Teddy ran his fingers through his hair, amassing droplets of water. He smiled. Sunlight flitted through the bathroom windows, and the steam from the shower was thick and sweet.
"Teddy! Uncle Harry's worried you'll be late!"
"Coming Vicks!" By now the Burrow would undoubtedly be packed. He rubbed his hair dry, morphed it to a respectable mousy brown, then smoothed his robes. Teddy, the boy who took long showers, was on hold. It was time to be Edward Lupin, godson of Harry Potter, child of heroes.
The reporter was at the foot of the stairs. Behind him, Teddy saw Molly and Bill Weasley directing traffic in the kitchen. Bill shot him a thumbs up, mouthing "looking good!"
"Sorry, I'm late, sir."
"No matter. Call me Andrew."
"Edward Lupin. Everyone calls me Teddy." He shook the man's hand. "Shall we go into the garden, Andrew, sir? Harry normally does his photoshoots near the lilies."
"Lead on. This is...your party, after all. Now do tell me - how do you feel, going off to Hogwarts?"
Teddy held the door open for him. "Excited, sir. A bit nervous."
"First of an era, huh." They had reached the lilies. Teddy noticed that they had recently been trimmed. As much as the Weasley clan hated the attention of the press, clearly someone had been anticipating this. "You have a lot to live up to, son."
"I suppose so, sir. I'm proud to have the opportunity to carry on such a legacy."
Apparently satisfied with that answer, Andrew nodded. They took about two dozen photos around the garden, Teddy answering questions as they walked.
"How would you describe the influence Harry Potter has had on your life? Empowering? Intimidating? Being the godson of the Destroyer of Voldemort?"
"Harry's been nothing but good to me, sir. I'm honored to have the privilege to know him. I hope to make him proud."
He had been terrified of the interview, agreeing only because he knew the Prophet would spin something on him regardless. Hermione and Andromeda had drilled him the night before, while Harry and Ginny had watched, scowling. He knew why. Every year his godfather hated the Prophet even more.
For Teddy's fourth birthday, Andromeda had held what was supposed to be a small party at the Leaky Cauldron. They had arrived to find half a dozen reporters already present, eager to interview virtually everyone in attendance. It may have still been fine - but Harry and Hermione arrived three hours late, held up at the Wizengamot. By then, tired of smiling and Metamorphosing for the camera, Teddy had had enough. He had screamed and thrown Harry's gift to the ground.
Harry Potter's Godson Has Public Meltdown. It was one of the first sentences he had ever read from a newspaper. The Prophet had speculated that Teddy's lack of control was due to a "feral family history"...
That was the last tantrum Teddy had ever had. Seven years later, he was still recovering from the shame.
Andrew finally Apparated away, the pop indicating to Teddy's adoptive cousins that it was time to run over. He high fived James and Fred, picked up Rose, hugged Molly...then let Victoire drag him into a seat beside her.
He loved the Weasleys. All of them. True, they'd had a rocky start...but in the past few years, they had been incredibly kind to him. Nevertheless, Victoire was the only one even close to his age.
Most of the adults were already seated. Kingsley hadn't arrived yet, and neither had Neville - but two seats down Ron and Hannah were happily catching up.
"Been having a right time. A series of killings - disgusting, really. One seems to lead to the next. We've taken on two new trainees, both already onto the case. Maisie Cattermole and Ellen Sharpe. Both Hufflepuffs."
Hermione and Bill were discussing goblins. "Honestly Bill, you should consider joining the department. We could really use it, you know. I've been trying to get this Goblin Rights Act through for two years now…"
Three months ago, Hermione had been made Head of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. That had been the last time he had seen her. He saw Rose and Hugo almost every week - Hermione and Ron increasingly needed a babysitter - but between Hermione and Harry, it was hard to tell who was more exhausted.
But Teddy was extremely proud of them.
"How are you, Teddy?" Victoire began to ladle potatoes onto his plate. "Still freaking out about Slytherin?"
"I'm okay." He closed his eyes, returning his hair to the lengthy green state he preferred. "I get why Harry hates the press, you know?"
