Author's Note: Things I don't own: Harry Potter. Thinks I do own: Simon, Max, and the other characters I made up. Plus four plush dinosaurs. The song is by Alan Jackson (who is totally awesome!)
Chapter 13: Remember When
Teddy stared at the photo album in his lap. He did so when he was frustrated. His best friend, Victoire Weasley, was constantly on his mind and it was driving him nuts. It had been a year and he still couldn't forget his feelings for her. If anything, they might have gotten stronger rather than weaker.
One of the pictures waved at him. It was his mother and her best friend, Chelsea. Chelsea had been the only other Metamorphmagus Teddy had known…not that he knew his mother or Chelsea. Chelsea was married to Charlie and they lived in Romania. They didn't visit often and when they did, Teddy always seemed to be visiting his family.
He flipped the page and three boys waved out of their frame, ruffling each other's hair. Teddy stared at the middle boy. He had dark, messy hair, and hazel eyes hidden partially by his glasses. He stood slightly taller than the handsome boy beside him, but slightly shorter than the sandy-haired boy on his other side.
Teddy's godfather had explained that it was a picture of the three at the cottage Teddy's father and grandfather had been living in at the time. It was one of the few pictures that Peter Pettigrew hadn't been in.
"Teddy?"
Teddy looked up. Simon Calhoun, Teddy's roommate poked his head into the room. He smiled sympathetically.
"Hey, I cooked some hamburgers, I left yours a little pink…er, if you're hungry…I mean, I know you're still moping over Vic…" Simon said nervously.
"I'm not moping over Vic." Teddy said closing the album and placing it on the bedside table. "I have no reason to, she's just my friend."
"Are you sure? After all, you were staring at her picture for nearly thirty minutes yesterday before Kevin finally distracted you" Simon said.
"Positive, in fact, I kinda like someone anyway," Teddy said getting up. His face screwed up a moment.
"You do?" Simon asked unconvinced. Teddy nodded.
"She works in the auror department. You don't know her."
"How convenient," Simon said. "Let's go eat."
Their flat was not very big; it had two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen, living room, and dining room all in one. Teddy grabbed his burger and a soda from the fridge. He sat in his recliner and took a huge bite. Simon stared in disgust.
"You could chew, you know." He commented, sitting in his recliner.
"I'm hungry," Teddy said with a mouthful of lettuce and tomato. He shot up suddenly, his burger half out of his mouth.
"Is that tomato?" he shouted. Simon nodded.
"What's wrong with tomato?" he asked generally confused.
"I hate tomatoes, you should know this." Teddy replied. "My roommate is trying to kill me!" he stood up and stalked back into the kitchen, dumping the sandwich into the trash can.
Teddy then began to loiter through the cabinets trying to find something edible. Typical, Simon forgot to go shopping…again. He sighed and thought it would be best if he just went to Harry's for dinner.
"Where are you going?" Simon asked, for Teddy had just grabbed his cloak and the Floo powder on the mantel piece.
"Harry's, I figure Ginny won't kill me." Teddy smirked. Simon couldn't say anything as Teddy had shouted "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!" and had whizzed out of sight.
Teddy appeared in Harry's study just as Harry was leaving. Harry chuckled as Teddy stepped out of the grate and promptly tripped over his own feet. He sighed and helped his godson to his feet.
"Always so graceful, aren't we?" he said. Teddy frowned and brushed the soot off his robes.
"Don't tease me, I'm hungry." He said.
"Oh, and we know how vicious you get when you're not fed." Harry teased.
"Which is why it's a good idea to get out of my way," Teddy said smiling.
"I hope you don't mind, but Victoire is having dinner here too." Harry said as they left the room. Teddy froze in his tracks.
"Seriously?" he groaned.
"Is that a problem?" Harry asked.
"No, I just wished I had known. I haven't seen her since Christmas." Teddy said.
"That's weird; don't you guys usually hang out more often than that?"
"Well, yes, but auror training and school kind of got in the way."
"I don't make you train all that often. Have you been ignoring her?" Harry asked knowingly.
"Of course not, that's ridiculous." Teddy said quickly.
"Teddy!" three voices shouted. Teddy braced himself as Harry's kids launched themselves on him. Harry laughed as he went to help Ginny prepare the meal.
"What are you doing here?" James asked.
"Simon tried to kill me so I came to get some real food." Teddy shrugged.
"We're having spaghetti!" Lily said.
"And Vic's coming over too!" Albus said excitedly. "I think she was hoping you'd stop by."
"What makes you say that?" Teddy asked uncomfortably.
