Walking down the corridors he knew so well Teddy Lupin was for once, alone. He'd just shaken off some 4th year girls who seemed obssessed with him and his hair glowed a bright turquiose in victory against them. It was a saturday and having finished all homework for the week Teddy was quite bored really. His friends were in the library, struggling with their mounting piles of work, he chuckled, serves them right for laughing when I did mine earlier he thought.

He stopped at the window and saw why no one was in the hallways, it was a beautiful day and probably the last they would see until the next year. Thats why his plan was so brilliant, if he stayed in the hallways no one would bother him, just thinking about all those people if he went outside made him frown. Crowded round him, wanting to see his hair change colour or hear stories of his father or his godfather. No person in their right mind would stay inside on such a sunny day.

He moved away from the window, knowing that if he stayed too long someone would see him, he carried on walking and turned down the corridor to the right, with each step his hair became darker until it was pitch black, he loved it like this for three reasons, it reminded him of his godfather, the stories he was told of sirius black and he had encouraged rumours that when his hair was balck he was angry, this made people think twice about coming near him due to his famous temper. Teddy assumed he got it from his father, no he did not turn into a werewolf but he had one or two qualities of one, when angry he was viscious, as two 7th years found out when he was in 2nd year and they had tried to force him to eat a very large worm by holding him down and almost choking him (the two boys found themselves with several broken bones, worms shoved in their ears and tied to the hoops on the quidditch pitch), also he had a better sense of smell than most humans, his other senses were quicker aswell and he got a bit jealous when people touched his things (this included girlfriends-though they found it charming that he was so protective) which apparently will be amplified with certain things, but his godfather rufused to tell him exactly what.

Turning another corner Teddy stopped dead, he'd seen the last thing he'd expected to see. Another person. A girl.

She couldn't have been much younger or older than himself but he couldn't quite place her from 6th year. She had blonde hair down just past her shoulders and she was around 5'5 from what he could tell, making her at least a head smaller than his 6'0 frame. Her back was against the wall as she breathed heavily. All of a sudden her eyes snapped open and she turned her head to look at him. He found himself under the gaze of the brightest blue eyes hed ever seen. She stamped her foot and narrowed her eyes at him, Teddy was tempted to take a step back from her anger but resisted.

"Why wont you lot leave me alone! What did I do?" She cried suddenly, her shoulders slumping in defeat as she turned and began to half walk half jog away from him. His eyebrows came together in confusion.

But before she turned the corner voices could be heard, coming closer. The girl froze.Suddenly she started to step backwards slowly.

Then came a group of guys from mostly Teddy's year from round the corner, he didn't know them well but he kept on their good side, they werent nice people. They started hooting and cheering as they saw the girl, she just kept stepping back. One came forwards a few steps to address her.

"Well well well...it seems we found our little toy." His words were mocking, the other guys laughed and Teddy found himself becoming angry.

"Teddy, you caught her! Welldone mate, she's quite the little trickster this one is, been avoiding us all week." Another called, finally noticing him. Teddy's fists clenched at his sides.

No one had noticed the girl, she kept moving back and but when she was almost level with him the group started forwards and she finally turned and began to run. Teddy didn't know why he did it but before any of them could react he'd pulled out his wand and a sticky substance flew form his wand, covering the group from head to toe, they went down like dominoes and found themselves unable to get back up. Nodding his head in truimph at the struggling boys Teddy turned on his heel and started after the girl.

Having longer legs than the shorter young woman Teddy only took a few minutes to catch up to her, hearing the light footsteps she made in her haste and following them easily.

He found her sprinting down the stairs and called down to her, she stopped to look up at him before she scowled and took off again. Teddy sighed, as his well trained ears picked up the harsh sound of the group of boys padding down a nearby corridor he searched into his pocket before finding a minutre broom, no bigger than his thumb and tapping his wand upon it in a few seconds it was a fully formed racing broom, The Firebolt 3000. He'd almost cried when his godfather had given it to him a few months back. Mounting the broom swiftly Teddy plunged down the stairway, leaning forwards for speed as his ears picked up the sound of the girl he realised where she was heading and knew it was a dead end. Taking a shortcut he'd learnt from the Mauraders Map he ended up along an empty corridor, which was cut off by a large walland flung his invisibility cloak around himself...and waited.

