Selenophilia

1 September 2009

It was in the following fortnight that the time finally arrived for Teddy to go to Hogwarts. He had clearly recalled the shock he felt upon receiving a letter allowing him to bring Lupa to school, and obviously Victoire was allowed to bring her Dragon too. The time was exactly Ten o’ clock, and the family had now left. Harry, since taking in Teddy, had become the father of three children: James Sirius Potter, who had been born when Teddy was seven, and was now four; Albus Severus Potter, who was three, and a year younger than his older brother; and finally, Lily Luna Potter, who was barely one.

”Ginny? Could you get the kids ready please?” Harry called from downstairs, packing a backpack with snacks quickly.

”Sure- No! Albus! Get back here!”

Harry and Teddy both laughed, before Teddy said, slightly surprised: “They’re coming?”

He smiled, giving James, who had just run down the stairs, and was being chased by his exhausted mother, a high-five. He picked up the little boy, handing him back carefully. Ginny muttered some sort of thank you, before rubbing back upstairs, tickling the little boy.

”Everyone’s coming,” Harry said, out of the blue, “For you and Victoire.”

“Really?” Teddy was smiling from ear to ear.

He, who had never had a true family, was now about to go for his first day of school with possibly one of the biggest families he had seen (after the Weasleys of course). The boy was shocked. He saw himself as simply a piece of repeated history, but these people saw him as one of the most important people. He promised them that he would move out someday. Get some weight off their shoulders.

George and Angelina soon also pulled into the driveway, with a child about the age of ten, who Teddy recognised to be Fred, and a girl who looked the same age, that was called Angel  (She preferred her middle name, Daisy, but sometimes went by Gia).

Teddy loved George, perhaps more than any of the others, but could scarcely bear to look at him. George was a happy man- funny, too. Yet he had sadness in his eyes and pain in his smile. It ached to even laugh for him, and he looked different every time Teddy saw him. He was trying to change now. He had tried his best to look like he used too.

His son, Fred was identical to him, not only in looks, but personality too. Teddy hugged them both, before going back inside and asking Harry how they were all going to get to the station.

”We’ll take the Tube, to King’s Cross, and go from there.”

Teddy nodded, noticing Harry could not bear to look at George either.

Soon enough, Percy and Penelope Clearwater arrived. Percy’s face was invaded by the same sort of exhaustion as George’s. His daughter, who was two years younger than Teddy, got out of the car carefully, and hugged him.

Teddy did not know what had come over him, but instantly had to force back tears. Everything had happened so fast for them. They lost everything. His father had lost everything too. Mere words were not enough to express everything the eleven-year-old had to say to this little girl, or her parents, or her many uncles and aunts. Oddly desperate, he hoped that his eyes would be able to say everything for him.

Unlike other magical beings, Teddy noticed that everyone was dressed in rather normal, if not fashionable, clothes. He figured this was because of how much they depended on dressing as muggles during the war. He himself, having a muggle phone, knew exactly what to wear too. Before leaving, he decided to add a streak of bubblegum pink and mousy brown to his hair.

Soon enough, Harry had herded the crowd of people into a few cars, each with a capable driver. The man decided that Teddy and Victoire would go with him, Bill, Fleur and Ginny. The car ride was mostly smooth, aside from an odd pigeon on the road. He and Victoire begun a very short-lived game of exploding snap.

Upon arrival at the station, the giant huddle, swarmed out of their relative cars, gathering before the ticket booth. Teddy flipped over his ticket for the Hogwarts express, to reveal a barcode, which he scanned against the gate, which flung open, allowing everyone through.

It wasn’t too long before they had arrived at last at Platform Nine, where Teddy and Victoire stood, impatient, but anxious. Harry nodded, in a comforting manner. Teddy nodded back. He would not run. He simply walked, pushing his trolley, whilst Lupa sat on top of his trunk. Victoire stood next to him, walking exactly in time with his steps. Her dragon was asleep, next to Lupa, on Teddy’s trolley. The wall between the platforms came closer and closer. Teddy shut his eyes. He had done it. He had crashed, but why was he floating? Surely, he wasn’t dead. Teddy opened his eyes. The only person next to him was Victoire, and   many families, frantically running after their children, saying last goodbyes and hugs. Teddy saw a couple tears too.

”Let’s go, Teddy,” Victoire tilted her head towards the train doors. 

He was grateful for this intervention, for it played as a sought-after distraction from the hundreds of sad faces.

“Yeah ok,”

He lifted the small dragon from his trolley and handed it to her, before helping Lupa out and picking up all his things. He stepped back for a second, to admire the train.

It was a steam train, probably the oldest working one in England, and was painted royal red on the bottom half and black at the top. The two colours were separated by a fine line of gold. He found it oddly beautiful, despite how obviously old and rusty it was.

”Teddy!”

Yet another distraction, performed by Victoire.

”Right sorry!”

He leapt onto the train excitedly. The duo walked around, aimlessly looking for a suitable carriage. They settled on an empty one at the back. He sat on the left at the very back, beside the window. Victoire sat opposite him. He looked, not at the window, but just under it. There were four words scrawled there in different handwriting.

The name ‘Moony’ stood out like a sore thumb. Obviously there were the others: Prongs, Padfoot, Wormtail, but Moony. His dad. His dad, who he had never been able to properly meet. His dad could have been sitting in the exact seat he was currently in.

”Victoire,”

Grinning, he pointed at the four names.

”What? Godric. Godric! Padfoot? Merlin’s beard!” she laughed, smiling ear to ear.

Teddy grinned back at her, again.

They paused. Voices echoed outside their carriage.

”I mean, we could go in here?”

The door flung open.

”Nevermind, full of mudbloods,”

The boy, who had said this, had a head of thick brown hair and a permanent spiteful expression.

”I’m pureblood, actually, and what difference does it make,”

Victoire had stood up.

”And him? Half breed? Isn’t that right cub?”

Teddy had also stood up.

”Don’t you dare,” he frowned, through gritted teeth.

”Or what?”

”You'll bloody see.”

”Te-“

“Victoire, stop,”

The girl shoved him back on the seat

”Get lost,” she growled.

Teddy sighed.

”Bit of a temper you’ve got. Could’ve hurt him.”

”He deserved it.”

Victoire sighed.

”Snap?”

Teddy shook his head.

”Sorry,”

”Don’t worry,”

”What house are you hoping for?”

”Gryffindor, obviously, you?”

Teddy paused thoughtfully, without any luck.

”No idea,”

The rest of the train ride mostly aligned with what Harry had told him: you get on the train, wait a bit, snacks come, then you’re at Scotland.

In about half an hour, Harry’s first prediction, or statement, if you will, proved true.

A small, metal trolley, laden with confectionery and chocolates galore, came trundling into their carriage. The woman pushing it was short and stout, but was not at all sour-faced, and knocked gently on their door. Teddy stood pulling it open. She asked whether or not they wanted any food. Teddy nodded, pulling a galleon from his pocket.

”S’all I’ve got.” he grumbled, throwing himself back onto the chair.

”I’m afraid you can’t buy anything for a galleon.”

Her voice was soft and wheezy, yet was still squeaky.

”I’m aware,” Teddy rolled his eyes.

”I have some,” Victoire stood, fishing around in her pocket. She pulled out twenty galleons, and snatched Teddy’s from his hand, “What can I get?”

The woman knelt down, with much effort, and gestured towards some of the sweets Victoire would be able to buy.

”A chocolate frog, three sugar quills, a box of Berty Bott’s, and-“ she looked at Teddy, before adding,”Double that, actually. Yeah. Double the whole order please.”

The woman pulled everything Victoire had asked for from the trolley, placing them in front of her.

”Your one galleon short,” Teddy glared at her.

”Oh.”

The woman smiled kindly at her, “I’ll let it slide,”

She tottered out of the carriage.

Victoire glowered at Teddy.

”Right temper you’ve got.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,”

”Language,”

”I’m not three, I can talk how I like.”

”Brilliant. Son of the boy who lived and doesn’t even have two galleons.”

”Adopted son,” Teddy scowled.

”Let it slide. They treat you better then my parents treat me,”

”Probably feel forced too.”

”Can you stop being so pessimistic?”

”Can you stop being a positive little snob?”

Victoire groaned, exhaling slowly.

”Sorry,”

”We both know you’re not,”

”Fine. Have it your way.”

The friendship between Teddy and Victoire was often like this. It was rather complicated and often was completely based off emotions. Usually, they got along, but if something happened to involve Teddy’s parents in any way at all, he’d start to get angry. But that was with everyone. It wasn’t exclusive to Victoire.

“Eat.”

”Gladly.”

Teddy shuffled forward, grabbing the half of things Victoire had bought for him.

”Thank you,”

Victoire would have said, “You’re Welcome,” but her mouth was stuffed with sugar, so she simply nodded instead.

Teddy grabbed a chocolate frog from beside him. He opened it carefully, with gentle precision. He placed the wrapping on the table and lifted the lid cautiously. The frog jumped quickly onto his palm. Feeling rather barbaric, Teddy ripped off its head, shoving it into his mouth. Instantly invaded with guilt, he put the rest of the frog in his mouth too.

”Check your card.”

Teddy looked at it, warily, as if it were to jump out at him the way the frog had.

”You’re kidding.” Teddy flung the card across the table.

”What?”

“Check it.”

Victoire nodded, flipping over the card.

