This is the story of Teddy Lupin and his time at Hogwarts :)
The Hogwarts Express belched thick smoke over the platform and the shouts and laughter intermingled with the squawks, hoots and meows of various pets, as the students of Hogwarts began to board the train, hug their parents goodbye and slap high-fives with friends after the long summer apart.
A little way down the station however one man seemed to be drawing rather a lot of attention. More than a few people were pointing at him, the thin messy-haired man. Hardly anyone noticed that the boy at his side had bright blue hair.
Teddy Lupin glanced up at his godfather, who, seemingly oblivious to the stares, was looking around the crowded platform fondly.
"It's been a while since I've been here," he said, "you're going to have such a good time. I'm actually quite jealous!"
Teddy smiled, not telling Harry that his stomach was twisting nervously.
Andromeda patted his shoulder gently and Teddy knew that she at least could see through his smile. She often said his face was like an open book but perhaps it was one only readable to her.
"Now, you'll be good won't you," she said, eyebrows raising sternly but he could see the tears beginning to gather in her eyes. She blinked rapidly for a few seconds. Ignoring feelings of self-consciousness brought on by the platform full of children, Teddy gave her a hasty hug and patted her back. "I'll be fine gran," he said, "Honest. And I'll write all the time."
"You're a good boy," she smiled, wiping her eyes.
"Don't worry," said Harry gently, "Before you know it it'll be Christmas. Now, come on let's get your trunk on board."
Together they heaved the heavy trunk on to the train, Teddy glancing at his fellow students curiously, he even recognised a few. But it didn't stop the nerves squirming in the pit of his stomach and the usual worries returning. What if he was no good? What if he got there and they said he was only good for changing his hair colour and other silly tricks and that he wasn't a proper wizard and what if he was put in Slytherin? He turned his hair a cool white-blonde, hoping this would hide his fears. He didn't want Harry to think he was scared.
Once it was safely stowed in a free compartment, Teddy accompanied his gran and godfather back onto the platform. Harry was momentarily distracted by a man and woman standing not too far away, giving their son a tight hug goodbye, both looking almost as tearful as Andromeda. Harry turned back to Teddy.
"Now, Ted. You're going to have some of the best times at Hogwarts. I know I did!"
Teddy smirked. Harry had got up to more than the average student, or so he'd been told "You can write to me whenever you want, you know that."
"I know," said Teddy and he grinned, "Thanks again for Mercury! He's awesome,"
"Don't worry about it. You have to have an owl, they're dead useful."
Teddy nodded, sensing the conversation was going elsewhere. Harry glanced over at Andromeda who was talking to the witch and wizard Harry had stared at before.
Harry reached in to his pocket and pulled out a battered old piece of parchment.
"This is for you," he said, holding it out.
"What is it?" Teddy asked, his hair turning an inconspicuous brown in relation with Harry's own covert stance.
"It's the Marauder's map."
"No way!" Teddy shouted, his hair suddenly a brilliant blue again.
"Shhhh," said Harry, amused, "you have to keep it a secret. Only show it to those you trust. You remember how it works?"
"Uh huh. But Harry, you said you lost it. You said it must have got destroyed during the battle."
Harry shrugged, "I lied. But listen, the map should stay with a Hogwarts student, I think that's important. I held on to it all these years so I could give to you. Your dad was one of its makers after all."
Teddy nodded, holding the dog-eared piece of parchment reverently and as though it were made of glass. He itched to take out his new willow wand and say the magic words but he knew here wasn't the place and besides his gran was moving back towards them, through the crowd.
"There's just one thing. When you're done with it, when it's no more use or when you leave Hogwarts...Pass it on."
"I will. I'll pass it on to James or Al, or should I give it to the three of them to share?"
"The choice is yours. Just use it well, okay?"
"Are you ready Ted, the train's about to leave?" Andromeda had returned. Teddy hastily folded the map and carefully put it in his pocket, excitement now fluttering in his chest. Andromeda hugged him tenderly and he thought for a minute she might not let him go. "See you soon Gran," he said breaking apart.
Harry gave him a hug, then shook his hand. "Good luck."
"Thanks. Look after gran won't you?" he added, quietly.
"You know I will. Quick, off you go!"
