"Remus? Remus..."
As Remus' brain cut through the thick veil of unconsciousness he was aware that he was lying on a stone floor. A voice was calling him but he didn't really feel like answering it. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in a soft, warm bed and sleep for days.
Remus then found himself being lifted slightly before his head was placed in someone's lap and gentle fingers stroked through his hair.
"Remus?"
Remus gave a small groan. Everything hurt. His head was throbbing and he really didn't want to move. Whoever was stroking his hair had the right idea and Remus wished to fall back asleep once more to that touch.
"Severus. Give him the potion,"
A barely audible grumble was heard. Someone gently lifted his head once more and someone else poured something cool slid down Remus' throat.
Soon enough Remus found his massive headache dissipating. With another groan he slowly opened his eyes...
And came face to face with a scowling Severus Snape.
"Bloody hell," was the first thing his brain registered before Remus rotated his eyes to focus on the wonderful image of his wife who still had her fingers in his hair.
He gave Tonks a weak smile and was rewarded with a gentle kiss on the temple.
"How do you feel Remus?"
Remus shifted his head to look at Pomfrey who had just spoken.
"Like shit," he groaned, weakly lifting a hand to rub his eyes. He'd had bad transformations in the past but this one had left him more tired and shaky than usual.
Pomfrey frowned at the use of language, "Yes well, it'll take more than a day to get you back on your feet. Looks like transforming without the pull of the moon will do that to you. Not to mention you were hit with two Cruciatus curses last night," she replied before motioning for Snape to give Remus another potion.
Remus took the potion obediently only for him to gag and choke on the terrible taste.
"Ugh," Remus groaned, making a face as Snape forced down the rest of the potion.
"He's trying to poison me... Can't really blame him," Remus thought to himself only to feel a shearing heat down his left leg.
He gave a hiss of pain but thankfully the heat cooled and Remus looked down.
"Look at this. I told you to stay off the leg until I'd treated it properly," Pomfrey scolded as she applied another healing spell on the damaged limb. Remus looked at her in confusion.
"How is this my fault," he defended only to be cut off when Snape shoved another bottle between his lips; this one filled with more horrible potion than the last.
Another series of coughs and grimaces occurred and Remus glared tiredly at Snape. This was probably revenge for having to brew all these potions for a handicapped werewolf at three in the morning wasn't it?
"Well," Pomfrey went on, in answer to Remus's question, "if you hadn't felt the need to give your son piggy back rides all over the Great Hall last night it would have been fine until today at least," Pomfrey finished, firing off another series of healing spells as Snape forced Remus to down another potion.
Damn these potions. Sure they did wonders for pain but they were making him sleepy.
"Last night..." Remus thought through his sleepy haze before his brain caught up with him and he jerked upward in panic, almost spilling Snape's potions all over him.
"I did what last night?!" he asked, eyes wide.
"Teddy was there?! Is he alright? What happened to Greyback? And the brothers?"
"Did I hurt anyone?" Remus thought, terrified at the notion but Tonks pushed her husband's head back down with a soothing noise.
"Shh. Remus it's OK," she cooed, running her fingers through his hair again and frowning when he didn't relax under her touch.
"Teddy's fine. Not a scratch on him and Greyback and his Death Eaters won't be bothering us for good long time," Tonks went on but Remus shook his head and tried to protest.
"But-"
"Shh. No buts," Tonks replied and Remus threw her a pleading look, "No buts, no what ifs, no nothing. Everything is perfectly fine. Sure the Great Hall's gonna need some redecorating but you didn't hurt anyone Remus," Tonks stressed and finally, Remus looked up at her, eyes now full of confusion.
"Then how-"
Tonks sighed, "For the love of Merlin. Just relax. I'll explain everything later. Right now you need to drink up so you can rest."
Remus sighed in defeat, eyes drooping to half closed slits as Snape forced another potion down. This was embarrassing! Getting fed by Snape was the last thing on Remus's wish list but he was starting to feel drowsy and priorities were slipping.
He managed to finish off one more potion before he fell away to a peaceful slumber.