She flapped her arms in a crude imitation of a ghost. "But...it's the lost year of babbbieeeszzzz, Teddy. Going to Hogwarts. Teddy, I wanna gooo."
"Yeah." He smiled at her. "I'm excited Vicks. Really. Can't wait to call Neville 'Professor Longbottom.' How are you? Fred winding you up?"
Victoire laughed. "Not as bad as mum. Ma chère Victoire, I love you, blah blah blah, no you can't go to Hogwarts yet. Nah. Things are good." Teddy knew better than to take Victoire seriously. She was constantly making fun of Fleur.
"Teddy." Hagrid wrapped him in a huge hug. "Off ter Hogwarts already. Just yesterday you were morphing to hide toys in yer hair.'
"Hey Hagrid. How are you? Alphi doing alright?" A month before, Teddy had spent the afternoon at his hut. Hagrid had recently adopted a fifty-foot horned boa constrictor. When Andromeda had found out that her grandson had spent the day playing with it, she had been less than pleased.
Apparently Fleur was also less than pleased, because Victoire had been forbidden from visiting Hagrid's for a while. Victoire hadn't written him for two weeks over that. But Teddy didn't hold it against Hagrid. He didn't even hold it against his grandmother. Maybe it was the boa constrictor's fault.
"Had ter let 'er go." Hagrid looked distraught. Teddy patted his shoulder. Victoire was stifling laughter, but Teddy genuinely felt sorry. "Interesting" creatures meant a lot to Hagrid. To Hagrid, who was everyone's support, everyone's biggest friend.
The three chatted happily, stuffing themselves with treacle tart. After dinner, Ron and Charlie dragged Teddy into a game of Quidditch. In truth, he didn't much care for the sport. But he had never worked up the courage to tell anyone that, so he Kept against Ron until the stars came out.
"Night, all." Harry hugged Molly, then gestured to Teddy. "I'm taking this one to bed, or Andromeda'll never let me have him again."
"I got that, mate." Ron took Teddy's broom and headed towards the shed.
It took half an hour for Teddy to hug each guest to his or her satisfaction. He made sure to thank Molly profusely, which seemed to equally delight and offend her. Then Harry took his hand and Disapparated.
Chewing on a piece of toast, Teddy looked at the Daily Prophet.
A picture of Harry with his arm around Teddy had made the front page. The article itself wasn't bad, Teddy supposed.
The Lost Children At Hogwarts:
The children born during Voldemort's darkest year of terror will now be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The size of the incoming class will be fourteen, the smallest in five-hundred years.
"The school will continue to function entirely as normal. Class sizes have fluctuated in the past, and this is no different," says venerated Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, Order of Merlin. And who can argue with Professor McGonagall? She has been at Hogwarts longer than anyone else, and has put all of us in detention.
Clearly some can. "It'll definitely be different," says Robin White, Head Girl. "But in recent years classes have been small. That definitely comes with advantages." The small class sizes will hopefully help students…
Teddy's mention in the article wasn't until much later.
"I'm proud to carry on such a legacy," says Edward Lupin, son of late war heroes and Order of Merlin recipients Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin. He can be seen with his Godfather Harry Potter…
"Teddy!" Andromeda smiled upon seeing her grandson. "Teddy, you look so grown up." She kissed him.
"Time to go?" Teddy stood up, drinking the last of his pumpkin juice.
Andromeda waved her wand, cleaning Teddy's cup and plate. "We have a few minutes. How are you feeling?"
He shrugged. "It didn't really say much. The newspaper, I mean."
Andromeda nodded. "You did well, Teddy."
For a few moments they sat in silence, Teddy staring at the ground while his grandmother stroked his hair. Then Andromeda took his hand and Apparated both of them.
They appeared in an alley a few streets away from King's Cross. As they headed towards the station, Teddy morphed his hair to a bright red, hoping to match what he imagined the scarlet steam engine to be. Bright red, with black lettering, crowded full of owls and sweets and friends...
His own owl, a huge tawny named Cosette, screeched at a Muggle conductor. The man shot them a dirty look. Teddy had to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing, not wanting to be rude. Or to have a picture of himself sneering at a Muggle surreptitiously end up in a newspaper.
