Disclaimer: I obviously don't own HP, or I would have an awful lot more money than I do now. And write better (maybe I shouldn't put that right at the beginning... :P)

OK, enjoy!

Teddy Lupin didn't like shopping. Well, the apothecary's wasn't too bad, and going to Quality Quidditch Supplies was fun. But as for shopping for robes... Teddy pulled a face as his grandmother commented: "That does look nice, Teddy. Shall we get that one?"

"Yes," he said quickly, desperate to avoid having to try on any more robes.

"Well, you do want to look nice for Harry's wedding, don't you?"

The five-year old narrowly avoided pulling a face. "Yes, grandma."

"Now, I just need to get something for myself, too," she said, after he had changed again and the robes had been paid for. "Wait in that chair." She and Madam Malkin disappeared off into the back of the shop, Madam Malkin carrying a depressingly large pile of robes.

Teddy soon began to fidget in his seat, looking longingly at the bright sunshine and excitingly packed street outside the shop. He glanced around. His grandmother and Madam Malkin couldn't see him. They'd be a little while... they wouldn't miss him for a little while... and he didn't think Quality Quidditch Supplies was that far. Although, at the age of five, his geography skills were unpolished, as a vast understatement, Teddy didn't realise this. Perhaps he could just pop in for a few minutes. Making up his mind, Teddy rose quietly from his seat, sending a guilty glance in the direction of the back of the shop. He proceeded toward the door on tiptoe.

He could hear Madam Malkin and his grandmother chattering, so he increased the confidence of his steps. He had placed his hand on the door handle when he faced the first of many hurdles in his little adventure: how to open the door without making the little bell on the back sound.

Teddy opened the door very, very gently, and decided not to try and close it. He was sure he would make a noise if he did that. The bell tinkled a little, and Teddy froze, watching for his grandmother or Madam Malkin, but apparently neither had heard. Teddy squeezed through the narrow gap, and was free at last.

Suddenly, he realised that what had looked like an exciting scene from inside the shop was actually quite daunting for a five year old on his own. The crowds bumped into him, not really seeming to notice he was there. And he couldn't see anything but people. He quickly figured out he would be unable to find Quality Quidditch supplies by scanning the street, as he couldn't see very well in the few gaps between people that afforded him the opportunity to look at the shops.

Teddy felt scared, but then he remembered the fun things you could look at in Quality Quidditch Supplies, and decided to persevere. He headed off determinedly down the street, scanning the shops on either side when he could. However, the shifting mass of people was confusing, and he quickly became disoriented.

Teddy really began to panic when he realised he had no idea of the direction back to Madam Malkin's. He was terrified both of being unable to find it again, but also he was scared of what would happen when he did. His grandmother would be furious. He began to scurry along desperately, going wherever the tide of people took him, clearly forgetting the good advice his grandmother, Harry, cousins and pretty much everyone else had told him at one time or another: if lost, stay still until you find out where you are or someone finds you.

He began to crane his neck to look up at the faces scurrying by, but everyone seemed too preoccupied in their own dealings to notice a scared child that didn't even reach most of their hips. Teddy felt like he might be sick, his panic rising so much that he jumped when he heard a voice near his ear, rather than passing far above his head. However, his fear quickly subsided a little: the voice was warm and gentle, with a touch of concern, and the pale face framed by long blonde hair that was peering into his seemed friendly. The woman was pretty. She reminded Teddy a little of his grandmother.

"Are you lost?" The woman asked softly.

Teddy nodded, and only then did he realise he was in tears. His hair was mousy-brown, and his eyes pale blue: in his panic, he'd lost his ability to change his appearance.

"Don't worry," she said softly. Although the woman seemed concerned, she also seemed somehow happy at the situation: not that the terrified boy realised this. "Can you tell me where you need to be?"

Teddy nodded again. "Madam Malkin's." He sniffled. "My grandma's going to be really mad."

"Hush, now, she won't be, she'll just be pleased to have you back. Now, it just so happens that I need to visit Madam Malkin's myself. Perhaps we should go together?"

Teddy nodded. "Yes." He then remembered his manners. "Please."

"Take my hand, then you won't get lost again," she said gently. "Now." She straightened up from the crouching position she'd been in in order to be on Teddy's level. She began to lead him in the exactly opposite direction to the one in which he'd been running. Oops.

"What's your name?" He asked after a little while of walking in silence: he hadn't realised how far he'd managed to get from Madam Malkin's.

She looked down towards him. "Narcissa Malfoy," she replied.

"Thank you for helping me, Mrs Malfoy," Teddy repeated, parrot-like, as he had been taught to. Rather more naturally, he added: "You have a long name. Like my grandma."

"What's your name?" She asked, her eyes narrowing a little.

"Teddy." He replied.

She smiled slightly. "Teddy what?"

"Lupin," Teddy answered.

She averted her eyes from his, and he felt her fingers tighten a little around his hand. He continued to watch her closely. "And what's your grandmother's name, Teddy?"

"An-dro-me-da," Teddy said emphatically, careful to pronounce each syllable correctly.

She nodded. "Yes. I thought so." Then she smiled at him. "We're nearly there, Teddy."

He slowed his walk a little at this news. "I'm gonna be in so much trouble," he muttered apprehensively.

She laughed softly. "You know, you remind me a little of my son when he was your age."

"How old is he now?" Teddy asked.

"He's twenty-two," she replied.

"Wow, that's big," Teddy said admiringly. "Not as big as my oldest cousin, though, she's twenty-six. She's old."

Narcissa laughed. "I would avoid saying that to her face." A second later, she added, "here we are."

Teddy looked up to see the shop-front of Madam Malkin's in front of him. "Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome. Go on, then, your grandmother must be out of her mind with worry." Teddy's brow creased a little at her change in tone at that point. This woman almost sounded like she knew his grandmother...

Teddy's thoughts were interrupted by an angry, but mostly relieved, shout of: "Teddy!"

He felt himself being squeezed firmly, and inhaled his grandmother's reassuring scent.

"I'm sorry, grandma, I got bored waiting and..." he murmured.

"Oh, I'm just so pleased you're back... but you must NEVER do that again," she said firmly, setting him down with a glare. "It's lucky this nice lady-" his grandmother's voice cut off.

Teddy looked up to see her gaze locked with the other woman's.

"Narcissa."

"Andromeda."

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