Teddy woke up a few hours later to find himself on a soft bed, staring up at the ceiling of the Hospital Wing. They must have moved him after he'd fallen asleep.
Rolling over he found both his parents lying together on the bed next to his. Both of them were sleeping soundly and Teddy wondered if his mom had stayed up all night worrying about her boys and working to make sure Greyback and his crew were locked up for good.
Teddy frowned at the mere thought of Greyback and rolled over to the other side where he came face to face with his two best friends.
Roy, awake and alert as ever, looked up at Teddy's rustling and gave his friend a smirk, hands once more clasped around his Rubik's Cube.
"How you doing Ted?" He asked casually and Ted sprung out of his bed causing Roy to raise an eyebrow.
"Nice to see you too," he started but Teddy interrupted, slipping his shoes on he raced over to Roy and gave his friend a stern look.
"I think it's time you bloody well explained yourself," he said with a pout and Roy stared at him in confusion before recognition dawned and he smirked.
"Alright but not here," he said, carefully getting off the bed so as not to wake his brother.
"Come on. Let's got to roof," he beckoned as he too slipped on his shoes and lead Teddy out of the quiet Hospital Wing.
"So, what do you want to know?" Roy asked conversationally as he and Teddy settled themselves on the roof of the Astronomy Tower.
Teddy sighed, "Well for one. That whole part with that Killing Curse just ricocheting right off you just doesn't fly," he started and Roy nodded in understanding.
"True enough," he said before his eyes turned rather steely, "but you have to promise not to tell anyone," he finished and Teddy nodded, "I promise."
Roy gave a firm nod and sighed as if trying to gather his wits.
"Ok. I guess I have to start from the beginning huh?" Roy started, not waiting for Teddy to answer before continuing, "When I was born. I was supposed to be the Dark Lord. That's what that blasted prophecy said and everyone believed it. What they didn't expect was another prophecy." Roy stressed with a small smirk.
"Ever wondered why there was a prophecy about me and not one of Vic? Well, Vic did and when we were kids he'd go looking for it," Roy's voice then took on a mellow tone, "In the end he never found it and he got into so much trouble all the time that I convinced him to stop trying."
Teddy waited, absorbed as his friend went on but raising an eyebrow as Roy gave him an all knowing smirk.
"But I did," he went on and Teddy sat up a bit straighter.
"And I'll give you one guess where it is now," Roy went on holding out the Rubik's Cube that Teddy had all year associated Roy with.
"It's in the Cube?" Teddy asked half in confusion and half in wonder.
"Bingo," Roy said with a gleam in his eye and suddenly things started to piece together for Teddy. Like how Roy had totally freaked out that time when Kimblee had gotten hold of his Cube during that scuffle when Ted had first seen Roy's abilities. And that time when Roy had been so adamant about going back to retrieve the Cube when he'd dropped it in that graveyard.
"But what's this supposed to do with why you didn't get hurt by Xavia's curse?" Teddy asked but Roy flashed him a small grin although there was a sad look in his eyes. Without a word he began flipping his Cube panels around until they lined up neatly in a row. Then, slowly, the panels fell out, one after another until the whole Cube seemed to disintegrate right before Teddy's eyes. And there, in Roy's hand was a small glass ball, about the size of his palm and Teddy knew without a doubt that it was a prophecy.
Taking out his wand Roy calmly touched the prophecy with its tip and it glowed a faint silver before a voice, soft and sweet like honey, came drifting out.
"Born from hatred but born to love. The cycle continues and with darkness comes light and it in turn brings hope. Together they beat back despair that lies within and ward off dark's consuming rage. A new era approaches, one of children with faith in all. For as long as darkness persists, light will be its guide as evil cannot exist if there is no good. Fate has chosen two to walk its path and it is this fate that has at long last brought unity to this world."
Teddy stared, lost in thought as the prophecy finished speaking and dimed its light.
"Deep huh?" Roy asked after a while as he busied himself with reconstructing his Cube.
"...yeah..." Teddy said slowly, still processing what he'd heard.
"So, wait. What was that all about?" he asked, shaking himself slightly and Roy gave him a smirk.
"What was the first thing you thought when you met us on the train in September?" Roy asked and Teddy paused, frowning in thought.