The train gave a shrill whistle and the students, some already in their Hogwarts robes where climbing aboard, waving to their parents out the windows and laughing excitedly. Teddy too climbed on and quickly found his compartment. He pressed his hands against the glass, as the train began to move, then trundle out of the station. He watched his gran and Harry until they were swallowed up by the steam and smoke. Then the train rounded a corner and they were gone.
Teddy sat back in his seat and bit his lip. As soon as he reached Hogwarts he would write to Vicky. He hadn't meant to shout at her the other day but she had been so annoying, more than usual and although they usually made up sooner or later, he was sad – though he wouldn't admit it to anyone – that they had not done so before he had left. He so often forgot that they were not the same age, that she, a year younger, could not go to Hogwarts with him and sometimes he forgot that that was what she wanted, more than anything else. And so to have him go there a whole year before she could...it was understandable she was angry. But that was no excuse for yelling at him. She could be so annoying sometimes.
The compartment door slid open and a boy looked in. Teddy instantly recognised him as the boy on the platform whose parents Andromeda had spoken to. He had a mop of dark hair and an easy, wide smile, "Hello. Do you mind if I sit here," he said, gesturing to the empty seats. "Everywhere's either full or it's all seniors. You are a first year, right?"
Teddy nodded, "I'm Edward Lupin," he said as he helped the boy hoist his trunk into the luggage rack. "But everyone calls be Teddy."
"Cool, I'm Dorian. Dorian Diggory."
The name stirred something in Teddy's memory but he couldn't think where he'd heard it before. Dorian glanced at him carefully as though weighing him up then he said, "I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but was that Harry Potter with you on the station?"
Teddy nodded, "He's my godfather."
"Wow," said Dorian softly, "What's he like?"
"Uh, he's pretty cool," said Teddy, "But you know, he's always been there since I was little so I don't really think of him as famous or anything."
"No, I suppose not..." said Dorian slowly, "Still, he must have some stories?"
Teddy grinned, "Yeah, but it's usually his friend Ron that tells them."
"Ron Weasley? Wow, you really do know lots of people."
"I didn't realise Ron was famous," said Teddy, frowning, "I mean, I knew he was quite well-known but..."
"Sure he is. I grew up listening to the stories," replied Dorian matter-of-factly, "And Harry Potter's other friend Hermione Granger, do you know her too?"
Teddy nodded again, "She's married to Ron, so..."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. But that's so cool!"
Teddy smiled, pleased the boy thought so. "So are you excited to be going to Hogwarts?" he said, as the train swept them out of London.
"You bet I am!" he said grinning broadly, "I've been waiting for this forever. It's going to be awesome!"
At that moment the compartment door was thrown open and a girl dashed inside. She slammed it shut again, then threw herself into the seat opposite Teddy, breathing heavily.
"Uh...are you ok?" said Dorian, looking at her half in bewilderment, half in amusement.
"Sorry. But I'm sort of hiding. You don't mind, do you?" She had long blonde hair in pigtails, a thin face with a dusting of freckles over her nose and light brown eyes, behind square glasses.
"No...I suppose not." Dorian glanced at Teddy who shrugged.
"Who are you hiding form?" asked Teddy but that question was answered almost immediately when the compartment door slid open, revealing a tall and sneaky looking girl, already dressed in her Hogwarts robes, a silver badge, bearing the letter 'P' pinned to their front. She shot small eyes over the three of them, coming to rest on the girl who glared back.
"You are in so much trouble," said the prefect, her face twisting in anger. "I don't care if it's your first day, you're getting detention as soon as we get to the school."
"Prefects aren't allowed to give detentions," the girl shot back.
The prefect gaped wordlessly back for a few seconds before spitting, "You better stay out of my way because, trust me, I can make your life hell!" And with a last venomous look she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
There was silence in the compartment for a second until Dorian whistled and said, "You're not looking to keep your head down are you?"
The girl glared, then realising he was only joking, her face softened and she slouched back in her seat. "I tried. But trouble just finds me, you know?"
"What did you do?" said Teddy curiously, "She looked ready to breath fire!"
The girl sighed and shook her head, "She walked into me and I spilt pumpkin juice all over her."
"Well, that's not that bad," said Dorian reasonably.