"Right this way Teddy dear." Andromeda, with her full length emerald robes and tight bun, was attracting even more stares than Cosette. She struck a formidable figure - Ron often joked that 'McGonagall will be nothing for you Teds, not after her'.
"A couple more platforms now…." They passed hordes of staring Muggles. One woman snapped a picture of Andromeda with the owl.
"So crowded...ah, here we are!"
They had reached platforms nine and ten. Andromeda pointed to the barrier separating them. "Just straight through. I'll be right behind."
Teddy walked briskly, closing his eyes and trying not to imagine a story involving a closed barrier and flying car. Then he heard the chug of the engine. Turning around to hug Andromeda, he opened his eyes. "Bye, grandmum."
"Bye, sweetheart." She kissed the top of his head.
"Grandmum!"
"Off to Hogwarts...so grown up…"
The train whistled.
"Okay then. Wingardium Leviosa." She lifted his trunk onto the Express. "Have fun now. Write me."
"I will, Gran."
She pulled him into another hug. "And sweetheart? I was a Slytherin. Your mum was a Hufflepuff. Just find friends who make you happy."
Nevertheless, as Teddy stepped onto the train, he thought that Harry Potter's godson shouldn't be anywhere but Gryffindor. Much less Slytherin.
"May I join you?" A short blonde girl had appeared outside his compartment, smiling warmly.
"Of course. Teddy." He stuck out his hand, then retracted it, embarrassed. How did teenagers introduce themselves?
"Ellie. Ellie Cattermole." Before he had a chance to offer to help, she heaved her trunk into the luggage rack. "Uh...are you Harry Potter's godson?"
He nodded. "Yeah. You're Reggie and Mary Cattermole's daughter?" The Cattermoles were occasional guests at Grimmauld Place, and Maisie was a new recruit in Harry's office.
"I am."
They sat in silence, a silence which was quickly interrupted by another knock. Teddy slid the door open to reveal a boy.
The boy was even blonder than Ellie, and not quite as tall. He was wearing a Chudley Cannons T-shirt which looked about five sizes too large for him, and his eyes were the same golden color as Cosette's. But while hers were sharp and predatory, his were shy and lost.
"Of course." Teddy indicated the space next to him. "Come on in. I'm Teddy, and this is Ellie."
"Ezra."
Wanting to avoid another awkward silence, Teddy reached for his trunk. Ginny and Molly had taken it upon themselves to ensure that he wouldn't starve at Hogwarts. "Want some fudge?"
They munched happily. Teddy showed them Cosette - Ezra was thrilled, stroking her for nearly the entire journey. "Mum wouldn't let me get an owl. Said they were too expensive. We bred cats for a while though. I might be able to bring one to Hogwarts come Christmas."
"Herm - my Aunt has a huge ginger tom. He's awful clever; fetches my cousins toys and stuff. Hagrid though - he's gamekeeper at Hogwarts - you would love him. He has all sorts of animals."
Ellie sighed. "Mum hates animals. Says they make her paranoid."
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" Ezra shook his head, but Ellie and Teddy both nodded.
"My gran would kill me if she knew how many sweets I was eating." Opening a bag of Every Flavor Beans, he turned to Ezra. "That's neat. Your family bred cats?"
It seemed Ezra's childhood had been almost entirely made up of caring for different types of animals. Teddy talked about how the Weasleys kept chickens, and about Hagrid's strange assortments of pets, and Luna's strange...well, Luna was just strange. Great, but strange. Ellie glared jealously at both of them.
"Maybe I'll buy a Pygmy Puff."
"You could get a Pygmy Puff. They do owl orders - they make these little baskets for the Puffs to be shipped in."
"Will they be allowed into the school?" Ezra's eyes were wide. "I thought we could only get a cat or a rat or a toad or something?
"I think so. An Aunt of mine had one and an owl at one point."
There was another knock on the door. Two seventh years, a boy and a girl, were standing there, arm in arm.
The girl reminded him of Fleur. Over her black robes she was wearing a silky silver cloak, and her hair was pinned in an ornate bun. "Robin White. Head Girl. Slytherin." She punctuated each statement, and after each word seemed to become more and more imperious.
