chapter image by kaileena sands @ tda
Teddy Remus Lupin
born April 1998
July, 2008
Light filtered into the room, though the blinds were closed as much as they would go.
The little boy sat up groggily, his head felt like it would love to explode and his legs and arms felt like lead. Teddy shook his head, but stopped abruptly to cuddle it between his hands. Slowly, he remembered the hours before.
He had felt it in every bone. It was the same every month, when his father’s curse would take hold again. Teddy didn’t even need a calendar to know when the moon was waxing; he never slept much in those nights. Although, he couldn’t remember a night as bad as last night. Teddy had been tossing and turning, never finding an ounce of sleep. The mattress had been too hard, his blanket that wrapped around his legs had constricted him, but he felt cold removing it. The pillow just wouldn’t form into a comfortable position, the odd creaks and noises of his Gran’s old house doing the rest. His eyes would always pop open again.
His joints would ache during those nights. The healers had given him potions against the pain, saying it was how his werewolf genes made themselves known. Teddy had to do monthly check-ups. He remembered it clearly, the day his godfather and his Gran had taken him aside. It had been after another awful night and a visit to St. Mungo’s, when he was much younger.
Harry had sat him down beside himself on the sofa. "Teddy, do you know what werewolves are?"
Teddy had nodded eagerly. "They are like wolves. But only one night in the month, and they are bigger."
"And do you know that your Dad was a werewolf?" Teddy’s Gran heaved a dry sob at that.
Teddy looked at her, then at Harry. "Really? But doesn’t that hurt?"
"Yes, I’m sure it hurt him. Your Dad never complained, though. It was like your pain from last night, only much much worse."
Teddy had covered his mouth with his hands and his eyes had gone wide. That was … He hadn’t known words for it then, only that he felt so sorry for his Dad.
Gran had sidled over to him then, cuddling him close. "My poor boy! Poor Teddy! So much sorrow, and it still isn’t over yet!"
Teddy didn’t know what was wrong, but he guessed she was talking about his parents. True, he missed them a lot, but he had never known them and how it was to have real parents.
Harry had looked on awkwardly, and then turned Teddy towards him again. "So, your Dad was in pain whenever he had to transform into the wolf form. You didn’t get this condition from him – it’s called Lycanthropy – but it’s why your legs and arms hurt during certain nights."
"I don’t have to turn into a wolf, do I?" Teddy had asked half scared, half fascinated.
"Dear Merlin, I hope not!" Gran Andromeda had exclaimed.
Harry shook his head. "No, you don’t have to. You are not a werewolf, ok? But you have got a little bit of it from your Dad, just like your natural hair colour. The healer did a few tests today, and he says it will hurt a little at the time when a full werewolf changes, so when we have a full moon. But we also have potions, so that if you’re lucky, you won’t feel anything of it."
Teddy had contemplated this, afterwards Harry had offered to take him and Gran to see Ginny’s brother Bill. Bill had the same problem, and Teddy had talked to him for a long time. He felt better after that, and then little Victoire had asked him if he wanted a biscuit.
If only it would be as simple this time. He wished Vic was here, or anyone really. He could wake his Gran, but she was getting older too and he didn’t want to keep her up if he could help it. The potion obviously didn’t work today as it should be.
It was times like these that he missed his parents most. Surely his Dad would understand best, even if he would have turned during the night of the full moon. Or he could just crawl into bed with his Mum.
His Gran was the closest thing he had, but he once again thought that she needed her sleep. Harry and Ginny had now a little baby girl, and little Al and Jamie. He tried imagining their last picnic where he had played tag with Jamie, and how tiny little Lily had felt in his arms, and how Al always poked him in his belly. Usually, recalling those memories provided enough distraction for him, but not tonight.
There was another person who could relate to his pain, maybe he was awake?
Teddy slowly put his feet to the ground, careful not to make a noise and not upset his joints anymore than was necessary. Teddy put on his shoes and snuck down the stairs.
He reached the downstairs, successfully avoiding the creaking steps and felt his way through the hallway towards the living room. The shadows seemed darker than usual; Teddy gulped once and carried on, although he didn’t feel confident at all. He sighed in relief when he reached the living room, the embers of the fire still giving off enough light for him to actually see where he was going.
Teddy knelt down on all fours, wincing as he did so. He took the fire tongs and started poking around in the still glowing embers, aired it with the bellows. Praise Gran for showing him how to do things the Muggle way. ‘You should know how to use your hands, your grandpa, Ted, was Muggleborn, after all.’
Another family member he'd never meet.
