Teddy Lupin, recent graduate of The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, watched with wistful wonder as the last members of his close-as-family boarded the Hogwarts express, school train, and sighed deeply. What a crazy thought, the last members, the youngest, off to start the rest of their lives. He plastered a heavy smile on his face, waving frantically to all of his younger cousins, to his girlfriend Victoire, to his best friends, Rose and Albus, even to Rose's boyfriend and son of the long time family rival, Scorpius Malfoy. But as the train flew by and left, leaving his mop of turquoise hair in a mess, his smile drooped, falling off and tugging his lips down. Time had gone by so fast lately, with Victoire and Augusta graduating, James, Fred and Alice close behind, and a whole mess of others soon thereafter. Where had those small, fragile babies gone, and the toddlers he used to babysit for money?
Pulled out of his reverie by a comforting hand on his shoulder, Teddy turned to look into green eyes, those of his Godfather, smiling knowingly into his own. He followed Harry away from the barren tracks, everyone having hurried home to get their house in order before work, other than the Weasely clan. He smiled at the man.
"It seems like just yesterday that I was sorted, and now, my kids have all gone on with their own journey. Don't feel too bad, Teddy, it'll be fine. There'll be plenty more soon enough." He reassured with a grin.
Teddy only nodded and followed the rest of the redheads to the cars, piling in the first one with an empty seat. He crawled in and squished up to the window, leaning against it and closing his eyes. He drifted away, smiling, waiting for the day when he could send his own children on the Express.
…..
"Lotus, Dillyn."
The voice of the old Proffesor rang clear and crisp through the Great Hall, among the last few first years to be sorted. A small girl walked up confidently, sitting on the stool with her chin stuck up high, as if she ruled the world. The boy, if looked closely at, could be seen rolling his eyes in disgust at her, irritable and nervous, twisting the hem of his shirt from beneath the school robes.
The second that the Sorting hat was set atop her silky crown of brown hair, its decision was instantly made.
"SLYTHERIN!" could be heard through the hall, followed by a roar of approval from the house table, with tense applause from the others around the massive room. Her smirk widened as everyone stared at her while she skipped to her new table and plopped down. It was a plain sight to realize that it was where she belonged.
"Lupin, Teddy." Minerva Mcgonagall, headmistress called, staring into the boy's honey eyes. He gulped and walked up shyly, shaking visibly. Snickering could be heard eminating from everywhere, along with whispers of "Lupin?" or "The werewolf?". Yes, he was part werewolf, but he couldn't help but to stick his tongue out (mentally, of course. He didn't seem to be Gryffindor material.) at their stupidity. Did it really matter? No, not one bit. He was proud of his father.
Suddenly, he was at the stool, sitting and facing the whole of the student body with the staff behind him. He would have closed his eyes if it were needed, but in just that moment, the hat closed in on his head and promptly fell right over it, covering his whole nose. He heard and felt great shakes of laughter from it.
"Well, well, little runt, eh? Yes, what do we do with you. A Lupin, yes. Good man, your father, good man indeed. Saved me once. Though he was a part of the Maurauders here, you know." I beamed proudly at this.
"Ah, proud of the troublemakers, I see. As well you should be, too. They set many a record." I nodded frantically. I didn't think of a house, or where I wanted to be placed, though Harry had told me I could. I didn't much care, any would be amazing. There are things to know, people to see, benefits with all houses.
"You are wise, young Lupin, wise far beyond your years. But Ravenclaw, however, will not do you any good, no good at all." Ravenclaw- out. "Hufflepuff? No, not quite. Too loyal, not enough caring." So not aHufflepuff, either, then. "You are not a Gryffindor, though you are quite brave." He grinned like a cheshire cat, knowing where this was going.
From the eyes of the students, they could see two identical grins, that of the scrawny boy, and that of the hat which he was sporting. They all braced themselves, wincing in anticipation. This could not be good.
"Good choice, diversity is just what they need. Do your father justice, Teddy. Set the records. Good luck!" The hat whispered to the boy. That was the last thing he heard, then a deafening pause. The silence stretched on, and he deftly noticed that he had taken over ten minutes with the hat, now five of silence before the hat finally announced it.
"SLYTHERIN!" it proclaimed, and he pulled the hat off, beaming and walking numbly to the table clad in green and silver, to the shocked faces of his new family, to the welcome of the Slytherins, clapping after a short moment of shock and greeting their newest member. It sure was good to be home, he thought.