written for the ilvermorny forum and the golden snitch forum
ilvermorny
event: the chanukah challenge
prompts:
1. Day One - latkes [otherwise known as potato pancakes. a popular chanukah food, usually baked in oil.] - write about a holiday meal
2. Day Two - dreidel [otherwise known as a spinning top. a game jewish kids play for money or chocolate, or something else entirely] - write about children playing a game (though i might have cheated a bit...)
points: 10
the golden snitch
event: tree lighting ceremony
prompts: (words) tinsel, wreath, bauble, bells, christmas spider, christmas tree, snow globe, stocking, angel, star; (song) white christmas
points: 65 = 55 (for the prompts) + 10 (for the story)
let it snow
word count: 1860
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
- White Christmas
Teddy Lupin stared out of the window, watching as the flurry of snow swept past him. Christmas in London was turning out to be exceptionally boring. Gran was at St Mungo's, recovering from a particularly bad bout of Dragon Pox. Teddy had Apparated to the Potters', but Harry was still working and Ginny had to visit the Burrow – Christmas was trying time for the Weasleys, filled with painful memories of Fred's forgotten joy and annoying (albeit endearing) pranks. The Potter kids were staying at Hogwarts.
So where did that leave him?
Alone and pitiful in a Muggle coffeehouse, that's where, he thought bitterly, tracing the rim of his coffee cup.
Teddy knew that he stood out like a sore thumb in the Muggle world. His bright turquoise hair and uncomfortable demeanour spoke for themselves – he didn't belong here. Most Muggles dismissed him as a no-good 'punk' and judged him with their penetrating gaze.
No, Teddy Lupin never belonged in this world.
He didn't belong in the Wizarding World either – at least, not completely. Gran and the Potters were always accepting of him, but Teddy always felt detached. There were pitying looks everywhere, and some judgemental ones too.
He'd finished his years at Hogwarts feeling an acute sense of loneliness, even when he was surrounded by a throng of admiring people, full of insincere flattery and simpering smiles. He did have some true friends – but he could count them on one hand. Teddy felt miles away from his peers – having grown up much too quickly for his own good.
But he was content – if not happy, with where he stood. He'd survive. He had always been a rebel, and now, that was just part of his personality.
He drained his cup of coffee and set it down on the table. Shrugging his coat on, he stepped into the blinding white snow, the bitter wind stinging his cheeks. Teddy bent his head, in a futile attempt to fight the unforgiving cold.
Suddenly, he found himself on the cold stone of the footpath, a little dizzy with pain and confusion. He heard an exclamation: Are you alright? Teddy shook his head to get rid of the dizziness. If he lost control of himself, he would lose control of his abilities, right in the middle of Muggle London and that didn't bode well for him.
"I'm okay," he replied to the voice, a bit gruffly. Teddy tried to stand up but slipped and landed on his bottom. The same voice said, "Here, let me help you." She seemed to be amused. Amusing, indeed, Teddy thought a little crossly. He accepted the proffered hand and stood up, coming face to face with the owner of the amused voice.
She was a Muggle, Teddy deduced. Her blonde hair was covered with specks of snow and her ice-blue eyes were a perfect complement to the snow surrounding them. "Thanks." Teddy acknowledged her help begrudgingly. The Muggle seemed to be holding back laughter at his plight. Teddy huffed.
"I'm Hanna." The Muggle introduced herself. Teddy quirked an eyebrow in surprise. She was certainly friendly to someone he'd just met.
"Teddy." He was always careful not to speak much with Muggles. Harry had always warned him that he should keep Muggles at an arm's length and it was dangerous to be too friendly with them.
"What are you doing, wandering about in this winter storm? It's not going to die down for a few more hours, you know." Hanna said. She almost sounded condescending. Teddy didn't like it.
"I could ask the same of you," rebuked Teddy.
Hanna laughed. "This is my home. I was just locking up the garage when you crashed into me."
"Crashed into you? Excuse me? I –"
" – Get inside the house. You'll be frozen solid if you don't." The Muggle's tone brooked no arguments and Teddy bristled.