A short time alter, he had the fire blazing again. He went over to the coffee table, took the pen and wrote, "Gone to Shell Cottage, Teddy" on it. As he heard a noise in the dark and gloomy hallway, he turned around rapidly to see what it was. The slip of paper sailed to the ground and under the sofa unnoticed.
Teddy went to the fire, took a handful of floo powder, threw it in and followed suit. "Shell Cottage" he said and was whisked away in a whirlwind of green flames.
Teddy stumbled out of the fireplace when the whirling suddenly stopped. He tried to break his fall but ended up on the floor anyway. His limbs felt even more awful now. It was lighter here, somehow. Then he connected the facts, the full moon was shining full blast through the living room window. Teddy groaned. He had learned the hard way that it never helped the pain if he was directly exposed to the moonlight.
He scrambled to his feet again, and stopped short when he noticed a sliver of light from the kitchen. Teddy stepped noiselessly closer, and peeked around the door frame. The door of the fridge was open, but he could see a glimpse of a pair of feet. Little feet in pink slippers. He just stood there grinning stupidly, as the little girl closed the fridge door and came into view. She let out a squeal, but cut herself off after the first tones as Teddy held his pointer finger to his mouth. The moon must have illuminated him enough for her to recognise him, as the frightened look on Victoire’s face gave way to one of surprise.
"Teddy!" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"
"I, eh, I wanted … Is your Dad awake?"
"Papa? Non, he is asleep upstairs," she pondered. "Why? Teddy, did something happen? Your Gran?" she added more urgently.
"No, no, I wanted … I needed …" Teddy couldn’t get the words out. He would only loose his face if he did, and somehow he couldn’t let Victoire think he was weak.
Victoire nodded in understanding. "It’s the full moon, isn’t it?" She took his hand and led him towards the sofa in the living room. "Sit," she commanded.
Teddy obliged her, although he only perched on the edge of his seat.
Victoire came back with a large blanket in her hands. She let it fall down beside him and put her hands on her hips. "I said sit."
She pushed him deeper into the cushioned seat, then spread the blanket and wrapped it around Teddy.
Victoire took another blanket and cuddled down under it, resting her head on Teddy’s shoulder. "Is this ok? Does it hurt you?"
"No, it’s ok. Just don’t wriggle around too much." It felt nice, he had to admit.
"Teddy? Can I ask you something?" Victoire looked at him with those big blue eyes of hers.
"What is it?"
"Does it hurt really bad? Papa says it’s not that bad, but I can see him wince sometimes. Maman rubs his shoulders and I think it makes Papa feel better."
Teddy didn’t know whether to tell her the truth. In the end, he decided for it. "Sometimes, it does. The potion helps, so I don’t feel the pain, but like for me today, it’s bad enough so I feel it even with the potion."
Victoire sighed and relaxed against him. "It’s just not fair. Why can’t the healers find something to make it better? They should!"
Teddy felt strangely elated that Victoire could be so compassionate about his illness. And her father’s illness, he remembered. Of course she would not be that concerned for him alone.
"Vic?" he questioned, but received no answer.
He looked down at her form cautiously, she had obviously fallen asleep. Teddy adjusted her smaller form against him and slid down a bit in the cushions. Listening to Victoire breathe, Teddy finally found some rest.
He dreamed of his mother that night imagined her putting him into bed even when he was too old for it, tucking in the blanket around him. She sung to him and her hair shone pink in the lamp light, like she wore it in some of the old photos he treasured, and what Harry and Ginny had told him. "I love you, forever, Teddy," she whispered to him.
His father was there too, pushing his hair from his face in a tender motion, saying, "Teddy, my son, I’m so sorry for putting you through this. I would take those pains for you, if only I could. I will always be proud of you, you should always know that."
Teddy didn’t want to leave this dream, he fought to stay asleep, but already his parents slipped away from him, he thought he saw them waving with sad, yet loving expressions on their faces.
The loud voices that had roused him from his dream came from the kitchen. Vic stirred beside him, and gave him a sleepy, questioning look after opening her eyes.
"There’s your Dad, and Uncle Ron," Teddy told her quietly.
"We have to find him." Teddy could now hear his godfather’s voice. He felt his heart lurch. What? Who was missing? His godfather was always so assured, he didn’t like the anxious sound Harry’s voice had at the moment.
"We will, Harry, don’t worry. Angelina and I go back to Andromeda’s, Percy is already at the Ministry and you and Ron check up the neighbourhood. As soon as Bill’s ready, he will go to check the Werewolf Community for information. The kids will be safe with Arthur and Molly. We’ll find him," that sounded like Uncle George. Teddy and Victoire shared a look and simultaneously peeked over the back of the sofa.
