her reverie. "You know exactly what you saw in him. Don't play coy now, darling."

Abigail's wide eyes and raised brows presented the perfect picture of innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about, Gran."

Eileen rolled her eyes. "You most certainly do. You saw a distraction, something to appease the loneliness. You saw someone who was as different from Ted Lupin as possible."

Abigail prepared to protest but at her grandmother's knowing look, closed her mouth with a snap. She slumped into her chair and then offered a tiny, sheepish smile. "Was I that obvious?" she asked softly.

"Not at all," Eileen replied, her lips twitching in amusement.

Abigail groaned at her grandmother's blatant attempt to appease her. "Wonderful," she muttered. "Everyone knows what a fool I am."

"No one ever thought you were a fool," Eileen said with an affectionate pat to Abigail's cheek. "When you were younger, we all found your crush on Teddy adorable. As you grew older, I'll admit, your parents and I became concerned that your feelings for him were deepening, while his ..."

"Were not," Abigail whispered, unable to meet her grandmother's gaze.

Eileen smiled apologetically. "Not at that time, no. I'm not certain I could say the same today, however."

Abigail's eyes flew to her grandmother's face. "What do you mean?"

"From what I have seen, it's quite obvious that Teddy is head over heels in love with you."

Abigail stiffened and schooled her features into something she hoped resembled cool indifference.

Eileen chuckled. "No use trying that with me, dear heart. I'm quite the expert at reading Slytherins. Something has happened ... am I right?"

Knowing that she would never be able to put one past her grandmother, Abigail gave up and nodded. "He ... approached me ... at Ben and Victoire's wedding," she said slowly.

"Did he?"

"He said that he loves me," Abigail said in a blasé tone.

An amused smile played about Eileen's lips. "I see. And ...?"

"I told him to get lost."

Eileen stilled at Abigail's smug announcement, her teacup suspended in midair. Incredulous, she asked, "Why in the world did you do that?"

Abigail sighed. "It's a long story, Gran."

"I have nothing better to do this morning."

Pushing away from the table, Abigail paced the length of the small kitchen. "He is ... was my best friend. I might have fallen in love with him, but I always put our friendship first! I sacrificed my own happiness for his! I thought ..." She faltered for a moment, the pain of his most recent revelation still fresh. "I thought he would never lie to me, never leave me. And yet he did both."

Eileen tilted her head to the side. "Nicely avoided, but it won't work. What happened ... specifically?" she asked with a pointed stare.

Sulking a bit at having been unable to evade her grandmother's question, Abigail returned to her seat. Over the next thirty minutes, she told her grandmother everything: how she had fallen for her best friend, the pain of watching him with Victoire, the confusion she had felt when he had begun avoiding her, the joy and guilt when she had learnt he wasn't going to marry Victoire after all, and the horrific, unbearable agony of him leaving Britain without even so much as a goodbye. And then she shared her mortification and the terrible hurt she had felt when Teddy had revealed to her that he had known of her feelings ... and that it was that knowledge which had caused him to leave.

"He thinks he can just Apparate back into my life, say he's sorry, and all will be well! But I can't do it, Gran," she concluded. Her chin tilted stubbornly and her eyes now sparkled with tears she absolutely refused to allow to fall. "I won't do it. I have loved Teddy my whole life, and it has brought me nothing but pain. I won't let him have that kind of power over me again. I won't let him hurt me anymore."

Eileen had remained silent as her granddaughter had poured out her heart. She smirked at Abigail's exaggeration. "Nothing but pain?"

Abigail blushed and shrugged. "All right, so maybe that's going a bit far, but it does...did...hurt," she said with a small pout.

Eileen considered her words carefully, and then finally, she spoke. "In some ways, you are so much like your father."

Abigail smiled softly, even though she was confused by her grandmother's words. Yes, she was like her father...everyone knew that...but what did this have to do with Teddy being a prat?

"Has Severus ever told you about his first love?"

The smile turned into a small frown. "You mean Uncle Harry's mum? I know a bit. Daddy doesn't talk about the past much. He says he'd much rather concentrate on the here and now."