"I don't –"
" – We're having our Christmas Brunch. You'll join us right?" Teddy was appalled. Why was this Muggle being so friendly to him?
"I don't want to interrupt. I have to go home."
"I don't think so, Mr Teddy. Come on." She grasped his arm and pulled him inside the cosy-looking house. There was a wreath hanging on the door, with a little bell, and it tinkled merrily as Hanna pushed the door open.
"Mom! We have a guest!" Hanna yelled at the top of her voice. An older woman bustled out to the living room. Beaming, she said, "Wonderful! Have a seat, my dear. The food will be ready soon."
Sighing, Teddy sank into the sofa, ignoring Hanna's smirk.
This was going to be a long evening.
"So why did you invite me in?" Teddy asked Hanna as he sipped a bit of his eggnog – he didn't particularly like the drink, but it was tolerable.
Hanna shrugged. She seemed awfully open and accepting, even for a Muggle. "You seemed lonely. And besides, you'd probably be dead in the snow if I'd left you out there. The least you can do is thank me, you know." She raised an eyebrow at him.
Teddy knew that he wouldn't be dead in the snow because he could easily Apparate home, but she didn't need to know that. But her first statement caught his attention.
You seemed lonely.
Was it so obvious that a stranger could catch on to it? Perhaps. But he admitted that he was feeling particularly left out – after all, it was Christmas day.
The Morrisons had been kind to him, insisting that he have their Christmas Brunch with them – which, admittedly, was as delicious as Ginny's treacle tart, asking questions, making small talk, but Teddy never felt uncomfortable.
The storm hadn't died down yet, so they invited him to stay a little longer. Teddy had no choice but to say yes.
Besides, it was nice to feel like he belonged, even among relative strangers.
"Thank you," Teddy replied, after a prolonged pause.
Hanna smiled at him. She seemed to understand him – and she didn't pity him like so many had done before her. Teddy hesitantly smiled back.
"You're welcome," Hanna replied. She turned back to the Christmas tree. It was lavishly decorated, with bells, baubles and doves. A star shone proudly on the top of the tree, flickering occasionally. An angel gazed at him serenely, placed just below the star. Multi-coloured fairy lights were strung through its branches completing the grandeur of the tree. It looked wonderful, but Teddy couldn't help but compare it to the Christmas trees in Hogwarts, full of magical ornaments pretty little fairies flitting in and out of the needle-like leaves of the tree.
Hanna followed his gaze and snorted at the appearance of the tree. "Alex insisted on decorating it. You can see how it turned out." Hanna rolled her eyes. "It looks like a Christmas tornado went through the poor tree." Alex was Hanna's ten-year-old brother, a little eccentric and enthusiastic in his demeanour. Teddy could imagine him bouncing around the tree, trying to reach the branches to put up baubles.
"What's the spider for?" Teddy was baffled to spot a black rubber spider hanging innocently from a branch.
"Mum gifted Alex with that thing two years ago. It apparently brings luck. I had even convinced Alex that if he left it on the tree, it would spin tinsel for him. He believed it for a while, but then Dad took pity on him and told him the truth."
Teddy chuckled and shook his head. Alex was currently sitting by the crackling fire, trying to extricate what seemed to be a snow globe from his colourful, flashy stocking. When he managed to get it out, he almost fell over due to the force but caught himself in time. Beaming, he shook the globe, watching as the snow and colourful glitter fell gently on the little boy inside the globe. Mrs Morrison laughed indulgently at her son's antics. It was almost as if he was back at the Potters' place, watching Ginny indulge in her children's mischief.
His reverie was interrupted when Hanna suddenly started and grinned at Teddy. "Do you want to play a game?" she asked, as she watched her father bring out the Monopoly set. Teddy raised a questioning eyebrow.
"It's tradition." Hanna shrugged. "We gobble up Mum's delicious feast until we're chock full of food, have some eggnog and shake our heads over Alex's Christmas tree, and then we play some Monopoly. It's been like that for years." She paused for a while, as Teddy watched Mr Morrison bring out the Monopoly pieces in fascination. "So, are you in?"
