Teddy Lupin Vs the Ice Cream Man
It was a hot, sunny day in Diagon Alley, London, as Teddy Lupin and his friends made their way through the cobblestoned path that was Diagon Alley. Sweating, mouths dry, his best mate, Hero, suggested that they go for ice cream at Benson Forstescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
The three of them made their way to the front, where they chatted about which flavours they would pick while they waited in line. Having finally decided, Teddy addressed himself to the owner, his two friends in plain view.
"Two chocolate ice creams and a marshmallow and chocolate gelato, please," he said.
Fortescue craned his neck, began to grin until his brown eyes were fixed on Megara. "Who's the gelato for?"
Ignoring the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, Teddy gestured to her. "My friend."
"I'm afraid I cannot serve her," Fortescue said calmly.
"Why not?"
"She's a damned Malfoy," he practically spat at him. "Blond hair, grey eyes, the old traits. Aye, that girl's definitely a Malfoy." His brow furrowed. "I don't serve Malfoys, I'm sorry."
"That's not a rational reason," Hero retorted, inclining his head at the young man and sneering.
"Oh, yeah..." Teddy glared at the ice cream man. "I know now, why. The Death Eaters killed your relative, right?"
"My old dad," Fortescue said softly, ignoring his cold tone. "I was a young lad, younger than you. Broke my mum's heart, we had to scrimp and pinch to make ends meet. You lot will never know how hard it was, you live in a good time-"
"Wrong," the boy said. "The Weasleys, they had to do that – for years. My aunt and my uncles, they were raised like that. My gran, her husband, daughter, son-in-law, sister, and cousin were all killed in the second war. She raised me, because I'm a war orphan – my dad was really poor as well, to say. My godfather, he was mistreated for years until he received his Hogwarts letter. My friend," he jerked his head towards Hero, "grew up in a Muggle orphanage. Megara, she, well – we all know how the Malfoys are treated, don't we?"
Instead of slapping him and looking bored, Megara seemed attentive now.
"Anyways, laddie," the ice cream man grunted. "I don't serve no Malfoys, it's final. It's bad for business. Now, get you and your friend's ice creams, and shoo, please."
Teddy made a scathing noise and looked at him, full in the face. "Look, mate," he said, glaring. "I'll tell you what's bad for business, OK? Bigotry, that's what."
"Are you accusing me of being a bigot?" Fortescue growled.
"Yes!" Teddy snapped. "Yes, I am, you dimwitted bum! Really, this is what you do – you judge people on their relatives, is that right? Well, I may as well confess now, then, and not take your ice cream. I'm the son of a werewolf, yet I'm not a monster! Hero, he's the son of a Death Eater, and he's not violent and for world domination! Megara's friend Jasper, he's related to Cedric Diggory, yet he's not a martyr! Moira, she's the sweetest thing ever, I swear, and even though she's distantly related to the Carrows, she's not a sadist! You have to judge people on themselves, not on their families, or you'll find a fucking lot of blame!"
Fortescue massed his neck, looking amused. "Continue to enlighten me, kiddo. You're damn funny, you are."
Teddy grabbed Megara's left sleeve and unrolled it, shoving her forearm into his face. "Look!" he snarled. "Do you see a Dark Mark? No! She's no Death Eater, or she wouldn't be walking the streets today! Now give me the ice creams and the gelato, hurry."
"After the fuss you've made?" Fortescue shook his head. "No, sir. She's scum, a filthy little Death Eater spawn, and I'll loathe her on sight whether you like it or not. Not all of us can forgive easily, kiddo. It's life, you cannot change it. Life's ugly, but you got to live on."
"You're not living on," Hero observed quietly. "You're still in the past, sir. You're still thinking about the Death Eaters who killed your uncle, hating them. You're not being reasonable. Megara's grandfather, he was in jail when the kidnapping happened. Her father, he was preparing for his mission, I bet. Think a bit, will you?"
Fortescue sneered. "Leave!" he demanded. "And don't come back to my shop!"
"Fine!" Teddy yelled as Hero and Megara dragged him away. "Fine, I'll just tell everyone how awfully prejudiced you are! You're no better than the Death Eaters, you know, judging on relatives!"
"Lupin," Megara said quietly, "shut up. He's probably calling the Aurors now."
Teddy sighed. "This was all for your sake," he reminded her.
Hero put his arms around his girlfriend. "Well said, Meg."
"Exactly," she said, sounding satisfied.
Later, when Harry asked Teddy why the bloody hell did he get a call that his godson and two friends were "causing euphoria" at the ice cream parlour, Teddy couldn't help but tell him, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle nostalgically at how proud Tonks and Remus would be of their son, should they still be alive now.
Well... I had this in my head and I couldn't really not write it... Megara's Draco's daughter with Pansy, a year behind Teddy in school, and Hero's who Teddy says he is... the kid of a Death Eater.
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