There were almost all of the Weasley adults assembled in the kitchen of Shell Cottage. Harry wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by a hysterical Fleur who had a barely awake Dominique on her arm, followed by Bill with Louis.
"Victoire! We called for her to get up, and found her gone too!" Bill gasped.
"But Daddy! Silly Daddy! I’m here!" Victoire scolded him, now on her knees as she bent over the back of the sofa.
Teddy got up on his knees as well, letting his eyes stray over the round of momentarily nonplussed group.
Harry was the first to jump into motion; he was in front of the sofa in a matter of seconds and pressed Teddy to his chest. "What are you doing? How could you scare me like that?"
Teddy was so close to his godfather’s chest that he felt the shudders that went through Harry’s body. "I floo-ed here. What happened? I didn’t want to scare you, I swear."
"Oh Teddy, you were gone and no one knew where. Why did you do that?"
"But I left a note, I left it at the coffee table, really!" Teddy pleaded. He pushed himself away at arm length and watched Harry’s face, then all the others. The Weasley-Delacours were huddled around Victoire, and his Weasley uncles all stood ready to swoop in and grab him too. And they did, he felt different sets of arms hold him.
"There wasn’t a note. Not on the table, anyway. I’m going to floo over, your Gran and everyone else is really worried," Uncle Ron said and vanished a few seconds later in the green flames.
Harry had settled down on the sofa with Teddy in his lap. Teddy felt nearly as safe as he had in the dream.
He had barely time to adjust when the fire flared up again and his Gran hurried out, followed by a several others.
"Teddy!" Andromeda called, the worry and relief obvious in her voice as she enveloped both him and Harry. Teddy started to think it hadn’t been such a good idea to come here. He had never wanted to worry anyone. He tried to say as much, but he was overridden by the mutterings and questions of everyone else in the room.
"Oh Teddy! How could you give us such a scare! We thought someone had kidnapped you, or that you were hurt and couldn’t call for help! Why didn’t you wake me up? How did you even get here?"
"But I’m fine, ok? Gran? Please don’t cry! I – I didn’t mean to upset you, honest! Gran!" Teddy pleaded, with tears in his eyes now. "I left you a note, only I didn’t want to wake you!"
"It’s true," Uncle Ron held up the crumbled piece of paper. "I found it under the sofa."
"I still don’t understand," Teddy looked up at the voice. It was Ginny and she looked really white in the face. "Why did you come here? Why not us?"
"And of course you can always wake me, I want to know if something is wrong," Gran interrupted.
Teddy felt even more ashamed now and hung his head. He had had them all so worried. He felt something small and warm grab his hand, then he heard a little voice. "Teddy’s potion didn’t work. So he wanted to ask Papa if he knew what to do. But Papa was asleep as well, and you may think I don’t know, but I do. He can’t sleep much on one of those nights either. So I made Teddy sit here, and we fell asleep on the sofa. Please don’t be angry with him," Victoire bravely faced everyone.
Teddy whipped his head around to look at her with an open jaw. Vic had just stood up for him! She looked determined, despite all the eyes on her.
The fire flared up again to reveal Grandma Molly and Grandpa Arthur plus the rest of his aunts with several more or less awake children. A black-haired little bullet caught him at the waist, and Teddy felt overwhelmed by Jamie’s babbling. Teddy felt so stupid now. He had wanted to avoid worrying anyone, and there was the whole Weasley family awake because of him.
Of course he knew they weren’t his real family, but he had always referred to them as that.
Except Harry and Ginny. His godfather had explained to him that he could call them what he wanted, but had also recounted stories of his real Mum and Dad. Teddy only hoped the Weasleys wouldn’t be too angry with him for disappearing like that.
Teddy had to go through another round of Weasley hugs, started by Grandma Molly. Teddy was overwhelmed and didn’t even want to mention that his bones and joints still hurt a little.
"Let’s have breakfast everyone. I’m sure that you’re all hungry. Fleur, Angelina, Audrey? Let’s go to the kitchen and see what we can do," Grandma Molly said resolutely. Teddy realised he was indeed hungry.
"Should I be insulted she doesn’t want me to prepare breakfast?" Aunt Hermione asked the room at large.
"I’ll be in zere, just a moment," Aunt Fleur said as she approached Teddy with Bill.
"Teddy! Do you feel better? Victoire said you were hurting?" Bill’s warm blue eyes had a look of understanding. That’s what he had come for. Someone who would understand.