Then she smiled. Ezra and Ellie both visibly relaxed, Ezra far more so. Teddy had managed to keep his face impassive, but inside he was relieved.
"We don't want you to feel lost. Whatever house you end up in, we're here to help. All Prefects and Professors, as well as both of us, have Office Hours in the Great Hall." She handed them each a pamphlet. "Headmistress McGonagall will explain further about Hogwarts, but Albert and I are friendly faces."
"And I'm Albert. Albert Bell, Head Boy from Hufflepuff." He looked a little like Ron, but with black hair and eyes. Whereas Teddy couldn't imagine approaching Robin ever, Albert gave the impression of being someone ready to give out hugs.
He handed them a handful of chocolate frogs from his pocket. "Not sure if any of you are Muggle raised, but I'm a Mudblood. Come talk if you have any trouble adjusting." He closed the door, and Teddy could hear them knocking at the next compartment.
"That was odd."
"New thing. Idea is to help the students settle in. They started doing it my brother's first year. He's a fifth year now. Office Hours started a few years before my sister got here, and she just graduated." Ellie reached for a chocolate frog. "Never have too many of these."
"What are Office Hours?"
"Basically the Prefects and Professors tutor us. Profs do their own subject, but Prefects will help with using a quill, or a Muggle bank, or whatever you need."
This idea seemed to relax Ezra, who reached for another piece of fudge. "That's real nice."
Someone knocked once more. It was Albert again, this time looking embarrassed. "And Teddy...Professor Slughorn asked me to give you this."
He handed him a white envelope, addressed to Mr. Edward R. Lupin. Teddy reached inside and pulled out the fanciest piece of parchment he had ever seen, covered in elegant red writing. Please join Professor H. Slughorn for tea in C 13. 2:00 PM.
"Three...that's...right now?"
Albert nodded. "I'm heading over if you want me to take you. Totally okay if you don't." He paused, then turned to leave.
Teddy considered the envelope in front of him. On one hand, he didn't want to be rude to his friends...on the other, he didn't want to be rude to Slughorn.
His friends he could just apologize to when he came back. Slughorn would be much harder to make amends with. "I guess it would be rude to not come. He's a Professor, after all. Do I need my robes on?"
Albert shook his head, and the two left.
Harry had explained the Slug Club to Teddy but hadn't told him how to respond to it. Neither had Hermione and Ginny, though the latter had told him that Slughorn had introduced her to Gwenog Jones, the former Captain of the Holyhead Harpies.
Professor Slughorn was apparently delighted at his arrival. "Teddy, m'boy. Sit down. And Albert, dear boy, how are you?"
There were six others. Slughorn must have magically expanded the compartment, as he had nine chairs in a circle. Albert took a seat besides Robin. As he draped his arm around her, Slughorn steered Teddy to sit near him.
"So glad everyone could make it. Let's do a round of introductions, shall we?"
Almost everyone there seemed to be related to some famous witch or wizard. On Slughorn's other side was Laura Vance, a pretty black fifth-year in Hufflepuff. She was the grandniece and heir of a war hero, Emmeline, and was a Prefect and Quidditch Captain.
Albert was the only Muggle-born.
"And our two lovers here!" Slughorn indicated Albert and Robin. "Spent the summer together, did you?"
"Yes sir. We visited the White Manor in Switzerland." Albert's tone was respectful, but Teddy saw a quick flash of annoyance in his eyes. He didn't blame him - if his girlfriend were someday in the Slug Club, he wouldn't want their relationship advertised.
Especially if he were Muggle-born and she a rich pureblood.
As they climbed into boats, Hagrid caught Teddy's eye and waved. Teddy waved back, filled with a feeling of fear.
His grandmum might think Slytherin was well and fine...but...was he brave enough for Slytherin? Victoire probably wouldn't care, but Teddy was worried that her family would. Wouldn't they? For a long time, Molly and Arthur couldn't even look at him. He'd go back to the Burrow parties, already the odd one out, now a Slytherin. People would talk. They'd speculate. They'd slowly grow less close to him, slowly stop inviting him…
Harry...Harry probably wouldn't care. But if he did? It wasn't like he was Harry's son. Harry didn't have to like him. Did Harry even like him.