A short moment later the girl appeared, she looked slightly scared and as she reached the wall she gave it a sharp kick in anger and yelped in pain. The sound of the group's heavy footsteps echoed in Teddy's ears and he quickly brought an arm around the girl, pulling her under the cloak. Swiftly moving a hand over her mouth and an arm around her waist as she tried to shout in shock.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I swear it. Just stay still until their gone. Okay?" He felt her nod and he took his hand from her mouth, he could feel her shaking slightly and tightened his grip on her as the group came round the corner.

"I'm sure she went this way!" One yelled angrily. They turned to leave but one stopped them.

"Wait. Maybe she is here" And he strode towards the wall at the end of the corridor. The rest followed slowly, looking around carefully.

A slight frown on his face the young man placed his hands on the wall, letting them glide softly along it as he went a few steps to the side. Teddy now recognised him as their leader Tom Curtner, he was the eldest, the only one in 7th year.

"Spread out. She's tricky, she could still be here." He barked and at the order the group spread out, their hands out stretched, and Teddy found himself raising an eyebrow in amusment even though they were edging closer, they looked like zombies.

He felt the girl's heartbeat quicken more and pulled them both backwards a step so his back was pressed right against the wall.

The one who had ordered the rest had stopped and was looking at the spot only an inch to their left with interest, without warning he started to reach a hand outwards, slowly. There was no way he would miss them and they both held their breath, his hand came closer, and closer-

"What are you boys doing in here?" A voice of authority echoed through the corridor and the boy's hand stopped and flew back to his side as they all turned to see Proffessor Longbottom coming towards them swiftly.

Teddy could have kissed him. He knew Neville quite well from outside school, having spent many a dinnertime sitting around the table with him at his godfather's house.

Neville approached the guilty looking group with a wary eye as they stopped their search

"Nothing proffessor, we were just leaving" One piped up and they all filed past their teacher quietly.

Once they were out of sight Neville turned to look down the corridor towards the two teenagers still hidden under the cloak.

"I'm not going to even ask why that bunch were after you and Miss Halliwell Teddy, just try to keep out of trouble." A small smile appeared on Nevilles face as he spoke, as if he could see the shocked look on the pair's faces. And without another glance he left them, and an awkward silence loomed over them.

Finding nothing to say Teddy removed his arm from her thin waist and took the cloak from over them, stuffing it into his pocket once it was once more a miniture version of itself. All the while she stood, wringing her hands nervously and watching him.

He turned to leave but just as he did

"Thanks" He heard her say quietly, he turned back towards her and smiled

"No problem. So do you have a first name or should I call you Miss Halliwell?"

She raised an eyebrow in amusment and replied cheekily

"No Miss Halliwell is fine"

At this Teddy shook his head, his smile widening at their banter "Nope I want a first name, its only fair as you know mine"

She seemed to ponder this for a moment.before answering

"Mina.Mina Halliwell"

"Thats a nice name. Hey what year are you in? I can't quite place you" He asked, tilting his head to the side as his hair became a light brown without him noticing.

"Thanks, I like your name too. I'm in Gryffindor, same as you,and I'm a 6th year. Actually we have some classes together, but you're probably too busy with all your admirors and friends to notice me" She told him, not unkindly, actually it was said with humor, he found it interesting, if anyone else had spoken of the people who usually surrounded him he would have scowled, but not now. But he couldn't help asking

"So you're in Gryffindor? Then why were you running away from a fight?"

Mina frowned suddenly and he knew he'd said the wrong thing. Curiosity killed the cat.

"You don't know what you're talking about, don't judge me, you don't know anything about me or my life." She told him angrily, and without a backwards glance she moved past him and strode down the corridor and out of sight.

"Nice going Teddy" He scolded himself and sighing he shoved his hands into his pockets and then followed her path down the corridor and continued to wander around for the rest of the afternoon, avoiding the group of boys who he assumed were still on the prowl.