"She's been coming over a lot and asking about you." James said. "Are you ignoring her?"
"Why does everyone keep asking that?" Teddy asked.
"Because it sure feels like you're ignoring me for some reason."
Teddy flinched and turned around. There was Victoire. She looked a lot different than she had at Christmas. Her hair was longer and slightly wavy. She seemed a bit taller too. She looked like she'd gone up a cup size too, not that he was looking.
"Hey Vic," Teddy said.
"Hey Ted,"
"It's Teddy Vic, why do you always do that?"
"Because it annoys you. Can we go out back and talk?" she asked.
"I suppose so, but the kids might follow." Teddy said eying James who smiled innocently.
"We'll keep James from following you." Lily said.
"Thanks," Victoire grabbed Teddy's arm and pulled him to the backyard. She charmed the windows and doors so that the Potter kids couldn't see or hear them. Then she faced Teddy.
"Why are you ignoring me?" she asked, not angrily, but slightly hurt.
"I'm not ignoring you." Teddy said.
"Ted, you hardly talked to me at Christmas, you never met me at Hogsmeade with Giselle and you claim you're always busy. What did I do?"
"Nothing, you haven't done anything. It's…it's me…I'm a bit stressed and I knew you would make me talk about it and I didn't want to." Teddy invented wildly.
Victoire glared. "You're lying, why are you ignoring me?"
Teddy gulped. He couldn't tell her the truth.
"I…"
"Dinner!" Ginny called. Victoire sighed in defeat while Teddy sighed in relief.
"This isn't over." Victoire said.
Soon the Easter holidays had ended and Victiore went back to school. Teddy found this welcoming. He needed to forget her. This was his chance to try dating other girls. He found this didn't work quickly enough. Max, Simon and Kevin kept trying to get him to just tell Victoire, but Teddy stubbornly refused.
"Teddy, you don't even know if she would find that repulsive." Max said. "Look at Giselle and I. We're getting married in four months and that was because I didn't shy away. I went for it. I told her flat out how I felt."
"She also made you think she was pregnant so you thought you had to marry her." Teddy muttered.
"Details…too many to count," Max said.
"You know, you are being a bit ridiculous," Kevin said one day while they were eating lunch in Diagon Alley.
"Ridiculous, Harry wants me to work the graveyard hours four three weeks!" Teddy moaned.
"Actually, I was talking about Victoire." Kevin said calmly.
"Oh," Teddy said. "I really don't want to get into that."
"I heard that Richard Blevins asked her out." Kevin said.
"Oh," Teddy said in a defeated voice.
"She turned him down."
Teddy perked up. "Why, he's a nice guy."
Kevin shrugged. "She said she liked someone else and she didn't want to lead him on."
Teddy slumped again. "Did she say who she liked?"
"Aren't you her best friend?" Kevin asked raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't she have told you?"
"We don't talk much anymore." Teddy mumbled.
"Carol, do you think I should go with him?" Victoire asked. She and Carol were studying for their Potions exam in the library. Carol looked up from her notes.
"For the hundredth time, yes," she sighed disgruntled. "I mean, he's only asked you out a half dozen times already."
"I know, but I would still feel bad. I don't feel anything for him." Victoire sighed.
"For heaven's sake, Vicky, it's one Hogsmeade trip. It won't kill you." Carol snapped.
"Shh!" Madam Pince shushed. Carol rolled her eyes and went back to her notes.
"I guess you're right," Victoire sighed. "I'm going to go look for him."
"Then I'll be able to study," Carol mumbled. Victoire ignored her and left the library. She was almost to Ravenclaw Tower when she found Richard.
"Richard!" she called. Richard looked up from book. A wide grin spread across his face.
"Hey Victoire," he said.
"I'd like to take you up on your offer to go to Hogsmeade if it's still open." Victoire said quickly. Richard's grin grew wider.
"Of course, I didn't think you would!" he said excitedly. He hugged her and she found that she hugged him back.
"I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall at nine?" he asked when they'd pulled apart. Victoire smiled.
"Sounds good to me,"
"Great, you busy now?" he asked.
"Well, I have to study for my Potions exam…"
"I can help you; I'm a whiz at Potions." Richard said excitedly. Victoire shrugged.
"I guess it won't hurt." She said.
"Let's go to the Room of requirement. I find I can study much better in there than anywhere." Richard said.
"Okay,"
"That was so much fun!" Victoire laughed as she and Richard left one of the new Hogsmeade shops, Atlantis Games. It was like a mini arcade.