”For the love of Merlin,” she sighed, looking at Teddy, evidently trying to be emphatic.

She put the card on the table, kneeling over it carefully.

The wizard smiling up at them was none other than Remus Lupin. The text written below him read such: Remus Lupin, famous defence against the dark arts teacher, taught Harry Potter in his third year at Hogwarts. The man was a werewolf, and was afraid of being judged for this condition, which he attained at the age of five. ‘Lupin’s Law,” ensuring safety for everyone affected by lycanthropy, was named after him.

Teddy paused.

”Stupid,”

”Excuse me?” Victoire knew he was not referring to her, but felt like adding some needed humour anyway.

”They only knew him for teaching Harry Potter. That’s all he was important for.”

”Not true.”

”If it wasn’t true then Sirius Black would have a card.”

”Sirius Black was accused of mass murder and terrorism.”

She spoke with a soft voice, careful not to anger him.

”Sirius Black also lost his life in order to save Harry’s.”

Defeated, the girl sighed, pulling her own chocolate from from her pile. She opened it, eating the sweet in a much more sane fashion than Teddy had, and looked at the card. She instantly burst into laughter.

”That woman knew exactly what she was doing,”

”What?” Victoire was still laughing, so Teddy had to repeat this many times.

”I got Tonks.”

”You didn’t.”

Victoire showed him her card. He thought he ought to say something, but rather began to laugh as well. She placed the card next to Lupin.

For the rest of the journey, the two simply ate, and joked. Shortly, they had arrived at Hogwarts.

Teddy stood, unmoving. Victoire grabbed his wrist and dragged him along the train, before pulling him out of the closest door.

”Constant Vigilance, Lupin. Hogwarts is a dangerous place,” she said, nodding.

Teddy nodded back promptly. The two looked down.

They happened to be stood directly in front of the black lake, which glistened like a giant eye and sparkled in the rising moon. Teddy turned. There was a row of regal, wooden carriages, which- for most- appeared to be dragged by seemingly nothing. Teddy, on the other hand, could see the large, skeletal beasts, and could hear the padding of their heavy black hooves on the mud. Thestrals.

”Firs’ years this way!” chanted an extremely large man, in a gruff American accent. He was large, in the sense that he was about two times taller- and wider- than a normal man. From the stories Harry had said, Teddy assumed this was Hagrid.

The man suggested they all go four to a boat, gesturing with his large hands to the small rowing boats lined up on the bank of the black lake. Teddy nodded towards Victoire, and the two pulled themselves into the closest boat. A tall boy, with a head of messy silver hair, and another, identical to him, joined their boat, and at once the four set of.

Their boat travelled much faster than the others, and as much as Teddy would’ve liked to take the credit, it was obviously because of the twin boys, who rowed with such ease and elegance, that they may as well be swans. The four arrived shortly on the other side of the lake.

”Zilar,” 

Teddy turned to look at the boy. He had his pale hand aloft, for Teddy to shake, which he did.

”Teddy. Teddy Lupin.”

”Zilar,” the boy repeated, “Zilar Aridai.”

Teddy returned the grin, which the boy showed him.

”This, is Sterling, the uglier twin,”

The boy grinned again. Teddy laughed.

In a couple minutes, the rest of the children had arrived, and Hagrid was gesturing for them all to come to the door of the castle. Warily, the throng bustled into the entrance of the grand castle. Teddy held Lupa’s lead tighter still. Victoire’s dragon was hopping excitedly around her feet. Teddy wasn’t exactly listening, but saw a woman walk in. She was old and tired. Her bun was pulled tightly onto her head, smoothing out her many wrinkles. Her eyes were sad and blank, like George’s had been. She wore heavy, green robes, made of velvet, and secured at the top of her chest with a small, golden clasp. She mentioned something about ‘sorting’ before guiding the hoard of first year into the Great Hall. There was an empty bench which Teddy assumed they were supposed to sit at, but did not want to be the first to sit down, so waited for others to sit down first. He was gripping Lupa’s lead so tightly that his knuckles had turned white, meanwhile, Victoire was giggling next to him after her dragon had spun round on the table and crashed into one of the empty goblets. They both knew no one was to sit here after the sorting, and were equally as perplexed about setting the table, in regards of this reason. Teddy turned to face Victoire. Her dragon had now fallen onto Lupa’s head and was sleeping there giddily. The dog had also dropped itself to the ground and lay, asleep by Teddy’s feet. 

The woman, who had guided them in, cleared her throat loudly. The whole hall was silenced. She smiled, widely. 

“Welcome, and welcome back, students, to Hogwarts.” she beamed, in her oddly-soothing, Scottish accent, “May I please welcome our head of houses, head boy and girl, and our prefects.”

Ten students stood and walked to the front, five to each side of each of her.

