A/N: I don't own Harry Potter!

Teddy had put on a brave face for his Gran and Harry and Ginny, but once he boarded the train, he let his smile slip. For weeks, he'd been fearing his first day of school.

Most children were excited on September first, because it meant going to Hogwarts, either returning or for the first time. But this was why he was afraid. He didn't know what would happen, he didn't know if he could make friends. He'd lived his whole life with his grandmother, he hadn't gone to much regular Muggle school past first or second grade, when his magic began bursting out of him at the most inopportune times.

Finally Teddy selected an empty compartment and dropped his trunk, plopping into a seat and burying his face in his knees. He'd never felt more alone, and that was saying something. Teddy had always been on his own, being older than all the Weasley-Potters (save for Victoire, but even he had a year on her), and he had not ever been very adept at making new friends. Children always laughed and pointed of him because of his bizarrely turquoise hair.

Teddy liked his hair turquoise, but apparently not everyone agreed with him. He couldn't help but thinking that if his mother was around, she'd make it all okay.

Before he could stop himself, he began to cry. Teddy hadn't allowed himself to cry in front of James, Al, Lily, Ginny, Harry, or Gran, but now no one was here to see him and he cried, both shamelessly and ashamedly. He wanted to be brave, he tried to be brave, he really did, but nothing could hold back his fear.

To his shock and horror, he heard the compartment door open and shut again.

Teddy lifted his head to see a little blonde girl with he hands on her hips in the front of the compartment. "Who're you?" he sniffled.

"I'm Emily Sanders," the girl declared, sitting across from him. "Who're you?"

"I'm Teddy. Teddy Lupin," Teddy's lower lip trembled, and a knot of frustration tightened in his chest. He couldn't cry in front of a girl! He was making a fool out of himself!

"Hey, are you okay?" Emily's eyes widened in curiosity and she leaned forward. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," Teddy roughly wiped his sleeve over his eyes. "See?"

"Yes, you are." said Emily, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why are you so upset?"

"I'm fine," Teddy grumbled.

"Suit yourself," Emily shrugged. "Want a Chocolate Frog?"

And that's how their friendship began, with Chocolate Frogs and curious girls.

Teddy waited nervously in line, unable to swallow the lump in his throat and angry, hot, unwelcome tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. He didn't know how many agonizing minutes he was forced to wait, but when his name was called, his legs didn't want to work.

"Go on," Emily gave him a gentle push from behind. "You can do it, go on."

And so he went. Teddy sat on the rickety stool, Professor McGonagall placing the dirty, ancient hat upon his head.

"Ah," said the hat. "Teddy Lupin. You are familiar, yes. I've Sorted generations past of your family. Slytherins, Gryffindors, even the odd Hufflepuff. Where do you belong, hm?"

Teddy squirmed. The hat gave him a creepy feeling; he didn't like being analyzed so closely. He knew that even his thoughts were no longer private with the hat upon his head.

"Well, it is clear where you belong, young Teddy," the Sorting Hat continued. "Gryffindor is where you will thrive."

"But I'm scared, so scared." Teddy thought before he could stop himself.

"Ah," said the hat. "That is where you are wrong, boy. Bravery is not an absence of fear. Bravery is being terrified beyond measure and doing the right thing anyway. Bravery is the refusal to give up, even under the worst of circumstances. You do not give up, no?"

"Never," thought Teddy.

"You have proved me right, then," the Sorting Hat declared. "Gryffindor!"

A few minutes later, Emily was seated next to him at the long Gryffindor table, happily chattering away about something or other. Teddy wasn't paying attention, for the knot in his chest was growing. But it wasn't frustration, or even fear. Not even happiness. No, it was love, completely unimaginable, powerful love.