Trying to take his mind off things, Teddy focused on the castle. Ellie and Ezra were in the same boat as him, both silently watching Hogwarts grow larger.
"I'm really sorry about earlier."
They both shrugged.
"I've got them, Hagrid!" Neville grinned and beckoned them up the stairs. He wasn't wearing standard robes, but brown Herbology ones. Teddy suspected he was trying to set them at ease; it was something Neville would do. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Neville Longbottom. Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmaster, as well as Professor of Herbology."
Walking backwards towards the Great Hall, he continued. "In a few moments, the Sorting Hat will sort you into one of four houses. Here at Hogwarts, your houses will be like your family. Triumphs will earn you house points, whereas rule breaking will lose you points. At the end of the year, the House Cup will be awarded to the house with the greatest number of points."
"That being said, inter-house friendship is commonplace and encouraged. And do know that each house has produced outstanding witches and wizards." He clapped, and the wall behind him split open, revealing the Great Hall.
Teddy looked around. Minerva McGonagall was sitting at the center of the Head Table. He could see what Ron meant; she did look a bit like Andromeda.
The four house tables were far from filled. And the students to be sorted wouldn't come close to filling them. Rather than fifty students, or forty, or even thirty, his class numbered fourteen. The year of Voldemort's reign. The lost children.
He stared at Neville. The man looked the picture of a Hufflepuff, with his warm smile and work clothes. But he, too, was a Gryffindor. A war hero.
Neville stuck his hands into his pocket and drew out a decrepit brown hat. If Teddy didn't know what it was, he would have been thoroughly underwhelmed. Then he swished his wand, conjuring a stool to place the hat upon.
For a moment, nobody spoke. Then the hat burst into song.
'Twas a thousand years ago
When I was newly sown
They needed to sort and shuffle
Thus the Sorting Hat was born
Brave Gryffindor said,
I'll take those of chivalry and courage
Wise Ravenclaw replied
Finest intellects I'll encourage
Sly Slytherin loved
Those of cunning and ambition
And kind Hufflepuff found
Toil and loyalty the best addition
So don't be shy, put me on
Let me peek inside your mind
For all four are fine houses
And the one for you I'll find!
The hall burst into applause. Neville - Professor Longbottom, now - waited for it to die down before calling the first name.
"Atwater, Luke!" A tall boy bounded forward.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table applauded. Teddy felt slightly jealous.
"Cattermole, Ellie."
Almost instantaneously, the hat screamed "GRYFFINDOR!" She looked delighted and sprinted over.
Then a pair of twins - Lucy and Michelle Dawlish - joined Ravenclaw. Their walk was much more dignified, but Teddy saw their smiles.
Then… "Goyle, Ezra!"
Teddy stifled a gasp. Goyle. No wonder the boy had looked so lost...Gregory Goyle had supposedly suffered greatly after the war.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" So Ezra and Ellie were in different houses. At the very least, that increased his chances of having a friend.
"Healy, Melissa" became a Slytherin, then "Ido, Marcus" a Ravenclaw. Robin White hugged Melissa as she sat down, and a tall boy clapped Marcus's back.
"Lupin, Teddy!"
Teddy kept his face impassive, pulling the hat onto his head slowly. He would not panic. Years in front of a camera had taught him that.
A Black if I ever saw one.
Whatever Teddy had been expecting, that was not it. Uh...Mr. Hat, Sir, my surname is Lupin? Black is my grandmother's maiden name, and not one she's particularly fond of.
Courage and brains yes...but a fondness for image, for belonging, a thirst to prove yourself...a Black…now where to put you...
If a hat could be offensive, this hat was being offensive. Please not Slytherin. Please.
Not Slytherin? My dear boy, you would do well in Slytherin.
Please, not Slytherin…
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Torn between relief and disappointment, Teddy headed to sit between Ezra and Albert Bell.
