"Stand up! / Stand up if you're broken / Stand up! / Stand up if you feel ashamed / You are not alone when you hurt this way / Stand up! / Stand up if you need love / Stand up! / This is not judgment day / You don't have to hide / There's no need to run / Everything will be okay" ~ Misery Business by Paramore
The Time It Almost Happened:
Teddy; Victorie; Badger; Terra; Albus and James were all hanging out in the courtyards of Hogwarts. The girls were sitting on an old oak bench that had a plaque on it that read; 'Lavender Brown, a true friend and daughter'.
"I wonder who Lavender Brown was." Victorie questioned.
"A professor?" James suggested and everyone shook their heads.
"A student, maybe?" Teddy suggested and everyone shrugged.
The group of friends were laughing and messing about, just having a normal Saturday afternoon in the warm sunlight. Suddenly, Badger turned to Teddy with a funny idea.
"Growl." He said simply.
"What?" Teddy asked in a shocked tone.
"Do that growly thing you do everyday before the full moon when someone irritates you."
"No." Teddy blushed but Albus started to nudge his arm and Terra began lightly kicking his shine.
"C'mon, Hybrid!" Terra jeered.
"Yeah, Hybrid, just a little one." Albus joined in with here.
Teddy could help but smile at his nickname. James has started it off when he was 6 and soon everyone else was calling him it. He knew that by Hybrid they were referring to his half-werewolf half-human genes but he didn't care. If anything he liked it, it made him feel closer to his father.
Hesitantly, Teddy took in a small breath before letting out a low, bone-chilling, rumbling growl that sounded coincidentally like a wild wolf's would. All his friends grinned and chuckled whilst clapping a little. Teddy joined in with the laughter, happy that his friends were happy.
But of course, they had to come over. Tom Twit-Pick, Jacob Tosser and Alex Douche, the three meanest bullies in Teddy's year (and possible they entire school).
"Aww, look! All the little losers hanging out!" Jacob sneered and the others laughed.
"Oh, fuck off, Tosser!" Terra sneered right back at him.
"Not very friendly?" Alex started.
"Piss off." Teddy grumbled.
"How dare you talk to us! You filthy, flee-ridden, blood-thirsty, half-breed, mutt!" Tom shouted in disgust. Jacob and Alex nodded in complete agreement whilst all Teddy's friends burst into up-roar. Although, no one was screaming louder and throwing out more threats then Victorie was. Shouting, threatening and screaming at the evil trio who looked a little shocked.
Noticing that they were gathering quite a crowd, Teddy silenced his friends with a wave of his hand.
"I will punch you so hard," Teddy started on Tom. "that your nose will shatter into so many piece, it will be unfixable." Utter silence.
"Yeah, you'll end up looking like Voldemort." Victorie snorted before pushing on the tip of her noise with her finger, making it look flat.
Teddy and his other friends laughed before copying Victorie and getting up in the evil trio's faces. Soon, they got creeped out and half-walked half-ran away. Teddy and Victorie grinned at each other before high-fiving.
As they ran away, Teddy realised how much he wanted to and how close he was to punching Tom's face. Tom hadn't insulted his father directly but he had done so indirectly and that pissed Teddy off.
The Time It Actually Happened:
Teddy stood, alone, in front of the gaping hole in the wall next to Classroom 4F. In front of him, in the middle of the gape was a stand that had a large, pure golden plaque. It looked bigger and better then the one that was for 'Lavender Brown'. A few words were elegantly carved into the fine mineral, 'Here died Remus John Lupin, the kindest and most selfless man and werewolf you could ever meet. He was a good friend, husband, father and professor. 1960-1998'.
There was another golden plaque on the other side of the first one. It was similar to the first except it was for Teddy's mother, Nymphadora Tonks.
Gently, Teddy reach forwards and stroked the plaque, over his father's name. His eyes got wet and tears threatened to spill. Teddy spent quite a few of his spare moments here, with the plaques. Suddenly, Teddy hear footsteps. Looking to his left he saw the people he wanted to see least in the world. Tom, Jacob and Alex again.
"Aww, look! Is little Teddy Bear upset?" Tom said in a sickly sweet voice, a fake, mocking pout on his face. His two goons behind him laughed sadistically.
"Fuck off." Teddy accidentally let out one of his wolf-growls.
"Wow, dude, we was just joking!" Alex exclaimed.
"Yeah, don't rip our throats out!" Jacob joined in.
"Nah, he can't help it. Monstrous werewolf genes remember." Tom looked back at them and Teddy felt his fists clench. Tom looked over Teddy's shoulder and at the plaque. He smirked before turning to his buddy's.
"To be honest with you, I'm glad that werewolf's dead." Tom pointed to the plaque. "I want to thank however did it. I mean, thanks to that person there's one less blood-thirsty, vicious, monstrous, malevolent beast on the loose." Tom got closer and closer to Teddy with each harsh word until they were only inches apart.
Before thinking of the consequences, Teddy pulled back a clench fist and swung, punching Tom square in the nose. A loud crack emanated from the bully as his nose broke and blood began to gush from it.
Tom's hands flew to his as he yelled then he and his friends turned and ran.
Teddy knew the trouble he would get in but at that moment he didn't care.
He left the corridor with a gigantic grin and he felt brilliant!
"You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair / But that's O.K., see if I care! / Knock me down, it's all in vain / I'll get right back on my feet again! / Hit Me With Your Best Shot! / Why Don't You Hit Me With Your Best Shot! / Hit Me With Your Best Shot! / Fire Away!" ~ Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar