"Get up, Lupin; you're going to be late to your first class of the year." Teddy could hear Mike's voice dragging him out of his peaceful sleep. He had forgotten how comfortable his bed in the Gryffindor Tower was. He gently hoisted his body out of the warm covers, only to have the Transfiguration book he had been studying through the night fall off his chest. He must have fallen asleep while reading.

"What a nerd, studying already?" Mike groaned. He was never the best academically, and would rather be hit by bludgers on the Quidditch field than be studying in the library. "What is this? This wasn't on our supplies list…"

"Give that back…" Teddy grunted. With a wave of his wand, he snatched the book out of Mike's hands and shoved it into his bag. "C'mon, let's go."

-v-v-v-

Teddy entered the NEWT level Potions class without Mike. Mike really hated everything about Potions. Although he claimed that he had no interest in any career involving Potions, Teddy and everybody else knew he probably did not pass his Potions OWL. Yawning, Teddy slid into the seat next to his true best friend at Hogwarts- Eric Flint.

Eric was incredibly skinny- even skinnier than Harry had been when he was their age. On top of that, his eyes were sunk in and his cheekbones incredibly high, making his cheeks sink into his face as well. It gave him a constant look of being hungry- from hungry to food to hungry for power. His hair was always slicked back, not helping in adding any dimension to his physical appearance. When he smiled, you could see every white tooth a bit too clearly that it was almost unnerving. He was also taller than Teddy, which really gave him an awkward frame to walk around in, being so tall and skinny. Oh, and he was a Slytherin. He wasn't one of those crazy pureblood ones. In fact, Teddy was pretty sure his father was a muggle, but that his mother was a very powerful witch. His being in a different house made situations awkward when Teddy preferred to hang out with him over Mike, but Teddy had first met Eric on the train as first years, and they had never grown apart since. They had bonded over their mutual desire to do something great for the Wizarding World. He really was the perfect Slytherin. He could talk his way out of any of the situations he and Teddy always found themselves in while sneaking around Hogwarts. He was so cunning that once he convinced Professor Slughorn that he had completely missed teaching a chapter in the textbook, making the class unable to turn in the assigned paper. And he was so very ambitious. More so than Teddy, who strived to be just as remarkable as his parents and his godfather. Eric knew he'd join the Ministry after Hogwarts, and had high hopes of being named Minister of Magic one day. One might say that Eric was heartlessly ambitious, and Teddy would have agreed, except for the fact that Eric had a girlfriend who he loved and adored more than anything. Teddy was always confused on how their relationship worked. She was the nicest, most well-meaning Hufflepuff in their year, and their personalities contrasted so sharply, yet they had been dating since they were both third years.

"Any success over the summer?" Eric greeted Teddy quietly, pushing his bag aside so that Teddy would have room to sit.

"Not at all. I read all the books and everything. It's bloody impossible."

"Same with me. But I figured, this year we're NEWT students. It wouldn't be too difficult getting a pass to the Restricted section. You in?"

"Yeah, definitely," Teddy nodded firmly just as class started. With Eric's quick tongue, they probably could have gotten into the Restricted section years ago, but they had not really been interested in the matter until the end of last year. The first day of Potions was pretty easy, with Slughorn only having his students brew some of the potions he went over last year as a review. Eric was always better than Teddy at Potions, which was more than fine since Teddy tended to ask him for help.

After exchanging a few kind words with Professor Slughorn involving the status of certain members of Teddy's extended family, Teddy left the Potions room to get to his Transfiguration class. He walked with Eric, who seemed excited to meet the new Transfiguration teacher.

"I mean, McGonagall was great and all, but you have to admit she was getting up there and her lectures were starting to be a drag to listen to…" Eric said as he walked down the hall in long strides.

"Yeah, I guess," Teddy mumbled, flicking his brown hair out of his eyes.

"Right. Sorry. Didn't mean to offend McGonagall's favorite student," Eric snickered. Teddy gave him a quick shove. It was kind of true though. Teddy was good at Transfiguration. Really good. It was his favorite subject, so he always put in all the effort into it. Being a metamorphmagus, he always found the concept of changing one object to another truly magical. For better or for worse. He thought of the night sky with a single full moon illuminating it as still hundreds of wizards and witches had their bodies transformed from normal to beasts they had no control of… He brushed the thought out of his mind. He had dedicated himself to Transfiguration class so vigorously in order so that one day maybe he could change that, and McGonagall very much liked his dedication. It helped that she was always sympathetic regarding his parents as well. So maybe he was a little bitter that some new guy had replaced her.

"Hey guys!" Mike ran over to them as he also headed to the same Transfiguration class. He squeezed his large frame through the crowd of Ravenclaw second years that seemed to have just left Transfiguration class. Every year the halls seemed to get narrower as more students filled Hogwarts. It was true that Teddy's year was one of the smallest Hogwarts had seen in decades, considering that the war was in full motion when Teddy was born. Every year since then had more and more students. The Ministry was already calling it a baby boom.

Eric and Teddy both greeted Mike as he finally bulldozed over the Ravenclaws. "So listen, Teddy," Mike panted, placing one arm around Teddy's shoulder. Teddy eyed the arm suspiciously. Mike clearly wanted something from him. "I was wondering… do you mind if I ask Victoire out?"

Eric snickered to the side as Teddy sighed. Mike glared at the Slytherin but seemed to flush a bit. This must have been on his mind for a while.

"Why are you asking for my permission? I don't own her," Teddy said. He was kind of annoyed though, but wasn't really sure why. Maybe because he knew she'd hardly have any time for him this year as it was. But more likely because he was annoyed that the boys in the school seemed to see Victoire as some sort of trophy that would automatically up their popularity if obtained, rather than as an independent, intelligent human being. Even Mike, who Teddy loved as a friend since their first year at Hogwarts, seemed to only be attracted to females in general based on beauty.