"You expect me to remember that?"
"Well, what's the first thing you thought about us?" Roy asked, referring to him and Vic and Teddy laughed.
"That you were a sadistic kid with a weird Muggle toy and Vic was a hyperactive one who didn't know how to shut up," Teddy grinned and Roy snorted.
"Great. So. To summarize..." Roy went on, coaxing Teddy to finish and then Teddy had it.
"Vic is the Ying to your Yang," he repeated from all those months ago.
"So you're the Darkness and Vic is Light. Greyback wanted to get rid of Vic so that you would turn evil but he can't because without Vic, you wouldn't be anything."
"Oh trust me. I'd probably be something," Roy grumbled, obviously not liking the notion of Greyback "getting rid" of his brother, "I just wouldn't be under Greyback's thumb like he'd wanted it so they'd have to find some other way."
"And that was to turn Vic into a werewolf so you'd both be evil," Teddy concluded and Roy shrugged.
"I guess..."
"But wait. That still doesn't explain why you can fend off killing curses!" Teddy protested and Roy gave him a smirk which turned into a frown as he thought up ways to explain.
Finally, he had it.
"When Harry Potter got hit with the Killing Curse it rebounded off him right?"
Teddy nodded, he'd heard this story too many times to even count, "Yeah. Something about his mother sacrificed herself for him so it's like a barrier of love," Teddy recited and then he paused. Surely Roy's mother hadn't done the same thing.
"I thought... you hated your mother," Teddy asked slowly and Roy's face darkened.
"It doesn't have to be your mother," he stressed and Teddy slowly pieced together the facts.
"And it's not just that," Roy went on quickly, "When was the last time you ever hit me in duelling club?" Roy asked suddenly and Teddy frowned, thinking back.
"Never," he concluded, still lost in thought, "whenever I threw something at you you'd just flick it off."
Roy smirked. "The person who...sacrificed...herself had my cube charmed with every protective spell out there. They said it's more powerful than Dumbledore's magic. If I have my cube no one can hurt me except for those with my blood," Roy went on and Teddy finally got it.
"So that's why when Xavia was cursing the living daylights out of you that time after Christmas you didn't even flinch...and the time Kimblee attacked you in the mall it just rebounded off of you ...and the time the Dementors attacked us and you were still perfectly fine after!" Teddy concluded, hoping up and down on the balls of his feet as things finally started piecing together.
"Bingo," Roy went on, looking with a mixed sense of pride at his precious Cube.
But Teddy noticed something else a sort of sadness and a hint of anger was it?
"This person. You must have loved her a lot," Teddy started but Roy shrugged, busying himself with putting the Cube back onto the chain around his neck.
"Who knows…" Roy started with a far away look in his eyes and Teddy was left at a lost for what to say.
"….you want to talk about it?" he ventured and Roy shrugged again before launching into another tale.
"When Voldemort heard that prophecy about Vic he was furious. Killed the Seer on the spot and I guess only his most faithful men ever heard of it. Too bad they're all dead by now," Roy said with a shrug, "I guess the news never got out to my mother but either way, when Vic was born she was very hush hush about it you know? They didn't want any of the other surviving Death Eaters finding out that they'd just brought another kid into the picture."
Teddy stayed silent, some part of him telling him that Roy would probably make this swing back on topic in his own weird way.
"Of course you can't keep a whole frickin kid hidden, even with Voldemort gone," Roy continued, "so it was only a matter of time before someone found out. They told our mother. She went off to kill herself cause she's a moron and we ran away…." Roy trailed off, brow furrowed in concentration.
"And then we met someone. She was nice. Gave us a place to stay. I found the prophecy around that time and realized we were in danger." Roy took a deep breath before continuing, "And then they came. I think they wanted to get rid of the good one but I guess they couldn't really tell since Vic was bigger than me by then. Maybe they thought the younger one meant the smaller one," Roy shrugged, "Either way, they came after me…and then she died….." Roy finished and Teddy held his breath.
After a long silence Teddy finally spoke, "What was her name?"
