"I know that somewhere inside of you, there is a boy crying out in pain."
A boy was crying.
He was standing up, his head bowed, body racked with tears as he sobbed. His hands shook as he clenched them into fists, and his shoulders wobbled. He looked no older than fifteen, and was standing in a memorial ground right next to Hogwarts.
The boy's name was Teddy Lupin.
Of course, the man passing did not know that, to a degree. It was dark outside, too dark, and the man, sleeping restlessly, had apparated from his cabin home to somewhere to walk.
He had been surprised when he appeared right next to the Hogwarts grounds, but hadn't cared, and proceeded his hike.
The man had been passing some sort of graveyard - he knew why it was there, he had heard the stories - but hadn't had time to stop and 'investigate...
Hadn't had time, see, until he had heard the sobs and had come to investigate, only to see this boy. He looked over the features - mousy brown hair(with tinges of turquoise), pale skin, slightly skinny.
Must be a Hogwarts student, he mused, stepping out of the shadows. "Hello." The boy whipped around and tensed when he saw the man. The boy's face was shockingly familiar, and the man blinked in surprise.
He used the time to study the boy's face. Again, shockingly familiar. Big, blue eyes, pale skin, mousy hair that was shaggy and hanging on his forehead. Most noticeable of all, his eyes were filled with tears.
The man raised his hand in a sign of truce, "Woah, I"m sorry for interrupting you, I-"
"What do you want!?" The boy screamed, whipping out his wand, "Have you come here to fight?! Well, I'll give you a fight!"
The man took a step out, and quickly drew his wand. The boy jumped a little, so the man threw his wand so it rested at the boy's feet. "Look, I don't know you, but I just want to talk. It's obvious you're hurting inside, and I get that. People precious to me were killed in this battle too."
"Why do you think I'm sad about anything?! It's an honorable thing to do, to die in battle, right?! My parents gave their lives to protect me, they're heroes!"
Though the boy didn't know it, he had just given the man the reason why he was crying - It was his parents, the man thought. And he must have been young too, to still be in Hogwarts.
"At least give me your name, all right? Mine's Lyall."
The boy was still staring at him distrustfully, "Teddy. Teddy Lupin."
Lyall froze in shock, but he kept it from the boy - Teddy.
"I know you're said, Teddy. You're not just sad they're dead, you're sad because you can't remember them. You're sad because everyone around you compares you to them, and you are worried that you will never live up to what they did. You are sad because you miss them, but you don't miss them in the way you would miss someone you have memories with. And, most of all,you are sad because they left you, and they will never come back, and they left you alone, forever."
Teddy stared at Lyall in shock, "H-how..."
Lyall shrugged and smiled, "I'm observant." He suddenly frowned, searching the boy's face again, "You said your last name was... Lupin?"
"Yeah? What's it to you?!" The boy barked, suddenly on the defensive again.
"Nothing, just, huh. We share the last name."
Could this possibly be his grandchild? He knew his son had married (merely from a passing stranger), but hadn't known that this child had been born, and so shortly before their for deaths.
Teddy's eyes widened, and he tightened his grip on his wand. "Leave me alone!" Teddy screamed, and Lyall felt his heart ache for his grandchild (or at least he assumed Teddy was his grandchild), who was obviously trying to put up a tough boy act but hurting inside all the while.
He stepped forward and enfolded the child, "It's alright, Teddy. It's alright to miss them. And I know that, somewhere inside of you, there is a small boy crying out in pain for the mother and father you lost long ago."
Teddy tensed, then relaxed, crying into Lyall's shoulder. After a moment or two, he sniffed, and pulled away. "Thank you."
"You are quite welcome."
And, for the first time in many months, Teddy walked away from that grave finally feeling at ease.
Ok, sup guys, I bet your wondering where the heck this came from. Well, I was watching an anime called Naruto, which at times can be, like, really depressing, and this Iruka-Sarutobi scene came on, which got me thinking about Teddy I was thinking, that at some point, probably, like fifteen or sixteen, Teddy felt depressed and alone.
Like nothing was going right for him, and that maybe his parents left because he did something wrong. And at first, I thought I would have him talk to some random stranger, and then I was like 'MIND BOOM' and yeah. This is the result. Plus, going for Lyall and Teddy moment 'stead of Harry-teddy moment. Maybe next I'll try a Teddy-Andromeda moment. Just saying sick of people highlighting Harry as Teddy's only guidal figure.
Ciao!