CHAPTER TEN

Teddy honestly had no idea where things were headed with Aviana. The very day he managed to have a proper conversation with her, he was utterly baffled when they ended up spending hours just sharing tidbits about themselves.

Teddy even dared to ask why she hadn't freaked out upon hearing that his father was a werewolf. Her response, however, completely bewildered him.

"What is there to freak about? Aren't we all anomalies in the end?"

When Aviana uttered those words, Teddy couldn't help but burst into laughter. It was a mix of relief and surprise, all wrapped into one unexpected gesture. Although it wasn't something he anticipated, Teddy found it to be another first he encountered with Aviana.

He wondered if his father would have been offended, but instead, in his mind's eye, he saw his parents and Uncle Ezekiel chuckling along with them.

Perhaps in different circumstances, it might have been offensive, but for now, Teddy found himself comfortable enough to assume that those close to him would find humour in it rather than react with anger or offence.

When their conversation reached its conclusion, Teddy was somewhat reluctant at the prospect of it being a one-off encounter. But, lacking the courage to ask if there would be a next time, he simply left things as they stood, feeling a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.

The following day, Teddy was taken aback to find Aviana approaching him once again, just as she had done the day before.

Aviana teased as she took a seat across from him, her eyes sparkling with mischief," Now this look on your face tells me a lot of things. One possibility is that you just ate something peculiar, while the other possibility is that you're overjoyed to see me this early in the morning."

"I could argue that it's neither of those," Teddy responded, shaking his head gently. "I thought you were good at 'people watching.'"

In response to his dry humour, Aviana shot back, leaning on her palms, "I can tell that your sense of humour is extra dry today. Admit it, you expected me to continue our game of tag, didn't you?"

"What gave it away?" Teddy replied with a note of sarcasm, setting down his eating utensils.

Aviana chuckled and narrowed her gaze, commenting, "So, it seems you do possess a touch of sarcasm. That's quite intriguing"

Teddy raised an eyebrow in mock suspicion, asking, "Should I be concerned about you knowing that fact?" Aviana simply laughed at his words and continued to engage in lighthearted banter with him.

As the banter escalated, Teddy and Aviana found themselves engaged in a battle of wits—trying to out-sass each other and keep up with their quick remarks. However, Teddy noticed something. No matter how sharp and humorous his responses were, Aviana's confidence never seemed to waver.

They were so engrossed in their witty jesting, completely oblivious to the two students approaching them—a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor.

Victoire and Skylar exchanged amused glances, mischievous smiles appearing on their faces. Though they didn't fully understand the scene before them, an irresistible urge to exploit the situation and gather information struck them.

"So~" Skylar began, taking a seat to Aviana's left while Victoire settled on her right, a mischievous grin playing on their lips.

Victoire, with her eyes fixed on the Slytherin girl between her and Skylar, asked, "What do we have going on here?"

Teddy, recognizing the impending situation, let out a sigh. "Oh, Merlin," he groaned, pressing his palm against his face.

"Victoire Weasley and Skylar Black," Aviana greeted with a hint of enthusiasm in her voice, "It's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm Aviana Moon—though I have a feeling you were probably already aware of that."

Skylar chimed in with a playful tone, "Indeed, it would be quite detrimental to my reputation if I didn't know such a lovely face like yours."

At his suggestive remark, Victoire reacted by rolling her eyes and pushing his face away, maintaining a close distance between herself and Aviana.

Victoire shot Skylar a stern glare and prodded his forehead with some force, warning Aviana, "Be cautious around this one. He's quite hazardous to the female population."

Aviana chuckled and affirmed with a raised thumb, "Message received."

As Teddy observed the interaction between the three, a smile slowly appeared on his face behind the hand covering his mouth. Before he knew it, he was fully engrossed in the conversation, his presence forgotten in the midst of the engaging exchange.

Even if the trio were aware of the odd stares directed their way, it seemed they didn't pay it any mind, lost in their effortless banter.