"Yes," Eileen said fondly. "Yes, I'm sure he would. I suppose it's up to me to tell you the story, then."

Abigail leant forward, eager to hear about her father's younger years but a bit unsure about listening to stories about his love for any woman but her mum.

"It started when your father was but a boy, not yet even old enough to attend Hogwarts," Eileen began. "Lily Evans lived nearby and frequently played in the park a few streets away from our home. Your father saw her there, and he soon realised that she was a Muggle-born witch. He was utterly fascinated by her and observed her for a very long time, until one day, he finally gathered up the courage to speak to her." Eileen's eyes filled with empathy. "It didn't go as he had planned, but in spite of his less than smooth efforts, they still became friends ... the best of friends. As they grew older, Severus' infatuation deepened into love, but Lily ... well, she became concerned with your father's increasing interest in the Dark Arts, as well as his Slytherin friends. And then it happened."

Abigail was completely entranced by this point. "What happened?" she breathed.

"Your father was being harassed by a group of boys who called themselves 'The Marauders.' You know who they are, don't you?"

Abigail nodded. Growing up with Harry Potter as an uncle, she certainly had heard stories involving his father, James, his godfather, Sirius Black, and Teddy's father, Remus. No one bothered to mention the traitor.

"Well," Eileen continued, "they may have grown into decent young men...some of them anyway...but at the time, they were the worst sort of bullies. One day, James Potter used a spell to hoist your father up in the air, upside down ... and Severus was not wearing trousers beneath his robes. Everyone in the vicinity, including Lily, was treated to the sight of his underpants."

"Oh, my gods. How cruel," Abigail whispered. She could only imagine the crushing embarrassment and impotent rage her father must have felt. "And Teddy's father was involved in this?" It didn't sound possible; she had only heard the best of things about Remus Lupin...teacher, friend, husband, father ... hero.

"Not actively, no," Eileen replied. "But he didn't do anything to stop it, either. You know of Remus' ... affliction. He needed James and Sirius. He was willing to look the other way in order to not risk their friendship."

Abigail was horrified for her father's sake. She could only imagine the humiliation he must have felt, to have been exposed in such a way in front of the girl he loved.

"That's not the worst of it," Eileen murmured. "They hexed him so that he couldn't move, mocking him the entire time, and then when Severus became angry and spewed out a litany of swearwords, James decided to wash out your father's mouth."

"What did he do?" Abigail asked, her throat tight and vision blurring with unshed tears as she tried to imagine her father...the strongest, bravest, most loving man she knew...at the mercy of some bully's wand.

"Scourgify," her grandmother answered flatly.

Abigail gasped in shock. "He could have choked to death!"

"Yes, quite. Lily was outraged and entered right into the fray, demanding that they leave Severus alone. Words were exchanged, as were a few hexes, until Lily finally shouted at them to stop and drew her own wand."

"Oh, no," Abigail breathed. She knew her father very well...his pride would have already been wounded by the mere presence of Lily, but for her to jump to his defence .... She knew his reaction could not have been good. "What did he do?"

Eileen was silent for a moment, and the suspense was killing Abigail. She leant forward and grasped her grandmother's hand. "What did he do, Gran?"

Black eyes met brown, and Eileen calmly said, "He said that he didn't need help from a filthy little Mudblood."

Abigail's expression crumpled at the hateful words, and the dreaded tears that she had so desperately tried to contain spilled down her cheeks. "No," she said, not believing for a moment that her father would utter that word. "No, he wouldn't ever say such a thing."

"Not now, no. But then ...." Eileen paused, and Abigail shook her head in denial. "He was a teenage boy, Abigail, who had been taunted and bullied by these same boys repeatedly for years. Lily's words were not alleviating the situation...they were only making it worse. In his shame and anger, Severus uttered the one word he knew would make her stop. And it worked better than he could have imagined."

A new sense of dread washed over Abigail. "Why? What happened?"

"Lily returned his hateful words with ones of her own, and then she turned her back on him ... for good."

"What?" Abigail knew her father; his temper would have cooled almost immediately, and he would have been filled with remorse. "Surely he begged for her forgiveness."