"I – I don't know how to play this game…"
"You must be joking!" Hanna stared at him in disbelief. "You don't know how to play Monopoly?"
"Er…"
"Well, come on, then, you must learn how to play it. Honestly, you're so strange – you have blue hair, you're loitering around in a storm and now you're telling you don't know how to play Monopoly! Which world are you from?" Hanna teased.
Teddy averted his eyes uncomfortably.
"Anyway, Dad's laying out the board. Sit down, right there." She ordered.
Teddy grumbled as he sat down.
Great. He'd have to spend another hour or so in this place.
(He didn't actually mind all that much.)
The storm finally died down a few hours later, as the grey afternoon faded into twilight. In those few hours before the storm gave way, Teddy learnt quite a few things.
For starters, he learnt that Monopoly was far more interesting than Gobstones ever was (though, admittedly, it couldn't beat Wizarding Chess) and that he was quite skilled at the game. He won several games against the Morrisons, much to Hanna's dismay.
He also found that he didn't actually mind being around Muggles – especially Muggles like the Morrisons who were wonderful to him. They didn't judge him and Teddy found that heartening.
He glanced out the window, watching as the snowflakes serenely drifted past, and decided it was time to go.
He made his way to Hanna, manoeuvring through the unwrapped presents and colourful gift wrappers that littered the floor. Hanna was seated near the radio, singing along with Jingle Bells at the top of her voice with Alex. Teddy winced. Their voices were horribly off key, but at least it was better than Mrs Weasley's Celestina Warbeck.
Hanna concluded the song with a final warble, laughing with her brother. Teddy's lips curved in amusement. Noticing him standing near the sofa, Hanna asked him, "Did you want something, Mr Teddy?"
"The storm's passed. I've to get going now. Gran will already be worrying." Teddy rolled his eyes, thinking of his grandmother in her hospital room, worrying about how he'd spent Christmas and why he wasn't there to visit her yet.
"Alright then! C'mon, let me show you out." Hanna said brightly and stood up, taking him by his arm. "Mom! Teddy's leaving!" She yelled. Teddy winced again.
"Already! Well, I suppose he must have someone worrying about him back home. I'm so glad that you could stay, dear." Mrs Morrison smiled kindly at him.
Teddy offered her a genuine smile of gratefulness. "Thanks, Mrs Morrison, for that wonderful meal. Goodbye," he addressed his last statements to all of them, and they returned his farewell with yells of their own. Teddy smiled.
As they reached the door, he turned to face Hanna. "Thank you, Hanna."
She waved him off. "How many times will you thank me? You were welcome here. Nobody should be alone on Christmas Day, you know."
"But I was a stranger, and you took me in…"
"As I said, nobody deserves to be alone. Not even blue-haired strangers." She smiled. And to Teddy's surprise, she offered him a hug.
"Merry Christmas, Teddy." She opened the door for him but suddenly stopped. "Oh! Let me give you my number. Stay in touch, yeah?" Teddy wanted to argue that it was futile but kept his mouth shut.
He could call her from the house phone that his Grandfather had used. After all, she was a friend.
She'd helped him heal.
She scribbled something on a book lying on the table next to the coat rack and tore the slip from the book.
"Don't be a stranger," she teased.
Teddy smiled, offered a parting wave and stepped out into the calm evening day.
The third revelation that Teddy Lupin had was that he had finally felt like he belonged.
okay, this was a completely random one-shot that i'd never planned. it is a culmination of so many prompts and challenges that i hope it actually makes sense, lol. i always loved teddy lupin. i didn't want a romantic relationship between teddy and hanna because i dunno... it didn't seem right. i also think that teddy would've felt a little distant from the wizarding world - not only because he lost his parents before he could know them, but also because he's a little different from the rest of them. also, the 'house phone' in teddy's house is because ted tonks was a muggle and therefore, he'd have muggle stuff there (though it'd probably be outdated in the next-gen age). so what do you think?