"Well I mean you're really close to her. I know you're not technically family but you pretty much are…" Mike rambled, "I wouldn't want it to be awkward between us, you know?" He patted Teddy's shoulder with the strategically placed arm.

"You know she has a boyfriend right now, right?" Eric chirped in. He and Mike weren't exactly enemies or friends. More like acquaintances that were forced to hang out with each other because of Teddy's inability to pick between them.

"Yeah, that Davis guy? He's nothing special. On the Quidditch field anyway. I mean, if they break up I just wanted to be able to ask her right away before anyone else does so I wanted to get your agreement first, Teddy."

"Rebound much?" Eric scoffed.

"Oh shut up you know nothing about this kind of stuff. You've had the same girlfriend for almost four years."

"So clearly I know something about handling relationships."

"Alright, be quiet you two," Teddy grimaced exasperatingly. "Yes Mike, you can ask Victoire if you like, though it was never my permission to give."

Mike beamed and quickly retrieved his arm from Teddy's shoulder as they all made their way into the Transfiguration room. Their talking must have slowed them down because almost all of the chairs were already full. Eric glided into a seat next to his aforementioned girlfriend while the beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team seemed to have saved a seat for Mike. Teddy looked around the room until he saw the empty chair next to the Gryffindor Head Girl, Priya. As he slid into the seat next to her, he silently reprimanded himself for completely forgetting that he was Head Boy. He had not even remembered to wear his badge today. Just as he sat down, Professor Nover burst into the classroom.

The door flung open as he walked briskly into the room holding what looked like a Potions vial. With grandiose movement, he uncapped the vial, tilted his head up so that it was almost horizontal, and downed the potion. Teddy had to admit that he knew how to make an entrance. The Professor lowered his head again, grimacing from what must have been the after taste of the potion before smiling brightly. He definitely did have the energy that McGonagall was lacking. He noticed Priya and many other girls in the room give small smiles to each other at Nover's wide smile that showed off his perfect teeth. He seems like a Gilderoy Lockhart, Teddy scowled to himself, remembering the stories Ron used to tell him.

"Veritaserum," Nover nodded firmly. Teddy could not help but to notice that from his seat in the front of the room, he could clearly see that Nover's scar that started at his neck seemed much deeper than it had appeared in the Great Hall. He snapped his attention back to what Nover was saying. Veritaserum? Why would a teacher inject himself with the truth telling potion?

"I want to establish a trust between us. I know I'm that new teacher who is following the wonderful Professor McGonagall. So I'm only doing this for you seventh years. I want you to trust me with your NEWT level education. You have five minutes- oh, actually only four minutes now, to ask me whatever you want, and you have my oath on this potion that what I tell you is the truth. So, ask away." He raised an expecting eyebrow as the seventh years seemed too stunned by his behavior to even ask a question.

"Time is running low…" Nover smiled, a finger tapping his watch.

Someone in the back raised her hand. "Which house were you in at Hogwarts?"

"Ravenclaw," he answered immediately.

There was a short pause, before somebody else asked, "What did you do before coming here to teach?"

"I worked at the Ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures." He seemed to unconsciously scratch his scar.

"What division?" Teddy asked without raising his hand.

Nover flicked his eyes over to Teddy and stared straight into his eyes. His eyes seemed a bit foggy yet still bore into Teddy's. Oh yes, he was most definitely under the effects of Veritaserum. "Beast. More specifically, werewolves." His eyes held their contact with Teddy's until Teddy began to feel uncomfortable and forced himself to look away. He saw Eric's brief knowing glance in his direction.

"Where did you get that wicked scar?" a Hufflepuff asked. It had been Teddy's next question.

"Werewolf attack." Teddy instinctively flinched as Priya gave him a concerned look.

"Are you a werewolf?" a Ravenclaw demanded. Oh how Teddy hated that tone the boy had taken. So condescending, so judgmental… he shivered but was careful to be more discreet about it before Priya could notice.

"No." Something about the relief in the students' faces around him made Teddy want to hex them all. He even had his hand on his wand before he saw Mike's look that told him not to do anything stupid.

"Are you single?" The tension that Teddy had felt immediately loosened as the class chuckled and Nover gave a small smile.

"Yes." The questions quickly took a turn away from the serious.

"Who is the most attractive Professor currently at Hogwarts?" Mike asked smugly. The whole class burst into laughter and even Teddy felt himself relax and smile. He knew Mike had asked in order to calm Teddy down.

"Professor Rhinehart," Nover said without missing a beat. The whole class erupted then into fits of laughter. Of course, that really was the only respectable answer Nover could have given. Professor Rhinehart was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that had started teaching after the Battle of Hogwarts and had been teaching since. One wouldn't exactly call her beautiful, but she was definitely above average and the only one close to Nover's age. The rest of the female Professors were around McGonagall's age. Sprout was gone, replaced by Professor Longbottom, Trelawney and Sinistra still seemed to haunt the castle with their ghostly appearances… yes, Rhinehart was definitely the right choice.

"Is it against your morals to date students?" a cheeky Gryffindor girl asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Absolutely."

As the class laughed again, Nover closed his eyes tightly, and when he opened them again, they seemed to look less fogged up.

"Alright, that's five minutes. I hope you had fun. Now before you go running off to Professor Rhinehart telling her that I'm madly in love with her…" he waved his wand at the chalkboard and instantly the whole board filled up with notes, "Let's do some learning."