"That's what I thought," said the girl folding her arms and tossing a pigtail over her shoulder, "But she just started yelling at me, so I said that she should be able to clear it up, assuming she actually knew any magic and she went all dragon on me!" She shook her head in indignation and Teddy laughed. She reminded him Vicky.
The girl glanced at him, "Did you know you have blue hair?" she asked suddenly.
Shocked Teddy instinctively turned it brown again, which caused both Dorian and the girl to jump.
"How did you do that!" cried Dorian.
Teddy scratched his head self-consciously, "I'm a metamorphmagus. I can change my appearance at will."
"You kept that one quiet," said Dorian," I mean I noticed you had blue hair but I didn't like to ask."
Teddy shrugged, "I forget about it sometimes."
"I wish I had blue hair but mum would kill me. I'm Christina, by the way Christina Wood."
"I'm Teddy Lupin," said Teddy, turning his hair a light blue again.
"And I'm Dorian Diggory," said Dorian, "You're not a relation of Oliver Wood are you?"
She made a face then said, "Yeah, I'm his sister."
"You're joking!" said both Teddy and Dorian simultaneously.
"No, I'm not joking. Yes, he is going to play for England next year. Yes he does own a Flamethrower 500. No, I can't get you his autograph and yes, his favourite food really is meatballs." She finished in a monotone, looking mutinous while the boys gaped at her.
"Man, I'm sharing a compartment with the very well-connected!" laughed Dorian, shaking his head.
"Why, who do you know?" Christina asked, sharply.
"Harry Potter's his godfather," said Dorian excitedly, then "Sorry mate, got a bit carried away there."
"It's fine," said Teddy, grinning.
"You really know Harry Potter?" said Christina, curiosity leaking on to her face.
Teddy folded his arms, "Yes, he is my godfather. Yes, he really does have a scar. No I can't you get his autograph and yes, treacle tart really is his favourite food," he replied, coolly, smirking.
Christina looked taken aback for a moment then burst out laughing. After a second Dorian joined in and Teddy too couldn't keep himself from grinning.
Christina remained with them, chatting about Quidditch and Hogwarts and the long summer that had preceded their arrival, until eventually a plump witch pushing a cart laden with food, opened their compartment door, with a cheery "anything off the trolley, my dears?"
They whiled away the next few hours eating sweets, swapping chocolate frog card and chatting happily.
As the time wore on, the sky outside darkened until eventually they could only see their reflections in the black glass. Feeling they must soon be drawing close Dorian and Teddy pulled their robes out of their trunks to change, while Christina left to go in search of her own case, which she'd left at the other end of the train. When she returned she was wearing her new Hogwarts robes and a scowl, "honestly, you'd think it was the crime of the century, not sitting in one compartment for the whole journey. Those girls looked at me like I was flobberworm dung. I hope I'm not in a house with them." She flung herself back in to her seat.
"Do you have any idea what house you'll be in?" asked Teddy.
"Most of my family's been in Hufflepuff," said Dorian, "Though my granddad was a Gryffindor," he added thoughtfully. "I don't think I'd mind to be honest," he said shrugging.
"As long as I'm not in Slytherin though," said Christina darkly.
"My godfather says Slytherin's not that bad," said Teddy quietly.
"Really?" said Chris, "Wow, I wouldn't have thought him of all people to think that."
Teddy shrugged, "Even so, I don't think I'd like Slytherin either. My dad was a Gryffindor and my mum was a Hufflepuff but my Gran and Granddad were Ravenclaws. So I really don't know."
"I don't think it always runs in families," said Chris thoughtfully.
"I don't know...I know a whole family who were all in Gryffindor."
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," said Dorian, smiling. "I think we're slowing down," said Dorian, glancing out of the window and indeed the train did seem to be getting slower.
Teddy felt another excited twist in his stomach. He was nearly there, he'd almost made it!
Eventually the train pulled to a stop, with much screeching from and breaks. They looked at each other nervously then filed out of the compartment, Teddy waved a quick goodbye to Mercury, then joined the throng of students pushing and shoving to get onto the platform.
They spilled out onto the small walkway and the chilly night air made them shiver. Then coming towards them through the darkness, they could make out a lamp bobbing up and down as it drew nearer and a voice carried over the hubbub.
"Firs' years, over 'ere!"