She stepped back, allowing, who Teddy assumed were the head boy and girl, to stand at the lectern. They did so, with a long piece of parchment held carefully between them. The head of houses were meant to alternate between who put the hat on the child’s head.

”Achari, Arjun.” called the head girl, with shocking confidence, and a smile as wide as the Headmistress’.

A boy walked to the front, seating himself promptly on the small, oak stool before the lectern. A prefect- a Ravenclaw boy- put the hat on Arjun’s head. There was a stretched pause. The boy was Indian, and was mouthing words, which Teddy assumed the hat could hear, in Hindi.

Many people had passed before it was Teddy’s turn. He was called up by the head boy. He attempted to move, but his feet were frozen. Move. Hurry up. Everyone is watching you. Victoire squeezed his hand. That helped. He shook his head, and with great effort, walked to the front. He closed his eyes, so he would not be startled by the many eyes staring at him. He opened them briefly. A Slytherin girl put the hat on his head and gave him a thumbs up, and a reassuring smile. If she was that nice, then Slytherins could not be that bad. He quickly turned into an eleven-year-old Harry Potter (he saw him in old pictures, so he knew what Harry looked like then). He saw many of the teachers, including Hagrid, start. A voice began speaking in his head. It did not startle him. It simply felt like he was reading or thinking. He turned back.

”Teddy Lupin.” the soft voice began, “Where should I put you?”

The voice was almost eerie, yet still calling.

”Perhaps Ravenclaw: you have your fathers brain.”

”No. Not Ravenclaw. Not Slytherin. Gryffindor or Hufflepuff? You are very brave. Perhaps… yes… yes you are.”

”I think-“

Teddy inhaled sharply.

”Hufflepuff!”

He grinned, standing up and carefully handing the ragged hat back to a prefect. 

The head boy winked at him. He was also in Hufflepuff.

Teddy walked over to the table, sitting down. His mother had been in Hufflepuff. He was greeted by many cheers and claps on the back. His tie instantly flushed yellow and black.

Teddy faced the front, watching the other students go up. Victoire was one of the last to be called up. As soon as the hat is touched her head, she had been sorted into Gryffindor. Teddy groaned, before turning to talk to the boy beside him.

”Ashford. Ashford Barlow.”

He had messy black hair and pale skin. The first thing Teddy noticed were his eyes, which were a glorious, light blue. He had pale skin and high, angular cheekbones. The face looked familiar, but Teddy had never met the boy. Perhaps his parents had been in one of the order photos.

”Teddy Lupin, are you maybe related to the Blacks? You look a lot like them.”

”Yeah,” the boy was frowning oddly into his plate, “My mum is Araminta Meliflua Black.”

”And she married a muggle?” Teddy knew that he had to be related to a muggle, based off of his surname.

”No. She married a half-blood.”

”Right.”

”I’m sorry about your parents.” the boy had looked up, and was looking at Teddy with his bright blue eyes.

”Not your fault.”

”My parents are dead too.”

Teddy looked at him. He had never heard someone talk so bluntly about such a thing.

”My dad was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange, and my mum apparently missed him so much that she-“ the boy did an action of cutting his throat. Teddy nodded.

”Was your mother the same age as my dad?”

”Two years older.”

Teddy nodded again, turning his eyes bright green, and then a dull grey. The boy did a double-take, before realising that Teddy was a metamorphagus. Ashford stood. He whispered something about dorms, and Teddy stood too, noticing most people had. The were guided by the two house prefects to the common room, before the head of house assigned them their dorms. Teddy got lucky, and ended up with Ashford and three other boys, who looked like nice people.

Teddy sat on the bottom bunk, nearest to the door.

”Can I have this bed?”

The other boys nodded, before scrambling to whichever beds they’d like. Ashford ended up above Teddy, and the other two on the farthest set of bunk beds. One got a whole set to themselves. 

Ashford was frowning into his lap again.

”What?” Teddy asked.

”What, What?”

”Why do you look so sad.”

”I hate that family.”

He turned around. Teddy frowned.

”I do too.” he spoke in a whisper, horrified of saddening the other boy further. It worked he saw the boy smile from the side, although his back was still turned.

”One thing,” the boy turned back around, “How did your p- The Potter’s let you die your hair?”

Teddy laughed, “Oh, they didn’t.”

”You got it by yourself?”

”No.” Teddy turned his hair green, then back to blue, to demonstrate rather than having to say anything further. The boy nodded.

”Can I see what you really look like?”

Teddy nodded, closing his eyes and relaxing his body. It felt like everything was unwinding (he was growing taller, too).

In about five seconds, he opened his eyes.

”There,” he grinned, before turning back shortly.

”You should keep it like that. It looks nice.”

Teddy smiled.

”Dinner?”

”Mhm.”