During Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts, the Whomping Willow was a bit of a terror. Students were afraid of its violently swinging branches and tendency to eat birds, despite lacking a mouth. Of course, only a few students knew the tree also connected to the Shrieking Shack, a fact which would have increased the fear for many of them and the risk-taking for others.
Eleven years after the Battle of Hogwarts and ten years after the complete restoration of the castle, however, the Whomping Willow was the closest one young boy could get to his father. The scarred walls of the ancient castle and its rolling grounds were certainly a firm reminder to students of what the dangers of dark magic and lust for power can be, as well as a bleak memorial to the lives lost. Many students in Teddy Lupin's time had lost a parent or a sibling or an aunt or uncle at the Battle of Hogwarts. Teddy knew he wasn't alone. But having lost both parents, he did feel alone.
His godfather was understanding and Teddy knew Harry had felt many of the same things he was feeling during his time at Hogwarts. Which is why he hadn't mentioned his trips down the secret passage at the base of the Whomping Willow. When Harry was at Hogwarts, the closest thing he had to his parents was a dangerous mirror and an old trophy case. For Teddy, deep claw marks in the walls of the Shrieking Shack and the smashed furniture felt like real proof that his father had existed. And perhaps, he hoped, that he loved him.
Teddy didn't have much of a physical reminder of his mother to look at, but he enjoyed sitting on the dusty old floor, in the quiet old shack, and slowly changing his features to match the picture Harry had given him. First, he would shift his face and hair, slowly turning into a warm maternal smile and a pop of pink hair. Then, ever so carefully, he would change again.
An old scar would creep across his pale face and his hair would thin and recede until a simple patch of grey-brown hair adorned his crown. He always brought a mirror, so he could see his parents' smile. It hurt to see that he could never quite get it right, though. The most accurate imitation on his own features wouldn't bring the sparkling eyes of his mischievous mother or the smirking mouth of his jokester father. But he could see, for a moment, their smiles, and he could pretend that that was enough.
His friends—not that he had very many—didn't seem to understand his fascination with the old tree. But of course, he never let them come. They never saw, and he didn't think he'd want them to. He had hoped Victoire would ask, though. He couldn't bring himself to invite her, but he never could say no to her either.
It shouldn't have come as a surprise that she would follow him, though. With her Delacour good looks and the bright intelligence from her mom, and the knack for sneaking and pranking from the Weasleys. Uncle George always said she reminded him of Fred, and then he'd always look sad. There was so much sadness, it seemed. But Victoire always made it better.
So when Teddy Lupin was sitting on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, brushing brambles out of his hair in preparation for the night, he shouldn't have been surprised to see Victoire Weasley. Standing at the entrance to the Shrieking Shack with wide eyes, it was clear that she'd followed him. When he looked up, she only smiled, and Teddy realized that he couldn't even be mad. It seemed, in fact, that he wanted her there.
That February night was the first night that he didn't spend time changing his appearance. Instead, two young students sat on the floor and talked about family. He talked a lot about his mom and dad, she talked a lot about her uncle and her dad. Despite her own father having been attacked by a werewolf during the battle, she seemed entirely understanding when Teddy explained about his dad, and didn't hold that against his memory.
Funny, the things that will spark a friendship between young students. At 11 years old, Harry, Ron, and Hermione found a troll and a stone and their friendship was forged from there. At nearly the same age, at nearly the same time of year, Teddy and Victoire discovered that a tree and a bunch of memories can do the same thing.
Perhaps, Teddy thought, thinking of Ron and Hermione, they wouldn't stay just friends for very long.