Eileen nodded and replied coolly, "He did...repeatedly...but Lily refused to have anything to do with him. Your father was crushed, and without her friendship and affection, he turned inward, throwing himself fully into the Dark Arts. Whilst Lily became involved with James Potter, your father stupidly decided to join the Death Eaters. When the Potters were targeted by Voldemort to be killed, Severus blamed himself and went to Albus Dumbledore, who was more than happy to use your father's guilt for his own advantage in the war. As you know, it wasn't enough, and Lily died protecting Harry. Your father spent almost two decades as a spy in an effort to earn the forgiveness of a dead woman who had never felt the same depth of emotion for him as he did for her, who had knowingly thrown him to the wolves."

Eileen stopped, her eyes closing as she deeply inhaled in an effort to calm herself. "I'm sorry, Abigail. I'm afraid I don't have much sympathy for Lily Potter, given that she gave up on my son, knowing his history and his ... home life. And all over a word that was spoken in a moment of anger, pride, and desperation. You see, she never did forgive him. Not ever. And your father was unable to forgive himself ... until your mother came along. Her love saved him, and he survived because of her."

Abigail smiled as she wiped the dampness from her cheeks with her fingers, and then her brow furrowed in contemplation. Her grandmother would not have revealed such personal details of her father's history without reason. "Why are you telling me this, Gran?"

Eileen's sharp gaze pierced her. "I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to consider it carefully."

With a shrug, Abigail agreed. "All right."

"I want you to think about Teddy and all that has happened. Now, think of what I just told you about your father and Lily Potter. Tell me, whose part would you have played in that scenario...Severus' or Lily's?"

Abigail didn't have to consider her answer. She confidently replied, "Daddy's, of course."

Eileen stood, the chair scraping lightly against the floor, and then she smiled sadly. "Are you certain of that, dear heart? I think perhaps you need to think about it for a while."

Abigail watched in shock as her grandmother left the kitchen. "What in the world is she talking about?" she muttered petulantly, under her breath. "Over twenty years of unrequited love for your best friend ... I know exactly what that feels like. It's obvious I'm just like Daddy."

Unbidden, the memory of Teddy in Molly Weasley's garden came to mind.

"I love you."

"You aren't forgiven."

Abigail winced as she remembered her words and Teddy's pain-filled eyes. But she had good reason to refuse his apologies! He'd hurt her terribly by leaving her the way he did, by not loving her the way she loved him. He didn't deserve her forgiveness after the way he'd treated her ....

She groaned and slumped down in her chair, covering her face with her hands. Perhaps she was more like Lily than she cared to believe. Teddy had been her best friend for most of her life, and yet she was holding on to her anger with both hands, lashing out and hurting him for something that wasn't entirely his fault. He couldn't help that he hadn't fallen in love with her, and he'd explained why he had left the way he had. Given the situation, she supposed she could understand his reasoning.

What would she have done, if the situation had been reversed? She tried to imagine it, the confusion and discomfort he must have felt at knowing his best friend had fallen in love with him even as he was engaged to marry someone else.

Now, he had said he loved her. Did he really? Or was he deluding himself in an attempt to win back her affections?

Shaking her head, she dropped her hands in her lap and lifted her gaze to the ceiling as if calling on a higher source for help. Regardless of Teddy's motives, she had to decide who she was going to be. Was she going to be like Lily and refuse to listen, refuse to forgive? Was she really willing to throw away her friendship with Teddy just because he was an idiot and made one stupid mistake...one he seemed desperate to make amends for?

Or would she be like her father and risk her heart once more?

Sitting at her grandmother's kitchen table, Abigail grappled with her roiling emotions until, at last, she came to a decision.

There really wasn't any other choice.

She was her father's daughter.

A/N: Thanks as always to my fabulous beta readers, Subversa and DeeMichelle, and my wonderful Brit picker, LettyBird. I'd also like to thank GinnyW and AnnieTalbot for looking over this chapter and easing my concerns. Part Three is dedicated to MollysSister -- Eileen's appearance is for you, my friend!

You may have noticed that this is not the final chapter. There will be one more.