"It was you were amazing at the Quidditch simulation!" Richard said squeezing Victoire's hand.
"You weren't half bad yourself." Victoire said playfully shoving Richard's shoulder.
"I was better at the Wak-A-Niffler." Richard said. "Where to now?"
"I'm thirsty, why don't we go to the Three Broomsticks?" Victoire suggested.
"Sounds good, I could use a drink myself." Richard said. So the new couple went to the pub hand in hand. While Richard went to order some drinks, Victoire found them a table. She was finding that she liked Richard more and more as the days progressed. She had spent several days with him since he had helped her study for Potions. He was sweet, kind-hearted, considerate and a million other things. They were the new It couple of Hogwarts.
"Here you go," Richard said putting a butterbeer in front of her and sliding into the booth beside her. Victoire opened the bottle and took a swig.
"That's much better," she sighed. Richard nodded as he took a swig of his own. "I'm glad I decided to come with you." She said when he was done. Richard smiled.
"Me too," he leaned in and Victoire knew what was coming. Should she kiss him when she wasn't sure how she felt? Mentally she should herself. He wasn't Michael, he wouldn't hurt her. His lips gently brushed hers. It wasn't a deep kiss, but a sweet chaste kiss. Victoire smiled when he pulled away and she out her head on his shoulder.
"We should go to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." She said. "I'm running low on letter pranks for my poor family."
Richard laughed. "Okay, let's go." The two got up and left the pub walking up the high street to the most colorful building in the town. Richard held the door open for his girlfriend and then followed her inside. Victoire took a deep breath. She loved the smell of her uncle's shops.
"The gags I need are in the back." Victoire said. Richard nodded and put his arm around her waist. They were almost to the back when Victoire accidentally walked into someone.
"Oh, I'm so sorry…Teddy?" Victoire gasped. Teddy looked up from trying to pick up some products he dropped.
"Vic?"
"What are you doing here?" Victoire asked but Teddy wasn't listening. He noticed that Richard Blevins was standing beside her, his arm around her waist.
"Teddy, are you listening to me?" Victoire asked. Teddy shook his head.
"Um, yeah, I was meeting someone here." Teddy said. "Thought I stash up while I was waiting."
"Who are you meeting?" Victoire asked.
"Er, Simon, he was working out here this week and he was sick of eating with his co-workers so I came up because it's my day off." Teddy said. "How long have you two been together?"
"About a week," Richard answered. Teddy nodded.
"Well, er, I should go, I bet Simon's here anyway. See you," Teddy rushed off. Victoire watched him.
"What is up with him lately?" Victoire asked. Richard shrugged.
Teddy ran out the store, leaving the products he had picked up. Simon was going to have to deal with his co-workers again because he needed to get out of her. He hadn't expected Victoire to show up with a new boyfriend. Why did it bother him so much anyway? He had needed something like this, didn't he? Wouldn't this help him get over her?
No, a voice in the back of his mind said.
I didn't ask for your opinion. Teddy snapped at the voice.
Sure you did, I'm you after all Teddy ran into the woods toward the rocks where Sirius Black had once hidden. Once he was safely in there he sat down. He placed his head in his hands and took deep settling breaths. He knew this would happen eventually if he didn't make a move. Victoire had no idea how he felt and she wouldn't wait forever.
"What am I going to do?" he asked aloud. That was when a memory came to him.
"Teddy, I found one!" she said. Teddy rushed over. In Victoire's tiny palm lay a shiny white pearl.
"Here, it wasn't even in a shell, it was on this rock!" she put in his hand.
"Yay, my very own ball of clam spit and dirt!" he said. Victoire sighed audibly and continued to look for pearls and shells. Teddy went back to the oyster he'd found and cracked it open. Inside of it sat two pearls: one white, one…pink.
"Here, Vic, I found two for you!" Teddy shouted over his shoulder. Victoire splashed over.
"Two, but I only need…" she stopped. "You found those together?" she asked.
"Yes, why?" Teddy said. Victoire grabbed the white pearl.
"You keep the pink one, Maman told me that when you give someone a pink pearl, it means you love them." She explained.
"But I…"
"Let me say it again, it can't be like a daddy or a cousin or something." She said.
"Oh," Teddy stared at the pearl. He had to give it to a girl eventually. He doubted he would ever remember it.
He almost hadn't, but he knew that Victoire would know exactly who gave it to her. He couldn't just give her the pearl though. Then it hit him. Victoire's birthday was in two weeks. He would give it to her as a gift. He would make a necklace and give it to her. HE whooped and then Disapparated for home.