"Paisley, Sylvia became the next Hufflepuff, sitting across from Teddy. Then 'Quirke, Lyra' became a Slytherin, 'Roseburn, Mark' a Gryffindor, both 'Selwyn, Lucas' and Sharpe, Quigley' Slytherins, and finally 'Zhang, Sean' a Hufflepuff.
Teddy stared at his plate, trying to feel grateful. His mother had been in Hufflepuff. There was nothing wrong with Hufflepuff. But he glanced wistfully at the Gryffindor table, where Mark Roseburn had sat down beside Ellie Cattermole.
Trying to take his mind off of things, he grinned at Ezra. But Ezra looked paler than the Fat Friar, who was chatting with Albert Bell on Teddy's other side.
His friend didn't make eye contact with Teddy for the entirety of the meal. Not wanting to further his housemate's discomfort, Teddy eventually stopped trying to make conversation. He turned to Sean and Sylvia.
Sean Zhang was Muggle-born, and utterly enthralled with Hogwarts. "...and these giant floaty things ghosts or whatever, oh man. I'm standing there and then just -" he clapped his hands "- boom, there they are. And on the trolley, those bean things, and the chocolate hopping everywhere. I wonder when we'll learn to make things fly. I would enchant those cauldron cakes to just follow me down the corridor…."
"I'm Edward Lupin. Teddy."
"Sylvia Paisley."
Sean continued to talk, clearly unaware that his housemates were trying to speak to him. Sylvia waved her hand in front of his face.
"Oh. Sorry. What's up?"
"I said, I'm Sylvia. This is Teddy."
"Sean Zhang. Say, isn't this place amazing? These floating candles…"
A few seats down, Laura Vance was laughing with two other girls. She had been one of the more pleasant members of the Slug Club. Teddy waved at her. "Hey Laura!"
She waved back. "Hey, firsties. Try out for Quidditch!"
Just then, Minerva McGonagall stood up.
"Silence."
The hall immediately fell silent. Teddy noticed that Professor Longbottom was sitting between her and another one of Harry's friends, Ernie Macmillan.
"Welcome to Hogwarts…."
"Good night, all of you."
"Good night, Kinglsey." There was a green flame, and the Minister vanished.
Hestia Jones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, felt just about ready to retire. Sure, tonight was far better than dealing with rivals or with the press - Kingsley Shacklebolt and Harry Potter were old friends. She would love to see Harry, the Head of the Auror Office, maybe in her position soon.
But she would have much preferred to catch up with them over afternoon tea than at midnight in her office.
"Good night, Hestia." Harry checked his watch, a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley years ago. "Ginny'll be exhausted waiting up for me. I'll give the case files another look tomorrow; see if I can find anything we missed."
She nodded, absentmindedly motioning towards her fireplace. It had connections to only a few homes. The Ministry had been trying to make late-night meetings easier for those unfortunate enough to frequently attend them.
As Harry stepped into the fireplace, Hestia stared at the open file on her desk. She, and Kingsley, and Harry, and dozens of other Aurors had read and re-read the case.
Lucy Cartwright, a fifty-one year old werewolf, found dead. No signs of struggle. Avada Kedavra curse? Husband, Alan Cartwright, turned himself in. It had been a simple trial, open and shut, four years ago.
But then...Muggleborn wizard Luke Sparrow found dead. Wife, Aisha Sparrow, turned herself in. Killed herself in Azkaban two days later.
Identical to the Cartwright case. And then, one month later…
Muggle-born witch Lia Harbor found dead. No sign of a struggle. Husband Morgan Harbor turned himself in. Currently awaiting trial in Azkaban.
The three victims had virtually no similarities. Lucy had been a wealthy matriarch who had left her entire fortune to Saint Mungo's lycanthropy research. The Sparrows had rejected the wizarding world entirely after the war. The Harbors worked for Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks.
And on Lia Harbor's chest, the letter "H" had been burned. But, they had realized, it had been burned when Morgan Harbor had been in Germany.
A/N: Thanks for reading! This is my first fanfic so any advice/questions/criticisms/praise is especially appreciated. I'm not really sure if there are unwritten rules or conventions I'm not following or something.