And Roy gave a him a dark humorous look filled with anger and hate,
"I don't know," he answered darkly, "I can't remember,"
Teddy's world ground to a halt. Never had Roy admitted that he couldn't remember. Roy remembered everything. It was a fact of life by now.
"They hit me with an Memory charm and then they killed her," Roy went on, staring at his shoes, "And I can't remember her name or her face or the way her voice sounded or anything!," Roy went on, voice turning angry before looking straight at Teddy, "and it's all because of stupid magic!" he ranted and Teddy felt that last piece of the puzzle click soundly into place.
His heart felt heavy for his friend but his brain now understood. Roy hated magic. He'd known that since the first day he met him.
And now Teddy knew, Roy hated magic because it had taken away the closest thing he would have had to a mother.
Teddy wondered what he would feel if his mother had died. If any of his parents had died. Would he feel this hatred to magic like Roy?
But then he realized that he probably wouldn't because even if his parents were dead he'd be told about their greatness from Harry and Gran and all those people. He would have laughed at their moving wedding photos, changed his hair color to matched his mum's and try his hardest at everything to keep his parent's memories alive.
Roy didn't have that. No stories, no pictures, no memory.
"But you have us," Teddy finished strongly and Roy looked up at him once more in confusion.
"It doesn't matter what you do or what you say. You've got me and Vic and somewhere out there she's watching you and I know that she's proud of you," Teddy went on, pointing up to the sky in emphasis.
And Roy stared at him for a beat before recognition dawned and he gave Teddy a smile.
"Thanks Ted."
Teddy gave his friend a grin before standing up and stretching.
"Well, I think that was bloody damn depressing so I'm up for breakfast. You game?" Teddy asked and Roy nodded as Teddy gave him a hand up.
"Great. Let's see if we can get some food for Vic too," Teddy said happily as the made their way back.
"You know. Even with all that shit you've been through, Teddy mumbled as they climbed through the window, "at least you know you have a purpose. I mean it's pretty cool don't you think? To have a prophecy about you," Teddy glanced over to Roy who was looking at him with a bewildered expression.
"Ok. Nevermind. Forget I said anything," Teddy laughed, nervously rubbing the back of his head but Roy frowned.
"I guess it's kind of cool if you look at it. I guess you can't say that everyone out there has a prophecy made about them," Roy went on with a shrug still eyeing Teddy's change in behaviour
"Yeah!" Teddy said with false enthusiasm, "And you'll know you're not a mistake either…." Teddy trailed off, he had tried to keep his point light but he still felt somewhat miserable.
"You're a moron Ted," Roy replied after a while and Teddy looked up to find his friends glaring at him.
"Don't tell me you're actually starting to believe what Xavia's telling you!"
Teddy winced. Ok. Maybe he was…. but who could blame him? It sounded to him that he was just getting in the way all the time anyways.
"Who was the first person you met on the train?" Roy asked exasperatedly and Teddy raised an eyebrow. What did this have to do with anything?
"You guys, duh," he replied. He'd have though that was pretty obvious.
"Which one of us?" Roy pressed and Teddy frowned in thought.
"Vic I think. He said something about my hair," Teddy finally replied and Roy sighed.
"You just don't get it do you? With darkness comes light and it in turn brings hope. I'm the darkness. Vic's the light. And you, Ted, are hope," Roy finished, giving his friend a smirk before walking out of the Astronomy classroom.
But Teddy stayed behind, staring at the entrance to the class that Roy had just walked though, lost in thought as his brain processed this new piece of information.
Teddy suddenly remembered a few words he'd said so many months ago on that fateful day when he'd first realized that his best friends were the sons of Death Eaters. He and Vic had gone back up to the Astronomy Tower in that blizzard to try to bring Roy back down from his despair. And on that day he'd said it:
"So you're destined to be the Dark Lord. We're here to make sure you don't."
And that had just summed it up. That was his purpose. His proof that he wasn't a mistake. He had said it so long ago but it was only now that he realized what those words really meant.
Together they beat back despair that lies within…..
That's right. Together.
And so, with a grin on his face and a heart filled with hope and happiness, Teddy Lupin ran down the steps of the Astronomy Tower after his friend.