"You're back early, did Simon not show?" Kevin asked from his desk.
"Er, no, I ran into Victoire so I came back. I should probably let Simon know I'm not eating lunch with him." Teddy said absentmindedly as he began searching his desk drawers for the pink pearl. What had he done with it?
"Oh, what happened? I thought you and Vic were cool?" Kevin asked.
"She has a new boyfriend. How is that supposed to make me feel?" Teddy asked dumping the contents of a drawer onto his desk top. Kevin watched him perturbed.
"Why the hell are you tearing your desk up?" he finally asked.
"Looking for something," Teddy said.
"Obviously," Kevin said rolling his eyes. "Maybe it's not here?"
"N=Bingo, I left it at Grandma's because I forgot I had it!" Teddy shouted. "Thanks Kevin!" he called as he dashed out of the apartment. He went into the ally and Apparated to his grandmother's home. He rang the doorbell impatiently.
"I'm coming!" Andromeda snapped. She opened the door. "Oh, Teddy," she got out before he rushed past her and up the stairs.
"Sorry, can't talk, kind of in a hurry!" Teddy called. Andromeda put her hands on her hips.
"What in the world has gotten into that boy?" she muttered to herself following him upstairs. She found him tearing up his room.
"Teddy Remus what are you doing?" She hollered.
"I can't find it!" Teddy wailed. "What did I do with it?"
"Do with what?" Andromeda asked.
"Remember when I went to the beach with Victoire?" Teddy asked.
"You went several times." Andromeda pointed out.
"I meant right before I started school. The last time we went together." Teddy said slowly as he realized this. Had it really been eight years since they'd gone to the beach together?
"Yes," Andromeda replied.
"Do you know what I did with the pink pearl?" Teddy asked. "After Harry put the white one in my watch?"
"No, I'm sorry…" Andromeda said thinking. Teddy's face fell in despair. "Wait…" Andromeda said suddenly. Teddy perked up. "I might, hold on." Andromeda got up and went to her room Teddy hot on her heels. She went to her jewelry box and began sifting through her rings and bracelets.
"Aha!" she said pulling her hand out. In it sat the pink pearl. Teddy took it gratefully. He hugged her.
"I love you Grandma! Thank you so much!" He said happily.
"No problem, why do you need it anyway?" she asked.
"You'll see," Teddy said kissing her cheek and taking off back to his flat. Andromeda shook her head. He was acting just like his mother.
It took Teddy nearly two weeks to finish the necklace. He had gotten the chain from his grandmother. It was a silver chain with the Black family crest on the hook, but it was barely visible so Teddy figured it wouldn't matter. He buffed the tarnished silver so that it would shine. It looked brand new.
When Teddy explained what he was doing, his friends happily pitched in to go down to the beach and collect as many white pearls as possible. With Max, Simon, Kevin, and Giselle helping, they managed to find ten pearls. Teddy let each of them keep a pearl to thank them for being such great friends. That left six pearls to work with. Plenty in Teddy's opinion.
Next, Teddy took off the diamond on the end of the chain and replaced it with the pink pearl. That way it was dangling below the rest of the necklace in perfect view. Teddy then went to Diagon Alley and asked the jeweler how best to add to a necklace. After a few lessons, Teddy set to work adding the white pearls in spaced intervals around the chain. When he finally finished the necklace looked as if Teddy had bought it from an expensive jeweler.
"It looks amazing." Simon said when he saw Teddy had finished. Teddy smiled. Kevin came over to have a look.
"Wow, if I hadn't seen you working on this I would have thought a professional had done this." He said in awe.
"Thanks guys, tomorrow's her birthday, so I need to go drop it off now." He said yawning.
"Maybe you wait until tomorrow morning." Simon said. "You looked tuckered out."
"I can't. Vic gets up at the crack of dawn. She'll be in bed by now." Teddy said standing up and picking up the necklace.
"Okay, we'll still be here when you get back just in case you pass out and we need to carry you to bed." Simon said.
"Thanks," Teddy said shaking his head. He Flooed to McGonagall's office. She jumped when he walked in.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Teddy said. "Just dropping off Victoire's gift."
"You couldn't just mail it like a normal person?" McGonagall asked.
"You know me, I have to deliver them personally." Teddy laughed.
"The password's 'Kumquat,'" McGonagall said.
"Thanks," Teddy said as he descended the stairs. He morphed his features so that he would look like Neville and then hurried to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Kumquat," he told the Fat Lady when he arrived.