"’ere, I make that soothing potion, I found it works well with the potion you get from St. Mungo’s," Aunt Fleur handed him a vial with a blue liquid.
Although Gran eyed it suspiciously, Teddy took the vial and chucked it down in one. Instantly, he felt like some cool cloths had been wrapped around his joints. His hair seemed to perk up and turned the same vivid blue as the potion had been. A genuine grin broke out on his face as he looked back at them.
"That’s better, isn’t it?" Bill asked with a smile and ruffled Teddy’s newly blue hair.
Gran Andromeda excused herself for a bit to calm down somewhat, her place was taken by Ginny. She pulled him in her arms with one arm, in the other she held the tiny Lily.
"You could have come to us, you can come any time of day or night, you know that, right?" She asked him softly.
"I – I didn’t want to bother you. You have little Lily, and Jamie and Al," he answered timidly. Teddy didn’t even dare to chance a peek at Harry, he felt in this instance that his godfather might feel hurt and think he, Teddy, didn’t trust him.
"Do you really feel this way?" Just as he had thought, Teddy heard the hurt in Harry’s soft voice.
"No! I mean, I wanted to deal with this myself, without having to wake a lot of other people. I know I would have loved to sleep, but I couldn’t, and I didn’t want to do this to others," Teddy grew a little frustrated. "I never wanted to hurt you, or scare you. I’m so sorry, Harry," finally, he lifted his eyes a little to gauge his godfather’s reaction, as he felt himself pulled in a tight embrace.
"Don’t ever be afraid of that again. I’d rather you wake me than put me through this again. And I’ll have to make sure James and Albus know that as well," Teddy snorted at Harry’s attempt at humour. Ginny squeezed his hand as well.
The rest of the Weasley women arrived with plates and trays full of food, and as everyone grabbed a seat wherever they could, balancing plates and children on their legs, Teddy couldn’t help but feel at home. The only one he was related to by blood was his Gran Andromeda, but all the others treated him as if he was one of their own. He was lucky to have them. And if he still sometimes wished to have his real parents like everyone else, that could never be. Teddy vowed to always give his best and make them proud.
He jumped as he felt a tap on his shoulder and Victoire’s "you’re it". He looked after her confusedly as she sprinted outside. She was followed by Molly and Roxanne, both giggling hysterically, while Percy shouted after his daughter to be careful and not get her pyjamas dirty.
Teddy’s hair changed to red as he clambered off of the sofa amidst the Potters and his Gran.
"I’ll come too!" crowed an excited James, throwing his plate in the air in his delight. Teddy thought generously that he wouldn’t tag Jamie just yet, that would be completely unfair.
James ran outside, as fast as his little legs could carry him, with Freddie by his side. Teddy made sure to keep two paces behind them, letting them have some fun.
"Ha-ha, catch me!" Teddy hadn’t seen Dominique come outside, she ran past and turned a ninety degree angle to the left. Teddy chased after her now.
He caught her around the middle after a few paces, and Dom squealed as they both hit the ground. Teddy had made sure that she landed atop of him and didn’t hurt herself. After all, he had promised to never hurt them again.
"Help! Help!" Dom squealed. Apparently, she had been heard because he felt Jamie and Freddie throw themselves at him too. They all screamed and wriggled around. Victoire, Roxanne and Molly had been drawn by the ruckus and joined in the fray.
After some more tickling, squealing and uncontrollable laughter, the older Weasley kids collapsed in a heap on the ground.
Teddy hadn’t felt this good in a long time. The grass was tickling his neck, the sun warmed his face, he was exhausted but unbelievable happy. He felt around with his hand in the grass and caught a familiar small hand. He didn’t need to look to know it was Vic.
"Teddy?" That was Jamie’s voice.
"Jamie?" He answered him.
"I was weally scared. I don want you be gone. ‘s more funny. Allie does not play like you, and I need a big brother," James said.
Teddy was incredibly touched by those words. Jamie certainly was like a little brother to him. Teddy rolled over and got on his elbows. "I promise Jamie, I won’t go away. And I would like a little brother too."
"Let’s shake on this," Victoire suggested. All the assembled Weasley cousins plus Teddy sat up to pay attention. "No one will go away. We tell each other if we’re hurt. We are the Weasleys. This is us."
Each of them put their right hand in the middle. Roxanne had to correct Freddie’s hand, who had stretched out his left one. Even Fred, James and Dom had a solemn expression on their faces, as they shook on it.
"This is us."
I don't own any of the characters, only playing around a bit. Liked it, didn't like it?
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