[OPEN] S'no(w) Business

Snow was abating. Though, granted, this was natural snow and not the nonsense that they had been plagued with in the New Year. Real snow. More was promised by the weather wizards but there were signs of spring all around and Theodore was allowed a rare moment to bask in it with his daughter. She was hopping along in the whiteness with the dog he had stolen from the Hayes’ for that morning, Millie happy to give Bean up for the walk he was offering to take him on. So, along with Esme the Labrador snuffled, chasing after her when she ran away from him. Sat on a low wall, Theodore was content to watch her from the courtyard, trusting the dog to keep her safe but still keeping an eye on her in case.

Birds twittered about from the naked trees, singing to each other and in many cases bickering. He couldn’t help but smile at them as he shivered into his coat. The Headmaster had forgotten how much he truly loved the countryside. He had forgotten, in many ways, how quiet and tranquil it all was. It made him want to live at Hogwarts permanently but it would do no good to his daughter, even if she would have lots of other children to play with given the legacy of the marriage law. No, he needed to stay in London, even if it was miserable to have to come back up every day. The Hayes’ could look after the castle in his absence, he knew.

Esme threw a snowball at Bean, much to the dog’s horror and soon he gave chase, leaving Theodore merely to chuckle as he sat upon the wall, shaking his head. It was a wonderful sight really, watching as his daughter ploughed through the snow, the dog knocking her over only to pull her back up onto her feet again. It was this strange sort of comradery that he felt he’d missed as a boy. That said, he’d missed a lot as a boy. His hand twitched at the mere thought of it. Perhaps the country was the best place for her. He didn’t know so much about what was right or wrong when it came to raising a child. He’d consult Keiran later, he thought.

Footsteps through the snow made Theodore look up and he turned away to look at the origin of the sound, offering a smile to the person approaching, bundled up against the chilly wind.

Lily hadn't stayed at home long for the holidays. Home was Stewart's anyway. Even though he had promised her that there was no problem having her stay there, Lily had not been able to shake the feeling that Harding's home was just another place where she was in the way. She had requested to come back almost immediately and the headmaster had answered back and allowed her to come back to Hogwarts early. She couldn't go home to her brothers, couldn't continue to burden Stewart, and her godbrother was... well, she was just afraid to see his face now.

But, alas. She had finally had to answer to Teddy when he showed up on the grounds to help the Hayes with counseling. He had waited next to the Fat Lady portrait for her for, if she remembered correctly - "three whole hours he's been standing here, refusing to talk to me! Missy, you better handle this problem, and you'd better handle it now!"

Breaking Casey's heart had hurt, but seeing the younger girl's heart harden against her had helped. Teddy, however, hadn't given up on her at all. She could see it in the anguish, in the hurt, in the shame and guilt he felt for having not been man enough to intervene before. The day that she had been born not a sibling to Teddy Lupin had been a grave mistake on the part of whoever controlled such things. But she had not been able to do more than ask that he believe her when she said she did not need Christmas with anyone.

She made sure not to cry until Teddy was gone.

That had been before Christmas, though. Christmas had come, it had gone, and classes had begun slowly. It was an early Sunday morning and Lily was going for a walk - it was this new thing she was trying. Her head was an aching mess of bad thoughts, and she liked to fill her head with images of snowy banks and stone walls instead. She was dressed like a hobo, though she thought she always looked a little bit homeless. It helped her feel invisible, and that was the safest thing to be at Hogwarts when you were a Potter.

She rarely encountered people on her walks. She liked to go around the lake, walk alongside the forest, circle the Quidditch pitch, and then rest in the courtyard, and it was typically before most people in the castle even woke uo. Today, however, as she approached the courtyard, she heard the tell-tale sounds of people and activity. There was the barking of a dog, the laughter of children - was she still at Hogwarts?

She came around a wall and found herself next to her Headmaster. She stopped in her tracks, the Vonnegut novel in her hand drooping slightly. She turned her head, taking in the view of child and dog playing. Her large eyes blinked and she suddenly realized she had lingered - there was no way she could just raise a hand in greeting and hurry on. She turned and leaned against the wall, tucking her book behind her as her eyes followed the dog. "'Lo, Headmaster."

((slight godmode about the request. Hope you don't mind!))