"Correct," she said sleepily swinging open without even looking. Teddy tiptoed in. Nobody was in the common room. Teddy changed his features to that of a first year girl and went up the girl's staircase. He went to the Sixth Year girl's room and quietly opened the door. Everyone was asleep. Teddy snuck over to Victoire's bed. He smiled. She still slept with Teddy her teddy bear (she always said a teddy bear should called Teddy it made sense to a three-year-old.) Teddy moved her brush aside and then placed the necklace on her bedside table. She was sure to see it in the morning.
When Victoire woke up she smiled. Richard had thrown her a party for two the night before because he knew they wouldn't have time to celebrate her seventeenth the next day due to it being Victory day. He had gotten the house-elves to make crepes for dinner and gateau chocolat (Richard was so proud that he knew some French).
"Get dressed Vic; we need to be down on the grounds in like twenty minutes." Abby said as she threw her hair up unceremoniously.
"I'm getting up." She said. She reached for her brush but didn't feel it. Instead, her hand fell on a necklace chain. Victoire picked it up and gasped. Her roommates stopped getting ready and looked at her. Tears filled Victoire's eyes. It was a beautiful pearl necklace.
"What is it Vic?" Carol asked. She gasped. "That looks expensive."
"I know, I wonder where he got it." Victoire said.
"Or how he got it in here," Shannon said.
"I have to go find him." Victoire said. She leapt up and got dressed quickly and rushed out of the room.
"Wish she would do that all the time." Abby said. The other girls laughed.
"Richard!" Victoire called to her boyfriend as she reached the marble staircase. Richard spun around and smiled.
"Thank you for the necklace, it's beautiful." Victoire said planting a kiss on his cheek. "I didn't know you'd paid that much attention to the French stories I told you."
"Of course I paid attention." Richard said. "I love those stories."
"Do you want to put it on?" Victoire asked. She held the necklace out to him.
"Sure," he said taking it from her and putting it around her neck. "It looks amazing on you." Richard said when she had turned around.
"Thanks, let's go find some seats." Victoire said taking Richard's hand.
Teddy was only half listening to Harry. He was too busy looking for Victoire. He kept expecting her to run into his arms thanking him for his gift. When Harry had finished speaking, the aurors spread out to their respective corners for security. Harry grabbed Teddy's arm before he could walk off.
"I knew you weren't paying attention. You're with me." He said.
"I knew that." Teddy said untruthfully. Harry laughed.
"Victoire's on your mind, huh? Finally feel bad about ignoring her?"
"For the last time, I wasn't ignoring her." Teddy said crossly.
"Keep telling yourself that." Harry chuckled. "She's over there. You can talk to her before the ceremony begins."
"Thanks," Teddy hurried over to Victoire. She smiled when she saw him.
"Hey Teddy!" She hugged him. "Look at the necklace Richard bought for me, isn't it beautiful?" Victoire asked showing Teddy the necklace around her neck. Teddy blanched.
"Richard…?" he stammered.
"He remembered my birthday, isn't that so sweet of him?" Victoire tittered. "He's such a sweetheart."
"Yeah, sweet…" Teddy muttered. Victoire looked at him concerned.
"I'm sorry, I'm being inconsiderate. You're probably thinking about your parents. You don't need to hear how happy I am."
"Yeah, I should go, I'm on security duty." Teddy said hurrying away. Richard and Victoire watched him leave.
"He's kind of weird. It's like he's bi-polar." Richard said.
"It seems that way." Victoire sighed.
Teddy patrolled in silence. Harry noticed something was off, but he never got the chance to ask because he was the final speaker and Teddy left immediately after the ceremony. Harry went to his apartment, but Simon and Kevin said they hadn't seen their roommate since that morning. Worried, Harry called Andromeda. She said that he might have been at his parents' cottage, so Harry went to look. He wasn't there, but Harry wasn't about to give up.
What had happened to make Teddy so upset? Harry thought back to how Teddy had gone from somber to downright upset after he had gone to talk to Victoire. She had seemed happy enough; she had hugged Teddy and talked with a smile on her face. Why would that upset Teddy? Unless…unless Teddy was jealous of Richard. Victoire had let go of Richard's hand long enough to hug her best friend. She obviously liked Richard a lot and Teddy looked at Richard with a look of disgust that only Harry would recognize. Teddy usually saved that look for Andromeda's boyfriend, Randy.
That's when Harry realized Teddy didn't want to be found and it was pointless for Harry to continue looking. When teddy didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be. Harry sighed. He might as well go home and just leave a message on Teddy's cell phone. Until then, he had to think about how to approach this unexpected conversation with his godson.
