The Thing About Being Nice
Fading To Black
Teddy had put up a brave face for Uncle Harry at the train station. Uncle Harry still tasted a bit odd to him; he had called Harry 'Dad' until he was eight and had learned about his own parents. He didn't want to disappoint his parents (his birth parents) by calling another person 'Dad'. It had been sore for a while for both of them, but Uncle Harry understood. Uncle Harry usually understood him much better than anyone else, even Nana.
He was altogether certain that while he may have fooled Nana, that Uncle Harry knew that inside he was quaking. It was a mixture of fear and anticipation and utter dread. He was about to start a new chapter in is life, he was about to leave for where Uncle Harry and Nana and his parents had gone to school, he was about to see the place his parents died for the first time.
It was a rather confusing bundle of emotions.
He shook himself out of bemused wonderings when he heard sniffles from the next compartment over. Curious and mildly worried, he picked up his carrybag and stood in the doorway. "Are you okay?" He asked the lone figure curled up on the chair. It was a dark-haired boy with very blue eyes, whose face had gone all blotchy with crying.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm okay." The boy tried to smile. Teddy sat next to him and slung an arm over his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "Who are you?"
Teddy smiled at the boy. "I'm Teddy. Nice to meet you." He considered for a moment, chewing on a fingernail. "Why were you crying?"
"Oh...I'm...I'm..." the boy sucked in a breath before continuing in a small voice, almost a whisper. "You'd laugh at me if you knew."
Teddy looked the other boy in the eye. "I swear that I wouldn't. Laugh, that is. So, what's wrong?"
The reply was so quiet that Teddy had to strain his ears to hear. "I miss my family." He suddenly drew in a breath and looked, for all the world, ashamed. "I told you it was stupid. So go on, laugh."
Teddy's hair turned reddish-more so than he had kept it. "That's not stupid." he repeated himself more softly, if only just to hear the words. "It's not stupid."
The dark-haired wizard looked up. "Thanks. I'm Andy. Andy Finch. Are you a first year too?" Teddy nodded his aquiesce. His demeanor changed. "So, what House do you think you'll be in? I'm hoping for Hufflepuff. I know they're supposed to be the duffers, but Mum always said that the 'Puffs are the friendliest of the lot. I'm not brave or smart or cunning anyway."
Teddy bit back a grimace at his thoughts. Da-Uncle Harry had told him repeatedly that it didn't matter what House he got sorted into, that he would be loved anyway. It had made his heart warm at the time. "I really don't know." He scrunched up his nose. "Don't want to be Ravenclaw though. I'd drown in the books." Andy laughed at him, and it was the best sound he heard for the rest of the ride.
He sat securely in this compartment with the no-longer crying boy exchanging stories of their younger years and laying down the foundation for a good friendship. Teddy grinned. It was nice to have a friend he could trust with him.
It was time for the Sorting and both boys were nervous. It had struck them that they might end up in different houses. This year's Sorting had started with an Adder, Nadia and gone on from there. And both boys were watching, hoping, and-"Finch, Andy." And there she goes.
Both boys gulped as Andy crossed over to where the Hat lay. Teddy held his breath, hoping, hoping..."HUFFLEPUFF!" Andy took off the Hat. Well, Teddy thought, at least Andy got the House he wanted. A pair of tight smiles were exchanged as the next person, a "Hart, Bruce." went up to take his place. Looking at the line ahead of him, Teddy was glad that he didn't have that much longer a wait, only a couple letters.
"Lupin, Ted." Teddy blinked a moment before realizing that it was him they were calling. He crossed over to the Hat and put it over his head with shaking, sweaty hands. Suddenly, he felt the presence of another something in his mind. Was this the Hat? Yes, it was, he decided as it rifted through memories and talked about how he would fit into the Houses. He allowed himself aplease, can you put me in Hufflepuff? I promise I'll work hard. "Are you sure?" Asked the Hat. Yes. The Hat laughed in his mind and said "Just what I was thinking. You work hard, and you are friendly. In that case, I'm sure you'll do great goods in HUFFLEPUFF!"
As he pulled off the Hat, he was assaulted with the sound of the Hufflepuff table clapping loudly. Flushing a bit, he put the Hat back on the stool and walked over to Andy and the other first years. He smiled, thinking that his parents would surely be proud of him if they saw him now.
This is an entry for the Where They Were Sorted Challenge:Hufflepuff Ted Lupin, The Wand Wood Challenge:Ash, and HP Potions Challenge:Calming Draught, the Honeydukes Competition:Jelly Slugs and the Magical Objects Competition:Mirror of Erised.